Surfing guide for Zahara de los Atunes Spain

Information on courses, beaches, locations, repair services & schools in Zahara de los Atunes

Some of Spain's best surfing spots are situated in between Tarifa and Cadiz on the Costa de la Luz.

Storms in the Atlantic ocean are causing the swell reaching the Spanish Atlantic coast. This is why the best months to find good waves are between October and May, when the stroms are more frequent.

On good days you'll encounter waves up to 3m. The best days are when the Levante wind changes to Poniente wind and the water is going to be glassy. Windless days are rare, but always better for the wave conditions.

In your quiver you should at least have two boards for the Costa de la Luz:

• Fish or Mini-Malibu
• Shortboard (6.0 - 6.6)

Surf spots in Zahara de los Atunes and at the Costa de la Luz

Surf spot El Palmar, Costa de la Luz

El Palmar is the beach with the most surfable days in the year. It's situated about 10km from Zahara down the Costa de la Luz. Some surf schools offer beginners courses and rent the surf material.

Andalusia's epicenter of surfing is El Palmar, it attracts locals from near and far, especially at the weekends. But the beach is long enough for everyone and peaks are plenty at this beach break.

We recommend to surf El Palmar preferebly with lower tides. That's when it works best and provides waves about shoulder high.

Surf spot Caños de Meca, Costa de la Luz

Another great spot is Caños de Meca , about 8km in the south of El Palmar. The wave breaks 70m from the shore at a reef right infront of the touristric urbanisation "Playa del Estrecho".

Stones make the entrance to the water a bit difficult here. Cuts in your feet will be unavoidable, unless you wear surf shoes.

This wave can be the longest ride on good days when the swell direction is perfect.

Surf spot Yerbabuena, Barbate

Another recommendable spot on days when Zahara and El Palmar gets too big and chaotic is situated on the right end of the bay of Barbate.

The point of this cape is generating this wave on days with strong swell. Yerbabuena will be protected from the wind if the direction is north-western, so check the forecast before you go surfing here.
The surroundings of this spot are magnificent.

You should park your car inside the port of Barbate, because some cars that were parked closer to the spot got broken open and robbed.

Surf spot Playa de los Alemanes, Atlanterra

The beach Playa de los Alemanes is situated at the right end of the Zahara bay, just underneath the luxury houses on the hill. It never gets crowded here.

A sand bank creates a nice right handed break close to the beach with excellent conditions for beginners and intermediate surfers.

The swell direction needs to be slightly from the south to make this spot work well.

Surf school and surfing lessons near Zahara Andalusia

Zahara and the Costa de la Luz provide excellent conditions to learn surfing. It's always recommendable to get some first instructions in a surf school, so you learn about safety aspects and basic knowledge.

After the beginners course you have to practice, practice, practice... ;-)

Surfing is not a sport to be learned within 2 weeks of holidays. It takes many years to be a really good surfer. But loads of fun, an intense physical challenge and an impressive natural experience is what you get from the very first day on.

Here our recommendations where to learn surfing in Andalusia:

Oceano Surf School, El Palmar

• Avda. Playa del Palmar
• 11500 El Palmar
• Tel.: (0034) 956 440 045

Surf video of beaches at the Costa de la Luz

(found on Youtube.com)