In this article:
You can click through all the spots in the gallery above!
Freeride paradises can be found all over the world. Smooth water, constant wind, good accommodation close to the water and a comfortable journey are the dream of every pleasure windsurfer who is not an individual traveller chasing the most distant waves in the world.
Those who are looking for winter sports resorts for relaxed gliding usually choose a complete programme in one place and rarely take their own equipment with them on holiday. Well-equipped rental centres and schools are therefore crucial for them. Hotels or flats close to the spot are also very important to many winter travellers. Most of the spots we present in our top 10 can therefore be booked through the surf tour operators Sun and Fun or the Surf & Action Company. We have used various criteria for the ratings:
- Spot quality:How suitable are the conditions for freeriders as well as beginners and intermediates? Perfectly smooth water and large standing areas score points here.
- Wind frequency: This criterion is almost self-explanatory - consistency with a gliding wind of over twelve knots is more important here than maximum strength.
- Accessibility:No-one wants to have to change planes several times and spend ages travelling to the spot. That's why what counts here is how easy the spots are to reach in relation to the distance.
- Living:From bed to board is the motto here. But also how well equipped the hire stations are and how large the selection of accommodation is.
Of course, this is only a selection of the best freeride spots and does not claim to be exhaustive.
Place 10: Egypt - Lahami Bay
The spot, around 400 kilometres south of Hurghada and around two hours' drive from Marsa Alam International Airport, is not one of the more crowded areas. Here you will find plenty of peace and quiet and comfortable conditions. The advantage over the northern Egypt spots is the higher temperatures and better wind statistics in winter. The windsurfing centre is right next to the Lahami Bay Beach Resort, in front of which there is a beautiful house reef for snorkelling and diving. The wind in Lahami Bay never gets super strong and is ideal for enjoyable freeride sessions with larger equipment. However, there is no large standing area, so the spot is not ideal for pure beginners. On the other hand, you will find plenty of peace and unspoilt nature.
9th place: Spain - Tarifa
If you want to avoid travelling by plane to warmer climes in winter, there's no getting around Tarifa. However, you need to allow enough time for the 2500 kilometre journey by car. For an extended weekend trip, you should still take a plane. The average air temperature in winter is only 15 degrees. The wind frequency in winter is similar to that in summer, at around 50 per cent, whereby even the smallest sails are regularly used and it can sometimes get rough. The two wind systems Levante (east) and Poniente (west) ensure changing conditions. In winter, there is often a westerly wind, which sometimes brings rain, while an easterly wind usually brings sunshine. The best spots for beginners and freeriders are in Palmones, Valdevaqueros or at the nearby Spin Out surfing centre - other surfing centres are also available. There is more than enough accommodation, from campsites to comfortable hotels. This also applies to kiters.
8th place: Spain - Gran Canaria
It's common knowledge that Gran Canaria shoots off all cylinders in summer. In winter, however, the top spot of Pozo is rather poor. On the other hand, the trade wind, which blows more to the east in winter, is much better further south on the island. At the Dunkerbeck Pro Centre in San Augustin and the Fanatic Boarders Centre at Bahia Feliz, you'll get decent freeride conditions under your board. Although you won't be spoilt by perfect flat water, you can do a lap or two with the legend Björn. There are more than enough accommodation options in the south of the island.
Place 7: South Africa - Langebaan
Every winter, the surf test team visits the base camp in Langebaan, around 120 kilometres north of Cape Town, to see for themselves that South Africa has much more to offer than crashing waves. The wind probability from November to March is high, in our experience it is between 50 and 70 per cent - and small sails are often used. You start in front of the Cape Sports Station in smooth water, which becomes quite choppy further out, especially in strong winds. Every now and then a small wave runs into the bay, but this is also manageable for wave novices. Depending on the tide, there is a standing area of around 100 metres. One small disadvantage, however, is the relatively cool water temperatures: you shouldn't expect more than 15-17 degrees - but the sun warms you up quickly in the South African winter. You won't find any large hotels in Langebaan, but there are many flats or houses near the beach.
