Tarifa’s favourite break is 40km north-west of town. It’s worth the drive, as you’ll find Atlantic waves breaking onto a reef in Levante. It’s usually head-high, but can get bigger on spring tides or when deep Atlantic lows send swell onto the coast. Levante usually blows 2 Forces less up here, so Caños only starts working when it's Force 6 in Tarifa. Sometimes it doesn’t even blow in – so to avoid a wasted drive, take the coast-road via 'Zahara’ rather than the interior main road. Windsurfers launch beneath the apartment complex, kiters a bit further down the point towards the Trafalgar lighthouse.

Tarifa’s most popular venue (despite a summertime kiting ban) can be found at the foot of the imposing dunes. In almost every wind direction there's a sandy launch downwind – a great safety buffer, especially in gusty Levante. Even in strong Levante, conditions are mainly freeride – only big swell or Poniente can deliver a big shorebreak. Real waves are very rare, but there’s plenty of chop for jumping; it gets bigger further out. The beach-bar by the stream is as popular as the spot itself: 'café con leche' or 'cerveza fría', lunch or a sundowner – easy living with a view of Morocco.

Sidi Abdellah is a great summertime hide-away as it blows 2 Forces less than Moulay. With cross-onshore wind, the waves even get a bit bigger – but no cleaner. The rocky backdrop doesn’t really endear it to kiters. Below the little fishing village of Bibah a small, partially standing-depth lagoon opens up behind a few rocks, offering freestyle conditions. To the left of the lagoon there’s access to open ocean. Until the early ’90s, Moulay Bouzerktoun was a blank spot on the map. No electricity or water, but loads of wind and perfect waves ridden by just a few adventurers. These days it’s one of the most renowned summer spots for European waveriders, sporting two waves over the reef plate. One breaks at the foot of the cliffs, the other further south at the actual 'beach’, which also serves as base-camp for campervans. The waves are best on a push tide, but don’t be too eager as towards low water there’s precious little depth and waist-deep holes in the reef lurking at the launch. Typical of this region, in high summer the waves generally stay small and are often pretty choppy due to the strong wind. Despite all this, Moulay is often completely packed with around 100 people. It’s better out of season when the swell regularly reaches mast-high. The sandy bay of Essaouira is mostly hosts easy freeride conditions. Near Fort Portugais in the south there’s a modest beach-break, but it rarely exceeds head-high – a great bolt-hole when the rest of the area’s too hardcore. The only drawback being that the prevailing northerly’s very gusty. But the local infrastructure makes up for this with kite and windsurf outfits offering kit and lessons, there are also beach cafés, camel rides. With swell on a flood tide, Taguinza has the area’s cleanest wave. It’s also where the wind starts first, and it blows up to 10 knots stronger than Moulay or Sidi Kaouki in the afternoon. The wind blows cross-off with ideal conditions for riding waves and boosting aerials, even if it is always a bit gusty. Sidi Kaouki also does Morocco proud with its 5km of sandy beach, powerful beach-break, and a reef-break in front of Hotel Marabout. It works best in smaller swell as bigger waves often close-out, especially at low tide – packing a spare mast isn’t a bad idea at high either. Kaouki is also a beautiful place to camp in the dunes. L'Oued is a reef-break in front of the rivermouth on the southern end of the beach. Even though it already works well in small swell, mistakes can be costly as both wind and current sweep straight towards the rocks. Reaching the bay behind the cliffs either demands a 4x4, or a downwinder – either way access to Secret Bay is awkward. That’s why this place keeps its name, even though its location’s well-known. The view from the rocky plateau nicely sums the place up: long sandy beach, turquoise water and sideshore winds. The paved road leads to Iftane in just a few minutes. Apart from a few fishing boats, most of the time you’ll have the place to yourself. The wind blows cross-on and a bit weaker than at Kaouki, but especially kiters should keep their distance from the rocks.

With over two decades of World Cup history, Pozo might be the most famous Canarian venue. If you’re looking for airtime, you’re in the right place – there’s nowhere else you can jump as often or as high. Cross-onshore Passat blows from 15 to 50 knots on 250+ days a year. In summer you’ll rarely use a sail bigger than 4.2m and your hands will appreciate the odd windless day. In a big swell, the waves can reach 5m; they’re best midway between high and low tide, yet they're never very clean; enough for one bottom-turn if you’re lucky. There are certainly flat freeride days too. Pozo’s a totally rocky beach; ostrich-egg-sized black boulders threaten flesh and kit with a muffled growl in the shorebreak. Good timing is key, especially towards high tide.

The long beach of 'Cabedelo' opposite Viana do Castelo is probably North Portugal's most popular spot – and certainly one of the best. With its thermal turbo-boost, the Nortada regularly reaches 25 knots so it's often busy on the water. Cross to cross-offshore wind combined with more than 2m of W swell generates classy waves over a hard sand seabed. However, wave quality and power recedes with the tide and it tends to close out when it's big. Viana is often just a freeride area though – the water's super-flat by the large harbour wall, and in summer the waves often disappear further south too. Parking is behind the breakwater, about 400m from the water – windsurfers tend to launch further south at the campsite. There a few rocks in the water, so watch your fins.

