Summary
Surfing in Norway is not for the faint of hearts…This country has so much beauty and great waves to offer, as long as you are willing to face cold water.
Norway is a great place to go on a surf trip for anyone looking to venture off the beaten path and…who doesn’t mind wearing extra neoprene. In Norway, you will surf with boots, gloves and a hoodie, that’s for sure. However, the outcome is surfing empty lineups with unreal scenery for an absolutely unique surf trip that you will never forget.
To find the best surfing destination for you, try our WaveFinder search engine!
Most breaks are located in Fjord Norway, around Hoddevik, but if you feel wild, another good place is Lofoten, up north. It has some really good surf spots as well as having stunning landscapes.
Unless you hit some big winter swells, waves are usually quite mellow, suitable for all surfing levels. Most surf spots are breaking either on sand or pebbles which shouldn’t an issue, especially if you are wearing you thick wetsuit.
In summer, the surf in Norway is close to inexistent. You can still catch some small waves but the ocean really only lights up in fall onwards.
When to go
The best time to surf Norway depends on your skill level and tolerance to cold. While winter (November to March) will offer bigger and more consistent swells, this time of the year will also be much colder.
Summer (April to October) has smaller waves suitable for all skill levels and remains milder.
Another big factor in Norway is the amount of daylight. In January, you can find yourself left with only a few hours of sun in a day which can be problematic for surfing. As a counterpart, in summer, you can surf untill midnight if you wish!
| January-February | March-April | May-June | July-August | September-October | November-December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suitable for: | Intermediate Advanced | Intermediate Advanced | All surfers | All surfers | All surfers | Intermediate Advanced |
| Air temperature | 2°C 36°F | 5°C 41°F | 12°C 54°F | 15°C 59°F | 9°C 48°F | 4°C 39°F |
| Water temperature | 6°C 43°F | 6°C 43°F | 10°C 50°F | 15°C 59°F | 13°C 55°F | 10°C 50°F |
| Crowd | Empty | Empty | Empty | Empty | Empty | Empty |
| Swell concistency | 95% | 80% | 50% | 40% | 65% | 80% |
| Swell height | 10ft | 8ft | 5ft | 4ft | 7ft | 10ft |
Where to stay on a surf trip to Norway
Hoddevik and Lofoten are two of the best surfing areas in Norway and there will be several options of home rentals to chose from.
Browse our interactive map to find the best accommodation deals in Lofoten!
Getting there
Bergen is a good entry point. For a bit more of a journey, fly into Oslo and make the 8 hour drive to the west coast. Hiring a car is definitely the best option.
Surf spots in Norway
Hoddevik
A decent beach break, will work on most NW swells and offer fairly consistent surf.
Wave direction : Right and left
Bottom : Sand and rocks
Best tide : Any
Skill level : Any
Optimal swell direction : NW
Optimal wind direction : SE
Ervik
A point break that offers decent right-hand waves on a good NW swell.
Wave direction : Right
Bottom : Rocks
Best tide : Low
Skill level : Intermediate and Advanced
Optimal swell direction : NW
Optimal wind direction : SE