The Best Summer Surf Trips for 2023
Looking to take a surf trip this summer?
Well, Nic Von Rupp’s got you covered. The Portuguese pro surfer has traveled the world in search of waves, so he knows a thing or two about where and when to score.
Below, check out NVR’s top summer surf trip destinations.
First up, Portugal. Von Rupp might be a little biased, since he grew up in Portugal, but he still recommends it as a great destination for a summer surf trip. “Summertime is a little smaller [in Portugal],” he says, “but there’s some great beach towns with some great waves.”
And Von Rupp goes on to describe a few of the lesser-known surf towns in Portugal, the ones off the beaten path and that some surfers might not have heard of.
Next, France. Keeping the euro theme going, NVR suggests the famed beachbreaks of Hossegor: “The water heats up, and this beautiful stretch of coastline with white sand and little peaks everywhere…the area of Hossegor is amazing.”
Then, Spain. Still in Europe, NVR says: “The little town of Zarautz is really cool. It’s a surfing town with the best heritage and culture. There’s a really nice beachbreak there to cater to all the surfers that are coming there.”
Okay, done with Europe. What’re Nic’s proposals for non-Europe surf trips?
Indonesia. Specifically, the Mentawais. “It’s one of the most amazing places you can go,” says Nic. “There are some incredible waves. There’s so much variety in Indonesia…if you want to go out and find a wave by yourself, you can do that very easily.”
Shifting gears (and continents), Nic suggests Costa Rica. “Completely different vibe,” he says. “Maybe not as high in terms of quality of waves as Indonesia, but the vibe is incredible.”
Following it up, Mexico. “It’s high on the list for summer surf travel. Mexico is one of those places where you can find some secret spots with not many people around.”
Not far away, there’s El Salvador. “There are amazing pointbreaks up and down the coast. El Salvador should definitely be on your list if you want to surf some perfect righthand pointbreaks.”
To the south, there’s Nicaragua: “There’s left and right peaks all over the place; I highly advise it.”
Even further south, there’s Chile. “If you’re looking for a very unique trip that you will remember for the rest of your life, and you’re not afraid of cold water,” says Nic, “I would definitely go to Chile.”
And finally, Nic’s last recommendation is a bit of a curveball…Switzerland. No, there’s no ocean in landlocked Switzerland, but there is a wavepool: Alaia Bay. “One of the coolest surf experiences I had this year,” Nic says.
So, now you know the spots; time to book that ticket.
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