Surf Camp · Ericeira · World Surfing Reserve
There are two kinds of surf camp in Portugal. One sells beds and moves bodies: big groups, one beach, a schedule printed in February that runs regardless of what the Atlantic is doing. The other sells progression, which is slower to organise, harder to scale, and the reason people come back.
This is an honest description of the second kind, so you can decide which one you are actually looking for.
By Rui Ferreira — Founder of Sea Krew, former competitive bodyboarder and surf coach since 2004.
In short: 3, 5 and 8-day camps in Ericeira, Europe’s only World Surfing Reserve. Small groups, a different beach each day chosen for the conditions, photo and video analysis included, and coaching from someone who has surfed this coast his whole life.
Why Ericeira, specifically
Ericeira is the only World Surfing Reserve in Europe, and it earned that status through density: roughly seven distinct quality breaks inside a few kilometres of coast. Ribeira d’Ilhas is a long, forgiving right that has hosted competitions since the 1980s. Coxos is a serious point break. Foz do Lizandro is a sandy river mouth where beginners get their first waves.
For a week-long camp this variety is not a luxury, it is the mechanism. It means that on any given day, with any given swell, there is a wave that matches your level — and that a group with mixed abilities can all surf something appropriate on the same morning.
Practical bonus: Ericeira is about 45 minutes from Lisbon airport, and Santa Cruz is another twenty minutes north when we want space. Short transfer, no wasted first day.
Small groups are the whole product
Everything else in a surf camp is logistics: beds, breakfast, transport. The only variable that changes how you surf is how much individual attention you get in the water, and that is decided entirely by how many people share your coach.
We keep groups small because it is the only way the coaching works, not because it sounds premium in a brochure. It also caps how many people we can take each week, which is why dates fill early in the season.
3, 5 or 8 days: which one fits
| Programme | Good for | What you leave with |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Short trips, first contact with surfing | Standing up, basic safety, a feel for the ocean |
| 5 days | Most guests, beginners and improvers | Consistent take-offs, first green waves |
| 8 days | Real progression, intermediates | Green waves, first turns, ocean reading |
If you can only pick one: five days is the point where technique starts to stick. Three days teaches you to surf; five days makes you a surfer who can keep improving alone afterwards.
A day at camp
Mornings are for surfing, because that is when the wind behaves. We check conditions, choose the beach, and run the session with a single technical goal for the day. Afterwards there is a video and photo review over lunch, which is where most of the actual learning lands.
Afternoons are yours: the village, the cliffs, food that is genuinely good, or a second surf if your shoulders are still speaking to you. We do not fill every hour. Surfing twice a day every day is how people get injured, not how they improve.
Set your expectations: day three is usually the hardest. Muscles ache, the novelty fades and progress feels flat. It is completely normal, it happens to almost everyone, and day four is generally when things click.
Who this camp is not for
If you want a party camp, a fixed timetable printed months in advance, or a beach you can name before you arrive, we are the wrong choice and we would rather say so now than have you disappointed in September.
What we will never do: put you in the water on a day when the ocean is not suitable for your level, just because it is on the schedule. If that means a session moves or becomes a theory and video session, that is what happens.
Swipe the camp
Frequently asked questions
How much does a surf camp in Ericeira cost?
Prices depend on the length of the programme and the room type. Camps run for 3, 5 and 8 days, and each option is bookable directly on our site with the current rate shown.
What is included in the surf camp?
Accommodation, coached surf sessions with board and wetsuit, photo and video analysis of your sessions, and beach selection each morning based on conditions.
Do I need experience to join a surf camp?
No. Camps take complete beginners through to intermediates, with groups organised by level so nobody is held back or pushed beyond what is safe.
When is the best time to book a surf camp in Ericeira?
September and October offer the best combination of consistent swell, warm water and low crowds. Summer is the easiest window for absolute beginners. Spring is the best value.
How many people are in each group?
Small, deliberately. Group size is the single factor that decides how much individual correction you get, so we cap it rather than filling sessions.
Is Ericeira suitable for a mixed-ability group?
Yes, and this is one of its main advantages. With seven different breaks nearby, beginners and intermediates in the same group can each surf something appropriate on the same day.
What happens if the surf is too big during my camp?
We change beach, and Ericeira and Santa Cruz give us sheltered options. On the rare day when nothing suits your level we will say so and run a theory and video session instead.
Book your week in the Reserve
3, 5 and 8-day camps in Ericeira. Small groups, photos included, and a beach chosen every morning for the conditions.