Note to travelling surfers
- Ecosystem first. Be kind to the environment you’re visiting: don’t leave any trash behind.
- Be kind to locals. Every lineup has an order and it was earned over years. Wait your turn, and respect local etiquette.
- Fly less, stay longer. The flight is the biggest impact of any surf trip. Two weeks once beats one week twice!
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Free shipping NL and BEGet the Rinsed™ Surf Travel KitThe best surf breaks in Cape Verde for a winter trip are Ponta Preta, Fontana and Palmeira on Sal's west coast, Praia de Chaves and Varandinha on Boa Vista, and Salamansa on São Vicente, with Santa Maria and Ponta do Sino on Sal's south tip as the gentler, summer-facing options.
Cape Verde is a string of dry, windy Atlantic islands off the coast of West Africa. In winter, North Atlantic groundswell arrives from the north and north-west, the north-east trade winds blow almost every day, and the water stays somewhere around 22 to 26°C. That mix explains why Sal is better known as a kitesurf island than a surf island, and why many of the waves here break over reef rather than sand.
This guide is part of our guide to warm-water winter surf escapes and sits alongside our wider look at the best surfing destinations in Africa.
What are the best surf spots in Cape Verde?
This table covers eight breaks: five on Sal, two on Boa Vista and one on São Vicente. For Sal, the wave type, the swell and wind that work best and the best months come from the surf forecasters' break guides. Boa Vista and São Vicente rows lean on surf and windsurf travel guides, so they are less detailed.
| Spot | Area | Type | Level | Works best on | Best months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ponta Preta | Sal, south-west coast | Reef and point, right and left | Advanced | NW swell, E wind, around low tide | Winter, December most often |
| Fontana | Sal, west coast | Reef, right | Intermediate and up (not confirmed per spot) | WNW swell, ESE wind | Winter, January most often |
| Palmeira | Sal, west coast near the port | Reef, left | Intermediate and up (not confirmed per spot) | WNW swell, ESE wind | Winter, January most often |
| Santa Maria | Sal, south coast (town beach) | Beach and reef | Beginner to intermediate on small days | SSW swell, NNW wind | Summer, August most often |
| Ponta do Sino | Sal, south tip | Beach and reef | Beginner to intermediate on small days | SW swell, NNE wind | Summer, August most often |
| Praia de Chaves | Boa Vista, west coast near Rabil | Beach break, shifting sandbank peaks | Improving to intermediate | Clean N Atlantic groundswell, side-offshore wind | November to March |
| Varandinha | Boa Vista, south-west point | Reef, shifting peaks | Experienced (remote) | NW swell | December to February |
| Salamansa | São Vicente, north-east coast | Wave spot, type not confirmed | Not confirmed | Winter N swell; wind usually side-onshore | Late autumn to early spring |
Surfing in Sal: Ponta Preta, Fontana, Palmeira and the south tip
Sal has the most surf information and the widest range of waves in Cape Verde, from small beach peaks in Santa Maria to a heavy reef at Ponta Preta. The surf forecasters list twelve breaks on the island, and most of them are reef.
Ponta Preta, west of Santa Maria, is the island's famous wave. The forecasters describe it as an exposed reef and point break with fairly consistent surf, with a right (the better side) and a left. It works best with a north-west swell, an east wind (offshore here) and around low tide, and submerged rocks are the hazard they name. In December, its best month, they count clean waves 59% of the time, blown out 9% and too small 32%. Travel and kite guides describe a fast, hollow right over a shallow rock shelf, for advanced riders only.
Fontana and Palmeira sit further up the west coast, near the island's main port at Palmeira. Both are exposed reef breaks the forecasters call inconsistent: Fontana is a right, Palmeira a left, and both like a west-north-west swell with an east-south-east wind. In January, their best month, the forecasters count clean waves 23% of the time, blown out 38% and too small 39%. Rocks are the named hazard at Palmeira. A regional surf guide describes Sal's reef waves as suited to intermediate and expert surfers.
Santa Maria and Ponta do Sino are the south-facing spots around the main tourist town. The forecasters rate them as summer breaks, best with a south-south-west or south-west swell, with August their best month. Even then, they count waves too small around 80 to 85% of the time. In winter, the north swells mostly wrap past them, which is why travel guides send first-timers to the sheltered Santa Maria bay for lessons on small days. Watch out for rocks at both.
