Costa del Sol, Málaga

The spots at the Costa del Sol, Málaga are similar. Thermal Levante or Poniente invariably mean light-wind or moderate conditions in summer. At best in winter they can deliver more than big chop – especially Poniente offers the chance of a few starboard tack waverides. All of the region’s beaches get really crowded in summer; worst of all around the former jet-set destinations of Torremolinos and Marbella. Finding somewhere to kite can get tricky in peak season. From Málaga to Sotogrande, the coastline suffers a rash of identical apartments – yet although they used to look like ugly little boxes, at least today’s clones seem to have a recognisably Spanish flavour.