The best-known break on the Central Pacific, and it starts at your door

Lessons run out of the Adventure Center in La Calera and start with a safety briefing on the sand: how the beach breaks, where to paddle out, what to do when a set arrives. Boards and instructors are included, so you turn up with a swimsuit, a towel and sunscreen.

Beginners spend the first session in the whitewater, standing up on the foam before the wave has a face. Experienced surfers book a guided session instead and head for the peak with an instructor who knows the beach.