Guided Adventures

Situated at the base of the Sierra Madre mountain range, Oaxaca is a singular destination. The region is replete with unique scents, flavors and traditions, and the areas has yet to be heavily developed. For surfers, whether it’s Barra de la Cruz (the amazing righthand point break featured on the WSL World Tour), or the thumping beach breaks of Puerto Escondido (known as the Mexican Pipeline), or the dozens of famous righthand sand-bottomed points around Salina Cruz (like Punta Conejo and The Ranch), options abound for every level. Turning away from the sea, Oaxaca nurtures a vibrant local food scene, and the coffee fincas in the cool mountains and charming highland villages provide other adventures.

The North Shore of Oahu has well-deserved reputation for some of the most exciting, challenging surf thanks to well-known waves like Pipeline, Sunset and Waimea. But the North Shore is not the exclusive preserve of fearless big wave surfers. Every level of surfer can find consistent breaks well-suited to their ability. Out the water, Oahu has a vibrant food and arts scene and tons of outdoor adventures. Led by Jamie Sterling, travelers will experience the world of North Shore surf.

Owing to its position as one of Costa Rica’s most remote, off-grid destinations, the Osa Peninsula offers uncrowded, world-class waves and awe-inspiring natural history in equal measure. Home to Corcovado National Park, National Geographic referred to this area as "the most biologically intense place on Earth.”

Deep in the Caribbean, nearly off the coast of South America, the large, teardrop-shaped island of Barbados is exposed to an ample amount of swell—on 3 different shorelines—all year long. Made famous by sessions 11X world champion Kelly Slater has had at Barbados’ premiere surf break, Soup Bowl, the vibrant island has dozens of other points, reefs and beach breaks to discover, with relatively mellow crowds and always warm water. The waves on Barbados aren’t only for experts either, as there’s many mellow, rolling breaks for beginners. “Bajan” culture on the island abounds—from Carnival to local cuisine—there’s a lot to experience on this former pirate island.

Not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the inspiration to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, the enchanted (and highly protected) Galapagos Islands is an iconic surf destination. With warm, deep blue water, a variety of epic reef breaks abound in this gorgeous archipelago off Ecuador, from world-class rights like Punta Carola to lefthand reef breaks like Loberia. Not only do the Galapagos get all the same swells that hit Hawaii (3 days later) year-round, but there’s various islands in the chain to catch them. The Galapagos are also so bio diverse that it’s literally not uncommon to be surfing a wave with two sea lions before pulling out next to a sea turtle.

Cabo blends Mexico’s cultural richness and warmth with a heightened level of sophistication and comfort, stemming from its long history as an international travel hotspot. Southern Baja’s rugged geography—featuring two distinct coastlines: the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean—creates the perfect location to surf year-round waves in perfect weather. World-class surf spots are found just a short 30-minute drive from the hustle and bustle of the tourist center. Picture 300 meter-long point breaks, few crowds, warm water, and one of the most beautiful drives in North America—where the desert meets the crystal blue Sea of Cortez. Cabo may be best known for its fishing, golf, and nightlife, but those seeking an authentic glimpse of Mexican life and solace on the water need not travel far to find what they are looking for.

Touching down in Bali, Indonesia, aka “The Island of the Gods,” one immediately feels its distinct energy. The sweet smell of incense from the Hindu offerings, the thick equatorial air, the sight of volcanoes towering through the jungle, the sound of bells ringing melodically from distant temples… Of course, then there’s the surf. With regions like the Bukit holding seven world-class left-handers in a row—think: Uluwatu and Padang Padang—or cruiser zones like Canggu and Medewi up the west coast, to iconic right-handers like Keramas up the Eastside, it’s no wonder that Bali is frequented by surfers from all corners of the globe. This is the perfect hub for jumping off to nearby wave-rich neighbor islands like Lombok, Sumbawa and Java if dream waves like Desert Point or G-Land spark your fancy.

Just a few short hours from Paris lies a seaside town of dreams—fine wine, fresh seafood and a coastline with some of the best beach breaks on Earth. From the world-class wave of La Graviere, a fast, reeling barrel reserved for the more advanced surfer, to fun peaks up and down the coast, the town of Hossegor and nearby Biarritz more than justify their place among Europe’s premier surf spots. Coupled with the rich local gastronomy, viticulture and history, this corner of France will leave an impression on surfers and non-surfers alike.

Dotted with countless coastal towns from the cool waters of Cape Town to sub-tropical Durban, South Africa offers any surf adventure one can imagine. A wave-rich coastline facing two separate oceans provides an abundance of riches. Of this bunch, the righthand gems of J-Bay are South African surfing’s crown jewel. Beyond the waves, game reserves, renown vineyards, and adventure sports give travelers options to explore. The warm people and vast array of cultures found in the Rainbow Nation are the icing on the cake.

A recent addition to the growing list of world-class surf destinations, Morocco is blessed with nearly year-round sun and a 1,100 miles of coastline. Morocco sits at the intersection of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and its vibrant culture is as varied and distinct as its geography. The coast offers an impressive array of waves: from easy-to-surf beach breaks perfect for beginners, through to rifling righthand point breaks reserved for those not faint of heart. Surfers have the privilege of seeing some of Morocco’s most unique and least-travelled areas, all in the name of finding great waves.

A surf spot found on Google Earth as recently as 2008, the remote, wild, surfing world wonder known as Skeleton Bay only breaks half a dozen times each year. But when it does, the funneling, sand bottomed lefthanders of Skeleton Bay, Namibia are a sight to behold. Requiring a 4X4 adventure through sand and fog, past wild jackals and sea lions to access the treasure, base in the quaint Namibian town of Walvis Bay nearby before embarking on this surf mission of a lifetime. A wave for advanced surfers only.

Just beyond the bossa nova music coming from the beachfront boardwalk dotted with delicious açai kiosks are dozens of surprisingly consistent and fun beach breaks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The site of an annual WSL World Tour event, the nightlife, music and nature on land matches the fun had in the warm Atlantic. Just north and south of the “Marvelous City” are more surf towns sprinkled on coast with waves that accommodate every level of wave rider.

A stunning mix of French and Polynesian cultures, Tahiti has been luring poets and painters to visit (from Gauguin to Melville) for centuries, never to return home. With dozens of perfect, peeling reef passes to access, from the mighty Teahupoo lefthand tube to more playful beach breaks like Papara and Papenoo, surfers have been the newest tribe escaping to Tahiti every Southern Hemisphere season. More local, and with less resorts than nearby Bora Bora island, Tahiti island offers visitors a truly authentic Polynesian experience, a place that looks (as folks commonly say) like Hawaii—50 years ago.

Since the unspoiled Mentawai Islands of Indonesia came into our collective surf-consciousness in the 90s, the archipelago redefined “perfect surf.” A trip to the Ments has no rivals for wave quality and sweet escape. The real point of difference, though, is the Mentawai’s sheer remoteness and lack of development, in comparison to other parts of Indonesia like Bali. Looking in from the lineup, all one sees is dense, virgin jungle. Looking out, all one sees are lines of uncrowded waves.

Nestled into the vast Australian bush and cozied up to the furthest eastern point of the continent, Byron Bay is home to some of the Australia’s best waves. From two-foot crystal clear peelers at The Pass, a longboarder’s heaven, to six-foot blue beachbreak barrels just over the headland, Byron Bay consistently delivers. Come from June through October and you can watch the whales migrate while sipping a freshly brewed “flat white” up at the iconic Lighthouse.