Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Type: Lagoon
Water type: Flat
Water hazards: Reefs, Corals
Water quality: Clean
Infos: Big Lagoon. Most parts not deeper then 1.50m. Water is flat to choppy, depending on the wind situation. You will be the only kiteboarder on the water. There is no windsurfing, no kiteboarding.
Beach type & size: Sand - Big
Infos: You have enough space on the beach. Please don't park your car or set up your kite near other Arabic people. Everybody here needs his private room on the beach. Please respect this. If you are lucky you will find a few Arabic people who speak a little bit English. They could help you launch or catch the kite. Better and safer is a buddy who helps you. Expect a big crowd watching you enthusiastic. A lot bypassers will stop and cheer you. The beach could be cleaner. There is some garbage at the beach.
Identified hazards: Cars
Weather specificities: Don't kiteboard "nearly naked". I did wear kite trousers. You can use a short wetsuit, but it's also possible without wet suit. Only with lycra. Depends on your personal preferences.
Wind type: Thermal, Frontal
Wind specificities: Wind increases thermally in the early afternoon. Best month are December to February. You can expect 14-28 knots. All wind information on the web shows 3-5 knots less than you will have actually! Wind is pretty steady.
Best months: January, February, December
Access description: by Car - Go southbound on M55 to Mastabah. There is a new bridge you can use to cross to the south side.
Specific rules: None
Extra: Police is curious, but accepts kiteboarding if there are no accidents.
Nightlife: If you know the right people, it should be great (including alcohol...)
Accommodations: Parking
View spot
Level: Intermediate, Expert
Type: Ocean, Lagoon
Water type: Chop, Small wave
Water hazards: Swimmers, Jetskis, Buoys, Reefs, Corals, Mole, Rocks, Stones
Water quality: Clean
Infos: Stay upwind to avoid the swimmers. Reef can be just below the water, depending on the tide. There is also a channel to exit (left side).
Beach type & size: Sand - Small
Infos: This is a nice beach club. If you walk to the boat jetty, you can rig your kite there and launch it. Then you have to jump from the boat jetty to access the water. Tricky launch. When you come back you need somebody to wait at the boat jetty to catch your kite. You will approach from the water. You need good timing because there is not a lot space to land your kite. Only for experts! Crowded on Fridays.
Identified hazards: Concrete, Bystanders
Weather specificities: Don't kiteboard "nearly naked". I did wear kite trousers. You can use a short wetsuit, but it's also possible without wet suit. Only with lycra. Depends on your personal preferences.
Wind type: Thermal, Frontal
Wind specificities: Wind increases thermally in the early afternoon. Best month are December to February. You can expect 14-28 knots. All wind information on the web shows 3-5 knots less than you will have actually! Wind is pretty steady.
Best months: January, February, December
Access description: by Car - Don't expect a lot signs. From Jeddah go north on Madinah Rd. Drive around the small lagoon. Then you will pass all beach clubs north of Yeddah. There will be no sign at any beach club. You have to know the club or ask for it. Or use your GPS (Entry at 21.7727N 39.0556 E). Driving north about 400m after a pretty mosque on the right you will see to your left blue door with 2 palm trees and a sign saying "private beach".
Specific rules: Fees
Extra: You have to pay for the entry (100R), but it's a nice beach club, only crowded on Friday.
Nightlife: If you know the right people, it should be great (including alcohol...).
Accommodations: Shower, Toilet, Food, Parking
View spot
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Type: Lagoon
Water type: Shallow, Flat, Chop
Water hazards: Reefs, Corals, Stones, Shells
Water quality: Clean
Infos: Very flat big lagoon. Sometimes too shallow. On high tide only 1 m deep. Good for beginners! You need shoes due to shells.
Beach type & size: Sand - Medium
Infos: You have enough space on the beach. Please don't park your car or set up your kite near other Arabic people. Everybody here needs his private room on the beach. Please respect this. If you are lucky you will find a few Arabic people who speak a little bit English. They could help you launch or catch the kite. Better and safer is a buddy who helps you. Expect a big crowd watching you enthusiastic. A lot bypassers will stop and cheer you. The beach could be cleaner. There is some garbage at the beach.
Identified hazards: Cars
Beachgoer: None
Weather specificities: Don't kiteboard "nearly naked". I did wear kite trousers. You can use a short wetsuit, but it's also possible without wet suit. Only with lycra. Depends on your personal preferences.