A winter week on Sal often means a small bathroom and a beach bag that never fully dries. The less you carry, the less there is to leak.
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From Sal, Boa Vista is the next island south, and it feels emptier still.
Surfing in Boa Vista: Praia de Chaves, Varandinha and the reefs off Sal Rei
Boa Vista has long sandy beaches, a handful of reefs and very few surfers, but much less published surf information than Sal. A regional surf guide describes the island as mostly sand-bottomed beach breaks that suit improving surfers on small days and confident surfers when the swell fills in, with winter into spring the most reliable time for size and summer smaller.
Praia de Chaves, on the west coast near Rabil and the airport, is the island's best-known beach break. Surf guides describe a long, open beach with a wide sandbank and several peaks that move with the tide and the sand. It's forgiving on smaller days and rewarding when clean groundswell arrives, but the north-east trade wind can turn it cross-shore or onshore, so you want side-offshore conditions.
Varandinha, at the island's south-western point, is a reef break that a windsurf magazine rates best on a north-west swell. Travel guides describe shifting peaks beside coastal caves and a remote setting, so check the road and sort out transport before you go. We couldn't confirm a level rating for surfers, so treat it as a spot for experienced surfers who are comfortable far from help.
Around the main town, Sal Rei, the same windsurf magazine describes Liowa, a wave spot downwind of the harbour with one or two peaks that can barrel on good days, and an outside reef about 2 km offshore that it recommends only for absolute wave pros with a boat escort. It puts the best Boa Vista waves in December to February.
Surfing in São Vicente: Salamansa, Praia Grande and São Pedro
São Vicente is the least documented of the three islands for surfing, so go with an open mind and a flexible plan. A regional surf guide describes it as an exposed patch of Atlantic coast with surfing on a handful of open beaches, the most reliable swell from late autumn to early spring, and smaller, quieter summers.
Salamansa, on the north-east coast, is the spot most guides name. A kitesurf guide calls it one of the island's most popular wave-riding spots, with the best waves on the east side and the wind blowing side-onshore. That suits kiters more than surfers, so look for early, lighter-wind sessions. We couldn't confirm whether it breaks over sand or reef.
The same kite guide describes Praia Grande, near the village of Calhau, as a right-hand reef break for advanced kiters that is not easy to reach. São Pedro, near the airport, is known as a windsurf beach. We couldn't confirm either as a surf spot.
When is the best time to surf in Cape Verde?
November to March is the main surf season, when north and north-west swells reach the islands and the water is still around 23 to 26°C. Travel guides put the prime window at November to March, and the forecasters favour winter at Ponta Preta, Fontana and Palmeira. The catch is the trade wind. A kite guide says north-easterly trades blow 15 to 25 knots almost daily from November to June, usually strongest from about 9am to 3pm. Surfers plan around early mornings and offshore spots.
The table below uses the average sea temperature at Santa Maria, Sal. Sal Rei on Boa Vista is within about half a degree in every month. We couldn't find a record for Mindelo on São Vicente, so take Sal as a rough guide there.
| Month | Average water temperature (Santa Maria, Sal) | Wetsuit | Surf |
|---|---|---|---|
| November | 25.8°C | Rash vest and boardshorts | North swells start, trades building |
| December | 24.2°C | Rash vest; 2mm long-sleeve shorty if windy | Peak month at Ponta Preta |
| January | 24.1°C | Rash vest; 2mm long-sleeve shorty if windy | Peak month at Fontana and Palmeira |
| February | 22.9°C | 2mm long-sleeve shorty or 3/2mm spring suit if windy | North swells continue, steady trades |
| March | 22.6°C | 2mm long-sleeve shorty or 3/2mm spring suit if windy | End of the main swell season |
| April to October | 22.4 to 27.1°C | Rash vest and boardshorts | Smaller; south swells for Santa Maria in summer |
The forecasters' own advice is that a rash vest and boardshorts should be fine for surfing at any time of year, with a 2mm long-sleeve shorty or a 3/2mm spring suit if the wind is up. The coolest water comes around mid-February, when the minimum at Santa Maria dips to about 21.5°C. If you like the idea of surfing without neoprene, our guide to surfing without a wetsuit has more places like this.
For month-by-month alternatives, see our picks for November, December, January and February.
Is Cape Verde good for beginner surfers?
