Best Gold Coast surf spots for beginners

The best Gold Coast spots to learn

• Rainbow Bay (learners and up). Sheltered bay next to Snapper. Soft, rolling waves on small days, great for learning. Best with a south-south-westerly wind and mid tide. Who it suits depends on the size: learners up to about 1.1m, beginners up to about 1.3m, intermediates up to about 2m. Bigger than 2m it is for advanced surfers. Long-period groundswell hits harder, so it counts as bigger. Watch out: Surfers from Snapper come racing through on bigger days. Surf schools teach here.
• Greenmount (beginners and up). Point break tucked out of the southerly wind. Friendly when small, fast when it pumps. Best with a south-south-westerly wind and mid tide. Who it suits depends on the size: learners up to about 0.8m, beginners up to about 1.1m, intermediates up to about 1.8m. Bigger than 1.8m it is for advanced surfers. Long-period groundswell hits harder, so it counts as bigger. Watch out: Busy on good days. Keep out of the way of surfers on the wave. Surf schools teach here.
• Duranbah (beginners and up). Punchy beach break by the Tweed wall. Picks up more swell than anywhere else around. Best with a west-south-westerly wind and mid tide. Who it suits depends on the size: beginners up to about 0.7m, intermediates up to about 1.5m. Bigger than 1.5m it is for advanced surfers. Long-period groundswell hits harder, so it counts as bigger. Watch out: Powerful, crowded peaks and rips along the wall.
• Currumbin Alley (learners and up). Sandy right-hander at the creek mouth, sheltered from southerlies. A classic learner spot. Best with a south-westerly wind and mid tide. Who it suits depends on the size: learners up to about 1.1m, beginners up to about 1.3m, intermediates up to about 1.8m. Bigger than 1.8m it is for advanced surfers. Long-period groundswell hits harder, so it counts as bigger. Watch out: Strong current running out of the creek on a dropping tide. Surf schools teach here.
• Palm Beach (beginners and up). Long stretch of beach breaks with shifting sandbanks. Usually easy to find your own peak. Best with a westerly wind and mid tide. Who it suits depends on the size: learners up to about 0.7m, beginners up to about 1.1m, intermediates up to about 1.6m. Bigger than 1.6m it is for advanced surfers. Long-period groundswell hits harder, so it counts as bigger. Watch out: Rips between the banks. Swim between the flags if you are unsure.
• Main Beach / The Spit (beginners and up). Open beach breaks up to the Seaway. Good banks and fewer people than the southern points. Best with a westerly wind and mid tide. Who it suits depends on the size: learners up to about 0.7m, beginners up to about 1.1m, intermediates up to about 1.6m. Bigger than 1.6m it is for advanced surfers. Long-period groundswell hits harder, so it counts as bigger. Watch out: Rips and strong currents near the Seaway walls. Surf schools teach here.

Where not to learn

Snapper Rocks, Kirra, Burleigh Heads are mostly for experienced surfers. Strong currents, rocks, powerful waves and crowded, competitive line-ups make them a bad place to learn. Duranbah can be okay for confident beginners on tiny, clean days.

How to pick the day

Learn on small, clean days: waist high or smaller, with light or offshore winds. Mornings are usually cleanest before the afternoon sea breeze. Get Frothin’ rates every break for your level, so set your level to Learner or Beginner and it sends you to the softest waves that are working.

Take a lesson

Lessons run at Currumbin Alley, Rainbow Bay, Greenmount, Burleigh and Main Beach. An instructor, a soft board and a patrolled beach are the fastest way to stand up safely. Lesson times also mean busier water, which the app flags.

Frequently asked