6th place: Egypt - Soma Bay
Just under 50 kilometres south of Hurghada International Airport, you will find a perfect shallow-water bay with very comfortable hotels and well-equipped surf stations. On the eastern part of the bay, which juts out into the Red Sea like a peninsula and is called Abu Soma, lies the Robinson Club with its own surf centre. From there you start sideshore on a somewhat choppy freeride piste. With a few strokes upwind, you reach a perfect flat-water piste just below land. On the other side of the bay is Peter Müller's very well-equipped Surfmotion Centre. Thanks to a large shallow area, the spot in front of the Hotel Palm Royal is also perfect for beginners. At the southern end of the bay is the Planet Allsport centre at the Caribbean World Hotel. The wind conditions in winter are not as good as in summer with 40 to 50 per cent gliding wind and, surprisingly, it is relatively cool for African conditions in November and December. Therefore, more than 6th place is not possible!
Place 5: Cape Verde - Sao Vicente
For experienced freeriders, the spot on the neighbouring island of Sal is a dream. However, the strong, offshore wind is not really suitable for intermediates, as there is also no large shallow area. There is a nice hotel with a well-equipped surf centre right next to the spot. In the winter months, a moderate shorebreak occasionally makes its way to the spot. However, it is no problem for better freeriders. Compared to the other Cape Verde islands, the wind on Sao Vicente is almost always one to two Beaufort stronger due to local reinforcements. From December to May, the statistics show an average of over 90 per cent (!) of gliding winds of between four and seven Beaufort. The journey to Sao Vicente is either via Sal or directly via Portugal. However, if you are looking for an extensive nightlife, you are completely out of place on the island.
4th place: Egypt - Dahab
You don't really need to say much about Dahab's qualities as a freeride spot. It doesn't get much better than this. Beginners and intermediates as well as ambitious freeriders will find almost perfect conditions here. However, Dahab has suffered from a massive decline in holidaymaker numbers in recent years due to the political situation in Egypt and occasional attacks - mostly far away from Dahab. In the meantime, tourism in the Sinai is gradually recovering, so that more flights are being offered again. The big advantage - there is more than enough space on the water and in the good hotels. The wind machine in the eastern Red Sea is not quite as reliable in winter as it is in summer, but there is always more than 50 per cent gliding wind. However, the wind can be quite chilly, especially in December.
3rd place: Caribbean - Tobago
Welcome to paradise! Crystal-clear water with bathtub temperatures, a clichéd beautiful palm beach, a standing area, a wind frequency of almost 80 per cent between December and April and the well-equipped Radical Sports Station directly at the Pigeon Point spot - what more could you want? Accessibility is also good, with flights to Tobago possible from many German airports, and the transfer from the airport to the spot takes just a few minutes. The only thing standing in the way of a top ranking is that the wind is usually moderate at 12-20 knots - so big sails are the rule - and that it gets a bit choppy depending on the tide and that you can't stay right at the spot. Our tip: Simply adapt to the Caribbean lifestyle and take the relaxed 20-minute walk from the village to the spot - or hire a bike.
Place 2: Morocco - Dakhla
Admittedly, anyone who decides in favour of Dakhla as a winter sports resort has to bring a certain sense of adventure with them. Its location in southern Morocco on the edge of the Western Sahara is quite remote. Nevertheless, the spot is relatively easy to reach with a transfer stop in Casablanca and a transfer of around 45 minutes from Dakhla airport. The spot is located on a lagoon on a long headland and offers the finest freeriding conditions. At low tide you have to carry your equipment a little. At high tide there is a large shallow area. The speed spot (photo above) downwind of the centre is a dream. There is a transfer service by tractor to get back from there to the newly built centre directly in front of the Dakhla Attitude Bungalow Hotel. The wind frequency in Dakhla is hard to beat. According to statistics, there is a gliding wind on around 330 days a year. What you can't expect is 5-star comfort, but you can expect the comfort of endless space and plenty of peace and quiet.
1st place: Caribbean - Bonaire
The easternmost of the three ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) off the coast of Venezuela is probably freerider and freestyler heaven on earth. It is no coincidence that numerous world-class trickers and slalom pilots come from the small island in the Netherlands Antilles. Lac Bay is also the perfect playground for beginners and intermediates, as there is a very large shallow area and with water temperatures above 25 degrees all year round and a gliding wind frequency of between 70 and 90 per cent in winter, rapid progress is almost guaranteed. As a reef almost completely shields Lac Bay from the open Atlantic, small choppy waves are the highest elevations within the bay. Nothing spoils the carefree freeride fun here. The Sorobon Beach Resort is right next to the spot and the two surf centres are right next door. At all other accommodations, you need a car to get to the spot. A big advantage of Bonaire is that, although it is located in the Caribbean, it is a "special municipality" of the Netherlands and is therefore practically part of Europe. KLM flies directly to the island from Amsterdam every day.
