I’ve always put off learning to surf for a few different reasons, space for kit, constant need for correct conditions etc, but I was chatting to a mate who goes surfing like other people go skiing, he never surfs in the UK, just as part of a holiday trip.

I’m single and fancy a get away to the sun in June/July, this sounds like the perfect way to fill a day.

Any tips for where to go? I was thinking Bali?
I could pretty much go anywhere for a couple of weeks, I’m tempted to go a bit further than Europe.

Easy access to a beginners class, kit hire would be very useful!
Any tips?

Sri Lanka

Portugal, may as well start with the big stuff 8)
[video]https://youtu.be/dtVQJCq2cCM[/video]

Get a few lessons in sunny North Wales before you go.

https://surfsnowdonia.com/

Portugal + 1
Carrapateira would be a good place to learn.

If you plan to go from zero to a full week of nothing but surfing, at least take up swimming for a few months before you go otherwise you’ll be knackered by lunchtime on day 1.

You could do a few weekends in Cornwall too, may as well get the basics sorted rather than fly halfway arround the world to fall over a lot.

Thanks,I’m a decent enough swimmer, I was doing 9k a week most of last spring / summer

A couple if mates mentioned Portugal, I’m in South Wales so a few starter lessons could be sorted pretty easily

Bloody hell get down to Rest.

Costa Rica or similar over Bali, Bali is either reefs which you won’t be able to surf or rubbish, rubbish strewn beaches

Banzai Pipeline is meant to be ok

Sagres, Portugal.

Get some UK lessons first otherwise you’ll be gutted to spend all that quality warm water time floundering and falling off. It’s like scuba diving – get the learning out of the way at home so your money is spent on the good times.

Basque country. I know an Aussie who gives lessons. Lovely place, combine it with some quality mountain biking too. You’ll probably be near some sort of random festival if it’s the summer, great fun.

Famara, Lanzarote?
RM.

Southerndown? Good to get the basics. Then down near Biarritz for proper lessons.

I learnt to surf in Costa Rica. The Pacific coast, on the Nicoya peninsula. Fantastic and a great place to learn. Although I went over a decade ago the guys I learned with are still running:

Start

Reviews are still good:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g309273-d1048037-Reviews-Zopilote_Surfcamp-Mal_Pais_Province_of_Puntarenas.html

I spent a week here with a mate then we hired a jeep and we went down the Pacific coast. When the surf died we went inland and white water rafting and also visited the cloud forests. Best holiday ever and Costa Rica is amazing.

Surf maroc in Morocco. We’re very good for a week for 2 total beginners

And then followed up with a trip to Arugum Bay in Sri Lanka, awesome time there.

Of course being one of those all or nothing types you’ll be wanting to skip sensible boards and the like and buy my early 60’s 10 foot Bilbo ands its few inches shorter brother 😉

Thanks for all the tips!

Ha, I’m good for now Matt!

Surfed Bali. It’s OK. 😆

Seriously, I surfed (well, body boarded) Kuta*, but there’s far, far better places, most involving a challenging boat ride.

If it were me I’d look at Portugal, Morocco or central America, or Indo / Oz if you have time to travel.

*Re-reading, the point about Bali is a good one. Apparently it’s suffered horrendously with rubbish. I was there several years back and it’s meant to have got far worse recently.

Unless you leave close to a decent coast, ie Cornwall, Devon, Wales or west/north Scotland, I wouldn’t bother with lessons in the UK. If you live far away, the chances of a booked lesson and trip coinciding with good conditions is slim. However, a new UK option is Surf Snowdonia.

I spent a few frustrating years trying to progress at surfing in UK waters. Then I went for a week in Morocco and progressed far more there than I’d ever done. Unfortunately Morocco might not be best in June/July, baking hot and less chance of decent waves

Consistent good conditions really help with learning and, yes, your arms and shoulders will be pretty sore after the first day

Unless you leave close to a decent coast, ie Cornwall, Devon, Wales or west/north Scotland

Depends what you mean by ‘decent’. The Northumberland coast gets some of the most consistent surfable swell in the country (I met the Masters student who did the measuring). You won’t progress if all you do is surf on holiday.

Depends what you mean by ‘decent’. The Northumberland coast gets some of the most consistent surfable swell in the country (I met the Masters student who did the measuring).

I’d like to see his definition* of surfable, I lived just in from Saltburn for 2 years, which is (allegedly) one of the best beach breaks in the UK. Yet 2ft would be considered a big day and the short period meant there was very little power in the waves (a 2ft Atlantic swell with a 15s period is easy to catch, the same on the north sea with a 8s period is far harder). Basically the fetch isn’t big enough, and you only get any sort of surf if there’s a very strong NE wind off Norway for days at a time, followed by a drop and 180deg shift to bring it offshore. There number of days like that was in single digits/year, whereas you could go to Cornwall in September and find better surf every day for a week.

*i suspect they rely too heavily on an offshore wind to define it?

Long weekend of lessons in Newquay or thereabouts. Mawgan porth or polzeath also good for beginners. Loads of places doing hire and lessons and a lot more “surf culture” then south wales.

I’ve spent the last 2 years on cornwall, now moved back to Gower. Surf is much more consistent in North Cornwall or Devon

….Then Costa Rica for a month

Depends what you mean by ‘decent’

For newbies, TINAS sums it up:

a 2ft Atlantic swell with a 15s period is easy to catch, the same on the north sea with a 8s period is far harder

Also having twice as long before you’re battered by the next wave when paddling out is a great help when you’re learning.

You won’t progress if all you do is surf on holiday

It depends where you want to get to. I think it’s very possible to get to a reasonable level where you’re having fun and come back to that each time.