The best places to surf in July split into two very different kinds of trip. You can follow Southern Hemisphere swell toward powerful reefs and points, or use the same month to find softer summer waves that suit a longboard. Both can be excellent. The mistake is booking a famous surf destination without asking which coast is actually working and what kind of board the conditions favor.
If I were choosing one all-around July destination, I would start with Lombok. It has dry-season weather, access to real Indian Ocean swell, and more variety than its reputation for Desert Point suggests. Waikiki, Chicama, Arugam Bay, Nicaragua, and the Mentawai Islands also belong in the conversation, but each makes sense for a more specific kind of surfer.
The Best Places to Surf in July Are Not All Chasing the Same Wave
July is peak season somewhere, but “peak” can mean clean waist-high walls, a long point wave, or a shallow reef showing its teeth. I would narrow the month down by deciding what I want the trip to feel like.
- For the best overall balance: Lombok, Indonesia
- For easy longboard access: Waikiki, Oahu
- For an unusually long left: Chicama, Peru
- For warm right-hand points: Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka
- For consistent Pacific swell and a simple routine: southern Nicaragua
- For an advanced reef trip: the Mentawai Islands
That is a more useful distinction than ranking six waves from best to worst. A traveling longboarder and an experienced shortboarder can visit the same country in July and come home with completely different opinions.
Lombok Gives You the Most Room to Build a Trip
July falls in the main dry-season surf window across much of Indonesia. Consistent southwest swell reaches the island chain, rainfall is generally lower, and morning conditions often give you the cleanest chance before local winds strengthen. Bali is the obvious name, but in July I would look one island east.
Surfing in Lombok can be as serious or as approachable as you make it. Desert Point is a long, hollow left over reef and should not be treated as a casual longboard stop. Around Kuta Lombok, however, boat-access breaks near Gerupuk and the beaches west of town give you more ways to respond to swell, tide, and ability level. Selong Belanak is the softer choice for beginners when conditions cooperate.
I prefer that range to building an entire July trip around one celebrated reef. Lombok still gets busy in the high season, and the roads and boat transfers add friction, but it leaves room to surf without every session becoming a test. Bali remains a strong alternative, especially if easy rentals and a larger choice of lodging matter more. My guide to the best time for surfing in Bali explains why July works there too.
A Nine-Foot Board Changes the Answer
Waikiki is crowded, convenient, and still worth understanding
On Oahu, July shifts attention away from the winter reputation of the North Shore and toward south-facing breaks. The official Go Hawaii surfing overview describes summer as the season when rolling swells reach the South Shore, with enough variety for both experienced and newer surfers.
For a longboard, surfing in Waikiki is the easy answer. Canoes and Queens can provide long, sloping rides, board rental is simple, and you do not need a car to organize every session. You do need patience. July brings vacation crowds, surf lessons, canoes, and a lineup where awareness matters as much as wave catching.
I would choose Waikiki for a mixed trip where surfing is important but not the only purpose. I would not choose it for solitude. Read the broader guide to surfing in Hawaii in the summer before assuming the North Shore and South Shore behave the same way.
Chicama is the cold-water longboard dream
Chicama, on the northern coast of Peru, is almost the opposite trip. The water is cold, the landscape is dry and muted, and the attraction is a left point known for connecting through multiple sections. July sits within Peru’s Southern Hemisphere winter, when south and southwest swell is more active.
The famous promise of an endlessly long ride needs some restraint. Sections do not always connect, wind can affect the wave, and paddling back up the point can take more out of you than the ride itself. Some surfers use boat returns, but I would still arrive fit enough to handle current and repeated paddling.
Chicama makes sense if the long left is the reason for the trip. It is less useful for someone who wants a lively surf town, warm water, or dozens of nearby backup breaks. Bring proper rubber and enough time to wait for the right day.
Two Warm-Water Trips Built Around Daily Surf
Arugam Bay works when you choose the east coast on purpose
July is one of the months when Sri Lanka’s east coast becomes the obvious side to investigate. Arugam Bay and the points around it receive their main seasonal swell while the southwest coast is affected by its monsoon pattern.
Main Point is the landmark wave, but it is not the entire reason to go. It can be fast, crowded, and more demanding than the town’s relaxed image implies. Peanut Farm, Whiskey Point, Elephant Rock, and other nearby setups offer different shapes and levels of exposure. A tuk-tuk driver who understands surf can be more useful than staying within walking distance of one lineup.
I would choose Arugam Bay for warm water, right-hand points, and a trip with room for wildlife and slow days between sessions. Start with the Sri Lanka surf-season guide, then use my breakdown of the cost of surfing in Sri Lanka to plan the practical side.
Southern Nicaragua is less polished and more repeatable
July brings reliable south swell to Nicaragua’s Pacific coast, along with wet-season weather. Around the southern surf zones, the large lake helps create frequent offshore flow, which is why Nicaragua can remain surfable beyond the brief dawn window common in other tropical destinations.
That does not make every break easy. Colorados can be hollow and powerful, Popoyo has reef and current to consider, and heavy rain can complicate roads. For a longer board, smaller days and softer breaks such as Remanso are more realistic than chasing the marquee waves.
I would choose Nicaragua when the goal is a simple surf routine: wake up, check the local break, eat, rest, and paddle out again. If wave shape matters more than reputation, compare the best longboard waves in Nicaragua before booking a camp.
The Mentawais Are a Different Category of July Trip
The Mentawai Islands belong on a July guide because this is one of the most dependable periods for Indian Ocean swell. They do not belong in the same casual recommendation bucket as Waikiki or Arugam Bay.
This is a reef-focused trip with boat transfers, tide decisions, remote logistics, and waves that can punish hesitation. Resorts and charters can match guests with more forgiving breaks on smaller days, but the trip makes the most sense for confident intermediates and advanced surfers who will benefit from the variety. A beginner paying Mentawai prices may spend too much time watching the best waves rather than riding them.
I would choose the Mentawais over Lombok only if surf quality was the overwhelming priority and I was comfortable paying for access and guidance. Lombok is the more rounded trip. The Mentawais are the deliberate surf mission.
Where I Would Actually Go
For one July trip, I would take Lombok because it offers the best balance of swell, weather, scenery, and backup options. With a longboard, I would choose Waikiki for convenience or Chicama for the wave itself. Arugam Bay would be my warm-water choice for long rights and a slower travel rhythm.
Nicaragua makes sense when consistent surf and a simple daily routine matter more than dry weather. I would save the Mentawais for a trip built almost entirely around surfing. Whichever one you choose, avoid booking around a single named break. July produces real swell, and the ability to move to a softer beach or a different exposure can save the week.
If none of these fits, browse the Longboard Waves directory or compare the full collection of surf destinations. If your travel dates fall later in the summer, the best places to surf in August shift toward a slightly different mix of coasts and weather tradeoffs.