Holiday Destinations: How Your Portugal Surf Holiday Becomes the Highlight of the Year

For 20 years surfing has been my great passion that I have on my blog

Surf no made with all wave junkies parts. My surf blog is the central info portal for all German wave riders and those who want to become one. As a surf-adventurous traveler, you will find many valuable tips on how to improve your surfing skills and travel the world with your surfboard.

Just recently I have published the Surf guide Portugal, which is specifically designed to meet the needs of German surfers. The over 160 pages of Portugal know-how provide you with all the practical surf and travel tips you need to know for an unforgettable Portugal surf holiday.

Why a Portugal surf holiday simply rocks

Perfect waves, offshore winds and a lot of sunshine - with a Portugal surf holiday you live like bacon!

In addition to the numerous well-known beach breaks on the Wild West coast of the country, the warm Algarve is blessed with a multitude of top-class surf spots, which show their great potential, especially in the autumn.

What I like on the over 1,000 kilometers long Atlantic coast of Portugal but particularly well, are the almost paradise conditions for an unforgettable Road trip in the Bully or Campervan. Almost at every beach car park you can camp wild and stay undisturbed, to jump first in the morning in the waves. Also for surfing, you'll find in hardly a country better conditions than in Portugal, where many German and international surf camps have the whole year season.

Whether with or without surfboard Portugal is simply the perfect Raise land to have a super cool time with a little coal. In addition to all the delights in terms of surfing, Portugal also convinces with the very moderate cost of living, cheap flights, car rentals and surfing. Even the typical money-slingers, like eating out or party-making, are absolutely affordable in Portugal, even for economical travelers.

Many good tips, which also work in Portugal, can be found in Felicia's extensive eBook "Save better, more travel".

It's on baby: The best travel time for Wellen junkies in Portugal

What is special about a Portugal surf holiday?

There is hardly a day on the Atlantic coast, which is more than 1000 km long, without a surfable wave peeling out of the endless ocean. For the perfect travel time, however, you should still be able to estimate the level you already have on the surfboard.

If it is your first Portugal surf holiday destination and you travel as a blood surfing beginner at the southwestern tip of Europe, the summer months June, July and August are probably the best choices. The often cool Atlantic is then much warmer and the waves break even more gently than in the rest of the year.

If you are on the surfboard a bit longer, the months April and May as well as September and October make the most sense. Further advantages of a Portugal surf holiday in the off-season are moderate prices, deserted beaches and many windy days, which are extremely valuable for wave riders. Contrary to most Portugal-Newbie’s, the typical Passes wind is especially active in the Portuguese summer.

All you can surf: Many surf camps in Portugal are open all year

For a Portugal surf holiday, there are a lot of good reasons. One of them is the wide selection of surf camps, which also have a winter season and offer year-round inexpensive surfing, including beach accommodation.

Because Portugal has at least felt the world's largest density of German and international surf camps for fast learners and professional surf guiding, you should only go into the hands of professional surf coaches, which teach you in small groups with a maximum of 6 students and provide individual tips for your surf level.

So do not make your selection according to the price. Otherwise, you will be fed up with patched surfboards, giddy neoprene suits and useless sayings from arrogant surfing instructors. If you want to improve your surfing skills really fast, the surf camp of your choice should also have a professional video analysis within the program.

At Surf guide Portugal, you will also find a comprehensive overview of the smaller surf camps, which offer a pleasant family atmosphere and are tailored to their guests. Surf camps, which are based on mass processing and large course groups, do not occur in the guide. In order to get an impression of what Surf camp is best suited to your needs, you will also find all current prices and services, which are especially important for the quality of the surf school.

As a first guide I have listed here for you a small overview of proven surf camps in Portugal:

Goodtime Surf camp (Gelfa near Porto)

Surf guiding Peniche (Peniche near Lisbon)

Três Ondas (Ericeira near Lisbon)

Algarve Adventure Surf camp (Arrifana in the Algarve)

Life is better when you surf: The best surf spots for surfers

In order to make sure that you feel really comfortable and not without a break in your Portugal surfing holiday, you will find my two absolute favorite surf spots, which offer the perfect conditions for surfers on medium waves.

