K Jelesnianski
I went in unsure what to expect in Portugal, but by the end of the trip turned out to be an unforgettable trip and memory! I went to Gota Dagua Surf Week 23, 2025! Surf Lessons - To begin, I am an intermediate surfer from the USA and know how to catch waves, and just wanted to get premium waves to learn and improve turns and carving. There are 4 time slots per day and your lesson time rotates. The class size is 5 people to an instructor, and the lineup is big enough to share. I was very happy to see that the surf instructors were able to adapt and provide feedback and teach appropriately for everyones level, from complete beginners around me first time on a board to my own case!! This really sold me on the quality of this surf camp. Beach Break - Came into a perfect week, waves Monday/Tues 4-5ft, Wed/Thur 2-3ft, and got smaller everyday down to 1ft on our last day of surfing. So got to practice in all conditions. Water was clean and recommend a 3/2 wetsuit. The camp provides good wetsuits, but they use 4/3 year round. If you have your own 3/2, I recommend bringing it, some other surfers did this. The Camp - The entire team, from the owner Anastácio, the hosts, and the surf instructors, everyone is outgoing, friendly and a blast to be around. The vibe is the perfect balance of excitement and chill, always happy and max fun, but also had time to slow down, rejuvenate, and enjoy the beauty of Costa da Caparica. The rooms/beds/bathrooms were clean everyday. The breakfast offerings and included dinners were filling. Even the pizza restaurant (in Costa da Caparica) we went to for pizza night was delicious (makes sense, because it was owned by an italian couple). Lunch was the only meal you had to take care of by yourself, but was easy with snacks or restaurants/bars on the beach. Bikes provided are really a lifesaver! They make getting to the beach and town super convenient!! Anastácio is simply amazing with keeping everything running smoothly and making sure you have the best time of your life. Thank you Anastácio, and thank you for existing! ;D Overall, the surf camp is structured but loose. The hosts provide different activities everyday for you to take part in the evenings after everyones surf lessons were done, but if you don't want to, thats fine too (your loss, because they are really fun!). I recommend the paradise beach trip! The only note, being unprepared on my part coming from the the USA, was to have some Euros (~50€ will more than suffice for the entire week) on hand for paying your tab and buying snacks. Credit card is still acceptable when going out etc.