Zuma Beach · beach break, intermediate, best on SW/WSW/W/S swell with NE/NNE/N wind, mid tide. About 3 km of open sand facing southwest, so Zuma takes swell from south to west and the crowd spreads out along the numbered lifeguard towers. The sandbars are short…
Point Dume (Westward Beach) · beach break, advanced, best on SW/SSW/S/W swell with NE/NNE/E wind, mid tide. Westward Beach runs northwest from Point Dume and faces southwest, so south and southwest swells hit its steep sand head-on. The result is a hollow, powerful shorebreak…
Leo Carrillo · point break, intermediate, best on W/WSW/SW/SSW swell with N/NNE/NE wind, mid tide. Sequit Point at the west end of Leo Carrillo State Park bends swell into a slow right that wraps past a large rock at the takeoff and reforms on the inside. West swells…
County Line · beach break, intermediate, best on W/WNW/WSW/SW swell with N/NNE/NE wind, mid tide. On the Ventura-Los Angeles county line, a mix of reef and sand in front of the PCH pull-outs throws up rights that are better than the lefts. It is mainly a winter…
When to surf in Malibu
Best months for intermediate surfers: February to March. For beginners: February to March, May to November. The water goes from about 15 °C in March (4/3 mm fullsuit) to 22 °C in September (Springsuit 2 mm or vest).
Days per month at the best third of the 4 spots for each level, from three years of wave and wind model data.
Questions
What are the best surf spots in Malibu?
The best-known are Leo Carrillo, County Line, Zuma Beach, Point Dume (Westward Beach). In all, 4 spots lie within 11 km: 3 beach breaks, 1 point break.
Where can beginners surf in Malibu?
Malibu is mostly for intermediate and advanced surfers: reefs, points or powerful beach breaks. Beginners should take a lesson and stay on the smallest days.
When is the best time to surf in Malibu?
For intermediate surfers February to March. For beginners February to March, May to November.
What wetsuit do I need to surf in Malibu?
The sea goes from about 15 °C in March (4/3 mm fullsuit) to 22 °C in September (Springsuit 2 mm or vest).