surfing Archives - Seek Your Trip

April 17, 2013 by Arlene

Beautiful Costa Rica and the Florblanca Resort

Whether you’re a nature lover, an adventure seeker, or you just like relaxing in the sun, the tropical regions of Costa Rica are the perfect choice for a romantic getaway – or a family vacation full of adventure.

Located in Central America and nestled between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica offers visitors extraordinary tropical rain forests, beautiful sandy beaches, superb nature preserves, and some of the finest luxury resorts in the world. Experience the unpopulated beaches on a romantic getaway, or plan an itinerary full of amazing activities; from hiking through the rain forest, horseback riding along the beach, to river rafting down the white water rapids of the Pacuare river, the variety here is endless.

Florblanca Resort and Activities

Located on the stunning beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula, Florblanca Resort offers guests all the amenities of a five star luxury resort, and all the activities that satisfy the more adventuresome and curious guests.

Surf

Here you can learn how to paddle board with experienced instructors out onto the aqua blue waters of the Pacific. After a short lesson, guests paddle out towards the Cabo Blanco Reserve, then back towards Mar Azul point viewing the marine life and beautiful scenery along the way. The ride is about an hour and a half. Surfing lessons are also provided on the beautiful beach breaks that offer long rides in warm waters. Surfboards for beginners and advanced surfers are provided by the resort.

Horseback riding on the beach

Enjoy a tour of the area on horseback while exploring the 9,000 acre working cattle ranch that borders the sea. Here you’ll see amazing views of the ocean as you climb the surrounding hills overlooking the sea; you’ll see colorful birds of an amazing variety, and monkeys howl and swing from the trees above. A horseback ride along the beach at sunset can be an experience to remember for years to come.

Sport fishing

Sport fishing tours are an extremely rewarding experience and depart frequently from the nearby town of Malpais. Captains are knowledgeable, skilled local fisherman that will point out important features of the area as you fish for Mahi Mahi, Tuna, Grouper, Snapper, Roosterfish, and more. A unique feature of the Florblanca resort is that after a day of fishing, you get to bring your catch back to the resort where Chef Spencer will prepare it for you at Nectar Restaurant. You can request a particular dish such as tasty fish tacos – or you can have him surprise you with a delectable dish of his own.

Excursions

There’s a variety of amazing sightseeing excursions that depart daily from the resort and are highly recommended. Take the Mal Pais and Montezuma Waterfall Excursion With All Terrain Vehicles. First, you’ll fly above the sixty acre jungle canopy and enjoy amazing views of the Pacific ocean and surrounding Islands. Next you’ll board all Terrain Vehicles and tour beautiful farmland as you ride along the serene coastline to Montezuma, where you’ll visit a delightful waterfall. Jump off the rocks into the pool below. Afterwards, you can stroll through the town of Montezuma and take in some local cuisine at a beachfront restaurant before heading back. Make sure to bring shoes that can get wet!

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This post was contributed by Jenny Cooper from Monkey Insurance. Check them out for travel insurance comparison.

Photo by clevertag on Flickr

February 25, 2013 by Arlene

Surfer’s Guide to South Africa

South Africa is an extremely popular hot spot for surfers around the world. There are hundreds of great surf spots within South Africa and many tourists come here year after year to enjoy all breath taking possibilities. Surfing aside, South Africa is still a great destination for any tourist. However if you are a diehard and talented surfer and visiting South Africa for the first time then there are 5 great places you can get started with for a unique surfing experience. These are Elands Bay, Jeffrey’s Bay, Dungeons, North Beach and New Pier.

Elands Bay

Located about 220 kilometres from the capital city Cape Town, Elands Bay is a small town located in the Western Cape Province on the Atlantic Ocean. This place is perfect for experienced surfers as the waves are left directional and one can reach a normal length from 50 to 150 metres high. But the waves are hollow, fast, and powerful that makes it ideal for the ultimate surfing experience. This is truly a surfing paradise. It also promises many beautiful sunsets. Other activities to enjoy here are bird watching, kayaking, fishing and finding some of the rare wild flowers. Cray fish are found in abundance here. There are many places for accommodation around Elands bay like the Elands Bay Beach Cottage which is close to the ocean and is also affordable.

