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Learn Surfing all year round with Club Vagabond

Surf Lessons in Milfontes

Located at the beautiful Alentejo coast, Club Vagabond surf school is open throughout all seasons. We offer surf lessons for every level from beginner to advanced, kids and adults, a holiday experience or intensive training and guiding.

Our surf school is accredited by the Portuguese Surf Federation, ensuring professional standards. All the surf coaches are certified and bring extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of local beaches and conditions. Lessons are personalized and take place at the stunning Malhão and Furnas beaches, with everything you need provided—including transport if necessary. We offer lessons in English, Portuguese, German, and Spanish.


What’s Included in Each Lesson?

  • 2-hour session
  • High-quality surfboard and wetsuit rental
  • Certified instructors (maximum 4 students per coach)
  • Personalized instruction based on your skill level
  • Insurance and transportation if required

Meet the team

Coaching and Methods

At Club Vagabond we have an extraordinary team of coaches and instructors who are professional, certified and experienced. With this team you can expect to have not only the best assistance from beginner to advance level, but also coaches level II who are exclusively qualified by the Portuguese Surf Federation to assist advance, performance and competition surfers.

Although each coach has its own style and surf preferences, all of them do theory and practice in their sessions, they work only in small groups or individual and they might use any resources they find relevant to customize the sessions. Every surf lesson has a theory and a practical component; therefore, each surf lesson has different contents and formats. According to the levels and goals we might bring additional elements to the sessions as video-analyses, functional training, screening videos, theory sessions, surf-skate, etc.)

Lesson Options

The Full Services


Surf Lessons in Group – 2H


The groups have a ratio of 1 coach for maxim 5 people.

The groups are organizing according to their level and the lesson has a theory and practice component.

We have group mobility system which allows any person to change to a different group according to the their progress.

Surf Lessons in Private -2H


The private surf lesson is suitable for those who are looking for a more exclusive service. Can be an experience for a single person, couples or a small family.

A Private surf lesson is suitable also for those who want to work on a specific issue or dealing with phobia, fears, physical or mental restraint.

Private lessons also give the opportunity to choose a different time for the lesson according to the slots available.
Like the group lessons, private lesson has a theory and practice component.

Coaching


On the coaching we can focus on specific components and explore them. This is a highly customized service which can be focus on the theory, on the practice, or on both.


On surf theory we can work:

  • Forecast interpretation
  • Video analysis
  • Surf terminology
  • History of surf
  • Tactics and strategy
  • Surf etiquette

On surf practice we can work:

  • any surf level (technique)
  • filming
  • customized program

Pricing List

Group Lessons

Learn to surf in a small, friendly group setting with up to 4 students per coach. Great for families, beginners and intermediates.

  • 1x Surf Lesson – 45€

    Curious about surfing? Need some new tips?

  • 3x Surf Lesson – 120€ *

    Do you want to see some progress in a short time?

    * Personal package, valid for 30 days

  • 5x Surf Lesson – 180€ *

    Are you interested in a surf course?

    * Personal package, valid for 30 days

  • 10x Surf Lesson – 290€ *

    Are you committed to learning and improving, staying a bit longer, and would prefer an economical and flexible lesson package?

    * Personal package, valid for 90 days

Private Lessons

Our private surf classes offer a focused and customized experience

  • 1x Surf Lesson | 1 Prs. – 90€

    Instead of being in a small group, you prefer a bespoke lesson tailored especially for you, for a one-to-one learning experience with your surf teacher.

  • 1x Surf Lesson | 2 Prs. – 150€

    Are you with your partner or friend, and want an exclusive session just for the two of you?

Surf Lessons includes
Insurance → Transport → Wetsuit → Board
Duration & Location
~ 2 hours per session, Malhão or Furnas Beach

Pricing List

Coaching

Our coaching is fully customized, focusing on theory, practice, or both.

  • On Request

    Welcome to the Club

    What’s my Surf Level?

    It is very import to know what is your surf level in order to set the right goals and manage your expectations. There are different stages of difficulty in surf. It doesn´t matter what level you are, there is always a new challenge. However, many students don’t know how to evaluate their level or don’t do it fairly.
    An experienced coach knows how to evaluate your level and can do it in few minutes. From there, the coach can tell in which level you are, what can you expect and what goals and steps you will work on. Therefore, we developed a level chart where you can estimate your surf level and set realistic expectations according to each level. Nevertheless, the most important thing is to learn safely and have fun.

    Beginner ►
    Intermediate ►
    Advanced ►

    Beginner #1

    What do I know:

    • Very little / nothing

    Goals:

    • Take-off in white water (foam)
    • Keeping the balance
    • Journey straight ahead in the wave

    Beginner #2

    What do I know:

    • Take off in white water without knee

    Goals:

    • Consolidate take-off in white water
    • Learning how and when to paddle (timing)
    • “White water” autonomy

    Getting Excited?

    Discover what to expect in a Beginner Surf Lesson or what advantages a Private Lesson might have for you.

