Best Spring Break Surfing in Australia

Planning a spring break surfing trip to Australia? Want to know where to go and what to expect when you get there? Not being a surfer myself, I interviewed two experienced surfers to find the answers to these questions. Josh is a California native who has been surfing since he was nine or ten. Born and raised in Australia, Drew also started surfing at age ten when his family moved to Newport Beach in Sydney. Both Josh and Drew have surfed all over the world. Here is what I learned from them.

First of all it is important to do your research. You need to find out what kind of surf to expect. The wind, tide and proximity to river mouths can quickly change conditions. You can find some of this out once you get to your location. Drew suggests asking a local surfer about specific spots and adds that offering a free beer always helps with these interactions.

Both Josh and Drew recommend Byron Bay which is in northern New South Wales. Byron Bay is especially good if you are new to surfing. The waves in this area are slow and long, or in surfing terms, mellow. According to Drew because Byron Bay is in the easterly part of Australia it picks up a lot of swell so there are waves almost all year round.

If you check out accommodations in The Lonely Planet guide book you will find places to stay to fit any budget. There are low price range, mid price range and luxury accommodations available. Hostelworld.com has listings for many hostels and gives reviews and prices of accommodations. Many of the hostels in the area offer free body boards and surf boards.

For a different type of accommodation, Josh recommends staying in a caravan park. A caravan park is like a campground, explains Josh, but at many of them you have the option of renting a stationary camper which costs a few dollars more. Josh brings his own surfboards with him and rents a car.

If it's your first time surfing, check out Black Dog Surf School in Byron Bay. They have their own web site, http://www.blackdogsurfing.com/; and offer surfing lessons at a rate of $60 for a 3 ½ hour lesson. You can also rent surfboards of various sizes depending on your ability. Board rentals can range anywhere from $15 for a half day to $150 for the week depending on the size and type of board.

There are surfing schools all over Sydney and up and down the east coast according to Drew. Surfing school is a good way to learn as the schools have a variety of beaches they will take you to depending on conditions. Many of these beaches are "secret spots." Drew says that some of the best spots to surf are amazingly still "secret" as there is a ton of remote coastline in Australia. The schools require no prior experience. All that is required is that you are an okay swimmer. The schools provide boards and wet suits.

For the experienced surfer Josh recommends Margaret River in Western Australia. The area gets lots of swell so surf can get big. Josh would classify this area as intermediate to advanced. There are more than 40 places to surf with conditions ranging from powerful reef breaks to fun beach breaks. The Margaret River area is also home to several wineries which would be nice to visit when you take a day off.

You will want to check out weather conditions for the time of year you go. Australian seasons are the opposite of the United States; and like the United States many regions have mild winters. Most importantly, as Josh pointed out to me, when traveling things don't always go as planned. In those cases, its best just to have fun and go with the flow.

Sources: The Lonely Planet travel guide

http://www.blackdogsurfing.com/

http://www.westernaustralia.com/en/Things_to_See_and_Do/Suggested_Itineraries/Pages/Margaret_River_Surfing.as

http://www.hostelworld.com/findabed.php/ChosenCity.Byron-Bay/ChosenCountry.Australia?source=googleadword