Seven Lesser-Known Surfing Destinations Around the World

Seven Lesser-Known Surfing Destinations Around the World

Don’t want to paddle through a sea of fellow wave-chasers to catch a big one? Spanning Tel Aviv to Taipei, these are our favourite under-the-radar surf havens. Wax down your boards and head for the waves.



We’ve
all heard of the legendary surf at Byron Bay in
New South Wales
, or Oahu in Hawaii,
but what if you don’t want to dodge hundreds of other boards each
time you catch a wave? Whether you’re looking for beginner breaks
or big barrels, we’ve got you covered with these superlative, yet
lesser-known, surf spots.


Cape Hatteras

North Carolina

California and Hawaii usually steal the show as the USA’s top
surf hotspots, but venture to the country’s eastern coastline and
you’ll find the Atlantic Ocean produces equally impressive swells
along North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Nicknamed the “Graveyard of the
Atlantic” – there are records of more than 5,000 shipwrecks in
these waters over the centuries – the cape is also known for its
hurricanes, so be sure to check the forecast before setting
off.


New Taipei City

Taiwan

Taiwan’s characteristically warm waters have recently started to
earn the country a reputation as a rising star among the surfing
cognoscenti. Some of the best line-ups are to be found on Fulong
Beach, an exposed break that produces waves as high as two metres
from its sandbar stretching along the Shuang River. The city is
also home to some of Taiwan’s most scenic hiking and cycling
trails, making this a top day-tripping spot for nature-seekers
based in Taipei.


Carrapateira

Portugal

You’ve probably heard of Portugal’s big-ticket surf scenes in
Ericeira and Nazaré, but venture further down the country’s wild,
rough-hewn coastline and you’ll eventually reach Carrapateira, a
sleepy surf town in the Faro District. Far less crowded than its
northerly counterparts, the beaches here are in the middle of a
natural park and sliced through by the River Aljezur, which forms a
tranquil lagoon system just inland from the incoming waves.
Surrounded by towering limestone cliffs on both sides, the
village’s main surfing beach, Praia da Bordeira, is perfectly
sheltered to produce both left- and right-hand breaks, and you
won’t have to fight for space: the beach stretches for more than
3km into the distance.


Ballyhiernan Bay

Ireland

A favourite pit-stop along the Wild Atlantic Way coastal route,
Ballyhiernan Bay is a prime example of County Donegal’s rugged,
unspoilt charm. Long overshadowed by Bundoran Beach, at the most
southerly point of Donegal, this secluded bay hides some of
Europe’s best surf. And the best part? Most surfers don’t even know
it exists, so private wave-riding sessions are often the norm.
Expect low-lying golden dunes fringed by craggy headlands, and
plenty of peace and quiet to boot.


Tel Aviv

Israel

It’s not just the cosmopolitan party scene and creative culture
that bring travellers to Tel Aviv. An unsung hero of the surfing
world, the city also hauls in a stream of riders year-round for the
surprisingly surfable waves that break off from the eastern
Mediterranean Sea. Known locally as “mini California”, Hilton Beach
is the most popular spot, with waves that break in both directions,
thanks to the two jetties that bookend its sands.


Cassava

Liberia

Not so long ago, Liberia was deemed a no-go zone for most
travellers, with a 15-year run of military dictatorships meaning
violent attacks were a daily occurrence in the country, and a
subsequent Ebola outbreak only tarnishing the West African nation’s
reputation further. But this has all changed in recent decades,
thanks to UN intervention in the early 2000s, which paved the way
for an increase in tourism and the rise of a burgeoning surfing
community. Cassava, located on a short stretch of the country’s
southwest-facing coast, offers some of the best warm-water rollers
on the continent. Plus, the beaches are usually almost totally
empty.


Tonga

South Pacific

Basking in the shade of neighbouring surf celebrities Fiji,
Tahiti and Hawaii, this archipelago of tiny islands revels in its
esoteric existence as a little-known surfers’ paradise. Those in
the know flock to the island of Tongatapu, whose outer reef is
known as a wave-riding hotspot. Fancy a day off from the swell? The
archipelago is also one of the world’s best places for whale
watching, snorkelling and scuba diving.

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