Intermediate: Zambujeira do Mar (Good, 1.7 m, cross-shore around 09:00), Almograve (Good, 1.7 m, cross-shore around 09:00), Praia do Malhão (Good, 1.7 m, cross-shore around 08:00)
Beginners: Mareta (Fair, 0.7 m, offshore around 13:00)
Advanced: Zambujeira do Mar (Epic, 1.7 m, cross-shore around 09:00), Almograve (Epic, 1.7 m, cross-shore around 09:00)
Forecast updated 20 Oct, 01:03 UTC.
The spots
Burgau · beach break, beginner, best on SW/S swell with N/NE wind, mid tide. Small bay beach where the best peak is a right on the cliff side, working on southwest and south swells. Usually uncrowded outside summer.
Cabanas Velhas · beach break, intermediate, best on SW/S/SE swell with N/NW/NE wind, all tides. Beach break between Salema and Burgau that sometimes works when nearby Zavial is too big. Needs a larger swell, tends to stay quiet.
Boca do Rio · beach break, advanced, best on SW/W swell with N wind, mid to high tide. Boulder-bottomed beach break by the river mouth near Budens, rated a regional classic. Needs a decent swell and a mid to high tide.
Salema · beach break, beginner, best on S/SW/W swell with N/NNW/NE wind, low tide. Fickle south-facing village beach that only wakes up on a rare S swell or a very large W/NW swell wrapping in. Soft waves for longboards and learners; often flat.
Meia Praia · beach break, beginner, best on SE/SSE/S/SW swell with N/NW/NNE wind, low tide. Long, often mushy beach east of Lagos harbour. Works mostly on short-period SE 'levante' swell or a huge long-period W/SW swell bending in; best at low tide with N winds.
Amado · beach break, beginner, best on NW/W swell with E/NE wind, all tides. Wide sandbank beach and surf-school hub with several peaks, so there's usually room despite summer crowds. Picks up NW swell and handles light N wind; rips appear when…
Zavial · point break, advanced, best on W/WNW/NW/SW swell with N/NNW/NW wind, low to mid tide. Fast, hollow right off the western cliffs that needs a big long-period W/NW winter swell to wrap in, plus northerly wind. The beach peaks to the east are mellower and…
Ingrina · reef break, advanced, best on W/SW/S swell with N/NW/NE wind, all tides. Hollow left reef at a small beach near Vila do Bispo, rated a regional classic. The wave rebounds from a large rock, making it look bigger than it is.
Bordeira · beach break, intermediate, best on NW/W swell with E/SE wind, mid to high tide. Huge, raw beach break with fast, hollow peaks near the river mouth and a left point at the south end. Strong rips and the long walk keep it uncrowded; holds more size…
Cordoama · beach break, intermediate, best on NW/WNW/W swell with E/SE/NE wind, mid to high tide. Open, west-facing swell magnet with punchy A-frame peaks. Best on a moderate NW swell with light east winds; heavy and rippy when big, blown out by northerly wind.
Alvor · beach break, intermediate, best on SW/S swell with N/NE wind, high tide. Hollow beach break at the main beach in Alvor that only works at high tide. A strong cross-shore rip runs inside the break.
Castelejo · beach break, intermediate, best on NW/WNW/W swell with E/SE/NE wind, mid tide. Slightly more sheltered southern end of the Cordoama stretch with fun, punchy peaks. Small days suit improvers; NW swell plus east wind is the call, northerlies blow it…
Vale Figueiros · beach break, intermediate, best on NW/W/SW/S swell with SE/E/NE wind, all tides. Sandy beach break with several peaks on the Costa Vicentina roughly halfway between Aljezur and Carrapateira. Crowded in summer; you can walk half a kilometre to find…
Martinhal · beach break, intermediate, best on SW/S swell with N/NW wind, mid to high tide. Hollow, quick beach break at Martinhal in the sheltered bay east of Sagres. Often flat when nearby west-coast spots are working, but fast on a good south swell.
Ponta Ruiva · reef break, advanced, best on WNW/NW/NNW swell with ESE/SE/SSE wind, all tides. A reef near Sagres on the Algarve west coast that takes northwest swell with a southeast wind. Rocks and locals demand respect.
