100 Best Surf Spots in the World: The World's Best Breaks for Surfers in Search of the Perfect Wave
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 797
EAN: 9780762725984
ISBN: 0762725982
Label: GPP Travel
Manufacturer: GPP Travel
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2004-10-01
Publisher: GPP Travel
Studio: GPP Travel
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great photography, great guide book
Comment: I've already surfed many of the spots in this book. I really enjoy the simplicity of this book, and I view it as a guidebook that I can use to map out my next surf trip. I particularly enjoy the various quotes from surfers around the world, giving their thoughts on a particular spot. All in all, a good book!
Customer Rating:
Summary: OK, but not always accurate, and not always the best spots.
Comment: This book is not really a collection of the "world's best surf spots", but rather a collection of surf spots that this author (Rod Sumptor) has visited and surfed. It probably has only about a quarter of the world's top 100 surf spots, (eg there is only one wave listed for the entire country of Indonesia-Uluwatu- which country has at least a dozen of the world's best waves). The internet and various magazines and publications have greatly expanded knowledge of the world's best waves, and they show that this book is quite incomplete in this respect. The pictures, descriptions, and general information on the various spots is ok, just not very complete. Each spot area has a 2 page coverage, with reasonable colour pictures, swell info, water temperature, consistency/month, type of break, accomodation, access, travel and other general information.
The coverage of Hawaii (21 spots), and mainland USA (13 spots) are probably the most complete, but there is only 1 spot on the whole of Central America (La Rocca), 2 in South America (one of which-Rio De Janero-is not world class), one in Morocco (Anchor Point), 3 in New Zealand (2 in Raglan and 1 in Piha), one in Indonesia (Uluwatu), one in Western Australia (Ocean Beach), 6 in Africa, 1 in Tahiti, 1 in Fiji (Tavarua island), 1 in Japan, 1 in UAE, and 1 for the Maldives. There is about 18 listed on the east coast of Australia (some of which are not world class), and 3 in Victoria. Europe gets a lobsided 25 spots, many of which surprisingly, are in the UK (11).
Seasoned surf travellers will know that this distribution is not really indicative of the world's best surf spots. A good example is the Mentawais in Indonesia, with no spots described at all, but with at least half a dozen (probably more) of the world's best waves.
Some other points and corrections:
-Some choices within countries are not the best breaks of that country, eg Punta Rocas in Peru is not considered in the same class as Panic Point or Cabo Blanco; there is no mention of Coxos in Portugal-widely considered as Portugal's best wave; Western Australia has eg Red Bluff, Strickland Bay, Margaret River, North Point, Jakes, and Gnaraloo all not mentioned, and all better than the one spot described (Ocean Beach); Indonesia, as mentioned above, has many other world class breaks outside of Uluwatu, which is the only one listed (eg G Land, Lagundri, One Palm, Asu, Bawa, Desert Point, Nihiwatu, Kandui, Rifles, HTs etc etc,); New Zealand has Shipwrecks, Stent Road, Papatowi, Seconds, the Spit and many other world class spots not mentioned (Note: A new New Zealand surf guide is out which is excellent, with 470 breaks listed, and many uncrowded).
-Some of the Australian section's Gold Coast waves have changed due to man-made intereferance at the Superbank, so this section is now out of date. Snapper, Greenmount and Kirra all have different qualities now, and they have been ridden all the way through for a measured ride of 2km p160-166.
-Broken Head sandbars are fickle p182.
-Cabarita sandbars are fickle p184.
-Manly sandbars are fickle p190.
-the picture on p129 is not of Supertubos.
-Queenscliff beach is on the north end of Manly beach, the picture in the photo on p 191 is Freshwater beach.
-Raglan is not 40 miles from Auckland airport, it is more than 100 miles p207.
-Indicators is not the most westerly point on the headland near Raglan, there is another point further round called Coloseums p206.
-Manu Bay normal rides are about 300m on a really good day, not half a mile p210.
-Lembongan is not on the east coast of Bali, it is a separate island p219, with several breaks.
-there is no break called 'Lombok'-it is an island with many breaks p218
In general, the book needs external review. The information is useful, but occasionally inaccurate, and some information is missing. The World Stormrider Guides are better and more accurate, and with more information, but the internet is still probably the best source if you are looking for information on world surf spots. Purchasing publications on individual countries or regions are also a better bet than this guide.
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Editorial Reviews:
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100 Best Surf Spots in the World will include top surfing destinations ranging from Sunset Beach and the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia to Malibu, California and Oahu, Hawaii. Lesser-known destinations such as Metigama, Sri Lanka and Aviero, Northern Portugal take readers to every corner of the globe in search of the perfect wave. Other countries that make the list include: South Africa, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Morocco, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, and Fiji.
Each destination will include brilliant full-color photography of both the area and the breaks; location map, an introduction to the area, notes on the surf and why it ranked, a personal anecdote from the author while there, and a quick-reference chart including such items as skill level required, nerves needed, and surfable days.
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