Looking to surf on a budget? We have your covered with our list of the 10 cheapest surfing destinations that will allow you to surf without having to break the piggy bank.
To find the destination that suits best your budget, try our WaveFinder search engine!
Going on a surf trip can rapidly become a pretty expensive experience…with all the excess luggage fees, ground transportation or simply buying all the equipment itself, bills add up at a very fast rate. However, limited resources doesn’t mean limited fun…
There are ways to cut your expenses significantly and one of them is by chosing the right destination. Some places in the world will provide incredible waves for less than $30/day while other places won’t guarantee you anything even for $150/day. Here are some of the cheapest countries where you can score incredible surf!
1. Indonesia
Read our complete surfing guides to Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa
Not only is Indonesia one of the cheapest surfing destinations in the world, it also is one of the best, period. With many world-class breaks either on Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumatra or in the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia has definitely become a must-visit destination for every passionate surfer.
Waves are consistent throughout the year, peaking from May to October and a typical day can cost you less than $25.
Find a surf camp in Indonesia, starting at US$125
2. South Africa
Read our complete surf guides to Muizenberg and Jeffrey’s Bay
Known as the surfing mecca of its continent, South Africa has a wide coastline that connects two different oceans and is home to some very popular world class waves.
Despite being a sharky country, South Africa is attracting surfing adepts from all over the world due to its cheap cost of traveling, amazing landscapes and stunning wildlife.
Find a surf camp in South Africa, starting at US$155
3. Sri Lanka
Read our full surfing guides to South Sri Lanka and Arugam Bay
Located right below India, Sri Lanka is somewhat similar to its northern neighbor, without the big chaos that is found pretty much everywhere around India. It will also be slightly more expensive, but nothing outrageous. A day will easily cost you less than $30
The whole south side of Sri Lanka is very popular from November to April due to favorable winds. There are several surf towns spread along this side of the island such as Hikkaduwa, Ahangama, Midigama, Weligama and Mirissa.
During the rest of the year, you can head to Arugam Bay, on the east coast which has several point breaks as well as offering a very special laid-back surfing vibe. This region is also where the best waves in Sri Lanka will be found.
Find a surf camp in Sri Lanka, starting at US$175
4. Senegal
Read our full surf guide to Dakar, Senegal
First put on the map by the movie Endless Summer, back in 1966, Senegal is still a pretty underground surfing destination even though the quality of its surf is remarkable.
N’gor Island, located just a few hundred yards off Dakar, is the main surfing attraction with two great point breaks.
Tourism is still underdeveloped in Senegal due to recent epidemics and political instability but there are still some nice budget surf camps near Dakar. A typical day can definitely cost you under $30.
Find a surf camp in Senegal, from US$438
5. Nicaragua
Read our surf guides to Popoyo and San Juan Del Sur
Some people say Nicaragua is similar to what Costa Rica was like back in the 90’s. Due to some political instability, Nicaragua didn’t follow its southern neighbor’s touristic explosion over the last couple decades and remains cheaper and less visited.
However, the surf here is absolutely stunning with 300+ days of offshore wind every year. Places like San Juan Del Sur, Popoyo and Playa Colorado are all great places to settle down and enjoy the perfect Nicaraguan surfing lifestyle.
Find a surf camp in Nicaragua, starting at US$330
6. Ecuador
Ecuador is not the most popular surfing destination in South America, with Brazil, Chile and Peru stealing most of the spotlight. However, the surf in this small country is insanely consistent and fun.
Montanita is a small surfing village located near Guayaquil which is a great place to set a base on a surf trip to Ecuador. A typical day will cost you no more than $30 and you are almost certain to get waves and be able to enjoy tropical weather in a very friendly environment.
Read our complete surf guide to Montanita, Ecuador
7. El Salvador
El Salvador has seen its reputation hurt by political instability in the last few decades. However, now that things have settled a bit, it is now a very interesting surfing destination in Central America.
This country has many world-class point breaks like Punta Roca, Salvador’s most popular surf spot.
Since tourism is still low compared to Costa Rica, for example, the costs associated with a surf trip to El Salvador are very reasonable for the overall quality of its waves.
Read our surf guide to El Salvador
8. India
India might simply be the world’s cheapest country to travel to. In fact, accommodation and food can cost you less than $20 per day…There is also some decent surf in this country that is usually not mainly visited for its waves.
The region of Kerala, down south, is pretty exposed during the swell season that runs from March to November.
If you feel more adventurous, the Andaman Islands still have a few unexplored waves waiting for you…This trip will be a little more expansive though, due to lack of infrastructure.
Read our surf guides to the Andaman Islands and Kovalam
9. Mexico
Mexico is a great and cheap country to visit on a surf trip with hundreds of different surf spots spread across its pacific coast line.
Whether you are a charger looking to get barreled at Puerto Escondido or a novice in search of your first wave in Sayulita, Mexico is a charming country with incredible beaches and a rich culture.
It is also one of the cheapest countries in the Americas…
10. Philippines
Philippines is still a fairly underrated surfing destination in Asia. However, this archipelago has some amazing surf spots that can definitely match the quality of any waves in Indonesia or Maldives.
The island of Siargao is known as the surfing capital of the Philippines with many great waves like Cloud 9 which could be considered like the Asian version of Backdoor.
There are also several spots for less experience surfers which are perfect to get into reef break surfing. On top of that, food and accommodation are very affordable on the island.