Portugal is getting its first Wavegarden surf park. Set to open in 2026, construction crews recently broke ground in a pretty little town called Óbidos. Should everything go as planned, doors are set to open to the public in 2026.
Portugal has been coveting tourists for a while now. Perhaps most impressively, Nazaré’s explosion in popularity over the last decade or so is largely due to a campaign created to draw in tourist dollars. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it forever: Portugal is, for my money, one of the best places in the world, and showing it off to the rest of the world is a good idea. Surfers Cove is just another way of making sure that Portugal is an attractive destination for surfers.
“Surfers Cove represents a €25 million investment aimed at further enhancing the region’s reputation as a premier surfing destination,” a press release reads.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_1csadkalhb5fiv5vddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_2csadkalhb5fiv5vddbH1_ iframeOne of the many people who is in the know about just how much Portugal has to offer is Kanoa Igarashi. He calls the place home — or second home, at least — and he’s thrown his financial backing behind the project as an investor.
“Wavegarden is innovating the sport, and I want to be part of this growth,” Igarashi said. “This is the future of surfing. When I had the chance to be part of the Óbidos project, I didn’t hesitate. Portugal is my second home, and the country just got even better.”
Surfers Cove will use Wavegarden’s Cove technology, and its lagoon will be the central feature of a four-star resort in the Oeste region. It will have the same 46-module wave generator system already in use in a dozen other current Wavegarden installations around the world.
“[It is] capable of generating up to 1,000 waves per hour, with a Wave Menu offering over 25 wave types,” Wavegarden explained. “These range from soft, long waves ideal for beginners to powerful waves that allow advanced surfers to perform turns, airs, and barrels – all delivered with the lowest energy and water consumption on the market.”
AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_1msadkalhb5fiv5vddbH1_ iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#_R_2msadkalhb5fiv5vddbH1_ iframeFernando Odriozola, Chief Commercial Officer at Wavegarden, couldn’t be happier with the new location.
“SURFERS COVE is going to be a magical place,” he said. “Sharing the coastline with legendary surf spots like Supertubos, Ericeira, and Nazaré, Óbidos is already globally recognized for surfing, and the addition of a Wavegarden Cove will further elevate the region’s reputation.”
The entire project, including the lagoon, covers a little over 12 acres and will have 56 rooms for accommodation, a restaurant (and if the food everywhere else in Portugal is any measure, it will be a good one) a surf shop, a wellness area, skatepark, tennis courts, bike track, and a gym, among various other spaces for things like corporate events.
“The start of construction is a historic moment,” said Manuel Maria Vasconcelos, Co-Founder and CEO of Surfers Cove, “not only for us as promoters, but also for tourism and sport in Portugal.”
