Windsurfing is a favourite sport in Denmark. The long inlets and protected shores offer novices the chance to master the sport under optimal conditions, while the open seas offer new challenges to advanced windsurfers. Local tourist offices are an excellent source of local information about hiring windsurfing equipment and arranging instruction.

Search for surfschools and -hire in Denmark (Link til GUIDEDK)

When can you surf in Denmark? With the right equipment, you can surf from April/May to september/October. In autumn, when the frontal systems change quickly, the wind also changes a lot making many forms of windsurfing possible.

According to the weather statistics, in spring and autumn, a typical week will have 3 days of strong wind, 2 of steady wind and 2 days of mild wind.

With the right wind, your surfboard enables you to move and manoeuvre rapidly, which means that in principle it is you who must give way to all other sailors. Larger craft have more difficulty changing course
than smaller ones and people on yachts can get very annoyed if they feel forced to change course for a windsurfer.

Avoid potential conflicts

Conflicts can also arise between commercial sailors and windsurfers. If you drift or sail out into areas where there is commercial navigation, or if the channel is so narrow that you cannot avoid crossing shipping lanes and you set a collision course for commercial vessels, you are asking for trouble!

So, avoid surfing close to boats or ferries and keep a sensible distance away from fishing nets and fishing boats.

When is windsurfing dangerous?

As with any other sport or hobby, while windsurfing, dangerous situations can arise.

According to the Admiral Danish Fleet, the most dangerous situations arise if you venture out in bad weather or the wind is blowing off the coast - or your equipment gets damaged. So, to reduce the number of emergency call-outs, do not take unnecessary risks when windsurfing. Check your equipment, check the weather and wind conditions on site and most importantly: Respect the Danish requirement that you must wear a life jacket.

Remember your flare!

It is a good idea to carry a flare in the pocket of your life jacket. People on shore can see you when your sail is upright, but consider that it will be difficult to spot if it is on the water. You may be glad of your
flare to call for help if your equipment gets damaged or you get worn out.

5 good reasons for choosing Denmark as a surfing destination:

1. Surf of all kinds
Denmark’s coastline is so varied that all windsurfers can find somewhere to suit their skills and moods. Whether you’re a surf freak, or just looking for a playground where you can hang out with other surfers, or a family looking for a calm bay without too many spectators.

2. Lots of room
There’s plenty of space and great places where you won’t get too close to swimmers or flocks of other windsurfers. There is also normally room on the beach for your equipment and you won’t need to lock your board up when you go to lunch.

3. Lots of scope in the same area
People travelling in a group often want different things from a windsurfing holiday. In Denmark, distance is not a problem and you can often find places with towering waves and shallow fjords or lakes in the same area. For example, at Klitmøller, wave fanatics surf along the coast of Klitmøller or Hamburg Bay and less experienced surfers have fun at Vandet Sø.

At Hvide Sande and all the way along Holmsland Klit, experienced surfers can surf from the coast in the North Sea, and speed surfers or less experienced surfers can enjoy themselves in the shallows of Ringkøbing Fjord.

4. More time on the water and less in the car
In Denmark, you can always find a stretch of coast with optimal wind conditions and can switch from one coast to another without spending hours in a car. Nowhere in Denmark is more than 45 minutes from the water.

5. You need wind…
The westerlies are what really count when calculating wind statistics – especially in the spring and summer, when the wind from the west creates really challenging, demanding conditions.

During the summer months, the wind changes a lot – from light to mild for beginners, to moderate and brisk for experienced surfers. Real professionals can look forward to the occasional storm!

Most people associate windsurfing with Wave. This is what you see on TV, postcards and tourist brochures, and is the most spectacular to watch because the waves are used for impressive jumps and board acrobatics.
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Definition of a wave spot

Areas with good breakers and big waves are ideal for wave surfing. The breakers should be some way out so there is a good distance to surf in to the beach. These conditions are found where the depth is reduced relatively sharply over a short distance. It also helps if there are points or sandbars, so that the waves are cut at right angles to the wind, which transforms them into powerful breakers that provide perfect take-offs for jumps, acrobatics and practising various stunts.

Klitmøller and other Danish wave spots

The west coast of Jutland offers optimal conditions, e.g. near Klitmøller in North Jutland, where the wind, water and seabed create challenges for experienced surfers and professionals that are of the same high calibre as other international wave spots. It would be fair to say that Klitmøller is one of Europe's top surfing spots.

Other ideal places for waves are to be found along coastlines that face major stretches of water, where waves can build up over at least 35-50km - e.g. the west coast, the east coast of Jutland - from Skagen to Ebeltoft; Fyns Hoved, Sydlangeland, Helnæs on Funen, the coast of North Zealand - from Amager past
Møn; Falster and along the entire south coast of Lolland and the islands away from the mainland, e.g. Læsø, Anholt and Bornholm. There are major differences in the conditions along these coastlines so you can find exactly the conditions to suit your requirements and level.