Baleal Island

Paradise ... Baleal Norte is one of the most stunning beaches in Portugal where you can surf both side and is ideally located geographically, offering perfect conditions for beginner surf lessons and great options for experienced surfers, with several surf spots just a few hundred meters away. The Baleal Surf Camp opened here in 1993. Taking advantage of its prime location for surf lessons, the surf camp and surf school are situated right on the best and most consistent surfing spot on the entire peninsula !

It feels like it once was a great surftown, but maybe it has grown too fast? We had a good time, but we missed the vibe, couldn’t find real good coffee or places to eat. The beaches were crowded and it was soooo windy. Some really nice views from the cliffs though!

Great beach, great surf.... Aggressive surf instructors that think they own the sea. Who put off learners who aren't paying them 🤷🏼‍♂️

This is an excellent beach. It has a very unique layout. Go early because it can get crowded. There are washrooms nearby. Theres also a couple of places where you can get somethibg to eat. Totally recommended.

Kind of Jurassic coast line - Beautiful and unspoilt. Some parts are difficult to get to and you can get caught out by the tide. You can literally walk for miles. Note only swimming for ( strong swimmers who are aware )

nice beach woth fine sand ideal for kids. sheltered part protecting from wind to spend time even if a bit colder. full of surfers

Beautiful place and a great beach for surfing. Sometimes the waves are to high and scary, but usually it is good for my intermediate-beginner-learner level ;) The beach is smaller than the other Baleal beach (sul), but usually has better conditions for learning to surf. But it is also cool to sit there, there are some rocks that can protect you from the wind. One thing though, there are like two big rocks 🪨 in the water, that you can’t see from the beach. Be carful when you surf there not to hit one of them when falling off board. Other than that, it’s a great spot. Highly recommend, for surfing, lying on the beach or maybe even doing some tough on the sand :)

Very nice public beach 🏖 (supervised by lifeguards) quite good for surfing 🏄🏻‍♂️ ... although, the number of surfers in the water has been above average while I was there

This is a special part of the area because what appears to be a thin road separating two beaches was once not a road and separated Baleal as an island. It's quite scenic to overlook into the distance and see two completely different beaches directly facing each other with a thin one way road that cars and pedestrians share to cross into the beach. Primarily known for surfing, Baleal and it's southern neighbor Peniche are big spots where surfers visit to get their wave on. Easily the Surfing capital of Europe, this little tiny island is the classier spot that sets it apart from the southern strips which lack such scenic cliffs and architecture. All of Portugal is heavenly but Baleal and it's history seem to strike me on a different level. If you find your way as westbound as you can, there's some cliffs in the rear of some massive oceanfront homes which with the right gear can be easily climbed. It's also a lively spot to see the sundown in all its glory. When Baleal first was incorporated all that existed was the Surfcastle and the Church on the edge of the cliff. It's quite a scenic little town now bustling with several restaurants and shops. I do recommend this beach...or should I say beaches. Bring a wetsuit as it can be very cold in those waters.