The quality of surf at any surf spot dependents on a multitude of factors: the time of year you’re surfing, the days’ wind and swell directions, the size of wave, the shape of the sand banks which help shape the waves to make them suitable to surfing and much more.

We’re working on the assumption that you arrive to the locations in this article in season and are greeted with good waves and weather. We have listed our 5 favourite surf holiday locations aimed at intermediate surfers.

France is arguably the jewel in the crown of mainland Europe’s surf scene: blessed with a beautiful coastline, camp sites and surf camps right behind the beaches in the pine forests, delicious food and stunning wine! France lends itself perfectly for couples on a surf trip or just a group of friends looking to road trip and explore the French coastline, searching for waves and sleeping in the free car parks located at most surf spots.

What makes France so well-suited to intermediate surfers is that the waves generally break over sand. Beach breaks are ideal for improving your surfing because, more often than not, wiping out on a beach break is less dangerous than shallow reefs or rocky point breaks. Of course, there are always exceptions, like the fast barrelling waves of Hossegor.

However in Moliets where our surf camp is located, you will find an array of waves: some suited to the experienced locals, where you can watch amazing surfers getting world-class waves, and then only a short stroll up or down the beach, there usually always are softer, slower and easier waves suited to the less experienced surfers. These waves allow you to push yourself, safe in the knowledge that if you fall off, there is only sand and water below you.

There are similar setups all over the world, and you can find beach breaks in almost every surf-rich country. However, the beach breaks in France are world renowned, hence why the World Surf League visits the French beach breaks as a stop on the world tour.

Just thinking about Morocco conjures up fond memories of incredible food like tagines, fresh fish and local baked delights, a wonderful warm welcome from the locals but, most of all, long, leg aching, perfect waves!

The sand bottom point breaks of Morocco are some of the longest waves in the world. On a good day, you can surf for over 1 km on a single wave. 1 km!!! Let’s put this into perspective for a moment: on a normal wave, you are lucky to be standing up for over 5 seconds, just enough time to surf along a wave with one or two manoeuvres. In Morocco, and on most point breaks, this is completely different. You have the time to think about your surfing, change your foot positioning, change your line on a wave, relax and take it all in and think about how you want to approach the wave to surf it properly.

So, on one single wave in Morocco, you can surf more (that is, the actual time spent on your feet) than you would in a whole surf trip elsewhere in the world! We love Morocco, but there is a little catch… You must be able to surf sideways, across a waves face and you must be able to duck dive. Point breaks, most of the time, break along an outcrop of rocks, meaning if you surf straight, you are going towards the rocks. The same applies to duck diving. We offer great surf camp accommodation in Morocco with a former professional Moroccan surfer as your host. Check out our Moroccan surf holidays here!

…. Is the best kept secret of the Canary Islands! Fuerteventura is an unspoiled, old school and exciting island. With incredible culture, fantastic local cuisine, budget friendly and surrounded by 360 degrees of world-class surf. Respect surfing etiquette and the locals will welcome you with a smile into the water. We love Fuerteventura so much that, when we opened our surf camp there over 5 years ago, we decided to stay and call it home. We now run surf camps, surf schools and excursions on the island.

Fuerteventura has some of the best intermediate waves in the world. The reef breaks over volcanic rock provide consistent, easy to read surf, suitable to most abilities. The reefs we like to surf with our surf holiday guests break in deep water, meaning there is no danger of hitting yourself on the rocks. The reef set up means we have the added benefit of waves consistently breaking in the same place, allowing you to build your confidence when surfing, then slowly start to push yourself and, by the end of the week, most surf camp guests have surfed the best wave of their life.

Much like France and beach breaks, the surf in Fuerteventura and the reef set ups are not unique to this part of the world. However, it’s everything that surrounds the waves that make this place so special and the perfect destination for an intermediate surf holiday.

Northern Spain is a surfer’s paradise. Period. On the stretch of coastline along the Bay of Biscay, you find surf spot after surf spot for all levels and tastes, from mellow sand-bottom beach breaks, to long point break and hollow reefs to steep rights and lefts.

Cantabria is a seriously spectacular corner of Spain. The region runs from the edges of Bilbao to the mighty Picos de Europa. It’s coastline faces north-east and then north-west, which means it picks up a variety of swell directions and can even work on those key summer westerlies past Santander. What’s more, the cliffs drop away a little here. That leaving the Cantabrian coast more exposed but also lined with soft-sanded beach breaks

Come here at the end of the summer, last August and September time to enjoy uncrowded waves. Although very busy in the height of summer, once August draws to a close, the touristy crowds leave Spain. Nights can get cold here at the end of summer which makes Spain a less popular destination for many than its neighbour France. If you can handle the slightly chillier temperatures at night, then we certainly recommend to visit Spain on your next intermediate surf trip because we guarantee you will love the empty lineups and uncrowded waves, we sure know we do!

A little unexpected? Probably, but we truly believe your home surf break provides one of the best environments to improve your surfing as an intermediate surfer. You are familiar with the wave’s eccentricities, understand the pecking order in the lineup and the ability of the other surfers (often allowing you to sneak a few extra waves when other surfers “unexpectedly” wipeout on the same section of the wave every time). Your confidence is usually at its highest when surfing on home turf and, let’s be honest, there is no better motivator than knowing your friends and peers you surf with regularly are watching your every wave.

Kelly Slater grew up surfing the less than idyllic waves in Florida. When asked how he became the world’s greatest surfer learning on some of the world’s least perfect waves, he said learning to surf well on bad waves made surfing on perfect waves just so much easier! That pretty much proves that you can improve your surfing anywhere there is surf, even if your local surf spot’s waves don’t compare to some of the world’s best!

We cannot wait to be surfing with you in any of those surf destinations!

Happy Surfing, everyone & hopefully see you soon in one of our Star Surf Camp locations.

Your Star Surf Camps Team