COSTA CALMA SURFING HOLIDAYS - SURF SPOTS
Below is a rough guide to the beaches and reef breaks where the surf lessons, coaching or guided surfing take place.
The details below only represent the best-known spots & spots suitable for beginners. it has never been our policy to reveal secret spots as local surfers deserve some places to call their own.
We don't provide directions to the surf spots and this guide is only intended to give our clients an indication of what to expect in terms of surf.
Having said that, your surfari guide knows every spot on the island, knows when they are breaking and when it's OK for you to paddle out.
Quick Links: La pared | Shipwreck | Costa Calma | Jandia | Aldiana | Iberostar | Mal Nombre | El Salmo | Airport beach | Chipmonk Beach | Cofete | Salinas | Aquita | Turbia | Other Spots
La Pared
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: Beginners*
Popular with: Surf schools
Why?: Gentle waves at low tide great spot for riding broken waves
Hazards: Strong currents usually pulling to the left. Can get very windy
*Important: Beginners should always surf at low tide during the winter season as the shorebreak and rips can get really powerful as the tide comes in.
Back to top
Shipwreck Beach
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: Great for beginners* and advanced surfers
Popular with: Spanish locals
Why?: Shelterd from the wind so glassy clean & the paddle out is nice-n-easy.
Hazards: Locals - Never visit beach on weekends or late afternoons
*Important: beginners should surf at mid tide (in winter high tide shore break is too strong and very close to the rocks. At low tide waves tend to close out.
Back to top
Costa Calma
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: Great for beginners & longboarders
Popular with: No other surfers to worry about here
Why?: Nice wind-generated waves for beginners to practise surfing green waves
Hazards: Strong longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference.
Back to top
Jandia
This beach break works under three different conditions:
1) Strong North-east swell - producing gentle left handers.
2) Strong North-west swell
3) Strong Southerly swell - producing powerful righthanders
There are two peaks here, one at the end of the foot path with whale skeleton, the other in front of the light house (best with strong north-east wind-generated swell).
This is a touristy beach so expect an audience ;-).
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: All levels of surfers
Popular with: advanced beginners* & Spanish locals
Why?: a) Nice waves for beginners to practise surfing green waves
b) produces good righthanders on a southerly swell
c) Easy paddle out so ideal for practicing your paddling technique
d) Regardless of wind strength you can find refuge here
Hazards: a) Strong longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference.
b) On a southerly swell watch out for the locals.
c) At high tide watch out for a really strong shore break (NW or S ground swell)
*Important: Good spot for advanced beginners progressing from broken waves to Green waves. This spot also produces some nice wind-generated waves ideal for practising your green wave surfing. At complete low tide waves are always smaller (NW or South ground swell)
Back to top
Aldiana
Great spot for beginners as most of the time this spot produces mellow wind-generated waves. Works in the same conditions as Jandia (see above).
Expect an audience on the beach if you surf here.
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: Great for beginners*
Popular with: No other surfers here at anytime
Why?: Little known spot & only really for beginners
Hazards: None
*Important: This is a good spot for beginners with an easy paddle out and you'll probably find no other surfers here at anytime! Regardless of wind strength you can find refuge here.
Back to top
Iberostar
In front of the volleyball field there is a right hander. It works on big swells from the NW or WNW when Jandia is too big you can check out this spot. Again, you can expect an audience if you surf here.
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: Great for beginners*
Popular with: No other surfers here at anytime
Why?: Little known spot & only really for beginners
Hazards: Strong longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference.
*Important: This is a good spot for beginners with small waves and an easy paddle out. No other surfers here at anytime! Regardless of wind strength you can find refuge here.
Back to top
Mal Nombre
During a week with wind-generated swells and strong winds this is a good alternative spot for beginners. The spot works with wind-driven NE swells.
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: Great for beginners*
Popular with: No other surfers here at anytime
Why?: Little known spot & only really for beginners
Hazards: Strong longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference.
*Important: This is a good spot for beginners with small waves and an easy paddle out. No other surfers here at anytime! Only surf at low tide as there a some slimy little rocks between the beach and the sandbank
Back to top
El Salmo
A righthander in front of the rocks, that breaks on sand with a little beach next to it. Spot works with big swells from the NE and with the right tide and swell the lefthander can get really good.
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: For beginners* & intermediates (the lefthander is pretty consistant)
Popular with: No other surfers here to worry about
Why?: Little known spot and tides are crucial**
Hazards: Strong longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference.
