best carribean island to surf

I love Barbados... A lot of different waves on a small island. Not the most consistent place in the world, but I've scored every time I've been. Been 5 times and never skunked. Wind is usually on shore on the east coast (soup bowl side)but it's still fun. When there's a solid swell there's a ton of spots.

 

the best break on the Caribbean is in Costa. Some contend that the best break in Costa in on the Caribbean. all other "just fluff".

 

Been to northern DR and NW PR.

Encuentro is the surfing beach you're looking for in the DR. It is near Cabarete (might actually be in Cabarete). It has a good variety of breaks for being one area of beach. Good left and a good right. Locals have unparalleled hospitality. I would surf with all locals and we got along just fine. Be aware of nightlife though. I got in a pretty sketchy situation involving a sort of brothel....well, **** the story just be careful.

PR is great. Just went for my 6th stay this past Xmas. The north side was definitely more hostile in my opinion. I had a teenage local splashing me in the face for calling him off a wave. Other than that, just explore PR. The north side will be less crowded but is definitely subject to more trade winds. The best breaks I surfed though were in Rincon (probably because the conditions are usually favorable around the corners).

Check other threads as well, there are more than a million on this topic alone and of course, Good Luck!

 

I had a teenage local splashing me in the face for calling him off a wave.

Nice self control. I might have drowned that little bugger

 

i had a middle aged local follow me to the beach at domes for spraying him as hes trying to drop in on me i was dumbfounded... pr locals sucked till it got massive then they were way cooler

 

+1

Just like everywhere else, I guess. When everybody's wave starved, there's way more aggro in the water. But when everybody's had a chance to get their ya-yas out, everybody's chill.

 

PR or Barbados.
The rest are just to fickle to plan a trip in advance. If you can pick up an go within a day or so there are other islands, but I think Tortola, DR, Bahamas are too fickle to plan a trip months or weeks in advance. You could get a serious skunking.
Someday I will score Tortola good though I hope. When that spot is on it's the best in the Caribbean

 

yea it was some self control (Im 22, he was probably 15-16) and I had no idea how many people this kid would have chasing me for beating his ass

 

Good point.

 

been to Tortola three years in a row for a week, and never were there 4 days in a row with a consistent size, it varied quite a bit in size and conditions.... hard to know what you will get. I went in March each year..

 

Caribbean side of Costa Rica

That's interesting - I didn't realize that there was surf on the Carribean side of the country, as the Pacific side gets all the attention of traveling surfers. Anymore info on this? Thanks

 

This is true... The caribbean side of Costa is sick... It's much heavier than the Pacific coast.

 

Not just CR, but the Caribbean coast of Panama gets sick waves as well. During the winter season, these spots are probably some of the more consistent surf spots in the Caribbean.

 

Everyone has already nailed it, but just my confirmation that in the Caribbean, best waves are on Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Barbados, and the Caribbean side of Panama and Costa Rica. A lot of people forget about the Caribbean side of Costa Rica and Panama, which can be super good and consistent.

If you look at a map of the Caribbean Islands, you'll see lots of other islands exposed to tons of swell, but most of them suffer from poor bathymetry profiles that dampen much of the swell energy.

 

2 words, Salsa Brava.

 

You guys seem to be forgetting you are guests in someone else's house.

The "ass beating" comment implies a certain aggressiveness that probably shows up in your surfing as well, so maybe you should look inward and not outwards as the source of the problem.

 

Last trip to Tortola we got three major swells in one week. CG was perfect with like 5 people out. Just perfect rights. But friend went down this past winter and got nothing and spent a ton of money. Take plane to St.Thomas and take ferry to Tortola. Apple Bay may be a bit more consistent but just playful tho in my opinion. I would recommend another island as others had mentioned unless you can check the forcast a couple of days ahead of time and book a flight then to St.Thomas. It looks like Spirit airlines has cheap flights to there. Heard Tobago had a good wave. Never been. In Tortola u can stay in CG or Sebatians is really good. Good food and huge lobster dinners. Have fun!

 

Heavy wave.... Not what most people picture when they think of Costa

 

coral reef is rare.