Surf Levels Explained: What’s Your Real Surf Level and How to Improve It

Whether you’re just starting to stand up on your first whitewater wave or carving your first cutback on a green wall, knowing your surf level matters.

Not only does it help you set realistic goals, but it also ensures that your surf lessons, camps, and trips are matched to your experience — so you can keep progressing safely and confidently.

Here’s a clear breakdown of the surf levels we use at Tiny Whale Surf Lodge — from your very first wave to full competition level.

Level 0  — Never Surfed Before

You’ve never surfed before. That’s completely fine — everyone starts here.
It’s time to begin your surf journey, learn the basics, and fall in love with the feeling of standing on a board for the first time.

Level 1  — Working on Your Pop-Up

You’re still struggling with your pop-up or missing some of the basic surf knowledge — like what a functional stance looks like, how to turn the board, or even what the different parts of a surfboard are.
This is where you build your foundation — safety, control, and confidence in the whitewater.

Level 1+  — Building Consistency

You’re doing great! You’ve developed solid basic surf skills and are ready for the next step.
It’s time to be more consistent — nail that pop-up every time, refine your turns, and start testing yourself in small green waves in the line-up.

Level 2  — Understanding the Line-Up

You’ve mastered your pop-up and can turn both right and left — now it’s about timing, confidence, and awareness.
This level focuses on paddling out through the whitewater, understanding line-up etiquette, and starting to surf green waves properly.

Level 2+  — Getting Comfortable Outside

You can identify rip currents, paddle to the line-up on your own (when it’s not too big), and read the waves to decide where to sit.
Your next challenge is positioning — staying in the right spot, being aware of what’s happening around you, and starting your first cutbacks. 

Up to this level, at Tiny Whale Surf Lodge, we recommend you join our Surf and Yoga Weeks, or our Surf Sisters (only women) weeks.

Level 3  — Finding Flow

You understand the line-up and you’re starting to perform cutbacks, but your timing and decision-making still need polish.
Maybe it’s time to experiment with a smaller board or make the jump to a hardboard. Keep going — you’re right on the edge of breaking through to the next level.

From this level onwards, at Tiny Whale Surf Lodge, we recommend you join our Surf Clinic Weeks (only green waves surfers).

Level 3+  — Confident and Independent

You’re surfing green waves on your own, making decisions in the water, and understanding what to do in each section of the wave.
Now it’s about refining — generating more speed, improving flow, and learning how to use the wave’s power instead of fighting it.

This is where everything starts to click.

Level 4 — Solid Surfer

Respect. You’re a good surfer — confident in challenging conditions and completely autonomous in the water.
The next step is to increase your versatility: make your turns sharper, link maneuvers with more flow, and start exploring advanced moves like barrels or airs.

It takes time to get here, and even longer to master — but that’s the beauty of surfing.

Level 4+ — Advanced & Autonomous

You’ve been surfing for years. You know the ocean like a friend.
You can paddle out in almost any conditions and perform advanced turns with control and style.
Your next steps? Bigger waves, cleaner barrels, maybe even your first air.

At this point, surfing isn’t just something you do — it’s who you are.

Level 5 — Competitive Surfer

You’re probably better than your coach (or maybe you are the coach).
You can do it all — turns, barrels, airs — and adapt to any wave type.
The only question left is: how far do you want to go?
With focus and professional training, you could easily compete and win.

Why Knowing Your Level Matters

Surfing isn’t about comparison — it’s about progression.
Understanding where you are helps you train smarter, stay safe, and have way more fun in the water.

At Tiny Whale, we use these levels to personalise each guest’s coaching experience. By grouping surfers of similar levels, we make sure every session is focused, the coaching is relevant, and the feedback shared within the group helps everyone progress faster.

Ready to Find Out Your Surf Level?

We’ve made it easy.
Take our interactive surf level quiz to find out exactly where you stand — and what your next step should be.

Click HERE, to find out your surf level.