This one’s devoted to nature’s beauty up in the mountainous interior. The magnificent Canyon du Verdon flows along a high plateau into the man-made lake of Sainte-Croix. In the local afternoon thermal, Force 5 winds create a playground in the triangle between Sainte-Croix, Bauduen and the concrete dam. In Mistral, the anemometer hits maximum with amazing consistency. Launch from the small beach north of Hotel Les Cavalets, or the picnic area on the edge of the little village of Bauduen.

Rafina's waves are much bigger than at 'Loutsa', although the wind's never as strong here. Moderate northerlies are good for freeride. There are no beach clubs, so far fewer people on the water. The shore is sandy with just a few rocks at the edge of the bay.

On this peninsula beneath the lighthouse, north-easterly wind arrives freely from Sweden, pushing clean Baltic waves around the cape and into the bay. Wavesailors have this remote spot to themselves, as rocks and a derelict jetty mean there's nothing for beginners. Strictly speaking, parking isn’t allowed on the track.

The River’s very wide out west in Stevenson, where windsurfers freeride at Bob’s Beach in mid-sized chop. 400m away, the kite spot at East Point right in front of Slingshot’s warehouse is a playground for local pros. It’s not for beginners as the steep, rocky launch doesn’t allow any room for error, but it is a great launch-pad for downwinders to places like Stevenson Cemetery (0.5 miles), Home Valley (5 miles) or even Hood River (19 miles). The westerlies are often a bit weaker at Home Valley but it’s a good spot for the easterlies that are common in transitional and winter months, when the region’s temperature differential and pressure gradients click into reverse. In contrast, Viento is great for strong westerly winds, which churn up some nice swell – but it doesn’t draw crowds like The Hatchery or Swell City. As one of Oregon’s State Parks, Viento also offers all kind of onshore amenities – just be sure to use the designated crossings to get over the railroad tracks! In Swell City the waves get a bit bigger and are ideal for jumping and 'riding’. Both the short wavelength and strong current can be pretty demanding, while parking is sparse and costly. Next door, The Hatchery offers a bit more space – but don’t park on the road or you’ll get towed! Pro riders and local heroes show off their moves here, so it’s a great spot for spectators. The launch is narrow, rocky and slippery, with lots of current and swell. Getting in and out is a bit easier in the gravel bay just east of here. All Hood River spots on the Oregon side sit on the inside of the river bend so conditions are a bit more manageable. The Hook stays very smooth inside the bay, ideal for practicing waterstarts and gybes. Kiters ride outside where they have to contend with the current and a wind shadow from Wells Island. The Hood River Event Site is like a golf club for windsurfers: rigging greens, gently shelving gravel beach, stadium seating, bathrooms. Kiters are slowly encroaching since strong rains expanded the sandbars of Hood River Kite Beach almost all the way to the Event Site, creating the Gorge’s largest standing-depth area. Despite gusty winds and occasional driftwood this spot bustles with beginners, pros, schools and spectators so it’s best to arrive early in the morning. For good river swell and constant wind you can ride over to the White Salmon Bridge or make an upwinder to Wells Island. East of the river mouth, Hood River Marina offers windsurfers a big standing-depth area. It’s a very family friendly spot with showers, bathrooms, picnic tables and a boat ramp. But in summertime though there can be a lot of swimmers and yacht harbour traffic – not forgetting the perpetual barge traffic in the shipping channel. 4km upriver, Bingen was the Gorge’s speed strip back in the ’80s and ’90s but hardly anyone uses it these days, despite the nice flat water on offer for waterstart and gybe practice. Rock Creek is the first place to start 'nuking’ when the cloud line and associated westerlies move eastward on hot summer afternoons. Predominantly windsurfers take advantage of this – the launch over rough gravel right next to the freeway is for experienced kiters only. Mayer State Park East in Rowena is a windsurfing family favourite. Kiters can take a downwinder to the sandbar opposite Doug’s Beach where a vast standing-depth area awaits on the Oregon side, with some fat river swell building in the flow. High wind addicts love it here in the desert when the Gorge starts 'nuking’. At The Dalles Riverfront Park it blows much weaker, great for relaxed cruising. It does get windier nearer the Washington side – just watch for those barges!

El Palmar is primarily a surf-spot, as Levante is even weaker here than 'Caños'. With a bit of luck, a very rare combination of winter Atlantic swell and west to north-westerly Poniente or the last day of south-south-easterly Levante can deliver a dream session in powerful, up to mast-high waves. As throughout this region, kiting is banned in summer – with so many sunbathers it wouldn’t be a good idea anyway. At high tide there’s a powerful shorebreak, and a strong current in Poniente.

This might be Campania's most famous spot – and with its offshore islands of Procida and Ischia, perhaps the most beautiful too? June to September does attract a lot of sunbathers and swimmers, so kiting or windsurfing is out of the question. The waves improve in autumn and winter anyway, when you’ll even see surfers here, plus a few hardcore freestylers in the 30m inside the breakwaters.