The Azores’ volcanic sand beaches offer great surf all year round and are being visited among top surfing beaches for those looking for the biggest and perfect waves. But for those using the surfboard for the first time, the nine islands also have secret spots that can help them becoming surf masters. 

 

In the Spring of 2013, three American surfers and Surfing Magazine crew traveled to São Miguel island to surf and explore. Between photography, video and text, they shared with the world in September’s magazine what they call the ‘Black Sapphire Sea.” And, they didn’t spare compliments to the “mysterious” islands. “The Azores have enchanted the world for ages, just as they would charm the three American surfers that successfully made landfall on a stormy afternoon, the swell 28 feet at 16 seconds,” wrote Beau Flemister in his article. 

The Azores natural conditions do not go unnoticed – including the Surf Pro in September, at Santa Bárbara beach. São Miguel hosts once again the Billabong Azores Islands Pro. This stage for the ASP World Tour attracts hundreds of professional surfers to this island in the middle of the Atlantic every year.

Santa Bárbara beach is well known to the local surfers has one of the best spots to surf – mainly because of the waves and perfect surfing conditions. Also known as Areais, is an excellent beach break with fast, hollow and tubular waves.

The local surfers community is quite active, and organize summer camps dedicated to surfing, and even environmental actions, to clean the beaches and encourage the community to better protect the environment. Contributing for the recognition of the Azores by the European Coastal and Marine Union as the Top European ‘green’ destination. 

And for the American surfers flying to these Atlantic islands, SATA Airlines offers free surfboard transportation fees to boards under 4.9 ft., encouraging surfers to look for their perfect waves within the nine islands. Each surfboard under 4.9 ft. count as one piece of luggage, and SATA Airlines allows two pieces of luggage per person with maximum of 50 pounds each. If the surfboard exceeds the maximum weigh, excess luggage rates apply.

 “Since surfers are a fast-growing customer group and the Azores as become a popular surfing destination due to its natural conditions, SATA Airlines is proud to be a ‘Surfer Friendly Airline”. We want to satisfy the desires of our costumers in general and surfers in particular”, explains António Gomes de Menezes, chairman of SATA Airlines.

SATA Airlines has connected North America with the Azores and mainland Portugal for more than 30 years. Today it offers direct flights on wide-body A310 aircraft to Portugal. The carrier is part of the SATA Group. For more information and reservations, contact SATA at 800-762-9995, or visit www.sata.pt.