Arrifana · beach break, beginner, best on NW/W swell with NE/E wind, low to mid tide. Cliff-ringed bay sheltered from N wind, with a forgiving beach break full of surf schools. The heavy right over boulders at the north end needs big NW swell and is…
Mareta · beach break, beginner, best on S/SW/WNW swell with N/NE/NW wind, low to mid tide. Sheltered south-facing town beach; usually small, but a big long-period NW/W swell wraps in or S swell hits directly. Offshore on N winds, a good learner option.
Beliche · beach break, intermediate, best on NW/WNW/W swell with N/NE/E wind, mid tide. Cliff-sheltered cove with wedging, hollow peaks; needs a solid NW swell (about 1.5 m+) to wrap in. Offshore on N–NE winds, so it's the go-to when the west coast is…
Praia da Rocha · beach break, intermediate, best on SW/WSW/S swell with N/NE wind, low to mid tide. Best wave is a hollow left along the western Arade breakwater, needing a solid SW swell and N–NE wind; also softer peaks down the beach. Inconsistent and busy when on.
Tonel · beach break, intermediate, best on W/WNW/NW/SW swell with NE/E/N wind, all tides. Sagres' most consistent all-rounder, picking up more swell than nearby beaches. Fun under 1 m, hollow and heavy above ~1.5 m; cleanest on NE–E winds.
Monte Clérigo · beach break, beginner, best on NW swell with E/SE wind, low to mid tide. Quiet sandy bay with A-frame peaks, good for learners on small days. More exposed to N swell than Arrifana, so usually bigger; only for experienced surfers when it's…
Amoreira · beach break, intermediate, best on W/NW/SW swell with E/SE wind, low to mid tide. Quiet river-mouth beach break north of Monte Clérigo with lefts and rights over shifting sand. Watch the strong river currents around high tide and the outgoing ebb.
Odeceixe · beach break, beginner, best on NW/W swell with E wind, low to mid tide. River-mouth beach break that's a good learner spot under ~1.5 m, with softer waves at the south end below the village. Rights off the river mouth get rippy when it's…
Zambujeira do Mar · beach break, intermediate, best on NW/WNW swell with E wind, mid tide. Small cliff-backed bay with a wedging left off the rocks in front of town; needs moderate swell and closes out when big. Not for beginners, but usually quiet.
Almograve · beach break, intermediate, best on NW swell with ESE/E wind, mid tide. Exposed, rock-studded beach that picks up NW groundswell and is rarely busy. Sources disagree on whether it is mainly reef or sand, so check the banks before paddling…
Vale do Lobo · point break, intermediate, best on W/SW/S swell with N/NW/NE wind, mid to high tide. Right-hand sandspit wave at the Praça in Vale do Lobo on the eastern Algarve. Needs a big swell after a storm to wrap properly.
Vila Nova de Milfontes · reef break, intermediate, best on SSW/SW/WSW swell with ENE/E/ESE wind, all tides. A right-hand reef near the Farol at Vila Nova de Milfontes that works at all tides on southwest swell with an east wind. Locals are quick to the main peak.
Praia de Faro · beach break, intermediate, best on WSW/SW/SE swell with N/NE wind, mid tide. Exposed barrier-island beach break: cleanest on a W/SW swell funnelling up the Gulf of Cádiz with N–NE wind; SE levante brings shorter, messier but punchy waves. Often…
Praia do Malhão · beach break, intermediate, best on NW/W swell with E wind, all tides. Long, consistent sandy beach north of Milfontes with plenty of peaks to spread out on. Southern section handles S winds better; summer is often onshore, so aim for…
Praia dos Aivados · beach break, intermediate, best on W/NW swell with E/ESE wind, mid tide. Wild, open beach under the cliffs between Porto Covo and Malhão. Exposed sandbanks give peaky lefts and rights that pick up any W–NW swell; best on easterly winds…
When to surf in Algarve
Best months for intermediate surfers: March to April, September to December. For beginners: April to May, September to December. The water goes from about 15 °C in February (4/3 mm fullsuit) to 19 °C in August (3/2 mm fullsuit). Best-known spots: Arrifana, Amado. 8 of the 30 spots suit beginners, such as Burgau, Salema, Meia Praia.