– SOLO SURF TRAVEL GUIDE –
Surfing is a solitary pursuit. It’s you against, or hopefully, working with Mama Nature to get your stoke inducing dose of the glide.
Sure surf trips with mates are a blast, but sometimes it’s good to strike out on your own. You can’t always find a wingman or woman. Sidekicks ain’t always on hand after all. Travelling by yourself is epic, no decision by committee, no faff with where or what to eat, no dilly-dallying deciding where to surf: just you and yours pleasuring yourself. So to speak. The downside is you can’t split the costs of rental cars and rooms but fear not, modern surf camps are set up for solo travellers, you’ve got a pop-up bunch of mates just waiting for you. It’s a chance to engage with actual humans, not stare at a screen, meeting fellow travellers is one of the best things you can do. Exchanging stories and tips on spots to check out, play cards and hell, even have a few shandies. Surfing is a big worldwide family. Wherever you go, you’ll meet likeminded souls. So pack that board bag and explore. The crew in the following pages are ready for you.
Click Through to 12 Of The Best SOLO Travel Options Below
SOLO TRAVEL TIPS Below
Simplicity.
As with all travel keep it simple. Only bring stuff you need. You don’t want to be dragging a board bag across a city between two bus stations you can barely lift. Keep it light, tight and essential. You’re travelling to surf not to bring your entire wardrobe on a jolly. Ostentatious wealth in the poorer parts of the world ain’t a good look.
Planning.
Flights, trains, buses and the rest are all easier when you’re solo. There’s always room for a little one. But make sure you know how you’re getting to wherever you’re going. The camps will aid you if they don’t have a pickup service. Leave an itinerary with family or friends, you don’t want to be checking in all the time, but letting folks know where you’re meant to be is easy as these days.
Security.
Always check the Foreign Office travel advice for your destination. They’re excellent on letting you know about potential issues or local customs to be aware of. There aren’t many places in the surf world that are mega sketchy, but knowledge is power.
Keep your shit together when on the road. You don’t want to wake up minus a kidney or rocking an STI. Sure things get loose at surf camps, and that’s fine don’t go mad when you don’t know the people or place too well.
Enjoy.
Travelling to surf is one of the best things you can do. Talk to people, talk to the locals, get stuck in, surf your face off. Or, of course, if you want to be a Zen dude and surf, do yoga and read then that’s also cool. Namaste.
Health.
As with all travel make sure you’ve got the jabs if needed, and antimalarials if required. Your local GP centre will have a travel nurse clinic who’ll guide you through it and jab you up if it’s called for.
Safety.
Especially on boat trips. When the captain says, ‘Don’t go out on deck for a piss when you’re hammered.’ He means it. Folks fall off boats all the time when three sheets to the wind, never to be seen again. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Carry a decent first aid kit. Learn CPR and a functional knowledge of stitching is super handy on surf trips as big cuts are the main hazard in general.