    Intermediate #1

    What do I know:

    • Take off without knees
    • Paddle autonomy
    • The difference between inside (white water) /outside (green waves)

    Goals:

    • Take-off in a ´green wave´ (before it breaks)
    • Paddling (technique and timing)
    • Positioning in the water

    Intermediate #2

    What do I know:

    • Take-off on green waves
    • Positioning and paddling

    Goals:

    • Cutting the wave (left or right)
    • Explore the length and the high of the wave
    • Learning to generate speed
    • High level of autonomy

    Intermediate #3

    What do I know:

    • Catching and cutting green waves
    • Paddling autonomy
    • Generating speed
    • Selecting waves

    Goals:

    • Learning and /or perfecting key maneuvers (bottom-turn, top-turn, roudhouse)
    • Learning /or perfecting duck dive technique
    • Learning to adjust the goals to the ocean conditions

    Getting Excited?

    Discover what to expect in a Intermediate Surf Lesson or what advantages a Private Lesson might have for you.

    Advanced #1

    What do I know:

    • Maneuvers (bottom-turn, top turn and roundhouse) on a green wave
    • Duck dive
    • Select waves

    Goals:

    • Learning and perfecting maneuvers (cutback, roundhouse, bottam-turn with the rails, etc)
    • Focus on the detail
    • Visualization of the wave

    Performance

    What do I know:

    • Generating speed and maneuvers
    • Select a surf pick
    • Full autonomy

    Goals:

    • Execution of maneuvers with high performance
    • Tactical approach to the wave (understand the different sections of the waves and the suitable maneuver to that section)
    • Managing goals

    Competition

    What do I know:

    • Performative surf

    Goals:

    • Results and rankings
    • Competition: regional, national and international

    Getting Excited?

    Discover what to expect in a Advanced Surf Lesson or what advantages a Private Lesson might have for you.

    Special Programs & Packages

    Our Special Programs & Packages enhance your surf experience from every angle. Refine balance and flow with Surf Skate Training, combine adventure and ocean with our Hike & Surf Package, and stay strong on wave-free days with Functional Training.

    Sounds exciting? When reaching out, feel free to indicate your interest and for more details, click here to find more information about our extended offers!

    Learn at the Best Beaches

    Surf Spots

    Our surf lessons take place at Malhão Beach and Furnas Beach, two of the finest surf spots on the Alentejo coast. We select the best location for each lesson based on the day’s conditions and your skill level:

    • Malhão Beach: Known for powerful waves, ideal for intermediate to advanced surfers.
    • Furnas Beach: Mellow and more protected, perfect for beginners and longboarders.

    Find more info about surf spots

    All you need to know

    FAQ

    HOW LONG IS THE SURF LESSON?

    Surf lessons have 2 hours duration and a theory and practice components.

    IS THE MATERIAL INCLUDED?

    All the gear is included in the price. We have the best gear and will be given to you according to your skills and level

    HOW ARE THE SURF LESSONS ORGANIZED?

    Surf classes are normally organized according to levels of the surfers and in small groups. 1 coach for maxim 5 people

    HOW DO I KNOW MY LEVEL?

    The level of the surfer is decided by the coach and not by the surfer, however we have a “surf skills charter” where you can find by yourself your surf level.

    IS SURF THEORY INCLUDED?

    The theory and the practice contents are always delivered according to the level of the surfer.

    DO YOU HAVE TRANSPORT TO THE BEACH?

    Yes. If you don’t have the possibility to meet us directly at the beach, we offer the transport from our shop 30 minutes before the time of the lesson.

    WHICH BEACH ARE WE GOING?

    We can go to Malhao beach and /or Furnas beach. Malhão beach is 7km north of VN MIlfontes and is widely exposed to the Atlantic swell, therefore there is a lot of waves all year round. Furnas Beach is is a protected bay on the shore of the river, just in front of our surf school headquarters and is perfect for those days that is big everywhere and you don’t know where to go. At Furnas you will find perfect conditions for beginners and gentle green waves for more experienced surfers

    WHAT TIME IS THE SURF LESSON?

    Varies depending on the tide. The best time for surf lessons is around low tide (more safe, more quality waves, more space). Therefore, we plan all the sessions according to that main aspect. In spite the lessons can be in different schedules around the week, we can tell in advance all the schedules for all year, because the tides are predictable for all year round.

    HOW FAST CAN I PROGRESS?

    Every person is different regarding to the level, skills, expectations and time available for surfing. According to each one of these items we can give a very accurate assessment of what you can expect. In general, from beginner to intermediate level, the progress is quite quick and, in each session, you can experience the learning curve. Nevertheless, is very important to be aware that surfing sessions vary according to the conditions.

    WHAT IS THE RIGHT BOARD FOR ME?

    Bigger boards are the best for first steps. Boards with lots of volume are tolerant for mistakes, therefore you can learn but also have some fun. Shorter is the board, more technically precise the surfer needs to be. However, intermediate and advance level can also surf with bigger boards. A good surfer is able to surf with every board.

    SHOULD I HAVE A PRIVATE OR GROUP LESSON?

    We have 1 coach for maxim 5 people in a group. The groups are small and organized according to the level. You will have plenty of attention and feedback in a group lesson. However, if you want to have a different time schedule for the lesson, work on a specific issue or dealing with phobia, fears, physical or mental restraint, maybe a private lesson can be more suitable for you.

    WHAT IS THE AGE RANGE FOR SURFING?

    From 6 years old any age is suitable.


    If you still have any questions after reading our FAQ, feel free to reach out. We’re happy to assist!