FAQ & Support

ONLINE BOOKINGS / SESSIONS

How can I book a session?
To book a session at Surf Abu Dhabi, visit our website and navigate to the “BOOK NOW” tab. Choose your desired experience: Open Surf, Surf Trip, or Learn To Surf; select a date and time, and follow the prompts to complete your reservation. Once your booking is confirmed, you'll receive a confirmation email with all the details. If you need any assistance, our team is here to help.

Can I modify or cancel my booking?
At Surf Abu Dhabi, we strive to accommodate rescheduling requests when possible. Cancellations are allowed but may incur fees if not made at least 30 days in advance. Guests can reschedule once up to 30 days before their experience without a fee, between 8 to 30 days with a 20% fee, and less than 7 days before is not allowed. All changes and reschedules are subject to availability and must be requested via email to [email protected].

Do I need to book in advance?
We highly recommend booking in advance at Surf Abu Dhabi to secure your spot. Our online reservations often fill up quickly, especially during peak times, so booking ahead ensures you get your preferred experience, date, and time. Booking in advance also allows us to better prepare for your visit and provide the best possible surfing experience. High Surf Trip Plus reservations can limit online booking availability.

Which payment methods are available?
When booking online you can pay with credit card VISA, Master Card, American Express, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Walk-ins can also pay in cash upon entry.

What is the price of surf sessions?

• SURF TRIP (1 to 6 Surfers): AED 15,000 (Booking of the whole session)
• OPEN SURF ADV (1 to 4 Surfers): AED 3,500 P/P
• OPEN SURF INT (1 to 4 Surfers): AED 3,500 P/P
• BEGINNER SESSION (1 to 5 Surfers): AED 1,800 P/P
• LEARN TO SURF SESSION (1 to 4 Surfers): AED 600 P/P
• 1 ON 1 LEARN TO SURF COACHING (1 Surfer): AED 1,200 P/P

What is the price of Bolt Ons?

• MAIN WAVE COACHING ADV/INT SESSIONS: AED 750
• MAIN WAVE COACHING BEGINNER SESSIONS: AED 500
• FLOWSTATE: Free for first 3 months
• CABANA: AED 1,000 (includes AED 500 redeemable in F&B the same day)
• SUNBED: AED 200 (includes AED 100 redeemable in F&B the same day)

SURF EXPERIENCES

What is the difference between the different surf experiences available?
At Surf Abu Dhabi, we offer a variety of surf experiences to cater to all skill levels. Our Surf Trip provides an exclusive 90-minute session for up to 6 people, ideal for those seeking a personalized surf experience. Open Surf sessions are available for intermediate to advanced surfers, with guided individual sessions to refine your skills up to 4 people. The beginner sessions are 60-minute individual sessions up to 5 people, our Learn To Surf sessions include a 60-minute group lesson up to 4 people with expert coaching. We also offer 1-on-1 Beginner, Learn to Surf Coaching for personalized instruction, tailored to help you progress, whether you're a novice or looking to enhance your abilities.

Surf Trip Plus?
A Surf Trip Plus experience is the global benchmark of surf hospitality and the best way for guests to experience Surf Abu Dhabi. A completely tailored itinerary designed to your requirements to make your Surf Trip special. Reserve additional hours in the surf basin leading to more surf time and sharing with the party of your liking with full exclusivity of the Surf Club and waves. Surf Trip Plus prices can vary depending on packages. For enquiries regarding Surf Trip Plus bookings and reservations contact [email protected].

What other experiences can you book at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Guests may rent cabanas by the pool at the Surf Club that include amenities. Lockers, showers, and change rooms. Cabanas can be rented for the day for AED 1,000 for 4 people and an additional AED 100 per person for extras. Sunbeds are available to book online for AED 200 with pool access & Surf Club access.

Can I access the Surf Club even if I’m not surfing?
You may only enter the Surf Club if you have booked a surf experience, a cabana or sunbed. All other entry to Surf Club is prohibited or assessed and dictated by management. If you have a reservation at Nalu you may enter and check in with the hostesses in the lobby that will direct you to your table to dine.

