SURF CAMPS RULE!

With warm temperatures and good surf there’s a lot to be said to taking a sneaky week out of season. Here we look at the reasons why if you don’t fancy going alone surf camps are a great idea for surf girls.

Surf Camps offer the option to hang out with like minded individuals, share experiences and enrich your trip. They can help with everything from advice about a quiet place to sunbathe to the best beach bar to visit for tapas. You can involve yourself in the group atmosphere as much or as little as you want to, but there is a safe infrastructure in place with one main aim, you enjoying yourself! So here’s SurfGirl’s guide to why surf camps rule.

What’s the point?
Very occasionally you hear a purist traveler denouncing the humble surf camp as a waste of money for the would-be surf adventurer. It’s ‘taking away the travel experience of finding your own way’, of ‘making your own mistakes’, and ‘learning from the experiences’. Well, after doing it both ways over the last 20 years of surf travel, I’d have to disagree. Surf camps rule.

I like to surf!
Surf travel has one main goal: getting in the water in a far off land. You can spend hours on Google Earth and plan your surf spot itinerary using one of the many internet surf spot guides or guide books, and you can track swells using all manner of surf forecasting sites. But there is no way you can beat the knowledge of a local surf guide. As we all know, every day is different, so just because Anchor Point is usually good in November, and just because Magic Seaweed says that it is going to be five-foot and offshore next Thursday, you could well roll in to the car park to find it flat or blown out and onshore.

That is when the surf camp guide is worth their weight in gold – they will direct you to the best spot for the conditions (and your ability level) on that day. Then if the conditions change, the guide will know where that bank is that works on that tide, and the quickest and easiest way to get you there (often on the route that doesn’t have the police check point, or via the shop that sells the tasty local delicacy for that in-between-surf snack).

I like to sleep!
Tiered accommodation to suit your budget and your needs. Most surf camps will have something for most budgets. If you’re a wedged up Londoner flying in for a deluxe long weekend of waves; they’ll have that penthouse suite (or the local contact to get you one). If you are the round the world tripper, saving every rupiah, dirham, dollar or euro they will usually have safe comfortable options to suit your budget. Check out their websites and then drop them an email with your needs – they are there to help you out!

I like to eat!
You’re primarily going to be surfing for most of the day so you need the fuel in your belly to be able to do it. Most surf camps will have a local chef that sources the best local produce to supply you with carbo fuelled meals to ensure that you get amongst the waves for hours each day. Sure, you don’t have to eat at the camp, but the option of a reliable meal is there if you want it. If you’re totally surfed out then the last thing youv will want to be doing is gambling on a local restaurant (although the option is there if you want to experience more of the local delicacies).

I don’t like headaches!
99% of the time you will get these options from a surf camp:
- Airport transfers
- Board repair info
- The best priced equipment available
- Internet
- Competitively priced food and water
- Info about local places of interest
- Info about local bars and nightlife
- The option to hire your own vehicles or arrange local transport
- Access to a surf photographer to shoot you ripping
- Yoga, horse riding, bodyboarding and other activities

The list goes on, but basically these places are geared up to organise the logistics of your trip, leaving you to enjoy the culture, climate and beach life.

I want peace of mind.
Most of us will check the travel review websites these days to see testimonials from other travellers. There are usually stacks on there about surf camps so investigate these recommendations and ask around. Good camps get a good reputation really fast and the bad ones soon drop off the radar. The camps which offer a good time, at a good price and keep you safe, well fed and well surfed are out there. Take a look in our guide for some stellar options.

Take a look at our guide for some stellar options to surf camps in Europe and a bit beyond.

Tags: france, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Portugal, spain, surf school, surfcamps