What are the Best Surf Schools?

Best surf schools in the world!

Beginners’ guide to surfing

Read Time: 5 Minutes

In the last piece we touched on some of the best places, both within Australia and abroad, to learn to surf. No beginners wave is complete without a good surf school though, so below we’ve run through the best schools at the locations we covered in the previous article.

Byron Bay

Unsurprisingly, given its immense popularity and presence of beginner waves, there is no shortage of surf schools in Byron Bay. The aptly named Let’s Go Surfing is one of the most popular of these; having been around for a quarter of a century, LGS has schools at some of the most popular beginner surfing spots in Australia and their Byron Bay version rarely gets anything other than a five-star review. Blackdog Surf School is another which has helped plenty of locals and travellers alike achieve their goal of standing up on a surfboard, and is located smack bang in the middle of town. These are two of the better options, but as mentioned there is no shortage of other high-quality surf schools in Byron Bay.

Jan Juc/Torquay

As one of the most iconic stretches of coast from a surfing perspective in the world, it’s little surprise that it’s also easy enough to find somewhere to learn to surf on Victoria’s Surf Coast. There certainly isn’t the prevalence of surf schools in Torquay as there is in a place like Byron Bay, but both Go Ride a Wave and Torquay Surfing Academy have everything you need. Aside from offering plenty of hire equipment, these two stores – located just a few hundred metres from one another – each offer lessons down at Torquay Main Beach, just around the corner from Jan Juc itself.

Ulladulla

Mollymook Beach Surf School takes pride of place as the first place you should look up if you’re looking to hone your skills on NSW’s south coast. This school focuses on offering a personalised experience for the customer, seeking out the most suitable waves on the day to get you up on your feet. They go above and beyond what many surf schools offer, and provide great advice on what to do after the lesson, namely around what sort of equipment you’re going to need to buy. Pam Burridge Surf School is also worth a look, with the ability to learn to surf in the presence of 1990 world champion Pam Burridge something which draws plenty of customers.

Noosa Heads

With the number of tourists that find themselves in Noosa, it’s little surprise that there are plenty of surf schools around to help you learn to surf in these warm, tranquil south-east Queensland waters. Go Ride a Wave – which you might remember from Torquay – has a very well-reviewed school here, while Merrick’s Noosa Learn to Surf might be the most popular in town. Merrick Davis, founder of the school, was a 2x Australian champion, and his school offers lessons every day of the year with the exception of Christmas and New Year’s Day for people of all ages (as long as that age is at least seven).

Canggu, Bali

Anyone who has ever been to Canggu, and in particular who has been in the water there, will know how many surf school options there are. The water is full of people learning to surf, and there is an array of places to go if you want to join in. There are a host of options on the waterfront, but as is often the case it’s the less visible places that are the best. Plenty of the schools here are not just a school, they also offer accommodation, and In Da Surf Camp & School Canggu is one of the best. Kima Surf Camp is another great one, as is Wave House, but if you’d prefer just a lesson then Green Wave and Warung Kelapa Surf Canggu are good options. Things are generally pretty cheap in Bali, so there’s also a lot more chance you’ll be able to fork out for private or small group lessons here than you would in Australia, which is definitely something to take advantage of.

San Onofre, California

This famous stretch of slow, mellow waves is loved by longboarders and beginners alike, and with so many people flocking here to enjoy the Californian waters it can be a good idea to utilise one of the many surf schools to help you avoid the crowds as much as possible. Most of them are located on or just off the San Diego Highway which runs parallel to the beach, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a suitable one. Endless Summer Surf Camp, named after the iconic ‘60s surfing documentary, is one of the most popular, while 369SURF School offers small-group or private lessons which are virtually always well-reviewed.

Taghazout, Morocco

Much like in Bali, a lot of the surf school offerings in Taghazout also include accommodation. Many of these surf camps are tailored around surfing and yoga, so if that’s your thing then you’ll find plenty of options that will keep you happy. Mint Surf is one such establishment – they offer high quality accommodation and a day that begins with yoga, breakfast and then a surf, and are located right next to the ocean. Many alternatives offer a similar structure, making it easy to have a trip centred around surfing, and this ability to have multiple lessons in a short space of time makes learning a lot easier. Onda Surf is another popular place to stay, while Amouage by Surf Maroc is one of the most well-known.

Waikiki, Hawaii

Learning to surf in Hawaii is about as quintessential an experience as you’ll find, so of course there are plenty of options surrounding the most well-known beach in the state. Waikiki knows how to teach people to surf, and there is as high a density of quality surf schools here as probably almost anywhere in the world, so wherever you choose you’ll likely have a good experience. Some of the best include Ty Gurney Surf School, which offers both lessons and surf trips, Sparky’s Surf School – with Sparky’s laidback and encouraging teaching style hugely popular with students – and Hawaii Surf Guru, which offers lessons for big groups, small groups, couples and individuals.

So there you have it – if ever you find yourself wanting to learn to surf, or to further develop your skills, in any of these eight popular beginner surfing locations around Australia and the world, these are some of the best schools at which to do it.