Good to know
Good to Know
- The best kiting/wind window is December through July, when east trade winds blow reliably almost every day; outside this window, wind exists but is more tied to winter storm systems or the off-season hurricane period and is less predictable for planning a trip.
- Cove Bay is the main, most beginner-friendly spot thanks to its flat, shallow lagoon — a good place to start or take a lesson before venturing to wave spots like Savannah Bay or Meads Bay.
- If you want reef-break waves, only ride the southern end of Savannah Bay if you're an advanced rider — the middle of the bay is the safer, beginner-friendly section.
- Several of the best-regarded spots (offshore cays like Sandy Island, Prickly Pear, and Scrub Island) are boat-access only, so factor in a charter or guided trip rather than expecting to walk up and launch.
- There is effectively one established, currently operating named kiteboarding school on Anguilla — Anguilla Watersports, based around Cove Bay near The Valley — so beginners have a single primary option rather than a choice of competing schools.
- Windsurfing on the island leans toward casual hourly rental at beach huts (e.g., near Crocus Bay) rather than structured lessons — if you specifically want taught windsurfing instruction, kiteboarding lessons are the more developed offering locally.
- If you're bringing your own kite or windsurf gear, plan to store it at your villa/apartment between sessions — we found no beach-side gear-storage locker service on the island.
- Book kite lessons well in advance; the main school reschedules for wind/weather but has a strict no-cancellation policy once an instructor is booked.
Spots
Cove Bay
- Location
- West tip of Anguilla
- Skill Level
- Beginner to intermediate friendly; quiet and uncrowded.
- Water Conditions
- Flat, shallow lagoon with a sandy bottom — a relaxed, forgiving playground suitable for progression at any level.
- Considered Main Spot
- Yes
- Wind Notes
- Best with an east or southeast wind, which comes on/side-on to the beach.
Savannah Bay
- Location
- Northeast Anguilla
- Skill Level
- Beginner/intermediate in the middle of the bay; advanced only on the southern, reef-exposed section.
- Water Conditions
- Wide, windswept sandy bay with waves that are relatively less steep; the middle of the bay is safe for beginner/intermediate surfers/kiters, while big sets on the bay's southern end break over rocky reef and are reserved for advanced riders only.
- Wind Notes
- Windswept conditions; can get notably big when conditions pick up.
Forest Bay
- Location
- Anguilla (near Savannah Bay/Meads Bay area)
- Skill Level
- Suitable for those wanting gentler, steady wave conditions.
- Water Conditions
- A few small, constant swells rather than big surf.
Meads Bay
- Location
- West coast
- Skill Level
- More suited to experienced riders looking for wave action.
- Water Conditions
- Deeper, bluer water offshore with genuine surf/wave-riding conditions.
- Wind Notes
- Rideable with north wind as well as the prevailing east trades.
Long Bay
- Location
- West coast, near Meads Bay
- Skill Level
- Intermediate/advanced.
- Water Conditions
- Wave riding conditions similar in character to Meads Bay.
- Wind Notes
- Works on a north wind.
Rendezvous Bay
- Location
- South coast, facing St. Martin
- Skill Level
- Good for a range of levels; mainly used for guided downwind trips rather than standalone freeride sessions.
- Water Conditions
- Crystal-clear, flat water with no seaweed; used as a base for downwinders and boat-accessed sessions.
Sandy Hill Bay / Junk's Hole Area
- Location
- Northeast end of the island
- Skill Level
- Intermediate; some exposed reef nearby, also used for snorkeling.
- Water Conditions
- Flat to choppy, leaning more toward the choppy side.
Offshore Cays: Sandy Island, Prickly Pear, Scrub Island, Dog Island
- Location
- Boat trips from Anguilla's mainland (roughly 1h45–2h40 sailing depending on cay)
- Skill Level
- Mixed; typically visited as guided day trips rather than self-launch spots.
