Post: #1

One thing I really want to do is SURF. I've realized I do not want to just do a 1/2 week surf camp and be a super beginner and not get to do it again for a longer while.

I want to do it so I reach a decent level of proficiency and can add it to my lifestyle. Which means having TIME & VENUE to do it for longer period once you start the INITIAL LEARNING CURVE.

Any recommendations on what would be a good place to go under each of the following 2 scenarios:

LONG BREAK & SURF
- Take a LONG break by BEACH. Live & Surf for CHEAP - Like the stuff posted by the OP
- Take 2/3 months (Cheap Apartment or Room or Shack) and live on the Coast of some place. I am thinking Asia / Africa/ Latin America would be cheap?
- For this scenario, I wouldnt even mind a REMOTE location with not much activity..
- A spiritual time of connecting with myself and nature..
- Ofcourse, an inexpensive surf teacher or a friend.. from here or through friends.. where I could just SURF! and be a beach bum.

I've been told Thailand, A friend near Gold Coast suggested it (But unless I can crash at someone/ friends house nearby it means $$$)..

This could be pretty much anywhere..?

I've always wanted to do this and recently read this book... The Saint, Surfer and CEO. Would love to do it.


LIVE & WORK
- Get Job, Settle & Live
- Work and have time to go learning & practicing surfing morning / evening (I dont know if you can go during lunch) ?
- Something I think/ hope I would've / could've done if I stayed on the California coast long enough.
- This would be a place where a Consulting/ Corporate world guy like me could get a Job and have a work-life balance. ENGLISH language skills only so far.
- This could follow the above BREAK scenario as a lifestyle follow up.

I am thinking San Diego.. I am sure there's more places and suggestions? Australia etc?

Any thoughts suggestions?

And maybe someday when I have a business that lets me be free.. I can be free to take LONG BREAKS & WORK & SURF wherever.

Post: #2

Costa Rica would be a great spot. Check out a surf town like Mal Pais/Santa Teresa, or Dominical. Both are cheap and have great surfing this time of year.

Post: #3

Indonesia.

Post: #4

Surfing in Thailand? hehe, no waves there dude.
Forget Australia if you want to live cheap.
Like Laner says, Indonesia, you can surf and live like a king.

Post: #5

(01-10-2012 10:52 AM)Brian Wrote:  Costa Rica would be a great spot. Check out a surf town like Mal Pais/Santa Teresa, or Dominical. Both are cheap and have great surfing this time of year.

Not to mention an endless rotation of surfer/yoga turistas.

Job-wise, you're going to be SOL on anything career-building, unless you have a skill-set that allows you to be self-employed remotely (ie, home office).

Post: #6

Can you learn to surf in Indonesia or will you get killed in big waves?

Also, alot of this depends on what time of year you are going to be going. The waves aren't the same year round.

GManifesto is the resident surfer - he could probably give you some quality advice here

Post: #7

The only place Ive ever heard of surfing in Thailand is Kata beach in Phuket, and i dont think you would get the constant consistent waves needed to become a good surfer there.

Plus Phuket jumped the shark many full moons ago! Its not a very nice place.

What about Peru? Up north they are supposed to have awesome surf beaches and its a relatively cheap country.


takeda

Post: #8

I've heard Peru has some great surf spots. Basically the whole pacific side of South and Central America work, although once you get far south (Chile, etc) the water gets cold. Also its somewhat seasonal so check depending on what time of year you want to go

Post: #9

Ecuador/Nicaragua.

Post: #10

(01-10-2012 06:38 PM)Brian Wrote:  Can you learn to surf in Indonesia or will you get killed in big waves?

Also, alot of this depends on what time of year you are going to be going. The waves aren't the same year round.

GManifesto is the resident surfer - he could probably give you some quality advice here

Yeah i'm afraid you will.

Post: #11

Everyone Thanks for the inputs.

As I mentioned above: I want INPUTS for BOTH scenarios:

(#) 2/3 MONTH BREAK at CHEAPER SURF COAST

(#) LONGER TERM - Where I could get my 6 figure 100K+ Job (I have that kind of career/ work exp) and start & continue my Surfing INCLUDED lifestyle

I could do one before the other or INSERT the FIRST scenario somewhere in the MIDDLE of the SECOND scenario.

e.g. I hear Australia is a good place to work $$$ and have time to hit the coast / outdoors. People are pretty outdoorsy here? I hear.
e.g. SF Bay Area - I knew some colleagues of people who used to go Windsurfing few times a week during Summer/Fall

I am wondering if the same can be said for SoCal or Florida.. ? For longer terms

Your thoughts & experiences on any of the above?

