Purchase annual travel insurance and you will feel safe surfing some of the bigger waves in places like Hawaii and Bali as well as a few more I’m recommending.
Have you heard of the “year of the endless summer”? It’s continual travel to warm and sunny destinations, following the summer season as it blossoms in various places at different times around the world. It’s a year without winter!
If you are looking for a round-the-world travel itinerary that will keep you out of the snow and hitting the waves, I have some suggestions for destinations to visit during peak surfing seasons that will cover you for the duration of your trip.
Hawaii
The king of surfing destinations, Hawaii has so many locations for great surfing – too many to mention them all, but Kauai is one of the most beautiful and least developed islands in the Hawaiian chain that you may want to check out. On the north shore sits Hanalei Town, and it is surrounded by diverse surfing spots that feature beginner waves to expert reef breaks, where experience is truly needed. (Just make sure you’ve purchased annual travel insurance and you’ll be fine!) Alternatively, there is Poipu Beach along the South Shore.
The best time to surf Kauai is between November and February, when swells are at their biggest.
Canada
Maybe not an obvious surfing destination, but Tofino is increasing in popularity as a surfing site. Located on the Pacific coast of Canada on Vancouver Island, 35km of surfable beach and wilderness beckon surfers each summer. Obviously, temperatures are going to be cooler than what you will find in tropical destinations. Popular surfing spots include Cox Bay, the more popular Long Beach, and, for beginners, Chesterman Beach.
Tofino is at its best between March and September.
Canary Islands
Located off the coast of Africa and governed by Spain, the Canary Islands offer surfing from black, volcanic sand beaches. Surfers love the larger islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, where breaking waves is best tackled first thing in the morning, due to north easterly trade winds in the afternoon that often spoil the bigger swells by the time they reach the coast.
Not recommended for novice surfers, the best months to surf the Canary Islands are between October and March.
Costa Rica
Known for its beaches, volcanoes and biodiversity, Costa Rica is also a prime surfing destination along the Pacific coast. Whether you try out the quiet beaches of Nosara or Samara in the south, or the more popular Jaco or Tamarindo beaches further north, you will not be disappointed, as Costa Rica consistently satisfies beginner and experienced surfers alike.
The best time to ride the waves in Costa Rica are from April to October.
Bali
Bali is a favourite surf destination due to the waves, weather and warm water temperatures. Picking up swells from the Southern Ocean, surfers can expect to see waves of up to nearly four metres on a consistent basis. Kuta Beach is a popular spot but can get pretty crowded, so if a little more remoteness is what you crave, the Bukit Peninsula is quiet and relatively untouched.
Bali is best surfed between April and November.
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