Santa Barbara Beach

The Beach of Santa Barbara is in the northern town of Ribeira Grande. This sandy beach is one of the largest in Sao Miguel (1.2 km in length) and is ideal for swimmers and water sports like surfing. Due to strong winds it's easy to find surfers with their boards enjoying the early morning hours of excellent waves near the cliff. Summer (June to September) is when this beach is at its best - with tourists eager to have a few days of sun and sand. The quality of the beach is very good and unlike what is thought to be - the Atlantic waters aren't too cold. To reach the beach from the capital Ponta