Trip Planner
Dates, departure city, board, level, budget — we'll rank all 86 handpicked destinations against real historical wave and wind data, no live forecast required.
How the surf trip planner works
Tell us when you want to travel, where you're flying from, your surf level, your board and your budget. For each of our 86 handpicked surf destinations, SurfScanners looks at what the waves and wind have actually been like on those same calendar days in past years — then ranks every spot by how well it fits you, not just by how cheap or close it is.
Frequently asked questions
How does SurfScanners choose the best surf destination for my trip?
Each spot gets a match score. The biggest factor (40%) is whether the waves at that time of year suit your level, followed by distance from your departure city (25%), estimated cost (20%) and whether the spot suits your board (15%). A cheap, nearby spot with the wrong waves for you won't make the top of the list.
When is the best time to go on a surf trip?
It depends on the spot and your level — a month with big, consistent swell is perfect for advanced surfers and too much for beginners. Enter your dates and the planner checks the historical conditions for exactly that window. Every spot page also shows the best months to surf there for each level.
How much does a surf trip cost?
The planner estimates the total cost for your trip: flights based on distance from your departure city (or driving/train for trips under about 400 km), accommodation based on typical nightly prices in that country, and an oversized-baggage fee if you bring your own board. Where it's available, a camper van option is shown alongside. These are estimates — each result links to Skyscanner and Rome2Rio for live prices.
What are the best surf destinations for beginners?
Beginner-friendly conditions are average waves of roughly 1–4 ft. Set your level to Beginner and the planner favours spots and months that historically fall in that range. Spots like Pipeline, Trestles, Anchor Point and Tauro are marked as advanced-only.
Is this a live surf forecast?
No — SurfScanners uses several years of daily historical wave, wind, swell and water-temperature data (from Open-Meteo) to show what conditions are usually like, which is what matters when you're booking weeks or months ahead. Each spot page links to a live forecast for when your trip gets close.
Is SurfScanners free to use?
Yes — the trip planner is completely free and you don't need an account. Create a free account and the planner remembers your home city, level and board, and you can share your trips with the SurfScanners community and connect with other surfers.