Future Eco Surf School — Algarve, eco-driven

Some surf schools wear "eco" in the name as decoration. Future Eco Surf School, in the Algarve, is the opposite: environmental commitment is the operation's backbone, with international certifications + partnerships to prove it.

Where they operate

Base is Praia da Rocha (Portimão) in autumn/winter, where the sand-bottom break works with smaller swells. In spring and summer the school rotates to the west coast — Bordeira, Vale Figueiras, Cordoama and Castelejo (Aljezur) — where the sea is cleaner and the scenery wilder.

This rotation isn't random: it's the classic read of southern-Portugal Atlantic meteorology, and few schools do it consistently.

The environmental weight — not marketing

— B Corp certified (independent audit of social + environmental impact)

— Member of 1% for the Planet: every year they donate 1% of profits to environmental NGOs

— Carbon-neutrality achieved in 2025

— Transition to 100% eco-certified gear: boards, wetsuits, leashes, wax, sunscreen

— Collection + recycling programme for end-of-life boards and wetsuits

— Reef-safe sunscreen, aluminium bottles + free filtration at the centre (cuts single-use plastic)

— Eco-Kids: dedicated environmental education programme for children

"Every year we donate 1% of our profits to NGOs to help them protect our planet." — Future Eco

Surf For All — 22 years running

Future Eco's Surf For All programme has run for 22 years and brings surfing to at-risk youth, disability groups and people in addiction recovery. It's not a summer campaign for photos: it's structural to how the school operates.

"Surfing can actually be for everyone and so it should." — Future Eco, on Surf For All

In parallel they run "Surfista Inteligente", a scholarship for top local students who combine school + competition surfing.

The team

Thirteen instructors across residents and collaborators. Director and founder is Ricardo Gonçalves (Sociology degree, FPS-certified since 1996). Head Coach is Pedro Lima (FPS 2016, Biology + Environmental Management background — coherent with the eco side of the house). Level specialists: Hamza Majjoud (beginners, ASI 2018, speaks Arabic + French), Julio Rodrigues (advanced + fitness, 10+ years), Norbert Ferenczi (ISA 2017), Alfo Scavone (ASI L1, ~35 years surfing).

Kids lessons: Heli Camarinha, Jiry Van Nieuwburg, Joana Drago — three coaches dedicated to the Kids Club.

Total languages: PT, EN, FR, ES, DE, IT, NL, Arabic. Probably one of the strongest multi-language teams in the country.

Lesson formats

5 progressive levels: Initiation A → Initiation B → Improvement → Pre-competition → Competition. Durations 1h30 / 2h / 3h. Group, Private, Private Coach. Packs of 3 or 5 lessons, monthly memberships, annual member.

For kids: Kids Club in intensive-week format during school holidays (30min sand briefing + 90min in water). Private lesson recommended for <9 years old.

Beyond surf: Surf Camp/Cura, yoga, kayak tours, bike experiences and equipment rental.

Accreditations

Turismo de Portugal · Marinha · IPDJ · Portuguese Surf Federation · AESCV · AESDP. Partners: Clube Naval de Portimão, lifestyle partner Deeply.

Book your lesson

Future Eco Surf School is on Surf Booking. Online booking, secure Stripe payment, email + push confirmation.

See available lessons in the Algarve

Future Eco Surf School
Portimão · Praia da Rocha (Autumn/Winter) · West Coast — Bordeira, Vale Figueiras, Cordoama, Castelejo (Spring/Summer)
B Corp · 1% for the Planet · Surf For All
Available on Surf Booking