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Surf Camp Guide
How to book the right surf camp for your surf holiday
It’s almost time for you to plan a surf holiday at a surf camp!
But what do you need to consider? What should you pack in your suitcase? When is the best time to travel for your surf trip? Which people will you meet? And above all, how do you book a surf camp or surf school? Questions upon questions!
But don’t let yourself get confused and get all the information you need on the subject of “surf school” and a little foretaste of your surf holiday. This SURF CAMP GUIDE will help you with that!
Why book a surf holiday in a surf camp?
Do you ask yourself in which surf school you would like to experience your next or first surf session? Then you have already made your decision, because you want to book an active holiday, which offers you fun and experience at the same time.
To book your surf trip is very exciting and the offer is huge. We from surfvacationer.com want to help you to orient yourself in the big surf school jungle.
Here you can get the necessary information and click from one link to another to find the perfect individual surf holiday.
We also recommend that you find out about your preferred surf spot in advance. After all, every surf destination is different and should be tailored to your preferences as well as your surf level.
The great thing about a surf school or surf camp is that it’s as individual as you are. You want to be more for you? No problem, because you can also book individual surf lessons in the surf school.
You’re more of the group type? No problem, because there is the possibility to experience your surf course in a surf group.
As you can see, there is something for everyone. To Learn surfing or to improve your surfing skills is exactly what your personal surf camp knows how to do and how to take care of you. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or you’re already an advanced surfer. In your selected surf camp, everyone can get their money’s worth because it offers you individual courses, matched to your personal challenge parameter.
The genius of a surf school is that you can get in touch with other people quickly and you can all learn from each other and exchange ideas. This is exactly what makes your surf journey an unforgettable experience. You all have something very special in common, namely the love of the sea and the desire for the next wave or the perfect wind conditions.
This is what your surf camp holiday could look like!
Check out our Youtube channel to get even better impressions about the different surf schools!
Booking the right surf camp - But how?
Your surf holiday at a surf school should be a complete success and of course the fun factor should not be missing!
But what should you look out for? Our SURF CAMP GUIDE is here to help you! For example, you’ll find out which surf sports are available. Depending on which one you are interested in, you can of course choose the right surf camp for your surf trip. A distinction is made between:
- Learn surfing
- Learn kitesurfing
- Learn windsurfing
- Learn wing foiling
- Learn stand up paddling (SUP)
- or Learn bodyboarding
You will also receive information on the respective surf equipment, on the subject of accommodation and catering at the surf camp, what the age restriction is all about or what leisure activities are planned outside the surf courses and much more.
If you still have questions or need help booking your surf camp, the surfvacationer.com team is of course at your disposal (use our contact form or send us an email).
Which type of surfer are you?
Are you more of a type for kitesurfing, surfing, windsurfing or stand up paddle (SUP)? Or are you perhaps also interested in the topic learn wing foiling?
In your surf school you get the support of years of trained and experienced surf instructors who will support you with patience and thoughtfulness in your next surf course. Because learning from each other and from each other are two reasons why the surfing culture has existed for so long. It is about an unbroken community, acceptance and helpfulness. There are many rules for surfing and these are never broken.
Depending on which type of surfer you are, you will of course decide whether you are interested in a surf school (wave riding), kite camp or windsurf camp. However, the best fun factor is guaranteed everywhere!
The surf camp community reactivates your five senses
The world is colorful. That is how it should be! This is also one of the crucial things that makes a surf school a real experience. It is an environment that offers everyone the space and air to unfold and communicate with each other.
You’ll meet a lot of different characters in your chosen surf school and that’s what makes it so exciting, because you can all learn from each other and gain or consider new aspects of your life.
Here we introduce you to 5 surf camp types that you will definitely find on your surf trip:
Surf Camp Type 1: The Namaste-Balance Surfer
Your first morning of your surfing holiday. How exciting! You have finally arrived on your long-awaited holiday.
You’ve just woken up, the sun tickles your nose and you’re embarking on your first exploration of your surf school. You will discover beautiful corners with breathtaking plants, are already looking forward to your first session, because you want to learn surfing today.
Everything in you is looking forward to your deserved break from the everyday life. But what is this? Your ears receive rushing and relaxing sounds. Your curiosity is rising and you’re following the music. Suddenly you discover a group of deeply relaxed surfers doing their morning warm-up exercises on their yoga mats. You are seen by the group leader, he presses a yoga mat in your hand and see there! You are already in the middle of a yoga retreat. And even before breakfast. If that’s not a special namaste warm-up in the day!