How does a session take place at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Main Wave: Surf Sessions during a main wave booking begins by checking in one hour before the session/water time at the Surf Club lobby counter and the Front of House team directs you into the boardroom to your assigned lockers. There you will meet your Surf Team that will assist you on your journey and brief you on the upcoming session. You may select your boards and equipment with our Surf Coaches and get ready in the changing area. The Surf Team will escort you to Main Deck where Water Safety / Jet Ski Driver will do a safety briefing before entry into the basin to begin your surf. You will have full support from Surf Guides that will tell you where to position yourself in the lineup.

Beach Break: Surf Sessions during a Learn to Surf, Beach Break booking begins by checking in one hour before the session/water time at the Surf Club lobby counter and the Front of House team will welcome you and handing you off to a Surf Guide. The Surf Guide will take you down to the Beach House to meet the Surf Team and you can change and store your belongings in the change room and lockers. The Surf Team will show you a land lesson exhibiting basic fundamentals of surfing and equipment. Surfers will enter the basin supported by Surf Team.

Waves
Surf Abu Dhabi has 4 types of waves:

• Beach Break
• Cocoa Beach
• Point Break
• Kelly’s Wave

Beach Break
Gentle rolling whitewash, an ideal starting point for learning surf foundations and building confidence in the water. Beach Breaks provide a kind and safe environment for learning. The Beach Break offers two distinct types of waves suitable for first-time surfers and early-stage beginners. The first – White Water – is a slightly stronger and faster wave, mimicking the experience of a surf lesson in a real beach break in the ocean. The second – Green Water – provides a smaller, more opened face rolling wave, perfect for practising basic skills. The Beach Breaks are located at the ends of the Wave Basin in the end bays.

Cocoa Beach
Waist height slow-paced wave, offering an excellent environment for learning and enhancing wave riding skills. A progression from learn to surf and a natural next step for beginners, Cocoa Beach presents an ideal canvas for further learning and development, ensuring a safe and smooth transition to evolve your surfing ability. With easy take-off locations, the wave maintains a consistent height and deliberately slower speed, meaning you’ll progress your skills and experience wave riding on the open face while having a great time. Whether you're seeking to catch longer rides, build confidence, enhance technique or have a fun time with sharing waves with friends and family, Cocoa Beach Wave promises an enjoyable surfing experience for everyone. Particularly suited for individuals with some prior ocean or minor surfing experience.

Point Break
A faster wave with long, clean open face, providing prime conditions to connect turns and opportunities for soft barrels. Intermediate waves for fun & performance. Point Break strikes a perfect balance between challenge and fun, presenting a brilliant opportunity for practising manoeuvres, refining technique and enhancing skills and performance. A significant upgrade from Cocoa Beach, Point Break is perfectly suited for surfers transitioning to the intermediate levels. Controlled barrels are a unique feature here. They allow you to choose between high-performance moves and the excitement of riding on water, meaning you can progress your skills while enjoying an exciting experience. With opportunities to practice trimming, turning and barrel riding, mastering Point Break is the next step to reaching the advanced level.

Kelly’s Wave
Long and hollow high-performance wave with multiple slabbing barrel opportunities and high-speed turn sections. Designed by Kelly Slater. With impressive height, world-class technology, and two distinct barrels, the wave offers an unparalleled challenge through high-performance sections that demand technical expertise. Unique customisable characteristics such as middle and end barrels alongside open-faced turn sections make for an exhilarating ride at high speed. Perfect for advanced surfers, The Kelly Wave is an incredible opportunity for participants to push their skills to the limit in a thrilling experience. If you’re an experienced surfer, this is the wave for you. The Kelly promises a pinnacle surfing thrill. Kelly’s Wave has 3 different variations that can favour different types of surfing. The Surf Abu Dhabi team have Profiles 1, 2 & 3 versions of Kelly’s Wave.