Post: #12

I don't get it.
1. You said you were making 6 figures, but are looking to crash at a someone's house or stay somewhere cheap?
2. Holding a 100k job while going surfing every morning - that means showing up at work around 11am... sorry dude, doesn't work that way.

Post: #13

(01-11-2012 07:42 AM)K-man Wrote:  I don't get it.
1. You said you were making 6 figures, but are looking to crash at a someone's house or stay somewhere cheap?
2. Holding a 100k job while going surfing every morning - that means showing up at work around 11am... sorry dude, doesn't work that way.

I am talking about BOTH scenarios INDEPENDENTLY & MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE of each other.
And I'd hope & request that you and other lovely people would keep that in mind, so that I can assess both independently. I apologize, if that was not clear. I hope its more clear now.

1. I was. I took a long extended break to do some "other" things beyond the scope of discussion on this forum. I plan to sometime soon get back to that kind of cash flow.
Assuming, that my vacation happens before I get back to making $$$, then I'd like to keep the budget low.
Yes, I have a friend in Brisbane who mentioned that his surfer friend has a place by the Gold Coast and I was welcome to crash.

2. Probably not going to surf every morning at show up at work 11 am. But, as I said, I've seen colleagues of mine go wind surfing 2/3 times a week in the evenings in the SF Bay Area.
I think doable.. But, thats for me to figure out.

I am asking for PLACE/ LOCATION recommendations based on the 2 INDEPENDENT SCENARIOS posted above.

How I manage or execute on each of the above.. and in what ORDER (before / after) is something I'll have to figure out based on how things go. And I'll be happy to share what I am able to achieve.

Post: #14

The only surfer playboy on the forum that I know of is G so I am sure he will chime in sooner or later....

Post: #15

From what I am hearing for cheap locations when I am low on Cash:
- Costa Rica
- Peru
- Ecuador/ Nicaragua
Asia:
- Indonesia?

In the developed world when I get that 100k+ job:
- Australia? Coast?
- US (Cali vs Florida? whats better)

G Man - Would you please enlighten us with your knowledge

(01-10-2012 05:14 PM)Laner Wrote:  Indonesia.

(01-10-2012 05:32 PM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  Surfing in Thailand? hehe, no waves there dude.
Forget Australia if you want to live cheap.
Like Laner says, Indonesia, you can surf and live like a king.

(01-11-2012 07:26 AM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

(01-10-2012 06:38 PM)Brian Wrote:  Can you learn to surf in Indonesia or will you get killed in big waves?

Also, alot of this depends on what time of year you are going to be going. The waves aren't the same year round.

GManifesto is the resident surfer - he could probably give you some quality advice here

Yeah i'm afraid you will.

Okay. I am little confused. Is indonesia not a good place for LEARNING to surf?

(01-10-2012 06:26 PM)PDX Wrote:  

(01-10-2012 10:52 AM)Brian Wrote:  Costa Rica would be a great spot. Check out a surf town like Mal Pais/Santa Teresa, or Dominical. Both are cheap and have great surfing this time of year.

Not to mention an endless rotation of surfer/yoga turistas.

Job-wise, you're going to be SOL on anything career-building, unless you have a skill-set that allows you to be self-employed remotely (ie, home office).

I will keep Costa Rica in mind for that Yoga + Surf break & turistas

(01-11-2012 05:50 AM)ElJefe Wrote:  Ecuador/Nicaragua.

Post: #16

Your best spot in the US is Southern Cal - LA or SD. I'd pack a bag, hit Costa Rica, see how you like it down there, and if you can find a spot you like there keep moving until you find somewhere you like and stay there for a few months.

Post: #17

xmlenigma -

Here is a good thread on surfing where Kona and I dropped a lot of knowledge:

/thread-3137-post-34569.html

I will try to address the places from your above post that you are thinking about:


- Costa Rica - Good place to learn. Warm water, mellow waves. It has been years since I went, but I am sure you can find uncrowded waves if you look. Stay away from Jaco. That place was played in the 90's.
- Peru - Never been. Want to go. I think water is kind of cold. I am sure there are mellow waves, but I have never been.
- Ecuador/ Nicaragua - Never been. I have been to Panama. Some world class waves in Panama. I wouldn't recommend for a beginner.
Asia:
- Indonesia? - World class waves. Never been. Ask Kona. He is the expert on Asia.

