Reef

right

Level 8/10

Alibaba

Sal, Cape Verde

🪸Sharp reef⚠️Shallow🦔Urchins

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Alibaba is a world-class A-frame reef break on Sal Island, producing fast, hollow barrels over volcanic rock. The right is longer and more makeable, but the left offers its own rewards. When big NW swells hit, the wave transforms into a serious proposition, demanding respect and experience. One of the Atlantic's best waves.

Alibaba surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Poor

1.2mNNW@12s

11km/h

1.2m@12s

11km/h

Thu5

Poor

0.7mNNW@11s

18km/h

0.7m@11s

18km/h

Fri6

Poor

1.0mNNW@13s

25km/h

1.0m@13s

25km/h

Sat7

Poor

1.0mNNW@12s

28km/h

1.0m@12s

28km/h

Sun8

Poor

0.7mNNW@12s

22km/h

0.7m@12s

22km/h

Mon9

Poor

1.2mNNW@14s

22km/h

1.2m@14s

22km/h

Tue10

Poor

1.9mNNW@14s

18km/h

1.9m@14s

18km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.6mNNW@12s

18km/h

1.6m@12s

18km/h

Thu12

Poor

1.3mNNW@11s

14km/h

1.3m@11s

14km/h

Fri13

Poor

1.1mNNW@12s

15km/h

1.1m@12s

15km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 7 km/h · PM 14 km/h · Low tide at 10am (0.2m)

Swell

1.2m

NNW(345°)

Score: 2/25

Period

12s

Mid-period swell

Score: 6/25

Wind

11km/h

ENE(70°)

Score: 25/25

Weather

28°C

0.2mm38%

First light 6:00amSunrise 6:30amSunset 5:59pmLast light 6:29pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.3m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.2m @12s NNW in window

Wind11 km/h ENE offshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 6:00–6:56am · droppingStrike window: 2:11–6:29pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.5–1.8m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

24°

28°

30°

29°

28°

25°

28°

31°

30°

28°

26°

29°

32°

31°

28°

26°

30°

32°

30°

27°

30°

33°

30°

26°

29°

32°

29°

26°

30°

32°

31°

29°

26°

29°

30°

29°

28°

25°

29°

30°

29°

26°

28°

29°

28°

2m1.0

sec

12s

11s

13s

12s

14s

12s

11s

12s

swell

windkm/h

7g9

7g17

11g25

16g30

12g27

11g14

16g27

17g34

21g37

23g35

20g28

25g39

28g46

27g45

23g39

20g28

27g41

33g52

32g53

27g51

17g28

20g30

27g46

24g45

21g40

19g28

22g34

26g44

22g43

20g39

13g19

16g27

19g34

20g37

15g24

17g30

19g34

21g37

11g23

13g26

15g29

16g30

17g30

11g21

15g27

17g31

16g30

tidem

3:47am0.8m

10:20am0.2m

4:40pm0.7m

10:18pm0.2m

4:50am0.8m

11:12am0.1m

5:36pm0.7m

5:43am0.8m

11:47am0.1m

6:15pm0.8m

6:30am0.8m

12:30pm0.1m

6:50pm0.8m

12:45am0.1m

7:07am0.8m

1:00pm0.1m

7:30pm0.8m

1:30am0.0m

7:48am0.8m

1:30pm0.0m

8:00pm0.8m

2:06am0.0m

8:23am0.7m

2:08pm0.0m

8:36pm0.8m

2:42am0.0m

8:55am0.7m

2:36pm0.0m

9:07pm0.8m

3:18am0.0m

9:30am0.7m

3:08pm0.1m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

3:47 am

High · 0.80m

10:20 am

Low · 0.19m

4:40 pm

High · 0.66m

10:18 pm

Low · 0.24m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction9/25

Swell Size2/25

Swell Period6/25

Wind25/25

Raw Score42/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+1

💨 Gusty Wind-4

📉 Undersized Swell-9

🚫 Undersized Capmax 30

Adjusted Score30/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score30

🌊 Partly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to SID, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.2m @12s NNW in window

Wind11 km/h ENE offshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: NW (315°)
Direction range: 280° - 350°
Size range: 1.8m - 4m
Ideal size: 2.8m - 3.5m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 16s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: E (90°)
Offshore range: 60° - 130°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: low
Optimal range: 0.5m - 1.8m

Water temp

23°C

Wetsuit

Springsuit / 2mm

Difficulty

8/10

Crowd level

4/10

Access: World-class A-frame. Fast shallow barrels over volcanic reef.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Alibaba?

Alibaba is a reef break in Sal, Cape Verde, that mostly breaks right.

What swell works best at Alibaba?

Alibaba picks up swell from the W round to the N, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NW. It starts working at around 1.8m and handles up to about 4m, with the sweet spot around 2.8 to 3.5m. Period matters too: aim for 16s or longer, as anything under 12s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Alibaba?

An E wind is dead offshore at Alibaba, and anything from the ENE round to the SE keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Alibaba?

Alibaba is at its best around low tide, roughly 0.5m to 1.8m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Alibaba?

The most reliable run of swell at Alibaba comes Oct to Mar. There's a second window in Apr and Sep too. Winter NW swells. World-class A-frame. Fast shallow barrels over volcanic reef.

How cold is the water at Alibaba?

The water at Alibaba averages around 23°C, so you'll want a springsuit or 2mm. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Alibaba good for beginners?

Not really. It's rated 8/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. World-class A-frame. Fast shallow barrels over volcanic reef.