SURFING EXPLAINED

How do you surf the waves at Surf Abu Dhabi and what are the Flags?
Surf Abu Dhabi’s wave is an extremely long ride. A surfer can ride for almost 1 minute in it’s entirety make it one of the longest artificial waves in the world. During a session on the Main Wave, Surf Team members will point out flags that are positioned along the fence. These flags represent key locations including take off positions, barrel sections and performance sections:
White Flags – Pro Take Off (only recommended for very experienced surfers).
Red Flag – Take off position heading right & beginning of end barrel heading left.
Green Flag – Take off position heading left & beginning of end barrel heading right.
Between Red & Blue Flags – Performance turn section.
Between Green & Yellow Flags – Performance turn section.
Between Blue & Yellow Flags – Barrel Section.

What is riding Full Waves & Split Waves?
There are a variation of ways to surf the waves here at Surf Abu Dhabi. Surfers can ride a wave in it’s entirety, this is called a “Full Wave”
• Surfer 1 - Red Flag (Take Off) towards Green Flag (Dismount) heading right.
• Surfer 1 - Green Flag (Take Off) towards Red Flag (Dismount) heading left.
Riding the wave only half way through the basin is called a “Split Wave”. The top sections are as follows:
• Surfer 1 - Red Flag (Take Off) to Yellow Flag (Dismount) heading right.
• Surfer 1 - Green Flag (Take Off) to Blue Flag (Dismount) heading left.
The bottom sections are as follows:
• Surfer 2 - Yellow Flag (Take Off) to Green Flag (Dismount) heading right.
• Surfer 2 - Blue Flag (Take Off) to Red Flag (Dismount) heading left.
Riding Full Waves are the ultimate bucket list surfing experience at Surf Abu Dhabi. The best and most amazing but when sharing the lineup with many surfers you can get less chances to ride higher amounts of waves. Whilst surfing Split Waves, surfers don’t have the luxury of surfing the waves in it’s entirety but it’s a great way to ride more waves and have a great time.

What is poaching?
During a surf session on Main Wave, when it’s not a surfers turn to ride their wave the Surf Team/JetSki driver will position the surfer according to the session’s surfer rotation at certain flag positions along the fence. If a priority surfer falls during their ride the next surfer in position for the wave is eligible to catch it and ride the rest of the wave. We call this a “Poach” or “Poaching” and this is a bonus ride during your session.

What are party waves?
Party waves at Surf Abu Dhabi is when surfers share the ride of the wave together. Party waves tend to only be allowed on the Cocoa Beach wave during Surf Trips & Beginner Sessions. Party Waves can be an extremely fun way to ride waves with your friends or family although for safety purposes, Surf Abu Dhabi do not allow party waves on hard boards, we only allow on Soft Top boards.

WAVE BASIN INFORMATION

What is the size of the Wave Basin?
The basin spans approximately 75,000 sq m (690 m long x 150 m wide) – the size of Burj Khalifa laid flat (the Burj Khalifa is taller than 690m) or 10.5 football fields. The basin walls are made of 225 mm-thick waterproof concrete. With a depth of up to 3 m, the basin takes approx. 80 million Liters of water and two weeks to fill.

What is the water temperature at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Our wave pool temperature can vary season to season. In winter you can expect slightly colder water temperatures from 21 degrees C (70 degrees F). It’s suitable in the middle of winter to perhaps wear wetsuits which are provided ruing your session. In summer time the Wave Basin can get quite hot up to 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) so we always encourage the correct sun protection and lots of hydration!

How many surfers are typically in the water at Surf Abu Dhabi?
The number of surfers in the water varies from experience to experience, ensuring a balanced, safe and enjoyable experience for all. Our team manages the crowd to optimize wave-sharing opportunities and slick rotation of surfers.

• Surf Trip: Maximum 6 Surfers
• Open Surf ADV/INT: Maximum 4 Surfers
• Beginner Session: Maximum 5 Surfers
• Learn To Surf: Maximum 4 Surfers
• 1 on 1 Lesson: Maximum 1 Surfer

FACILITY INFORMATION

What are the opening hours of Surf Abu Dhabi?