In the developed world when I get that 100k+ job:
- Australia? Coast? - Crowded, but I think would be good to learn. Literally endless beaches.
- US (Cali vs Florida? whats better) - California way better waves than Florida. No secret here.

California is crowded, mass kooks, however it still remains a decent place to learn. Just realize you are not the first guy to come up with that idea.

Another place you seem to have missed is Mexico.

That would be another endless option.

I hope this helped.

Post: #18

I'm not a surfer; however, I spent 4 or 5 days in Rincon, Puerto Rico on a diving trip. The surfing there is supposed to be good, and I did see adverts for places teaching others to surf. Beautiful place, very quiet and laid back, can't remember how expensive it was. I was there in late March, early April of 2008; don't know what it's like at other times of the year.

Post: #19

Playa Maderas at San Juan del Sur has consistent waves that are perfect for beginners. It's slightly isolated from the town, but you can get there in 20 minutes if you hitch a ride in the pick-ups that go back and forth from the hostels. It's the most famous of the beaches around there, but SJDS has amny options.

Hostels in SJDS cost, at most, USD8 a night for the popular touristy ones. You can get your own sweet appartment for USD300 a month. Buy your own board. Board rental is USD20 per day. You'll need a day or two of instruction, then it's just practice, practice, practice and sheer not-giving up. If you are going to stay here for longer than a month, rent a room.

Knowing what I do today, this is what I would've done: Go in December, if possible, but any time before May should be OK. Come May, you ahve the rainy season and surfing will not be as good. Rent a room in SJDS and make it my base. Surf daily, find a local spanish teacher for the rest of time. Don't wander around at dark. Bring back girls to my place for after parties. When I got tired of SJDS, take a bus or split a cab to Rivas and from there see the rest of the country. I'd budget USD1000-USD1500 a month for living pretty much like a king following THIS plan (rent room for two months/buy my own board/use chicken buses for longer trips). If you can get your own transport that you resell when you leave, this would be the perfect solution.

Nicaragua as a country is kind of a dump, but that's the beauty of it. If you are poor, this should be your first choice. El Salvador (Playa Tunco, Zonte and Sunzal) second.

Post: #20

Thanks G. Some amazing insights from you & the guys (Here and the thread you linked). Appreciate it. If you ever plan to backpack or take a spiritual journey through India like S Jobs did, let me know if I can help

Sad part is when i did live in California it was too short lived and I was shuttling between SF / SJC & Sacramento.
I am thinking San Diego / SoCal now in terms of a Job etc. Lets see what happens.. as I have some opportunities in SoCal, FL, NYC & Australia.

On the other hand, in terms of a BREAK to go Live & Surf on vacation, I am thinking:
- Costa Rica ( & Mexico thanks to you)
- Indonesia (as I am in Asia right now) - Kona - Any insights?

More than anything I'd hope to connect with some guys at these destinations to hang with. Let's see what happens.

(01-11-2012 10:42 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  xmlenigma -

Here is a good thread on surfing where Kona and I dropped a lot of knowledge:

/thread-3137-post-34569.html

I will try to address the places from your above post that you are thinking about:


- Costa Rica - Good place to learn. Warm water, mellow waves. It has been years since I went, but I am sure you can find uncrowded waves if you look. Stay away from Jaco. That place was played in the 90's.
- Peru - Never been. Want to go. I think water is kind of cold. I am sure there are mellow waves, but I have never been.
- Ecuador/ Nicaragua - Never been. I have been to Panama. Some world class waves in Panama. I wouldn't recommend for a beginner.
Asia:
- Indonesia? - World class waves. Never been. Ask Kona. He is the expert on Asia.

In the developed world when I get that 100k+ job:
- Australia? Coast? - Crowded, but I think would be good to learn. Literally endless beaches.
- US (Cali vs Florida? whats better) - California way better waves than Florida. No secret here.

California is crowded, mass kooks, however it still remains a decent place to learn. Just realize you are not the first guy to come up with that idea.

Another place you seem to have missed is Mexico.

That would be another endless option.

I hope this helped.

Big time help PS: In terms of "idea", I am guessing you're saying that Cali is crowded because of lot of people thought the same thing.

