The World's Greatest SURF TOWNS...
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- čas přidán 6. 02. 2024
- Hey guys! Having spent time in many of the world's top surf destinations, here's a rundown of some of my favourite surf towns. All places you can score epic waves, enjoy a high standard of living, and in some cases, work while you're there! Enjoy :)
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Cool rundown Dan thanks!
As someone who has lived in both San Clemente and Gold Coast, San Clemente doesn’t come close by basically any metric to Gold Coast (eg surf, culture, people, climate, livability, etc) especially in regard to surf
IF you can even find a place to live, you'll be paying extremely high rents, so forget saving any money
Casablanca : Big and very consistent with calm/offshore wind from october to Mai, fabulous weather, clear water, absolut no crowd, exploration possibility. No loud speaking American, no drunk "Bali style" Australian, no agressif Hawaïans/ Canariens locals, no tourist, no hipster, no Digital Nomad, no Disneyworld feeling ! Nice bars and restaurants without smoking ban, friendly and open minded people, amazing business opportunity. But careful you must speak French or Arabic Fluenty.
Santa Cruz, Honolulu (in the summer).
Encinitas/Carlsbad is at least an honorable mention (Swamis, Boneyards, Pipes, Cardiff, Seaside, Ponto, etc.)
45 min from san clemente
$3500 for a 350 sq. Foot dump apartment
@@MomentswithDavid100%
Not sure how SC makes it. Literally two surf spots that are over crowded
You can't be serious 😂😂
sick vid man! You address good key points
Thank you :)
I’m in El Tunco, currently, per your recommendation. Having a great time. Thanks for the tip.
A place I keep going back is Lanka. Arugam Bay, Hikkaduwa, part of Welligama and planning on Mirissa soon.
Sick!! All of those could have made this list for sure, I like Arugam the most out of them :)
I lived in San Clemente for over 20 years. Good waves year round. 204’s at the north end of town was my favorite place to catch uncrowded peaks on the right day. Beach breaks are always depending on sand being in the right form. Next to Maui, worst place for surfing, great for wind sports! Best. Now back to California to settle in Central coast, near the grandkids! Life is short, enjoy each day
great video Dan!
Thank you :)
Great work Dan. Haleiwa for me is near top of the list
Thanks for this. I’m just a beginner surfer, but I mainly enjoy just watching people surf. It’s so much fun to me to see what people can do. I can’t believe I was visiting my cousin in Brisbane and didn’t see any of this! But funny enough manly beach was the first time I ever saw people surf (I was just visiting Sydney, I didn’t know it was a surfer zone) and it looked so amazing that after that I’ve been hooked into the beach life
Great video mate
Thanks 👍
Hey Dan! Just want to say, I'm getting into this lifestyle, and I think your content is great! Keep doing what you're doing!
You should quit right now, fuck surfing its super lame
Nice work on the Canggu left!!! 👏👏👏
Hahah thanks mate!!
Can't believe you forgot Newquay Cornwall 😂
I used to stay at the camping in raglan, hitchhiking everyday to the spot and then to the town, lovely people there.
You hitched with a surfboard?😅😂
@@buzz5969 yes
Torquay Victoria Australia Bells longest continuous running surf comp in the world, Winki see wave at start of film Morning of the Earth,Boobs Centreside and Southside.All great when big winter swells roll in from Southern Ocean
Haha im surprised you didnt add Westward Ho! Love to the locals there.
Dan I think you need to visit Peru, especially Mancora. Lima also has some sick waves like “La heradura” and Pico Alto. Chicama is another wave you’ve likely heard about, and the food….🎉 amazing
I've been there actually and yep, loved it! Didn't get waves in Mancora (wrong time of year I think), but had a sick time in Chicama!!
Awesome vid Dan!So inspiring,Dream about these locations!So cool!love to hit you up in channgu!
Yewwwww Canggu 🔥
Dan is on a roll
I used to live off Christianitos road, which is the exit to Trestles. And it's also the exit to Camp Pendleton. I surfed Trestles pretty regularly while I was there.
