Beach break · Machico, Madeira · 32°42′N 16°46′W
Machico
A sheltered bay in eastern Madeira with one of the island's only real sand beaches, imported from Morocco. Gentle and forgiving, and the island's main place to learn to surf.
Machico sits in a wide bay on the eastern end of Madeira, and it has something almost nowhere else on the island does: a proper sand beach, created with sand shipped in from Morocco. That makes it the natural home of the island's surf schools.
The wave
A soft beach break inside the bay, protected from the prevailing swell and wind. It needs a northeast swell, or a big south swell wrapping in, to have a wave at all, and it is flat a lot of the time. When it works it is gentle and beginner-friendly.
Who it is for
Beginners and improvers. For anything with size or power on Madeira you go to the reefs and points elsewhere, which are a different sport.
When
NE to E swell, or a large S/SW, mid tide. Winter is the better bet.
Schools & rentals near here
Nearby
Porto da Cruz
A north-coast village where Madeira's first surf school opened in 2010. The reef in front of the seafront is consistent on a north swell, but a newer seawall has made it an expert-only wave.
Experts onlyAutumn and winter
Fajã da Areia
The north-coast spot that made São Vicente known for surfing, among the volcanic landscapes of Madeira's quieter side. Lefts and rights for intermediate and advanced surfers, and still uncrowded.
IntermediatesAutumn and winterCommon questions
- What kind of wave is Machico?
- Machico is a beach break. It wants NE to E swell, or a large S/SW that wraps into the bay swell and works best with sheltered by the bay; offshore from the w wind.
- Is Machico good for beginners?
- Yes — it's rated beginners and works for people who are learning.
- When's the best time for Machico?
- Winter for the northeast swell; workable in summer on rare south swell.
- What should I watch out for at Machico?
- Long flat spells, harbour wall and rocks at the edges, and a shore dump on a bigger day.