Santa Maria in the south of Sal is the most popular spot to stay on the island with the main beach & a great choice of restaurants and cuisine in a town that caters for all tastes and budgets. The speciality of the town of course is fish with the daily catch brought in and served up in front of your eyes – perfect after a hard days kiting!
The best time of year to come here is in our winter from November to May when the tradewinds that were blowing in the Canaries in the summer move down and serve Cape Verde archipelago. It is one of the main choices for our customers wanting a bit of winter sun & wind and is perfect as only a short hop from the UK- the flight is just over 5 hours long.
Santa Maria has a population of 15,000 and growing. This was a former salt working village but due to its amazing beach is now more known as a windsurf/kitesurf hotspot. From here you can easily access other beaches on both sides of the island.
Getting around the island is usually done by taxis or hire cars. The recommendation here is to have a 4x4 as some of the spots can be a little off the beaten track. The taxi drivers are pretty flexible, if you head down to kite beach for example, they are happy to be paid on the return journey
The hotel boasts a beautiful outdoor swimming pool, which has an open air Jacuzzi and is surrounded by a sun deck that is furnished with chic loungers and parasols. The poolside is found just footsteps from the beach, so you can enjoy views across the sea as you swim or relax by the water. Inside the hotel you will find a number of places to unwind, such as the leisure area and the reading area. You can enjoy some local and international cuisine at the hotel’s restaurant, which offers beautiful views across the beach and of the ocean. The hotel has 337 rooms and each room is decorated using contemporary, chic interior design. There is also an outdoor Spa which offers guests different types of massages and therapeutic programs.
The hotel is mainly composed of bungalow type properties built on the beach between small lawns and terraces inviting you to relax and enjoy the climate. The hotel also offers superior rooms in the main building with balconies overlooking the one of the swimming pools. Minutes from the amenities of Santa Maria, Belorizonte is perfectly placed for a stroll along the promenade to visit the local shops, bars and restaurants and of course take full advantage of the excellent expanse of beach right on your doorstep.
The kitesurfing conditions on this beautiful island are a little more challenging for intermediates & the more experienced rider. The reason for this is that the wind tends to blow cross-offshore or side-shore. For those of you who are happy staying upwind, then this is possibly the best destination just a short hop from the UK. You can get a great introduction to small waves at Kite Beach and by the end of your trip be doing the downwinder back to Santa Maria. Kite Beach is just under 10 minutes from the main beach front hotels of Santa Maria in a taxi or 15-20 from the West Coast Hotels like the RIU's.
There is also arguably the best kitesurfing wave in the world at Punta Preta just 15mins from Santa Maria, a sweet right hander!
The best conditions are by far in our winter- mainly November to May. There are several launch locations to choose from - but most of them have waves from about 2ft to 6ft and generally a steep shelf that drops quickly into deeper water.
The wind conditions throughout the winter are quite reliable, with typical north east breezes blowing throughout the day at strength of 20-25 knots.
Kite Beach- this is the main spot where kiters head to cross-on conditions and small waves. This beach is located on the east side of the island and is the best all round beach for kitesurfing. You can learn here but its best for intermediate riders and above, with the wind direction cross on from left and with 2-4 ft waves so great for learning to get over and ride in waves. Our partner school also does a downwinder from here back to Santa Maria – awesome!
Santa Maria- this is where most of the hotels are based and so it is this beach which is the easiest to get to and from. Wind shifts between cross and cross offshore but it can be a little gusty due to the proximity of the town and the wind coming over the buildings. There can be a little shore dump but generally the water is flatter here so is good for intermediates.
Punte Lemje- this is to the east of Santa Maria and has a nice little wave.
Punta Preta- this is known as the big one! This is the location for the KSP world tour, the class of wave here is world class and world renown. Be careful here though, no rescue boat and no lifeguard so you are on your own making it suitable for advanced riders.
Based on the main Santa Maria beach, our fantastic team here will be pleased to see you and give you all the guidance and support you need about the local conditions. We offer a hotel pick up service here from all of the hotels on the island as part of the supervised kiting package or lessons, just check in on the first day and leave the rest to us. We will also escort you to Kite Beach and again offer full support for the downwinder at the end of the day.
12 Hour Beginner CourseA semi private intensive course perfect for complete beginners and covering everything from safety, kite set up, flying skills and body dragging, culminating in getting up and riding on the board. Group size 2 to 1 instructor. An 8 hour course is avaialble at £215.00 pp |
£310 |
4 Hour Intermediate CourseIdeal for those who have yet to crack the waterstart or those who need to regain their sea-legs after a period of time off the water. Refreshes your kite flying skills and gets you making those first runs on the board - woo hoo!. Group size 2-6 students |
£205 |
2 Hour Private Instruction, excluding kitWant to nail that kite loop or raillie? 1:1 instruction lets the instructor concentrate 100% on your technique whatever you want to practice. |
£115 |
7 day standard equipment RentalUpgrade to Premium kit from an extra £25.00 for a week or £35.00 for two. |
£250 |
14 day standard equipment RentalUpgrade to Premium kit from an extra £25.00 for a week or £35.00 for two. |
£380 |
Storage & rescue 7 days |
£48 |
Storage & rescue 14 days |
£92 |