Epic :))
'Manly in Sydney' is ignoring the f'n amazing variety of waves in the Newcastle to Woolongng stretch,
The unique sandstone geology has produced numerous point, reef and beach breaks.
IMHO, Sydney is the the surf capital of the world.
Newquay Cornwall is pretty awesome surf town that almost everything is related to surfing
Hey Dan, what about a video on the world's best surf campsites?
can you make a video about surfing in puerto rico? My family is thinking about going there for spring break and I can’t find any good youtube videos about surfing in puerto rico and good spots there.
Hey mate!! Haven't been there yet, but hope to one day :)
Essaouira in Morocco is apparently a really cool place with world class waves and warm weather.
Saint-Leu in Reunion. 300 meters extremely consistent long reef left. Downside: sharks. But local surfers use shark shields device with great success so far, and there isn't too many people haha.
Epic!! Yeah haven't been to Essaouira before, but defo on the list! And yeah haven't been to Reunion for that very reason!!
I was in Essaouira last month. The city itself is nice. Not sure how consistent the surf is though, it’s normally very windy there (and colder). I got very very lucky with the wind and swell when I was there. It was pretty good, wouldn’t say world class or warm tho.
No surf around Essaouira lots of wind n rocks, couple hrs south n north are some great setups
Putsborough. The mighty P-Land! Unbeatable.
Now all I need to do is learn to surf (again)
Would u prefer Mentawai or Maldives to a surftrip? And why? Thanks bro
Hi mate! Depends on what you're after really, for barrels and more power go to the Ments, but for something easier and more mellow, check out the Maldives!
Got to live in Gold Coast for a few months and definitely would say it's the best place in the world for a surfer to live. Countless different breaks for different levels of surfers concentrated in one small area.
My favourite surf towns are the ones with no surfers
Haha, same! Plenty of them, just not mentioned here ;)
HOw do you get the bllody digital job!!
GReat video!
Thank you! So much you can do online these days! Teaching English, and copywriting is how I started!! Maybe look into those :)
Good list. In the US I would add Santa Cruz and somewhere in Hawaii. For Brazil, Rio or Floripa.
I live on the Gold Coast where Cooalangata from the list is situated but my favourite place is definitely not here and just goes totally against your strongest arguments 😂 (Like you said, just personal
preference). I also would not name my favourite spot but is somewhere that doesn't have internet, no ATM or online transfer (cash only), and there isn't anything to do apart from surfing, reading 📖 and chatting with a few travellers and local families (surf locals aren’t friendly) the only downside but aren't many. I spent 3 months there wearing the same boardshorts 24/7 and having a shower with a bucket 🪣 and tank. 8 pm sleeping and sunrise 🌅 surf, beachfront all for less than $20 per day including meals in 2019. The surf was very high quality. A mix of Beach break barrels and long waves. One of the best times of my life.
Cactus or the bluff? 😉
Forgot North Sentinel Island, it will be a great surftown, only that the sentinelese don't know it yet! We just need to send them a little bit of "democracy".
We can add the word ‘gentrification’ to their vocabulary too while we’re at it 😂
@@netaro1890 😂😂😂 🏝️💫🏌️
Read my google maps comment
Oh yea hell we’ll have resorts there before ya know it🤙😂
😂😂
Ahipara NZ
I can only speak for Australia but the best surf towns I've been to are Byron Bay (The Pass), Coolangatta (Snapper Rocks), Margaret River (Surfers Point) and chuck in the Northern Beaches of Sydney like Manly.
All are super good but I think Coolangatta and Sydney (Northern Beaches area) has the most options while having one of the best surf in Aus. Byron has a few good spots but super crowded at the Pass. Margaret River has the best break I've been to but if you like more of a city feel then the Northern beaches of Sydney and Coolangatta are the way.
Some other great spots like Jervis Bay, Bells Beach and Noosa but I haven't really surfed there or its been shit when I was lol.
Maybe tamarindo CR or Montanita Ecuador?
Definitely up there!! Might need to make a second episode of this video!
Now do one for people who aren't rich.
Surfing is a rich man’s sport sadly. Not just the $3k or so AUD for wetsuit, board, fins and leash, but the millions of dollars one needs to own coastal real estate close to any waves of renown.
