The Changing Face of a Surf Destination
Written for magicseaweed.com.
Surfers have a natural affinity with travel, constantly seeking out new surf experiences both at home and abroad. Alongside the never-ending search for the next best session comes the opportunity to explore far-flung destinations, discover unique cultures and witness incredible natural beauty along the way.
Traditionally the nature of a surf trip ties the traveling surfer to coastlines of specific locations around the world. Those are the places that have seen waves breaking on their shores for thousands, even millions of years, and have been sought out by roaming wave sliders during the sport’s brief time on this planet. Yes, new spots are still being discovered, but the areas in which surfing is possible is finite, dictated by geography and climate.
With inland wave pools now popping up all over the globe, the possibility of unlocking new surf destinations becomes reality. Landlocked countries or wave-starved regions that would otherwise have little draw for the hardcore surfer suddenly present an opportunity to indulge both a passion for surfing and a hunger for new experiences.
Let’s take a look at some of the more unusual man-made surf destinations that you might consider for your next surf trip:
Alaia Bay is set among the towering peaks of the Swiss Alps. Powered by Wavegarden’s Cove technology, it brings surfing to one of the most unlikely locations on the planet. You can explore this stunning region by bike or on foot between surf sessions, and in winter it’s possible to combine surfing and snow-sports on the same day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_do8vqSbKfE
At one time probably the best wave pool in the world, Wadi Adventure is now one of the older facilities around, it uses pneumatic technology to generate waves in the desert just outside Dubai. The park shot to fame in 2012 with the release of Globe’s fantastic conceptual surf film Electric Blue Heaven, featuring Dion Agius. The influencer capital of the world is a short drive away, where opulence and luxury is the norm and surfers rarely tread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfZE6LkjjmQ
Want to go surfing in a mall? Well, American Wave Machines have you covered. Just a 10 minute drive from downtown New York, and buried deep inside the multi-billion dollar American Dream Mall, you will find Skudin Surf. Utilising AWM’s PerfectSwell technology, it’s a scaled down version of the pool found at the BSR Cable Park in Texas — another location not typically associated with surfing — and offers an impressive 14 wave types to choose from. Home to some of the world’s most iconic landmarks, the city that never sleeps is just a stone’s throw away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6KK58v3sm8
On the outskirts of Seoul, just a few kilometres from the border with North Korea, you will find Wave Park, the biggest and most powerful Wavegarden Cove installation to date. The pool offers 20 different wave settings as well as illuminated night surfing sessions. The centre of the vibrant South Korean capital is within easy reach, where you can experience Asian culture at its finest with fantastic food, welcoming people and a buzzing atmosphere. The branding and marketing for this wave pool is typically South Korean and thoroughly enjoyable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNJorMDQISc
As the location for the first commercial installation of the modern wave pool era, the U.K is now on track to become the wave pool capital of the world. With both Wales’ Surf Snowdonia and Bristol’s The Wave already in operation, there are currently plans for a further nine facilities in various stages of approval. The majority of these pools will be powered by Wavegarden’s Cove technology; however, plans being drawn up for The Lagoon in Bournemouth and Surf X in the Midlands will use the impressively bonkers Surf Lakes system. Expect to see U.K wave pool road trips and how-many-wave-pools-can-I-surf-in-a-day type videos emerging in the coming years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFlV5LUA30g
Will a wave pool ever be able to compete with the beauty of the ocean or the thrill of scoring perfect waves generated by nature? Probably not. But with plans to develop new locations in Vietnam, the Dominican Republic, Israel, Canada, Paris, Berlin, London, New York and Madrid to name but a few, the potential for surfers to explore more of the globe and immerse themselves in new cultures is real. This begs the question: What really is a “surf destination”, and where on earth will we be surfing next?
