Ponta Sinó, known as Kite Beach, is a wide, windy beach near Santa Maria. Great for kitesurfing, long walks and open sea views. Not the calmest for swimming, but it offers space, clean scenery and an untamed island feel.
Where Santa Maria starts to fall behind
You walk out from Santa Maria and, without really noticing, the scenery begins to open up. Fewer hotels, more horizon. Less noise, more wind. The beach stretches sideways like it has no plans for the day. That’s how you reach Ponta Sinó (Kite Beach) — a place that doesn’t grab you by the arm, but doesn’t let you forget it either.
Here, the main character isn’t the colour of the water. It’s the moving air.
An open beach, not a backdrop
Ponta Sinó is a wide, windy beach, noticeably less domesticated than the ones right in Santa Maria. It’s called Kite Beach for an obvious reason: the trade winds make it one of the island’s key spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing.
This isn’t a beach designed only for lying down and forgetting the world. It works brilliantly for people who enjoy space, long walks, or watching action on the water. Less so for anyone chasing absolute calm or stress-free swimming.
Kites, long walks, and respect for the ocean
The usual show is kites cutting across the sky, especially in peak wind season and during events or competitions. The overall level tends to be high, though there are schools and more controlled areas too.
If you’re not into wind sports, the beach still delivers: long walks, clean sand, turquoise water and a real sense of openness. But the sea has a personality here. Waves and currents can surprise you, and plenty of people have learned that in a slightly undignified way.
At certain times of year, this area is also a turtle nesting zone, which adds real natural value… and one more reason to behave sensibly.
Fresh air and low human density
Despite being close to Santa Maria and several resorts, the beach keeps a feeling of open space. It’s not usually packed, and even when it is, it spreads out well.
The wind makes the heat easier to handle, but also deceptive. People burn without noticing. Here, the sun does its work quietly.
It never feels that strong… until you check your shoulders at night.
If you don’t like wind (or surprises)
Some days the wind simply takes over. For some, that’s perfect; for others, it’s uncomfortable. There are also occasional complaints about certain kite centres, especially around pricing or inflexible rules.
If you want a beach with little wind, public showers, toilets and easy swimming, this is not your best option. It’s more natural here… with everything that comes with that.
How to enjoy it without paying the price
– Sunscreen and shade, even when it feels cool.
– A light hoodie or long sleeves: the wind lies.
– Enter the water with respect; the waves don’t give warnings.
– You can walk from Santa Maria or take a cheap taxi; don’t expect “nice” roads.
– Perfect for long walks, even if you don’t swim.
A beach that doesn’t try to please you
Ponta Sinó doesn’t aim to be perfect. It doesn’t promise calm or full comfort. What it offers is space, wind, a living sea, and that open-island feeling.
If that clicks for you, it’s easy to come back more than once — even if it’s just to walk, watch a sky full of kites… and let the wind do its thing.
You’re not coming here to hide from the weather. You’re coming to live alongside it.
