Nosara, Costa Rica
Costa Rica may have been designed to lure people into the buzz of surfing. And the Pacific Coast’s Nosara might be CR’s ultimate honeypot.
With water and air temperatures in the 80s year round, getting the groms in the water won’t be a problem. Being a year-round destination, surf vacations can be scheduled for any of the school holidays. By giving a world-class beginner surfing experience, the kids hopefully will start a lifetime love of the sport. And while the kids get hooked, you’ll have the time to get barrelled. Win, win.
Nosara’s Safari Surf School is an excellent example of the surfing alchemy that can be achieved when you add user-friendly beach break waves and experienced instructors who tailor each lesson to the kids’ needs.
Tavarua and Namotu, Fiji
Over the years, hundreds of groms have had their first surfing experience just off the beach in front of the Tavarua restaurant on the wave called Kiddieland.
The playful waves are perfect for beginners and fun for a family surf. On nearby Namotu, the wave of Swimming Pools is a beginner upgrade on Kiddieland. The mellow righthander breaks over a crystal clear coral, perfect for getting newer surfers used to reefs and progressing quickly. After a week here, even the most sullen teenagers will be frolicking like dolphins or at least off their phones for a few hours.
Both Tavarua and Namotu Resorts have excellent surf guides and all the surf equipment to get the kids in the water regardless of the conditions.
El Sunzal, El Salvador
The right-hand point of Punta Roca hosts the annual CT competition and has helped put El Sunzal, El Salvador, on the map.
However, this isn’t an area that is just for pros. The main beach break is excellent for beginner surfers, with easy entry, exits, and consistent waves. The water is as warm as the air temperature, and with the waves just a 30-minute drive from San Salvador Airport, travel time is cut down. If the kids want to progress, there’s a load of mellow pointbreak options that can provide clean, long walls that can fire up an addiction to surfing. There are loads of fun, kid-friendly bars, and restaurants, and if the waves aren’t ticking the boxes, there are volcano hikes, waterfall swims… or the hotel’s Xbox.
Enjoy the ocean views at Miraflora and Casa de Mar Hotel, which will hook you up with the best surf instructors and guides in Surf City.
Bocas del Toro, Panama
It’s hard to overstate the sheer differentness of Bastimentos Island in the Panama archipelago of Bocas del Toro Province.
It is an oasis of Caribbean blues, coconut palms, wild nature, and stunning scenery. The peak surf season kicks in from December to April, with more than 20 breaks offering something for everyone. If Mom is a hardcore, big-wave charger, she might hit the aptly named Silverbacks. The kids, on the same swell, can learn the ropes at Waikikis, an easy beach break, or shred Tiger Tails, a fun right-hander that gently peels across a reef and sand bottom.
Red Frog Bungalows Resort is a beachside resort only 10 minutes by water taxi from the busy streets and bars of the Bocas del Toro District, but it is a haven for white-faced monkeys, sloths and strawberry poison-dart frogs. Great for the gram!
Kandui, the Mentawais
Woah, hear us out. Taking the kids and family to a remote coral speck in the Mentawai Islands, where two of the best and gnarliest waves on the planet wrap around, might sound selfish, insane, or both.
And while Kandui Left and Rifles are undoubtedly Black Diamond A-Plus waves, within a 5-minute boat ride lie some perfect waves for surfers of every ability. Baby Kanduis is one, and there’s a clue in the name. Bikinis, or G-strings, is a nearby long easy left. 4 Bobs is its mirror-image right.
The Kandui Villas guides will put you and your family in the perfect spot for their ability. And if the kids are surfed out, the swimming pool is always regarded as the best in the Mentawai Islands.