Porto Pollo is only the most famous but by no means the best kitesurfing spot in Sardinia. Due to the jet between Corsica and Sardinia, the wind here usually blows at 5 to 10 knots more than on the northern west coast when the mistral is blowing – but it is also significantly stronger, especially when the mistral blows from the south. Porto Pollo works in all westerly winds, the main wind direction in Sardinia.
The beach is wide, coarse sand without stones or other obstacles – at least in the low season. There is no standing area at all. The waves are quite choppy, especially in strong winds over 25 knots, but there are no big ones in the bay. On some days, they come from all directions like a bathtub – especially near the Isola dei Gabbiani.
In summer, parking costs €7 and kiters have to walk 300 metres to the even bumpier western end of the bay and wear life jackets – or pay €150. All self-instruction – even for advanced kiters – is prohibited due to the up to 30 instructors and 100 kiters in summer. There are a few bars on the land bridge between the windsurfing and kitesurfing areas from where you can watch both sides. Some world champions were also here during my 10 days and did some nice tricks in the flat water east of the land bridge. In the pre-season, a few good kiters also heat up there in the wind that usually blows fully offshore – in the season, the area is reserved for windsurfers alone.
Cagliari A few kilometres south of Cagliari lies the beach of La Maddalena directly on the SS195. The Scirocco comes in well onshore here from the south and is apparently thermally amplified. Due to its romantic location between Salinia in the north and the oil industry and oil harbour in the west and east, there is certainly enough space and a few small snack bars on the beach, even in the high season. The standing area is wider than at most other spots in Sardinia. Parking is free. Chia is said to offer very good waves further south.
La Ciaccia is a rough wave spot on the west coast between Castelsardo and Valledoria. In front of a steep dune with nice windward eddies, you normally start from a 20m² grassy spot three metres above the beach, with lines over a railing, and preferably not into the street lamp right next to it. At low tide, there is just enough space for a launch on the beach. Even the shorbreak is quite heavy. With a mistral of 18 to 25 knots in April, we have a nice one and a half to two metre wave. Further out, there are also some slightly breaking Klabauter men up to three metres high. La Ciacca was really tough. It was difficult just to stay on the board. Seen from land, the waves break to the right and relatively cleanly. The best ones run far to the left. Be careful, there are rocks under the surface here! An emergency exit is only possible about 200 metres downwind – or directly on the small beach in front of the steep dune. With 10 kiters in the water, the spot is already quite full.
Valledoria is only a few kilometres north of La Ciacca. In high summer, when the mistral in Porto Pollo is blowing over 35 knots, this can be a good alternative spot with flat water on a small lagoon. The wind here is much more laminar and usually 8 to 10 knots less than in Porto Pollo.
Marina delle Rose / Narudu Nieddu is about 30 minutes’ drive from Porto Pollo on the west coast. Waves can be quite powerful here, but then often break unsightly and with lots of white water. On a strong windy day, the waves can easily reach four metres. The approach to the beach is about 400 metres through a forest down the slope to the right. Don’t leave anything in your car, especially outside the main season, as cars are often broken into here!
In high summer you have to park at the top, but in the low season some kiters drive right up to the beach. The path leads over a wooden walkway, from which it is better not to stray. There are a few rocks in the water that you can see quite well – but only experienced kiters should go out here. The beach is fine sand with few obstacles and wide enough to launch from. During the season, a few small beach cafés 200 metres to the south are also open. They were all closed in April. The wind in Marina delle Rose is also more laminar than in Porto Pollo and blows at around 5 to 8 knots less.
San Teodoro If the forecast announces a southerly wind (scirocco), it is worth travelling a good hour to San Teodoro on the east coast, approx. 35 km south of Olbia. San Teodoro has by far the most beautiful and widest white icing sugar beach in Sardinia. It also slopes very gently, so there is an approx. 50 metre wide standing area. The spot only works in south-easterly winds, when small kickers form wonderfully for long leeward flights.
The Windfinder forecast often seems to be below the actual value. We had a gigantically good day in front of the Cape Town mountain panorama in a nice constant 15 to 22 knots. In the low season, you can easily go out in the bathing area directly behind the car park by the lagoon. In high season, you have to walk about 300 metres to the north. The standing area is smaller there. San Teodoro is the only kite spot in Sardinia that is really suitable for beginners – unfortunately the Scirocco only blows on about 10% of all days.
Conclusion In April it is often still bitterly cold in Sardinia. Nothing works without a long wetsuit, and even with one it’s often less than chilly. The wind chill at 14° air and 12° water is really nasty, especially when over 30 knots come in. On a few days we had sunshine and a good 20 degrees, then there was panoramic kiting off the mountains of Corsica in azure blue water.
After a week’s cult tour across the whole island, I had good winds of between 15 and 40 knots on 7 out of 10 days. The conditions for kiters are quite to very challenging on almost all beaches except San Teodoro. The waves are often high on the west coast. Porto Pollo in particular, with its extremely strong and very stubborn winds in summer, along with the brute narrowness of the bay and many necessary rules, would certainly be nothing for me in the high season.
May and September should be the perfect time to visit in terms of water levels, temperature and wind. Even without any wind, Sardinia has an incredible variety of landscapes, nature, culture and food to offer. I’ll definitely be back, but certainly a little later in the year. Favourite island!
Frank Woelky, born in 1973. Kitesurfer since 1998. Since 2006, I have been combining kitesurfing and web design on trips lasting several months off the beaten track.