• Surf Club, Monday – Thursday: 9:00am – 9:00pm
• Cabana, Sunbeds & Pool, Monday – Thursday: 11:00am – 7:00pm
• Surf Club, Friday – Sunday: 8:00am – 10:00pm
• Cabana, Sunbeds & Pool, Friday – Sunday: 11:00am – 9:00pm

Is photography or filming allowed at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Yes, you are welcome to capture your surfing moments. In fact any sessions on the Main Wave will be video recorded. However, any filming or photography for commercial use please reach out to our team for permission and approval.

Can I bring food for a picnic at Surf Abu Dhabi?
No outside food or beverages are allowed in Surf Abu Dhabi. While outside food is not permitted, we offer premium on-site dining options for you to enjoy. Nalu Surf Club for elegant laid back eats and Ilios Beach Club for some more fun in the sun. Check with our staff for details on bookings or reservations for Nalu or Ilios.

Are pets allowed at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Unfortunately, pets are not allowed within the facility to ensure the safety and comfort of all our visitors.

How can I apply to work at Surf Abu Dhabi?
If you're passionate about surfing and interested in joining our team, please visit our LinkedIn page for current job opportunities. You can also check available positions on Wave Pool Jobs.

What type of infrastructure and amenities are available at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Surf Abu Dhabi boasts modern facilities, Surf Club includes changing rooms, private lockers, showers, pool, and the wave basin. A surf retail shop called “The Surf Station” for all your surf thread needs. Explore restaurants Nalu Surf Club & Ilios Beach Club for some world-class dining experiences.

TELL ME ABOUT THE SURF ABU DHABI WAVE POOL
Our wave pool features state-of-the-art technology, providing a dynamic and controlled surfing environment. Discover the unique elements that make our wave pool exceptional. Powered by Kelly Slater Wave Company.

ACCESS

Can companions or guests enter Surf Abu Dhabi?
Yes, companions and guests are welcome to accompany surfers with booked experiences.

Is there a designated parking area for visitors at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Yes, we provide a valet service and a convenient parking area for visitors. Follow the signage upon arrival for easy access to our parking facilities.

Is Surf Abu Dhabi accessible to people with impaired mobility?
We strive to make our facility inclusive. Contact us in advance to discuss specific needs and arrangements for visitors with impaired mobility.

Can camper vans spend the night in the car park at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Overnight stays in camper vans are not permitted in our car park.

How do I get to Surf Abu Dhabi?
Find detailed directions to Surf Abu Dhabi on our website or use popular navigation apps like Google Apps or Waze for easy and accurate routes.

OFFERS

What services are available at the Surf Station?
The Surf Station is our retail shop. It’s home to some of the best surfing equipment & accessories from premium surfboards to eyewear. The Surf Station is packed with some of the most relevant and up to date surf wear and outerwear brands. Explore our range during your visit to enhance your surfing experience.

Does Surf Abu Dhabi rent equipment?
All of our surfing equipment is included free of charge in your surfing experience. We provide all the best boards, wetsuits and accessories you need!

Can I switch surfboards and equipment during my session at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Yes swapping equipment during your session is definitely possible. Surf Team will assist you in selecting the right boards for you, if you’re a little indecisive select a couple! Leave them with the Surf Team on Main Deck during your surf session and if you request a change the Jet Ski driver will accommodate with out you missing a wave. Always consult with our Surf Team staff to ensure a seamless transition.

What should I wear for surfing at Surf Abu Dhabi?
Wear comfortable swimwear or wetsuits suitable for surfing. Check our guidelines for specific recommendations on attire.

Is it necessary to pre-book equipment rental at Surf Abu Dhabi?
While pre-booking is not mandatory, it is advised upon online booking to leave a note on a preferred surfboard you would like to use for your session and we can prepare it in your locker on arrival.

RESERVATIONS

Whom do I contact for a corporate event at Surf Abu Dhabi?
For inquiries about corporate events, please reach out to our dedicated team. We'll work with you to create a memorable and tailored experience for your group. [email protected].

Can schools plan a visit to Surf Abu Dhabi?
Schools are encouraged to contact us for special arrangements at Surf Abu Dhabi. We welcome students for an enriching surfing experience. Please reach out to [email protected] for guidance.