Surf Camp Type 2: The over-motivated surfer
After such a breathtaking start to the day, your stomach makes itself felt. You are hungry and you follow your nose, because you perceive the scent of freshly baked bread and coffee. In the meantime, the hard-working team members of your surf camp have already conjured up a healthy fitness breakfast.
Now it’s time to sit down and enjoy the beautiful view from your surf camp. You just bite into your bread and see a surfer jogging to the breakfast. He has already placed his sunblocker on his face, certainly has very good music on his ears and comes straight into the breakfast room with his headphones. Highly motivated, he tells you that he has booked an advanced course today because he wants to learn windsurfing.
He tells you about all his surfing trips over the last 5 years and finally he starts eating. Now you come to speak and tell him why you are here. Surfing Fuerteventura in a surf school of Fuerteventura was the reason why you fell in love with surfing and were totally thrilled by the offered surf course and the island.
He listens to you very excitedly and explains to you that Fuerteventura belongs at the top of the list of the world’s surf spots and he himself has been there three times. The conversation went on and on and all of a time your surf instructor comes and picks you up for your surf course.
Surf Camp Type 3: The Instagram Surf Queen
The tension is rising. You sit with 6 other surf students and the surf instructor in the jeep on the beach. You can easily talk to all the others and there is a very good atmosphere and you laugh a lot.
You notice a girl who takes photos with her mobile phone every second, followed by “Boomerangs” and numerous videos. You ask her if she’s a hobby photographer and she has to laugh warmly and she explains that she’s an Instagram blogger and keeps her 10,000 followers up to date. You have to think directly of your Instagram account, which you have been successfully ignoring for months and has an estimated maximum of 50 followers.
Arriving at the beach, the surfing course starts with another warm-up and then it finally goes into the water. Finally you feel the waves and the magical power of the sea again. You are in a total rush of happiness and not much later you are back on the surfboard and surfing your first wave for 6 months. Your pulse beats higher and you feel like you’re born new. After an hour, your strengths leave you and you arrive back on the beach and receive a huge praise from your surf instructor.
Totally proud of yourself, you let yourself fall on your beach towel and you don’t hide the fact that the Instagram girl takes photos of herself and the surroundings again. Suddenly she comes running towards you and takes a totally funny snapshot of both of you and asks if she can use the photo and link you with. You agree and then walk back into the water with your surfboard and enjoy every second.
Surf Camp Type 4: The Hippie Surfer
Totally exhausted and overjoyed you come back to your surf camp in the late afternoon. Of course, the first sunburn is already included (unless you used the right sunscreen; click here*).
A cold shower is the order of the day and you then lie down on a couch and let your soul dangleAt this moment, a deeply relaxed girl with a wreath of flowers on her head comes up to you and asks if she can play some guitar. You find the idea great and you sing “California Dreaming” together and there are even more surfers to join you.
She tells you about the effects of water on her soul and body and how she first felt connected to the entire universe when she started learn Stand Up Paddeling (SUP). It all started while surfing in France. Fascinated by their stories, dinner suddenly starts. The food is completely freshly prepared again and it tastes so good. The combination of water and sport make a huge hunger. This reminds you of the evening where you first experienced tapas while surfing in Spain.
Surf Camp Type 5: The Party Surfer
After dinner you get very tired and are on your way to your room or glamping tent when a surfer sings to you, takes you by the hand and suddenly you are in the middle of a party at the surf school pool. It went so fast that you can hardly remember how you got there in the first place.
What you see there exceeds your imagination. Because you wonder clearly how all these surfers can still have so much strength after a long day of surfing? The party surfer comes up to you dancing and gives you a cool drink, the music is really super good and he explains to you that he is here for the second time and wants to learn kitesurfing this time. And suddenly you hear about his stories of surf camps in Portugal and the great time he had there.
It seems like whole surf cultures meet here in this surf school and you are very excited and all of a time you fall into the pool and dance with your new surf friends into the sunset. Your last thought is, thank God your surf course doesn’t start tomorrow until 2 p.m.! Exhausted and happy, you lie in bed and look at your phone and notice that you have 40 new Instagram followers by linking to the photo of the Instagram Queen. You sleep overwhelmed by today’s impressions.
