La Ventana in December: Wind, Weather and What’s On

La Ventana in December is the start of the heart of the wind season: from December through February the bay sees twenty to twenty-five days of usable wind in most months, filling in from the north most afternoons. Days are warm, evenings are cool, and the town fills up as the month goes on.

Here is what the month is actually like — on the water, off it, and in town — and how early December differs from late.

The wind in December

December is when the season settles. October is a soft start and November fills in; December through February is the dependable middle, according to our kiting field guide.

A typical day: glass in the morning, the wind building between eleven and one from the north or northwest, the peak between two and five, and a calm bay again by sunset. A good day runs seventeen to twenty-five knots, with gusts to thirty on the strongest. The day-to-day swing is real, so bring more than one kite size.

Early December or late December?

They are different trips.

• Early December is the season still waking up. The wind is less consistent than midwinter and you will get days off the water, but the town is filling rather than full. If you are learning to kite, this shoulder is kinder than the peak — quieter beaches, and schools with more room.
• Late December is the dependable stretch: most wind days, most people, most everything open. Seats into La Paz get scarce around the holidays, so book flights early.

Weather and water

The water stays warm through December, in the mid-70s Fahrenheit, and most riders are in a shorty or a 3/2. It cools further into January.

The air is the part people misjudge. The days are warm, but once the sun drops, a windy evening is cool. Pack one genuinely warm layer, something windproof over it, and closed shoes for the evenings — the packing note has the rest of the list.

What’s on in December

December is the month the water off the bay starts to fill with more than kites. Whale-watching boat safaris begin, for humpback, blue and sperm whales, and run to March. The whale sharks in La Paz, about an hour away, can be counted on from December through March — save that trip for a flat day, not a windy one. The cooler weather also opens up the hiking and mountain-bike trails in the hills behind town; things to do besides kiting has the list.

In town, the calendar fills up once the season people are here. The farmers market runs on Thursday mornings, and through the season there is live music on many nights somewhere along the bay, plus markets, classes and holiday bazaars. The week-by-week schedule lives in The Ventana View, the community newsletter, which publishes it every week.

Booking December

Winters here are decided early — the winter gets decided in August. If you want a house for the whole month, a monthly rental is a lease for the month rather than a nightly booking — here is how that works. For a shorter trip, the vacation rentals show what is still open, and kite lessons and kite rentals are worth booking before you land.

The month at a glance — wind, daylight and what to book — is on La Ventana in December.

The bottom line

Come in early December for space and an easier start; come after the twentieth for the most reliable wind and the fullest town. Either way, pack a fleece, and book before you think you need to.