Jeffrey’s Bay

Also famously known as the J-Bay, Jeffrey’s Bay lies on southern South African coastline. The waves here go up to 12 feet high and are very fast, making the surfing experience very thrilling. Many experienced surfers come here and showcase their surfing talents every year but it is usually crowded n winter. Apart from surfing, there is also the opportunity to scuba dive, hike where you can explore local marine ecosystems, & visit a shell museum with over 600 shells of different species from beaches all over the world. JayBay house is a great bed and breakfast and considered one of the best accommodations in Jeffrey’s Bay. The house has rooms that have panoramic views of the sea making it a very beautiful place to stay and enjoy.

Dungeons Surf

Located in the Cape Peninsula, Dungeons is a sheltered reef break with winter being the best time of the year to visit. The offshore winds here blow from north-west and are a right hand reef. The sea here has seals and sharks so you need to be careful and strictly aware of your surroundings. The waves here are big enough to scare the onlookers but provide pure thrills for surfers. There is also a Red Bull big wave surf contest that happens every year in July. There are many accommodations ranging from cheap to luxury hotels to choose from. Enjoying sunsets, hiking and fishing are other activities you can enjoy here.

North Beach

North Beach in Durban, South Africa is an exposed beach with a consistent surf and wind direction from the west. You need be careful about sharks, rocks, and jelly fish at this beach and follow guided safety measures at all times. Southern Sun North Beach Hotel is the closest accommodation to the beach. You can enjoy amenities such as a dolphin show, casino, and other modern entertainment. This is a posh hotel but there are lot of affordable hotels and cottages nearby.

New Pier

New Pier again is an exposed beach making it a ideal surfing paradise with consistent surfs and waves that break both left and right giving a unique experience for surfers here. Hence it is a very popular wave for surfing in South Africa. There are again many hotels nearby beach and great cottages that offer sea views. Fishing is another major activity here for any time you’d like to spend relaxing.

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Photo by 30431232@N03 on Flickr

October 22, 2012 by Arlene

Cowabunga! 6 Awesome Travel Destinations For Surfing Enthusiasts

If you can travel pretty freely, surfing becomes a year round sport. You can discover the world’s top surfing spots in this guide.

1. Northern Portugal

Northern Portugal, specifically in the Cortegaca region, provides an awesome surfing paradise, great atmosphere, and quality surfing. It is perfect for people who are looking to go away from crowded conditions of the south. The Lisbon area of Portugal is the center of Portugal surfing. The region stretches all the way to Peniche. You can fly to Lisbon to get to the beach quickly. The best time to surf in this area is from April to August for beginners and from November to February for pro surfers.

2. California

The Californian coast is highly blessed with a pacific coast highway and offers easy surf checks as well as access to many surfing spots. California provides good surfing experiences for beginners in Malibu and Manhattan Beach. Professional surfers can get stronger waves along Mavericks, just outside San Francisco. California has a rich surfing history and ideal for surfing all year round. Steeped in surfing history it should be on the top of your list for a surfing holiday.

3. Western France

France is not just renowned for its tasty foods but also for glorious beaches as well as quality surfing waves. This makes it one of the globe’s most loved destinations for surfing adventure. Surfing on the west coastline of France is ideal to surf during the months of March to November. As one goes further down this coastline, there are stronger better waves to surf on. The best spots on this coastline are Biarritz and Seignosee Le Penon.

4. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Lanzarote is the most northern part of the Canary Islands. It is located 100 kilometers off the Moroccan coast in the heart of Atlantic Ocean. It has been a preferred surfing location for more than two decades by surfing professionals across Northern Europe. The best spots for surfing in this region are Playa de Famara, Lanzarote, and Costa Teguise. Playa de Famara is mostly considered to be the most beautiful surfing beach in Europe. The best time to surf on these spots is from October to March for professionals and from April to August for beginners.

5. Madeira

Madeira is located 350 miles west of Casablanca, Morocco. It is in the Atlantic Ocean and provides a rich cultural island with awesome waves to surf on. It is surrounded with flowery trees and cliffs making it a tourist attraction spot, with surfers frequenting the beach. It is ideal for only professional surfers as the waves are too strong. The best times to surf on this spot is from October to April.

6. Australia

Australia is among the world’s leading surfing destinations. Surfing is a main stream sport in Australia. The dazzling sunshine on the beaches of Australian coast and blue-green hills make the coast a choice to surf for many. Surfing adventure in Australia is best all year around in the western coast. On the Gold Coast, surfing is best from April to October. The regions are suitable for both beginners and professionals.