If I were deciding where to surf in August, I would put Bali, Sri Lanka, Nicaragua and Peru near the top of the list. August sits right in the main surf season for all four, which means I am choosing destinations because the seasonal setup actually makes sense, not simply because they are famous surf locations.
There are good options closer to home too. Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is still receiving consistent south and southwest swell, Oahu’s South Shore is in its summer season, and Southern California can light up when Southern Hemisphere or tropical swell arrives.
The best places to surf in August are not all suited to the same surfer. Bali can be serious. Waikiki can be crowded but forgiving. Chicama can give a longboarder an absurd amount of open face. Nicaragua can offer powerful beachbreaks alongside easier alternatives. I would choose based on the kind of waves I actually want rather than trying to identify one universally “best” destination.
1. Bali, Indonesia: my strongest all-around August pick
If wave consistency were my main priority, Bali would be difficult to ignore in August. This is the middle of the dry-season surf window, when Indian Ocean swell regularly reaches the island and easterly trade winds favor many of the west-coast breaks.
That does not mean I would automatically head for the heaviest reef on the Bukit Peninsula. Bali has enough variety that I can choose the trip around my ability. Uluwatu and Padang Padang can become serious when the swell is up, while other parts of the island offer considerably more manageable surf.
For a longboard or mid-length trip, I would be much more interested in finding a long wall than proving anything on a shallow reef. Medewi is the obvious example, while smaller days around other west-coast breaks can open up plenty of options.
The tradeoff is crowds. August is hardly a secret in Bali. If I were going, I would accept that the famous waves will be busy and build enough flexibility into the trip to surf outside the most obvious peaks.
If Bali is at the top of your list, start with my broader guide to surfing in Bali and my breakdown of the best time for surfing in Bali.
2. Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka: August is exactly when I would go east
Sri Lanka is one of the clearest examples of why the coast matters as much as the country. In August, I would go to the east coast, particularly the Arugam Bay region. The southwest monsoon makes the opposite side of the island much less appealing while the east is in its main surf season.
Arugam Bay itself is known for long right-hand point waves, which makes it particularly appealing to an intermediate surfer who wants more room to work on a wave than a short beachbreak allows.
I would not limit myself to Main Point. Whiskey Point, Peanut Farm and other nearby breaks give me ways to adjust if I want something softer or the main lineup becomes too crowded.
Crowds are the obvious August downside. This is peak season, and plenty of traveling surfers arrive for exactly the same reason. I would rather accept that and have dependable seasonal conditions than travel halfway around the world during the wrong monsoon simply to find a quieter lineup.
My surfing in Arugam Bay Sri Lanka guide goes deeper into the area. You can also compare the seasons in my guide to the best time to surf in Sri Lanka.
3. Nicaragua: south swell plus unusually dependable offshore wind
Nicaragua is one of the destinations I would choose when surfing is the main purpose of the trip. August falls in the heart of the Pacific south-swell season, and southern Nicaragua has the added advantage of offshore winds that occur far more regularly than they do in many tropical surf destinations.
That combination is why places such as Popoyo and Playa Colorado have become established surf-trip destinations. There is usually enough swell that I am not building the whole vacation around the possibility that something might arrive.
I would be realistic about ability level, though. August can produce substantial surf. If I wanted an easier trip, I would choose my base around access to more forgiving waves rather than making a powerful reef or barreling beachbreak my only option.
This is also a destination where staying close to the waves pays off. I would rather wake up, check the ocean and surf than spend every morning driving around with boards strapped to a vehicle.
For the bigger picture, see my guide to surfing in Nicaragua. If you want the logistics handled for you, I also have a separate guide to the best surf camp in Nicaragua.
4. Peru: August is prime time for South Pacific swell
Peru is the August option I would look at if long point waves mattered more to me than tropical water. August is winter in Peru, and the South Pacific is active enough to send a steady supply of south and southwest swell toward the coast.
Chicama alone makes this interesting for a longboarder. The left point can produce extraordinarily long rides when enough swell wraps into the bay, and it is not known for being an especially heavy wave. I would happily trade boardshort water for that kind of length.
The important catch is temperature. Peru in August is not a tropical surf holiday. The Humboldt Current keeps the water cool, and coastal weather can feel gray and much colder than Costa Rica or Nicaragua.
