Surfing Beach Guides

Waves break when depth drops to about 1.3x wave height. Period sets speed, bathymetry bends the energy, and bottom slope decides whether you get a spilling roller or a barrel.

Learn on flat, waist-deep water at Dakhla, El Gouna, Kalpitiya or Pamlico Sound. Progress at Le Morne, Tarifa and Brazil. Tarifa in August is not a beginner spot.

California's best surf, by skill: Doheny and Tourmaline for beginners, San Onofre and Huntington for intermediates, Rincon, Lower Trestles and Steamer Lane for experienced surfers.

Spain's surf is northern and autumn-to-spring: Mundaka, Rodiles, Pantín, Somo, Zarautz. The kiting is Tarifa, near year-round. Only Famara and El Médano give you both at once.

Zicatela is expert-only; La Punta, Sayulita, Troncones and Los Cerritos are the beginner waves. Barra de la Cruz and Scorpion Bay reward the drive. Seasons decide everything.

Western Australia's Margaret River region delivers heavy reef breaks at Surfers Point, sheltered swimming at Gnarabup and Yallingup, 200 cellar doors pouring premium wine, and the 135-kilometer Cape to Cape coastal walk.

Noosa's north-facing beaches deliver year-round calm swimming, a national park with koalas and hidden coves, point break surfing, and kayaking through the only everglades system outside Florida.

Sayulita is a colorful surf village on Mexico's Riviera Nayarit with a beginner-friendly point break, $2 fish tacos, and a bohemian energy that hasn't been polished away by development. Forty-five minutes from Puerto Vallarta, it runs on its own clock.

Lombok broken down: the south coast's white-sand bays and beginner surf, Gili Trawangan's diving and parties, Gili Meno's underwater sculptures, Mount Rinjani's crater rim trek, and practical details on fast boats from Bali, motorbike rental, and dry season timing.

Montañita packs serious surf, nonstop nightlife, and South America's best-value beach scene into six blocks on Ecuador's Pacific coast. This guide covers the waves, the party, and where to escape both along the Ruta del Sol.

Máncora sits where Peru's cold desert coast turns tropical — warm water, consistent waves, and ceviche so fresh the fish was swimming hours ago. This guide covers the surf breaks, tidal pools of Pocitas, whale-watching at Los Órganos, and where to eat.

Sydney's most famous beach delivers a 1-kilometer golden crescent with reliable surf, the iconic Icebergs Pool carved into rock, and a 6-kilometer coastal walk past ocean pools, cliffs, and five beaches to Coogee.

Oahu packs world-class surf on the North Shore, the turquoise perfection of Lanikai, and the urban energy of Waikiki into one island. With 112 miles of coastline, every shore has a different personality and season.

Byron Bay pairs world-class surf at The Pass with a lighthouse loop walk to Australia's easternmost point, quiet stretches at Tallow Beach, and a food scene that punches well above its weight.

An airline-by-airline guide to flying with surfboards, covering fees from $0 (Southwest) to $200+, plus packing techniques, board bag options, and shipping alternatives like Shipsurfs.com.

Jericoacoara — Jeri to those who've been — has sand streets, no cars, and a sunset dune ritual that stops the village nightly. This guide covers the lagoons, kitesurfing, Pedra Furada, and why lobster here costs $14 for half a plate.

San Diego delivers 70 miles of coastline with year-round surf, leopard sharks at La Jolla, and a taco scene fueled by proximity to the Mexican border. From Torrey Pines bluffs to Coronado's sparkling sand, every neighborhood has its own beach personality.

From Surfers Paradise to Snapper Rocks, the Gold Coast delivers 70 kilometers of surf beaches, a world-class point break at Burleigh Heads, and World Heritage rainforests just an hour inland.

Everything you need for Boracay: White Beach station-by-station breakdown, Bulabog kitesurfing season and school prices, island-hopping itineraries, restaurant picks with PHP prices, and the best months to visit after the island's 2018 rehabilitation.

The Outer Banks stretches 200 miles along the North Carolina coast with wild horses, shipwrecks, and some of the best surfing on the East Coast. From Corolla's mustangs to Ocracoke's empty shores, this barrier island chain rewards exploration.

A surf-to-sand guide to Barbados beaches covering the calm Platinum Coast (Mullins, Paynes Bay, Gibbes), the powerful Atlantic east coast (Bathsheba, Bottom Bay), south coast nightlife at St. Lawrence Gap, surfing conditions, rum shop culture, and practical tips on transport and costs.

Florianópolis — Brazil's island surf capital — has 42 beaches ranging from upscale Jurerê to the hike-only Lagoinha do Leste. This guide covers the best breaks, calmest coves, and freshest oysters on Floripa's 54-kilometer coastline.

A stop-by-stop PCH road trip from Santa Monica to San Francisco: El Matador sea stacks, Big Sur's purple sand, Santa Cruz boardwalk, and Baker Beach under the Golden Gate. Five to seven days, practical budget, and a heads-up on highway closures.

Morocco delivers consistent winter surf, $5 tagines, and 300-meter right-hand point breaks within a 3-hour flight of Europe. This guide covers every break worth surfing from Taghazout to Essaouira, with camp prices starting at EUR 250 per week.