Surf Parks and Wave Pools

A traditional wave pool is a feature of a swimming pool in which waves are artificially created to replicate waves you would experience when in the sea. Now, from a surfing perspective, these pools have developed into wave parks where it is possible to surf on the artificial waves created. The quality of the waves created in these parks has improved over time, and are now a destination for surfers. Surfing wave pools are cropping up in all sorts of places where access to the sea and good quality surf spots is not possible, or where swells are tiny and infrequent.

How artificial waves are generated

Waves are generated in several different ways, but all rely on the displacement of water. Traditionally this was done by using chambers at the end of the pool. These chambers suck water up and release it back into the pool creating a wave. The volume of water sucked up and the time each chamber releases the water defines what shape, power, and direction the wave will have. Technology has developed, and new technology has resulted in better quality, more consistent waves.

Another method of water displacement can be seen in the technology used behind the waves generated at Kelly Slater's Wave Ranch. The wave is created by a large metal hydrofoil attached to a train. the train travels along the track and pulls the partially submerged hydrofoil through the water. The water flows over the hydrofoil, travelling up to 30km, and creates the high quality wave. The pool is 700m long and 150m wide, big enough for a perfect wave.

Wave sizes and power can vary massively depending on the type of wave pool and the people it is suited for. Your local swimming pool or water park may contain a wave pool but these waves are only going to be a few feet tall. The biggest wave pool of this kind in the world is Siam Park in Tenerife, with wave sizes that can reach up to an astounding 9.8 feet (Wikipedia). However, if you want to access waves that will improve your surfing ability, you will need to visit a wave pool in a surf park.

Wave pools - a history

The first wave pool was believed to have been created as far back as the late 1800s, by Ludwig II Bavaria. Ludwig was a prince in the Germanic region of Bavaria from 1864 to 1886. He was a slightly mental ruler and had a huge craze of inventing and building things, especially castles. He was believed to have invented the first wave pool after electrifying a lake to produce breaking waves. In the early 20th century, other wave pools in Germany emerged, such as the Bilzbad in Radebeul in 1905.

These carried on developing throughout the 20th and 21st centuries becoming more and more awesome as time went on, and now we ended up with the types of wave pools today. A list has been comprised of 5 of the best surfing wave pools in the world, with the websites included if you want to book.

The Best Wave Pools

Siam Park (Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Spain):

Siam Park is the largest water park in Europe and is a huge attraction to children and adults during the summer holidays. As well as containing huge, thrilling water slides, Siam Park's wave pool, the Wave Palace, boasts the biggest waves produced by any wave pool in the world. Waves here can reach a whopping 3.3 metres.

Despite Siam Park essentially being a holiday park, the Wave Palace also holds surfing sessions during the winter where you can enjoy facing some waves on a surfboard. Don't worry too much if you can't surf in the park though, just check out some great waves in Tenerife.

Website: siampark.net

Adventure Parc Snowdonia (Snowdonia, UK):

Located in the gorgeous mountains of Wales, Adventure Parc is probably the most scenic park and holds the most natural beauty out of any surf park on this list. Adventure Parc has 3 different areas for beginners, intermediates, and advanced surfers. This positive feature of the park means that surfers can socialise with people their ability. Each wave comes out at the 45 second mark and can be ridden for around 20 seconds. The park costs £45 just for surfing but costs an additional £18 for beginner’s lessons and for intermediate lessons, the total number rises to £70.

Website: adventureparcsnowdonia.com

Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch (California, USA):

Surf Ranch in California is one of, if not the most famous wave pools in the world. Built in the middle of nowhere in California, Surf Ranch provides waves around every 5 minutes. Each wave is around 3-6 feet in height and can be surfed for a record holding 45 seconds. The WSL bought out the wave pool and are introducing next generation technology to create much larger waves. Surf Ranch also provides coaching for surfers and holds regular competition days. The only problem is that is incredibly expensive so not everybody can afford to visit this brilliant wave park.

Website: kswaveco.com

Urbnsurf (Melbourne, Australia):

Urbnsurf is the birthplace of multiple surf parks in Australia. It was officially opened on the 6th of January 2020, so its features are modern and sleek. Importantly, tickets are very cheap, ranging at $20 AUD for an hour session all the way up to $140+ AUD for private sessions. The waves have a natural feel and have a seriously good quality to them. It’s a real bucket list place for surfers who want time away from the ocean and would like to try a different experience.

Website: urbnsurf.com

Sun City (South Africa):

Sun City is one of the most famous surfing wave pools in the world. During the 2010s, the wave pool, the Valley of Waves, hosted numerous competitions for surfing. You can visit the wave pool as a tourist by paying for accommodation at the park or you could surf as a visitor during the winter when the water park is closed. At the time of writing, the cost for surfing at Sun City is excellent, at only 185 rand (£9) for the hour, which is incredibly cheap.

Website = suninternational.com

This article was written by George, a work experience student who spent a couple of weeks with us at Surfing Waves. We hope you enjoyed reading George's take on artificial wave pools.

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