5 Best Surf Camps for Beginners
Attending a surf camp is a great way to kickstart your surfing journey. Whether you’ve never surfed before and want to learn to start surfing or you’re at a beginner level looking to progress, a quality surf camp experience can definitely help you progress. In our opinion, surf camps in general are great for beginners, as the focus on surfing and concentrated coaching sessions will help you build a solid foundation.
What Makes a Surf Camp Ideal for Beginners?
There are a few things to consider when looking at surf camps to decide if it will be a good fit for you or any beginner. First, you want to find a surf camp with qualified instructors. The quality of your surf instruction will vary from camp to camp, and finding a surf camp with ISA-certified instructors means you’ll get the best instruction possible. Remember to investigate the instruction when you’re planning your surf trip!
Next, you should consider the waves on offer. You can’t show up to Pipeline and expect it to be great for beginners! Do some research about the different types of breaks on offer, how big the waves generally are, and what time of year is best. Some spots will absolutely pump in July, but be more beginner-friendly in December.
Finally, a beginner’s surf camp will often offer different forms of coaching. Although time in the water is crucial, beginner-oriented camps will generally offer things like on-land classes, theory, video review, and more. As a beginner, it is important to learn how to paddle the surfboard, how to catch waves, and how to take care of the body in general to prevent surfing injuries.
Beginner Surf Camps
So, with that being said, let’s look at a few of our favorite beginner surf camps in Central America. These surf camps offer programs specifically for beginners, as well as a solid wave selection for those just learning to surf.
Iguana Surf Camp
Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Iguana Surf Camp is a staple of Tamarindo, Costa Rica. They are a traditional surf camp, but also offer surf classes for kids and adults that don’t stay with them. However, for the full surf camp experience, we recommend staying with them. They’re on the top of our list because they specifically cater to beginners with their programs. And the waves in Tamarindo are super beginner-friendly. It’s on our list of the best beginner waves in Latin America.
Tamarindo definitely offers surf year-round in their protected bay. Although most surfers head to this area of the Nicoya Peninsula in July or August, you’ll find small waves any time of year. It’s on our list of the best places to surf in December for a reason. Although the water may be slightly chilly, you won’t need a wetsuit and the whitewash offers plenty of opportunity to hone your surfing skills.
There are many different breaks in Tamarindo, including Witch’s Rock, Palmeras, Playa Grande, Pico Grande, and the main break at Playa Tamarindo. Iguana Surf Camp offers different camps that include lessons, trips to other waves, video analysis, daily breakfast, and more. Every surf camp includes a rashguard, unlimited board rentals, and discounted rates on local tours.
In order to meet the needs of people on different budgets, they provide several options for accommodations. Their private beachfront suites are beautiful and perfect for a couple or two friends traveling together. They also have large spacious suites for families with bunk beds for children, and a surf dorm for those looking to travel on more of a budget.
WildMex
Sayulita, Mexico
WildMex is one of the biggest surf camps in Sayulita, Mexico. They aren’t just limited to the town of Sayulita, offering classes in nearby Punta Mita, San Pancho, and Puerto Vallarta. They have year-round waves, all of the board rentals you could possibly want, and they offer both group and individual surf sessions. Sayulita is a bit like the home to beginner surfing in Mexico, with lovely waves for beginners and beginner/intermediates.
Much like Tamarindo, Sayulita will have better waves in the summer, but only slightly. During the winter months, you’ll find a bit more wind, but not by much! Look at the swell and wind chart above for Sayulita. Pretty consistent waves year-round. In addition to offering top-notch surf, there are plenty of other fun things to do in Sayulita, like visiting the local islands, diving, and whale watching!
The main break in Sayulita is a beach break, offering nice whitewater waves for beginners. There are also waves known as the Sayulita Left and Sayulita Right at either end of the bay where the river mouths feed in. The waves can get up to chest high at the river mouths, offering a great place to progress your surfing. With a sandy bottom, the main beach break is an ideal place for beginners to learn without hurting themselves.
WildMex has over 300 surfboards available to rent! They’ll help you find the best beginner surfboard for you, with both foamie and hardtop options in all shapes and sizes. All of their instructors are ISA-certified, and they take pride in getting beginners up and riding a wave on their first session. They offer accommodation right in the cneter of town in dorm style rooms or private rooms. All rooms have Wi-Fi and A/C, as well as a yoga studio, breakfast lounge, and common area. Make sure to bring some reef-safe sunscreen as WildMex focuses on taking care of the environment and working in a sustainable manner.
