Oostende / West Flanders / Belgium

This spot is mainly for kite surfers and windsurfers, though the odd surfer can be seen out here as well. It isn't the easiest place, especially at high tide when space is a little limited, so it requires anybody out here to be rated intermediate or better.

The beach is very clean, consists mostly of hard packed sand, and the size depends on the state of the tide. Even at high tide you should have plenty of room, as it's not a spot that attracts a large number of visitors.  Water temperatures can reach up to 20° in summer, and falling back to 5 or 6° in the winter months.

Conditions here are fairly typical for this coast, with the best winds are found between March and May and September and November.  The best directions are from the south-west or the west, and during spring and autumn you can expect between 15 and 25 knots.  In the summer months the winds are either lighter or non-existent, but the odd good day is still possible. Once on the water itself, the conditions depend on the strength of the wind – you will find it choppy when the wind is light, small waves with a moderate wind and waves up to 2 or 3 m high in a strong wind.

Ostend is the biggest city on the Belgian coast, and it has plenty to offer visitors. On the beach itself there are showers and toilets, and some food outlets. The shop sells any gear you might need, and lifeguards patrol the shore.

Be aware that there can be strong currents here, and there are also wave breakers every few hundred metres. Watersports are limited to 2 areas in July and August.