The 5 Best Places in the World to Learn to Surf
If you are considering learning to surf, make sure you choose a great place to start. The names you hear often in the media aren’t necessarily the best places to learn to surf. Although most people have heard of Pipeline in Hawaii, it is only for extremely advanced surfers. In coming up with this list, I am considering more than just wave quality and safety for beginners. If you are going to try surfing for the first time let’s make it an incredible experience with a beautiful beach and warm water.
So even though there are good places to learn to surf in California like San Onofre or up on the west coast of Canada in Tofino, for this list they don’t make the cut. Do you want to be getting out of the water in December on the west coast of Canada? Let’s pick a spot that is going to be as much of a great time on the land as it is out in the water.
Santa Teresa – Costa Rica
Located on the Pacific Coast on the Nicoya Peninsula, Santa Teresa and Mal Pais have been attracting international surfers for years. Originally drawn by the waves, surfers fell in love with this place and now you’ll find a wide array of hotels and restaurants. Happily the town is still small enough to have kept its charm.
Byron Bay – Australia
The water isn’t as warm as Santa Teresa, but the waves are gonna warm your heart. The town has plenty of accommodations, great cafes and music venues.
Lahaina, Maui – Hawaii
This has to be one of the easiest places to learn to surf in the world, not to mention you’ll be on the beautiful island of Maui.
Kuta Beach, Bali – Indonesia
Beautiful golden sand with perfect rolling waves and bustling tourism. Too crowded for some and just right for others.
Florianopolis – Brazil
Barra da Lagoa in Florianopolis is a perfect beach to learn to surf. If you get tired of surfing the waves, give sand surfing a try at nearby Ingleses Beach where you can surf down sand dunes on a board.
Ready to take that surf vacation? Check out SURFhow’s free online guide for tips and videos on learning to surf.