Christmas is the time for over indulging, Christmas day swimming and plenty of food and drink. With a week off work, it was also a great time to jump on a plane to warmer climates in search of waves and winter sun.
The Algarve is a great place for options, with the west and south coasts having plenty of bays, which handle different swells and wind directions.
Accommodation was booked in Vila do Bispo. A small town with a few quiet shops and a road that splinters off to many of the beaches on the west coast.
The first few days had some fun waves on the exposed west facing beaches. Offshore winds groomed the head high waves with some pleasant weather and a handful of locals and other travelling surfers making the most of the winter waves.
A larger swell arrived on one of the dayslighting up a point break further up the coast. Some fun waves where had whilst trying to avoid the protruding rocks that rise out of nowhere down the line up.
The Algarve also has one of Europe's largest skydive drop zones. A few trips to Alvor where had with some mid afternoon skydiving thrown in for good measure.
The dropzone hosted a Christmas day dinner for all the jumpers which was a great evening of food and drink.
The Algarve delivered a fun trip and in a blink of an eye, it was over and time to return back the the UK. Not the conventional Christmas but fun, none the less.
At Mango we love to surf, so if you need any more help about which model or size will be best for you just drop us a call, an email or a facebook message. We want to help find you that magic board, set of fins or wetsuit: