Surfing isn’t just a hobby; it’s a sport, and it’s a lifestyle. There are communities across the United States and the rest of the world
For Americans, this sport has been iconic to locations like California and Hawaii, and is growing in popularity in
Surfers in the US have always tended to live right by the beach, and built communities around them. It should be of now surprised that they bundle together in close-knit communities. They say it is always better to live in a city of like-minded people who share your passion. With that in mind, I have created a comprehensive list of the best place to live in America for surfers to give you some ideas if you want to live near the surf.
With diverse locations in across the world, there’s bound to be one that matches your dream home (or vacation). Let’s take a look at our top 10:
Popoyo, Nicaragua
Popoyo, located in Central America, is all things surfing—literally a surfer’s dream! With a dirt road leading you to the heart of a small, remote village where surfing is the style all year round. Popoyo has many breaks that revolve around swells, storms, tides, and around 300 days per year of perfect surfing weather, making this one of the best (and most beautiful) locations on our list.
Sri Lanka
If you are familiar with the surfing world, Sri Lanka may not be a destination on your list—but it should. Relatively new as a top tier surfing location, that’s mainly due to the fact the country as not suitable for tourist or travelers due to their ongoing civil war from 1983 to 2009
Nosara, Costa Rica
Costa Rica—do we need to say anything else? World-famous for the island/beach life, Costa Rica’s coasts are known as some of the best, and Nosara is one of the favorites. Regardless, if you decide you want to move to live there year round, or take a few annual trips, the beach and surfing lifestyle is one of the best in the world. Known for consistent year-round waves, safe reputation and amount of user-friendly surf breaks, ‘Rica better be on your surfing bucket list.
Uluwatu, Bali
One of the best (and busiest) surfing locations for experienced surfers, Uluwatu, located on the southwestern area of the Bukit Peninsula in Bali, Uluwatu. A location you’d find at the top of any surfer’s bucket list for its consistent weather year-round, Uluwatu offers the perfect hollow, performance waves during low tide. And when it’s hight tide, lower, mellower waves are great, too.
There’s another reason that Uluwatu is so famous, and it isn’t for surfing: Uluwatu Temple, an 11th-century Hindu temple and one of the oldest in Indonesia, is quite famous and well worth the trip after a long day out in the waves.
Let’s break down what Uluwatu actually is. It’s just one surfing spot—it’s really a wide reef that hosts five different peaks, called The Peak, Racetracks, Temples, The Bombie, and Outside Corner. Each one offers it’s own unique experience, and depending on what type of surfing you want to do, you’ll need to understand what happens in each location.
Locations in BALI
- The Peak is the most consistent and offers multiple takeoff points and fast, short sections, whereas Racetracks often breaks over a shallow reef with occasional barrels and longer sections.
- Temples, on the other hand, is the farthest south of the five areas, meaning you’ll need to do some serious paddling. The extra paddling would be worth it if you are looking for more space more size on smaller days, so it’s really up to you.
- The Bombie is literally the bomb—offering some of the biggest waves and swells of all five points, as it is the most exposed, making it perfect for those of you looking to get some epic waves.
- Lastly, Outside Corner is best for the most experienced surfers out there, as it offers huge open faces and everything else the top surfers look for.
Cloudbreak, Fiji
The Pacific is known for having the biggest waves in the world, but Cloudbreak takes it to a whole new level. It’s world-famous for being home to the most challenging waves on the planet—that’s why so many of the top surfers in the world love to test their skills against this force of nature.
Located just three miles south of Namotu Island in Fiji, the waves break over a sharp, shallow reef and has fast, barreling lefts. If your skills are not there yet to tackle this best, you can always watch- and get inspired to get better-by watching from a close by. It’s a popular way of discovering the waves and watching the best surfers in the world, which is second best to actually surfing yourself, right?
Ensenada, Baja Norte, Mexico
There are so many good spots in Mexico, we could make a whole post about it—right now, we’ll cover one of the top coveted locations that gets a surfer’s heart pumping a little faster.
Located Just 70 miles south of the border of California, Ensenada is another location that serious surfers make a trip to. From all over the world, surfers come to test their skills and ride the breaks in the cool waters of the Northern Baja. Surfers have been coming here basically since the sport started to grow in popularity, making it perfect for experienced surfers. If you are not in the advanced category yet, you can get going on the Playa Hermosa, which is known for its gentler and rolling waves.
Portugal—The Whole Coast, Basically
When looking for the perfect surfing sport on the European continent, it’s hard to beat Portugal. There are so many perfect locations up and don the coast, and add in the great food, ease o access, old world charms and epic beaches, you’ve got one of the best European locations for riding the waves. Ericeira is often the most talked about (and the most crowded) but will a little research you can find countless other locations with perfect weather conditions and rich cultural history.
When’s the best time to go? June – August tends to have the best weather, but doesn’t get much in terms of swell. December through March, has non-stop waves, on the other hand. However, the weather and wind has been known to be an issue. Lastly, September – November is nearly perfect for all things surfing. Called the prime season, autumn has great weather, consistent west swells and favorable winds. Combining that with this exciting locale, what else could you want?
Gold Coast, Australia
Gold Cost of Australia is known worldwide for the surfer lifestyle and beaches for miles. Combining the beauty of the Australian nature with the beaches of paradise along with great weather, the Gold Coast is at its prime from January to July. Where are some of the best surfing locations? For starters there is The Spit, Main Beach, Straddie, Greenmount, Superbank, Surfers Paradise, Miami, The Alley, and many, many more.
Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa
South Africa’s Jeffrey’s Bay is home to the Supertubes. Known as the longest and world’s best right-hander, Jeffrey’s Bay has 10 different sections that are perfect for intimate surfers, longboarders as ell as the pros of the surfing world.
Malibu, California, USA
Malibu—need we say more?
Iconic is an understatement, as Malibu is a world-class location steeped in surfer culture and history. Malibu is the first World Surfing Reserve, and is known for its powerful waves, celebrity lifestyle, Hollywood films and just overall glamour. A great location for beginners and expert surfers alike, Malibu’s proximity to Los Angeles makes it a perfect surf spot for those in search of a classic adventure on the West Coast of the US. California usually has up to 300 days of fantastic surfing conditions per year, making it perfect for all levels of surfers to enjoy almost year round.
Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Although modern surfing started in California, surfing itself belongs to Hawaii- and Oahu is home to one of the most except locations in the world. We’ve decided to include the entire island, as it would be a crime to not include Oahu, and its wonderful beaches, on any surfing list.
Oahu’s Pipeline is called the world’s number 1 surf spot, with legendary 6-meter waves. It’s truly an extraordinary place where surfing dreams are made.
That’s quite a list of the best and most exciting surfing locations. Stretching across the world, surfing is a constantly growing sport that people of all ages can participate in and enjoy. Are your bags and board packed yet?
Follow GOWFO.com for the latest news on all things extreme sports. Want to grow your followers within the extreme sports world? If you’re an extreme sports content creator or influencer and want to participate in the launch of WFO.TV, please contact us.
