Praia do Guincho draws large beach crowds. The undertow is treacherous, so swim at your own risk. Keep in mind the advice of Jennings Parrott, writing in the International Herald Tribune: "If you are caught up by the current, don't fight it. Don't panic. The wind forces it to circle, so you will be brought back to shore." A local fisherman, however, advises that you take a box lunch along. According to him, "Sometimes it takes several days to make the circle."
Despite the danger, Praia do Guincho is popular with surfers and windsurfers. There is no place to rent sailboards, but windsurfers show up here from other parts of Europe, bringing their own sailboards and taking their lives into their own hands.