Partly: Cape Verde works for beginners who stay on the sandy beaches on small days, but many of its best-known breaks are reef and are not for learners. The forecasters list most of Sal's breaks as reef, and name rocks or submerged rocks as hazards at Ponta Preta, Palmeira, Santa Maria and Ponta do Sino. Travel guides point first-timers to the sheltered bay at Santa Maria on Sal, and a regional guide describes Boa Vista's beach breaks as suited to improving surfers on smaller days.
One travel guide notes there are no lifeguards at remote spots on Boa Vista, and currents there can be unpredictable. If you're still choosing between winter trips, our guides to the Canary Islands and Senegal cover two other winter options nearby.
Getting to Cape Verde from Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris
You fly: to Sal (SID) for the most choice, to Boa Vista (BVC) for a quieter island, or to São Vicente (VXE) for Mindelo. We couldn't load the Cape Verde airports' own destination pages, so the routes below come from published route listings for each airport when we checked in October 2026. Many of these flights are seasonal or charter, and routes change, so check with the airline before you plan.
For Sal, the listings showed Amsterdam with TUI fly Netherlands, Corendon (seasonal) and easyJet (from 27 October 2026), Brussels with TUI fly Belgium, and Paris with Cabo Verde Airlines from Charles de Gaulle and Transavia from Orly. For Boa Vista, they showed Amsterdam with TUI fly Netherlands and Brussels with TUI fly Belgium, but no Paris flight. For São Vicente, they showed Amsterdam with TUI fly Netherlands and Paris with Cabo Verde Airlines (Charles de Gaulle) and Transavia (Orly), but no Brussels flight. Lisbon has links to all three islands, which can help if your city has no direct route.
A charter flight with a board bag is a good reason to keep your wash kit in hand luggage. One solid bar for hair, body and face isn't a liquid at airport security.
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Do you need a visa for Cape Verde?
For a short holiday, EU citizens don't need a visa. Cape Verde's visa exemption for EU nationals covers tourist stays of up to 30 days, and longer stays need a visa. You do need to pre-register online on the government's EASE platform before you travel. A Dutch travel guide says to do it at the latest 5 days before departure, and notes that young children are exempt. The rules have changed for some other nationalities since January 2026, so check the EASE platform yourself before you book.
Where to stay in Cape Verde for surfing
Stay in Santa Maria on Sal for the most choice, in Sal Rei on Boa Vista for a quieter base, and in Mindelo on São Vicente if you want a real town.
- Santa Maria, Sal: the island's tourist town on the south coast, where its tourism is centred, with the schools and the beginner beach. Ponta Preta is just to the west. For Fontana and Palmeira on the west coast, you'll want a car or a driver.
- Sal Rei, Boa Vista: the island's capital and largest town, in the north-west, close to the harbour waves. The airport is about 5 km away, near Rabil and Praia de Chaves. Remote spots such as Varandinha need a car and some planning.
- Mindelo, São Vicente: home to almost everyone on the island, a port town and the birthplace of coladeira music. Salamansa, Calhau and São Pedro are reached by van, bus or car.
Showers, water and washing up in Cape Verde
These are very dry islands, so keep showers short and wash where the water goes into a drain. Sal gets about 75 mm of rain a year on average, and São Vicente's lack of water shaped its history: today the island relies on a seawater desalination plant for its public supply. A windsurf magazine describes Boa Vista as so dry from year-round drought that virtually nothing grows there.
Beach showers are for sand and salt. Don't rinse shampoo or soap directly into the ocean or into beach showers that drain to the sea. Lather only where the water goes into a drain. Our guide to how to rinse off after a surf has a simple routine.
Wind, sand and salt get into everything on these islands. A solid bar that's happy in a damp bag is one less thing to worry about between sessions.
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Then it's back out for the early session, before the trades pick up.
Surfing in Cape Verde: locals and the environment
Respect the locals
The line-ups here are small, and the forecasters describe most of Sal's breaks as rarely or relatively uncrowded. That makes manners more noticeable, not less. On reef waves like Ponta Preta, wait your turn, don't drop in, and leave the best waves to the people who surf there all year. You'll share many spots with kiters and windsurfers, so give them room. Read our surf etiquette guide before you go.
