Machico

Madeira · Portugal

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Machico is a town in a sheltered bay on Madeira's east coast, with a beach of dark sand and small stones. Soft, rolling peaks break left and right and suit all levels. It is the most beginner-friendly spot on the island, though it is often very small. Several surf schools work here.

Level
Beginners
Break
Beach break, sand
Waves
Lefts and rights
Crowd
Busy
Season
winter, autumn
Boards
A foam board or longboard.

When it works

✓ A small south-east or north-east swell under 1 m from mid to high tide, with a light north-west wind.

When it doesn't

✕ Flat for long spells; easterly winds blow straight in.

Watch out for

  • rocks

Best months

October, November, December, January, February, March

Local tips

Book a lesson with one of the local schools; the sandbanks change and the tide makes a big difference.

Getting there

In the town centre, with parking along the seafront.

Travel notes

How often it works
Unreliable: it mostly gets small wind swells, and needs a south-east or a strong north-east swell to break.
Crowd and vibe
Busy at weekends with locals, many of them learning, and up to 40 or more surfers on good days.
Camping and vans
There is no campsite here. The nearest licensed forest camping area is at Ponta de São Lourenço near Caniçal (permit needed).
Facilities
Bars, restaurants and surf schools with rentals in town.
Water quality
Banda d'Além was rated excellent and São Roque good in the last three EU bathing-water assessments (EEA data from APA and the regional government).

Ideal conditions

Swell
E–SSE best, NNE–S works
Size
0.6–1 m offshore swell; starts at 0.4 m, holds to 1.6 m
Period
7 s minimum, best from 10 s
Wind
Offshore W–NNW; handles onshore up to 10 km/h
Tide
mid, high best, on the rising tide
Faces
ESE (115°)

Live cams

Cams © their operators, shown from the operator's own feed.

Nearby spots

All spots in Madeira · All spots

Sources