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Flagship guide

The best surf beaches in the world

We have chased swells across eight of the great surf coasts, slept by the breaks, walked in at dawn and surfed until our arms gave out, all to settle which waves are actually worth the airfare. Here are the thirty best, ranked, each with the honest verdict, the right season and the one thing to know before you paddle out.
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Photo: Rick Jones via Google
Published 19 January 2026. Last reviewed 12 March 2026

The verdict

  • Who it is for. Travellers who plan a trip around the waves and want the truth on the season, the access and the crowd before they book the flight.
  • The pick. The Banzai Pipeline on Oahu for the spectacle, Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast for a wave you can actually ride, and Uluwatu in Bali for the surf trip of a lifetime.
  • The one thing to know. Many of these are expert reefs that will hurt you. Where a famous name is a watch only wave we say so and point you to where you can really paddle out, like Weligama in Sri Lanka or Currumbin Alley on the Gold Coast.
The brief

Why these made the list

A surf list written from a deckchair is worthless. These rankings come from the water, weighted on the only things that decide a session: the quality and length of the wave, how hard it is to reach and read, the season it actually breaks, the crowd you have to share it with, and who the wave honestly suits. A perfect barrel that breaks ten days a year over a reef that will stitch you up does not beat a long warm wall you can ride every morning, so we have ranked for the travelling surfer, not the photograph.

The thirty waves below run across eight coasts: Bali, Phuket, the south coast of Sri Lanka, Maui, Oahu, the Gold Coast, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro. Some are expert only, some are perfect for your first green wave, and where a celebrated name trades on reputation we say where to go instead. When the surf goes flat, every one of these coasts also has a beach day worth having, and you can ask us to book a Bali beach club or a Gold Coast beach club for the afternoon.

The ranking

The best waves on Earth, in order

Thirty surf beaches ranked by the wave itself, the access, the season and the crowd, each with the honest verdict and the one thing to know before you paddle out.

1
Surfers and white spray at the Banzai Pipeline reef break off Ehukai Beach on OahuPhoto: Rick Jones via Google
North Shore, Oahu

Banzai Pipeline

No wave on earth carries more weight, and from the sand at Ehukai in winter you watch the Pacific stand up and detonate over a shallow lava reef a stone's throw from your towel. It tops this list because nothing else combines this much power, history and pure spectacle in one place you can actually walk to. Be honest with yourself though, this is an expert reef that breaks bones, so most travellers come to watch rather than paddle out. Go on a clean morning swell between November and February and stand well back from the shorebreak.

Heavy reefWinter swellSpectator
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2
The long sand point and lineup of Snapper Rocks on the Gold CoastPhoto: Ros Cloynes via Google
Coolangatta, Gold Coast

Snapper Rocks

If Pipeline is the wave you watch, Snapper is the wave you travel to ride. When the sand banks line up, the Superbank links Snapper through Greenmount to Kirra in one impossibly long right that ordinary surfers can actually make, which is why it sits at number two. The catch is the crowd, because on a good day half of Australia is in the water, so paddle out at first light or pick a weekday. Warm water, a beachfront town and a wave that keeps going make it the traveller's pick over the heavier Hawaiian reefs.

SuperbankLong rightWarm water
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3
The cliff, cave entry and reef wave at Suluban Beach below Uluwatu in BaliPhoto: 엘리파파 via Google
Suluban Beach, Bali

Uluwatu

You reach the wave through a cave, climbing down through Suluban's limestone slot to a reef that peels in long racing walls beneath the temple cliffs. Uluwatu is the spiritual home of surf travel in Asia and the engine room of the whole Bali scene, which earns it third. It rewards confident surfers on the dry season swells from May to September and humbles everyone else on the bigger days. Time the tide, watch the cave entry as the water rises, and stay for a Bukit sunset that justifies the trip on its own.

Cave accessReef wallDry season
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4
Large waves breaking at Sunset Beach on the North Shore of OahuPhoto: Vinny Pezzimenti via Google
North Shore, Oahu

Sunset Beach

A vast shifting peak that can hold serious size, Sunset is the proving ground where a surfer learns to read the ocean or gets sent in. It ranks here because few waves demand more positioning and reward it with longer, more open faces than Pipeline next door. This is not a beginner's wave and the rip can be brutal, so most visitors come to watch the giants of winter from the sand. Outside the big swells it calms enough for a swim, but check the conditions and the lifeguard flags before you go near it.

