About riding Naxos
Mikri Vigla is Naxos’s kite beach, about 16 km south of Chora on the west coast facing Paros. A golden granite hill with cedars splits it in two: to the north Parthena, where the Meltemi blows side-onshore and shallow flat water spreads behind a sandbar; to the south Limanaki, the sheltered side for swimming.
The winds, by name
Meltemi. The one wind that matters: the Aegean summer northerly, accelerating as it passes the strait between Paros and Naxos. At Parthena it comes from the north, almost parallel to the beach. The schools talk of 20–25 knots and a venturi that gives more wind than the forecast; the beach’s own meter shows it building around 10:00, holding to about 19:00 and easing overnight.
When to come
June to September is the heart of the season, with July at the top; May and October give Meltemi days too. The centres open from May to October. The water is Aegean, 23–25 degrees at the height of summer.
What to watch
The wind is side-onshore and brings you back to the beach, but the cape at the end of the bay is rocky and there are often swimmers in the water. On the big days it reaches 35–40 knots, gusty. At Agios Georgios, by the airport, kiting is forbidden.
Getting there
Mikri Vigla is about 16 km south of Naxos Chora, past Plaka; the kite centres are right on Parthena beach. Naxos airport sits at the end of Agios Georgios.