(01-11-2012 11:02 AM)Roustabout Wrote:  I'm not a surfer; however, I spent 4 or 5 days in Rincon, Puerto Rico on a diving trip. The surfing there is supposed to be good, and I did see adverts for places teaching others to surf. Beautiful place, very quiet and laid back, can't remember how expensive it was. I was there in late March, early April of 2008; don't know what it's like at other times of the year.

I have a close friend who is based in the US Virgin Islands. I have an open welcome to go crash there. I hear its not far from PR by flight.
PS: Anything good on the Islands in terms of learning to surf.. ?

Post: #21

lol

Post: #22

(01-11-2012 06:59 PM)mofo Wrote:  A dog I met once on a tram after a night in a club told me that he likes Hossegor.

Hossegor and the entire Basque country can be a good place to learn.

Hossegor can also be a murderous, tubing world class beach break. Here is my man Sunny Garcia showing how its done:





More Hossegor

Post: #23

(01-11-2012 01:56 PM)xmlenigma Wrote:  Thanks G. Some amazing insights from you & the guys (Here and the thread you linked). Appreciate it. If you ever plan to backpack or take a spiritual journey through India like S Jobs did, let me know if I can help

Sad part is when i did live in California it was too short lived and I was shuttling between SF / SJC & Sacramento.
I am thinking San Diego / SoCal now in terms of a Job etc. Lets see what happens.. as I have some opportunities in SoCal, FL, NYC & Australia.

On the other hand, in terms of a BREAK to go Live & Surf on vacation, I am thinking:
- Costa Rica ( & Mexico thanks to you)
- Indonesia (as I am in Asia right now) - Kona - Any insights?

More than anything I'd hope to connect with some guys at these destinations to hang with. Let's see what happens.

(01-11-2012 10:42 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  xmlenigma -

Here is a good thread on surfing where Kona and I dropped a lot of knowledge:

/thread-3137-post-34569.html

I will try to address the places from your above post that you are thinking about:


- Costa Rica - Good place to learn. Warm water, mellow waves. It has been years since I went, but I am sure you can find uncrowded waves if you look. Stay away from Jaco. That place was played in the 90's.
- Peru - Never been. Want to go. I think water is kind of cold. I am sure there are mellow waves, but I have never been.
- Ecuador/ Nicaragua - Never been. I have been to Panama. Some world class waves in Panama. I wouldn't recommend for a beginner.
Asia:
- Indonesia? - World class waves. Never been. Ask Kona. He is the expert on Asia.

In the developed world when I get that 100k+ job:
- Australia? Coast? - Crowded, but I think would be good to learn. Literally endless beaches.
- US (Cali vs Florida? whats better) - California way better waves than Florida. No secret here.

California is crowded, mass kooks, however it still remains a decent place to learn. Just realize you are not the first guy to come up with that idea.

Another place you seem to have missed is Mexico.

That would be another endless option.

I hope this helped.

Big time help PS: In terms of "idea", I am guessing you're saying that Cali is crowded because of lot of people thought the same thing.

(01-11-2012 11:02 AM)Roustabout Wrote:  I'm not a surfer; however, I spent 4 or 5 days in Rincon, Puerto Rico on a diving trip. The surfing there is supposed to be good, and I did see adverts for places teaching others to surf. Beautiful place, very quiet and laid back, can't remember how expensive it was. I was there in late March, early April of 2008; don't know what it's like at other times of the year.

I have a close friend who is based in the US Virgin Islands. I have an open welcome to go crash there. I hear its not far from PR by flight.
PS: Anything good on the Islands in terms of learning to surf.. ?

I ran a project in the USVI so I was also hoping to practice surfing there as well. There's not much except maybe up by the North coast just past Magens Bay. Here it is Hull Bay: http://magicseaweed.com/Hull-Bay-Surf-Report/1260/

I went to check it out once and it looked rocky and not for beginners but I could be wrong. Good Luck. PR is a 30 minute seaplane ride away and that's your best bet in the region.

Also, a very unlikely spot for beginners is Cozumel. The east side of the island, surprisingly gets waves. The beach I learned on had no rocks, perfect carpet sandy seafloor, and crystal clear waves you could almost see through. God Bless Caribbean surfing.

On the other side of Mexico check out Hualtulco south of Acapulco. Nearby Puerto Escondido is famous, but also full of heroin-ed out, past-their prime surfer types. Hualtulco on the other hand is full of yummy @ss oaxacan mole with like 40 ingredients and great beaches.

Post: #24

Nice insights on the US Virgin Islands and surrounding stuff.