Best Surf Spots in the Carribean: Bahamas

There are really two main focus areas when it comes to Bahamas surfing. The first is the Abacos. They stretch through the northernmost part of the archipelago, hitting a zenith with Elbow Cay, which we’d say is the prime wave hunting territory in the country. Further south, the famous beach mecca of Eleuthera hosts appropriately named Surfer’s Beach and a whole host of other spots. Lets’ check both in turn…

The Abacos:

This run of isles covers something like 90 miles of the Bahamas. They’re a famed yachting mecca but also get good N swells on occasion. The main surf spots within are:

Willawahs:

The long, central dash of talcum-white sand that runs along the northern side of Guana Cay benefits from a run of outer reefs that can temper direct N swells in the winter. Get in early before crossshore trades get moving and you can score peak after peak with lefts and rights all down the beach. It’s fun stuff and good for all levels, though happens to lie on one of the harder-to-reach outer islands of the Abacos chain.

Four Rocks

The first of the handful of quality breaks that lie down the western haunch of Elbow Cay is something you might not expect: Beach break. Moderately reliable, it’s best at chest-to-head high swells with little to no wind (it’s usually always direct onshore here). The sand bottom means it’s typically favored by less-experienced surfers but the waves are sometimes super fun, with a wedge-like quality that lends them to airs and hotdogging. 

Indicas:

If you don’t mind paddling out over super clear waters just milometers above the staghorn corals, then Indicas could be the ride of choice in the Abacos. Wintertime northerly sets create overhead and double overhead barrels here that are glass clean and spacious enough for a full extension. The downside is that it’s usually well prescribed and a stomping ground of the local crews.

Garbanzo:

Garbanzo, a break of two sides, shows real teeth when it’s massive, the periods are long, and the trades dip a touch. When that happens it’s a barrel machine capable of flinging out hollowish lefts that mimic something the Bukit could muster. You’ll be paddling on a shifty take-off point with every surfer and their pets when that does happen – and they don’t take kindly to folks hoovering up the rare golden days at this sought-after local spot. Smaller days it’s a playground for intermediates who go left and right over the moderately deep reef bottom, turning and cutbacking to their heart’s content. 

Tilloo Cut:

You’ll need to charter something to take you over the gap in the cay to the Tilloo Cut. It’s the uninhabited part of land to the south of Elbow Cay proper and it’s a bit of a swell magnet on E trades in the summer months. The waves aren’t all that easy and most are totally undocumented. Go with a sense of adventure and stuff to treat coral wounds if you must.

Eleuthera:

Long, thin Eleuthera is probably the best option for surfers who want easy access to beaches. That’s mainly becuase of one beach (Surfer’s) but also becuase the isle has one main road that runs north to south linking the whole lot up.

Egg Island:

The reef A-frame that spins into life when there’s big N swells that are strong enough to get through the gap between the end of the Abacos and the top of Eleuthera is mainly good because it’s angled perfectly for the dominant W trades to be offshore. That means it works all day long, but is a nightmare to get to. It’s a nice, playful wave if you do come, with sectiony and hollow rides in both directions. 

Whale Point Cut:

A long right that works only on the really big N swells that fire through in the midwinter, Whale Point Cut is for dropping tides only. Wind will mess the hell with it, so it’s either for the dawnies or for when there’s a drop in the natural trades. Not often surfed by the locals, presumably because it’s still relatively hard to get to and ends with a dead end at the South Bar Club strait. 

Holiday Beach:

Don’t be fooled by the name here – this is actually one of the heaviest and hardest breaks in the whole of Eleuthera. A barrel revolves off the sandbanks at the top end of the bay, forming into a left that’s narrow and pitted for tis entire duration. It’s best on overhead swells from the NE and gives out some seriously cool rides when working to its best. The paddle is hard in currents and there’s shallow reef the whole way along. It’s not for anyone under intermediate+. 

Surfer’s Beach:

Surfer’s Beach really is the face of Bahamas surfing these days. We can see why. On anything like a 4-5-foot N swell, this one gets cracking with a lovely A-frame peak that rolls left and right over a mix of sand and coral. It’s the picture of what you expect from a tropical surf haven, with the seagrapes clambering over the white-sanded dunes of Eleuthera before it and water so turquoise you’d think it was a wave pool. The wave itself is actually a little tricky. It’s got two sections, one hollow and fast and another a little more rippable and inviting to the lip. There are some super-cool guesthouses and B&Bs in the palm groves just behind and you could do a lot worse than basing yourself here for your surf hols.

Hatchet Bay/Ledges:

A more intermediate-friendly left than the fizzing sandbank barrels further north, Hatchet Bay’s offering has come to be known as Ledges (we can’t figure out why! – anyone?). It’s usually pretty mellow but still breaks over reef. We see it as a great longboarder to midlength wave on its day.

James Point:

Like Egg Island further north, James Point marks the western end of a bay that drags the E trades nicely offshore. That’s a gift in mid-to-high swell days that are blown out elsewhere, because it means neat, peeling rights that bowl into a wide sand stretch. In our experience, this is one of the cleanest spots in the whole of central Eleuthera, summer or winter.