Long coastlines, surrounded by seas – it shouldn’t be surprising that Scandinavia is a bit of a cold-water surfing hotspot. On a good day, Sweden and Denmark has some good surfing spots, while Norway, with its long coastline on the North Sea, has more surfing opportunities.
The surfing conditions are not as consistent as other regions of the world, and Sweden and Denmark really rely on the right wind conditions for surfable waves. So, one say you’ll see a beach that is flat and waveless, and then next with nice waves, and the local surfers emerge to take advantage of the conditions!
Denmark
Denmark is home to Cold Hawaii in Klitmøller, a bit of a surfing mecca in Denmark, complete with white sand and cold water, and the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, which is a great destination for water sports.
Cold Hawaii – Klitmøller
Although Denmark doesn’t really look anything like Hawaii, they decided that Klitmøller, with its surf, beaches, and vibe, would have the nickname Cold Hawaii. It has grown as a surfing destination as the local passion for the surfing has grown.
It is possible to surf all year round, although in the winter the conditions will be cold. A wetsuit is recommended all year round, but a thicker one, plus boots, gloves and hood is essential for the winter months.
There are surf lessons, surf hire, and multiple accommodation options available in the town and the surrounding areas.
Useful Links for Surf Hire and Lessons:
Board and Wetsuit hire: https://coldhawaiisurfcamp.com/rentals/
West Wind: https://westwind.dk/shop/frontpage.html
Surf Lessons:
https://www.vikingsurfhouse.dk/en/surfskole
Surf Camp:
https://www.vikingsurfhouse.dk/en/surfcamp-i-klitmoller
Bornholm
The island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea is a mecca for watersports, and is a great location for surfing, windsurfing, SUP and kayaking. Bornholm is reachable by ferry, and is an interesting destination in itself, so you combine a surfing holiday with a chilled island to explore as well.
Board hire: https://www.facebook.com/BornholmSurfFarm
Official guide to Bornholm: https://bornholm.info/en/surfing-on-bornholm/
Sweden
Varberg
Remember how I mentioned that the waves can really depend on the wind? Varberg is a good example of this. I live about 30 minutes from Varberg and have visited often to have a relaxing day at Apelviken beach or to visit the town. Quite often the beach has very few or no waves. But when the wind picks up, then waves will appear. There is SUP and surf hire right near the beach during the summer months, and there is a campground nearby too. There are nearby beaches as well, but you will need to bring your own board, or hire one in Varberg.
Surf Lessons:
https://surfskolan.se/kurs/vagsurfing/
https://surfers.se/surferscenter-vagsurfingkurs
Kåseberga
Located on the southern coast of Sweden, Kåseberga, with its white sand, high cliffs, and interesting town is another nice place to visit in Sweden, that has waves when the conditions are right. Ales Stenar, a set of stones arranged in the shape of a ship, is on the chill above, which gives you stunning views over the area.
There are accommodation options in the town, but also next to the next beach at Löderups Strandbads Camping.
You can hire a surf board at Kåseberga Surf.
Knäbäckshusen
Over on the lower east coast is Vik and Knäbäckshusen, which gives you another surfing destination in the Baltic Sea. The beach is a long stretch of sand, surrounded by a national park in the north, and farmland in the south. When the waves are on it is a good place to get uncrowded surfing in.
Board hire and lessons are available at SUP Österlen.
Mölle
Located on a peninsula on the lower west coast of Sweden, Mölle is another good surfing location. It is a rockier area here, which helps to create the bigger waves – you just won’t get the same white sand vibe you do further south.
Norway
Jæren
In the Jæren area around Stavanger, the typical coastline of Norway of rocky beaches and fjords gives way to farms and sandy beaches. In this area there are near-empty beaches offering some of the best surfing in the north. It is typically a windy area too, which increases the chances of waves.
Jæren Surf Camp: https://lenevigre.wordpress.com/
Hoddevik and Stad
A spectacular location, with steep hills and cliffs framing a beach with great waves. Although it is a longer drive from the south up to Hoddevik, it is well worth it. Not only is there great surfing, there are many other things to do here, including hiking, camping, and just hanging out in the beautiful nature and scenery. It is postcard Norway here.
Hoddevik is the site for a surf camp – perhaps the northernmost surf camp you can find, giving it a different atmosphere to the surf camps in Portugal, Spain and France.
Evrik Surf Shop offers rentals and surf lessons.
Stad Surfing Rentals also has board rentals.
Is there any surfing in Denmark?
Denmark has some great surfing locations, the most famous being Cold Hawaii in Klitmøller on the west coast. The island of Bornholm also have great surf under the right conditions.
Where can you surf in Sweden?
With Sweden’s long coastline, there are a number of places to surf in Sweden. Some of these are Mölle and Varberg on the west coast, Kåseberga in the south, and Knäbäckshusen in the east.
Do people surf in Norway?
Although Norway is known more for skiing and hiking, there are some great surf beaches in Norway, and although surfing is a big more low-key, people definitely do surf in Norway.
Image by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash