Destination guide
Northern Yucatán Coast, Mexico
A quiet fishing village and a long shallow coast on the Gulf side of Yucatán, with some of Mexico's most dependable wind.
About Northern Yucatán Coast
The northern coast of the Yucatán faces the Gulf of Mexico rather than the Caribbean, and it is quieter, flatter and cheaper than the Riviera Maya on the other side of the peninsula.
El Cuyo is the reason people come — a small fishing village where everything is within walking distance and the beach shelves so gently that the water is still only chest-deep fifty to seventy metres out. The prime season runs February to June on steady 18 to 23 knot wind, with February to May the best window for learning; wind builds through the day and holds to sunset. Downwinders here run anywhere from sixteen to thirty-five kilometres. December and January bring stronger El Norte storms and bigger swell, which is less suitable for beginners.
Progreso, an hour from Mérida further west, is the other option: flat water over shallow sloping sandbars, easterly wind averaging around 11 knots with gusts to 25, and roughly 136 days a year above 12 knots, best from October to May. Mérida, the cenotes and the Maya sites are all within easy reach.
When to go
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November, December.
Kite areas
2 distinct riding areas documented within this destination.