Respect the environment
Cape Verde is the world's largest nesting site for loggerhead turtles, and Sal has the second-largest rookery in the country, with hatchlings emerging from July to September. Boa Vista's beaches are described as important nesting areas for loggerheads and birds, and around 37% of the island's land is protected, the highest share of any inhabited Cape Verde island. The nesting season falls outside the winter surf season, but the beaches are the same: stay off marked nesting areas, don't drive on the sand, and take your rubbish home. Water is precious on all three islands, so short showers help too.
Summary
Cape Verde is a warm, windy winter option with very few surfers. Go from November to March for the north swells, base yourself in Santa Maria on Sal if you want choice, and plan for reef waves like Ponta Preta, Fontana and Palmeira if you're experienced, or the sandy beaches of Santa Maria and Boa Vista on small days if you're not. Pack a rash vest, a thin shorty for windy days, and a small wash kit. For more ideas, see our warm-water winter escapes and the best surfing destinations in Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the best waves in Cape Verde?
On Sal's west coast. Surf forecasters rate Ponta Preta as a fairly consistent reef and point break that is best in winter, with Fontana and Palmeira as less consistent reef options further north.
Is Cape Verde good for beginner surfers?
On the right beach and the right day, yes. Travel guides send first-timers to the sheltered bay at Santa Maria on Sal, and Boa Vista's beach breaks suit improving surfers on small days, but most of Sal's breaks are reef.
Can you surf on São Vicente?
Yes, but it's the least documented of the three islands. Salamansa is the spot most guides name, and the most reliable swell comes from late autumn to early spring.
When is the best time to surf in Cape Verde?
November to March, when north and north-west swells arrive. December is the forecasters' best month at Ponta Preta and January at Fontana and Palmeira.
How warm is the sea in Cape Verde in winter?
At Santa Maria on Sal, the average is about 25.8°C in November, 24°C in December and January, and just under 23°C in February and March.
Do you need a wetsuit to surf in Cape Verde?
Not usually. Surf forecasters say a rash vest and boardshorts should be fine all year, with a 2mm long-sleeve shorty or a 3/2mm spring suit when the wind is up.
Why is Sal so popular with kitesurfers?
Because of the trade winds. North-easterly trades blow 15 to 25 knots almost daily from November to June, usually strongest from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
Can you fly directly to Cape Verde from Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris?
When we checked in October 2026, route listings showed flights to Sal from all three cities, to Boa Vista from Amsterdam and Brussels, and to São Vicente from Amsterdam and Paris. Many are seasonal and routes change.
Do EU citizens need a visa for Cape Verde?
Not for tourist stays of up to 30 days. You do need to pre-register on the government's EASE platform before you travel, at the latest 5 days before departure according to a Dutch travel guide.
Sources
The facts in this article are based on the sources below, checked in October 2026.
- Ponta Preta surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
- Fontana surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
- Palmeira surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
- Santa Maria surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
- Ponta do Sino surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
- Cape Verde Sal surf breaks. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
- Ponta Preta water temperature and wetsuit guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
- Santa Maria average sea temperatures. Seatemperature.org, 2026.
- Sal Rei water temperature. Seatemperature.org, 2026.
- Cabo Verde surf reports. Surfnerd, 2026.
- Boa Vista surf reports. Surfnerd, 2026.
- São Vicente surf reports. Surfnerd, 2026.
- Salamansa surf forecast. Surfnerd, 2026.
- Spot check Boa Vista: the last island. Surf Magazin, 2026.
- Surfing Sal and Boa Vista. The Trip Verdict, 2026.
- São Vicente kitesurfing holiday and travel guide. IKSURFMAG, 2026.
- Kitesurf at Sal, Santa Maria. The Kite Spot, 2026.
- EASE traveller pre-registration. Government of Cabo Verde, 2026.
- Entrada de viajeros extranjeros a Cabo Verde. Embassy of Spain in Praia, 2026.
- Reisdocumenten Kaapverdië. ANWB, 2026.
- Amílcar Cabral International Airport (Sal): airlines and destinations. Wikipedia, 2026.
- Aristides Pereira International Airport (Boa Vista): airlines and destinations. Wikipedia, 2026.
- Cesária Évora Airport (São Vicente): airlines and destinations. Wikipedia, 2026.
- Sal, Cape Verde. Wikipedia, 2026.
- Boa Vista, Cape Verde. Wikipedia, 2026.
- São Vicente, Cape Verde. Wikipedia, 2026.