@@lordmatthewlukeobrien And all the talented Balinese surfers living off $250 a month?
3K? Get a quiver of like 3 JS boards, fins for all of em and a hyperfreak wetty, for like 600/700 aud on marketplace / gumtree.. I just picked up a hypto on fb for $50! LOL@3k
Keep the content coming brother I'm frothing
I grew up in San Clemente. I did a “study” once (cuz my buds and I used to argue about this), and I came up with realistically you get about 2-3 good surf days a month. It’s correct believe me. It’s either blown out, too crowded, or too small. Even when there’s swell it’s often too crowded because the swells get way too hyped. I think it’s a GREAT place to live, nonetheless, if you want to become a good surfer. 14 year old girls will be ripping it. Everyone rips. But the waves suck. Believe me.
Wow, yeah that is surprising to hear!! And I can imagine it to be so frustratingly crowded some days, you're not that motivated to surf!?
Byron Bay!???? Hippie surf central baby
Taghazout Morocco
Good shout!
SENOR...HAWAII HAS THE BEST SURF YEAR AFTER YEAR BITCHEN BIG SURF......MAN MAKIKNG GIANT SURF....AND WARM WATER!
bro you can't leave out Torquay, more famous than any of those places by a freakin mile, bells, winki etc
Good shout! Maybe an episode 2 coming ;)
Santa Barbara & Santa Cruz ? 🤔👍🐬🙃🤗🌷🙏🧐🌴🤔
Great shout!! Maybe episode 2 coming...
Canguu -yuk! Escondido only if you really know how to surf. Saint Leu Réunion island. Madagascar west coast and Port Louis Guadeloupe !
the best so far is playa hermosa costa rica, you can surf alone all year. waves no stop. no crowd. warm wather.
Yeah sick wave!!
To be honest San clemente doesn't sound good at all, average beach breaks and trestles which looks fun i guess, super crowded, expensive
Santa Teresa, CR.
Noosa heads & Torquay definitely up there
To finish them pff completely?
San Diego doesn't suck, but $$$$$$
Santa Barbra is worth a sniff if you have a bitt of ca$h. Super cheap to hire an Rv in Mex and then every town in Cali is your Oyster. I did 3 months just putting round, avoiding LA (Mostly unless you want to party a bit) and zipping all the way up to San Fran. Did it in Winter so had the Mountains to snowboard as well and point breaks and beachies to choose from . Loads of beach parks to park at and hit gyms for showers, phone for wifi hotspot. It was a magic winter/spring. Wouldn't want to do Summer though, too hot and bad waves. When I took the Rv back, boy had it seen some things! If those walls could talk! You need lots of rubber for in the water and ..well.. out of it too!
I’m interested in doing this. What was the company you hired the rv from in mex and what kind of cost as I would love to do this with the kids for 3 months. We are from Europe and whenever I have looked in this in the past it always works out so expensive to do if you hire an rv in California
Thats exactly why I hired it in Mex. It was back in 2016 though so anyone's guess if they are still there now. But I just went on a day trip to Tj and hunted around til I found a rental place. It was all pretty loose, they took cash and let me pay the $250 US deposit in cash also. I'm really sorry, I can't recall the name of the company. It wasn't a corporate though, and more a single operator type deal. If I can find it., I'll edit this comment with the name.@@richardwadham-smith1631
It's insane to read people complain about San Clemente, other than the fact that we don't want anyone else coming here (find me a place that wants more boards in the water). Frankly, it's the top surf town in the continental United States, and the only place in the continental United States that has a WSL event. Current and former world champions live here - we're talking dudes that could live anywhere. San Clemente currently has three homegrown talents on the WSL circuit. Top shapers have shops here. I've been up & down the coast, it's the best spot in California by far. Yes, it has gotten pricey here, such is life in paradise. Yes, there are a lot of dudes in the water, but find me a place that doesn't have those issues. "2-3 days of surf a month"??? "2 spots"??? Really idiotic comments. Uppers, lowers, middles, churches, cottons, rivi, t street, pier, 204's... San o-the point, old man's, reactors, trails... Anyway, haters gonna hate. Getting off my soap box now. Appreciate your recognition Dan, thank you.
