North Holland
Kitesurfing in IJmuiden
A wide beach by the Zuidpier, waves in a northwesterly or westerly, plus shorebreak and current.
Last checked: October 2026
1 + 3
Zones where you can kite all year
3
Safe wind directions according to the NKV: NW, W and S
100m
Fairly shallow from the high-water line, then deep
Which wind works?
The coast faces west. Northwest and west bring good, slow waves, and a southerly is still rideable here.
All three are safe per the NKV. In a southerly, check on site how it runs along the coast.
Location
Kennemerstrand, next to Marina Seaport. Paid parking.
Water
Salt, with tides, shorebreak and current.
Level
From beginner (NKV), but shorebreak takes experience. Waves, freeride, foiling.
Season
October to March is windiest on average.
Facilities
Food, drinks, toilets, showers, air pump. NKV info point and spot manager at Makai.
Map
Google Maps · OpenStreetMap · 52.4564, 4.5512
The spot from above.
Tap a pin. The moving lines come from the wind directions that work here.
Loading map…
Wind that works
NW · W
Pins based on OpenStreetMap, checked October 2026. Signs and zones on the beach always come first.
Four zones. Not all of them for kiting.
Velsen splits the beach into four zones. The summer season runs from 1 April to 1 October.
Zone 1
Activity beach right south of the Zuidpier. All year.
Zone 2
Recreation beach. Only 1 October–1 April. Banned in summer, even with nobody swimming.
Zone 3
Activity beach at IJmuiderslag. All year.
Zone 4
Recreation beach. Kitesurfing is not allowed here.
Rules and safety.
- Keep well clear of the Zuidpier. Never jump the rocks or ride around the pier head: sea-going ships use the harbour behind it.
- Shorebreak and current. Along piers and groynes, water can flow back out to sea. Never ride alone, know how to self-rescue, know your limits.
- Easterly wind: do not ride. You would drift out to sea.
- Right of way: riders heading out go before riders coming in. Follow beach wardens and police at once.
- Blokarts and kite buggies use zones 1 and 3, on a course marked with cones and tape. Look out while you set up.
- Just finished lessons? Pick a moderate day with a safe direction, and do not ride alone.
Always check local rules and the beach signs before you go. Zones change.
What to track here.
A spot for big days. Your phone stays dry on the beach.
How high did you really go?
€6,99 a month for founders, billed yearly, sensor included. Nothing to pay until it ships.
Questions
Can you kitesurf in IJmuiden in summer?
Yes, in zone 1 (right south of the Zuidpier) and zone 3 (IJmuiderslag) kitesurfing is allowed all year. Zone 2 is a swimming area from 1 April to 1 October and closed to kiters then, even when nobody is swimming.
What wind is best for kitesurfing in IJmuiden?
The NKV lists northwest, west and south as safe directions for zone 1. Northwesterlies and westerlies bring the best waves, and after a few days of strong northerly wind the swell can build a lot. Easterly wind is offshore: do not go out.
Is IJmuiden suitable for beginners?
The NKV rates zone 1 as suitable from beginner level, but this is the North Sea, with shorebreak and current. Start with lessons at a certified school and only ride on your own once you can go upwind and self-rescue.
Is the Zuidpier dangerous for kiters?
Yes, keep well away from it. The Zuidpier is a rock breakwater that protects the IJmuiden locks and shipping. A kite or lines on the rocks is extremely dangerous, and behind the pier is the harbour entrance used by sea-going ships.
Sources · Last checked October 2026
- NKV (Dutch Kitesurf Association): IJmuiden Zone 1 spot page (zones, conditions, safe wind directions)
- NKV: spots where kitesurfing is only allowed part of the year (incl. IJmuiden Zone 2, Grevelingendam Noord)
- IJmuiden.nl: beaches (zoning of the IJmuiden beaches, Dutch)
- Municipality of Velsen: zoning rules for IJmuiden aan Zee and IJmuiderslag beach (PDF, Dutch)
- Municipality of Velsen: map of beach zones 1 to 4, IJmuiden aan Zee and IJmuiderslag (PDF)
- Rijkswaterstaat: Zuidpier IJmuiden (its role as a breakwater for the locks and shipping, Dutch)
- De Jutter (local paper): Typisch IJmuiden, kitesurfen (Dutch)
- Windfinder: IJmuiden Zuidpier spot guide
- Kite & Windsurfing Guide: Netherlands
- KNMI: climate table Schiphol, long-term averages 1991–2020 (nearest station with a climate table, PDF)