Surf spot

Cabo Girão

Forecast conditions and map view for Cabo Girão in Madeira. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Madeira
Coordinates: 32.6526, -17.0058

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)	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.6
Wave direction	NNW	NNW	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	NNW	E	E	NW	NW	E	E	E	NNW	E	E	E	NW	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	WNW	NW	NW	ENE	NW	NW	NW	NNW	NNW	NW	NW	NNW
Wave period (s)	6.9	7	4.8	4.8	4.8	4.7	4.5	4.5	4.7	4.7	4.5	4.7	4.5	4.7	4.7	4.8	4.8	4.8	4.9	5	5.8	5.8	8.4	5.5	5.3	8.2	7.8	5.2	5.2	5.3	8.1	5.2	5.1	5.1	6.8	6	5.9	5.8	5.2	6.5	6.5	7.5	6.6	6.5	7.1	7.2	8	4.6	8.2	7.4	7.3	7.8	8.1	8	7.5	6.8
Wave energy (kJ)	18	23	19	23	24	21	18	18	19	22	20	18	17	15	15	20	20	20	22	25	23	21	44	26	23	45	39	23	22	21	30	17	16	15	19	12	11	11	10	20	21	26	20	19	16	26	29	15	33	34	36	36	38	43	37	34
Wind speed (km/h)	8.1	9.1	14.6	4.6	12.2	8.1	3.5	9.9	8.4	6.8	8.7	3.7	6	5.2	3.5	12.6	11	11.2	13.8	4.2	7.6	8	2.3	8.6	7.2	6.4	9.9	8.3	14.3	15.3	15.1	12.1	9	6.6	6.5	4.8	6.8	9.2	9.3	8.8	9.4	7.8	6.3	4.6	5.2	6.2	8.2	9.4	12.3	13.6	8.4	8.7	19.4	16.1	8.9	11.2
Wind direction	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NOffshore	NWGlassy	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	WSWGlassy	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NNWOffshore	NOffshore	NNWGlassy	WSWCross-on	SSWOnshore	WNWGlassy	NOffshore	NOffshore	NOffshore	NOffshore	WNWGlassy	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	WNWGlassy	NNWCross-off	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWCross-off	SECross-on	ESECross	ESECross-on	ECross	NNECross-off	NOffshore	NOffshore	NOffshore	SSWGlassy	SSEOnshore	SECross-on	ESECross	NECross-off	NNECross-off	NNWOffshore	NNWOffshore	NNWGlassy	SSWOnshore	SSEOnshore	NECross-off	NOffshore	NOffshore	NNWOffshore	NECross-off	NNWOffshore	WSWCross-on	ESECross-on	NNWCross-off	NECross-off

Cabo Girão, Madeira is a dramatic surf location on the south coast of the island, famous more for its spectacular cliffs and powerful Atlantic backdrop than for being a classic beginner-friendly break.

Surf character

Wave type: Mostly a reef/point-style setup depending on exact spot and swell angle
Wave quality: Can be powerful, fast, and hollow on the right conditions
Swell exposure: Picks up good Atlantic groundswells, especially in winter
Wind: Best with light offshore or calm winds; local wind can quickly affect quality

Conditions

Best for: Intermediate to advanced surfers
Skill level: Not ideal for beginners because of reef/rocks, strong energy, and potential currents
Hazards: Sharp reef, uneven takeoff zones, strong surge, and changing conditions

Best time

Winter to early spring generally offers the most consistent and strongest swells in Madeira.
Summer may be smaller and cleaner, but less powerful.

Setting

The spot sits beneath one of Madeira’s most famous landmarks: the Cabo Girão cliff, one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe. That makes the location visually stunning, with steep cliffs, clear water, and a very raw ocean feel.

Overall vibe

Cabo Girão is a scenic, rugged, serious wave: more of a “go if you know what you’re doing” surf spot than a relaxed longboard beach break. It’s best when conditions line up and should be approached with caution and local knowledge.