Tarifa surf takes you to the southernmost point in mainland Europe, where the strong levante winds blow offshore and there’s the first hint of Atlantic groundswell after the calm Med.
An introduction to Tarifa surf
The Punta de Tarifa that juts out just south of Tarifa town is the official southernmost point in mainland Europe. That’s important because it marks the spot where the Spanish south coast starts facing the open Atlantic Ocean. AKA – you’re leaving behind the calm, tideless Med and entering surf territory.
Anyone who knows Tarifa will tell you that surfing sans kite or sail here isn’t all that popular. The town’s high exposure to the dominant Levante wind has established itself as arguably the global capital of kitesurfing and windsurfing.
But there are days when the knots die down and the waters shape up to make it great for surfers. Plus, those Levante wind systems are from the east, which is offshore on all of the major surf beaches that string the region from Tarifa going north, along what’s called the Costa de la Luz. Nice.
It’s best to view Tarifa as one end of a 60-mile run of Atlantic shoreline that links the punta to the town of Cadiz. Starting with the beaches near the town and then running through several long, curving beach breaks that are laden with sandbanks and even point breaks, there’s oodles to sample, all of it picking up reliable ocean groundswells through 180 degrees of the compass – N to S through W.
Tarifa’s obsession with wind-powered wavecraft has meant that traditional surf has taken a back seat here. But that’s slowly, surely changing, with some new surf schools that are beginning to realise the potential of a region that’s very beginner friendly, super laid back, and just as consistent as the Portuguese Algarve.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Spain
Tarifa surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Tarifa surf?
Where is Tarifa?
Tarifa is located on the southernmost tip of mainland Spain, in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. It faces the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Spain from Morocco. The location is key for surfers because it means you’ve got exposure to eastern winds – levant winds – and Atlantic swells. That’s unique for just about anywhere on the Spanish south coast.
How to get to Tarifa?
The closest major airport to Tarifa is Jerez Airport (XRY). It’s about 90 minutes to two hours’ drive away. From the airport, you can rent a car or take a bus to Tarifa, though a car is definitely the better option as you’ll likely need it to hit the best surf breaks up and down the coast (more on that below.)
Other nearby airports include Gibraltar International Airport (GIB) and Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP). Gibraltar is closer but might have fewer international connections than Málaga. Málaga is around a 2 to 2.5-hour drive from Tarifa.
If you’re driving from other parts of Spain, use the main highways and follow signs to Algeciras or Cádiz and then follow signs to Tarifa. The A-7 and AP-7 are the main roads coming from the direction of Málaga. There isn’t a direct train service to Tarifa.
The nearest major train station is in Algeciras. Use Omio to search for tickets on Spanish trains and always book early because prices do increase the closer to the day of travel you get.
Do I need to hire a car to surf in Tarifa?
We would. The reason we say that is because Tarifa is only as good as the beaches that string to the north, really. Yes, the urban beaches of Los Lances can be fantastic but they are fickle because of how exposed they are to that east wind – a gift for the kiters. You’ll be very grateful for the ability to hop in the car and drive north through the long – and often more protected – beaches that span the shoreline between here and Cadiz (we’re talking places like El Palmar, which even have surf camps and surf schools).
Use RentalCars.com for booking hires here. We use that in Europe because prices tend to be low and there’s cancellation up to the last minute (aka the day before).
Tarifa surf spots
Tarifa has urban breaks at Balneario, along the Punta Tarifa, and Los Lances. But, really, we get excited for this region for the upcoming beginner and intermediate beaches that stretch north, all the way to El Palmar and Cadiz. Here’s the low down on the lot, starting north of Tarifa itself…
El Palmar
El Palmar is on the rise as a surf destination. It gets very similar easy beach breaks to much of the Algarvian coast over in Portugal, and there’s a growing cohort of excellent surf camps here. We’d recommend this as the prime spot to learn if you’re wanting to surf in the Tarifa area but aren’t set on Tarifa itself, especially since most of the surf schools in Tarifa proper are dedicated to kiting. Waves are very accessible, all beach break, with the potential for trips out to peeling points further south if you’re slightly more advanced.
Zahara
Zahara is one hell of a long beach. 80% of that is nothing but low-quality grurglers that are no fun to surf at all. Most of the time they break and just fall to mush, regardless of the wind. But there are some sections here that work pretty darn good, usually at the point where sandbanks have formed around the mouth of a small river. You can either go hunting for those locations yourself or throw in with the people in the know – Zahara Surf School is highly rates, runs daily courses and surf guiding, and was one of the first in the Cadiz region.
Bolonia
Playa Bolonia is a gorgeous spot, with wispy white sands emerging from empty dunes. Because it has a big, rocky headland poking out on its north side, it can only get W or SW swells, or needs seom serious size in the winter NW channel. That can happen and when it does, a dropping tide will reveal some very nice A-frames towards the middle of the beach.
