West Portugal

A wall of crumbly, red sandstone cliffs looks out over this huge expanse of golden sand that stretches from Baleal northeast to the Obidos Lagoon. One of the highlights is Almagreira, home to some consistent banks that work through the tides. Picks up loads of swell so super consistent, but easily blown out. No facilities here - access via piste roads, can be tricky after heavy rains.

A couple of miles north of Peniche is the sandy little island village of Baleal, a big destination for traveling surfers for more than 20 years -- especially when the reefs around Ericeira are blown out with N or S winds. Baleal is an island, so there's almost always a protected beach. It's no surprise that most of the learn-to-surf camps in Portugal are located here. With the mellow left reefbreak of Lagide just north of town, followed by miles of open beachbreak, you can have a pretty high surfer population density without too many problems. There's even a protected bay south of town with mediocre beachbreak that's sheltered from N winds (and huge swells). You won't find perfection in Baleal -- Supertubos is a couple miles south -- but if you keep one eye out on the shifting sandbanks and the other on the flagpoles, you might be able to score some fine beachbreaks with mellow crowds.

Looking out from the clifftop onto a classic day, you could be mistaken for thinking you're watching Bells Beach. The cliff lined sandy bay, the reeling right hand walls that speed down the line, back off, then speed through to the finish on the inside - they certainly have more than a familiar air to them. But this wave more than holds its own in comparison. Part of its quality comes in its flexibility - it starts breaking at just over knee high and keeps going to double overhead or more - pumping out huge, winding faces that can run for over 200m. There is also a reef on the outside northern edge of the main break called Pontina, a right hander that works best in medium swells. Very occasionally it will connect to the main break. Popular spot with good facilties including showers and a beach bar to boot.

Europe's best right, Coxos is the crown jewel of Portugal. The wave, which is like a reef/pointbreak, breaks along a shallow rock shelf into a very small bay. Swells muscle their way in from deep water just offshore and form into fast-moving symmetrical right walls that seem to concentrate all their power into the base of the wave rather than the lip, similar to many Hawaiian waves. There's no easy entry at Coxos. You've got to paddle like mad, get to your feet and start driving, otherwise you'll get sucked over and end up on the reef.

Praia do Baleal is a fantastically flexible, crescent shaped beach that curves towards the town. Cantinho Da Baia - 'corner of the bay' is an area that comes to life in a big northerly, or medium sized northwesterly swell and offers clean waves and winds from northeast to southeast direction. Long, sometimes hollow rights can peel here. Consistent and fun, popular with beginners when small.

Supertubos is one of the best waves in Europe. There's one main peak with a super-fast (though makeable) left, and a somewhat shorter right, and one other peak down the beach that's not quite as perfect but still way better than your average day at most beachbreaks.

Pedra Branca Reef

If you don't feel like battling the crowds or the urchins at one of Ericeira's reefbreaks, or the swell is pretty small, Foz can offer up fun, little peaks that are similar to any average California beachbreak, some days good, some days bad, depending on the shifting sandbanks.There's a rivermouth at the south end that opens up in winter and can make a good left in front of the rocks. Toward the middle of the beach, there are assorted peaks that pop up as the tide, which is pretty extreme in these parts, goes in and out.The scene on the beach is pretty classic, too, as this is the closest big stretch of sand to Ericeira. There's beach volleyball, kids jumping into the river, families sun tanning and a bar right there, in case all that hanging at the beach and surfing renders you a little, well, parched. It's definitely not a bad place to while away a Sunday afternoon.