World's 10 best uncrowded surf breaks

Surf the world: 10 awesome crowd-free surf spots Surfing is addictive. The population of surfers around the globe has grown dramatically, and many of our home breaks have become crowded with surfers young and old. Some of our surf meccas, such as Bali and California, have become so busy that surfers have been forced find alternative breaks. Here are 10 of our favourite adrenaline pumping surf spots that remain free from the crowds.

Papua New Guinea With a thorough surf management plan (SMP) that keeps surfers in the water capped at 12 people per break/surf camp, PNG is surfing’s new frontier. Surfers pay a nominal fee to surf and base at one of the country’s handful of surf camps, with profits going back to the local villages and community projects. The waves are epic: uncrowded, consistent, and with plentiful variety. Tupira Surf Club in Madang is our favourite, and boasts a reeling right-hand just metres from the door of your hut.

Peru A series of flights and transfers will get you to the stunning Peruvian coastline, where surfing is a popular pastime and the waves in the north are particularly uncrowded. Chicama is the world’s longest left hand wave, and while it’s quality depends on swell and wind patterns. When it’s on, it’s ON. Right up to Mancora there are plentiful waves, friendly locals and some of South America’s best food options.

India Taylor Steele’s epic surf travel documentary Castles in the Sky helped put India on the radar for many adventurous surfers. With over 7,5000km of coastline, where swells particularly hit the west coast during the monsoonal season, India has plenty of waves. It’s no picnic though, just finding some of the more remote surf breaks are next to impossible without a surf guide. The guys at the Mulki Surfing Ashram (aka the Surfing Swamis) are the best guides on the west coast, offering comfortable accommodation and a real insight into India’s slowly growing surf culture.

Chile Chile is for the brave, and talented surfer only. Most of its waves break over extremely sharp, and shallow, reef, and wave heights can get big. If you can handle the punch, you’ll find Chile a radical place to surf and explore; exhaust yourself in the water by day, be entertained by locals, and local red wine, by night.

West Sumatra (Togat Nusa Retreat) West Sumatra is no secret to serious surfers, and the famed Mentawai Islands are more often than not crowded with surf charters - expect boats to dock at the most popular breaks spilling dozens of surfers over the deck and into the turquoise water when the surf gets good. There are a few secrets left, however, and Togat Nusa Retreat is our favourite. A private eco surf retreat, Togat Nusa is owned by Johnny and Ainsley Ocean, and accommodates eight surfers in beautiful island-style luxury huts. You don’t even need to jump in a boat to search for waves, Togat Nusa boasts a world-class left-hander right out front the retreat’s restaurant.

Tasmania Big, cold, and full of sharks; Tassie’s wild southwest attracts only the bravest of surfers. It's a place where boys become men and men grow some seriously thick facial hair. Shipsterns is the state’s most raved about big-wave surf break, but don’t even think of paddling out here unless you’re one of the best surfers in the world.

Western Australia While Margaret River’s namesake left-hander gets plenty of attention, there are so many waves, most left to peel alone, along this vast stretch of coast. WA local surfers almost all have 4WDs, and if you’re serious about getting barrelled (or just keen to have a go) you’ll need a car that can handle even the most challenging beach tracks.

Taiwan Though not known as a world-class surf destination, Taiwan is an exciting surprise. The locals are amazingly friendly, the food is top notch, and yes there are really fun waves. You’ll find uncrowded breaks along the coast, but the word is spreading and Taiwan is slowly breaking onto the surf scene - particularly among long boarders.

South Australia Deep in Australia’s south, some of the nation’s best waves go by unridden. There are challenging breaks dotted along this rugged coast, from the outskirts of Victor Harbor to the Yorke Peninsula, Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. Play by nature’s rules and be wary of fish-smelling deep channels for obvious reasons.

Okinawa, Japan Surprisingly ruled by proud locals, Okinawa doesn’t always offer perfect surf but when the swells and winds align we’re talking world-class. There are a number of smaller islands off the coast, each with their own unique break and more often than not, no crowds.