That was so a successful and nice day. You’ve met great new people and they’re opening the doors to connect with other surfers around the world. This is a true surfer community!
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Surf camp equipment
If you don’t have any surf equipment yet, you can easily contact your surf camp before you arrive. Many are very well equipped and offer you equipment for rent. Some surf camps even have their own surf shop, which they can recommend with a clear conscience.
You pack your suitcase and take with you...
The time for your holiday is getting closer and closer, but what needs to be in your suitcase? You don’t say for no reason, less is more, but some things definitely belong in your suitcase during your surf holiday.
First of all, a mineral-based sun protection* factor 30 to 50 for your body belongs in it (although not mineral-based, but somewhat cheaper is this sun protection*). A special sunblocker* for your face as well as polarized sunglasses are also recommended. Also a waterproof lip protection, because this part of the body is often forgotten and a sunburn on the lips can be really painful. In addition, an aftersun lotion* on a fresh Aloe Vera Barbadensis base belongs in the suitcase. So you supply your body with sufficient moisture after the sports course on the beach.
Of course, your surf equipment is neatly and securely packed and please register your sports baggage with your flight operator in advance. Otherwise, everything that seems logical to you as a comfortable holiday companion belongs in the suitcase.
For example:
Flip-flops, sports shoes, swimwear, shorts, skirts, dresses, sleeping and sports wear and of course all the things everyone needs for personal care. In the evening it can get fresher in many places, so you should also take a sweater or light jacket with you. Always inform yourself in advance about the given weather conditions in order to be able to plan the packing even better.
In some surf schools, where you can stay in luxurious glamping tents, it is also recommended to take your own sleeping bag* with you.
And you’re off!
Accommodation and catering in the surf camp
Surfvacationer.com has surf schools and surf camps of all kinds in the program. Variation and individuality are important to us. After all, you should find the best offer for you.
There are some surf schools that offer accommodation including breakfast and surf course and others also accommodation including full catering and surf course. Then you have some camps that mainly focus on overnight stays and the surf course itself and you have to take care of your own food. But don’t worry, almost all surf camps organize delicious BBQ’s or group dinners where everyone gets fed up with a small inexpensive food contribution!
Depending on this, of course, the price is also staggering. Find the best deal for you!
Is there an age limit?
One thing should be said quite clearly here: You are never too young or too old for surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing or stand-up paddle!
However, many water sports instructors say that safe swimming is a basic requirement. As a rule, many kids start between the ages of 7 and 12. Especially at a young age, mobility is best and therefore good learning successes can be achieved. In the end, however, the age restriction always lies to the surf school itself.
Many kite schools as well as windsurfing schools set the minimum age for course participation at 10 years, while others here set 14 years. The minimum age is 18 years to book a surf, kitesurf or windsurf course with surfvacationer.com. Nevertheless, we also offer junior surf camps. All students under the age of 18 always need the consent of their parents or legal guardians.
In the future, we would like to offer surfvacationer.com also family surf schools! If you want to spend the slightly different holiday with your whole family with absolute fun factor, you should think about a surfing holiday. Of course, you don’t have to book an entire surf camp package. You can spend your holiday in the hotel as normal and simply book a additional surf course.
But also the slightly older generation (50+) is open to new ones and can be more and more drawn to an adventurous surfing holiday. Stories of seniors who started surfing at the age of about 60 are not uncommon. There are even surf schools where the oldest surf student was 71 years old! Don’t forget: the limits are ultimately set by YOU!
Create the best holiday memories
Your surf holiday in a surf camp of your choice can be an unforgettable experience for you. You can make friends there and maybe you’ll be on holiday in a new surf school where you might never have been before? In this way, you will automatically get to know new countries and cultures.
This is what the surfer lifestyle is all about: you create memories and open your horizons. The world has so much to offer and every single surf school helps you connect with different people, learn to either surf, kitesurfing, windsurfing or stand-up paddle together and to do water sports together that brings great fun.
Now it’s up to you to write your own surf school story.
You are also welcome to send us a cool reminder photo from your surf holiday by e-mail. If we are allowed to share this on our social media channels and you share your picture posted by us on your Facebook or Instagram profile as well, you will receive 5% discount on your next booking at surfvacationer.com as a small thank you!
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