Maldives
Maldives
Reef surf, pelagic diving and the one-island, one-resort model: the clearest expression of an ocean-first luxury holiday.
- Surf
- 8 out of 10
- Dive
- 10 out of 10
- Freedive
- 8 out of 10
- Best months
- Jan to Dec
Destination finder
The World’s Most Compelling Ocean Destinations
Twenty destinations selected for the quality of the water, and the quality of the holiday around it. Narrow them down by what you want to do, when you can travel and who you are travelling with.
Destinations
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- Southeast Asia
Indonesia
Bali + Nusa Penida
The most versatile surf-and-dive island in the world: Bukit reef breaks, Amed and Tulamben diving, Nusa Penida’s marine life and villas worth coming back to.
- Surf
- 10 out of 10
- Dive
- 9 out of 10
- Freedive
- 9 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Oct
- South Pacific
Fiji
Fiji
Serious Pacific surf, soft-coral diving and private-island stays, for travellers who want the wave to be the centrepiece.
- Surf
- 10 out of 10
- Dive
- 10 out of 10
- Freedive
- 8 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Oct
- South Pacific
France (overseas collectivity)
French Polynesia
Lagoons, mountain islands and atoll passes alive with sharks and rays: the most cinematic ocean holiday in the Pacific.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 10 out of 10
- Freedive
- 9 out of 10
- Best months
- May to Dec
- North Pacific
United States
Hawaii
The cultural home of surfing, with legendary winter swells, volcanic diving and high-end resorts across four very different islands.
- Surf
- 10 out of 10
- Dive
- 9 out of 10
- Freedive
- 8 out of 10
- Best months
- Jun to Feb
- Southeast Asia
Indonesia
Mentawai Islands
A remote archipelago of tropical reef passes, and the benchmark for serious surf travel, by resort or by boat.
- Surf
- 10 out of 10
- Dive
- 7 out of 10
- Freedive
- 7 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Oct
- Southeast Asia
Philippines
Siargao
Cloud 9’s reef, island-hopping lagoons and a relaxed boutique scene: tropical surf lifestyle with room to grow.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 8 out of 10
- Freedive
- 8 out of 10
- Best months
- Mar to Nov
- Central America
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Pacific surf framed by rainforest, wildlife and wellness, in a destination where the land is as rich as the waves.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 6 out of 10
- Freedive
- 6 out of 10
- Best months
- Dec to Sep
- Indian Ocean
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Two surf coasts with opposite seasons, boutique heritage hotels and wildlife safaris, and luxury that feels considered rather than excessive.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 7 out of 10
- Freedive
- 6 out of 10
- Best months
- Jan to Aug
- Atlantic Europe
Portugal
Azores
Volcanic mid-Atlantic islands with wild surf, blue-water diving and whale encounters: Europe’s most nature-led ocean escape.
- Surf
- 8 out of 10
- Dive
- 9 out of 10
- Freedive
- 7 out of 10
- Best months
- Jun to Oct
- Atlantic Europe
Portugal
Madeira
A dramatic volcanic island with powerful Atlantic surf, year-round diving and a refined hotel scene: Europe’s most polished island ocean escape.
- Surf
- 8 out of 10
- Dive
- 9 out of 10
- Freedive
- 7 out of 10
- Best months
- Jan to Nov
- Atlantic Europe
Spain
Canary Islands
Europe’s winter-sun surf archipelago: volcanic reefs, varied islands and marine reserves within a short flight.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 8 out of 10
- Freedive
- 7 out of 10
- Best months
- Jan to Dec
- Atlantic Europe
Portugal
Portugal
Europe’s densest surf coastline, with surf towns, seafood, wine and design hotels a short flight from home.
- Surf
- 10 out of 10
- Dive
- 7 out of 10
- Freedive
- 6 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Oct
- South America
Brazil
Fernando de Noronha
A protected Atlantic archipelago with clear water, spinner dolphins and reef-break surf, a remote island escape with strict limits that keep it special.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 10 out of 10
- Freedive
- 9 out of 10
- Best months
- Dec to Nov
- Central America
Mexico
Mexico Pacific
Warm-water Pacific surf from gentle points to the Mexican Pipeline, with some of the Americas’ most polished beach resorts.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 7 out of 10
- Freedive
- 6 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Dec
- Africa
Mozambique
Mozambique
Manta rays and whale sharks off Tofo, the protected Bazaruto Archipelago and private-island lodges: Africa’s great marine-life coast.
- Surf
- 8 out of 10
- Dive
- 10 out of 10
- Freedive
- 7 out of 10
- Best months
- May to Nov
- Indian Ocean
Seychelles
Seychelles
Granite islands, private-island luxury and calm-season diving: the Indian Ocean at its most sculptural.
- Surf
- 7 out of 10
- Dive
- 9 out of 10
- Freedive
- 8 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Feb
- Indian Ocean
Mauritius
Mauritius
Five-star resort culture, lagoons for every water sport and the famous reef wave beneath Le Morne.
- Surf
- 7 out of 10
- Dive
- 8 out of 10
- Freedive
- 7 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Dec
- Africa
South Africa
South Africa
Jeffreys Bay’s point, Cape Town’s cold-water coast, KwaZulu-Natal’s shark-rich reefs, with food, wine and safari built in.
- Surf
- 9 out of 10
- Dive
- 8 out of 10
- Freedive
- 6 out of 10
- Best months
- Apr to Dec
- Southeast Asia
Philippines
Philippines
More than 7,000 islands and some of the world’s richest reefs: island-hopping, wreck diving, freediving schools and surf on the Pacific edge.
- Surf
- 8 out of 10
- Dive
- 10 out of 10
- Freedive
- 9 out of 10
- Best months
- Jan to Dec
No destination matches every filter.
Try a different month or remove a filter. The ocean rarely offers everything at once.
Surf and Dive
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