Palmeira is a powerful reef break near the fishing port on Sal's west coast. The wave handles bigger swells than many other spots on the island, producing heavy barrels when conditions align. The fishing village atmosphere adds authenticity to the experience.
Return flights to SID, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
Search Flights on SkyscannerGet the best strike windows in Africa — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.
Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.
10-day window
See the trip window before flights get expensive.
Unlimited alerts
Let the app watch your score threshold for you.
Custom spots
Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.
Water temp
23°C
Wetsuit
Springsuit / 2mm
Difficulty
7/10
Crowd level
3/10
Access: 30min from Santa Maria. Works on bigger swells.
Palmeira works best on a mid tide, ideally between 0.5m and 2m on the local tide chart. The tide chart above shows today’s strike window.
Offshore wind at Palmeira blows from the E (90°). Anything in the 60° to 130° range grooms the faces; outside it, expect chop or bumpy conditions.
Palmeira wants NW swell (280° to 350°) between 1.5m and 4m, with a period of 16s or more for quality waves.
The main season at Palmeira is Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. A secondary window runs Apr, Sep. Winter NW swells. 30min from Santa Maria. Works on bigger swells.
Fly into SID, then allow about 30 minutes by road. 30min from Santa Maria. Works on bigger swells.
Palmeira is a reef break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 7/10.
Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
Secondary: Apr, Sep
Winter NW swells. 30min from Santa Maria. Works on bigger swells.
🦁 Lion Mountain waves • Near airport • Long rights
⚡ World-class A-frame • Volcanic reef • Atlantic's best
🇨🇻 Cape Verde's crown jewel • World-class right • Trade wind perfection
🐢 Turtle beach left • Remote windward • Wrapping swells
🏖️ Cape Verde's Santa Monica • Endless beach • Trade wind groomed