Namibia is famous for surfing because of Skeleton Bay, a surf spot which advanced surfers and professionals flock to every year during the months of May to August. Skeleton Bay, also know as Donkey Bay, is a 2 km long sand-bottomed wave, which is rated by elite level surfers around the world to be one the most powerful, fastest and most difficult waves to surf. It is on the bucket list of waves to surf for most serious surfers. It requires very specific conditions to work, so the timing of a surf trip to Skeelton Bay has to be perfect. In 2019 Koa Smith from Hawaii caught a wave which he rode for 2 minutes and 13 seconds while being barreled 8 times! There is no other place in the known surfing world where this is possible.

There are sharks in Namibia, however they are no big danger to surfers. Namibia has recorded zero shark attacks on surfers and swimmers. Sharks are rarely sighted while surfing even though there is an abundance of sealife. The largest common shark species in Namibia is the Bronze Whaler Shark, which can reach a length of just over 3 m and does not feed on marine mammals (e.g. seals) and feeds only near the ocean bottom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_shark#Feeding). Why are there no Great White despite all the seal colonies? Due to the "upwelling" phenomenon along the South Western coast of Africa the visibility of the water in Namibia is very poor and our wide continental shelf means that the water is relatively shallow, even hundreds of meters from the beach. It is suspected that Great Whites do not occur near shore in Namibia as they require deep water and better visibilty to attack from below as their sharky cousins in South Africa do. Two shark attacks are reported for Namibia on the link below - one involving a fisherman cutting off the shark's fins in 1981, the other of a capsized boat in 1844 (https://www.sharks.org/global-shark-attack-file).

Yes. We have a wide variety of surf spots in Namibia including sandy beaches and the swell conditions are often but not always suitable for beginners. See the "Surf Seasons in Namibia" section on the "Surfing" page for detailed information. One of the greatest things about learning to surf in Namibia is that there are low crowds, so this gives beginners the chance to practise more as there is less competition for waves in the water. As long you you are not expecting tropical water temperatures and coconuts in Namibia, you will find our beaches great and safe to learn surfing on. If you are unsure of how your surf level, see our "What's My Surf Level" section.

The crowds are generally very low. Namibia has a population of only 2.4 million, of which only about 5-7% live at the coast. Of these only a tiny percentage surf, as for some the water is too cold or they are simply not aware of the fact that there are surfable waves in Namibia. On a day with excellent swell conditions, good weather and when people have time to surf, namely weekends and evenings, there may be 20-25 surfers at one spot. More than this is very uncommon and one can always just move to another spot - there are many options. In most of our surf sessions we are alone in our group or with a handful of other locals. One exception is Skeleton Bay, which on a perfect and huge swell easily attracts 100+ expert surfers from around the globe. However here the strong current which can send you 500m down the point in a few minutes makes it impossible to stay in position by paddling - hence the crowd naturally gets thinned out by this conveyor belt style setup.

Swakopmund. Not only does it have dozens of surf spots in or just outside of town for all conditions and surf levels, but the town is also scenic, clean and safe, has really good bars, cafes, restaurants and supermarkets and it is possible to do everything on foot or bicycle. There are many non-surf activities to chose from for all budgets and tastes, from skydiving and sandboarding to eco-tours into the desert, fishing and many more. See our "Activities " page for more information. Walvis Bay on the other hand is inside a lagoon, so there are no waves closer than 10 km away. Lüderitzbucht has some fickle surf spots and the wind is a big problem unless you get lucky.

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This depends on the swell and wind conditions which vary day by day and seasonally. The waves can be anything from gentle, knee high (0.5m) for beginners to double overhead (4m+) barrels for the experts. We always match our choice of surf spots as closely as possible to your surf level and comfort level. Unsure of your surfing level? Check out our surf level guide here.

Most surfers use a 4/3 mm wetsuit. Booties are strongly advised for rocky spots and additonal protection from the cold. A hood for the less sunny or more windy days is recommended. Gloves are hardly ever needed in Namibia. A 5/4 mm is useful for those that are prone to freezing easily or that want to surf extended sessions, for example at Skeleton Bay, where it is not uncommon to surf from sunrise to afternoon.

Yes there are handful of local yoga studios and instructors in Swakopmund and other bigger towns. Yoga tours are also available in Namibia.

Very few. We have near zero water pollution, very mild currents, very few urchins, our rocky reefs are usually covered by soft plants/mulluscs and as it is not crowded in teh lineup, surfers pose little danger to each other. Hazards do include: -UV the sun is harsh even when foggy, so quality, eco-friendly sunblock is a must -sharp rocks/mussels/barnacles to enter at some surf spots, so bring booties - they also help for the cold -strong currents and rip-currents only at few spots surfed by advanced surfers only

Usually 12-18 deg C. Please see the "Surf Seasons in Namibia" section on the "Surf With Us" page for detailed information.

Sometimes we have four seasons in one day. Please see the "Surf Seasons in Namibia" section on the "Surf With Us" page for detailed information.

Generally a surf lesson with Salty Jackal is 2-2.5 hours long. This includes the time to get changed in and out of wetsuits, theory and dry land excercises and warmup stretches. Time spent in the water is 1.5-2 hours.

Yes. Surf gear is included in surf lessons at no extra cost. If you wish to use our own gear, you can do this too, however if the instructor notices your progress could be faster on a different board, we will suggest to use one of our boards.

No, it is available at a small additional fee. See relevant pages for more information.

1. Sand bottom beach breaks 2. Reef breaks where rocks are usually covered by plants like moss and kelp 3. Point breaks 4. Slabs 5. Wedges 6. Sand spits like Skeleton Bay Namibia is known for the longest left-hand barrel in the world, Skeleton Bay, and there is a slight bias towards lefthanders in Namibia, however there are a lot of high quality righthanders too. The point breaks are generally lefts.

We have surfable waves almost every day 300+ days/year or around 85-90%. On some days one might surf a minimal or a longboard or head to some swell magnet spots for bigger waves. For more information see our "Surf Seasons in Namibia" section.

Because the surfing population in Namibia so small, pretty much all local surfers know each other - Literally. As a visitor you will be noticed so have respect. Namibian surfers and Namibians in general are very friendly, welcoming and proud of their beautiful country. LINEUP ETIQUETTE is a big deal in Namibia so have respect, say hi, wait your turn and go for waves that match your skill level. You will still get more waves than in most places around the world and usually there is no one else in the water to even think of.

Namibia has two international airports: 1. Windhoek Hosea Kutako (+-410 km from Swakopmund) - daily shuttle buses operate door to door from Windhoek to Swakopmund. 2. Walvis Bay International ( +-45 km from Swakopmund) - airport shuttle to Swakopmund available.

Namibia is politically stable, the coastal town of Swakopmund is one of the safest in Namibia as are most other towns, the general infrastructure is good, the drinking water is safe and should something happen, there are good hospitals in major towns. As always when travelling one should be vigilant and not leave valuables in sight unnecessarily. One of the biggest dangers in Namibia are gravel and salt roads driven by unexperienced drivers and the really bad driving of the Namibian locals on the highways.