Surf’s up in Namibia

Namibia is renowned for its abundance of striking landscapes and adventurous activities. The beautiful country’s coastal region is a hidden gem for surfers and is slowly gaining popularity for the large swells during June and August every year. The winter swells in Namibia unleash perfect waves for surfing, transforming the coast into a surfers paradise.

Find out where the hottest surfing spots are right now:

Skeleton Bay

Skeleton Bay is a popular coastal spot in Namibia and is well-known for Namibia’s ‘perfect wave’, with a left hand barrel running for nearly 2 kilometers along the coastal sand bank. Some even refer to the waves at Skeleton bay as “the longest sand-bottomed left in the known universe”. The coastline is 1 572 kilometres long, stretching from the Kunene river in the northern part of Angola, to the Orange River bordering South Africa.

Every year, the surfing population at Skeleton Bay grows in numbers, as local and international surfers uncover this underrated surfing destination. When the huge winter swells start rolling in on the Namibia coastline, they are often welcomed by groups of South African and international surfers, all waiting for their turn to have a go at the ‘perfect wave’. The waves are strong and dangerous, ideally for professional surfers looking for a challenge.

Guns

Before Skeleton Bay claimed its fame, the Guns coast was known for Namibia’s famous wave. It still remains a great option for surfing in Namibia, especially for its powerful left-breaking reef.

The Wreck

Swakopmund is about four hours away from the Skeleton Coast. The surf spot at Swakopmund is a perfect reef break, which thrives on a high tide. Locals enjoy this surf spot, although the waves are inconsistent.

Bocock’s Bay

Bocock’s bay is situated 160 kilometers north of Swakopmund and is known for being a point break surf spot. Locals and travelling surfers are not recommended to visit Bocock’s bay during October and April, when the swell is low.

Travel Tips: 

You may be interested in this Namibian adventure safari which allows for epic surfing

• The best time for surfing in Namibia is between July and October.
• Generally the coast from Walvis Bay to Swakopmund is accessible with a sedan. However, a 4×4 might be a good options as any exploring you would like to do beyond this point, will require a more capable vehicle.
• The cold Benguela current is known for plummeting water temperatures, especially in winter. Surfers are encouraged to pack a durable wetsuit. A 4/3mm wetsuit is ideal for surfing conditions in Namibia, during winter or summer.
• Make sure your board is strong. Surfers are required to add a little more volume to their boards or add extra glassing, since many surfers have snapped the boards while taking on the swell at Skeleton bay.