I love to surf, but I’m not very good at it. So I’m spending the next 6 weeks surfing South Africa’s best waves with professional instructors.
Yes, you read that correctly. An epic surfing road trip from Cape Town to Durban, with instruction from some former pro surfers. Sounds like a dream adventure travel vacation, right?
That’s what I thought.
I’ll be heading out on a multi-week South African Road Trip to experience legendary surfing conditions and locations that South Africa is well known for.
Surfing South Africa
Where will I be surfing? The adventure starts in Cape Town and I’ll slowly work my way up the East coast to Durban over 4 weeks, stopping at all the best surf spots along the journey.
Cape Town (Muizenberg Beach)
Plettenburg Bay
Jeffrey’s Bay
Coffee Bay
Durban (Anstey’s Beach)
Surfing Friends
Volunteer Projects
My journey won’t just be about getting better at surfing though. We’ll also dedicate time to local community projects throughout the trip. Like organizing football matches on the beach for township kids, teaching surfing lessons, and more.
It’s another aspect of this adventure that I’m really looking forward to.
Muizenberg Beach, Our First Stop
Surf Vacation Packing List
Did I mention that July is winter in South Africa? The Drakensburg mountains were covered with snow on my flight in! My travel gear for this adventure will be slightly different than my usual kit.
4/3 Wetsuit
The water in South Africa isn’t tropical, and I need a proper wetsuit (4mm chest, 3mm arms/legs). Luckily I found a local company that has a factory in Cape Town. I snagged a brand new, custom fit, 4/3 wetsuit direct from the Coral Wetsuits factory store for only $126!
50+ Sunscreen
My Irish skin doesn’t tan well, so plenty of strong waterproof sunscreen is a must. Maybe some Zinc for the nose too. I’ll be putting in a lot of wave time under the hot sun each week.
First Aid Kit
Surfing can be a rough sport. Getting slammed into the rocks by a wave will leave a mark or two. That’s why it’s important to have a first aid kit for the inevitable cuts & scrapes.
Warm Clothes
Despite it being winter here, air temperatures are between 50° – 70°F (11° – 21°C). So it’s really not that bad. However early mornings and late nights on the beach will require warm & comfortable clothing. After a 3 hour session surfing in cold water, warm clothes are exactly what you need.
Hoping to capture some great surfing footage & photos to share with you.
Surfboard!
I’m normally accustomed to surfing 9 foot longboards, but I’d like to move down to a shorter board. It will certainly be a challenge. Before I get my hands on one though, I’ll use longer boards while slowly working my way down to shorter ones as I become more proficient.
Special Surprises
Of course there is much more to South Africa than surfing. If you love adventure travel, this amazing country has a lot to offer. That’s why we’ll be embarking on other activities as well.
I hope you enjoyed my guide on surfing in South Africa! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:
Hi, I’m Matthew Karsten — I’ve been traveling around the world for the last 10 years as a blogger, photographer, and digital nomad. Adventure travel & photography are my passions. Let me inspire you to travel with crazy stories, photography, and money-saving travel tips.
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