Solo surfholiday 7 useful tips and trics!
A solo surfholiday was never so much fun!
A solo surf holiday
In this guide we give you 7 tips for a solo traveler that want to go on a surfholiday. Going on a surf camp alone is exciting, purely because you exchange your safe and familiar environment for something unknown. Wherever you go, you will meet new people in no time who often become very good friends through the shared experience! Our surf camps always have a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, making it easy to chill with a new group or talk to other people. Still in doubt if you want to do a solo surf holiday? I say read these tips and pack your bags to jump on the first possible flight!
1. Open yourself up to a solo surf vacation!
When going alone on a surfholiday you don’t want to spend all your time alone, without meeting other people. The fun part of a solo surfholiday is to connect with new people, making new friends and surfing together. So don’t be afraid to talk to new people on your solo surf holiday. At our surf camps, surfholidays and activities you will find plenty of people who go on a surf camp or surf holiday alone and who are very happy with a nice conversation / experiencing adeventures together. Our crew is also always up for a good chat and fun times!
In general, surfers have a very open and sociable attitude in the surfing community. This open attitude is sure to give you a great time on your next surf holiday!
- Easy questions like “Hi, how long have you been here?” or “Where are you from?” guarantee a conversation.
- You don’t have to make friends, you can also enjoy the me-time without feeling guilty!
If you never go, you'll never know!
2. Be aware of the risks
- Although we want to focus completely on the fun and good things of a solo surf holiday, it is very important to be aware of the risks of a solo surf trip. By raising your awareness for potential risks, you will be better prepared for your journey.
Surfing alone
First, if you are going alone into the ocean for a surfsession, you should be aware that the ocean is not our natural habitat. Sudden strong currents, big waves or an unexpected maneuver with your strong and sharp surfboard can lead to dangerous situations. It is therefore always wise to surf with a buddy so that you can watch out for each other. If you are at a surf spot, talk to other surfers, make sure they know you are in the water. You can also decide to go surfing with someone from your surf camp/hotel.
Solo on land
As a solo traveler you are a bit more vulnerable than when you travel with someone else, especially as a woman. That’s why your safety is very important. If you’re traveling alone, you may need to prepare a little better. If you travel together, you can still fall back on the other person, for example if your debit card is swallowed or your bag is stolen. Of course, you assume that things like this won’t happen, but it’s still good to be prepared for it. A few tips to ensure your safety as a solo traveler:
- Take a notebook with you with phone numbers from family back home, in case you lose your phone.
- Look up the emergency number of your destination, and put it in your telephone and in a notebook.
- Bring a small travel lock. Hotels or hostels often have a storage space, but you have to put a lock in it yourself.
- Always listen to your gut feeling. Does something not feel right? Then put your polite behavior aside and choose for yourself. You’ll never see this person again anyway.
- Make sure people know where you are.
- Don’t go out alone in the dark at night, but go with someone instead
3. do your research before going to a new surf spot
If you are staying in our surfcamp and joining one of our surfholiday this might not be the case for you, but when you are traveling alone and not staying in a surfcamp this might be useful! Do your research beforehand about the best surf spots where you want to surf, where the tourist hotspots are and where you definitely want to go. This way you know where you can easily meet other people and which places you want to visit anyway. Use the stories of friends who have been to these destinations before, use Tripadvisor or read a Lonely Planet.
4. Enjoy the freedom!
How nice is it to make a trip in which you can plan everything exactly the way you want, without having to take others into account!
You can do exactly this on your solo surf holiday!
Whether you like a very extensive pre-planned itinerary (which can be great if you’re traveling alone) or you’re more go-with-the-flow and let yourself be guided by what comes your way. (Some of life’s best adventures come when we are alone and flexible, so remain open to the possibility of completely changing your plans. You never know where you will end up, or what you will find)
- Always keep the home front (your family or friends) informed of your plans, and any changed plans
- Make sure you have at least the first few nights booked, so you can get used to your new temporary life as a solo traveler
- Always have enough money with you in case you suddenly have to pay an extra taxi or if you need/want to change your plans
- Be open to new adventures, and listen to what your gut tells you!
5. Sleep in a shared tent or dorm
This is probably the easiest way to make your first contact with new potential friends! Most solo travelers also stay in shared rooms. You can assume that these people share a large part of your interests and are certainly open to meeting new people.
