Americas Costa Rica
Santa Teresa
Jungle, sunsets and consistent peaks.
BEST WAVES THIS MONTH
Where to surf in January.
January is northern-winter power season. The North Pacific and North Atlantic are at full strength, so Hawaii, Portugal and Morocco run big, while the Caribbean and Central America get their share. The southern hemisphere is in summer: warm water, smaller surf and cyclone swell for parts of the Pacific.
47 of our 108 destinations list January in their suggested season; 19 of those usually have water at 25°C or warmer.
BEGINNER
Refine this list ↗Learning in January.
Size ranges a learner can use, and a season that suits it.
Americas 
Asia Sri Lanka
Hikkaduwa
Sri Lanka's original surf town.
Asia Sri Lanka
Hiriketiya
A horseshoe bay in the palms.
| Place | Offshore swell | Water | Wetsuit | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Teresa | 1.1 m · 12 s · SW | 29°C | Boardshorts | 10 km/h NE |
| Hikkaduwa | 1.2 m · 12 s · S | 28°C | Boardshorts | 9 km/h NW |
| Hiriketiya | 1.1 m · 10 s · SE | 28°C | Boardshorts | 21 km/h NE |
| Montañita | 1.2 m · 13 s · SW | 26°C | Boardshorts | 13 km/h S |
| Nosara | 1.2 m · 12 s · SW | 28°C | Boardshorts | 24 km/h NE |
| Sayulita | 1.1 m · 14 s · W | 26°C | Boardshorts | 13 km/h N |
INTERMEDIATE
Refine this list ↗Progressing in January.
More days with real size, without constantly being over your head.
Americas Barbados
Bathsheba
The Soup Bowl on Barbados's wild Atlantic coast.
Americas Piura, Peru
Máncora
Warm water and a lively beach town in Peru's north.
Africa Senegal
Dakar
City surf at the westernmost tip of Africa.
| Place | Offshore swell | Water | Wetsuit | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bathsheba | 1.9 m · 9 s · NE | 27°C | Boardshorts | 29 km/h E |
| Máncora | 1.5 m · 14 s · SW | 24°C | Rash vest or 1 mm top | 18 km/h S |
| Dakar | 1.6 m · 12 s · N | 22°C | Rash vest or 1 mm top | 21 km/h NE |
| Sal | 1.8 m · 11 s · N | 23°C | Rash vest or 1 mm top | 29 km/h NE |
| Gran Canaria | 1.7 m · 12 s · N | 19°C | 2 mm shorty or spring suit | 20 km/h NE |
| Maui | 2.3 m · 14 s · NW | 25°C | Boardshorts | 21 km/h E |
ADVANCED
Refine this list ↗Charging in January.
The most days with size and long-period swell.
Americas Oahu, Hawaii, USA
North Shore, Oahu
Seven miles of the world's most famous waves.
Europe Portugal
São Miguel, Azores
Atlantic swell, volcanic green.
Americas USA
Maui
Winter north shores, summer south shores.
| Place | Offshore swell | Water | Wetsuit | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Shore, Oahu | 2.6 m · 14 s · NW | 25°C | Boardshorts | 18 km/h E |
| São Miguel, Azores | 2.5 m · 12 s · NW | 17°C | 3/2 mm full suit | 22 km/h S |
| Maui | 2.3 m · 14 s · NW | 25°C | Boardshorts | 21 km/h E |
| Madeira | 2.3 m · 13 s · NW | 18°C | 3/2 mm full suit | 16 km/h NE |
| Nazaré | 2.3 m · 13 s · NW | 14°C | 4/3 mm full suit | 17 km/h SE |
| Fuerteventura | 2.1 m · 13 s · N | 20°C | 2 mm shorty or spring suit | 24 km/h NE |
Rankings combine ERA5 open-ocean data (2015–2024) with our suggested seasons. They describe typical months, not this year's surf, and sheltered spots can be much smaller than the figures here. How this works.