Filu @ Surf is a windsurf school with patient instructors and a well-kept, relaxed spot by the sea. It works both for learning and for taking a break with a drink. Just note: paired lessons can include waiting time between turns.
When the wind is in charge… but you set the pace
In Santa Maria there are stretches of beach made for slow walking. And then, without much warning, you find a corner where wind isn’t just wind — it’s the excuse to learn something new, or to sit down with a cold drink and look at the ocean like you’ve got all the time in the world.
Filu @ Surf often arrives like that. Quietly. And then you stay.
What it really is, without the water-sports posing
This is, first and foremost, a windsurf school run by people who actually know how to teach. In practice, it also works as a hangout spot: water sports, yes — but also coffee, shade, relaxed music, and that kind of atmosphere that doesn’t try to impress anyone.
If you want to try windsurfing or improve — beginner or intermediate — it fits well. If you just want a nice place to stop even if you’re not “a board person”, it works too.
If you’re expecting a big club with hotel-excursion energy and heavy structure, it may feel too simple. And if group learning drives you mad, you’ll want to choose the format carefully.
What you do here, and why people come back
The reviews paint a fairly consistent pattern: patient, clear instruction, with names like Gabri/Gabi and Filu/Philou showing up again and again. People mention real progress in just a few sessions, even starting from zero. That’s not magic — that’s method and good reading of the person in front of them.
The setting helps. The bay is often described as calmer than other spots, which matters a lot when you’re learning without stress. They also offer other activities — wingfoil, kitesurf and more sea-based options — but the core is still windsurfing and the way they treat people.
And there’s the unexpected extra: the little bar area. Good coffee, caipirinhas, some food, and a well-kept space where many people end up spending longer than planned.
Some places you go to “do something”. Others you go to… and you stay.
Rhythm, service and atmosphere
The rhythm is exactly what a seaside place should have: relaxed, friendly, and without theatrical rushing. You see the same comments repeated — warm staff, smiles, easy hospitality, soft music, and a view that does half the work.
It doesn’t feel aggressive or competitive. Learning can be demanding, but the atmosphere doesn’t pile on pressure.
When it doesn’t fully work
The main “but” isn’t dramatic — it’s practical: paired or group lessons. In longer sessions, some time goes to theory, and some goes to waiting your turn on the beach while the other person practices. For some people that’s fine. For others, it breaks momentum.
If your time on the island is short and you want fast progress, that difference matters.
Practical tips, without turning it into a checklist
If you’re here to learn, private lessons are worth it if you can — especially if waiting frustrates you, or if you’re intermediate and want to sharpen technique. If you’re not windsurfing, stop by anyway: as a place to take a break, it’s genuinely well set up. And if you catch wind around sunset, you’ll understand why people call it one of the best sunset spots in the area.
The ending that stays
Filu @ Surf doesn’t feel like a place trying to “capture tourists”. It feels like a corner that earned its place in Santa Maria the old-fashioned way: teaching well, treating people well, and creating a space where the sea isn’t decoration — it’s part of the day.
You come for the windsurfing.
And sometimes you stay for everything else.
