10 Most Surfed Beaches

Posted on June 23, 2007
Filed Under Best Of Lists, Surfing |

Surfing has become a highly popular water sport and there are many factors which play a part in the rise of surfing and surf travel. There are surf instructors pumping out new surfers all over the world. Also the cost of travel has become accessible and the champions of surfing become images for selling everything from mobile phones to real estate. In short, surfing has become fashionable and inevitably, surf spots get crowded.


It seems that to make a surf spot highly surfed and crowded the spot first and foremost needs to have good surf. Environment plays into the popularity of surf spots, there needs to be: clean water, good weather and easy access. Add the seasonal influx of tourist surfers and closeness to a major city and you have the recipe for crowding! Bear in mind, the ideal crowd is you, and a few good surfing buddies when you check out the 10 most surfed waves in the world where you can go and do battle to get a wave.

1. Superbank, Queensland, Australia - The Superbank formed around 2002 when sand pumped from the nearby Tweed Rivermouth started filling in the gaps between Snapper Rocks, Rainbow bay, Green Point and Kirra to form one long sand bank - 10 second tube rides are commonplace. Swell is consistent, the water is warm and there is usually every man and his dog out surfing! The Superbank hosts the first event on the WCT calendar, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is known as the “coast with the most” and is a favorite surf travel destination for Europeans, Japanese and Americans. Crowding Factor: Ultra Crowded

2. Pipeline, North Shore, Hawaii - Pipeline (Banzai Pipeline) is the king of all surf spots for its amazingly perfect tubes and ferocity. It breaks close to the beach over a shallow reef close to Ehukai Beach Park. Pipeline is the hollowest, biggest barrel on the North Shore, always crowded and always dangerous. Before, during and after the winter season when the WQS and WCT events are being held Pipeline is seriously crowded. Tempers get frayed and drop-ins are commonplace. Don’t even attempt it unless your familiar surfing big, heavy, hollow waves and are willing to pick up the waves that the pros and locals throw away! Crowding Factor: Ultra Crowded

3. Trestles, California, USA - South California is a place where every man and his dog surfs! Trestles gets very crowded and is highly localised. There’s no doubting the quality of waves at Trestles, they can reach a clean 10ft and on a good day you’ll get 300-500m rides (if the locals let you). Trestles hosts a raft of surf contests all year including the ASP Boost Mobile Pro in September. Trestles fame, quality of wave and proximity to Los Angeles and San Clemente no doubt make it as crowded as it gets. Thankfully there are other local waves to sample. You’ll need to remember “be cool and they’ll be cool”. Crowding Factor: Always Crowded

4. Duranbah, NSW, Australia - Duranbah is a beachbreak that straddles the border between New South Wales and Queensland and actually belongs to NSW although its on the surf vacations hotspot, the Gold Coast. Brisbane city is only 1 hour away and the Gold Coast itself is a densely populated area plus its a favorite for tourists from all over Australia. Duranbah (Dbah) is possibly one of the most consistently crowded surf spots year-round in all of Australia, if not the world. This is the home beach for many pro’s like Occy, Parko, Fanning and Deano. Duranbah sucks in any swell going producing consistent waves. So while the rest of the Goldie may be flat, Duranbah will have a wave. Crowding Factor: Crowded - Ultra Crowded

5. Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia - Uluwatu (Ulu’s) is by far the most popular surf spot on Bali due its unrivaled consistent surf in the dry season. Ulu’s has 4 different sections; long and hollow ‘Temples’, ‘The Peak’ right below the warungs. Super fast, shallow but makeable barrel ‘Racetrack’, ‘Outside corner’ which is a breaks when swell is in the 8ft range. The most surfed waves and among the best are to be found at Uluwatu. You can still get a wave if you wait your turn or get up early enough. Pay $10-20 dollars and get one of the many local photographers to take pics of you surfing. Crowding Factor: Always Crowded

6. Malibu, California, USA - Longboarders love this place! If you’ve ever watched the original ‘Big Wednesday’ surf film you’ll see a little of the history and buzz built around this fabled right hand point. Malibu has been surfed since World War II and its name is synomious with surfing and surf lifestyle. The waves are perfectly shaped for hot dogging. Not even polluted waters can keep surfers away from this place. Crowding Factor: Always Crowded

7. Fistral Beach, Newquay, England - The Brits call the Newquay area the Gold Coast because of its surf, sun and sand. You wouldn’t believe it but the cold, wet, winter weather does give way to warmth and sunshine in the summer. Waves max out around 6ft but up til then you can ride lefts and rights all the way to the beach. Summer time can be very crowded with locals, newbies, learners and swimmers making full use of the summer weather. Unfortunately for the locals, the crowds don’t let up that much in the winter. Crowding Factor: Can be Ultra Crowded

8. Rocky Point, North Shore, Hawaii - Rocky Point is one of the most consistent surf spots on the fabled North Shore and its a surfer’s dream. You’ve got varying sections of rights (Rocky Rights) and lefts (Rocky Lefts) breaking up to 6 foot but working best on 3-4 foot swell. Rocky Point works on almost any swell direction but due to its consistency and location between Pipe and Sunset it can get ultra crowded. In the busy surf contest season crowds have been known to get well in excess of 100 surfers and 60 photographers on the beach! Our advice is check it out in the off seasons between Febuary and October. Crowding Factor: Usually Crowded

9. Katsuuras, Chiba, Japan - Otherwise known as ‘Malibu’ is one of Japan’s classic reef breaks. Locals, including pro surfers from Chiba area crowd the lineup making for a strong local scene. Because Katsuuras is 1-2 drive from Tokyo (a city of 12 million people) the potential for crowding is heightened significantly. It’s hard to catch a waves if more than 10 surfers are out at the best of times, but at times there will be over 100 surfers out. Autumn typhoon season is the best for surf. Adding to its fame, Malibu saw epic 4-6ft barrels for the 2004 WCT final of Kelly Slater vs. Andy Irons. Crowding Factor: Can be Ultra Crowded

10. South Beach, Florida, USA - American’s summer playground, an active local surf scene and a favorite tourist destination of Europeans means that Florida gets pack in the summer. The beaches are abundant with sun soaker types. As many as 400 people have been known to fill the water at South Beach. Not all of them are surfing but it sure makes the inside super busy with swimmers and learners. South Beach may lay claim to the most grotesquely crowded lineup in the world. Crowding Factor: Ultra Crowded at times

Comments

4 Responses to “10 Most Surfed Beaches”

  1. Sean on June 26th, 2007 1:57 am

    Nice list of breaks, Japan is the surprise one here

  2. Steve Urban ( Urby ) on September 2nd, 2007 3:29 pm

    South swell storm surf at Wind and Sea can be a
    worthy challenge.

  3. sunny on September 16th, 2007 2:40 pm

    I'm glad you didnt give the real beaches away. I,m sure your good for tourism.

  4. laala on October 9th, 2007 12:27 pm

    Steamer Lane and Rincon should be on that list

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