Coxos

One of Portugal’s most iconic slabs, Coxos is a classic right-hand reef-and-point wave that demands both respect and precision. The setup is raw: a shallow lava reef that spills into a diminutive bay, with the wave peeling over jagged rocky shelves and outcrops. The result is a fast, powerful wall that, when a swell aligns just right with the inside slabs, stretches into a long, hollow, and heavy barrel. This is a wave for experienced surfers only—steep takeoffs, shallow reef, and a punchy, unforgiving lip.

Best Surf Season (October - March)

The North Atlantic storm machine takes center stage from October through March, and Coxos is perfectly positioned to feel its full force. As the Azores High retreats and the polar front pushes south, deep extratropical lows march across the Atlantic, feeding long-period WNW, W and SW swells toward the Iberian coast. Average surf heights sit in the 6-9ft (1.8-2.7m) range with average periods of 11-13 seconds, ensuring real power in the water. NE through ESE offshore winds occur 20-26 percent of the time, especially when a continental high strengthens over Spain, and those are the windows when Coxos turns glassy and serious. The weather is wet and changeable, but the ocean rarely goes flat.