Surfing tips

There’s a reason why Oʻahu is nicknamed the Gathering Place – it’s the Hawaiian island that has everything.

Puerto Rico, known for its rich culture and stunning landscapes, is a favorite destination for families.

In order to get the most bang for their buck and to free themselves from the hassles of flying, an increasing number of travelers are choosing to explore the beauty and wonder that lie just a short distance from home. Also, the ongoing chants of “Are we there yet?” from youngsters become a lot more tolerable when driving a manageable distance. The following destinations are ideal for travelers in various parts of the U.S. looking for the budget-friendly convenience of “in your backyard” vacations.

I’m splashing around in the Atlantic, having fallen off my board for what feels like the thousandth time this morning. The water is beautiful, the sky clear and immense, and the Atlas mountains loom behind me. But despite all this serene beauty, I am boiling with frustration: who knew learning to surf would be this hard? Thankfully, psychologist and psychotherapist Josh Dickson is on hand to help me resolve my conflicting emotions. Having been in a severe midlife depression for seven years, I have decided, in my mid-forties, to join the pioneering surfing and group therapy Resurface retreat that is his brainchild.

On a grassy bluff at the southern tip of Sri Lanka, I clasp a negroni, my feet pointing downhill toward the Indian Ocean. Snatches of jazz float into my ears from Cape Weligama's Surf Bar. On the horizon a cluster of roseate clouds match the hue of my drink.

The chimes of my iPhone alarm reached a crescendo, signaling that it was 5:30 a.m. I longed to hit snooze but instead rolled from my bed and shuffled heavy-eyed to the coffee machine. A jolt of caffeine helped get me out the door just in time to make my 6 a.m. Pilates class. The early morning hustle would have felt routine if it weren't for the humid, plumeria-scented air, the sound of crashing waves, and the elevator-length commute to the gym.

With a plethora of uninhabited islands, chilled Caribbean vibes on one side and monster Pacific swells on the other, Panama sits poised to deliver the very best of beach life. 

As someone who has spent decades exploring the coast of Maine, I have stayed in properties up and down the coast. Here are four of my favorites and one new property worth considering for your summer getaway. Summer is a short season in Maine, and these are small boutique hotels, so the time to book is now.

There are about 3.72 million Americans who participate in surfing each year; the well-loved sport was even added to the Olympic Games as of 2021. But despite its popularity, learning to surf as an adult can be intimidating. Learning to surf with physical limitations? Even moreso.

Although many give Bruce Brown's 1966 film, The Endless Summer, credit for introducing surfing to fishing communities in Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria, the sport has been happening along the shores of Western Africa, including Ghana's 300-mile coastline, for centuries. West Africans independently developed surfing before outsiders arrived; since at least the 1640s, sea merchants knew surf patterns well and used wooden surf-canoes to fish and ride 10-foot tall waves. Yet in present-day Ghana, surfing is largely the domain of tourists.

A museum store – but not as you know it... The minute you spot the enormous mirrored ark that is Rotterdam’s Depot, you know you’re in for something extraordinary. Open to the public, its Escher-like staircases are designed to encourage visitors to get lost; to discover objects from below, from above, to look at the backs of pictures. Tours (you get to wear a white coat for this bit) give visitors insight into the storage of objects and the complex process of a museum loan. And when you are full of wonder, you can fill up on delicious teas and food at the rooftop restaurant, enjoying city views from the roof garden. Tickets are €20.Lydia Thornley

First things first: there's not really any such thing as a bad time to visit the Maldives. Whether your holiday to the Indian Ocean’s pièce de résistance is a romantic escape, a getaway with friends or a solo adventure, you're in for an incredible experience.

Cold beers, crab sandwiches, glorious beaches and rugged headlands. Croyde Bay on the North Devon coast is well worth the trek to get there (a three-and-a-half-hour train journey from Paddington via Exeter to the nearest station at Barnstaple), if only to fall gratefully into the warm embrace of the village’s much-loved Thatch pub.

Morocco, one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations, is eager to showcase one of its biggest and unlikely attractions — killer waves.

The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most iconic tourist routes, stretching along the south-eastern coast of Victoria from Torquay to Allansford. Stretching for 151 miles, it offers spectacular ocean views and some breathtaking scenery. Along the way, visitors can explore a range of attractions including beaches, surfing spots, wildlife viewing areas, and stunning rainforest walks. There are also numerous great restaurants and cafes, galleries and museums to discover in the small towns along the route.

For a surfer, arriving in Raglan, New Zealand, is a revelation. You might ask yourself why you thought of New Zealand mainly as a hiking destination. Or you might wonder why Australia gets so much surf attention. Strolling through the bohemian surf town, gazing at the endless sand of Ngarunui Beach, or catching a left-hander that goes on forever at Manu Bay, you might just decide to move to Raglan.