Cape Verde — Salamansa (São Vicente)06h · 15 kt
69BORDERLINEPick your slot
Min. level
Beginner
Optimal wind
14-32 kts
Season
January, February, March, April, May, June, November, December
Live · now
What to check
Discover the spot
The spot
Discover Cape Verde
São Vicente's teaching beach: a long ribbon of sand on the north coast where the trade wind comes in cross-onshore, with a sheltered patch to learn on and waves further out.
Versatile and unpretentious: flat water near shore to learn, waves offshore to progress, and a wind that always brings you back toward the beach. Salamansa is everyday São Vicente — the wide beach where the island comes to learn, far from Sal's big centres. The north-east trade arrives cross-onshore, steady at 15 to 27 knots: reassuring for your first tacks, strong enough to send it further out. There isn't much here — a small outfit, a creperie, sand as far as you can see — and that's exactly the charm of the place.
Who & when
Level and best time
Who it's for
The most accessible, most versatile spot on the island: beginners stay in the sheltered patch near shore, everyone else heads out for the waves. The one catch is thin infrastructure — better to arrive with your own gear.
source : saovicentecaboverde.com ↗Best time
Season from November to June, peaking February to May. The north-east trade blows 15 to 27 knots, water at 22-27 °C — a 2 mm shorty is plenty.
source : saovicentecaboverde.com ↗On site
Arrival guide
Getting there & parking
Salamansa sits about 5 km north-east of Mindelo, roughly 15 minutes by car; a taxi runs around 9 €. Wide open beach, roomy launch zone and few people about.
source : theoceanpreneur.com ↗Club & schools
A small local outfit, tied to a Mindelo school, runs lessons and rentals here. A creperie / beach bar is on hand for a break — but don't expect the big centres you'd find on Sal.
source : theoceanpreneur.com ↗Before you go
Safety
A wind that pushes you inshore
The trade comes in cross-onshore: it brings you back to the beach, which is reassuring, but it also pushes you onto the sand and rocks if you go down. Keep distance from shore.
source : iksurfmag.com ↗Rocks downwind
Downwind, the sea gets rougher and lined with rock. Drift and you end up at the wrong end of the beach: anticipate and work upwind while you still have margin.
source : kitesurftheworld.com ↗Gusts and no repairs
The wind can be gusty and there's no reliable repair on site: arrive with gear in good shape and enough to be self-sufficient — no one will bail you out.
source : saovicentecaboverde.com ↗Community
Soon, by the riders
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Session reports
Learning in the sheltered zone