Best Beginner Surf Destinations

Canoes is Hawaii's most iconic learner wave and the birthplace of modern surfing. Most days it's a gentle, rolling right, but when big south swells hit, the barrel section...

Queen's is named after Queen Liliuokalani, the last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Most days it's a mellow, forgiving wave, but when big south swells hit, the inside ramp...

San Onofre is the birthplace of California surf culture—a mellow point break where surfers have gathered since the 1930s, establishing the beach-going, wave-riding lifestyle that...

New Smyrna Beach is Florida's consistent cornerstone—the most reliable surf on the state's east coast, where sandbars produce workable waves more days per year than anywhere else...

Long Beach is New York City's most accessible surf—an LIRR-reachable beach break where city dwellers can score waves without a car. The wave is a standard beach break with...

Sayulita is Mexico's surf town sensation—a once-sleepy fishing village that has transformed into the country's most popular beginner surf destination. The right-hand point break...

Playa Guiones is Nosara's main event—seven kilometers of consistent beach break peaks that have transformed this remote corner of Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula into a...

Playa Remanso is Central America's safest beginner wave—a sheltered bay south of San Juan del Sur that catches smaller swells and transforms them into gentle, rolling walls...

Poneloya is Northern Nicaragua's gateway wave—a forgiving point break near León city that introduces countless travelers to the country's exceptional surf scene. The wave works on...

Asuchillo is Nicaragua's most consistent beachbreak—a world-class wave that hosted the 2024 ALAS Pro Tour and delivers reliable surf nearly year-round. Two rivers flow into the...

Tamarindo is Costa Rica's most famous surf town—a once-sleepy fishing village transformed into an international beach destination where surf schools outnumber restaurants and the...

The Pass is Byron Bay's crown jewel—a long, winding right-hand point that embodies the region's laid-back surf culture. The wave is forgiving and fun, wrapping around the headland...

Bondi Beach is Australia's most iconic beach—a crescent of golden sand flanked by sandstone headlands that has defined Australian beach culture for over a century. The surf is a...

Manly Beach is where Australian surfing began—an iconic crescent of sand just a ferry ride from Sydney's harbor that has been the heart of Australian surf culture for over a...

Agnes Water is Queensland's most northerly surf town—a laid-back coastal village that marks the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. The main beach offers gentle beach break waves...

Batukaras is West Java's longboarding paradise—a long, mellow right-hand point break in a remote fishing village that has become a sanctuary for those seeking the simple surf...

Baler is where Philippine surfing was born—a historic beach in Aurora Province made famous globally by Apocalypse Now's iconic surf scene, though the waves here are far gentler...

Kata Beach is Thailand's surfing headquarters—a gentle beach break that comes alive during the monsoon season when southwest swells push into Phuket's west coast. This is not the...

My Khe is Vietnam's surf frontier—a beautiful beach near Da Nang named among the world's most stunning, where surfing is slowly gaining a foothold. The gentle beach break receives...

Riyue Bay is China's flagship surf destination—a consistent beach break on tropical Hainan Island that hosts WSL Championship Tour events. The Chinese government has invested...

Weligama Bay is Sri Lanka's gentle introduction to tropical surfing—a protected crescent bay where soft, rolling waves provide the perfect classroom for learning. The fishing...

Hiriketiya is Sri Lanka's emerging surf destination—a picturesque horseshoe bay on the country's south coast where protected waters create ideal conditions for learners and...

Busua is Ghana's surf hub—a friendly beach break in the Western Region that has become the center of West African surf culture. The waves are typically small but fun, with SW...

Imsouane is Africa's longest wave—a right-hand point break in a sheltered Moroccan bay that produces rides of 300 meters or more when conditions align. The wave is impossibly...

Cocoa Beach Pier is where East Coast surfing was born and where Kelly Slater grew up perfecting the skills that would make him the greatest surfer of all time. The waves are...

Ocean City NJ is the family-friendly face of Jersey Shore surfing—a "dry town" with a classic boardwalk where multiple jetty setups create consistent, accessible peaks for surfers...

La Barra is Uruguay's most famous surf spot—a beach break near the glamorous resort town of Punta del Este. The wave breaks near the iconic undulating bridge and offers fun,...

Varberg is Sweden's unlikely surf capital—a beach break on the west coast that catches North Sea swells and has developed a passionate local community against all odds. The waves...

Bat Yam is Israel's surf hub—a Mediterranean beach break just south of Tel Aviv that has developed a passionate local community. Winter storms from the northwest bring the best...

Opoutama is Mahia Peninsula's mellow gem—a beginner-friendly beach break that produces soft, fat waves perfect for learners and longboarders seeking an uncrowded alternative to...