*Important: This is a good spot for beginners with small waves and an easy paddle out. No other surfers here at anytime!
**You have to be here at the right state of the tide. Mid to high tide for the lefthander; low tide for the beach.
Back to top
Airport Beach/Playa Blanca
Don’t try surfing here in summer as the beach lifeguards don’t tolerate surfing. In winter this spot can provide a 'last alternative' if La Pared and Shipwreck are to big and the east coast is to small.
Works with normal North east wind-swell creating wind-gererated waves to practice green wave surfing. No other surfers to worry about, maybe a surfschool on the odd occasion.
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: For beginners* & longboarders
Popular with: No other surfers to worry about, occasionally used by surf schools
Why?: Creates fun waves for longboarding or first green wave rides
Hazards: Strong rip and longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference
*Important: If the wind swell is very big (over 2 meters), it’s better go to Jandia, as the rips and currents get very strong. Not a very attractive spot and a long drive from Costa Calma.
Back to top
Chipmonk Beach
The beach is tiny but never crowded*. It only produces small, surfable waves at low tide. Works with swells from North west to west or south or easterly wind swell.
Good beach for advanced beginners or intermediates.
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: For advanced beginners & intermediate surfers
Popular with: Usually completely deserted
Why?: Only accessible with a 4 wheel drive
Hazards: Longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference
*Important: As the beach is not that wide please don’t go there with a big group.
Back to top
Cofete
Probaply the largest beach on the island. Works with swells from the North-west to west. If you're travelling from Costa calma, plan a day trip*.
Type: Beach break
Who's it for: For advanced beginners & intermediate surfers
Popular with: Usually completely deserted
Why?: Only accessible with a 4 wheel drive and it's a long drive
Hazards: a) Longshore drift, always use a landmark as reference
b) Strong Shorebreak at hightide
*Important: Don’t get stuck in the sand with your car, there is nobody around that can help pull you out.
Back to top
Salinas
“Punta de Salinas” is the biggest wave on the south east coast. The wave is a righthander that works with big swells from North west to west or smaller swells from south. Offshore in north east to north west winds. Works best at mid tide and
when it’s big it becomes very powerful and produces good barrels.
Type: Beach and reef break
Who's it for: Only suitable for advanced intermediate to experienced surfers.
Popular with: Spanish locals and everybody else!
Why?: Excellent surf spot with powerful tubey waves
Hazards: a) Sea urchins at low tide
b) Locals*
*Important: This spot can become crowded, only drive there with small groups (not more then 4 people) and try to surf here very early in the morning (arrive at the crack of dawn!)
Back to top
Aquita
A few hunderd meters further then Salinas this is a righthander that works with big swells from North west to west or normal swells from south. Offshore in north east to north west winds. Works best on a low to mid tide. Very easy wave that starts working when Salinas is big to almost too big. The wave stays easy even if it is over head high.
Type: Beach and reef break
Who's it for: Only suitable for intermediate to advanced surfers.
Popular with: Spanish locals and everybody else!
Why?: Excellent surf spot with powerful tubey waves
Hazards: a) Current sucks you into the peak
b) The big rock in the lineup (it does make a very good lineup point ;-)).
c) Locals*
*Important: This spot can become crowded, only drive there with small groups (not more then 4 people) and try to surf here very early in the morning (arrive at the crack of dawn!)
Back to top
Turbia
This is a bay with a bay with a righthander to the right, a channel in the middle and a lefthander to the left. The righthander offers a longer ride than the lefthander but is always smaller.
The righthander is a epic 'Indo-style' wave with steep walls and round barrels.
Works with swells from North west to west. Is offshore in easterly wind. Works through all the tides, but best definatley best at high tide.
Type: Reef break
Who's it for: Only suitable for advanced intermediate to experienced surfers.
Popular with: Spanish locals and everybody else!
Why?: Excellent surf spot with powerful tubey waves
Hazards: a) Currents & rips
b) Always bigger than it looks from the shore!
b) Locals*
*Important: This spot can become crowded, only drive there with small groups (not more then 4 people) and try to surf here very early in the morning (arrive at the crack of dawn!)
Back to top
Other spots
With a group of good surfers it’s also worth doing a day trip north, there are some very god reefs from easy to hardcore. There are also some beaches that work in simular conditions to the beaches in the south. The drive takes 90 minutes, ask the head coach/head of school for further information.
Back to top
