Moana Surf School

Moana Surf School has given lessons at Guincho beach since 2003, and also at Carcavelos when the Guincho sea is not cooperating.

Who runs it

It was founded by Alex Unwin, who learned to surf as a child in Papua New Guinea, taught in Hawaii and came to Portugal to open one of the first schools at Guincho, the beach open to the Atlantic between Cascais and Cabo da Roca. More than twenty years later he is still at the helm and is the one who handles bookings. The team of qualified instructors comes from Portugal, Brazil, Germany, France and other countries, and teaches in six languages, Spanish included. The school has showers and facilities right on the beach.

Lessons and camps

It works in small groups, without publishing a maximum number. The group lesson costs €40, with board and wetsuit, and vouchers bring the price down: 5 lessons for €175, 10 for €300 and 20 for €450, which can be shared with friends or family and are valid for six months. The private lesson costs €80 and the two-person one, €120. It also hires boards with wetsuits, from €20 an hour to €50 a day.

For children there are family lessons and a children's camp at Guincho, from May to September during school holidays, Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 16:00. It includes one or two surf sessions a day depending on the sea, equipment, beach games, bodyboarding and notions about the ocean. It costs €75 a day and €250 a week; lunch and transport to Guincho are extra. It also organises stag and hen parties and corporate activities for groups of 8 to 300 people, and can pick you up in Lisbon, Cascais, the airport or your hotel, on request.

Age, safety and insurance

You must be able to swim. The school's conditions set 6 as the minimum age in group lessons, although the children's and family lessons and the camp start at 5; children under 10 must go with an adult, except at the camp. The instructors decide whether the sea is safe and their decision is final. The school has the public liability and sports accident insurance that Portuguese law requires.

Booking and cancellation

You book through the form on its website, by phone or by email. If you cancel more than 48 hours ahead, you get a full refund or can change the date; between 24 and 48 hours, half or a change if there is room, and with less than 24 hours, nothing. If it is the school that cancels because of the state of the sea, you get your money back or can change at no cost. Groups of 8 or more pay a 30% deposit.