Punta Paloma
In a region that’s not got much in the way of nice, peeling point breaks, Punta Paloma is a breath of fresh air. When it’s on, it reminds us of something out of Noosa, or a mini Imsouane, though generally fatter and more crumbly. You will need a car to get here but there’s a good chance you’ll be totally alone since it’s the most remote part of the shoreline between Tarifa and Cadiz.
Hurricanes
On a mid-high or dropping tide, there’s a decent spot right in front of the Hurricane Hotel that’s taken the same name. Breaks over a series of cobblestone and reef beneath, so bring booties. The wave does nicely with a bit of size on it but won’t hold after 8 foot for sure. Smaller sets can be great for logging.
Los Lances
If you’re planning on surfing in Tarifa and either don’t want to leave the town itself or won’t have access to a rental car, then Los Lances is going to be your main playground. This is the longest and most accessible beach from the city, running for something in the region of four miles from tip to toe.
The most accessible part of the beach is Los Lances South. That’s the urban beach and it’s basically classic beach break all the way along. The best peaks are usually a little to the north, because W and SW swells can be cut down by the Punta Tarifa, meaning there’s extra punch as you head up the strand. A lot of the quality here will depend on how the sandbanks are sitting. When they’re good, they accumulate at a slight diagonal off the mouth of the river, which creates some longish rights that push southwards off the estuary. E levant winds are offshore, so you get a lot of clean days, though it’s often beginner-to-intermediate stuff without any super high-performance barrels or anything along those lines.
For a bit more action, you can push north to Los Lances Norte. That’s over the river mouth and up on the more remote section of the sand, which means smaller crowds. W swells do more damage as they approach here, and it can get pretty heavy on certain winter days, with hollowish wedges that fizz as the offshores brush over. You don’t HAVE to have a car to reach this more intermediate-friendly part of the beach but it helps because the walk up is at least 40 minutes.
Balneario
Balneario gets its name from the cool beach club that sits just up on the promenades here. It’s basuically the southern end of Los Lances Beach but doesn’t follow the same pattern. The long arm of the Punta Tarifa here creates a sucky rip against the rocks and the swells refract in to give some of the punchiest walls around. There are actually waves to be had on both sides of the headland but the western, Atlantic-facing spot is the only one worth talking about to be honest. On solid fall days with 4-8 foot, you can nab some nice jetty lefts there. Just beware of locals and rips.
Surf camps in Tarifa
There aren’t any surf schools in Tarifa. Well…there are, but they’re all about kiting and windsurfing. The good news is that this part of Spain recently got its own bunch of proper surf schools, but they’re located about 55 minutes’ drive north of Tarifa in the burgeoning surf town of El Palmar…
- 8 Day Surfcamp with 9 Pies Surfschool in El Palmar, Cadiz – This is the best surf camp in the region. It’s highly rated for its beginner-friendly tuition and has a comfy pad with a pool right on the side of the beach. In our opinion, you can’t go wrong picking this as a learner in the Tarifa region, though expect a drive of about an hour to the lodge.
Spain also has loads of other epic surf camps if that’s the sort of thing you’re after – we’ve got a guide to the best right here. Or, just search below…
A note on why we partner with BookSurfCamps.com: Book Surf Camps are probably the biggest online aggregator of surf camps and surf-yoga packages in the world. We sounded out a quite a few potential partners before we affiliated with them. But, in the end, the abundance of choice for beginners, intermediates, and female-only surfing sealed it. We also love the simplicity of their booking system and the trusted brand name, along with the focus on connecting with homegrown local businesses on the ground.
Want more [yoast_kw] camp options? Search the whole shebang below right now and book in a few clicks.
Where to stay when surfing in Tarifa?
There’s a good array of hotel options for surfers in Tarifa, both in and out of the main town.
- Hotel & Spa La Residencia Puerto – There’s no better hotel in Tarifa than this. Seriously, it’s got an enthralling mix of Moorish and Spanish styles, an irresistible rooftop pool with a glass-bottom floor, and its own health facility with saunas and steam rooms. Book this one if you’re planning on staying in Tarifa itself.
- Los Lances Beach Apartments – Done out in beautiful Spanish adobe with white-painted walls and 180-degree views of the beach, these are the self-catering option of choice in Tarifa.
- Arte Vida – Drive north for 10 mins up the coast road and you’ll find this lovely hotel perched right on the side of Los Lances Norte, with empty waves for you and your crew breaking right out front. It’s a nice pad with rooftop views of the dunes.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Tarifa?
The whole Costa de la Luz – the coast that runs between Tarifa and the Portuguese border – goes flat for much of the summer. The winds still blow but good groundswells are hard to come by. That changes around late September, when the first major Atlantic storms start sending good action through into the mouth of the Med via Tarifa. Winter will be the biggest of all, but the prime season for us are mid-fall and mid-spring, which have the 2-6 foot conditions that really play into the hands of this beginner-friendly run of coast.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
