Pomorie / Bulgaria

This spot is down in the south-east corner of the country, not far from the border with Turkey.  It's a little bit more challenging than many of the places on the edge of the sheltered Black Sea, so it is only suitable for kite surfers and windsurfers who are rated intermediate level and better.

The beach is big and sandy, and for most of the year there is plenty of room to set up gear and launch of land, but as usual for the Black Sea it gets busy in July and August when the holiday season is in full swing. Shorts are all you need in summer as the water temperatures can reach up to 29° C, while spring and summer need a wetsuit as the water will be between 15 and 20° C.

June to September is probably the best time to come out here, when you get the best chance of catching a decent wind.  Windspeed varies between 10 and 25 knots, and in general terms it will start light in the morning and get to its strongest by late afternoon. If there isn't very much wind the the water will be choppy, changing to small waves and then larger ones up to 2 or 3 m high as the strength of the wind increases. The water in the Black Sea is clean, and it doesn't have any tide at all.

This area offers plenty of choice of accommodation, and there are public toilets by the beach. Parking is easy, and there are food outlets close by.

You need to keep away from the wave breakers at either end of the beach, and you'll also need to watch out for swimmers and beachgoers during the holiday season.