Get ready to
rise up and roar
Only the best surf lessons for beginners and intermediates! With 300+ days of amazing waves and un-crowded waters, nearly everyday is ideal for surfing in Santa Cruz. For beginners and intermediate surfers, there are several breaks with soft rolling waves over a sand bottom.
Best surf lessons
Would you like to surf together with new friends and like-minded people?
Cliff Surf House offers best surf lessons for beginners and intermediates. We tailor our surf classes to your demands, whether it’s your very first-time on the water or you are an intermediate looking to take your surfing to the next level.
Our guest are allocated into groups based on their ability level. As a result you are surfing with others of similar ability, to boost your progress and ensure your safety in the water. We teach maximum six students per surf coach.
Let us help you turn your surf holidays into an unforgettable experience. Nearly 90% of our guests are beginners who have dreamed to surf but never quite had the guidance to do so. That’s why we’re here.
Fall 100 times, get up 101! That’s the spirit.
Coaches
Improve your surfing skills with our professional surf guides. We’re not only going teach you how to surf but we’re going to have fun while giving you the tools to become a great surfer. Our surf coaches seek to bring out the best in everyone and are highly qualified, professional and experienced. In the same way they are also down-to-earth, passionated and encouraging.
All our surf coaches are certificated from FPS (Portuguese federation of surfing) with many years of experiences for the best surf lessons for beginners and intermediates
They will be with you in the water helping you out, giving you guidance and mental support. Your coach will also be the same all week long, meaning you will be able to built a relationship that will help get the best out of your lessons!
We give you the option of having an instructor who dedicates all his time to you, or you can also hire an instructor for you and one or two friends. If you are interested in a private coaching, please ask us about prices and availability.
surf
equipment
We have always new and well-maintained equipment you will need in order to make maximum progress in your surf lessons.
Oh yes, the surfboard is the key element in surfing. It is a great feeling to lay down on your own board for the very first time. At Cliff Surf House we have a large stock of different surfboards characteristics and sizes. You will get the perfect board for every step of your learning process, adjusted to your body as well as experience. We have soft boards, epoxy and fiber glass boards in our stock for the best surf lessons for beginners and intermediates.
Probably the second most important part in surfing. The wetsuit will be like your best running shoe. Those suits keep your body warm and increase your buoyancy, so you will be able to spend more time in the water. In addition they also protect your skin from the sun and scratches. Our staff will hand over a clean wetsuit in your size and explain you how to get in and out. If you have a special size, don’t worry, because until now no guest ever had to surf naked. We clean the suits after each session with professional eco friendly soap in order to disinfect the whole suit.
Surfboard wax provides grip and traction for your feet on your surfboard. Surf wax also stops you from sliding off your board while paddling out to the waves so it’s essential to successful surfing. Our soft boards are already coated and therefore don’t need extra wax.
Using an SPF of at least 30 is definitely a requirement for being out in the surf. Because you’re in the water the sun and UV rays are being reflected at you from all sorts of angles. Plus, surf sessions tend to be long. Make sure you apply enough sunscreen. We sell special surf sticks for the face, based on zinc, which are highly water resistent.
Surfing goes hand in hand with a beach day. So bring your bikini, a towel and don’t forget a full bottle of water. Surfing makes thirty.
If you are spending a full day at the beach, we suggest you to bring an umbrella because the sun can become really hot around midday until the afternoon. Just take one of our free-use beach umbrellas and enjoy your day with some nice shadow.
Surf levels
SURF LEVEL 1:
BEGINNER
Let the fun begin! It is super exciting to get your first surf lesson. A moment you will never forget. We’ll teach you the very basic theory and techniques of surfing.
First we will find out whether you are goofy or regular. You’ve probably heard of the terms “goofy” and “regular” used in many different sports including skating, windsurfing, snowboarding, wake boarding, and of course, surfing. This terminology is related to your stance. A “regular” stance is left foot forward. This tends to be anyone with a dominant right foot. If you kick a football with your right foot, you’re probably regular. A “goofy” stance is right foot forward, left foot back. A “goofy” is less common than someone with a regular stance, in the same way that less people are left handed.
During the Level 1 surf lessons you will learn everything from how to carry your board to how to catch waves.
The goal of our professionals instructors is to create an encouraging surrounding where you learn as much as possible during the course, to be able to surf small white water waves all by yourself on a regular basis. Above all you will have fun, fun, fun.
Learn all about surfing equipment
Learn how to pop up on a surfboard
Train to fall safely and to deal with the board in different situations
Paddling techniques
Security aspects
Surf rules
Stand up and surf the white water straight, left or right
Wave type: Small white water wave that ends at the shore
Water depth: you can mostly stand
SURF LEVEL 2:
INTERMEDIATES
In this second stage of surfing, you will practice and perfect the basic skills and you will learn to pass foams and start catching the waves before they break.
We’ll teach you how to catch green waves and ride the face of the wave instead of going straight in the white water. Therefore you will learn to be out in the so called „lineup“. For this you need to understand the ‘Surf Code’: priority on the wave, surf ethics, relationship with ‘locales’, etc.
Reviewing the basics
Improving your take off and paddling techniques
Work on your stance
Passing the break, paddle to the outside
Learning to catch unbroken waves (“green waves”)
Learning the basics of slowing down and accelerating
Learning to angle your take off to go either left or right
Wave type: Small green wave
Water depth: you mostly have to swim or paddle
SURF LEVEL 3:
ADVANCED
Level 3 surfers can already catch green waves without assistance. We will adjust the class according to your needs. Improve your spot analysis and wave reading skills. Develop surfing technique as well as confidence with video coaching.
Learn how, why and when to make the basic maneuvers on the wave’s wall.
Generating speed on a wave
Improving your wave reading ability
Choosing the right equipment for specific conditions
Duck dives
Start making use of maneuvers for example ‘cut-back’,’re-entry’, ‘floaters’ or ‚snaps‘.
Water depth: 1.5m at take off
Wave height: 1.2m – 1.9m
Wave length: 12 – 15 seconds
Theory & Video Analysis
Video Analysis – The best way to improve your surfing. Dedicated to developing your surfing, our instructors can help you improve your technique, style as well as positioning. Surf analysis is one of the most effective tools to help you progress and grow as a surfer.
Surfing is one of the most complex and difficult sports out there. No two waves are the same. We will teach you about winds, tides, swells, currents, surfboard shapes, forecasts, rules in the water and everything you need to be ready to go to the water without your coach.
One day per week we film the surf lesson, break down the footage, and do a feedback session with you and your coach. Viewing yourself on video will help to a better understanding of your moves. It’s the key to improve your surfing. And it’s also very funny as well.