Big peakExpertStrong rip
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5
The point and beach at Kirra on the southern Gold CoastPhoto: PSPMedia NZ via Google
Coolangatta, Gold Coast

Kirra

For a generation Kirra was the best barrel in the world, a sand bottomed right that ran so fast and hollow it became surf legend. It sits at five because on its day it is still sublime, but the dredging that built the Superbank changed it, and it now needs the right swell and sand to fire. When it does, nothing on this coast compares, and when it does not you simply walk up to Snapper. Come on a solid cyclone swell and you may see why old timers still talk about it in hushed tones.

Sand barrelFickleLegend
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6
The cove and barreling left wave at Padang Padang Beach in BaliPhoto: André Schneider via Google
Pecatu, Bali

Padang Padang

Known as the Balinese Pipeline, Padang is a short, perfect, mechanical left barrel that draws the world's best when the dry season swell switches on. It earns sixth as the most photogenic wave in Indonesia, framed by a pretty cove you climb down into through the rocks. Make no mistake, this is a heavy reef for experts only when it is firing, and a charming swimming beach when it is flat. Watch a contest day from the cliff and you will understand the fuss.

Balinese PipelineBarrelExperts
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7
The headland and right point wave at Burleigh Heads on the Gold CoastPhoto: Maël Vincent (mvkirk) via Google
Gold Coast

Burleigh Heads

A world class right point that wraps around a headland reserve, Burleigh is the most complete surf experience on the Gold Coast, a quality wave in a beautiful setting beside a town worth lingering in. It ranks above the heavier reefs for sheer all round appeal, suiting strong intermediates who can handle a crowd and a fast wall. The local pecking order is real, so earn your waves and stay patient. Surf the point on a clean swell, then walk the headland to watch the next set roll through the pines.

Right pointHeadlandIntermediate
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8
The cliff warungs and shallow reef wave at Bingin Beach in BaliPhoto: Roman Gutikov via Google
Uluwatu, Bali

Bingin

A short, shallow, intense left that breaks over a coral shelf below a cliff stacked with warungs and surf shacks, Bingin is the Bukit at its most addictive. It sits at eight because the wave is genuinely excellent and the scene around it is the best on the peninsula, even if the reef is unforgiving at low tide. Intermediate and better surfers will love it, while beginners should watch from a cliffside cafe with a cold drink. Go on a mid tide dry season morning and stay for lunch above the break.

Shallow reefFast leftBukit scene
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9
The wide bay and headland at Waimea Bay on the North Shore of OahuPhoto: kiro sto via Google
North Shore, Oahu

Waimea Bay

This is where big wave surfing was born, the bay that comes alive only a handful of days each winter when giant swells turn it into a thundering arena. It earns ninth on history and sheer scale alone, but honesty matters, because most of the year Waimea is a calm and beautiful swimming and cliff jumping beach with no surf at all. When it breaks it is for a tiny elite, so come to witness rather than to paddle. If the famous Eddie contest is called you are watching the Super Bowl of surfing.

Big waveHistorySeasonal
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10
Windsurfers and surfers at Hookipa Beach Park near Paia on MauiPhoto: Chris Martin via Google
Paia, Maui

Hookipa

The windsurfing capital of the world and a serious surf reef in its own right, Hookipa is where the trade winds and the swell meet to spectacular effect. It ranks here because no beach offers a better free show, as from the clifftop car park you watch wave riders, windsurfers and kitesurfers carve the same lineup. The water is for experienced riders only and the reef is sharp, so swimmers should look elsewhere on Maui. Come late afternoon when the wind fills in and the turtles haul out on the sand.

WindsurfReefFree show
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11
The long sandy learner surf bay at Weligama on the south coast of Sri LankaPhoto: Nafia Haseen via Google
South Coast, Sri Lanka

Weligama

If you want to actually learn to surf rather than watch others do it, Weligama is one of the friendliest bays on the planet, a long sandy beginner wave with board hire and instructors lining the shore. It earns eleventh as the best entry point on this list, the antidote to the expert reefs above it. Stronger surfers will find it soft and crowded with first timers, so they should move along the coast to the reefs. Come in the southern dry season from November to April and take your first green wave here.

BeginnerSoft waveBoard hire
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12
The rocky point and surf peak at Arpoador between Ipanema and Copacabana in RioPhoto: Aldenor Filho via Google
Rio de Janeiro

Arpoador

Wedged between Ipanema and Copacabana, Arpoador is the beating heart of Rio surf culture, a peak that breaks against a rocky point beneath one of the great urban sunsets. It ranks twelfth for atmosphere as much as the wave, which is fun and rideable rather than world beating. The lineup is local, crowded and full of soul, so bring patience and respect. Surf the morning, then join the crowd on the rock that applauds the sun as it drops behind the Dois Irmaos peaks.

