April is the perfect month for some surfing treats worldwide. Here are our top spots and recommendations for surfing in April. We will be adding good surf spots to this blog bit by bit so that you can find more destinations to choose from for April in the future.
Topics
1. Trans, Denmark
In April, the sun comes through more often in Denmark and the days become significantly longer. Nevertheless, you should have a 6/5 wetsuit with a hood, 7 mm neoprene shoes and 3-5 mm neoprene gloves with you, as the water is still quite cold.
Country: Denmark
Spot: Trans
Location: North of Fjaltring on the west coast of Denmark
Best months: March, April, October, November
Surfing level: advanced and expert
Location of the spot: Beach section between small piers
Wave: right-breaking wave
Wave height: 1.5 – 2.5 m
Wave direction: SW – NW
Best wind direction: East
Optimal tides: Midtide
Ground: Stones, partly sand
Neoprene: 6/5
Water: 5°C
Air: 6 – 10°C
Dangers:
- stone moles
- shorebreak (on stony beach)
- current
Advantages:
+ no crowds
+ when trans runs, it runs (the wave runs well)
+ almost no tourists
+ significantly shorter journey from the south than e.g. Klitmöller
+ Overnight accommodation for campers in Fjaltring
Disadvantages:
– susceptible to wind
– remote
– few overnight accommodations
– laborious “climb” up the steep coast
Tip:
Have your camera ready and take photos of your surfing buddies from the top of the cliff to get a cool perspective. See our Ambassador Timmi in the picture before this chapter. Take a look at our blog“Surf photography – Create your perfect surf pictures“.
2. La Palue, France
La Palue is located on the Crozon peninsula, south of the port city of Brest. Crozon offers many other surf spots for every level – we’ll concentrate on La Palue for now.
Country: France
Region: Brittany
Spot: La Palue
Location: on the Crozon peninsula
Best months: April – October (also winter, as long as there are no low-pressure systems with lots of wind)
Surfing level: suitable for beginners, advanced and experts
Location of the spot: large sandy beach, surrounded by nature
Wave: beach break, left-hand wave, shorter right-hand wave, shifting peaks
Wave height: 0.5 – 3m
Wave direction: SW – NW
Best wind direction: Easterly winds
Optimal tides: Midtide
Ground: Sand
Neoprene: 5/4
Water: 12°
Air: 14°
Dangers:
- current with large waves
- beach break with big waves
- here and there remnants of the 2nd World War in the water (but they should all have been salvaged by now)
Advantages:
+ surfable even in smaller waves
+ quite empty in the low season
+ beautiful sandy beach and beautiful nature
+ less tourism than e.g. in Hossegor
Disadvantages:
– still quite cool in April
– rather rainy in winter and sometimes very windy when low pressure areas pass through
– conditions change greatly with the tides
– susceptible to winds from the west
– cold water (quite cool even in summer)
Tips:
In the season, the clearance height for campervans is limited and you have to park outside the beach parking lot. The best way to plan your surf trip is to check when the barriers will be installed, e.g. to be able to drive further to the beach in the off-season. Otherwise, you can park in front of the barrier and walk a short distance down to the beach.
3. Elands Bay, South Africa
Elands Bay, north of Cape Town, has (unfortunately) long ceased to be a hidden gem among surfers. At the latest since there is a paved road to Elands Bay, more and more surfers and windsurfers are coming here. Elands Bay also has the reputation of being one of the longest right-hand waves in the world. Nevertheless, the wheat is separated from the chaff, as Elands Bay is definitely not suitable for beginners – see below under Dangers.
Country: South Africa
Spot: Elands Bay
Location: approx. 230 km north of Cape Town
Best months: April – October
Surf level: advanced and experts only!
