Everything you need to know about Playa El Yaque -- from the beach and kitesurfing to where to eat and how to get around.
Playa El Yaque is a flat, sandy beach on the south coast of Margarita Island, a few minutes from the airport. Its defining feature is the water: it stays waist- to chest-deep for hundreds of metres over a sandy bottom, which is what makes it so good for learning wind sports. The water is warm all year, from about 24.5°C in February to April up to about 28°C in September and October.
Most hotels, posadas and schools line one road, Avenida Mario Oliveros, which runs behind the beach. Places on the beach side of that road are beachfront; the rest sit on the back streets and on the hill (Lomas del Yaque) a few minutes' walk away.
One thing to know for 2026: in February local businesses reported that the sea had advanced and narrowed the beach, and the environment ministry attributed it to unusually high sea levels and stronger waves and began monitoring it. Expect less dry sand than in older photos.
El Yaque runs on the easterly trade wind, which builds through the day and is usually strongest in the afternoon. The most reliable months are February to June; August to October are the lightest, with September the least windy. The water is shallow and flat over a wide area, which is why the beach suits learners, and the national wind-sports round was held here on 16 to 19 April 2026.
Month-by-month wind and water temperature, launch rules, Kitebeach and windsurfing: see El Yaque kitesurfing and windsurfing by month, where every figure has its source.
These schools and centres have a current web or social presence. Schedules and prices change by season, so message them directly before you book.
El Yaque Kite: a local kite school whose director helped organise the April 2026 national wind-sports round at El Yaque.
MargaritaKite: an IKO-affiliated school about 15 metres from the kite beach, teaching beginners to advanced riders, kids, foil and wing, with a safety boat on courses and rinse, compressor, storage and repairs on site. Lessons in Spanish, English and Italian.
Venturi Kite & Wingfoil Center: an IKO-listed school for kite and wing foiling.
Vela El Yaque: a long-running windsurf centre with a large board and rig fleet and English-speaking staff, now set up further upwind than its original spot by the Yaque Beach Hotel.
Some accommodation is built around riders too: El Yaque Motion offers compressed air and a fresh-water rinse, and Casa Maya stores gear. See the hotel list for details.
El Yaque is a small fishing and wind-sports village: most eating is at the beach restaurants and bars along Avenida Mario Oliveros, with fish and seafood, and Venezuelan staples such as arepas, empanadas and pabellón criollo in the village. We have not verified current menus or prices, and small places here open and close often, so ask your posada for what is open this season.
El Yaque is small enough to walk: most places to stay are on Avenida Mario Oliveros or a few minutes up the hill.
From the airport: Santiago Mariño International Airport (PMV) is about 7.7 km by road, roughly 10 minutes by taxi. Several posadas, including StevieWonderLand and Casa Maya, arrange airport pickups; otherwise take a taxi and agree the fare before you get in.
From the ferry: the Punta de Piedras ferry terminal, where boats from Puerto La Cruz and Cumaná arrive, is about 20 minutes' drive.
To Porlamar: about 25 to 30 minutes by car. A rental car or a taxi is the practical way to explore the rest of the island.
Flying in from North America: there are no direct U.S. flights to Margarita yet. Most travellers connect through Caracas, and Copa plans Panama City to Margarita flights from 26 November 2026.
Before you book flights: US and Canadian passports need a Venezuelan e-visa, and the portal turns away names that do not match the passport. Our free passport name check shows what goes in each name field.
Ten real places to stay, with where each sits relative to the beach (checked October 2026). For the wind month by month see the El Yaque kitesurfing season; for the transfer, the airport to El Yaque guide; for hotels on the sand, beachfront hotels.
Browse our curated selection of hotels and find the perfect base for your trip.
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