That is a trade I would make if my priorities were consistent swell, point waves and less of the tropical surf-resort atmosphere.
If Chicama is the reason you are considering Peru, my guide to surfing in Chicama Peru goes much deeper into planning the trip.
5. Costa Rica: reliable Pacific surf if I can live with rain
August lands squarely in Costa Rica’s green season, which means I would go expecting rain rather than treating it as an unpleasant surprise. In exchange, the Pacific coast is still receiving consistent south and southwest swell.
That makes Costa Rica especially useful if I want a destination where I can adjust the trip to my ability. Santa Teresa can offer consistent beachbreak surf, while other areas give me points, reefs and softer options depending on swell size.
For me, the normal August rhythm would be simple: prioritize the morning surf, keep the afternoon flexible, and do not build a long driving itinerary that assumes perfect weather every day.
The biggest advantage over Bali or Nicaragua is the range of trip styles. I can make Costa Rica a serious surf trip, but I can just as easily surf once a day and spend the rest of the trip around wildlife, beaches and inland destinations.
My surfing in Costa Rica hub is the best starting point. For a more board-specific angle, see the best longboard waves in Costa Rica.
6. Oahu’s South Shore: the August choice for longboards and easier waves
If I wanted Hawaii in August, I would look south rather than build the trip around the North Shore. Summer is the main surf season for Honolulu and Waikiki as Southern Hemisphere swell reaches Oahu’s South Shore.
Waikiki is particularly useful because the wave selection spans such a broad ability range. Smaller rollers suit beginners and traditional longboards, while a stronger south swell can wake up more demanding reefs nearby.
The downside is obvious: crowds. August is not the month I would choose if solitude were a priority. But if I wanted warm water, easy board rentals, longboard-friendly waves and the ability to walk from a hotel to the surf, Waikiki is unusually easy.
I would choose it over Maui for this particular list because the seasonal case is clearer. Oahu’s South Shore is specifically exposed to the summer south swells that define Hawaiian surfing in August.
See my guide to surfing in Hawaii for the broader island comparison, or my guide to the best longboard waves in Oahu if that is the kind of trip you want.
7. Southern California: not guaranteed, but August can be very good
Southern California is different from Bali or Nicaragua because I would not call August a guaranteed month of nonstop surf. Instead, it is a month with several possible swell sources.
Southern Hemisphere south and southwest swells can reach south-facing breaks through summer, and late August also moves into the period when tropical systems off Mexico can send southeast and south swell toward California.
When that happens, Orange County, parts of San Diego, Ventura and other well-positioned breaks can have excellent summer surf. Between pulses, though, there can also be genuinely small stretches.
This is where a longboard earns its place in the car. I would rather have enough board to enjoy the waist-high days and be pleasantly surprised when a proper south swell arrives than spend the whole trip waiting for one forecast.
If California works better for your budget, start with my guide to surfing in California. I also have a separate guide to the best longboard waves in California.
How I would choose between these August surf destinations
I would not choose purely by which destination can produce the biggest wave. I would choose by how likely I am to get the kind of surf I actually enjoy for an entire trip.
- For the strongest all-around surf season: Bali.
- For long right-hand points and an affordable surf-town trip: Arugam Bay.
- For consistent south swell and offshore winds: Nicaragua.
- For long lefts and a different kind of surf adventure: Peru.
- For warm water plus plenty to do away from surfing: Costa Rica.
- For mellow longboarding and simple logistics: Waikiki.
- For an easier trip from North America: Southern California.
If I were booking purely for surf and wanted to stack the odds as heavily as possible in my favor, Bali, Arugam Bay, Nicaragua and Peru would be the four I researched first. Costa Rica and Hawaii become more attractive when I want the trip to work just as well away from the water.
August is a month when the right coast really matters
The biggest mistake I would avoid is booking a famous surf country without checking which side of it actually works in August. Sri Lanka is the clearest example: August points me toward Arugam Bay and the east coast, not the southwest. Hawaii points me toward Oahu’s South Shore rather than the winter-focused North Shore.
The same logic applies everywhere else. I want the coastline that is exposed to the dominant swell and protected from the prevailing wind, not simply the destination with the strongest surf reputation.
And if my dates could move a few weeks, I would compare this list with my guide to the best places to surf in September. A small change in dates can completely change which part of the world I would choose.