Maya Surf Tours
El Tunco, El Salvador
Located in El Tunco, El Salvador, Maya Surf Tours is right in the heart of Surf City. In the surf zone of La Libertad, Maya Surf is focused on beginner and beginner-intermediate surfers. The whole area of La Libertad is an amazing place to surf for people of all levels, but beginners will absolutely thrive here. There are plenty of breaks to choose from, and it is likely to be a bit quieter than Tamarindo or Sayulita. This may change in coming years, but for now it’s not as crowded as many other top quality surf spots in Latin America.
The summer, or wet season, will offer the best waves from the southern swells. However, as a beginner, you don’t really need the best or biggest waves. The shoulder seasons around March/April and September/October will offer the most uncrowded waves. However, you won’t find the clean point breaks outside summer. The winter will have more wind, but still plenty of beginner-friendly waves.
The surf zone of La Libertad is home to many different breaks. K59, Punta Roca, La Bocana, and El Zonte are a few popular intermediate-advanced waves in the area. The breaks in town at El Tunco and at El Sunzal are definitely the most popular beginner waves in the area. They are both beach breaks with a few rocks around, and the small waves have an impressive amount of power to help you learn to surf!
Maya Surf Tours is just a surf school that organizes camps. They work with Papaya Surf Lodge and Hostel right in town. Together with Papaya Lodge, they offer everything from theory classes, safety lessons, and of course tons of time on the waves. They don’t have huge groups, usually maxing out at 6 people. You’ll get lots of individualized coaching and personalized training sessions to help you progress with your sessions. With the amount of different breaks in the area, you can also try out some green waves if you’re ready.
Oasis Surf and Language School
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Puerto Escondido is simply one of the best surf spots in Mexico in general. The huge waves at Zicatela are world-famous, and the nearby breaks at La Punta and La Barra are solid intermediate spots. However, there are also great learning spots, like Playa Carizalillo. Just to the west of Zicatela, this little bay has a beautiful beach with waves climbing up to chest high. It’s full of surf schools and classes, and a gorgeous place to hang out.
The summer months from May to October are definitely best for the advanced surfers looking for the huge waves. However, winter offers a more mellow vibe with less visitors and chiller waves. The wind stays fairly consistent, and mornings and afternoons will see offshore winds that are perfect for creating glassy waves.
The town of Puerto Escondido is growing rapidly, and a fun town to both relax in and party. If you’re looking for a chill atmosphere, you can find it. If you want to go out and drink all night with other travelers, you’ll have no problem. It’s a beautiful place, and it’s probably best to go soon as it continues to blow up on the international surf scene.
The surf camp we love, Oasis Surf and Language School, has a ton of offerings and decades of experience in the area. They have 8 day budget surf camps, 2 week surf camps, 3 week camps, and monthlong camps. Everyone at Oasis is uber-friendly, and they have certified and qualified instructors. One thing that makes this beginner surf camp stand out is that they offer private sessions with up to 2 students maximum!
Paredón Surf House
El Paredon, Guatemala
Located on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala, El Paredon is a rad little surf town we absolutely love. Paredón Surf House is located right on the beach in this small fishing village just a few hours from the airport in Guatemala City. It’s a chill town with a lot of surf-focused travelers, and you’re sure to meet some super nice locals and visitors while here. Everyone is impressively friendly. It’s less crowded than places like Costa Rica and Sayulita.
As you may have guessed, the summer is generally seen as the best time to surf El Paredón. However, the winter offers plenty of waves for those learning to surf. Although summer, or wet season, may see overhead waves, the dry season will produce waist to chest-high waves. There’s really one main break on the long beach, fed by a river mouth.
Paredón Surf House is home to a freshwater swimming pool, beach volleyball court, and access to the nearby mangrove reserves. They have an active and friendly community, and it is great for those who wish to meet other travelers. They have both shared and private rooms, a restaurant and bar, tons of surfboards and boogie boards, slack lines, and much more.
El Paredon doesn’t have a ton to do on the surface. There are a few tours you can go on through the mangroves, but the vibe here is chill and beach. It gets hot, and the black sand can heat up quite a bit. You may want to bring sandals down to the beach, and make sure to bring plenty of good sunscreen for surfing!
