Note to travelling surfers
- Ecosystem first. Be kind to the environment you’re visiting: don’t leave any trash behind.
- Be kind to locals. Every lineup has an order and it was earned over years. Wait your turn, and respect local etiquette.
- Fly less, stay longer. The flight is the biggest impact of any surf trip. Two weeks once beats one week twice!
The best warm water surf escapes from Europe between October and March are the Canary Islands, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Cape Verde, Senegal, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Bali's east coast and Barbados.
The Canaries and Morocco are the short haul picks at four hours or less. Sri Lanka and Costa Rica are the warm water picks if you can take two weeks. Everything else sits between.
European surfing does not stop in winter, it just gets cold. A 4/3 with boots, gloves and a hood turns a two hour session into forty shivering minutes, and the North Sea in January is 6 degrees.
This guide compares nine destinations on the things that actually decide a winter trip: flight time, water temperature, and whether you will be able to surf the waves when you get there.
- 1. The nine best winter surf escapes compared
- 2. Under five hours: the Canaries, Morocco and Cape Verde
- 3. Six to eight hours: Senegal and Barbados
- 4. Long haul: Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Bali
- 5. Which winter destination suits your level?
- 6. Best winter destination, month by month
- 7. What to pack for a winter surf escape
- 8. Summary
- 9. Frequently asked questions
The nine best winter surf escapes compared
This is the table to make your decision from. Flight times are from Amsterdam, Brussels or Paris. Water temperatures are typical for the October to March window and are approximate.
| Destination | Flight | Water (°C) | Wetsuit | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canary Islands | 4h 30 | 19 to 23 | 3/2 or shorty | All levels |
| Morocco | 3h 30 | 17 to 20 | 3/2 | Intermediate and up |
| Cape Verde | 6h | 23 to 25 | Boardshorts | Intermediate and up |
| Senegal | 6h | 21 to 25 | Boardshorts or shorty | Intermediate and up |
| Barbados | 8h 30 | 26 to 28 | Boardshorts | All levels |
| Sri Lanka | 11h | 27 to 29 | Boardshorts | All levels |
| Costa Rica | 12h | 27 to 29 | Boardshorts | All levels |
| Nicaragua | 13h | 27 to 29 | Boardshorts | All levels |
| Bali (east coast) | 16h | 28 to 29 | Boardshorts | Intermediate and up |
The short version. Shortest flight: Morocco. Warmest water: Bali and Sri Lanka. Easiest trip overall: the Canary Islands. Best waves: Morocco, if you can surf them. Best for a first ever surf holiday: Sri Lanka or the Canaries.
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Under five hours: the Canaries, Morocco and Cape Verde
These three are the ones you can do over a long weekend. No jet lag, no vaccinations, no long haul flight, and in the case of the Canaries, no visa or currency change either.
The Canary Islands are the most straightforward winter surf trip available to a European. Four and a half hours, EU territory, euros, roaming included, and 19 to 23 degree water that only needs a 3/2. Fuerteventura has the best spread of waves for mixed groups, Lanzarote has the best quality, and Gran Canaria lets you surf before breakfast and eat in a real city afterwards. Full detail in our Canary Islands guide and Fuerteventura guide.
Morocco has the best waves on this list. The catch is that the famous points are intermediate and above, and the water is colder than the palm trees suggest, at 17 to 20 degrees. See our Morocco guide and Taghazout guide.
Cape Verde is the warm water short haul option: six hours to 23 to 25 degree water with no wetsuit at all. Sal and Boa Vista have the infrastructure, and the waves are best from November to March. It is considerably quieter than Morocco, and the good spots are reef breaks suited to intermediates and above.
Six to eight hours: Senegal and Barbados
Senegal is the least known good option on this list. Six hours from Paris, no jet lag because it is in the same time zone as the UK, water at 21 to 25 degrees and a season running November to March. Dakar has several quality waves including Ouakam and Ngor Right, and the coast south towards Somone has quieter beach breaks. It suits intermediates upwards.
Barbados is the Caribbean option that actually has surf. Soup Bowl on the east coast is a genuinely world class right hand reef break, and the west and south coasts have far gentler waves for beginners and improvers. The season is October to March and the water is 26 to 28 degrees.
Long haul: Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Bali
These four justify the flight if you can take ten days or more. All of them are boardshorts water.
| Destination | Peak winter months | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka (south coast) | Nov to Apr | Learning and long stays |
| Costa Rica (Pacific) | Dec to Apr | Reliable offshore mornings |
| Nicaragua | Nov to Apr | Offshore wind almost every day |
| Bali (east coast) | Nov to Mar | Warm reef waves with no crowds |
Sri Lanka is the standout. The south coast between Weligama, Midigama and Ahangama has a wave for every level within a few kilometres and water at 28 degrees. It is the best place in the world to go from your first white water to your first proper reef wave. See our Sri Lanka guide.