Wind type: Thermal, Frontal
Wind specificities: Wind increases thermally in the early afternoon. Best month are December to February. You can expect 14-28 knots. All wind information on the web shows 3-5 knots less than you will have actually! Wind is pretty steady.
Best months: January, February, December
Access description: by Car - Go south on M55 also called highway 5, approx. 80 km after the police checkpoint where you leave Jeddah you see the exit Shaiba. Follow the rode approx another 15km. The lagoon to your right than one to the left. That's it. You will see 1 ship wreck. Best spot at the lagoon is probably the west side of it in the very north.
Specific rules: None
Extra: Police is curious, but accepts kiteboarding if there are no accidents.
Nightlife: If you know the right people, it should be great (including alcohol...)
Accommodations: Parking
View spot
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Type: Lagoon
Water type: Shallow, Flat, Chop
Water hazards: Reefs
Water quality: Clean
Infos: Lagoon is pretty deep. Water is flat to choppy, depending on the wind situation.
Beach type & size: Sand - Medium
Infos: You have enough space on the beach. Please don't park your car or set up your kite near other Arabic people. Everybody here needs his private room on the beach. Please respect this. If you are lucky you will find a few Arabic people who speak a little bit English. They could help you launch or catch the kite. Better and safer is a buddy who helps you. Expect a big crowd watching you enthusiastic. A lot bypassers will stop and cheer you. The beach could be cleaner. There is some garbage at the beach.
Identified hazards: Cars
Weather specificities: Don't kiteboard "nearly naked". I did wear kite trousers. You can use a short wetsuit, but it's also possible without wet suit. Only with lycra. Depends on your personal preferences.
Wind type: Thermal, Frontal
Wind specificities: Wind increases thermally in the early afternoon. Best month are December to February. You can expect 14-28 knots. All wind information on the web shows 3-5 knots less than you will have actually! Wind is pretty steady.
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, December
Access description: by Car - Go north on M55 to Rabigh.
Specific rules: None
Extra: Police is curious, but accepts kiteboarding if there are no accidents.
Nightlife: If you know the right people, it should be great.
Accommodations: Parking
View spot
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Type: Lagoon
Water type: Shallow, Flat, Small wave
Water hazards: Rocks, Shells
Water quality: Crystal clear
Infos: Shallow, clear, hyper-saline protected waters. Shallows extend for hundreds of meters wide, by several KM in length. Sandy bottom, with occasional rocks, shells and debris. Sand bars more apparent at low tide. Good sideshore exposure to north winds. Kiting area is surrounded by beach on east, south and west sides, so very safe area for training and self rescue.
Beach type & size: Sand - Big
Infos: Sandy Beach is adjacent to Sabkha 'salt flats'. No shore hazard except for kiter vehicles on the beach, and picnic debris (kite rigging nuisance). Occasional beach camper crowds during local holidays. Long sandy beach wraps around the kiting bay area. Frequented by diverse expat and local Saudi kiters. Beach is sometimes trashed-out from day and holiday campers, and is threatened to be overtaken by local residential development.
Identified hazards: Rocks, Shells, Cars, Other
Beachgoer: None
Weather specificities: Water cools to high 70's F and cooler starting November. Air temp is 70's to 60's in winter (November to April). Air temp warms to 110+ F in mid-summer July to September.
Wind type: Frontal, Trade
Wind specificities: Northerly winds predominate. Prior to the approach of major storms (Shamals) from the north, the wind will be sucked towards the front from the south (Janoube winds). Shamals can last 1 to several days, with lots of blowing sand and dust. The dust settles out over the water, so kiting in the bay is the best, most dust-free place to be.
Best months: March, April, May, June, September, October, November
Access description: by Car - Park on the beach, within 20 ft of rigging / launching areas.
Specific rules: None
Extra: No rules. Dogs allowed. Kiters usually present to help with launching and landing.
Nightlife: Manama, Bahrain about an hour or 2 away, depending on Causeway traffic.
Accommodations: Camping
View spot
Level: Intermediate, Expert
Type: Ocean
Water type: Shallow, Flat, Chop
Water hazards: Swimmers
Water quality: Dirty
Infos: Low chop.
Beach type & size: Sand - Big
Infos: There is trash on the beach including some sharp objects so booties are a must and clearing an area to pump, launch and land is a good idea.
Identified hazards: Other
Beachgoer: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Weather specificities: Recommend wearing a shirt although some workers from the JEC dont.
