After a delicious stay in San Sebastián and a day filled with art and Mexican food in Bilbao, our week of surfing began. While Wessel had a little bit of experience catching waves, I had absolutely zero. Furthermore, although I can swim properly – as in, I won’t drown immediately – I never practiced it as a sport. So, I was a little nervous about the whole endeavor, but mostly excited, because, be honest, surfing just looks super cool. I do not consider myself to be cool at all, but I was motivated to learn!
Besides surfing, we ate pinxtos, drank wine, played card games, watched How I Met Your Mother in our cozy tent, and explored Mundaka. So, in this travelogue, I will not only tell you how the surfing itself was, but also where to find the best campsite ever, where to find gluten-free food, and what to do when it’s sunny outside. Without further ado, let’s dive into it!
Camping Portuondo
After waking up fairly early in San Sebastián, we drove towards Mundaka. The previous day, we called ahead to make a reservation at the only camping in Mundaka, but on the phone they told us they did not take any reservations during the summer: we just had to be there as early as possible and see if they had a spot. So, we arrived at Camping Portuondo at 9:00 AM, just when the reception opened, where they handed us a note with the number 1, and told us we’d have to come back at 1:00 PM. Although we were excited to be the first on their waiting list for that day, we were also nervous no spots would open up. As we drove onto the camping, we immediately fell in love with it: it was romantic, clean, and overlooked the gorgeous bay of Mundaka. It was everything we wished for after our stay at the camping in San Sebastián.
We spent the rest of the morning on the small beach, looking at the surfers in the water and drinking coffee. Needless to say, I was a little bit nervous, as this would define our plans for the next week. The morning went by quickly though, and we rushed back to the campsite to await our verdict. Once we got there, there was a line of people waiting, and we were just in time to hand over our ‘Number 1’ card. There were two spots available, and we were able to set up our tent immediately.
The spot was located on a terrace shaded by tall trees and covered with soft moss. It looked like those Pinterest camping spots. We quickly set up, made our tent cozy, and enjoyed a calm afternoon. While the camping itself was quiet and comfortable, we spent our nights at Portuondo’s restaurant. The restaurant itself had a place on one of Michelin’s list, which I found incredible, as camping restaurants usually are not that great. This meant that the food was pricy, so we never had anything more than pinxtos, but the wine was dirt cheap! Every night we would sit at one of the tables overlooking the bay, with a large glass of red wine (which cost us €2,50) and a game of cards. After days spent surfing, these nights were the best way to end the day.
Surfing, Surfing, and More Surfing
The lucky day we heard we were able to stay at Portuondo, we headed into town to reserve some surfing lessons. Before we headed to our campsite, we stopped at the Mundaka Surf Shop because they had a wide array of clothes, bathing suits, wetsuits, and boards. We both bought sweaters – which we ended up needing every night – and saw this cool shop also offered surfing lessons. Our initial plan for the week was to go to Biarritz to surf, where a single group lesson would cost us €55, but in Mundaka, it would cost us €35. Furthermore, if we would buy five days, it would only cost us €125 per person: wetsuit and board included!
This was an absolute steal, so we signed up immediately. The day after our visit to Bilbao, we took our first surf lesson, and it was so much fun. We took our boards to the beach, where the instructors showed us how to paddle and stand up. Once we got the gist, we had to paddle over the canal, to the sandy patches only visible during low tide. Not used to paddling, I was already exhausted when we made it across. There, we had to carry our boards towards the whitewash, where we could try to catch our first waves.
By the end of the first day, I was able to catch waves and stand up, although with a little bit of help. We absolutely loved it, and could not wait for the next day, but our instructor told us the weather might be too rough and the waves too high. Once the next day arrived, we were told we could come. We were expecting the big group with kids from the previous day, but it was just us two and another guy who had quite some surfing experience. Our surfing instructor thought we were strong enough to beat the waves and the current that was rushing through the canal. I was pretty scared: it was only my second day of surfing, and I was not the strongest swimmer in the world.
Instead of jumping in the water and walking as far as we could immediately, we had to stay close to the rocks on the right side of the beach. The closer we got to the canal, the more the current started to try to knock us off our feet. Our instructor told Wessel and our co-surfer to start peddling, as they were strong enough to make it across on their own, while he stayed behind me and gave me an occasional push, which I was very grateful for! I got across with the rest of them without being pushed out to sea, although I already dreaded peddling the way back.
That day turned out to be our hardest and best day of surfing. We had to fight the current and the waves to get far enough into the water to be able to catch waves: even when we through our entire weight into the current, it would still knock us of our feet. However, as we were with such a small group, we got all the guidance we needed, and by the end, I was catching waves by myself! Learning to surf in these conditions prepared us for the coming days, which would be easier on our bodies, and which made it all the more enjoyable. Needless to say: we truly felt like we had experienced an epic adventure.
Coffee and Pinxtos at Hotel El Puerto
The Hotel El Puerto, besides our campsite’s restaurant, was our go-to for coffee, wine, or pinxtos, before or after a day of surfing. Even though they were not as good as the pinxtos wee had in San Sebastián, they were relatively good and hit the right spot after having exhausted ourselves. Eating gluten-free gets a little trickier, however. While they do have an allergies menu, many dishes contain gluten, so choices are limited unfortunately. But, with a stunning view over the bay of Mundaka, spending an afternoon, morning or evening here is definitely worth it!
Relaxing on the beach
The days it did not rain, we were lucky enough to spend on the beach. Or, rather, besides the beach on a lawn with stairs that led to the beach and the water. Because Basque Country is known for its rainy weather and wet climate, not much unlike or home country of the Netherlands, sunny days are a gift. On those days, the entirety of Mundaka flocks towards the beach to spend a day relaxing in the sun. The lawn really is the place to be, as the tides increase and decrease the size of the beach dramatically. If you would like to keep your towel and books dry, this is where you should relax. Get some groceries at the market described below, and you got yourself a perfect picknick spot too!
Gluten-Free Shopping at Eroski Gernika
Eating gluten-free in smaller villages and cities like Mundaka is a little bit of a challenge. Having tried the few supermarkets in Mundaka itself, we knew we needed to find a bigger supermarket. Not only for gluten-free goodies, but for fresh produce too! The Eroski supermarket in Gernika is not really around the corner – it is a 25 minute drive, and a 30 minute trainride – it is massive! Forgot some camping supplies? Socks? Or even your food processor? They have it all! And the gluten-free section is huge too. I was kind of sad we found this one at the end of our stay, as this would have made our week a tiny bit easier.
Another perk for why you should visit this supermarket when you are in Mundaka, there is a direct train connection: the supermarket is only 400 meters removed from the train station in Gernika. So, even if you do not have the luxury of a car, you can still get your gluten-free goodies. The only downside? We found supermarkets in Spain to be very expensive! But this is also true for the smaller supermarkets in Mundaka itself, so if you are going to pay for it, you might as well have plenty of options!
Final thoughts
All in all, Mundaka was our favorite stop on our European roadtrip this summer. The vibe was right, the nature was beautiful, and the surf was perfect! Whether you are an experienced surfer, just starting out, or just like beautiful, lush, green coastal lines and some Game of Thrones action, Mundaka is the place to be. We are definitely coming back here someday, as this place will be in our hearts forever.