Urban pointSunsetSoulful
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13
The beach break and promenade at Manly Beach in SydneyPhoto: Chris Cousins via Google
Sydney

Manly

The birthplace of Australian surfing and still its most accessible icon, Manly is a long reliable beach break a ferry ride from the centre of Sydney. It earns thirteenth for sheer convenience and consistency, a wave that suits improvers and the merely curious in equal measure. Purists will find better quality up the coast, but few beaches blend a real wave with a buzzing town this well. Take the ferry across the harbour, hire a board on the Corso and paddle out where the sport began in Australia.

BirthplaceReliableFerry ride
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14
The monsoon season surf and sweeping bay at Kata Beach in PhuketPhoto: Jacek Lesniowski via Google
Phuket

Kata Beach

Thailand's surf capital is a gentle secret, because from May to October the southwest monsoon turns Kata into a fun forgiving beach break that the rest of the year is a calm swimming bay. It ranks fourteenth as the most dependable surf in the country and a genuinely good place to learn, with schools right on the sand. Outside the monsoon there is simply no swell, so time your trip to the green season. Surf the south end near the headland and check the flags, as the rip can run on the bigger days.

Monsoon swellBeginnerSchools
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15
The arc of sand and surf peaks at Bondi Beach in SydneyPhoto: Fiona Harlow via Google
Sydney

Bondi

The most famous beach in Australia is also a proper surf beach, with peaks scattered along its arc and a learner friendly corner at the south end. It sits at fifteen on fame and energy rather than wave quality, which is solid without being special. The trade off is people, as Bondi is busy, brash and built up, so come early if you want space in the water. Surf the south end away from the flags, then walk the coastal path to Bronte to see the quieter side of the eastern beaches.

IconicLearner cornerBusy
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16
The reef break known as The Rock at Kabalana near Ahangama in Sri LankaPhoto: Laura van der Horst via Google
Ahangama, Sri Lanka

Kabalana

Home to the wave known simply as The Rock, Kabalana is the most consistent reef on Sri Lanka's south coast, working across a wider range of swell and tide than its neighbours. It earns sixteenth as the spot that keeps delivering when softer beaches go flat, suiting intermediates ready to step off the sand and onto a reef. Beginners should bank their hours at Weligama first. Surf it at mid tide and keep an eye on the shallow takeoff over the rock that gives the wave its name.

ReefConsistentIntermediate
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17
The cliff and long left reef wave at Balangan Beach in BaliPhoto: Tamás Mecseki via Google
Pecatu, Bali

Balangan

A long rolling left that peels along a reef beneath a cliff of bamboo warungs, Balangan is the Bukit's most relaxed quality wave, less savage than Bingin and Padang. It ranks seventeenth because it offers genuine wall and length without the full intensity of its famous neighbours, a fine choice for a confident intermediate. The reef still bites at low tide, so surf it with water over the rocks. Climb down for a dawn session, then watch the morning light move along the wave from a hammock above.

Long leftRelaxedReef
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18
The protected green cove and powerful right wave at Prainha in western RioPhoto: Everaldo Ferreira via Google
Rio de Janeiro

Prainha

Tucked inside a protected park west of the city, Prainha is widely held to be the best wave in Rio, a powerful right that draws the region's sharpest surfers to a wild green cove. It earns eighteenth as the quality break among the list's Brazilian entries, a real step up from the city beaches. The setting is pristine and the locals are good, so come humble and read the lineup before you paddle out. Get there early on a south swell, as the small car park and the crowd both fill fast.

Best in RioPowerfulProtected
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19
The creek mouth and gentle point wave at Currumbin Alley on the Gold CoastPhoto: Mike Robertson via Google
Gold Coast

Currumbin Alley

Where a creek meets the sea, Currumbin Alley serves up one of the gentlest and longest learner and longboard waves in the country, a sand bottomed point that forgives almost everything. It ranks nineteenth as the ideal counterpoint to the heavy reefs above, the place to log mileage and have fun. Advanced surfers will find it too soft on most days and the crowd too thick, so they keep moving to Burleigh. Bring a longboard, surf the inside on a small swell and let the current carry you back up the point.

LongboardGentleLearner
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20
The black sand beach breaks and surf scene at Canggu in BaliPhoto: Marcus Holz via Google
Bali

Canggu

The engine of Bali's modern surf boom, Canggu is a string of beach and reef breaks fronting the island's busiest cafe and co working scene. It earns twentieth for the wave and the world around it, a reliable place to surf in the morning and disappear into Bali life by lunch. The lineup is crowded and the black sand beach breaks are fickle, so manage your expectations on quality. Surf Echo Beach or Berawa early, then accept that you came as much for the town as the wave.

