Surfing in the Caribbean is largely about hitting the warm waters of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Barbados, and the Bahamas. But there’s also more…
An introduction to surfing in the Caribbean
For some reason, surfing in the Caribbean hasn’t taken off like it has in Indo or Costa Rica. There are certainly plenty of exceptions to prove that rule – exceptions that come in the form of Puerto Rico’s beefy Rincon slabs and XXL monsters; exceptions that come by way of the peeling reef breaks of the Dominican Republic. But, by and large, we can’t shake the feeling that this is a region that’s been oft-ignored by wave hunters and more given over to monied holidayers on the hunt for the next five-star Sandals resort.
Things are changing surely but slowly. The emergence of newfound surf territories in Cuba and the Bahamas are making that happen. Older surf hubs in the region are also coming to the fore, with fancy surf camps popping up in Encuentro (Dominican Republic) and Jamaica alike.
One thing’s not up for debate: The waves exist. One glance at those fizzing Palmetto Point barrels and the bowling sections of Soup Bowl and you’ll see the potential of this region. We never doubted that, though – full exposure to N Atlantic swells always meant there was going to be action.
Let’s dive a little deeper and see what surfing in the Caribbean is all about…
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Surfing in the Caribbean at a glance
The good:
The bad:
What will I find in this guide to surfing in the Caribbean?
The top surf spots in the Caribbean
If we had to pick out the places where we’d say reign supreme for surfing in the Caribbean, it would be the Dominican Republic, Barbados, and Puerto Rico. Together, they do the best on those winter N swells and offer the most developed surf communities. They also have the pick of the surf camps, so look to those for your trip first.
Dominican Republic
Just look how close the Dominican Republic is to Puerto Rico! It’s simply not possible that one’s a surf mecca and the other’s not, right? Right. In fact, this western half of Hispaniola is one of the jewels of the Caribbean surf scene. The main attraction is the Amber Coast and the north, which hoovers N-NE swells in the winter months to offer some fantastic reef breaks at Encuentro and Puerto Plata. That whole area is a medley of coves and little points that are waiting to be discovered, though. Eastern Trade Winds are the main enemy – they always seem to be blowing, so get in early!
Read our complete guide to Dominican Republic surf
Barbados
The teardrop-shaped island of Barbados is the most exposed to the Atlantic swell channels of any island in the Caribbean. It’s sort of a geographic outlier, sitting 100 miles to the east of the next destination over, giving it good action on the N, NW, and NE compass directions. Add to that a coastline of reefs and rugged points and you finally start to get a picture of what’s sort of established as the finest surf destination in the region. Soup Bowl is the star here, with its thick, grizzly barrels. But there’s loads for beginners and intermediates just steps away from that tube machine.
Check out our complete guide to Barbados surfing
Puerto Rico
The surf pedigree of Puerto Rico cannot be underestimated. Pros have come and gone from the beaches of Rincon here for decades, finding spinning barrels to conquer on the reefs that lie out west. More lately, there has been a growing scene in the region of Aguadilla, Rincon’s lesser-known bro, and some good options to surf on the north coast. Overall, we put PR down as a playground for intermediates and up. It’s mainly about shallow reefs and hollow waves. It’s a bit like a Caribbean Nias, only with walkable beaches and a down season when you don’t want to be around.
Check out our complete guide to surfing in Puerto Rico
Jamaica
The home of reggae bands and steel drums probably shouldn’t be your first choice for surfing in the Caribbean. But it could well be your second. Relying on the ever-blowing NE trades that caress the region all summer long, there are some surprisingly good breaks here, and something for all levels. Beginners can hit up Boston Bay for peeling rights that curl like scythes into a tropical bay. Performance riders can go south to seek the wedgy barrels that rise on the reefs of Bull Bay and Makkas.
Check out our full guide to Jamaica surfing right now
Antigua
Surfing in Antigua and Barbuda was thrust into the limelight in recent times with the great reveal of Palmetto Point, a spot that captured the imagination of the surf world when it was discovered back in 2001 and kept secret by a select few gatekeepers. Whichever way you look at that it’s a downright amazing wave, funneling neat right barrels straight off a talcum-powder point in the middle of nowhere. Other breaks sit on the main island of Antigua, either picking up the scraps of the NW winter pulses or drawing power from the dominant SE trades.
