Where to Learn to Surf

Best place to learn to surf!

Beginners’ guide to surfing

Read Time: 5 Minutes

One of the beauties of surfing is the opportunities it opens up in terms of travel. With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at some of the best places to learn to surf both in Australia and around the globe, from Byron Bay to Morocco. Check out our list below. 

Byron Bay (Clarkes Beach), NSW

One of the original Australian surf towns, Byron Bay might have lost the tranquillity that once defined it, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the waves. Hordes of surfers of all levels flock to Byron to get wet, plenty of them beginners, and with a raft of surf schools and rental options, it’s as good a place as any to familiarise yourself with the basics. The Pass is the most well-known spot in the vicinity, but it’s a point break and there are plenty of nearby beach breaks for you to choose from if you’d prefer. Head down the beach to the likes of Main Beach and Clarkes Beach and try to find a peak with a few less bodies – something which on a sunny summer’s day is a lot easier said than done! 

Jan Juc, Victoria

Victoria is home to consistent swell throughout the year, making it one of the best places to learn to surf in Australia. The iconic surf coast, a little over an hour southwest of Melbourne and home to Bells Beach, boasts a range of world class waves and also offers up plenty of great options for beginners. One of these is Jan Juc, from where you can just about spot the breaking Bells Beach wave. Jan Juc can handle some big swells and is best avoided by beginners on those days, but when the swell is more manageable it offers up relatively mellow, cruisy waves. Kids and beginners fill the line-ups, but with a number of peaks along the beach there are plenty of places to paddle out.  

Ulladulla, NSW

Just over 200 kilometres south of Sydney lies Ulladulla, renowned for its variety of waves for surfers of all levels. Accomplished surfers flock here to take on some of the more advanced waves, but for beginners and intermediates there are plenty of options too. Mollymook Beach, just to the north of the town of Ulladulla, is one such example, with the clear blue water here playing host to a range of surf schools and plenty of enthusiastic beginners. It’s significantly easier to find an uncrowded break suitable to your level here than it is at many of the other spots mentioned here as well, making it much easier to find the space you need to practice. 

Noosa Heads, Queensland

One of the most beautiful spots in Australia, Noosa Heads is a popular place for holiday goers for a number of reasons, not least the mellow, rolling waves you can find in the National Park. Occasionally Pacific Ocean cyclones see these points turn into fiery, hollow waves which aren’t suitable for beginners, but for the most part these waves are ideal for learning to surf. Partially blocked off by the southern side of the heads, the swell sneaks in here just enough to offer up soft and slow waves which are enormously popular with longboarders and beginners alike. With a beautiful backdrop and pristine, warm waters most of the year around, Noosa Heads is an ideal spot to begin surfing.

Canggu, Bali

Bali is, of course, one of the most popular holiday destinations for Australians, and surfers make up a huge proportion of these travellers. There are a host of great waves to surf off of the island which range in difficulty to about as advanced as you can get to ideal for beginners, and Canggu is much closer to the latter. Located a little less than an hour from the overwhelming bustle of Kuta, this is a long, slow and consistent right-hand break to which beginners swarm. Unfortunately this means you’ll likely be wrestling with a pretty significant crowd, but the warm waters, idyllic conditions and bars waiting for you on the beach after your session are more than sufficient to offset that inconvenience. 

San Onofre, California

California holds appeal as perhaps the most quintessential surfing destination on the planet, and arguably the best place to learn how to surf in the state is San Onofre. Located a little over 100 kilometres to the south of Los Angeles, San Onofre will transport you back into decades long past while the waves themselves are about as mellow as the town. Old Man’s is a series of peaks which break over a reef, but don’t worry, it’s ideally padded by a bunch of seaweed. This is the best place to learn in the region and the hordes of beginners reflect that, while The Point and The Church are a little more advanced but still suitable for learning. 

Taghazout, Morocco

Around the other side of the planet, the town of Taghazout in the northwest of Africa has been welcoming surfers to its shores for many a decade. Morocco might not be typically associated with surfing in the same way as California is, but if you’re in the vicinity this sleepy little town is a must visit. The Atlantic Ocean serves this part of the world with waves throughout much of the year, and with a massive concentration of spots within a relatively small space there is something for everyone. Panorama Beach is a little to the south of the town of Taghazout itself, and this right-hand point break that rolls into a sandy, whitewater filled beach is ideal for beginners.  

Waikiki, Hawaii

Visiting Hawaii is a bucket list item for seemingly most people in the world, and if you ever manage to tick it off then learning to surf at Waikiki goes hand in hand with the trip. Waikiki is perhaps the most famous beach on this beautiful group of islands, and finds itself smack bang in the middle of the state’s capital, Honolulu. As you might imagine it’s about as picturesque as it gets, with a volcanic cone known as Diamond Head jutting out into the sea just adjacent, but more importantly the slow, rolling waves are perfect for practicing your pop-up. It can get busy but there is also a whole lot of space here, and with the waves rolling along for what feels like miles you’ll have plenty of time to practice your positioning once you’re up.

So there you have it – some of the best spots to learn around the world, and why they’re so perfect. Next up we’re going to take a look at this idea even more deeply, covering off some of the best surf schools in these regions.