Location of the spot: large bay directly south of the large hill (mountain)
Wave: long-running, moderately fast-breaking, right-hand wave
Wave height: 1.5 – 3.5m
Wave direction: SW – W
Best wind direction: southerly winds
Optimal tides: Midtide
Ground: sand / stone / reef
Neoprene: 4/3
Water: 12°C
Air: 24°C
Dangers:
- seagrass (kelb) – you can easily slip on it or get tangled up in the Kelb tangle, e.g. with the leash
- sharp-edged reef, rocks
- difficult entry and exit
- very cold water when special current pushed cold water upside
Advantages:
+ the wave runs very cleanly to the right
+ usually never really crowded because of the many dangers and disadvantages
+ beautiful long, right-breaking wave
Disadvantages:
– see dangers
– hardly any infrastructure
– you should take care of valuables
– only accessible by car
Tips:
The water temperatures can vary greatly depending on the current. You should definitely use at least 3mm neoprene shoes, a hood and, if necessary, neoprene gloves. There is a campsite right in the bay with a beautiful sandy beach and you can spend the night right by the sea. There are now several vacation homes directly at the spot that can provide good accommodation. Elands Bay can also be easily reached as a day trip from Cape Town.
4. Lohi's, Maldives
Anyone who is really into surfing and has a good surfing level should definitely take a surf (boat) trip to the Maldives. There are countless first-class reef breaks in the various atolls, which can usually only be reached by boat.
Country: Maldives
Spot: Lohi’s (Lohifushi)
Location: North Male Atoll
Best months: April to August
Surfing level: suitable for advanced and pros
Location of the spot: along the Huduranfushi Resort, spot accessible from land
Wave: long-running, left-breaking, fast wave
Wave height: 1 – 3.5 m
Wave direction: SO
Best wind direction: south, prevailing wind: west
Optimal tides: hightide – midtide
Ground: coral reef
Neoprene: boardshort is enough
Water: 29°
Air: 30°
Dangers:
- strong current
- sharp coral reef
- very narrow entry and exit
- midday sun
- sunburn
Advantages:
+ Lohi’s is only for guests of the resort (no surfers by boats who overcrowd it)
+ beautiful, challenging and fast left-hand wave
+ beautiful nature
+ beautiful resort
+ day surf boat trips to Ninja’s, Pasta Point and Jailbreaks
+ diving tours available
+ accommodation directly at the spot
+ spot can be reached on foot in 2 minutes
Disadvantages:
– mostly current (lots of paddling)
– susceptible to wind
– the timing of the takeoff must be perfect
– very expensive resort
Tips:
Lohi’s is an ideal first stop to get to know the waves of the Maldives and to spend the first few days ashore before embarking on a boat trip. 50+ sunscreen is a must, as well as headwear when surfing in the midday sun.
5. Chicama, Peru
Peru offers the longest left-breaking wave in the world in Chicama and a culture in the country that is amazing. If the wave runs completely off the tip of the bay, you can surf the wave for up to 2 km. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that you plan further stops in Peru if you are already traveling to the land of the Incas.
Country: Peru
Spot: Chicama
Location: 80 km north of Trujillo
Best months: April to October (but there are also good waves from time to time in the South American summer)
Surf level: more suitable for advanced surfers and pros
Location of the spot: long sandy bay
Wave: left-hand wave (more for longboards and hybrid boards)
Wave height: 1 – 4 m
Wave direction: SW
Best wind direction: south-easterly winds
Optimal tides: all
Ground: sand
Neoprene: 3/2 or shorty
Water: 21°
Air: 28°
Dangers:
- larger swell
- traffic of boatservices
- stony beach section at the 2nd peak
Advantages:
+ eternally running wave, easy to surf
+ wave almost always runs (only the length and power of the shaft varies)
+ overnight accommodation directly at the spot
+ surfer flair
+ lots of sun and warm
+ few tourists
+ great culture
Disadvantages:
– very long flight time (from Europe)
– very long journey from Lima (the best option is a domestic flight to Trujillo)
– no nightlife
– hardly any good restaurants
– no well-equipped surf shops
– English won’t get you far in many places (Hablas espanol?)
Tips:
Book a boat service on at least one of the days in Chicama so that you can be taken back to the peak quickly and make the most of your surfing time. We tested the hotel “Los Delfines de Chicama” ourselves and can definitely and unreservedly recommend it: great location, super hosts, delicious food, super service,…
Have fun surfing in April!
Your Stoked Zone Team
You can find more warm destinations for your surfing in April in our blog “Surfing in winter – warm destinations“.
