Faja da Areia 90.9
#633 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇵🇹 Portugal · Madeira · near Funchal
Works almost every day, no off season.
Works all yearIntermediate
Surf score90.9 /100
Surfable days97% of the year
Clean days38% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell50% period 11 s+
Typical size1.8 m 5.8 ft median
Water20°C a 2 mm shorty
Best time to surf Faja da Areia
The best time to surf Faja da Areia is January, February, March. The season runs Oct to Apr. In January the water sits around 18°C, so pack a 3/2 wetsuit, and the typical wave is 2.1 m. The nearest airport is FNC (28 km) and the nearest town is Funchal (23 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 97% | 62% | 2.1 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Feb | 95% | 58% | 2.6 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Mar | 95% | 54% | 2.4 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
| Apr | 97% | 49% | 2.0 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| May | 99% | 23% | 1.6 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 100% | 16% | 1.3 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Jul | 97% | 5% | 1.2 m | 22°C | 2mm |
| Aug | 95% | 10% | 1.3 m | 23°C | vest |
| Sep | 98% | 31% | 1.5 m | 23°C | vest |
| Oct | 99% | 49% | 1.8 m | 22°C | vest |
| Nov | 95% | 53% | 2.3 m | 21°C | 2mm |
| Dec | 97% | 45% | 2.4 m | 19°C | 2mm |
Why 90.9
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
23.0
Groundswell 12%
9.9
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
5.3
Water comfort 10%
4.8
Access 10%
9.5
The detail
Faces 350° with 47% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 77% of days. Mean peak period 11.1 s. Days over 3 m: 11%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 17%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates 32.811, -17.039 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
São Vicente🇵🇹 Portugal · score 91.0Ponta Delgada🇵🇹 Portugal · score 91.3Contreira🇵🇹 Portugal · score 79.9Ribeira da Janela🇵🇹 Portugal · score 80.1
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