Beach break · Sagres, Algarve · 37°01′N 8°56′W
Martinhal
A sheltered bay just east of Sagres where the summer north wind blows offshore across flat water: one of the few windsurfing spots in the western Algarve. Hardly ever any surf, and that is the point.
Martinhal is a sandy bay just east of Sagres, with high dunes in the middle, marsh behind them and a group of limestone islets offshore that divers come for. It is sheltered from the open Atlantic: the swell that hits Tonel, two kilometres away around the headland, barely reaches it.
The wind
In summer the north wind, the nortada, funnels down the wide valley behind the beach and blows offshore across the bay. The result is flat water and steady afternoon wind, good for freeride and slalom sailing. There is a windsurf and SUP rental and school on the beach.
Who it is for
Windsurfers of all levels on the right day, with the school there for lessons. Because the wind is offshore, beginners should stay inside the area the school watches: if you drift, you drift out to sea.
When
Summer afternoons, when the nortada fills in. On the calm mornings it is a family swimming beach. Surfers should go to Tonel or Beliche instead: Martinhal is almost always flat. Bring a wetsuit, the water is cold even in August.
Nearby
Beliche
A cliff-ringed beach between Sagres and Cabo de Sao Vicente, reached by a long stairway. More exposed and more powerful than Tonel, with a fast, hollow wave for confident surfers.
Advanced surfersAutumn to spring
Tonel
The west-facing beach at Sagres, a short walk from town. Far more exposed than the south-coast beaches, so it holds swell when everywhere sheltered is flat, but it is powerful and shifty.
IntermediatesAutumn to spring; the west coast is biggest and cleanest then
Mareta
The south-facing town beach at Sagres, tucked out of the west wind and swell. Gentle and forgiving, the main learner wave in Sagres and the go-to when the west coast is too big or too windy.
BeginnersAutumn to spring for swell; sheltered enough to surf on windy west-coast daysCommon questions
- What kind of wave is Martinhal?
- Martinhal is a beach break. It wants Sheltered; rarely any surf swell and works best with offshore from the n (the summer nortada), across flat water wind.
- Is Martinhal good for beginners?
- Yes — it's rated all levels and works for people who are learning.
- When's the best time for Martinhal?
- Summer afternoons, when the nortada blows.
- What should I watch out for at Martinhal?
- Gusty offshore wind that can carry you away from the beach, and cold water even in summer.