6. Join a group surfholiday
Whether you want to go on a surf holiday for a week, or whether you opt for a long stay to spend the winter in our surf camp, there are always other surfers who do something similar! In our surf camps it is easy to meet others and have a unique surfing experience together. You will never be alone and it guarantees very nice encounters and deep friendships.
7. take surf lessons
Many people underestimate the art of surfing. So taking a few surf lessons can’t hurt at all. In addition, you often miss out on a lot of fun contact if you don’t take a lesson. Laugh together when you fall, or cheer together when you take the first wave? You do it all during a surf lesson. It’s an absolute win-win on your solo surf holiday, so why not?
Check out our single surflessons for beginners or surf holidays with surflessons
THE BENEFITS OF A SOLO SURF HOLIDAY
- Lots of me time! When you travel alone, you are in control of everything. You don’t have to take anyone into account.
- You find out that you are stronger than you think. Yes, you are going to a foreign country, with no one around to fall back on. But you’ll soon find out that you’ll be fine, and there’s nothing you can’t do.
- It is easier to let go everything at home, because there is no one to talk to about things that keeping you busy at home.
- You are approachable. If you are traveling with a friend, others will be less likely to approach you. You may also speak less quickly to others, because you already have each other.
- You quickly make new friends with other (solo) travelers. And with many of the people you meet along the way, go in-depth faster.
- Your English will improve very fast. During a solo trip you will almost only speak English, while if you travel with a friend you will speak more in your motherlanguage.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF SOLO TRAVEL
- There is no one to fall back on. Even when you’re tired, when it’s dark, when you’re sad, etc. And that’s fine, because you can solve it all very well yourself.
- There is no one around who can keep an eye on your belongings if, for example, you have to go to the toilet at the airport or are on the beach and want to swim.
- When you travel alone, you are a little more vulnerable than if you were with someone else. Always trust your gut feeling: leave if something doesn’t feel right or talk to someone.
- You forget experiences faster. Once home, there is no one to retrieve the memories with, so you forget them faster. That’s why I like to keep a diary, in which I write a few things every day.
- You can be lonely at times. I will come back to this later in this article.
- If you travel alone, you mainly take pictures of the surroundings, but it is also nice to have a few photos that include you. And you really need other people for that.
Extra tips for a SOLO surf holiday
- Outside of Europe always buy a local SIM card so that use can use the internet. This means you are always available, you always know where you are thanks to Google Maps and you can easily order an Uber.
- Take a debit card, credit card and cash money with you, but don’t keep them together in one place. If your wallet is stolen or you lose it, you’ve lost everything. So put one in your wallet and the other in your suitcase.
- For women’s: wear a ring that can serve as a wedding ring, especially in Asian and African countries this can be very helpful.
- Travel light! So don’t take a wetsuit and surfboard with you on a trip, but rent them on location. You travel alone so you will have to carry everything yourself, even if you have to go to the toilet at the airport! It is best to travel with hand luggage only.
- We offer many gap year programs starting from 3 weeks, and long stay programs such as the surf academy and the volunteering project. All participants are solo travelers. You can also join them if you are not a gap year student and actually many participants are older!
Great surfholidays for solo travelers to our surfcamp in Morocco!
If you are going for a solo surftrip to our surfcamp you want to surf as much as possible! With this surf holiday you will be in the water everyday from sunrise till sunset. The good thing is, all meals are included, all transport is included and your accommodation in the surfcamp in Morocco is also included! 🙂
A surftrip to Morocco on a budget? The surf & stay option in our surfcamp is a really afforable option! This package is the basics that all surfer needs: Accommodation, breakfast, surflessons and lunches.
Not only the waves are great in Morocco, also the nature in the mountains are beautiful! Go with us on adventurous activities and do more activities than just surfing: Cliffjumping in Paradise Valley, Sandboarding in the Small Sahara, visiting the souks of Agadir and more adventurous activities! These are all things that you may not do so quickly on your own. Another advantage, you get to know a lot of new people during the activities!
Making the surfcamp your new home for a few weeks up to 3 months. Living the surfers lifestyle and forget the cold times in Europe. In Morocco we have the never ending summer and endless waves rolling in!
Nice to meet you (your hosts)
We are surfers, professionals and experienced travellers who have made surfing and living in amazing places our lifestyle.
Come with us to places where the surf is consistent, the internet is solid, the lifestyle is simple, the local culture is rich and everything you need – including surf – is within a short walk from your home.
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