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Surfing, as we know it, is an extreme sport invented centuries ago by the Polynesians and has gained traction since then. Today, it’s among the most sought-after water sports offering tremendous fascination and thrill to both surfers and viewers. As you contemplate venturing into the sport or otherwise continue to thrill with your high-end skills, the challenge inarguably comes in finding an ideal spot to match your experience. If that’s your deepest adversary, fret not because this article provides the perfect surfing destination across the world to choose from.
Beginner Level
You may be past the hassle of trying to balance on a surfboard, but perhaps, you aren’t ready yet to brave the waves with the pros. Therefore, slow your roll and start small as you venture into the unknown. There are countless surfing destinations for beginners across the globe, but here are our top picks.
1. Canggu
Canggu is an exotic paradise and less crowded than its neighboring shores of Kuta and, therefore, perfect for beginners. There, you have all the space and freedom to swerve and jump as you navigate the reef breaks. The waves are usually timid and the waters consistently warm, and since the area receives constant swells throughout the year, it’s an ideal spot to get the grips of the sport.
Where is it located? Canggu is a coastal village and 10 km beach on the southern coast of Bali, Indonesia
Best time to go: November to March is a good time to hit up the surf spots in Canggu for beginners.
2. La Jolla Shores
Summertime in the La Jolla shores is bliss as it usually teems with novice surfers, and the area lays alongside expert zones such as the adjacent Windansea and the black’s beach. The waves are also friendly, and the landscapes are fascinating. The spot is ideal if you’re a beginner and would help you familiarize yourself with the basics.
Where is it located? Located in San Diego, California. La Jolla’s coastline includes 7 miles of beach starting at Pacific Beach on the south and ending at the Del Mar border on the north side.
Best time to go: The best time to surf La Jolla depends on who you ask, really. But our friends in San Diego say January is usually recommended for people to hit the waves out there.
3. Tamarindo
The surf spot also receives constant swells throughout the year, so anytime is surfing time. However, the beach areas in the town’s center and the beach breaks of Jaco and Santa Teresa are fit for beginners. The rest of the parts, such as the Guanacaste region, are usually crowded and ideal for advanced-level surfers.
Where is it located? Located in Costa Rica, Tamarindo is a Pacific coastal town nestled along the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica’s Guanacaste region, just two-and-a-half hours south of the Nicaraguan border.
Best time to go: There’s no better time to surf the waters of Tamarindo than the warm months of May and November.
4. Waikiki
Waikiki is a haven for water sports, and surfers usually find their happy places there. And beginner surfers are catered for with the low and timid waves in the near-coastline zones. Besides, the sunny and warm waters and the blue skies add to the fun, which wouldn’t only spark your interest but make it your unending obsession.
Where is it located? Waikiki is located in the neighborhood on the south shore of Oahu, in Honolulu.
Best time to go: The waves are biggest, best, and most consistent during summer, from June to September, surfing all year round is Waikiki is also recommended.
5. Huntington Beach
Spoiler alert! If you’re uncomfortable with crowds, perhaps you might find this “Surf City” beach unwelcome. It’s a favorite spot for most starters and tourists alike, and so maybe a stroll along the stretch of its coast can give you a quiet and ideal surfing space. The waves there are usually less aggressive, and you won’t have problems surfing as you learn.
Where is it located? Huntington Beach is located southwest of Los Angeles, California
Best time to go: Between November and March would be the best time to get consistent and sweet waves in HB. The strongest W and NW swells, which are perfect for the world-class south side of Huntington Beach Pier is where to be during the winter months.
Intermediate Level
Intermediate-level surfers understand the basics pretty well and are more comfortable with duck diving, paddling, and leading turns, among doing other incredible surfing skills. And that means putting more hours into practicing to sharpen them. As you edge out of being a novice surfer, you might be thinking of notching up a bit to toughen up. Therefore, here are the ideal go-to intermediate-level surfing spots.
1. Gerupuk Lombok
The southern coast of Lombok is a harbor for surf tourism and if you don’t mind the company of a few passionate strangers, then rest assured your time there would be bliss. Gerupuk beach has a lot to offer for an intermediate surfer, with the waves being mildly ferocious and the swells high enough for the deep bottom turns and cutbacks.
Where is it located? Located in Southeast Asia in Indonesia, Gerupuk is a town on the south coast of the island of Lombok in the Indonesian province West Nusa Tenggara.
Best time to go: Between April and October, which is when swells are pushed up from the south-west across the Indian Ocean, be careful though the trade winds blowing from the south-east are favorable for some of the breaks.
2. Kitchen Windows
A stop at South Africa’s kitchen windows in Jeffrey’s Bay would gift you an ideal spot for intermediate surfing, thanks to the gnarly waves peaking high in the afternoons. It’s a perfect hub to make some swerving and jumping around as you perfect the art. The summer months of December to February are bliss, as the ocean waves cool your sun-kissed skin while surfing.
Where is it located? Located in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. Kitchen Windows is a small coastal resort town in South Africa, located in the southernmost region of the country.
Best time to go: Riding consistent winds, rideable swell with light / offshore winds in Kitchen Windows is during Autumn and most often the month of March.
3. Oahu
You probably have heard of the mighty Laniakea wave, popular among surfing enthusiasts in Oahu. It turns out the legend isn’t hearsay but an actual nerve-jarring slab, perfect for intermediates. Towards the North Shore, you’re sure to jump onto a treat from the wave-drenched sea, sandy bottoms, and a welcome neighborhood.