Wind type: Thermal
Wind specificities: Watch for sand storms when the wind is sideshore. Wind is 12-16 kn normally sideonshore. Very clean wind. Great conditions.
Best months: January, February, March, April, September, October, November, December
Access description: by Car - Just stay on the road where you turn off on coming from Jizan/Baish on your way into the gate to Jazan Economic City (Refinery). However, don't turn into the gate just keep going west to the sea. You will see signs for the Corniche. There is a newly constructed Corniche Beach just to the north built by Aramco but it's not yet open. There are two small parking lots but people also park on the beach. There is a small marina to the south that has a breakwater extending maybe 50m into the water. To the north there are baricades separating the public beach from the Aramco beach.
Specific rules: Zones, Other
Extra: The royal commission headquarters directly across from the beach has a security guard with full views of the water. They may come over if theyre interested, its unclear what will happen when the headquarters opens. Others have reported being shut down by the Coast Guard when the beach was crowded or it was too windy .
Nightlife: In your dreams.
Accommodations: Parking
View spot
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Type: Ocean
Water type: Flat, Chop, Small wave
Water hazards: Swimmers, Fishernets, Shells
Water quality: Clean
Infos: Open water beach to the west and a shallow flat spot close by to the east.
Infos: Long beach with a lot of room. Only hazard is local interest. People might surround you after the set. Stay clear of Saudi families, women and children swimming etc. Local people usually arrive after 17.00. The coast guards can harass you, end your set and search your car so bring a passport with you. Beach and the desert area full of plastic garbage, prepare for a shock.
Identified hazards: Bystanders
Beachgoer: None
Weather specificities: Nice thermal winds kick in pretty much everyday from before noon to until sunset. Huge frontal sandstorms can be a surprise and things escalate quickly, so observe the horizon!
Wind type: Thermal
Access description: by Car -
Specific rules: None
Nightlife: You wish.
Accommodations: None
View spot
Level: Intermediate, Expert
Type: Ocean
Water type: Shallow, Flat
Water hazards: Jetskis, Wave breaker
Water quality: Clean
Infos: Nice flat lagoons.
Beach type & size: Sand - Medium
Infos: Around these man-made beaches which form lagoons are low concrete walls. Avoid to drop your kite there. Choose a beach without houses.
Identified hazards: Concrete
Beachgoer: None
Weather specificities: Don't kiteboard "nearly naked". I did wear kite trousers. You can use a short wetsuit, but it's also possible without wet suit. Only with lycra. Depends on your personal preferences.
Wind type: Thermal, Frontal
Wind specificities: Wind increases thermally in the early afternoon. Best month are December to February. You can expect 14-28 knots. All wind information on the web shows 3-5 knots less than you will have actually! Wind is pretty steady.
Best months: January, February, March, November, December
Access description: by Car - Drive on the highway northbound. Exit Durrat. Turn left, then cross the next crossing going westbound. Drive 15km to the entry gate of the Durrat compound. There you need to know somebody to enter the compound!
Specific rules: None
Nightlife: If you know the right people, it should be great (including alcohol).
Accommodations: Parking
View spot
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Type: Ocean
Water type: Shallow, Flat, Chop, Small wave, Medium wave
Water hazards: Animals, Reefs, Corals, Rocks
Water quality: Clean
Infos: The first 50m are usually very shallow. You should walk out. Then there is enough space until you will hit a reef after approx. 500-800m. You can stand in a lot areas. The water is waist deep. If you have green water below you, then it is deep enough to jump. Avoid dark/blue spots in the green water. This could be a shallow rock/reef, but they are easy to spot. Best is to stay upwind of the flat area. Then you have a safety zone if your kite drops and can't be launched any more. Water is flat to choppy, depending on the wind situation. You will be the only kiteboarder on the water. There is no windsurfing, no kiteboarding.
Beach type & size: Sand - Big
Infos: You have enough space on the beach. Please don't park your car or set up your kite near other Arabic people. Everybody here needs his private room on the beach. Please respect this. If you are lucky you will find a few Arabic people who speak a little bit English. They could help you launch or catch the kite. Better and safer is a buddy who helps you. Expect a big crowd watching you enthusiastic. A lot bypassers will stop and cheer you. The beach could be cleaner. Some areas are full of garbage. Nap pies, shoes, glass, carpets, cans you can find everything even injection needles.
