Tips for Taking a Surf Trip

Thinking of taking a surf trip? Our surf trip guide includes a checklist, flights and surfboard details, how to find surf spots and more!

 

Checklist when researching places for a surf trip:

• Good Waves
• Warm Water: This is just personal preference because we want to avoid the extra weight of a wetsuit.
• Public Transportation or Inexpensive Car Rentals
• Budget Accommodation: We like to stretch our dollars in order to be able to take as many trips as possible each year.
• Safe Surroundings

 

Flights & Surfboard Details

After assessing these factors, the next thing we look up is how much the flight is going to cost. In addition to the flight costs, we research the costs of surfboard baggage fees versus the costs of board rentals in the area. Keep in mind that it’s not always easy to find board rental places everywhere you travel.

For shorter trips, it can sometimes be a hassle to find a place to rent your ideal surfboard and it may end up costing you a few days without a board. It may be worth it to bring your surfboard (assuming it’s not going to cost more than $100 each way) unless you are visiting a surf camp where you know there will be a big selection of boards.

You also have to outweigh the risks of possibly finding a few new dings on your surfboard after the flight. Buying a good board bag and wrapping your surfboard in bubble wrap will minimize this risk.

Longer trips are a different story. In Australia, we were able to find second hand surf shops and pawn shops where we could buy boards and also sell them at the end of the trip. We only ended up spending about $50 per board for a two week trip. If you are taking a surf trip in this part of the world, here are a few more tips for taking a surf trip in Australia.

 

Finding Surf Spots

Next step is finding surf spots and taking into consideration what skill level is suggested for each break. You don’t want to head to a spot for kamikazes if you are a beginner. Knowing your limits is really important when surfing around the world.

A good place to find information about surf spots in the area where you will be traveling is WannaSurf.com and GlobalSurfers.com. I sometimes print out a list of the surf breaks we know we want to visit and include general directions to each spot.

 

What to Bring

• Swim Trunks or a good surf bikini
• Rash Guard
• Surf Wax
• Leash
• Wet Suit (If Necessary)
• Booties for Sharp Reef/Rock
• Ding Repair Kit/Solarez
• Small First Aid Kit
• Sunblock