Where is it located? In Hawaii, Duh lol jk.
Best time to go: Just like Waikiki, the best time to surf the Hawaii Coastal town is between June and September.
4. Playa Santa Teresa
If you’re ready and confident to go a notch higher with your surfing skills, be sure to pass by Costa Rica’s Playa Santa’s beach. It’s a perfect zone to get the grips of surfing since it’s easier to learn about beach breaks and speed generation. Putting a few hours into the craft would guarantee to move a notch higher in your expertise.
Where is it located? Located in Costa Rica, Playa Santa Teresa is a small town in Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica. It is located about 150 kilometers west of the capital city of San José.
Best time to go: November to April is the ideal time to visit Playa Santa Teresa and while you are there, you can usually find all the good surfers out from 6AM to 9AM and then again from 4PM to 6PM. Early Rise, Later Days.
5. Main Point, Sri Lanka
You can learn a lot about surfing and molt into an advanced practitioner pretty fast, including generating speed and balance in one of the main point’s longest waves. Besides, the waves are high enough and break marginally far ashore where the depths are perfect for the best swells. This east coast Sri Lanka beach is ideal for intermediate surfing from April to September when warm and welcoming weather.
Where is it located? Sri Lanka is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, southeast of the Indian subcontinent, the trip there is definitely interest but your time there is worth the travel stress.
Best time to go: Between November and April is where you ideally want to park your board in Sri Lanka, during the months of May to October the best part of the country is the east coast, with Arugam Bay being the main surf area at this time of year.
Advanced Level
Jumping into this level isn’t an easy feat, and it means pure dedication and putting in your effort and time. So how about you reward yourself with a gnarling and thrilling wave in the depths? Out of myriad choices, here are our ideal picks for advanced surfers.
1. Woolacombe
Far advanced surfers can head out to the southwest side of England in North Devon for an exciting surfing experience in the winter and autumn. During this time, the swells are incredibly high and the winds at their peak, which offers a more electric surfing experience.
Where is it located? Located is England, wait ENGLAND. Woolacombe is a seaside resort on the coast of North Devon, England, which lies at the mouth of a valley in the parish of Mortehoe.
Best time to go: The best time of year to surf Woo Lacombe’s clean waves with consistent rideable swell and offshore winds is during Winter and most often in February.
2. Tahiti island
The waves of Tahiti are a crown jewel for advanced practitioners who’re familiar with the surfing finesses. The waves in the area aren’t the type to joke around with as they’re usually high and only navigable by a skilled surfer. Nonetheless, despite their fierce faces, there’s always an exciting side for onlookers and experienced surfers making their moves while cutting through the wavefronts.
Where is it located? Located in French Polynesia, if you’ve watched Marvel’s Agents of Shield, you probably thought Tahiti isn’t real, it is and definitely one of our top picks to get some face shots and ride barrels. Tahiti in the central South Pacific Ocean. Its nearest neighbor is Moorea, 12 miles (20 km) to the northwest.
Best time to go: The best time to surf in Tahiti is from May to August, pretty much all of summer. The surf breaks along the south and southwest coasts are reef breaks, with large hollow waves very similar to waves in Waikiki and Oahu.
3. Cloudbreak
The most experienced surfers usually circle Cloudbreak beach, and beginners should really only be there to watch but never dare to set foot in the waters. The waves are consistently and unusually sharp and barreling with shallower ends as they break. That’s only surfed by an advanced surfer. If you’re not skilled enough, don’t dare venture in, no matter how timid the wave seems.
Where is it located? Cloudbreak is just about three miles south of Namotu Island in Fiji.
Best time to go: The best time to surf Cloudbreak clean waves with consistent rideable swell and offshore winds is during Autumn and most often the month of April.
4. Nazare
The waves in Nazare are usually an ultimate challenge for surfers as they’re one of the legendary waves in the world. Not every advanced practitioner would manage to drift along with a Nazare wave unscathed by the water, even for the experts – unless you’re a Rodrigo koxa or Garrett McNamara. If you’re unsure about challenging the Nazare waves, please don’t dare to go against the odds, as it can be hazardous for you.
Where is it located? Nazare located in the Oeste region, formerly Estremadura Province and District of Leiria, of Portugal.
Best time to go: Big Waves season in Nazare is between October and March but September and April can be a hit or miss depending on the year.
5. Uluwatu
The raging waves of Uluwatu aren’t a thing to mess with as they usually seem to unleash their might to subdue you, trying hard to make you look lesser. Even so, advanced surfers find their way around them, and if you’re one, you might ironically find them comforting and exhilarating. The waves peak in height and intensity during high tides having reef breaks and south swells.
Where is it located? Uluwatu is located on the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula of Bali, Indonesia. It is home to the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple.
Best time to go: March to November is when you should ideally surf in Uluwatu, with near perfect condition every day. Uluwatu is huge reef open to all swell directions, set below a stunning limestone cliff
Conclusion
Surfing presents an incredible thrill, especially if you’re well familiar with the basics and the finesses involved. Nonetheless, not everyone has the experience to surf fierce and aggressive waves, so starting small makes more sense. And while you may be teeming with passion and enthusiasm to surf, choosing the ideal place according to your skill level is often challenging. We hope this article helps you find a fitting surfing location as you look at enjoying your leisure time.