Surf spots in Santa Maria
6 spots within 7 km of Santa Maria: 1 beach break, 3 reef breaks, 2 point breaks. 3 suit beginners.
Live forecasts for every spot →
Best spots today in Santa Maria
- Intermediate: Ponta Preta (Fair, 0.9 m, offshore around 13:00)
- Beginners: Ponta Preta (Fair, 0.9 m, offshore around 13:00)
Forecast updated 20 Oct, 06:50 UTC.
The spots
- Santa Maria · beach break, beginner, best on SSW swell with NNW wind, all tides. Beach break and left reef in the bay of Santa Maria on Sal, offshore in the usual northerly trade winds. Good for lessons.
- Ponta do Sino · reef break, intermediate, best on SW/S/W swell with N/NNE/NE wind, mid tide. Sand-and-reef waves at Sal's southern tip, at the west end of Santa Maria bay; usually bigger than the bay itself and best on a southerly swell.
- Ponta Preta · point break, intermediate, best on NW/NNW swell with E/ENE wind, low tide. Right-hand point off Sal's southwest coast, the best known wave of Cape Verde and a destination for winter surfers and kitesurfers. Needs a northwest swell to switch on.
- Ponta Leme Velho · point break, beginner, best on SW/S/SE swell with NE/N/E wind, mid tide. Small point wave off the headland 2 km east of Santa Maria, next to the windsurf and kite centres; modest, offshore conditions make it a common place to learn wave…
- Kite Beach (Costa da Fragata) · reef break, beginner, best on NE/E/N swell with W/SW/NW wind, mid to high tide. East-coast beach north-east of Santa Maria where small waves break on an outer reef beyond a shallow lagoon; mostly a kitesurf spot, surfable when the trade wind drops.
- Rife (Ponta do Rife) · reef break, intermediate, best on NW/W/SW swell with E/NE/SE wind, mid to high tide. West-coast reef between Ponta Preta and Murdeira with lefts and rights; mainly a wave-sailing and kite spot in big winter swell, reached by 4x4.
When to surf in Santa Maria
Good days per month for intermediate surfers; tap a month for where else to surf then.
Best months for intermediate surfers: January to February. For beginners: November to February. The water goes from about 22 °C in February (Springsuit 2 mm or vest) to 28 °C in September (Boardshorts / rash vest). 3 of the 6 spots suit beginners, such as Santa Maria, Ponta Leme Velho, Kite Beach (Costa da Fragata).
| Month | Rideable days | Good days | Beginner days | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | 4 | 6 | 23 °C |
| Feb | 9 | 2 | 5 | 22 °C |
| Mar | 6 | 0 | 4 | 22 °C |
| Apr | 4 | 0 | 2 | 22 °C |
| May | 1 | 0 | 2 | 23 °C |
| Jun | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 °C |
| Jul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 °C |
| Aug | 1 | 1 | 1 | 27 °C |
| Sep | 1 | 0 | 1 | 28 °C |
| Oct | 3 | 0 | 4 | 27 °C |
| Nov | 6 | 2 | 6 | 26 °C |
| Dec | 6 | 3 | 5 | 25 °C |
Days per month at the best third of the 6 spots for each level, from three years of wave and wind model data.
Questions
What are the best surf spots in Santa Maria?
The best-known are Santa Maria, Ponta Preta, Ponta do Sino, Ponta Leme Velho. In all, 6 spots lie within 7 km: 1 beach break, 3 reef breaks, 2 point breaks.
Where can beginners surf in Santa Maria?
Santa Maria, Ponta Leme Velho, Kite Beach (Costa da Fragata): sandy, more forgiving spots. Surf them on small days, ideally with a lesson or near the lifeguards.
When is the best time to surf in Santa Maria?
For intermediate surfers January to February. For beginners November to February.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in Santa Maria?
The sea goes from about 22 °C in February (Springsuit 2 mm or vest) to 28 °C in September (Boardshorts / rash vest).