Tonel
Praia do Tonel, Sagres, Algarve, Portugal
Tonel sits at the southwestern tip of Portugal, just below Sagres town, where the Atlantic meets two coastlines at once. The summer Nortada blows hard from the north, wrapping around the cliffs into the bay and meeting a steady groundswell. Conditions range from clean walls to wild side offshore wave sessions for confident riders. Stunning amphitheater of cliffs, raw and exposed, one of the southernmost wave spots on the Iberian Peninsula.
Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Wind directions: N, NW
Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Water: Waves
Bottom: Sand, Reef
Sports: Wingfoil, Kitesurf, Windsurf
Local tips
Park at the top and carry gear down the wooden stairs to the sand. Wind accelerates around the cliffs, so what looks like 20 knots up top is often more on the water. Best on a clean NW swell with strong Nortada. Sagres town has cafes, schools and surf shops 5 minutes away.