Beach
both
Level 5/10

El Palmar

El Palmar, Andalusia, Spain
👥Crowded

El Palmar is Andalusia's surf oasis—a long, sandy beach near Cadiz that catches Atlantic swells wrapping around from the northwest before they enter the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar. The wave offers consistent beachbreak peaks in a region known more for wind sports than surfing. The bohemian village vibe, warm water compared to northern Spain, and reliable winter swells make El Palmar a favorite escape for those seeking Spanish surf without Basque Country crowds.

3-Day Forecast
Today
30
30
Poor
0.4m
@12s
12km/h
Tue
31
13
Poor
0.2m
@22s
13km/h
Wed
1
15
Poor
0.3m
@16s
6km/h
+7
Unlock

Today's Conditions

Swell
0.4m
WSW(251°)
Score: 2/25
Period
12s
Medium period swell
Score: 23/25
Wind
12km/h
NE(54°)
Score: 15/25
Weather
15°C
0.0mm14%
Windswell Component
0.1mENE@2s
Secondary Swell
0.2mSSE
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
morning
AM: 7 km/h NE|PM: 14 km/h NE
7 km/h vs 14 km/h afternoon
Tide at 7am (-1.4m)

Location & Conditions

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0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
View in OpenStreetMap
Showing forecast for today

Tide Times

1:34 am
High tide - 0.44m
7:58 am
Low tide - -1.45m
2:05 pm
High tide - 0.42m
8:10 pm
Low tide - -1.37m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

30
Poor
Components
Swell Direction13/25
Swell Size2/25
Swell Period23/25
Wind15/25
Raw Score53/100
Adjustments
⚠️ Weak Component-5
🚫 Undersized Capmax 30
Adjusted Score48/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score30
👥 Semana Santa

Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
W (270°)
Direction range
240° - 310°
Size range
0.8m - 3m
Ideal size
2.3m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
13s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
E (90°)
Offshore range
50° - 130°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid
Optimal range
0.5m - 2m
Danger above
2.5m

Water temp

16°C

Wetsuit

4/3mm fullsuit

Difficulty

5/10

Crowd level

7/10

👥 Semana Santa (Mar 28Apr 6) — expect extra crowds

Access: Beach village access. Near Tarifa kite/wind hub.

Best Season

Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb

Secondary: Oct, Mar

Winter Atlantic swells. Tarifa wind zone.

Getting There

Airport
XRY
Drive time
90 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion