Ride the waves with professional surf instructors. Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced surfer, surf tours connect you with the world's best breaks. Browse our full selection below and book securely online.
Look no further than Kona Mike's! With 20 years of experience teaching surfing in this stunning location, we…
What better place to learn to surf than on world-famous Bondi Beach? Here you'll find fantastic waves, sunbathing…
Great surf spots Our three surf spots in Arrifana, Amoreira and Monte Clerigo in Portugal offer the best…
Live the real Maui experience on the Road to Hana with our expert guides! Immerse yourself in the…
When you do windsurfing with us, you start feeling the powers of the trade winds of Aruba, and…
Enjoy a 1.5-hour cruise on the Surfers Paradise Canals and Gold Coast Waterways. Cruises departing daily; morning, Midday,…
This tour operator wants you to have the best experience in your life, have fun, learn about the…
Our surf lessons in Waikiki offer a one-on-one experience between the student or group and a dedicated instructor,…
Windsurfing in Aruba presents the ultimate adventure for enthusiasts of all skill levels. With personalized instruction from passionate,…
Breathtaking sights of the Italian Riviera’s coastline from Santa Margherita to Portofino. Appreciate the wonder of this little…
Easy access fun activity in Malmö. Try the patented adjustable Dynamic Windsurfing gear. The board shape and the…
For all of you who never tried Wing, – or Windsurfing before. This is your course! Here you…
Few travel experiences match the raw exhilaration of catching your first unbroken wave or harnessing the wind to glide across a turquoise lagoon. Surfing and windsurfing are not just sports — they're complete immersions into the natural world, where ocean rhythms dictate your day and every session leaves you salt-crusted and deeply satisfied. You'll find yourself waking before dawn to check surf reports, scanning horizon lines for incoming swells, and swapping stories with locals who've dedicated their lives to reading the sea. Whether you're a complete beginner wobbling on a foam longboard in gentle Hawaiian shorebreak or an experienced rider charging head-high barrels in the Canary Islands, these disciplines reward patience, persistence, and respect for the ocean. Windsurfing adds another dimension entirely — combining sailing instincts with surfing athleticism, it transforms blustery conditions most travelers avoid into pure playgrounds. From Bali's warm waters to the wind-whipped straits of Tarifa, the world's best surf and windsurf destinations offer culture, community, and coastlines that will permanently recalibrate your relationship with the sea. You'll leave changed.
Paddling out at dawn means glassy, wind-free conditions, uncrowded lineups, and extraordinary light on the water. At breaks like Uluwatu in Bali or Anchor Point in Morocco, sunrise sessions feel almost meditative — just you, a handful of dedicated surfers, and waves that arrive with clockwork precision as the world wakes up around you.
Multi-day surf camps deliver far more than lessons. They embed you in a community of like-minded travelers, offer twice-daily surf sessions with video analysis, and pair water time with yoga, nutrition, and ocean theory. Camps in places like the Algarve, Nicaragua, and Sri Lanka transform nervous beginners into genuinely confident ocean travelers within one week.
Flat-water lagoon windsurfing at destinations like Dakhla, Morocco or Bonaire in the Caribbean offers a completely different sensory experience from ocean surfing. The sensation of accelerating silently across mirror-flat water using only wind power is uniquely addictive. Conditions here are forgiving enough for learning yet technically demanding enough to absorb experienced riders for weeks.
Timing your surf or windsurf trip depends entirely on your destination and skill level. In the North Atlantic — think Portugal's Peniche or Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way — September through November delivers powerful autumn swells with thinning crowds and shoulder-season pricing. The Pacific Coast of Mexico peaks December through March, when consistent northwest swells roll into breaks like Puerto Escondido with metronomic reliability. Bali's dry season, April through October, combines offshore trade winds with clean, groomed waves at Uluwatu and Canggu. For windsurfing-specific destinations, Maui's Ho'okipa sees its windiest and most consistent conditions May through September, while Tarifa in southern Spain is excellent year-round but peaks June through August. Budget travelers should target shoulder months — one month before or after peak season — to find reduced lesson rates and accommodation prices while still securing solid conditions.
Gentle beach breaks with long, rolling waves are every first-timer's best friend. Destinations like Taghazout in Morocco, Muizenberg in South Africa, and Nosara in Costa Rica offer wide sandy beaches, mellow wave energy, and established surf schools with certified instructors. Foam boards, called 'foamies' by locals, give beginners extra stability and forgiveness. Most beginner lessons last two hours and include land-based instruction before entering the water. You'll be riding whitewater within your first session.
Advanced surfers chase reef breaks, point breaks, and big-wave venues that demand technical precision and ocean awareness. Jeffreys Bay in South Africa offers one of the longest right-hand point breaks on earth. Pipeline on Oahu's North Shore is the sport's most iconic — and unforgiving — wave. Windsurfers seeking adrenaline head to Hookipa Beach or the outer reefs of Maui, where speeds exceed 40 knots and aerial maneuvers are commonplace. These experiences require proven skills and ideally local knowledge.
Families thrive at sheltered beach breaks with warm, shallow water and gentle onshore breezes. Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka and San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua offer calm morning conditions perfect for children ages seven and up. Many family-oriented surf camps provide half-day lessons combining water time with beach games and ocean education. Windsurfing equivalents include flat-water lagoon destinations like Dakhla in Morocco, where kids can learn on stable boards in protected, waist-deep water with minimal currents.
Absolutely not. The vast majority of surf schools worldwide cater specifically to complete beginners. A standard beginner lesson covers ocean safety, paddling technique, and how to stand up, and most people catch their first wave within the first session. No prior swimming or board experience is required, though basic swimming ability is strongly recommended.
Surfing has a slightly lower barrier to entry for most people — you need only a board and waves. However, windsurfing on a flat-water lagoon can actually be more accessible for non-swimmers or those intimidated by ocean currents. Both sports have a steep learning curve, but structured instruction at established schools dramatically accelerates progress for either discipline.
In warm tropical waters above 24°C, a full-coverage rash guard and board shorts or bikini are sufficient and preferred over wetsuits. Rash guards protect against sunburn and board rash from prolonged paddling. In cooler Atlantic destinations like Portugal or Ireland, a 3/2mm or 4/3mm wetsuit is essential and almost always included in lesson rental packages.
A basic level of fitness helps, but surf schools design beginner lessons to be accessible to a wide range of physical abilities. Surfing uses upper body strength for paddling and core stability for standing. Windsurfing requires arm and back strength for sail handling. Both activities will fatigue you quickly at first, so starting with shorter sessions and building gradually is wise.
Traveling with a board is possible — most airlines accept surfboard bags as oversized luggage for a fee — but renting locally is usually more practical and economical for trips under two weeks. Local rental shops stock boards perfectly suited to their specific breaks and conditions. Carrying a board through airports, taxis, and hostels adds significant logistical complexity to your trip.