surfbecca

Hit the water at Jumeirah Public Beach around 6am when it's glassy, peaceful, and actually rideable. Beach clubs don't open until 9am so you get the entire coastline to yourself — Pure magic watching the city skyline wake up from your board.

Waves are mellow here, perfect for longboarding rather than aggressive shortboard sessions. Best swells come October through March when northwest winds create 1-2 foot rollers. Surf House Dubai rents boards for 75 AED/hour or 125 AED for two hours, but serious surfers bring their own gear.

Pack snacks and water since nothing opens until 8am minimum. Lifeguards start their shifts at 7am, so you're solo before then — Know your limits and surf with a buddy if possible. Water temperature stays comfortable year-round (24-30°C), so 3/2mm wetsuit max needed in winter months.

Pro tip: The left-hand break near Dubai Marine Beach Resort offers the most consistent waves. Early morning glass-off creates those dreamy mirror-water conditions where you feel like you're surfing in a postcard. Just be prepared for confused looks from hotel security who aren't used to seeing surfers at dawn!

Been testing this route for three weeks while staying in Sultanahmet. Start at Gulhane Park main entrance (near Topkapi) and follow the coastal path all the way to Sarayburnu Point where Golden Horn meets the Bosphorus. Completely flat, well-maintained surface, unbeatable water views for the full 2.5km each way.

Best window is 6:30-8am before the tour groups descend and before it gets too hot. You'll pass sections of the old Byzantine sea walls and get completely unobstructed views across the water. Surface is perfect for interval work if that's your thing.

Water fountains available in Gulhane Park for hydration stops. You might encounter some tour groups near the Topkapi entrance but the waterfront section stays clear. Safe for solo runners from dawn to dusk.

The DART train from Dublin Connolly Station to Howth is hands down one of the best travel deals in Ireland. For just €6.60 return, you're transported from the city centre to dramatic cliff-top paths with jaw-dropping coastal views — Way better value than those overpriced €45 bus tours that hit the same spots.

The Howth Cliff Path loop takes about 2.5 hours and is absolutely free. Start from Howth DART station, head towards the harbour, then follow the well-marked purple arrows along the cliff edge. The trail passes the Baily Lighthouse and offers incredible views across Dublin Bay to the Wicklow Mountains. On clear days, you can see all the way to the Isle of Man.

After your hike, hit Howth harbour for some of the freshest seafood outside of Cork. Skip the obvious tourist spots and head to Octopussy's (trust me on this name!) for their legendary fish and chips, or splurge at King Sitric for their famous Dublin Bay prawns — These aren't your average tourist trap joints, locals actually eat here. The crab claws at King Sitric are genuinely some of the best I've had anywhere.

The DART runs every 15-20 minutes and the journey itself is scenic as hell, hugging the coastline past Clontarf and Bull Island. Go on a clear day for the best views, and bring layers — It gets windy up there even when Dublin city centre is calm. Exit Howth station and follow signs to 'Cliff Walk' — You literally can't miss it.

Star Ferry gets all the love but the real ferry routes for surfers head south to the outer islands. The Cheung Chau ferry from Central Pier 5 cuts directly through the channel giving you perfect views of incoming swells hitting the southern beaches.

Ordinary ferry costs HK$15.90 weekdays, HK$24.80 weekends for the 55-minute ride. Fast ferry bumps up to HK$31.50/HK$47.40 but cuts transit to 35 minutes. Both give you clear sight lines to check surf conditions at Turtle Bay and Tung Wan Beach — You can literally see if there's rideable swell before committing to the full day trip.

Bonus is the ferry route passes right by some gnarly reef breaks around Po Toi and smaller islands that get decent size when typhoon swells wrap around from the South China Sea. Plus Cheung Chau itself has board rentals (around HK$200/day) and the ferry terminal is walking distance from the surf breaks. Way better than just crossing the harbour for photos.

South Pointe Park is where Miami Beach locals actually swim, and tourists completely miss it because it's not surrounded by art deco hotels and overpriced cafés. Located at the southern tip of Miami Beach, this spot delivers everything Ocean Drive pretends to offer—actual waves, real surf conditions, and space to breathe without someone's selfie stick in your face.

The water here has legitimate movement for bodyboarding and surfing, unlike the bathtub conditions further north on Collins Avenue. The beach faces southeast, so you get consistent wave action from Atlantic swells. Free parking—which is basically unicorn territory anywhere else on Miami Beach—and clean restrooms that don't require a hotel room key to access.

The concrete fishing pier extends 450 feet into the Atlantic and creates perfect morning runs with unobstructed sunrise views. No buildings blocking the horizon, no crowds of people trying to get the perfect Instagram shot of dawn. Just you, the ocean, and maybe a few dedicated anglers pulling in snook and tarpon.

Sunrise here hits different than anywhere else on the beach—pure east-facing exposure with the entire Atlantic as your backdrop. The boardwalk extends about 2 miles from the pier to the very southern tip, perfect for running or just walking off last night's stone crab dinner. Water temperature stays warm year-round, but October through March gives you the best surf conditions when cold fronts push through and create actual waves worth riding.