Identified hazards: Rocks, Shells, Road, Cars, Other
Beachgoer: None
Weather specificities: Don't kiteboard "nearly naked". I did wear kite trousers. You can use a short wetsuit, but it's also possible without wet suit. Only with lycra. Depends on your personal preferences.
Wind type: Thermal, Frontal
Wind specificities: Wind increases thermally in the early afternoon. Best month are December to February. You can expect 14-28 knots. All wind information on the web shows 3-5 knots less than you will have actually! Wind is pretty steady.
Best months: January, February, December
Access description: by Car - Don't expect a lot signs. Don't follow any sign, which says "Corniche". This will most probably not be the "South Corniche"! There are a lot Corniches in Jeddah! Driving in Jeddah is bit difficult. You have to find King Faisal Rd. Go south on King Fahd Rd which converts to the freeway, take exit Television Street. Make a U-Turn, then don't drive again on the freeway. Stay right. Next left will be King Faisal Rd (GPS Waypoint N 21 27' 33.2"; E039 11' 30.4). There you will see the first sign "South Corniche". This is the beach area. Follow the road, keep straight or right, passing a Hyper Market on the left side, continue to GPS Waypoint (N 21 19' 47.0"; E 039 11' 27,3 "). This is a manned military checkpoint, pass slowly, turn immediately right and follow the road 20 km (after 15 km you will see a small fishermen harbour). There is the beach (at GPS Waypoint (N 21 14' 02,7"; E039 08' 42,9"). Other beaches are further south (approx. 13km). Also north of Jeddah should be a beach. The call it North Coast. The problem is, that the road is far from the water and all beach roads are guarded by life guards. It's not sure that they will let you pass.
Specific rules: None
Extra: Police is curious, but accepts kiteboarding if there are no accidents. Coast guards are annoying and like to chase kite and windsurfers away. Once on the water best is to just ignore them.
Nightlife: If you know the right people, it should be great (including alcohol).
Accommodations: Parking
View spot
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert
Type: Ocean
Water type: Shallow, Flat, Chop, Small wave
Infos: Water flat and choppy, no wave riding. Water is no more than waist deep for about 300m into the sea. No real tide - maybe 1-2 feet. Small waves (1-2 feet) normally from the North or East, depending on wind. Water is very salty. Rescue boat is available and the lifeguards are knowledgeable.
Infos: Beach is sandy, but sometimes a lot of litter, so watch out for glass/items that can get tangled in your lines. Beach is about 1km long. Good idea to use a ground cover/tarp to set your kite up on. Barnacles/flat rocks on the South side, some areas underfoot, so a good idea to wear booties. No obstructions, so easy to launch/land - road about 200m away. You can park directly at the water.
Identified hazards: Rocks, Bystanders, Cars, Other
Weather specificities: All-year acceptable - very hot/humid in summer (July to September above 40C), nice in winter (25C). Water nice to hot, except a wetsuit needed November to January (winter). Weather ranges from unbearable in the summer (120F air/ 95F water) to very comfortable in the winter (90F air/75F water). Sun protection year round recommended and at least a thermal top in the winter.
Wind specificities: Wind mostly Northerly (gusty at times) between 12-20 knots. Easterly wind normally between 8-14 knots, very steady. Best direction is NE - stronger and steady. Wind fluctuates, but is best just as the place is warming up in June.
Best months: June, July
Access description: by Car - Follow signs to Ramada Inn (Western Aramco access gate). Take old Abqaiq road, cross railroad, past golf course on right (dunes). Turn left at the T-junction and over railroad. Follow road past the fair and turn right at the intersection. Follow road all the way to bottom - on left-hand side just before Al Khaleej village. Or find the Holiday Inn at Half Moon Bay and you've reached the area. Find an open stretch of beach and get wet. There's usually a few Brits on the north end of the beach and Americans at the Aramco Beach.
Specific rules: Other
Extra: A problem for female kiters - Saudi dresscode would apply, so no naked legs/shoulder. No other restrictions. Nearest toilets is 3km away. Occasional ice-cream truck with water, so bring own water/food. Watch out for curious Saudis that love to get in the way. Parents NEVER watch their children, so you often have to move them upwind yourself. Give plenty of space to the few boats that you might encounter, they're curious and can be absent minded.
Nightlife: Head to the Hotels in Bahrain or find a private party.
Accommodations: Rescue, Parking
View spot