Spain · Canary Islands
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El Confital is Gran Canaria's premier reef break, a powerful right-hand wave on the northern tip of the island at Las Palmas. Volcanic reef creates a defined, mechanical wave that barrels along the rock shelf on solid north swells. It has hosted WQS competitions and is considered one of the best waves in the Canary Islands. The wave breaks below a dramatic cliff with the city of Las Palmas as backdrop.
Needs a substantial north or north-westerly Atlantic groundswell (6ft+). Trade winds (north-easterly) are sideshore but the cliff provides some wind shadow. Best at mid to high tide. The 6-12ft range is where it produces world-class barrels. November through February is prime season. Smaller swells do not produce the quality this spot is known for.
The main peak is over a defined section of volcanic reef. The right-hander is the primary wave, running along the shelf for up to 150 metres. A shorter left also works. Line up with cliff features. The take-off zone is specific and the local crew know exactly where to sit.
Shallow volcanic reef throughout. The wave is heavy and throws with real force. Getting caught inside means being pushed over sharp lava rock. Strong currents on bigger swells. Urchins on the reef. Booties and a helmet are sensible on bigger days. Experienced surfers only.
Park on the road above and walk down a path to the reef. Entry involves jumping off rocks. Timing your jump between sets is important. Study how the locals enter.
A competitive group of Gran Canaria locals who charge this wave. The take-off zone is small and priority is enforced. Visiting surfers need to show respect and patience. Wait for waves that others are not going for rather than competing for the best ones.
This is a serious wave that demands experience in powerful reef breaks. Do not paddle out on your first day in the Canaries. Acclimatise at beach breaks first and observe El Confital from the cliff to understand the lineup. When a big swell arrives, the whole Las Palmas surf community converges. Arrive early for a spot. The tapas bars along the cliff walk are excellent for post-surf analysis.
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Based on historical weekly averages
Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
How busy each week is based on school holiday overlap from feeder markets.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 29 days of logged conditions.
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Create Profile →Current conditions refresh every 3 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Gran Canaria/El Confital. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical mid-June.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.
The best week for surf at Gran Canaria/El Confital is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Next to nothing in the water. Check back tomorrow. Short-period chop. The waves lack any real push. Onshore wind making a mess of the surface. Best conditions early morning before the sea breeze arrives. Not enough swell to get this spot firing properly.
Heads up: rocks exposed at low tide, and jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
Crystal clear water: ~22m visibility
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Gran Canaria/El Confital