Course LevelsLapoint Surf courses
Level 1 - Beginner surf course
This course is for you who want to learn how to surf but have never stood on a surfboard before (or who haven’t surfed in a while and want to revisit the fundamentals). Learn the basics of surfing, become comfortable in the ocean, catch beginner-friendly waves, and practice turns!
The Course
Created for beginners
This course is perfect if you've never surfed or are new to the ocean. As a beginner, you will be introduced to the basic skills and knowledge needed to progress safely and confidently in the water. Our goal is to help you feel comfortable on your board and catch your first waves with ease – while having the time of your life!
What you will learn
Learn the basics, the right way
We'll introduce you to the basics of surf theory, techniques, and practical topics, from carrying your board safely to catching waves. Our experienced instructors strive to create a supportive environment where you feel motivated to learn as much as possible. The goal of the course is for you to surf small white water waves all by yourself.
VIDEO
Level 1: The start of your surfing journey
Skill level: Preparations for Level 1
Waves type: Whitewater and small green waves (knee-high to waist-high).
Mental preparation: No prep is needed; we focus on building confidence and understanding your limits.
Physical preparation: No prep is needed.
Technical knowledge: No knowledge is needed before the course; we focus on basic board control, stance, and wave-catching techniques.
Requirements
No previous surfing experience is needed.
Must be able to swim.
Minimum time to complete this level
Typically, one week to ten days is recommended to finish the Level 1 course with steady progress.
We’ll focus on…
In Level 1, we focus on building a solid foundation for your surfing journey. You’ll learn the essentials of handling your board, paddling, and catching white water waves while understanding key safety practices. Your surf instructor will help you with hands-on guidance to help you develop confidence and progress through:
Learning how to carry and handle your board in and out of the water.
Paddling techniques to build strength and confidence.
Nailing the pop-up technique and managing a stable stance.
Developing board control and understanding the ocean.
Understanding how to fall safely, maintain a safe distance, and use hand signals in the water.
Initiating your first forehand and backhand turns to start controlling your direction.
Learning surf etiquette.
Getting introduced to ocean awareness, tides, winds, and the basics of wave dynamics.
Building the skills to catch and ride white water waves.
Milestones for Level 1
Ready to take your first steps—or rides—in the world of surfing? Here are the milestones we aim to achieve during your time as a Level 1 surfer:
Catch and ride a whitewater or 2ft green wave independently and with control.
Turn both ways on the whitewater or waist-high green waves.
Master basic technical skills, including paddling, board control, and stance.
Understand basic surf etiquette and rules.
Theory
A deeper understanding
Combining hands-on practice with a solid understanding of the theory makes it easier to grow as a surfer and to apply new techniques!
Surfing terms
Washing machine, ding, and duck dive – learn the language of surfing and surf-specific phrases and expressions.
Ocean awareness
Learn about rip currents, wave types, weather patterns, tides, and how they all work together. Discover the best places to surf and explore the different types of waves, including beach, point, and reef breaks.
Surf safety & etiquette
Learn how to behave in the water, handle your board safely, navigate crowded surf zones, fall safely after riding a wave, and discover beginner-friendly surf spots.
Surf equipment
You’ll get an introduction to surf gear, such as boards, wetsuits, reef boots, and wax. You'll also learn about the various parts of a surfboard—nose, tail, top, bottom, and more—so you’re fully prepared to hit the waves.
Board control
Learn how to position yourself on the board, paddle, handle, and sit on the board to avoid hurting yourself or others.
Take-off
Learn how to do the perfect pop-up and get up on your board quickly and safely – at the right moment.
Surfing the whitewater
Start with belly rides to understand how whitewater works, then progress to standing up and riding the wave with balance and control.
Turning on the whitewater
Learn how to turn your board on the whitewater, gaining control in both directions (front side and back side).
Individual feedback
Your instructor will provide personalized feedback to help you focus on areas for improvement and guide your development both in and out of the water.
Surfboards
For this level, we use soft-top surfboards or longboards (9ft to 8ft) with extra flotation to help with easy paddling and stable rides.
The start of your surf journey
Ready to catch your first wave and feel the adrenaline rush? At Level 1, we’ll guide you through the essentials of surfing, giving you the tools to ride the white water. Let’s get started and make your surf dreams come true!
And with that, the journey to becoming a surfer has started! At Level 1, you build essential surf skills to give you confidence and control in the water. You'll get familiar with the system in the water, knowing where to enter and how to catch the white water safely, so you can focus on progressing and having fun (and not swimming for your board that’s been washed away!).
As you progress, you’ll improve your paddling technique, board control, and balance while riding the white water. You'll begin to make forehand and backhand turns and learn how to distribute your weight to maintain control of the board. Safety remains a priority, focusing on pushing through waves and understanding the surf conditions.
In the later stages, you’ll refine your pop-up technique, increase the length of your rides, and start adjusting your line on the wave. By the end of Level 1, you'll have the foundation to surf safely, control your board, and understand surf etiquette, allowing you to progress to the next level! Happy surfing!
Sustainability
The beach is our home. We are leaving it better than we found it.
We have made a commitment to our ocean, beaches and community. They are our playground, our home and our livelihood. We are going to leave them better than we found them. That means that all our employees, friends and guests helps out with recycling and taking other actions for the environment. Each week there are beach cleaning and recycling activities to ensure that our home stays the way it was supposed to be.