Arrifana: The surfer paradise in the south

The Bay of Arrifana is framed by picturesque cliffs, making it one of the few sheltered beach breaks on the west coast of the Algarve. Especially in the summer, when the traffic winds around the surrounding surf spots for chaotic waves, the beautiful beach bay of Arrifana for surfing often offers the best conditions.

All in all, Arrifana is the perfect place for your first attempts in the green wave. With small to medium-sized waves there is almost no current and the gentle surf forgives one or the other beginner's fault.

Parking is prohibited on the small road down to the beach. In the summer you can also use the specially designed shuttle for the surfers, which brings you from the cliff free down to the surf beach. After the Surf session, you can enjoy a sundowner at the Arrifana Beach bar for chillier live music.

Prainha & Cantinho da Baia: Surfmekka between Lisbon and Porto

In terms of constant waves and varied surfing conditions, the two Beach breaks Prainha and Cantinho da Baia are located in Surfmekka Peniche the place to be.

There is the chance of good beginners' waves easy with almost every wind and wave direction. Also the spots at the eastern and western end of the endless sand beach Praia do Baleal are somewhat more protected against the open surf and therefore perfect for surfing beginners. Because of the different orientation, you can always choose the waves that best fit your surf level.

Bikini, Neo and Sun blocker: These Surf gadgets you need for your Portugal Surfurlaub

WHEREVER

What is missing in a carefree Portugal surfing holiday is by no means the right neoprene suit. The water on Portugal's coasts is quite cool, especially in early summer. So that there is no big surprise, you should check out the site seatemparature.org, where you can find the typical water temperature of your target destination in Portugal for each surf month. If you have any questions regarding Neo-Thickness, Material, and Warmth, you will find all the important Dos to the Don'ts for the search for your dream-neo.

Your own surfboard is hardly worthwhile for your Portugal surf holiday. In most surf camps the equipment is already included and you can save yourself the towing and the expensive transportation in the plane.

BIKINI & BOARDSHORTS

Surfing in bikini or board shorts - this is only possible in Portugal in the Algarve, and only if you go to the hippo in late summer. Otherwise, the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal is simply not warm enough to withstand neoprene for long periods of time in the water.

SUNBLOCKER

In order to avoid the safe sundown on the first day of the surfing, you should also have a waterproof Sun blocker with at least LSF 30 in the luggage. In the meantime, there is even specially designed for surfers developed sun protection, with which you also in longer Surf sessions of unsightly skin burns spared. My tip: The SWOX TRIPLE specially designed for surfers (also available on Amazon).

CONCLUSION

Portugal is one of the best surfing destinations in Europe. You can find good waves here not only in the famous surfing resorts of Peniche and Ericeira but also on the south coast of the sunny Algarve, where you will find warm weather and excellent surfing conditions until late autumn. Apart from the good surfing conditions all year round, Portugal is also a super-beautiful, versatile and climatically pleasant surfing destination, which you will look back on all winter.

For more information on when and where the best waves run in Portugal and on which beach it is best to stay with the Campervan, you can also find in the Surf guide Portugal.

Dream Holiday destination South Australia: Experience the highlights between Adelaide and Melbourne

You know, my heart beats higher when I see the sea, when the sun is shining, when breathtaking landscapes surround me or when I discover an animal! When I was traveling south of Australia, I had almost heart-pounding around the clock, because there is really a lot that makes me happy - and certainly you too!

To the south of Australia are the states of South Australia and Victoria. You'll probably start your trip there as well in Adelaide or Melbourne. I will come back to the two cities later, but now I'm going out into nature!

South Australia - A fascinating island, animal and volcano world

Kangaroo Island in the state of South Australia is rightly one of the absolute highlights. On the adventure island, koalas, penguins, seals and countless other animals live. For a long time, I did not have to look for them, because they meet you everywhere: in the original Buschland, on the wild beaches or, for example, on Seal Bay - here lives a whole colony of Australian sea lions. No matter what corner I was on the island, I was surrounded by breathtaking nature all the time. Hiking is a lot of fun along the coast, along with rough cliffs and sheltered bays, through beautiful hiding lands and past the Remarkable Rocks, which are bizarre rock formations, and on the Arch of the Arch of Admirals Arch.

If you are heading back to Adelaide or from there, you should also stop at the Fleurieu Peninsula. For me, the trip was worth it twice and three times, because at Goolwa Beach you can go surfing, collecting clams, or simply relaxing on the beach.

