🇨🇴 Cabo de la Vela
Colombia · South America · All Colombia spots →
Best directionNE
Wind speed25–35kt
SeasonYear-round (peaks Dec–Apr)
Skill levelAll levels
WaterFlat lagoon + chop
A remote Wayuu fishing village on the desert Guajira Peninsula, reached by a bumpy 4x4 ride from Riohacha — genuinely one of the windiest places in Colombia, with trade wind that rarely lets up.
View live 5-day wind forecast →Good to know
Getting thereLocated in the remote La Guajira desert, requiring a grueling 5-to-6-hour 4x4 journey from Santa Marta or 2.5 hours from Riohacha Airport (RCH). A high-clearance 4x4 vehicle is completely mandatory to navigate the unpaved desert salt flats, with free off-road parking right next to the water. Staging is done directly from the sandy beach tracks in front of the local kite hostels.
HazardsThe wind blows strictly offshore at extreme velocities frequently exceeding 30 or 35 knots, creating flat water but presenting a severe risk of getting blown out to sea. True beginners must never ride here without arranging a dedicated safety rescue boat or jet-ski contract with one of the local Wayuu kite schools.
Best time of dayAll day, from December to September, when the trade winds blow with relentless force across the desert. Early morning sessions offer the most stable wind profiles and perfectly glass-flat water before the intense desert heat creates thermal turbulence close to the bluffs.