25 Best Surfing Spots Every Surfer Needs To Experience

Posted by , Updated on January 12, 2024

For some, the best trips to the beach involve ideal surfing conditions. Some cities are better for surfing than others due to their wind patterns, tide schedule, and terrain, which create the perfect waves for surfing, whether you are a beginner or a pro. There are many great surf spots along the coast of nearly every continent. Are you ready to hang ten and catch some of the best waves? Here is a rundown of the 25 Best Surfing Spots Every Surfer Needs To Experience!
25

Superbank, Gold Coast, Australia

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Considered to be a “surfer’s paradise,” Gold Coast is known for its 70 km of beaches and four epic point breaks including the Superbank, which is considered one of the world’s finest breaks. This will give you the ride of your life as it produces tubes and solid walls. Gold Coast has been known for luring and welcoming surfers for decades not only for the quality of its waves, but also for the large expansive area that can accommodate all the surfers that flock there, making it one of the top must-travel surfing locations.

24

Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii

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The best place to go surfing in the United States, Oahu has been a popular surfing destination and ranks at the top of every seasoned professional’s list of great surfing spots. Every surfer’s dream is to ride the perfect crest of Pipeline, the big daddy of all waves. One of the heaviest waves in the world, it’s fitting that you can find it in Oahu, the island that created surfing. The waves grow in size over six meters of a shallow base of razor-blade table reef. If you dare charge this flawless tube, you will experience one of nature’s finest formations.

23

Bundoran Beach, County Donegal, Ireland

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The cold may deter a surfer who is just beginning, but not the seasoned ones. For die-hard fanatics, the shimmering green waters with their rolling waves that are shaped by bouncing off of the headlands and flat rock reefs is enough to draw them into Bundoran. Just a few hours away from Dublin, this is one of the world’s best surfing spots in Europe.

22

Mentawai Islands, Indonesia

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The Mentawai Islands are made up of 70 wave-rich chains off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. If you want to be hit by a barrage of beautiful waves, the southern and northern points of Pagi, Siparo, and Siberut are your best choices. One of the most consistent surf destinations in the world, you can get the most from your surfing experience by visiting the biggest swells that occur from June to September. Accessible only by ferries or charters, the top Mentawai waves include Bankvaults, Lance’s Left and Lance’s Right, Macaronis, and for beginners, the Gilligan’s.

21

Supertubes, Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa

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Known to many surfers as “J Bay,” this is one of the most famous surfing destinations in the world, located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This location offers long fast barrels off the intense point breaks and has plenty of wave choices, including Boneyards, Kitchen Windows, Magna Tubes, Point, Albatross, and the mother of all waves: Supertubes. Supertubes is something all surfers at any levels of expertise should see and try as it offers the highest walls of water in an area where unexpected scenarios can happen when the waves start to roll on over to form their tubes. Visit J Bay during the winter months from June to August, or go to the annual Billabong Pro WCT in July, and enjoy a great ride in some blue-flag beaches.

20

Lima, Peru

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Peru has over 1,500 miles of coastline. Though there are only a few locals who rent surfboards to backpackers, and the pebbled beach and gray waters do not look appealing, it is still one of the most popular surfing destinations in the world as Lima, the capital of Peru, offers some of the best waves in all South America. The waves range from one meter up, which breaks in three sections: large, medium, and small, great for surfers of all abilities. These waves are comparable to those found in Hawaii, with significantly less competition for waves and crowds.

19

The Bubble, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

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Part of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura is the Mecca for surfers off the coast of Africa. With temperate climates between 18 to 24 °C, surfers from all over the world will be happy with its weather conditions. However, you will need to fend off some unfriendly and aggressive locals who will not voluntarily give you a turn on their waves. So, go for a paddling race to get a shot at riding the expert right-hand tube, The Bubble, which works best when it is a head high to double overhead, though a little short for a left-hand ride. Aside from The Bubble, other popular waves include the Rocky Point, Harbour Wall, Shooting Gallery, Generosa Suicides, Mejillonas, El Hierro, German Rights, Cotillo, and Esquinzo, which are best experienced from October to March, the top season for great waves.

18

Black's Beach, San Diego, California

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Black’s Beach is for the seasoned professional as it has the most powerful breaks that come with strong currents, not advisable for beginners. Considered the best surfing spot on the mainland of the United States, it can host a number of expert surfers in every direction. In addition, the winds do not affect the waves so you can still have fun until late in the day, giving you plenty of time to experience the best waves in the Western Hemisphere.

17

Hossegor, France

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Dubbed as ‘the surfing capital of Europe,’ Hossegor is located on the Atlantic and is known for the rich and famous mansions and holiday homeowners who lived near its beach. Here, you can watch professional surfers ride tubes and heavy waves that break on the shallow sandbank that can rival those in Hawaii, without the corals.

16

El Salvador

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Bordering the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras, El Salvador is a natural tourist attraction that is gaining popularity with surfers. Popular surfing spots include El Zonte, Sunzal, and La Libertad. Visit the main swell season from March to October where you can expect the south swells to get up to three meters high. Just look out for the rocky points and bring along your booties.

15

Costa Rica

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Costa Rica is a legendary surfing location where most ‘hardcore’ surfers congregate not only for the year-round waves, but for the number of great surfing spots as well. From April to October, you can expect the coastlines to produce great waves with major swells especially in Playa Naranjo and the river mouth point break at Potrero Grande or Ollies Point. The downside, the road systems are not very good, but this is a small price to pay for the ride of your life. For beginners and experts alike, try the 30-meter waves at the Tamarindo Beach in Tamarindo, a half kilometer of beach with warm waters.

