Surf spot

El Quemao

Forecast conditions and map view for El Quemao in Canary, Lanzarote. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Canary, Lanzarote
Coordinates: 29.1099, -13.6666

Metric
Metric	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00
Wave height (m)	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.7	1.6	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.4	1.5	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.8	0.8	1.3	1.5	1.8	1.7	1.7	1.8	2	2	1.9	1.9	1.9	1.8	1.7	1.7
Wave direction	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	N	NNE	NNE	NE	NE	ENE	ENE	NE	N	N	NNE	N	N	NNE	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Wave period (s)	6.5	6.4	6.5	6	6.2	6	6	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.5	5.7	5.7	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	6.2	7.8	8.7	9.4	9.3	9.2	9.1	8.3	8.3	7.3	8	7.5	7	5.5	5.7	6.2	6.4	5.7	5.9	5.9	6.5	6.4	6.6	6.4	6.7	7	6.8	7	7	7.1	7	7	7.3	7.4	7.3
Wave energy (kJ)	248	237	211	217	199	198	195	181	158	150	146	124	139	131	113	100	83	75	63	56	47	40	64	73	88	84	83	77	71	67	47	46	43	37	21	22	22	22	14	23	49	61	147	186	254	268	277	313	371	382	372	354	351	341	332	311
Wind speed (km/h)	30.1	32.2	29.2	30.1	31.1	31.4	25.6	28.3	17.2	16.9	17.3	12.3	6	8.2	0.4	8.7	13.4	5.8	6.6	2.9	7.1	14.3	10.6	6.8	9	10.3	9	15.6	23	20.4	22	19.8	15.8	18.1	23.5	30.4	34.2	36.2	35.5	34.9	35.5	36.5	33.1	38.5	37.4	37.1	36.8	35.3	28.8	29.4	26	21.1	26.3	26.6	27.7	22
Wind direction	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NNEOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NNECross-on	SSEOffshore	SWCross-off	WGlassy	SECross-off	ENECross-on	ENECross-on	ECross	EGlassy	NWCross-on	NNEOnshore	NNWOnshore	NNWOnshore	NOnshore	NNEOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NNEOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NNEOnshore	NNEOnshore	NNEBlown out	NNEBlown out	NNEOnshore	NBlown out	NBlown out	NOnshore	NBlown out	NBlown out	NBlown out	NBlown out	NBlown out	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NNWOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore	NOnshore

El Quemao is one of the most famous and heavy surf spots in the Canary Islands, located on the northwest coast of Lanzarote, near the fishing village of La Santa.

What it’s like

Type of wave: Fast, powerful left-hand reef break
Best for: Advanced to expert surfers
Reputation: Often compared to world-class waves like Pipeline for its speed, shape, and intensity
Wave quality: When it works, it can produce a thick, hollow, barreling wall with very high performance potential

Conditions

Swell: Needs a solid northwest to west swell
Wind: Best with light offshore easterly winds
Tide: Works best depending on the tide, but it can be highly sensitive and dangerous at the wrong level
Bottom: Sharp volcanic reef, which makes wipeouts risky

Hazards

Very shallow reef
Powerful currents
Heavy waves with little margin for error
Crowded when it’s on, since it’s highly respected and sought after

Vibe

El Quemao is not a beginner-friendly beach break—it’s a serious, world-class reef wave that demands: - strong paddle fitness - precise takeoff timing - comfort in heavy barrels and consequence

Nearby

It’s right by La Santa, a small surf town that’s become a base for surfers traveling to Lanzarote for its consistent Atlantic swell and volcanic reef waves.