Waterways Travel

What a long great trip it’s been going back to March of 1994 when WaterWays Travel started in a small office in Van Nuys California.  In the early years the notion of organized international surf travel was new - with little to no competition. Each destination we launched was relatively new to the surfing community at large. Over time the world has become a smaller place with lightning-fast global Internet swell forecasting and the media pushing the limits of exploration into uncharted tropical waters and desolate cold harsh wastelands.  This new age of surf travel has spawned a smorgasbord of surf camps of every style.

However, a few things have remained consistent over all these years: Surfers still dream of getting away from their daily lives and reconnecting with their surfing roots: relaxing to the sounds of the ocean and catching the best surf of their lives.  This may be on a solo trip, a trip with some friends, a trip with the girlfriend/wife – boyfriend/husband or increasingly a trip with the entire family.  There is nothing better than winding down the day feeling tired, sun drenched and satisfied: surfed out, well fed and ready for bed to dream dreams that could be reality the next day.

The WaterWays approach to choosing destinations, locations and local operators also remains unchanged. Every location and operation in the WaterWays menu has been thoroughly checked out over all the seasons. WaterWays employees spend part of the year checking out each destination in detail: from the comfort of the beds, to that weird end section on the reef to the speed of the wireless Internet service. There are a lot of travel options and operations to choose from and WaterWays only chooses the most reputable, based on our own experience and the feedback from others. WaterWays employees specialize in different parts of the globe, but all have the information and experience available to assure they recommend the right place at the right time to passengers looking to turn their day dreams into dream days.

The world has changed, but WaterWays’ mission statement remains the same:  Our goal is to take the gamble and guesswork out of your surf travel adventure while at the same time providing the best value and service for every travel dollar.

Service and value are the principals on which WaterWays was founded and the reason we have continued to prosper each year with such a high percentage of repeat passengers and new passengers alike.

Well that scene was kind of corny, but the Surf Shop Grom had a point. Learning to surf is one of the hardest and most rewarding things you will ever do. Even trying to learn is a great experience, but if you succeed it will pay off in a lifetime of good feeling.

"Only a surfer knows the feeling." "I'd rather be surfing." "Got surf?" You've read the slogans on a thousand bumper stickers, but the truth is, these things are true: from the muscles in your back to the happy chemicals in your head; eating better, sleeping better, feeling better: life just feels better when you add surfing.  It doesn’t matter if it is for a once in a lifetime “Learn to Surf” holiday, or a long term lifestyle – just add surf!

Learning to surf isn't easy: The equipment seems cumbersome and confusing, the ocean is scary and even experienced athletes must learn to use new muscles, new balance points, new skills. Learning to surf is all about building technique and having an experienced hand to guide you can make the experience a whole lot easier. There are many things to consider: The board of the right length with the right flotation. What suit and wetsuit and booties and rash guard to wear for the conditions at hand. Which side does the wax go on? How do you paddle so you aren't too far forward or too far back. How do you paddle out through the surfline and find the right place to catch the wave. How do you make it from prone to standing, and what do you do after that?

Learning to surf is a matter of knowing yourself, the ocean, learning the skills of the sport and making these elements come together. Going out and doing all this on your own is one way to do it, but one of the big barriers in learning to surf isn't mental or physical, it's time. It takes time to learn how to surf and one way to condense the learning curve is to take the hand of an experienced instructor, who will put you on the right board, in the right spot and get you up and riding more quickly.

Over the last few years surf schools have grown by leaps and bounds, and the reason they are successful is that surf schools work. They help people overcome their own physical boundaries and fear of the ocean, and as the popularity of surf schools has grown, they have spread to beautiful and exotic locations around the world, allowing those who want to surf to combine that experience with the vacation of a lifetime. Learning in a friendly environment away from crowds and intimidation makes for a positive initial experience which will keep you returning to the ocean for more.

Waterways' is affiliated with surf schools which range from the tropics of Latin America to the clean, green temperate zone of Ireland. Waterways has qualified all of these schools to be sure that their equipment, their instructors and techniques are first rate.