Boca Grandi

Boca Grandi faces east into the trade winds on the windward side of Aruba, and the combination of wind that blows almost every day of the year, waves coming in off open Atlantic-fed water, and a wide sandy beach with room to launch has made it the island's serious kitesurfing spot. Aruba's wind is among the most consistent anywhere, averaging over twenty knots for much of the year, which is why the island hosts international competitions. The beach itself is coarse sand and shell with strong current and shore break, so it is a place to be on the water rather than in it.

What you actually see

• The wind - among the most consistent trade wind in the Caribbean.
• The kitesurfing - the island's main windward spot, with room to launch.
• The wave riding - swell on the windward side, unlike the calm west.
• The empty coast - undeveloped windward shoreline in both directions.

When to go

The wind blows year-round with the strongest and most consistent conditions from around May to August, which is the opposite of the Caribbean norm. Afternoons are windier than mornings. Competitions run in the summer.

Honest expectations

This is not a swimming beach: the current and shore break are strong and there is no lifeguard, and people have got into trouble here. The sand is coarse and full of shell fragments. There are no facilities of any kind. Sea urchins are present on the rocky sections.

Nearby

Baby Beach and Rodgers Beach are round the point; San Nicolas is north.