Beach breakSurf townCrowded
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21
The horseshoe bay framed by jungle at Hiriketiya near Dickwella in Sri LankaPhoto: Randolfo Santos · via Google
Dickwella, Sri Lanka

Hiriketiya

A near perfect horseshoe bay that became the south coast's darling, Hiriketiya offers a soft beginner wave on the inside and a sharper reef break on the outside, all wrapped in jungle. It ranks twenty first for charm and versatility, a rare beach that suits the first timer and the improver on the same morning. The secret is well and truly out, so the tiny bay can feel packed in season. Come early, surf the inside to warm up, then test the outside reef when you are ready.

Horseshoe bayVersatileCharming
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22
The headland and beach break at Freshwater Beach in northern SydneyPhoto: Simon Peters via Google
Sydney

Freshwater

This is hallowed ground, as Duke Kahanamoku surfed here in 1915 and effectively introduced the sport to Australia, and a statue on the headland still watches the lineup. Freshwater earns twenty second on heritage and a tidy uncrowded beach break that locals quietly treasure. It is a step down in scale from the northern beaches' best, but the sense of place is unmatched. Surf the corner near the rocks, then read the plaque and understand why this small beach matters.

HeritageTidyUncrowded
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23
The long run of beach breaks at Cronulla in southern SydneyPhoto: Natalie Radhe via Google
Sydney

Cronulla

Sydney's only beach you can reach by train, Cronulla is a long run of consistent beach breaks and a proper surf town with a deep local culture. It ranks twenty third for dependability and range, with banks to suit improvers and the odd quality day for everyone else. The flip side is a fierce local scene and crowds on the better sandbanks, so spread out and stay respectful. Surf the stretch toward Wanda for more room, and let the train take the stress out of the day.

Train accessRangeLocal
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24
The heavy shorebreak detonating onto the sand at Sandy Beach on OahuPhoto: Kammie Tang via Google
Oahu

Sandy Beach

The most famous bodysurfing and bodyboarding beach in Hawaii, Sandy's is a thick sucking shorebreak that detonates straight onto the sand with frightening force. It earns twenty fourth as a spectacle and a rite of passage, but the warning is serious, because this beach injures more people than almost any other on Oahu. Stand riders and casual swimmers should stay out and watch the experts get pitched and somehow land it. Go to witness raw power up close, and respect every red flag the lifeguards fly.

BodysurfShorebreakDangerous
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25
The long open beach break and wide sand at Barra da Tijuca in RioPhoto: Mister Clean Belford Roxo via Google
Rio de Janeiro

Barra da Tijuca

Rio's longest beach is also its most democratic surf zone, miles of open beach break with room for every level and a peak to suit most days. It ranks twenty fifth because the sheer space dilutes the crowds that choke Arpoador, even if the wave quality is merely good. Beginners and improvers will find friendly banks, while experts drift west toward Prainha for the real thing. Pick a peak away from the busy sections near the kiosks and enjoy having water to yourself.

Open beachSpaceAll levels
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26
The cove and monsoon shorebreak at Surin Beach in PhuketPhoto: yen youlong via Google
Phuket

Surin Beach

A handsome cove that turns surfable when the monsoon swell arrives, Surin is the more characterful of Phuket's wave beaches, with a punchier shorebreak than gentle Kata. It earns twenty sixth as a fun seasonal option for confident beginners and improvers from May to October. There is no surf at all in the dry season, when it reverts to a smart swimming and sunset beach. Check the flags carefully, as the shorebreak and rip here deserve respect on the bigger days.

SeasonalPunchySunset
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27
The gentle point and mountain backdrop at Launiupoko Beach Park on West MauiPhoto: Howie Outerbridge via Google
Lahaina, Maui

Launiupoko

A mellow rolling point on West Maui, Launiupoko is the island's friendliest place to learn, with a soft wave, a sheltered pool for children and the West Maui mountains as a backdrop. It ranks twenty seventh as the gentle counterweight to fierce Hookipa, ideal for families and first timers. Better surfers will find it tame, but the setting and the easy paddle make it a lovely morning. Come early before the wind and the longboard crowd arrive, and bring the whole family.

FamilyGentleLearner
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28
The quiet reef and beach peaks at Madiha near Matara in Sri LankaPhoto: Nimantha Tharuka via Google
Matara, Sri Lanka

Madiha

A spread of uncrowded reef and beach peaks near Matara, Madiha rewards the surfer willing to look beyond the famous names with quieter lineups and a friendly local feel. It earns twenty eighth as the south coast's quiet alternative, a place to surf without the Hiriketiya scrum. The reef sections suit improvers, while the sandy stretches welcome beginners on the smaller days. Hire a tuk tuk along the coast, surf a peak you mostly have to yourself and keep the spot's low key spirit intact.

