Ideal wind conditions have turned this four-mile-long beach on the north coast into a windsurfer’s mecca, making it a magnet for professional athletes and beach bums alike. 

In the most developed zone are restaurant and bars that spill onto the sand in the evenings, creating a buoyant nightlife scene (patches on both ends are far more subdued).  Just east of the town is undeveloped Playa Encuentro, where a major international windsurfing competition is held annually. 

 

Photos: Jonathan Prime