MORE GREAT SURFING SPOTS
Added on: 26th Jan 2015
EL SALVADOR
Bordering the Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras,
El Salvador is a natural tourist attraction that is gaining popularity
with surfers. Popular surfing spots include El Zonte, Sunzal, and
La Libertad because they are not very crowded. Visit the main swell
season from March to October where you can expect the south swells
to get up to 10 feet high.
COSTA RICA
Costa Rica is a legendary surfing location where most ‘hardcore’ surfers
congregate not only for the year-round waves, but for the number of
great surfing spots as well. From April to October, you can expect the
coastlines to produce great waves with major swells especially in
Playa Naranjo and the river mouth point break at Potrero Grande or
Ollies Point. The downside, the road systems are not very good, but this
is a small price to pay for the ride of your life. For beginners and experts
alike, try the 30-metre waves at the Tamarindo Beach in Tamarindo,
a half kilometre of beach with warm waters.
CLOUD NINE, SIARGAO ISLAND, PHILIPPINES
For daredevils who want to experience dramatic and powerful reef
break that crashes onto shallow razor-sharp coral with left and right rides,
Cloud Nine will let you experience a slice of paradise. These magic
mushroom-like hallucinations are powerful waves that are wrapped
with a Cornish pastry-shaped cocoon of water. However, do not ever
slip if you do not want your skin and bones to be ripped to pieces
by the ocean bed, definitely for pros only.
BRAZIL
Santa Catarina, the ‘Florianopolis’ or capital of Brazil is not only the
country’s most visited place, but is also known as a surfer’s playground
due to the great consistency and huge variety of its waves, including
the Santinho and Mocambique. Other world-class surf spots in
Floripa include the Joaquina Beach, Praia Mole, Campeche, and
Lagoinha do Leste. If you are into surfing competitions, head on to
Sao Francisco do Sul on the east coast for some fun-loving atmosphere
and tasty grub as well.
SULTANS, NORTH MALE, MALDIVES
Across the Maldives’ painfully beautiful 1,190 coral islands is a
consistent reef wave that is absolutely pumping in the spring. However,
you need to go with a live-abroad outfit to experience the waves as the
rocks can be very hazardous. One of the most famous waves in the
Maldives is the Pasta Point, a break that offers both left-hand rides and
100 metres of pure tube riding out to sea. However, there is a catch
if you want to experience this great wave, you have to be a guest
at the exclusive Dhonveli Beach Resort, which can cost you
US$343 a night.
SAMOA
The Samoan Islands is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean,
just northeast of Fiji. This is one of the best surfing destinations as
it offers warm waters, a tropical paradise, and most importantly,
consistent quality of waves from April to October when big waves are
created by the big blows down near Antarctica, although there are plenty
of swells coming from every direction the whole year through. Classic
waves include Special K, which at 500 metres is a perfect immediate peak
for all surfers; and the Coconuts, which break over live corals on top
days for 150-metre rides.
MONTANITA BEACH, MONTANITA, ECUADOR
Unbeknownst to many travellers, this small spot on the west coast
of Ecuador is home to only 1,000 locals. However, this hidden spot is
popular with a lot of surfers as they are acquainted with the locals here,
who are known as a friendly bunch. After surfing, they lounge around
the village’s bar strip where they can grab a fresh fruit cocktail
or have a Tibetan massage.
MANU BAY, RAGLAN, NEW ZEALAND
This was made famous in the 1960s as the location for the surf flick,
’Endless Summer.’ It is a sleepy town that has bars and cafes where
you can play surf videos while having New Zealand’s finest healthy
smoothies and fresh cakes. The Manu Bay has waves that can rise from
a metre to about three metres with some occasional barrel if you are
in luck, and a mellow place to wait for the surf to pick up.
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