14

Cloud Nine, Siargao Island, Philippines

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For daredevils who want to experience a dramatic and powerful reef break that crashes onto shallow razor-sharp coral with left and right rides, Cloud Nine will let you experience a slice of paradise. However, this site is definitely for pros only. One slip will have you ripped to pieces by the ocean bed. 

13

Santa Catarina, Brazil

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Santa Catarina is known as a surfer’s playground due to the great consistency and huge variety of its waves, including the Santinho and Mocambique. Other world-class surf spots in the area include Joaquina Beach, Praia Mole, Campeche, and Lagoinha do Leste. If you are into surfing competitions, head on to Sao Francisco do Sul on the east coast for some fun-loving atmosphere and tasty grub as well.

12

Sultans, North Male, Maldives

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Across the Maldives’ painfully beautiful 1,190 coral islands is a consistent reef wave that is absolutely pumping in the spring. However, you need to go with a live-abroad outfit to experience the waves as the rocks can be very hazardous. One of the most famous waves in the Maldives is the Pasta Point, a break that offers both left-hand rides and 100 meters of pure tube riding out to sea. However, there is a catch if you want to experience this great wave, as you have to be a guest at the exclusive Dhonveli Beach Resort, which can cost you $343 per night.

11

The Samoan Islands

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The Samoan Islands is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, just northeast of Fiji. This is one of the best surfing destinations as it offers warm waters, a tropical paradise, and most importantly, consistent quality of waves from April to October when big waves are created by the big blows down near Antarctica, although there are plenty of swells coming from every direction the whole year through. Classic waves include Special K, which at 500 meters is a perfect immediate peak for all surfers, and the Coconuts, which break over live corals on top days for 150-meter rides.

10

Montanita Beach, Montanita, Ecuador

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Unbeknownst to many travelers, this small spot on the west coast of Ecuador is home to only 1,000 locals. However, this hidden spot is popular with a lot of surfers as they are acquainted with the locals here, who are known as a friendly bunch. After surfing, they lounge around the village’s bar strip where they can grab a fresh fruit cocktail or have a Tibetan massage.

9

Manu Bay, Raglan, New Zealand

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This was made famous in the 1960’s as the location for the surf flick, Endless Summer. It is a sleepy town that features bars and cafes where you can play surf videos while having New Zealand’s finest healthy smoothies and fresh cakes. The Manu Bay has waves that can rise from a meter to about three meters with some occasional barrel if you are in luck and a mellow place to hang out while you wait for the surf to pick up.

8

Riyuewan, Sanya, Hainan, China

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China is not exactly known for its beaches or surfing, but a gigantic island on its southern tip offers untouched tropical beaches with consistent, un-crowded waves. For beginners, locals from Hainan can guide you to the best spot such as the Riyuewan Bay or other lesser-known locations. You can also recharge your body after surfing by eating fresh fish from the day’s catch cooked spicy Hainan-style at the local cafe.

7

Cloudbreak, Tavarua Island, Fiji

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The Tavarua Island off Fiji is a heart-shaped island that can offer something for everyone, old and young alike. However, when it comes to surfing, Cloudbreak is exclusively for hardcore surfers only as it contains a brutal wave that can form up to 1,600 meters off the coast, can hold up to 500 meters, and reaches 10 meters in size.

6

Joe’s Point, Sur, Oman

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The Middle East is still very much unexplored when it comes to surfing destinations. However, Oman, which has a long stretch of coast that faces the desert on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other, boasts miles of breaks that are waiting to be ridden. Joe’s Point, which is perfect for beginners and professional surfers alike, has a sand bar to the right and rock bottom to the left that offer rides that can last for 40 seconds. You need not even worry about the climate as the temperature at Oman is often in the low 30°C while the water is at a comfortable 25°C, even when neighboring Dubai is hitting 45°C.

5

Watergate Bay, Cornwall, England

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While Watergate Bay is less popular than Fistral Bay, surfers are drawn to its English charm because it is less crowded and has waves that can range from 30 centimeters to three meters. After surfing, you can relax at a bistro on the beach and dine on delicious steaks and locally-sourced fish.

4

Rincon, Puerto Rico

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This once-sleepy Puerto Rican town was made famous by surfing, and there is still an opportunity to get barreled with the locals. After a 10-minute walk past a famous green hill, you will find the perfect spot to spy on the best surf. It can be a little hard to get to, though. You can go to Rincon by flying to San Juan, or take a flight to Rafael Hernandez or Eugenio Maria De Hostos Airport, and then go cross-country to Rincon.

3

White Beach, Okinawa, Japan

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With the only sandbars in the region, this is the perfect and most suitable fun spot for everyone who wants to practice or train how to surf. This is the reason why it’s usually packed during the weekends. Once you’ve perfected your technique, move on to epic nearby reef breaks such as the Aha-Yoko or Suicide Cliffs.

2

Les Cavaliers, Anglet, France

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This killer wave site was named ‘Les Cavaliers’ for a reason. Les Cavaliers is bordered by two rocky girders. So, you can use the channel at the right-hand side and paddle into the killer wave. This works perfectly during offshore winds with west swells. If you are a tourist, stay out of the locals’ way as they can be uncharacteristically aggressive if you dare steal their waves.

1

Tofino, Vancouver Island, Canada

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This is the surfing capital of Canada that offers fun, picturesque breaks on the west coast of the island. Surrounded by a looming rainforest, it is suitable for all abilities if you are not too bothered by the chilly weather. Do bring thick wet suits though, just in case.