Alex Wade
1 Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, south of San Francisco, has a seemingly endless selection of surf spots for surfers of all abilities. If you rip, there’s Steamer Lane, a world-class right-hand point break, while intermediate-to-good surfers will love Pleasure Point and The Hook, two nearby right-handers. If you’re a beginner, there are easy waves at Cowell’s, while along the coast Waddell Creek can provide almost empty, though sometimes sharky, surf.
2 Hossegor, FranceHossegor, on the Landaise coast in southwest France, is Europe’s surf capital. The reason? Miles of golden sand and some of the best beach breaks in the world. Campsites are plentiful and the food and wine from supermarkets is affordable. Its proximity to the UK makes it a budget option.
3 Ericeira, PortugalPortugal’s first surf competition took place in Ericeira in 1977, and the fishing town hasn’t looked back since. It’s within easy reach of Lisbon and has grown to become the country’s surfing mecca. No wonder, given the selection of breaks, from the fast and hollow Coxos to the big wave spot of São Lorenzo, not forgetting Crazy Left, a bodyboarders’ favourite. The town of Sintra, with its Moorish castle, makes for a great diversion if there’s no swell.
4 The Gold Coast, AustraliaIt’s a long way to go but you’re guaranteed quality surf. Seasonal work can easily be found and while the area’s epic point breaks — the world-famous Superbank, Kirra and Burleigh Heads — will always be crowded, there are beach breaks galore.
5 BarbadosIf money’s no object this is the place. The water temperature never drops below 25C. Remarkably, however, despite some of the best surf in the Atlantic, the Bajan surf population is small. Uncrowded sessions can be had even when the swell is pumping. When it does pump, breaks such as the Soup Bowl, at the village of Bathsheba, come alive offering walls of crystalline water and barrels made in heaven. The top UK surfers Russell Winter, Sam Lamiroy and Sam Bleakley are regular visitors.
6 Sennen Cove, CornwallWith Land’s End less than a mile away, Sennen Cove picks up any swell going. It’s beautiful and packed with marine life — chances are you’ll be sharing the water with dolphins and seals.
7 The North Shore of Oahu, HawaiiA seven-mile stretch of the best waves in the world. Between Ka’ena Point and Kahuku Point are breaks such as the Banzai Pipeline, Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay. In winter, especially, these places come alive with huge yet perfect surf. Surfing’s prestigious Triple Crown contest, is held here annually in December.
8 Bali, Indonesia
Bali is the home of cranking surf, especially around the Bukit Peninsula. Kuta beach can serve up epic beach-break waves but the most famous spots are Dreamland, Uluwatu and Padang Padang. Swell marches up from the southern ocean from April to November producing barrelling waves up to 15ft — but beware: Balinese waves are super-crowded (mainly with Australians).
9 Pavones, Costa Rica
Pavones works on all tides and offers rides of up to 200m. The left-hand point break is not too demanding, so intermediate surfers can have a blast.
10 Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa
This summer all eyes will be on South Africa. But in the Eastern Cape province, about an hour’s drive southwest of Port Elizabeth, Jeffrey’s Bay will lure surfers rather than football fans. Here is a right-hand point break so good that it makes even the beautiful game look graceless. The wave is divided up into several sections, including, from the top of the point, Kitchen Windows, Magna tubes, Boneyards, Supertubes, Impossibles, Tubes, the Point and Albatross. But beware: none of them is suitable for beginners.