Check out our full guide to surfing in Antigua
Bahamas
The Bahamas aren’t just for yachters and sunbathers and honeymooners, you know? As the northernmost islands in the western Caribbean, this collection of 3,000 rocks has some cracking surf. Of them all, it’s the group of the Abacos and the long, thing dogleg of an island called Eleuthera that reign supreme. They get full hits from NW-N-NE swells in the winter, and even have bays and points that bend those dominant winds offshore.
Check out our complete guide to Bahamas surfing
Cuba
Cuba hasn’t really made the headlines amid other Caribbean destinations that can really wow with their surf – the likes of Barbados and the Dominican Republic, especially. But this long, bent-finger of an island that’s plumed in cigar smoke and soaked in rum certainly has its moments. The northern shores of the southern provinces often come up trumps. They hide the likes of Boca de Yumuri, a peeling right point break that’s unbeatable on its day. Overall, though, this land remains unexplored and unchartered – perfect for a more adventurous surf trip.
Check out our complete guide to Cuba surfing
Turks and Caicos
The Turks and Caicos are an interesting surfing prospect. Look at the map and you’d think they’d have the same prowess as the north coast of the Dominican Republic or the isles of the Bahamas. But they don’t, mainly because of a long, uninterrupted offshore reef system that kills all N swells. There are points where it sneaks through, though, and places where we think there are undiscovered waves for the taking.
Check out our complete guide to the surf in Turks and Caicos
St Lucia
St Lucia is a paradise isle that’s often the stomping ground for honeymoon travelers on account of its 5-star all inclusive. There are a few surf spots, largely leaning towards the more intermediate crowd. They work mainly winter only, thanks to the NE swells that wrap around the tip of the isle to places like Pigeon Point.
Check out our full guide to surfing in St Lucia right now
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is a great place to surf. Seriously, you might not have heard of it but it gets a similar Atlantic swell exposure to Barbados and a string of fantastic reef breaks that work for all levels much of the year. We’d say this isle is worth serious consideration for intermediates and up who want to hit glass-clear waters and rugged volcanic black-sand beaches in the very same trip.
Check our complete guide to Guadeloupe surf right now
Top places to stay if you’re going surfing in the Caribbean
There isn’t the same surf hotel boom in the Caribbean as you get in, say, Indo or Costa Rica. But there are some upcoming lodges and stays that are fantastic if you want to focus on the breaks and not the rum punches…
El Encuentro Surf Lodge
We’re going to go out on a limb here and say that the El Encuentro Surf Lodge is the single best surf lodge in the whole of the Caribbean region. It’s a bloody awesome place to be to hit the waves of the Dominican Republic north coast, which are some of the best around. This particular spot (west of Cabarete) has breaks for all levels. The lodge itself has sleek, modern rooms, and outdoor bar, and a long pool in its own gardens. This would be our very first port of call organizing a Carib surf adventure, no doubts about it!
Qué Chévere
Explore the surfing legend that is Rincon from the comfort of this boutique B&B. The rooms are styled with cool geometric tiles and lit by big windows. It’s close to the town for convenience, but hop in the car and you can be riding XL breaks or babbling right reef points in no time at all.
Mahona Boutique Hotel
A very well-rated hotel that closes to what’s we’d consider to be the learner’s mecca of the Dominican Republic in Las Terrenas. The splash pool and the palm trees join with boho-cool interiors to make this a very comfy place to base yourself for surfing in these parts.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in the Caribbean?
The prime time for surfing in the Caribbean is the winter between November and March. That marks the end of the hurricane season, which can wreak serious havoc over the whole of the region and ushers in the dominance of the N swells. They’ll come down all the way from the North Atlantic, off big storms on the US Eastern Seaboard or even deeper up around Iceland and the Arctic. The result is a consistent stream of nice groundswells that travel thousands of miles before hitting the reefs of from the Bahamas all the way to the Dominican Republic.
Summer surfing in the Caribbean is often marred by the presence of the restless trade winds. They blow E most of the time and can get super strong from May to July. There are some neat places – on Eleuthera and in Rincon particularly – where they actually go offshore but they are mainly cross and onshore. Some great days can come of the windswell. Jamaica almost entirely relies on it. It’s just rarer and wave days won’t be as reliable. The added risk of tropical storms keeps most surfers away from August to September.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!