Article written by Wendy Helfenbaum.
Adventurous water-loving families can ‘hang ten’ together in the Caribbean by taking surfing lessons.
Surfers enjoy the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean. Photo courtesy of SXM Surf Club, St. Martin
Group or private classes and surf camps can improve swimming, balance and coordination, teach important water safety skills and boost everyone’s confidence while riding the waves. Schools in calmer areas specialize in teaching children who can start as young as three, and many surfing classes also offer fun beach activities plus the chance to spot and learn about local marine creatures or wildlife.
Here are a few places to try.
Surfing – a great family friendly activity (St.Martin)
The water is perfect in St. Martin! Photo courtesy of SXM Surf Club
St. Martin is renowned as a surfer’s paradise. Le Galion Bay Beach is located in a conservation area of the Nature Reserve, where visitors are enchanted by it its crystal-clear turquoise waters.
Here, SXM Surf Club instructors have taught adults and children how to surf for more than 20 years. With 350 days of waves, this family-friendly area is the perfect place to learn or improve surfing skills. Prices start at €55 for a 75-minute lesson for kids under 12 and go up to €110 for a 90-minute adult private lesson. You’ll pay less if you purchase three- or five-lesson packages. The surf club can also pick you up at your hotel. Board rentals start at €55 for a half-day.
Bonus: You can also take windsurfing classes or do stand-up paddle boarding, and the soft white sand is ideal for building sandcastles.
Year-round surfing (Barbados)
After 15 minutes on the beach, it’s time to test your balance in the water! Photo courtesy of Barry’s Surf School.
In addition to warm weather, white sand beaches and brilliant blue water, Barbados also has the eastern Caribbean’s most consistent year-round surf, thanks to strong northeast trade winds. While the best time to surf is from late October to March, families can enjoy plenty of great waves through June. Barry’s Surf School has welcomed people eager to ride the waves since 2005, and nearly every student stands up during their first two-hour class, which costs $75USD including full-day board rental. After 15 minutes of on-the-beach instruction, beginners learn to glide across the ocean safely while having fun. Intermediate, advanced and group lessons for up to six students are also available.
The family-owned Paradise Surf School bills itself as a mobile surf school, taking guests to the location with the best waves on the day of the lesson. Classes start at $75USD for shared beginners, and $120USD for private lessons. They also offer surf tours for more experienced surfers.
Bonus: Surfers will enjoy Barbados’ warm water temperatures – the average is 25°C – and the island has a large and friendly sea turtle population, so you just might spot one.
Surf The Swells of Eleuthera (The Bahamas)
Surf the clear waters around the island of Eleuthera. Photo courtesy of Bahamas Out Island Adventures.
The Bahamas may not be known as a bucket-list surf destination, but some islands have great waves. Between October through April, the island of Eleuthera has the most consistent, powerful surf in The Bahamas, because it’s surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on its East and North sides, and swells roll down from New England through the winter months. Bahamas Out-Island Adventures offers Learn to Surf programs for groups or individuals. Surf lessons last three to four hours, ranging from $150 per person for two participants to $90 per person for groups of seven. The school provides on-island transportation, and also hosts an annual Surf Camp for kids aged six through 17; registration opens in early January.
Bonus: The company hosts guided surf-and-camping safaris, where participants can experience the best breaks.
A Different Kind of Surfing! (Nassau Paradise Island)
No less challenging, try surfing at Baha Mar before you hang ten. Photo courtesy of Baha Mar.
Want to practice before hitting the ocean? At Baha Bay Water Park in Nassau, you can try a unique, three-lane surf simulator. Advanced riders will enjoy the Flow Curl, which has a steep wave face for more difficult moves. Day passes – which give you access to Baha Mar’s entire water park – are $65USD for kids up to 48 inches tall, and $160USD for everyone else.
Article by Wendy Helfenbaum. Wendy Helfenbaum is a Montreal-based freelance journalist who writes about travel and lifestyle for dozens of publications.
Throughout her career as a journalist, freelance writer and television producer, she’s written and produced print or television features on a wide variety of topics, including news, business, health and fitness, parenting, celebrity profiles, art, home decor, entertainment, sports, consumer affairs, philanthropy and corporate incentive travel.
Wendy is President of Take Two Productions Inc., a freelance writing, television production and translation solutions company in Montreal, Quebec. She works with clients in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
