There are a lot of places where you can go surfing, but they might not be the best places. If you are planning a surfing holiday, there are certain locations that you need to consider. These locations will offer you the best waves for the time you spend there.
Turtle Beach, Hawaii
Turtle Beach is the north shore of the island of Oahu in Hawaii. This beach is the home of some of the biggest waves in the world. For many people, Laniakea is considered the best point break on the whole coastline.
If you are going to head out to this beach, you will find rough waves of 4 to 12 feet in the winter and flatter surf in the summer. When you are on the beach, you need to ensure that you protect yourself from the sun as it is warm all year. It is also important to note that the surf has strong currents and there is a nearly exposed reef bottom which makes low tide surfing a challenge.
Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa
Jeffrey’s Bay is often referred to as the mecca of all waves because of the supertubes that you can find there. These tubes are known to offer rides of up to 300 meters and will be one of the best right-hand point breaks in the world. The surf is so good there that an annual Billabong Pro ASP World Tour is held each July.
The surf is very consistent throughout the day and year starting at 1 meter and holding up to 3 meters. It is important to note that surfing here is best for the more advanced surfers. This is due to the nature of the surf and the drag that can happen when surfing a tube.
If traveling all the way to Bay in South Africa make sure you spend sometime in Cape Town. Cape Town has many of it’s own fantastic surf breaks. Big Bay and Muizenberg has some of the best surf lessons Cape Town has to offer.
Gold Coast, Australia
When most people think about a surfing holiday, they will think about the Gold Coast in Australia. The Superbank is a man-made sandbank that is ideal for surfing, but you need to be careful. The surf attracts a crowd and there could be up to 200 surfers around you trying to get a piece of the action.
The surf starts with waves of 1 meter and can go up to 2.5 meters. While there are larger waves out there, this is still a location for the more advanced surfer. Not only do you need to content with all the other surfers in the water, but there are also rips and undertows to consider.
Hossegor, France
If you are thinking of heading to Europe, Hossegor is considered the surfing capital of the continent. The tubes here will rival those of Hawaii and there are a lot of pro surfers who head out to take on the waves. There are people who come from miles around to watch the surfers which shows the popularity.
The surf range can reach up to 4.5 meters on the spring tides. The surf is moderate depending on the day, but you need to be aware as it can also become rough. When this happens, rips are common and powerful with many people drowning each year.
Tamarindo Beach, Costa Rica
If you are looking for a surfing location that is ideal for beginners to experts, this half-kilometer of beach is ideal. Not only does the water look wonderful, you will be able to take in the rest of the Costa Rica nature while you wait for the waves. It is important to note that the surf builds up a few days a week and will max out overhead.
There are decent swells and they are great for any skill level. However, you do need to note that it can become crowded. There are also rip and rock hazard that you need to look out for.
