How to find secret surf spots – My 11 best tips for discovering uncrowded waves

Every surfer dreams of uncrowded quality waves. You want to have the break for yourself, maybe share those slices of blue perfection with a few friends. This dream can become a reality; you just have to learn how to find secret surf spots.

Are there still secret surf spots to discover?

Absolutely. There are more than 100 countries who has surf, and all those countries have kilometer of coastlines. All you need to do is get off the beaten path and start exploring. Live the search.

The more you learn about how waves work, the easier it will be to spot the potential for secret surf breaks.

Semi-secret surf spots

There are plenty of spots around every surf town that tourists never get to. When you live in an area, you learn which wave size and swell direction work for different, more remote surf spots.

Secret surf spots exist on a scale, but anytime you are alone and having fun, one might say that you are enjoying a secret spot.

Where to find secret surf spots

Wave-rich areas (Such as Ericeira in Portugal) are where you are most likely to discover hidden gems. If there is a lot of swell rolling in on a daily basis, you can be sure that this swell creates unexpected quality waves from time to time.

Every world-famous surf break usually has a couple of secret breaks in their vicinity.

1. Ask a local

The first tip is the most straightforward: just talk with people and see if anyone is willing to give you some tips.

Sure, they are not going to give up their best-kept secret spots, but they might be friendly enough to point you in the right direction.

It all depends on how charming you are and which part of the world you are visiting. Some countries don’t see many surfers or tourists and in those countries the local surfers are usually just happy to bring you to some of the lesser known spots.

2. Search Google Maps and Google Earth for promising leads

Okay, so the locals were not forthcoming, and you are stuck sharing waves with 100 beginners all wiping out. It’s time to get serious and look at a map. Download your favorite mapping software and start scanning the coastline for leads.

What to look for?

Horseshoe-shaped beaches, river mouths, and piers are all clues in your search. Any kind of inlet can lead to the creation of a sandbank.

Natural rock formations sticking out from a beach are another clear indicator that you might find a point break there when the conditions are favorable.

Cliffs or big rocks can also create point breaks. Those kinds of natural formations also help create new sandbanks.

Think about some of the breaks you know and analyze the conditions that created those surf breaks. Look for similar shapes and features.

Look for waves on Google Earth

When you look at satellite pictures on Google Earth, you can see the white traces of waves hitting the shores or hitting some underground magic that allows waves to shape in that exact spot. Those spots are all worth visiting by car and on foot.

Download Google Earth Pro and have a look.

Sandbanks do shift

New secret breaks are created every day. The reason is that sandbanks are always changing. Powerful winter storms shift the location of various sandbanks. If you think a beach has potential, check it out every year.

3. Take a guess on what kind of condition would be optimal

When you have spotted a place on Google Maps that looks worth exploring, consider in which condition it might work.

Some spots are low tide spots or high tide spots, be prepared to be surprised.

If there is a similar break close by, the optimal conditions for that break are probably the optimal conditions for your secret spot.

Favorable wind conditions

Visit your new secret spot on a day with almost no wind. Glassy condition bring out the best side of any wave.

Secret spots in Ericeira

Secret spots usually need very specific conditions to start working; this is the case in and around Ericeira.

Some of these spots turn epic a few days every year. Secret spots are usually not as consistent as the main tourist spots.

Another truth about secret surf spots is that you usually have to do a bit of walking since no roads lead to these spots.

Be prepared to trek through the desert or jungle to reach your new surfing gem.

4. Find secret surf spots by boat

Some secret surf spots are only reachable by boat. If you want to go exploring. team up with a local fisherman and have him take you around and show you the coast. This will be a fun adventure, even if you don’t find a secret spot.

5. Get in the car and start exploring

There is only so much you can discover by looking at a map. When you have some ideas of potential secret surf spots, get in the car and start driving.

When you arrive, be prepared to do a bit of walking. As mentioned before, most secret surf spots can only be reached on foot.

Make sure the spot is accessible to the public

A word of warning, if you are not on your home turf, make sure that you are not trespassing. Some areas are protected or privately owned. Also consider possible wildlife, you don’t want to disturb the mating place of some rare bird.

6. Check the surf spot when the waves are small

Safety is a big concern when you are looking for secret spots.

To minimize any risk, paddle out the first time when the waves are small. Sure, you might not catch any epic waves, but a small day will give you an idea of what a bigger day would feel like.

You can never know a spot completely from just looking at it. You need to feel the waves and the current.

Also, ask the local surfers what they think about the spot you have “discovered.” Don’t worry about giving away your secrets; most locals know the coast very well.

7. Observe the conditions carefully before entering the water

Spend 30 minutes observing the waves. Well, if not 30 minutes, take at least 5 minutes and try to imagine what the wave will feel like.

Also, pay close attention to any potential current. This is the biggest risk with secret spots.

8. Bring one or two friends

Never enter the water on your own. Searching for secret spots is a team sport. It is better to have two opinions about how the spot is working or might work. Paddle out together and talk about your experience.

9. Tide plays a huge role in the search for secret surf spots

Make sure you observe your spot at different tides. Some surf countries are more sensitive to the impact of tides than others. Ask local surfers how the tide changes the waves at different spots.

Both high tide and low tide have the potential to make certain waves work.

Visit your secret spot at low tide to have a look at what the bottom looks like.

10. Keep a notebook about potential secret spots

If you are a serious secret spot hunter, take notes about how the waves behave at different sizes and tides.

Some secret spots only work a couple of days every year. But when it’s on, it’s on. This is how you score empty barrels.

11. Consider the swell direction and wave height

Some secret spots are only working in huge waves, while other need small waves. Swell direction is everything when you are wondering how to find secret surf spots. Study the potential break on the map, and in reality, in different swell directions.

An unusual swell direction can make a particular break fire up.

Final words on how to find secret surf spots

You will get skunked a lot of times; that’s part of the game. But the more you learn about a particular region, the more you will score uncrowded waves.

By watching how the wave behaves in one spot, you will know what’s going on in the other spots, including those rarely visited places without a webcam.

You can figure out all the secrets of potential epic surf sessions by carefully studying the shoreline and the waves.