Surf by budget
Surf trips under $500 from Europe
Where a $500 budget can take you for a week of surfing, flights included. 0 surf zones are comfortable at that price and 14 more work if you keep costs down.
- Comfortable for a week0
- Possible, keeping it cheap14
- Two weeks possible0
What $500 gets you
| Zone | Country | 1 week, tight | 1 week, comfortable | 2 weeks, tight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asturias | Spain | $282 | $770 | $534 |
| Galicia | Spain | $282 | $764 | $534 |
| Ericeira | Portugal | $287 | $871 | $539 |
| The Algarve | Portugal | $287 | $843 | $539 |
| Porto & the North | Portugal | $287 | $790 | $539 |
| Lisbon Coast | Portugal | $315 | $920 | $595 |
| Gironde | France | $327 | $861 | $614 |
| Basque Country | Spain | $331 | $946 | $632 |
| Landes (Hossegor) | France | $369 | $980 | $698 |
| Fuerteventura | Spain | $387 | $840 | $744 |
| Côte Basque | France | $390 | $1,032 | $740 |
| Lanzarote | Spain | $422 | $840 | $814 |
| Finistère (Brittany) | France | $481 | $945 | $922 |
| Madeira | Portugal | $490 | $1,095 | $945 |
Possible on $500 if you keep costs low
Asturias, Spain
Flights from $30 · $36-$167 a day · one week from $282 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
One of Spain's best-value regions. $30-45/day covers a comfortable trip.
Galicia, Spain
Flights from $30 · $36-$165 a day · one week from $282 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
One of the cheapest, least crowded quality surf regions in Europe. $30-45/day covers a comfortable trip.
Ericeira, Portugal
Flights from $35 · $36-$195 a day · one week from $287 · Best: Jan, Feb, Oct, Nov, Dec
Ericeira is one of the cheapest places in Europe to surf good waves. On $40-60/day you eat and sleep well and surf every day; hostel-dorm budget travellers get by on $30/day.
The Algarve, Portugal
Flights from $35 · $36-$187 a day · one week from $287 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Cheapest and warmest part of mainland Portugal. $40-55/day covers a comfortable trip with a rental car; hostel-dorm budgets get by on $30/day outside August.
Porto & the North, Portugal
Flights from $35 · $36-$172 a day · one week from $287 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
One of Portugal's best-value regions, and less touristed than the west coast further south. $35-50/day covers a comfortable trip.
Lisbon Coast, Portugal
Flights from $35 · $40-$205 a day · one week from $315 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
The most expensive of Portugal's surf zones since it's a capital city, but still cheap by European standards. $45-65/day covers a comfortable trip.
Gironde, France
Flights from $40 · $41-$185 a day · one week from $327 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
Cheaper and quieter than Hossegor or Biarritz. $35-55/day covers a comfortable trip outside August.
Basque Country, Spain
Flights from $30 · $43-$210 a day · one week from $331 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
Mid-range for Spain; $40-60/day covers a comfortable trip including good Basque food.
Landes (Hossegor), France
Flights from $40 · $47-$213 a day · one week from $369 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
One of Europe's pricier surf zones in August; outside peak summer, $45-65/day covers a comfortable trip.
Fuerteventura, Spain
Flights from $30 · $51-$172 a day · one week from $387 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
Similar cost to Lanzarote, cheap charter flights keep the overall trip affordable. $35-50/day covers a comfortable trip.
Côte Basque, France
Flights from $40 · $50-$225 a day · one week from $390 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
Biarritz is pricier than the rest of the French coast; $50-70/day covers a comfortable trip outside August.
Lanzarote, Spain
Flights from $30 · $56-$167 a day · one week from $422 · Best: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Cheap winter charter flights make this good value overall. $35-50/day covers a comfortable trip.
Over $500 for a week
Azores (Portugal, from $630), Java (Indonesia, from $683), Sumbawa (Indonesia, from $683), Golfo Dulce (Costa Rica, from $717), Sumatra-Nias (Indonesia, from $725), Bocas del Toro (Panama, from $725), Lombok (Indonesia, from $732), Limón (Costa Rica, from $738), Sumba & Rote (Indonesia, from $760), Bali (Indonesia, from $781), Central Puntarenas (Costa Rica, from $794), Guanacaste (Costa Rica, from $822), Golfo de Nicoya (Costa Rica, from $822), Southwest Panama (Panama, from $837), West Panamá Province (Panama, from $844) and Mentawai Islands (Indonesia, from $1,040).
How these numbers work
Every figure is per person. It adds a return flight from Europe to the daily cost of a room, food, local transport, board hire or lessons and a few activities, using the budget we keep for each zone. "Tight" uses the cheapest end of each cost (dorms or simple guesthouses, local food) and the cheapest usual fare. "Comfortable" uses the middle of the flight range and the middle of the daily range. Flights from Europe vary a lot with your airport and dates, so treat these as a starting point and check your own trip in the planner.
Surf trips under $500: common questions
Can you do a surf trip for $500?
Yes. With $500 you can surf for a week in 14 of the 30 zones we cover, though you will need to keep costs low.
Can I surf outside Europe on $500?
Not really. Flights from Europe to the long-haul zones start at around $480 before any daily costs, so $500 works best for Portugal, Spain and France.
Other budgets: Under $1,000 · Under $1,500 · Where to surf by month
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