- Water Conditions
- Variety of flat lagoon and open-water/wave conditions depending on the specific cay and wind direction; uncrowded since only reachable by boat.
- Note
- These are boat-accessed day-trip locations rather than shoreline spots reachable directly from The Valley.
Wind Reliability
- Season Summary
- Trade winds from the east are highly consistent, especially in the dry season.
Details
- December to July is the dry season, during which trade winds blow almost every day of the season, day and night, typically in the 12-25 knot range.
- Outside the main kiting season, the highest winds actually occur in winter months and during hurricane/tropical-storm activity in the off-season (roughly August-November), though this off-season wind is less steady and tied to storm systems rather than clean trades.
- Normal wind direction is east; some spots (e.g. Meads Bay, Long Bay) also work on a north wind.
Best Months
- December
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
Schools
Anguilla Watersports
- Standard Lesson Rate
- EC$473
Per-hour coaching/lesson rate as listed on a kitesurf-school booking platform; an older independent source cites a similar per-hour rate of roughly 200 USD/hour with equipment included
- Location
- Cove Bay, near The Valley (also operates on Meads Bay, Long Bay and other island beaches)
- Instructors
- Internationally-certified instructors; run by owner Judson ("Judd") Burdon
- Sport Focus
- Kiteboarding/kitesurfing (also SUP and paddleboard tours; not a dedicated windsurf school)
- Beginner Program
- Anguilla Watersports describes itself as "Anguilla's one and only Kiteboarding Academy," offering lessons for all levels, and its beginner-focused package is a "ZERO TO HERO program" built around 8 hours of instruction based on their estimate that "an average person needs 8 to 10 hours of kiting instruction in order to experience the thrill of the first solo ride."
- Beginner Package Price
- EC$4,320
Zero to Hero beginner package, 8 hours of lessons, discounted from the standard rate
- Booking Notes
- Booking in advance is strongly recommended, and the school confirms the exact beach location the day before based on wind forecast; it maintains a no-cancellation policy for booked lessons but does not charge for weather-related rescheduling.
Equipment Rental
Kitesurf Gear
- Details
- Anguilla Watersports rents kitesurfing equipment to experienced riders and will deliver gear to a hotel, villa, or beach.
- Availability
- Available, but limited to one operator and mainly aimed at riders who already know how to kite.
- Note
- An older Anguilla travel-forum thread (originally from 2010) claimed no one on the island rented kite gear independently, but this predates Anguilla Watersports' current rental service and should not be treated as current.
Windsurf Gear
- Details
- Operators near Crocus Bay (Bird of Paradise beach hut and daVida) rent windsurfers at 25 USD per hour, alongside kayaks (10 USD/hour single), snorkel gear (5 USD/hour or 20 USD/day) and paddle boats (30 USD/hour).
- Availability
- Available on an hourly basis at beach water-sports huts near Crocus Bay.
Price Examples
Windsurfer, 1 Hour
- Windsurfer, 1 Hour
- EC$68
Kayak (Single), 1 Hour
- Kayak (Single), 1 Hour
- EC$27
Snorkel Gear, 1 Day
- Snorkel Gear, 1 Day
- EC$54
Windsurf Specific Lessons
No dedicated windsurfing school with structured beginner lessons was found operating in or very near The Valley; windsurfing appears mainly available as self-guided equipment rental (see below) rather than as a taught program.
Gear Storage For Own Equipment
- Details
- No dedicated kite/windsurf gear storage locker or facility (of the type common at major kite destinations) was found advertised in or near The Valley. Nomads travelling with their own gear would likely need to rely on their own accommodation (villa/apartment storage) between sessions rather than a beach-side storage service.
- Dedicated Storage Facility
- No
- Repairs Note
- One long-time Anguilla kitesurfer noted there is no dedicated kite repair shop on the island, so riders should be prepared to do their own minor repairs.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
This section has no cited sources.
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.