Portugal Women's Surf Camp

Day One - Part One

Touch down in Portugal! You’re about to spend seven nights surfing some of the best waves the Atlantic has to offer with an amazing group of like-minded women. Expect golden beaches, sunshine, great food and plenty of Portuguese culture thrown in for good measure. Our instructors are all ISA qualified and trained lifeguards - so you’ll always be safe in the water.

The trip will officially start at 4pm.

Day One - Part Two

After being shown to your room to settle in, there’s plenty of time to freshen up before a chilled welcome meeting. In this meeting we’ll discuss what you’d personally like to get out of the trip, whether that’s standing up for the first time, mastering your backhand or sampling the finest Portuguese cuisine, we’re here to make this happen for you! Then it’s a relaxed evening, a chance to meet the other women on the trip and share the stoke for the days ahead.

Please see our Travel section for more information on arrival and transfers.

Day Two - Part One

Today your surf coaching begins!

Each day based on the conditions, your instructor will decide where the best waves are, suited to your ability. There’s a variety of beach breaks on the South and the West coast, so you’re spoilt for choice!

You’ll have your first meeting over fresh morning coffee to set your surf goals for the week using your brand new bespoke Women + Waves log book.

Day Two - Part Two

Once your goals are set, we’ll go over the plan to achieve them on the beach. Then you’ll jump straight into the ocean for your first surf session with your trip leader and the team. After a fun session there’s chill time on the beach where you can enjoy a packed lunch picnic overlooking the waves. This is a great time to reflect on what you’ve just learnt. You can also grab a coffee or ice cream from the beach cafe, chill out, talk surfing and grab some rays!

You can then head back to your accommodation, where you’ll pick up even more knowledge in a video analysis session and we’ll deliver our first surf workshop, focusing on paddling and other board handling skills in the swimming pool.

In the evening, it’s time to chill out at an optional group meet up for sunset drinks and a delicious evening meal at the local beachside restaurant.

Day Three - Part One

After your first day of surfing, you might be feeling a little tight, so we start the day with some great surf stretches on the beach!

After reflecting on your video analysis from the day before, we will troubleshoot any challenges with your surf technique. With small group coaching sessions of max five guests to one instructor, we really curate bespoke tuition so you’ll see big gains from day one!

Day Three - Part Two

Time to demolish your delicious veggie packed lunch and after some beach hangs, return to the accommodation. We always follow up the water session with video analysis to help you celebrate your achievements and visualise the next tier of improvements. This will be followed by our second surf workshop back at camp. We look at surf etiquette and ocean awareness, tailoring the session to each individual's needs.

There is plenty of free time to jump in the pool before kicking back with a couple margaritas and dinner at our favourite buzzing Mexican restaurant ‘The Green Room’. The burrito bowls are next level and the quesadillas are what cheesy dreams are made of!

Day Four - Part One

Today is your rest day! It’s time to look after yourself. Have a little lie-in and then dive in for a fresh morning dip in the sea if you fancy!

Today you’ll be joining your trip leader heading into Lagos for breakfast, enjoying the best coffee in town at Black & White cafe. Picture-whitewashed walls, cool tunes and a full Aussie vibe. You can expect delicious and nutritious food like fresh avo on toast or sweet Eton-mess pancakes.

After breaky, you may want to explore the old port town with its historic churches and a coastal tour towards the Ponta da Piedade lighthouse. You’ll have an aerial view of some of the best golden beaches in Lagos. Along the way, you’ll enjoy the iconic viewpoint of Mirador Del Faro ( beautiful rock stacks) which offer the perfect photo opportunity. Keep walking and you may even spot a hidden beach or two! Alternatively, you can take the time to chill at the pool or bask in the sunshine on the beach.

Day Four - Part Two

Once you’ve worked up an appetite all over again, you have the option to head to Twin Fin – a surf cafe and bar offering fresh juices, and salads or opt for something a little stronger like their classic Mimosa – you’re on holiday after all!

After lunch why not enjoy some retail therapy? Lagos hosts some amazing independent boutiques and surf shops.

Want to get salty? No problem, we can help organise a kayak or stand-up paddleboard tour to explore the grottos and caverns (this will incur a further cost).

Day Five

Wake up and dive into another surf lesson, you’ll be picking up from where you left off and continuing your progression! You’ll be able to tick a few more boxes in the logbooks followed by video analysis and surf workshop number 3, where you can work on confidence building and techniques that will help you overcome any fears in the surf.

Before dinner, it’s time for our post-surf stretches to really unwind and release all the tension from your well-worked muscles.

You choose to spend the evening at the beach where you can enjoy spectacular views of the awesome sunset. This will be followed by a walk into town for dinner at our favourite modern Asian fusion restaurant – Gorilla. From vegan ramen, vegetable tempura, spicy Thai curries to busting bao buns – what’s not to love?!

Day six

Another fun morning at the beach, scoring waves and receiving instruction from your instructor team. For many of you, this will have been the first step of your surfing journey, so after today’s surf session, you’ll sit down (with a coffee and a pastel de nata of course) and discuss your next steps for your future surfing and where to go from here. We want you to go away with a clear understanding of how to continue your surf progression and what to put into practice. We’ll also hold a workshop on ⁠surf forecasting and how to plan your next surf sessions in the area of the world that you live.

Later on, the group reconvenes for sunset drinks around the pool, and an optional night out to our favourite tapas house called Meu Limao, they combine traditional Mediterranean recipes with modern cooking methods – super yummy fresh local produce with plenty of veggie or vegan options, plus they also make a killer homemade lemonade or sangria! All in a lush historic setting!

Day seven

Back to your favourite surfing beach for more awesome surf tuition in a productive but low pressure environment. It’s your final day in Portugal, so the perfect chance to practise everything you’ve learnt so far. Unless, of course, you want to chill. This is your trip – so you can surf as much or as little as you like! We’ll be looking back to see how much you’ve improved in your final video analysis session. We’ll then do a big open Q&A where you have a chance to ask us anything you like about surfing.

For your last evening, we’ll head to Mar d’Estorias terrace bar and restaurant – here you’ll find the perfect combination between sea breeze and historical inspiration brought on by the rooftops of the adjoining monuments. The restaurant is decorated with traditional Portuguese tiles where you can chow down on your favourite local food, grab a drink, and watch the sun as it sets on your last night in Portugal.

Day eight

After an epic trip, it’s time to say goodbye to Portugal (for now!) and fly home. We’ll drop you to the airport at 9 am so you are relaxed and ready for your flight home.

Don’t want to leave so early? See our travel section for more details.