Kitesurfing in Argentina - Pinamar, Buenos Aires

Pinamar is a well-known tourist resort town in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is located 350 Km South East of the city of Buenos Aires by the Argentinian sea. The road to Pinamar is mostly highway and the city is well developed with lots of beaches, hotels and even two campsites. The beaches are sandy, wide and long. All kite spots have waves (in some locations as high as three meters) but when the North East winds are blowing, one can also find flat patches between the waves.

Pinamar is a great place for kitesurfing in Argentina during the months of September to March when the weather is nice. January and February are the hottest months and get the largest number of holiday makers, especially over the weekends. During these two months the prices can be expensive and kitesurfing is only allowed in designated beaches, so that swimmers and sun bathers are not bothered. The designated kitesurfing beaches during these months are: La Frontera, Sport Beach in the North, Parador Barlovento in the middle, and Cariló in the South.

The winds are fairly regular in Pinamar, but they may blow in different directions! Typical winds are North East (side-shore blowing from the left), South West (side-shore blowing from the right), South (side-on-shore wind towards the right), and South-South East (almost completely on-shore).

It is very dangerous -and therefore it is not advised- to kite with offshore (i.e. North, North West, and West) winds, as they are gusty and do not let one return to the coast unless rescued by a boat. If you are an experienced kiter you can navigate the on-shore winds coming from the East and South East but you need lots of power in your kite to cross the strong waves that push you towards the beach.

During the months of January and February, one can kite without a wetsuit, although it is advisable to wear a vest on cloudy days, and a wetsuit on windy days along the southern sections. Windguru normally provides an accurate forecast of the wind speed and temperatures in Pinamar. Most people kite with 8 to 12 meter kites. An average guy can take his 9 meter kite out on most days.

Pinamar is a great kitesurfing destination in Argentina especially in the months of December, January and February, given that it is fairly close to the city of Buenos Aires. It may not be the best place to practice freestyle but it is a great place to surf and play with the waves. If you are looking for flat waters close by, go to Punta Rasa in San Clemente, a 50 minute drive from Pinamar towards the North.

Official site: http://www.pinamar.gov.ar
Sport Beach (kite school): http://www.sportbeach.com.ar/