Kitesurfing in Ometepe

The Ometepe kitesurfing season

Our wind season runs from November to May. The trade winds blow steady at 15 to 25 knots, arriving on schedule most days. December to March is the heart of the season, when the wind is at its most consistent. Wind mostly blows in the mornings, dropping off around midday/1pm and then picking up again in the late afternoon.

The kitesurfing conditions in Ometepe

The lake gives you choppy conditions with small waves, fun for learning and playful for riders who want to pop and jump. The wind is on and side shore, which means if anything goes wrong the wind pushes you back toward land, not out into open water. Combined with a sandy volcanic bottom and no reefs, rocks or currents to worry about, it is one of the safest natural spots to learn kitesurfing in Central America.

How we teach

All our instructors are IKO certified, with experience teaching in different spots, conditions and languages around the world. Lessons follow the IKO standards and progression levels: you start with kite control on short lines, move to body dragging and power strokes, then the board, always one step at a time and with safety first.

Because we teach on brand new F-ONE kites as an official F-ONE Pro School, the gear works with you, not against you. And because your progress follows IKO standards, you can pick up exactly where you left off at any IKO school in the world (we issue students with an official IKO certification with their level).

Who can learn to kitesurf

Almost anyone. You need to be comfortable in the water, and that is about it. Complete beginners usually need 9 to 12 hours to get up and riding. If you already ride, the lake is a brilliant place to push your level, learn transitions or land your first jumps.

Kitesurfing safety in Ometepe

Kitesurfing has a reputation for being risky, and taught badly it is. Taught properly, it's one of the safest wind sports there is — and Ometepe is a forgiving place to learn it.

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You'll spend your first hours in a long shallow stretch where you can stand, learning to fly the kite with your feet on the bottom. We teach to IKO standards, which means a set progression assessed stage by stage, and you leave with an IKO card valid at any IKO school in the world.

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Every student wears a helmet with a radio inside, so your instructor is talking to you the whole time you're on the water, plus a buoyancy aid. The kites are new F-ONE gear with modern quick-release systems, and lessons are private or in pairs, never large groups.

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The conditions do the rest: on- and side-shore wind that pushes you back toward the beach, soft sand, and warm fresh water instead of salt.

Thinking of travelling to Ometepe?

Check out our simple guide for how to arrive on the island from other destinations in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.