Not mentioning Haleiwa in this is like a greatest basketball players list and not mentioning Michael Jordan.
Hahah! You gotta watch episode 2 ;)
Raglan has closed the points unfortunately
Hahah!! They actually did during Covid...
What about Newquay 😂
Hahaha!!
(yet) another pom living in Oz, not much of a surf scene back home I guess...
I don't live in Aus (But I do love it). We've actually got a pretty healthy surf scene over in the UK, but obviously small compared to Aus and other surf hotspots :)
Another keyboard warrior commenting who has no clue what they're talking about...
How has it come to this in the surfing world? Vanity, exploitation, and internet posting of everything related to an experience that used to be something held close to the chest and preserved because one knew that keeping somewhere uncrowded was important and part of the unwritten rule of the sport. What a bunch of absolute kooks to blow it all out on purpose for the sake on internet arrogance.
These are the most famous breaks on Earth... all of these waves have 50 guys out, whenever it's good. Plenty of uncrowded spots I'm not mentioning on CZcams ;)
Ericeira 💙
Best surf destination in Europe all year round just a bit crowded between May until August
corralejo?
Up there for sure!!
Where is Hawai'i, the kingdom that created surfing and brought it to all the places on this list? Know your history.
Might be an episode 2 coming ;)
Grew up in Margaret River West Aus, have lived in New Zealand for 6 years. I pick Margaret River over Raglan. Way more going on and a lot more surf.
San dog
San Clemente is low life paradise... nothing like other countries
Can't believe he left out Thurso!
San Clemente is too expensive and the truth is the waves are always just ok, and rarely good. Lowers is often decent but the crowd is really too much. Not a vacation destination at all.
The best surf town is the one you and your kook mates are not at
Are you okay?
@@DanHarmon123 Na I'm just being a dickhead. peace out. Be safe getting shacked
This guys a godamn snitch. I washed dishes for years and didn’t snitch on spots for content. You just broke the golden rule, don’t blow up a spot
J bay, I have a ding in on my board from there, is really heavy with great whites at the moment.. so have fun with that
Blowing up the most famous breaks on Earth...
Hahaha
I've lived in San Clemente for years and been surfing there since the mid 80's. Blow it up all you want. Haha!
Ok boomer
Dude, you do your video blog from your fru fru white canopy bed in total shadow with a bright white background? How long have you been producing this amateur quality content??
Hi mate! Thanks for the feedback. Well, I travel full-time, on a very limited budget, so it's often tricky to create non "amateur-quality" content. And not long, around 6 months so I'm still learning :)
classy response to a douchey comment.
It WAS a douchebag comment. My apologies. I could have just left some constructive criticism about lighting - but there must’ve been some other issues in the body of the video that triggered my comments. Once again - my apologies.
No,no... don't go to Sri Lanka, I want it all to myself !!!
umm Byron Bay hello???
Yuppified shite
He said surf towns not hipster towns
Ummm a thousand fools at watego's threading the needle and $10 turmeric lattes. Hello?
Too hippy mate you’ll catch a single fin to the head before you catch any sort of good vibe
shut up! already way too crowded and expensive!! SOME people have to live here!
San Clemente sucks
Get your facts straight, "Hossengor" in the *Basque Country, not france. Gora Euskal Herria Askatuta!
lol, missed Haleiwa
Maybe an episode 2...
Puerto Escondido is gotta be top 3 at least.......1.- Warm water.......2.- Barrels of all sizes from March - November.......3.- nearby surf spots like Barra, Chacahua and Salina Cruz.....4.- Extremely affordable for seasonal living.- ......5.- renowned big wave surf location......6.- amazing food......7.- waves for all levels : beginners , intermediate, advanced and pros....8.- all necessary infrastructure needed : banks, transportation, airport and lodging for every budget. 😂😂😂😂 this guy does not like Spanish Speaking Surf Destinations. 😅😅😅😅
Yeah, great shout!! Should have included it in this list, as I love Puerto also :))
Big ups the love for Coolangatta 🪝🪝🪝