3 MONTHS to learn to surf from scratch.... where to go ??

[breezerbat]

Firstly thanks for taking the time to read this guys, I've got a bit of a dream I want to make it a reality and I'm hoping some of you here can help.....

So basically, I'm a 27yr old guy,I live in the UK and have never touched a surfboard in my life. I've done my fair share of diving and other sports but it has always been a dream to learn to surf and get into the lifestyle involved with it.

The dream I've got basically involves me taking about 3 months out of my current life, dropping everything and travelling somewhere to stay and learn to surf from scratch. Am happy for it to be anywhere in the world and can be flexible on time of year but basically would be great to be somewhere warm, not too built up and with a really chilled out feeling to it. I'll be honest and say I'm picturing a beach community/small town/village with some cool bars and other young(ish) people around but without being too much of a non-stop mass backpacker venue. How realistic this is I don't know?!

In terms of going about learning, would be awesome to be somewhere where I can grab some one-on-one tuition for however long i need it, hang out with some good people and have some challenging options of where to surf that will help me get a good learning curve without drowning me too quickly !!

Anyway, that is my dream and quite how realistic/unrealistic I'm being I have no idea. So, as a complete novice I need your thoughts on where the hell and how the hell to go about this .....

Cheers for reading and thanks in advance for any help !

[dhand62362]

get practising that pop up then, i have been surfing over a year and only now moving onto turns, one day every weekend has been my dedication so water time counts for everything, i wish i could take 3 months out and surf everyday, i could probably make onto a shorter board, i am jealous

[mantaray]

Well you're a lucky guy! I would kill for 3 months! I have exactly 1 weeks surfing experience in my life and by the last 2 days I could catch every wave before it broke (3ft~) and pump and turn across them. If you're learning on a board big enough (im 5'11 learned on a 7'8) and you work hard enough you could get extremely good in 3 months.

As for where... can't help you ^_^, but good luck!

[EverGreen]

Check out Sri Lanka as a surfing destination. I've been to Bali before, and as a beginner and the waves were pretty big, not optimal for a beginner... It depends on where you stay though, I stayed in Legian where there's a beach break, but the downside was that it closed out a lot while i was there. If you want to have a look at Bali have a look at the village Changgu, it's just outside the main tourist area. The downside is is that it's a long paddle out if you're not in good condition, but the waves break more mellow and it's also not that mass backpacker thing your were describing as it is in the main tourist area.

Sri Lanka's beaches looks a lot nicer to me though, much more like a paradise. And Ram's guesthouse, the guesthouse I'm planning to stay at sits right on the edge of the beach right in front of a very good wave.. and it's still cheap. I haven't been able to find anything like that in Bali, but not saying it isn't there.

Anyway, Sri Lanka has mellow waves so they're perfect to learn on. That's why I'm going there, so I can improve my surfing fast with easy waves.

[surfiesnowboy]

hey mate
i would recommend heading somewhere that has good waves conducive to learning plus an International Surfing Association registered Surf School and one licensed or registered with the National Governing Body of whatever country you head to. Australia is an excellent destination, specifically the Gold Coast. The southern end of the Goldy sounds like it would suit you much better than the northern end being much more cruisey and low key but with all time waves for beginners and surfers alike.
If you would like some more advice on this, please feel free to reply back.
Definitely though a priority is going to a recognised and licensed professional surf school to get the basic starter tips and techniques. This will aid you massively in your progression and learning curve guaranteed.
Good luck with it, it is definitely a sport worth getting into!

[Aloha]

That's actually whats recommended when learning to surf. Surf the first 3 months intensively several times a day if possible. Still unless you are a natural you won't have learned much in that time. I could pop up since day one but it's the learning to generate speed and learning to read a wave that takes years of experience.