{"id":1563,"date":"2026-06-26T19:07:48","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T17:07:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/?p=1563"},"modified":"2026-08-23T19:07:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T17:07:31","slug":"surfing-in-lanzarote-tips-from-a-local-surfer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/surfing-in-lanzarote-tips-from-a-local-surfer\/","title":{"rendered":"Surfing in Lanzarote. Tips from a local surfer."},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Lanzarote has been one of Europe\u2019s main surf destinations for decades. People come from all over the world for its waves, but it\u2019s easy to forget something important. Before being a travel destination, this is home to people who have spent their whole lives surfing here.<\/p>

One reason Lanzarote still has such a strong local surf scene is that many of its waves remain relatively quiet compared with other European destinations. That\u2019s something we should all try to look after.<\/p>

After many years of surfing on the island, these are some of the tips I always share with guests at Garage La Santa.<\/p>

Surf with local people<\/strong><\/p>

This is probably the best advice I can give you.<\/p>

You\u2019ll improve much faster, learn how each wave works, understand the best times to surf depending on the wind and tide, and find out how to move respectfully in the water.<\/p>

There are some great professionals on the island whom I always recommend, including Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda from Surf Training, Borja Padr\u00f3n, Franito S\u00e1enz, Luis D\u00edaz and Manuel Lezcano. As well as being very good surfers, they know Lanzarote\u2019s coastline inside out and can help you choose the right place for your ability and the conditions that day.<\/p>

Give something back to the local community<\/strong><\/p>

Travelling also means deciding where we leave our money.<\/p>

If you come to Lanzarote to surf, try to make sure that part of what you spend goes directly to the people who live here. Book lessons with local instructors, rent equipment from businesses in the village, buy boards made by island shapers or work with a local photographer to take home a memory of your trip.<\/p>

If you\u2019d like photographs from the water, I recommend Germ\u00e1n Abreu and David Toribio. They both know the island\u2019s waves extremely well and have spent many years documenting the local surf scene.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Start with easier waves<\/strong><\/p>

Even if you\u2019re an experienced surfer, I always recommend starting with more accessible waves so you can get a feel for how the ocean works in Lanzarote.<\/p>

Famara has plenty of options for every level. Places such as El Muelle and El Papelillo can also be good when the conditions are right.<\/p>

There\u2019s no need to rush into surfing the most famous waves. The island has been here for thousands of years and the waves will still be waiting.<\/p>

If you want to surf in La Santa<\/strong><\/p>

La Santa has some of Europe\u2019s best known waves, as well as a local community with a deep connection to surfing that goes back decades.<\/p>

If you have the experience needed to surf here, speak to local people first. Ask about the best time to go, how each wave is working that day and the best way to enter the water without getting in the way of those who surf there regularly.<\/p>

A five minute conversation will usually open far more doors than entering the water and assuming everything works the same way as it does anywhere else.<\/p>

Don\u2019t paddle straight to the peak<\/strong><\/p>

When you arrive at a new wave, especially if it\u2019s your first time surfing there, avoid paddling straight to the peak.<\/p>

Take your time, sit farther down the line and spend a while watching how the spot works and how the regular surfers organise themselves in the water.<\/p>

Say hello, talk to the people around you and show that you want to understand the place before trying to catch the best waves. That small gesture can make a huge difference.<\/p>

Avoid entering the water in a large group<\/strong><\/p>

Whenever possible, paddle out alone or with one other person at most.<\/p>

Large groups draw attention, put more pressure on the peak and completely change the atmosphere of a wave. If everyone does their bit, it will be much easier for locals and visitors to share the water respectfully.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Respect priority<\/strong><\/p>

It might seem obvious, but this is where many problems begin.<\/p>

Respect each surfer\u2019s turn, don\u2019t paddle inside someone to take their position, and spend a few minutes watching before you enter the water. Understanding how a peak works is often far more important than catching one more wave.<\/p>

Rent and buy equipment from local projects<\/strong><\/p>

I always try to recommend businesses run by people from the island.<\/p>

If you need to rent equipment, La Santa Pro Center is a very good option.<\/p>

If you\u2019re thinking about buying a board, take a look at the work of Yeray Garc\u00eda from JFB Shapes. His boards are designed specifically for Lanzarote\u2019s waves and have been part of the local surf scene for many years.<\/p>

One last tip<\/h4>

Surfing has taught me that a wave doesn\u2019t belong to whoever gets there first. It belongs to those who understand the place they\u2019re in.<\/p>

If you come to Lanzarote with respect, patience and a willingness to learn, you\u2019ll find much more than good waves. You\u2019ll discover a community that has spent many years looking after this corner of the Atlantic and making it possible for all of us to continue enjoying it today.<\/p>

Let\u2019s all try to keep it that way for many years to come.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lanzarote has been one of Europe\u2019s main surf destinations for decades. People come from all over the world for its waves, but it\u2019s easy to forget something important. Before being a travel destination, this is home to people who have spent their whole lives surfing here. One reason Lanzarote still has such a strong local […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1561,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-surfing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1563"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1567,"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1563\/revisions\/1567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/garagelasanta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}