Costa Rica is the most dependable. December to April is the dry season with offshore winds most mornings, so you can plan a trip without watching the forecast in a panic. Our guides to Costa Rica, Tamarindo and Santa Teresa cover it.
Nicaragua sits right next door to Costa Rica. The dry season brings offshore wind almost every single day around San Juan del Sur and Popoyo, and it remains far quieter. Bali works in winter too, as long as you know to surf the east coast at Keramas, Sanur and Serangan rather than Uluwatu. Our Bali guide explains the coast swap.
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Which winter destination suits your level?
This is where most winter trips go wrong. People book Morocco for the photographs and then discover the points are well beyond them. Match the destination to where you actually are.
| Your level | Best picks | Why | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete beginner | Sri Lanka, Fuerteventura, Costa Rica | Sandy bottoms, warm water, schools everywhere | Morocco's points, Bali's reefs, Cape Verde |
| Improver, catching green waves | Sri Lanka, Canaries, Costa Rica, Nicaragua | Forgiving waves with room to progress | Cape Verde, Senegal, Barbados east coast |
| Solid intermediate | Morocco, Canaries, Nicaragua, Bali east | Real waves that still allow mistakes | Nothing much, but pick your days |
| Advanced | Morocco, Cape Verde, Senegal, Barbados | Quality reefs and points that need skill | Nothing |
Best winter destination, month by month
If your dates are fixed, work from this table. Each month has a short haul pick and a long haul pick, so you can choose on flight time rather than compromise on waves.
| Month | Short haul pick | Long haul pick | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | Canary Islands | Sri Lanka | October guide |
| November | Morocco | Sri Lanka | November guide |
| December | Morocco | Sri Lanka | December guide |
| January | Canary Islands | Costa Rica | January guide |
| February | Morocco | Costa Rica | February guide |
| March | Morocco | Nicaragua | March guide |
Christmas and New Year is the single busiest fortnight of the winter everywhere on this list. Late January, early February and March are consistently quieter, with the same waves and half the people.
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What to pack for a winter surf escape
The packing list changes completely depending on which side of 22 degrees your destination sits. Get this right and you save a checked bag; get it wrong and you spend the week uncomfortable.
| Destination | Wetsuit | Booties | Other essentials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canary Islands | 3/2 in winter, shorty Sep to Nov | Yes for the reefs | Reef safe sun cream, rash vest |
| Morocco | 3/2 | Yes, the points are boulder | Warm layer for evenings, sun cream |
| Cape Verde / Senegal | None, maybe a shorty | Yes for the reefs | Strong sun protection, rash vest |
| Sri Lanka / Bali | None | Yes for the reefs | Reef first aid, insect repellent, rash vest |
| Costa Rica / Nicaragua | None | Optional | Insect repellent, quick dry towel, sun cream |
| Barbados | None | Yes for Soup Bowl | Reef safe sun cream, rash vest |
The single easiest weight saving is liquids. Board bags run into airline weight limits fast, and a bottle of shampoo, a bottle of shower gel and a face wash is close to a kilo of water you are flying across the world. A solid bar covers all three, weighs 80 grams, does not count towards the 100ml hand luggage limit and will not leak over your wetsuit in transit.
The full checklist, including what to deliberately leave at home, is in our surf trip packing list.
Summary
You do not have to spend the European winter in a 4/3. The Canary Islands are the easiest trip, Morocco has the best waves, Sri Lanka is the best place to learn, and Costa Rica is the most reliable. Pick on flight time and level first, and avoid Christmas fortnight if you can.
Next, read the guide to the best surf destinations in the world or start with the destination guides for Morocco and the Canary Islands.
Frequently asked questions
Where can Europeans surf in winter without a wetsuit?
Cape Verde at 23 to 25 degrees is the closest, six hours from Paris. Beyond that, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Bali and Barbados are all 26 degrees or warmer through the European winter. The Canary Islands reach 22 to 23 degrees in October and November, warm enough for a shorty.
What is the closest warm water surf to Europe in winter?
The Canary Islands, four and a half hours away with water at 19 to 23 degrees, which only needs a 3/2 or a shorty. Morocco is closer at three and a half hours but its water is colder, at 17 to 20 degrees.
Where is the best winter surf for beginners?
Sri Lanka's south coast, for warm water, sandy bottoms, plenty of surf schools and a wave for every level within a few kilometres. Fuerteventura is the best short haul option, with sheltered beginner beaches that work right through the winter.
Can you surf in Bali in the European winter?
Yes, on the east coast. From November to March the westerly winds blow out Uluwatu and the west, but they are offshore at Keramas, Nusa Dua, Sanur and Serangan. The water is 28 degrees and the crowds are the lightest of the year.
When should I book a winter surf trip?
Two to four months ahead for the best choice of flights, and earlier still for Christmas and New Year, which is the busiest fortnight everywhere. Late January, February and March give you the same waves with fewer people.
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Alexandre
Founder @Rinsed™
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