El Médano
Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Spain
Spot Type
Chop
Water
Crystal Clear
Beach
Sand
Rider Lever
beginner
Spot characteristics
Spot Type
Chop
Rider Skill
beginner
Crowd
Seasonal Crowd
Beach Type
Sand
Water Quality
Crystal Clear
Tide Influence
Tide independent
Description of El Médano (Spain)
El Médano is one of those spots that you keep coming back to—whether you’re starting out or just want consistent conditions with no surprise hazards. The wind is its defining feature: you’ve got steady northeast trade winds that start building late morning and peak in the afternoon, strongest between May and September. Think 20–25 knots most days during summer, and even outside peak months it can still deliver rideable days. What really sets El Médano apart is how user-friendly it is—you’ve got a wide sandy beach with tons of room to launch and land, even when there’s a seasonal crowd around. It’s public access, no zoning red tape, and there’s legit infrastructure: rescue services on site during high season, several well-equipped kite schools, gear rental shops, repair kiosks, and even spots to grab a drink once you're done riding.
Launch can be a bit dodgy with gusts closer to the beach, so get your kite in the air and head out quickly to where the wind evens out. The water is generally flat to choppy, with occasional wind swell depending on direction and tide, which doesn’t influence this spot much—it’s basically tide independent. That makes it super accessible for learners who wouldn’t want to deal with sketchy low tide reef exposure. The beach is sand underneath, with deeper water just meters offshore, so you can crash and relaunch without worrying about breaking your body or your board. Shoes aren’t necessary, but if you’re sensitive or prone to dragging your feet when body-dragging, short wetsuit boots might save your toes from the scattered rocks.
El Médano isn’t just for learning or cruise-y freeriding—it draws in locals and traveling riders who want time on the water without sketch hazards. There are freestyle-friendly sections with room to throw tricks, and even some hydrofoil potential a bit further out once you’re out of the chop. It’s not huge on waves, but you can sneak some little kickers on windier days. Wind range overall runs from 15 knots up to 25+ knots in peak months—you’ll want an 8m to 12m quiver depending on your weight and whether you’re riding twintip or foil.
Beyond the kite, El Médano really makes life easy. There’s plenty of beachfront parking, including for overnight camper vans, and the scene is chill—not party town, but social enough. Great Canarian food, sunset beers at beach bars, and a good mix of locals and traveling riders who actually want to talk kite instead of flex. It’s 10 km from Tenerife South Airport, so you can be in the water two hours after landing. The town itself is built around the beach, so literally everything you need is walking distance. This means you can easily visit for just a weekend mission or stay a couple weeks. If you’ve got non-kiters in the crew or you just want some off-water action, you’ve got solid hikes into desert-like volcanic terrain, sailing, diving, and even quad tours all within a short drive.
Overall, El Médano’s reputation is definitely deserved—it’s consistent, rider-friendly, accessible, and has the kind of setup that actually lets you focus on progression or simply cruising in solid wind.
Spot Gallery (3)
Spot best suited for
Spot profile
Travel spot
The typical kite travel destination, it is known for its great conditions, and kiters from around the world come here for their vacations.
Family spot
Located in an area that offers amenities for all the family and can provide good alternatives for everyone when the kiters are in the water.
Local spot
Maybe not be worth a real journey to reach this spot, but great if you live close by and it is a windy day. In the end, being out on the water feels great anywhere
Equipment
Wetsuits are recommended all year—during summer, a shorty is enough, but outside peak months a 3/2 full suit is ideal since the water hovers between 18–23°C. Most locals ride barefoot, but some use thin wetsuit boots to avoid minor foot cuts from submerged rocks near the reef areas.
Wind Conditions
Main wind directions
% of Windy days per month
Wind Speed Range
From 15 to 25 Knots
Suggested sizes
8 - 9 mt
10 - 11 mt
12 - 13 mt
Forecast on Windy.com
Dangers
El Médano is a relatively safe and forgiving spot, but there are still a few things to stay aware of—especially if you're newer or distracted. First of all, the wind is predominantly side-onshore from the northeast, which makes for safer drift if something goes wrong, but keep in mind that closer to the beach, it can get gusty due to surrounding terrain and buildings. Get your kite up and out quick so you're not messing around in the gust zone too long. Out in the bay, the wind smooths out considerably and you’ve got reliable pull.
Now, let’s talk hazards. There are rocky sections both in and out of the water, mostly toward the downwind end near the harbor and further out past the main swimming areas. Watch out when body-dragging or coming back upwind if you're feeling tired—plenty of boards have met their end down there. You won’t see reef breaking the water most of the time, but submerged rock patches are common and water clarity means you can usually spot them in time. That said, beginners especially should stay toward the main beach launch zone and avoid the areas marked as swim zones.
Local rules stress keeping out of flagged swimming areas and giving right of way to surfers and swimmers. Interference not only pisses off the locals but can get your session ended early by local authorities if you’re being reckless. During peak summer months, it can get really busy—think multiple kites launching and landing in proximity—so awareness during launch and land is key. There is a rescue service during the high season, but it’s a good idea to know your self-rescue basics.
And finally, keep an eye on the occasional outbound current on windier days—nothing major, but if you're riding tired or not upwind well, it's safer to stay somewhat inside. Ride smart and the place treats you well.
Location
Closest City
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
How to get There
Fly into Tenerife South Airport (about 10 km from El Médano), then a short 15-20 minute drive by rental car or taxi to the spot.
Access
The spot is publicly accessible with no entrance fees. There is convenient parking nearby, including options suitable for camper vans staying overnight. The beach is open year-round with no private or restricted zones for kitesurfing.
What to do besides kitesurfing
El Médano isn’t just about the wind—it’s got that rare combo of ride-time, comfort, and things to do off the water that make it stand out over other Euro spots. The town itself feels like it was built around the beach, not the other way around. Everything you need is right there: kite shops (like Surf Center Playa Sur and Duotone Pro Center), beach bars, supermarkets for cheap food runs, and a chilled social scene you can dip in and out of at will. After a session, you can just grab one of the beach-view bar tables, order some papas arrugadas with mojo or grilled seafood, and watch the sunset burn over the Atlantic, beer in hand.
Accommodation is everywhere from backpacker-style surf hostels to family apartments and even beachfront hotels. A lot of riders park their campers right in the designated lots and sleep within spitting distance of launch. If you’re traveling light, several shops rent out decent newer gear, and lessons are high quality—multilingual instructors, all the certifications. Showers and toilets aren’t fancy but they’re available nearby, especially along the beachfront walkway and public areas close to restaurants.
For families or non-kiters, the area is ramps-up friendly—there’s an aquapark about 25 minutes away, loads of nature-based activities (hiking up trails near Montaña Roja for example), and if you rent a car, you’ve got snorkeling, diving centers, sailing charters, and even paragliding adventures all within short drives. The volcanic landscape inland is wild—Mars-like and photogenic, ideal for day hikes or quad bike missions.
Culturally, head north to Santa Cruz for bigger city action or south to Los Cristianos for more nightlife. But honestly, the vibe in El Médano is all about that post-sesh oceanfront beer, mellow tunes, and good conversation with your crew or random traveling riders. If late-night rave is your thing, maybe not the best place, but you’ll still catch occasional live music and beach events during local festivals. In all, El Médano is the kind of spot you go for the wind, but you actually enjoy staying at because you’re not living out of a van purely to chase weather windows. You surf, snack, explore, and repeat. Simple and solid.