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Surf trips are a rite of passage in the surfing experience. You surf, therefore you explore. But not all trips are created equal and just because you have the bug to take the lifestyle up doesn’t mean any and every coastal destination is right for you. Maybe you’ve just started surfing and you’re in love with it. Maybe you’ve been wanting to get your first wave and taking a far off vacation seems like the perfect opportunity to start. Whatever it is, here are three simple things to consider before taking your very first surf trip:
1. Are you physically ready for it?
Surfing is a physically challenging sport. It’s very demanding of both your athletic coordination and physical conditioning, especially in the beginning. You’ll spend long hours in the water, there will be a lot of paddling and inevitably you are going to be expending a lot of energy. If you’re not already in decent shape you should at least train for endurance with running or interval training. For obvious reasons swimming is useful, too. And as for the coordination, A balance board can be a simple training tool to take advantage of as well.
2. Don’t stress about equipment.
It is strongly discouraged to buy your own surf board before having your first surfing experience. It’s almost certain that you’ll buy the wrong board. And to top it off, you don’t know if the sport is for you or that you’ll stick to it until you get that first wave.
If you’re taking part in a surf camp on your trip then equipment is most likely included, making it almost pointless to buy or bring your own board. Should you plan to stay in one place for a long period of time and surf more, take a course and then buy your own board. Then it will make sense to also start buying your own equipment, like an affordable wetsuit rather than using somebody’s hand-me-downs.
3. Where can you get the best learning experience?
Selecting the right location is crucial to making your first surfing experience a positive one. You should choose a camp or a school that is located as close as possible to the surf spot for your first experience, allowing you to be in the water not only in the surf school lessons, but in your free time as well. Camps that have to use a shuttles to the beaches are a suboptimal option in my opinion. If you really want to maximize your learning curve, look for a location that is not overrun and offers a high wave probability. And of course those who have the opportunity to make their first surfing experience in a warm water location are set for a pretty great start. No matter what, however, it’s important to note the suitability of your destination for beginners. There is no point for you to sit in the water in your boardshorts (or a bikini) in Bali, if you don’t catch a single wave in conditions beyond your skill level.