UncrowdedReef peaksLocal
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29
The long beach and point reef at Dee Why on the northern beaches of SydneyPhoto: Marek Migurski via Google
Sydney

Dee Why

A dependable northern beaches workhorse, Dee Why offers a long beach break and a quality reef at the point that fires for the locals on the right swell. It ranks twenty ninth for consistency and a genuine surf community without the tourist crush of Manly down the road. Improvers will find reliable banks, while the point is best left to those who know it. Surf the beach for an honest session, then grab a coffee on the strip and watch the point do its thing.

WorkhorseConsistentCommunity
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30
The summer reef wave at Ala Moana Bowls on the town side of HonoluluPhoto: Jayne Cloutier via Google
Honolulu, Oahu

Ala Moana Bowls

On the town side of Honolulu, Ala Moana Bowls is a sharp hollow reef that switches on with the summer south swells, a complete contrast to the winter giants of the North Shore. It rounds out the list at thirty because it shows the other face of Oahu surf, warm and urban and seriously good when it breaks. The wave is shallow and the lineup expert and territorial, so most visitors enjoy it from the calm lagoon park alongside. Come on a clean south swell from May to September and watch the locals thread the Bowl.

Summer swellReefUrban
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Honest notes

How we ranked them, and how to surf them

Two variables decide your session more than any other: the tide and the hour. Reefs like Uluwatu, Bingin and Kabalana change character completely between low and high water, and the famous breaks are emptiest and cleanest in the first hour after dawn before the wind and the crowd arrive. The single best habit on this whole list is to be in the water at first light with a tide chart in your head.

Season is the other ruler, and it flips with the hemisphere. The North Shore of Oahu turns on from November to February, the Bukit in Bali fires in the dry season from May to September, the south coast of Sri Lanka works from November to April, and Phuket only breaks during the monsoon from May to October. Australia and Rio carry surf across the year. Turn up in the wrong window and a world class wave is a flat swimming bay, so we have flagged the season on every entry that needs one.

Last, respect earns waves. Every quality break on this list has a local crew that surfs it daily, and the reefs are sharp and shallow enough to punish ignorance. Learn the lineup before you paddle out, wait your turn, do not drop in, and know your limit honestly. Pick the wave that matches your level, treat the locals and the reef with respect, and these thirty beaches will give you the best surf of your life.

Questions, answered

Common questions

What is the best surf beach in the world?

It depends on what you want from the day. For sheer spectacle and history nothing beats the Banzai Pipeline on Oahu, for a long warm wave you can actually ride the Superbank at Snapper Rocks is the traveller's choice, and for the surf trip of a lifetime Uluwatu in Bali is hard to top. Match the beach to your level and the season before you book.

Where should a beginner learn to surf?

Start at a soft sandy beach with schools on hand, not a shallow reef. Weligama in Sri Lanka, Currumbin Alley on the Gold Coast, Kata Beach in Phuket during the monsoon and Launiupoko on Maui are all forgiving and well set up for first timers. Build your hours on sand before you go near the famous reefs.

Which famous surf beaches are overrated?

Bondi in Sydney and Kuta in Bali are more scene than wave, fun enough but rarely the best surf in their region. If you have come to surf properly, point yourself at Burleigh Heads, Uluwatu or Prainha instead, where the wave quality lives up to the name. The honest move is to enjoy the icons for their energy and chase the quality elsewhere.

When is the best season to surf these beaches?

Season is everything and it flips by coast. Oahu's North Shore peaks from November to February, Bali and the Bukit fire in the dry season from May to September, Sri Lanka's south coast works from November to April, and Phuket only breaks during the southwest monsoon from May to October. The Gold Coast, Sydney and Rio carry surf across the year with the best swells in their respective autumns and winters.

Are these surf beaches safe for swimming?

Many are not. Several entries here are expert reefs or violent shorebreaks, and beaches like Sandy Beach and Waimea Bay injure swimmers regularly, so treat them as watch only when the surf is up. Gentler bays such as Weligama, Kata and Launiupoko are far more swimmer friendly. Always read the flags, ask the lifeguards and never assume a famous wave is a safe swim.

Do I need to bring my own surfboard?

Not for the learner and beach break spots, where board hire and lessons are everywhere, from Weligama and Kata to Currumbin and Canggu. For the heavier reefs you will want your own equipment and the experience to match it. If you are travelling light, plan to rent at the gentle beaches and leave the reefs to the surfers who arrive with their quiver.

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