In the southernmost corner of South Australia is the Limestone Coast. In this region, the Blue Lake of Mount Gambier was my best Australia holiday destination. The volcanic lake lies in a hollow and it makes its name all honor: It is intensely blue colored. It is best to come here in the warmer months because the color play has something to do with the temperature of the surface layer.

Victoria - pure nature on hundreds of kilometers

We continue to the state of Victoria. It is the smallest of the six Australian states, but it is the second-largest city on the continent. In Victoria, over 253 kilometers of pure nature experience await you - the Panorama route Great Ocean Road. Quickly you will not be here, because the dream road is lined with small coasts, real rain forest, waterfalls, ferns and dream beaches.

A compulsory stop is, for example, the rock formations "Twelve Apostles". The up to 60 meters high limestone rocks stand in the water and look at the most beautiful when the sun rises or goes down. I found the colony of dwarf penguins living there really hard. Even more intense you experience the area when you walk like I walk on the Great Ocean Walk. Depending on the season you can watch whales off the coast or meet koalas and kangaroos in the wild.

The official start of the Great Ocean Road is by the way in Torquay. The town with only 10,000 inhabitants is known for its perfect waves and is considered the surfer paradise in Australia. Real impressive, what the boys and girls on their boards there deliver, I could be difficult to tear from their sight. But then I managed. And that was also good because there was still time for a detour into the Grampians in the Landesinnere. If you're an outdoor fan like me, do not miss these rugged mountain chains. The highest elevation is Mount William with 1,167 meters. Not only from up there but on the hiking trails have you had invaluable views on the beauty of the landscape. And often you are not alone because here live many kangaroos, koalas, and emus.

Back to Civilization - Adelaide and Melbourne

Whether or not your plane lands in Adelaide in the state of South Australia or Melbourne in Victoria, I highly recommend you to spend a few days in the two cities.

Wine capital and festival city

In Adelaide, more than one million people live, this sound like a big city, but it does not work at all. The actual city core is relatively small. Everywhere it is green; vineyards lie in front of the front door. The streets are wide and latticed, you cannot get lost. If you have something faster from A to B, you just climb into an EcoCaddy - the Adelaidian answer to Asian bike ricschas. In the taxi bikes made of bamboo, you can sit comfortably and they are environmentally friendly and inexpensive. In Adelaide, you cannot get bored. There is an excellent wine, a diverse gastronomy scene as well as numerous music and sports festivals.

Culinary and cultural experience

Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria, is a true metropolis with over 4 million inhabitants. Here you can stroll fantastic and go out. Once I got an overview of the bike, I strolled through the many streets and alleyways. In part, these laneways and arcades, as they are called in Melbourne, are covered. And they never get bored, because there is a new surprise at every corner: street art and graffitis, mini-cafes, bizarre shops or unusual galleries. Melbourne is for me the Australian Berlin. Here you can hang faster than you love. From the nearly 300-meter-high Eureka Tower, you have the best view over the entire city!

And how is the best way to get into the Eldorado for outdoor enthusiasts, nature, and animal lovers?

I would choose Singapore Airlines as I do today, especially since they have a lot of connections from all major airports in Germany and offer a special program for stopovers. And believe me, a flight to Australia can be long! You have to plan from Germany at least 20 hours of pure flight time, depending on the connection and waiting time as a whole day out of it.

So why not just put an intermediate stop in Singapore? The supposedly cleanest city in the world is always worth a visit. With Singapore Airlines, you can book one night in a double room in a hotel in Singapore on your flight to Australia for only 28 euros per person - airport transfer included. For 10 euro more there is also the extended package, which includes then bus trips, free entrance to selected sights and discounts for numerous shops and restaurants. This sounds like a very fair deal for me.

If you want to be on the road with the world's most modern passenger aircraft, you should start your trip to Australia in Düsseldorf. From here, Singapore Airlines is using the Airbus A350 to fly to Singapore - three days a week: Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. And Düsseldorf, by the way, is always worth a trip! What is special about the super finger? It has revolutionary wings that automatically adapt during the flight, thereby reducing air resistance. In addition, the machine is more environmentally friendly as the material has a carbon fiber content of more than 50 percent. It also ensures that the A350 has a much lower weight than other aircraft, but its occupants just as quickly and forcefully from A to B brings as usual.

Source: Travelicia