The Spit
The Spit is very popular in northerly winds or days when the surf is very small and can provide quality waves for beginner and advanced surfers.
Best Conditions: Wind NW – W
Burleigh Heads
Burleigh is a world class right hand point break offering long rides, deep barrels and can hold a large swell. This break has a sandy bottom that breaks along the edge of a rocky bouldered headland. Most surfers jump off the rocks at the cove at the top of the headland and do regular run arounds to get back out to the top of the point. Burleigh heads is always crowded and with a strong current don’t go out expecting an easy relaxing surf.
Best Conditions: Wind W to SW
Currumbin Alley
Depending on the sand banks and swell direction, the Alley can offer awesome waves. It can handle big swells and is a popular spot with tow-in surfers. It can also be good for beginners, longboarders and stand-up paddleboarders so can get crowded.
Best Conditions: Wind W to S
Kirra Point
Kirra once regularly ranked among the top five breaks of the world’s top surfers. But in recent years, has become a shadow of once spectacular self. Millions of tonnes of sand pumped out of the Tweed River has smothered this famous break, and it now breaks properly only in huge swells.
Best Conditions: Wind SW – S
Greenmount
Located in the corner of Coolangatta beach, is a great point break connected to snapper rocks. This wave works when the swell is about 1 to 2.5 metres but can also hold some larger swells. A standard ride runs for about 50 to 100 metres but can break up to 300 metres. The bottom is sand with some rocks and it’s mostly suited for the intermediate to advanced but OK for beginners on the smaller days.
Best Conditions: Wind SW – S
Snapper Rocks
Home of the Quiksilver Pro Surfing Competition, Snapper Rocks has a world class righthand point break that regularly barrells. In most swells it produces a fun wave that breaks for about 150 metres but on the good days can be much longer. Known as the Super Bank, it can break from the start of Snapper Rocks, travel through Rainbow Bay, continue into Greenmount and then down to the big groyne at Kirra creating a long powerful wave that can be ridden for hundreds of meters. Snapper is always busy and is the home break of many semi professional and professional surfers…. .
Best Conditions: Wind SW – S
Duranbah
Located around the corner from Snapper Rocks at Point Danger in Coolangatta and known locally as D-Bah, Durnbah is probably the most consistent quality beach break on the Gold Coast. It catches more swell on the smaller days but can also hold a large swell if the banks are right. Best suited for the more experienced surfer.
Best Conditions: Wind NW – SW