Varela, Guinea-Bissau
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About Varela
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (202°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (22°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 6.3 km out (1 in 625). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 24°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 29°C in September, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Cap Skirring.
Water about 29°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 22 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to OXB, changing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS).
See flights ORD → OXB · Skyscanner from about £460 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 15 from the airport to Varela.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Cap Skirring, 20 km (about 35 min by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Varela: plan on the drive each day you surf.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Cap Skirring, 20 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Cap Skirring 35 min by car · rooms from £40 a night · 8 places to stay · where Varela stays
Places to stay in Cap Skirring · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Cap Skirring · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Cap Skirring · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Varela on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for beginners, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for beginners | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 9, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 1kJ | offshorewind from the north, 6 knots, offshore | 31°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 9, too small | 1 ft10 s | 5kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 6, too small | under 1 ft9 s | 3kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 2 knots | 29°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 9, too small | 1 ft11 s | 6kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-east, 5 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 9, too small | 1 ft10 s | 5kJ | offshorewind from the north-east, 4 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 5, too small | under 1 ft9 s | 2kJ | wind from the north-north-west, 4 knots | 30°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 3, too small | under 1 ft2 s | 0kJ | wind from the south-west, 7 knots | 30°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft4 s | 1kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 7 knots | 30°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 5, too small | under 1 ft6 s | 1kJ | wind from the north-west, 7 knots | 30°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 5, too small | under 1 ft8 s | 2kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 6 knots | 31°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for beginner surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to OXB, changing at LIS, then 2h 15 by road. About 22h door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to OXB, changing at LIS, then 2h 15 by road. About 22h door to door
Rough cost
About £950–£1,810 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to OXB, estimated from distance and season, changing at LIS, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £460–£955 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £950–£1,810 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Cap Skirring
- La Diaspora0.7 km from the centre
- Chez luneSeafood · 0.8 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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