Surfing Sal

Sal is a perfect place for board surfing, kite- and windsurfing. It is even one of the best surfing spots in the world. Therefore, the world championships windsurfing and kite surfing were held here. The pleasant climate, the lovely warm sea water, the constant northeast trade wind, the many surf spots and facilities make Sal a perfect place for every type of surfer. On this island of Cape Verde, there are plenty of surf spots for both beginners and more advanced surfers. This is because the waves vary by location and most beaches are sandy which makes them a good starting point. All along the southern coast there are surf schools where you can rent equipment or have instructions.

Best time to surf?

In the period between late December and March are the biggest waves on Sal. Depending on the swell in some places the waves may reach a size of 2 meters. You can mostly find them on the West Coast. These waves are a good challenge for the experienced surfers. For beginners or surfers who want to sport in a relaxed way the east coast is ideal. In June and October, the average wind force is 3 to 4 Beaufort (10-15 knots). In the months of November and December, it will rise to a gentle breeze, 5 Beaufort (16-21 knots). January to March are the months when you can expect the strongest winds. On average, the wind will be from 5 to 7 Beaufort (17-28 knots). Finally, in April and May, the average wind force is 5 Beaufort (17-28 knots). Do you want to know the actual wind force and the 7-day forecast on Sal? See the current forecast.

Facilities

There are many rentals of surf boards, sails and other surfing gear at Sal. Especially in the area of Santa Maria (South Coast). Various lessons can be taken to learn to surf or improve the surfing technique. The sea temperature in Cape Verde is warm and a wetsuit is not really needed in the months of June to December. Then the sea temperature has an average of over 25 degrees Celsius. In the other months the sea temperature drops to an average of 23 degrees Celsius. A shortie wetsuit of 3mm will be fine. If you do not wear a wetsuit, take case of the sun radiation. Cape Verde is close to the equator and without protection you will soon have a sunburn.

Surf spots

Below we have briefly described some great surf spots on Sal. It is indicated whether these are suitable for beginners or for experienced surfers. Certainty there are many more undiscovered surf spots on Sal. If you miss a nice surfing spot in this list, please let us know.

East coast

• Cabessa
  Location: east side of Sal
  Wind: generally onshore wind (wind comes to the island) or crosswind
  Difficulty: beginners
  Surf Spot: Cabessa is a small surfing spot where the wind is not so strong because the place is partially shielded by a mountain. The waves are easy and small.
• Kite Beach (formerly Shark Bay)
  Location: east side of Sal
  Wind: generally onshore winds or crosswinds
  Difficulty: beginners and advanced
  Surf Spot: Kite beach was formerly known as Shark Bay. Contrary to what you might expect by this ancient name there are no sharks here. Kite Beach is both a place for beginners and advanced surfers and is very popular. At rising tide the waves are great. If it is low tide the waves are smaller at Kite beach, though it may be shallow in some places.
• Serra Negra
  Location: east side of Sal, direction north
  Wind: generally onshore winds or crosswinds
  Difficulty: beginners and advanced
  Surf Spot: more to the northeast of Sal here are secluded beaches like Serra Negra. There are minimal / no facilities here, but it is a great place for surfers who like space. There is a greater chance to meet sharks here.

South coast

• Santa Maria
  Location: south coast of Sal
  Wind: cross wind and onshore wind at one end of the long beach. On the other side there mainly crosswind and onshore wind.
  Difficulty: good place for beginners
  Surf Spot: you can surf at one of the most beautiful beaches in Cape Verde at the tourist resort of Santa Maria. The beaches are wide and spacious, but there are many tourists. It is convenient that many surf facilities are close by. The waves at Santa Maria are relatively calm but there is a strong wind coming from the land.
• Lembje
  Location: south coast of Sal
  Wind: crosswinds
  Difficulty: advanced
  Surf Spot: the water is relatively calm at the beaches of Lembje, but the strong wind on the beach and some rockets in the water can make it more difficult. You can also surf from the beach of Santa Maria to Lembje and this is also a much easier place to start from
• Beach at Riu Hotel
  Location: south coast of Sal
  Wind: offshore wind
  Difficulty: advanced
  Surf Spot: the wind is often stronger than elsewhere on Sal and is generally offshore. It is also next to the famous Ponta Preta beach where the PWA world championships surfing are held. More experienced surfers and kite surfers can enjoy themselves on the small waves. For kitesurfers there is enough space to rig and launch the kite. The location is superb with sand dunes and some hotels.

Westcoast

• Ponta Preta
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: offshore wind
  Difficulty: advanced
  Surf Spot: Ponta Preta is a world renowned surf spot and also one of the best places in the world to surf. Here are also regularly held the world championships. This surf spot  is often a challenge for advanced surfers. Besides great conditions, the environment is also brilliant. The short distance to the tourist town of Santa Maria makes it easy to watch surfing here or go surfing yourself (if experienced).
• Ali Baba
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: offshore wind
  Difficulty: advanced
  Surf Spot: this surf spot belongs with Ponta Preta to one of the best in Sal. You can expect big and long waves here and sometimes with high intensity. Ali Baba is a surf spot for advanced surfers, nut it is also a good place to watch windsurfers, surfers a kitesurfers.
• Secret Spot
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: offshore wind
  Difficulty: intermediate / advanced
  Surf Spot: The PWA surf championships are held at Ponta Preta. However, if surf conditions there are not good, the surfing circuit goes to the Secret Spot. Here the waves are regular it is safe surfing and not crowded.
• Cural Joul
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: offshore wind
  Difficulty: advanced
  Surf Spot: many surfers from Cural Joul start from the surf spots Fontana or Ali Baba. These places are more pleasant and safer to start from. Cural Joul is known for its high waves that can be frighteningly intense. A spot for experienced surfers. You can find most surfers only if the waves are smaller. This is also the first place where you can get the waves.
• Fontona
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: offshore wind
  Difficulty: intermediate / advanced
  Surf Spot: a convenient and safe starting point to explore other parts of the coast (e.g. Cural Joul). Especially for kite surfers since this is the only good place in the area of this particular bay to start easily your kite.
• Canoa
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: crosswindsDifficulty: advanced
  Surf Spot: a spot for experienced surfers. The surfers come to Canao to ride the bigger waves. The waves at this on the surf spot do easily break because they come from the side. In addition, here the wind is stronger than in other places. Canoa is relatively safe and has a small beach, a perfect location for more experienced surfers.
• Monte Leo
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: crosswind / variableDifficulty: beginners and advanced
  Surf Spot: Monte Leo offers great calm beaches, crystal clear water, flat surface water and is still an undiscovered paradise for surfers.
• Caleheta Funda
  Location: west coast of Sal
  Wind: crosswind / variable
  Difficulty: beginners and advanced
  Surf Spot: This surf spot is visited frequently. However, it does offer very good waves. From the beach you can easily go to deeper water where the waves are. The wave intensity is high, so it  is a good place to jump for example during kiting.