Nightlife?

In the summer there’s some partying going on – or perhaps if there’s a contest going on nearby — but for the rest of the year it’s worth the 30 minute drive to Lisbon to check out the nightlife.

Interesting facts?

Ericeira (the nearby town and Portuguese surfing capital) derives from Ouriceira, which itself derives from the Portuguese name for a sea urchin. Tread carefully. No competitions are allowed at this spot, as most of the local crew believes competitions should be held at Ribeira de Ilhas, keeping Coxos quiet, clean, and protected from the frenetic competition circus.

Words by Ricardo Bravo

Miguel Fortes’ Golden Rules for surfing Coxos

1. First off, come by yourself or with a friend, max. More than that you’re gonna have hard time with the locals, like in any spot. Avoid weekends as it’s the most crowded, Coxos being only an hour from Lisbon.
2. Don’t paddle straight to the peak. Sit wide and inside and watch for a while. If you respect these first two rules you’re more than welcome to come surf Coxos.
3. Before you jump in the water watch for a while where the locals jump in because it’s very tricky to get in and out, depending a lot on the tide and swell direction. It’s full of urchins and sharp rocks, there’s no sand at Coxos so if you’re not comfortable with rocks, bring booties.
4. The water is cold all year long so bring a 4/3 wetsuit, and a few boards because you can break a board any session out there. Oh yeah, don’t forget your balls, coz when it’s on the wave can be pretty heavy, Hawaiian style.

That’s the logistics taken care of. But how to negotiate the vertical take-off? Head this way for Surf Tips galore.