The difference comes down to what is under you. In bodysurfing you ride a wave with just your body and a pair of fins. In bodyboarding you lie on a small foam board. In surfing you stand up on a longer board. They all ride the same waves, but they feel completely different, and they take very different amounts of time to learn.
What is the main difference between them?
| Bodysurfing | Bodyboarding | Surfing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you ride | Your body and a small handboard. | A foam bodyboard. | A surfboard. |
| Body position | Lying in the water, along the wave. | Lying or kneeling on the board. | Standing up. |
| Fins needed | Yes, for most waves. | Usually, yes. | No. |
| Time to first wave | Minutes. | First session. | Often several sessions. |
| How it feels | The most direct, you are part of the wave. | Fast and close to the water. | The classic stand-up ride. |
Which is the easiest to learn?
Bodysurfing. There is no board to balance on and nothing to fall off, so the hardest part of surfing disappears. What is left is reading the wave and timing your kick, which most beginners pick up in a single session. Bodyboarding is the next easiest. Surfing takes the longest, because standing up on a moving board is a skill in itself.
Do you need fins for all three?
Surfing needs no fins on your feet. Bodyboarding and bodysurfing both use swim fins, because without a big board to paddle you need the extra kick to catch the wave. In bodysurfing a small handboard also helps you plane along the wave face. If you take a lesson with us, the fins and handboard are included, so there is nothing to buy.
Which is best for beginners and children?
For a first time in the waves, bodysurfing is the gentlest way in. It is taught in shallow, waist-deep water, there is no heavy equipment, and children from age 3 can take part with a grown-up beside them. It also builds something useful for any water sport later: a real feel for how waves move and how to be safe in them.
Which should you try first near Lisbon?
If you have never ridden a wave, start with bodysurfing. You will be in a real wave on day one, and you will learn to read the ocean before you ever worry about a board. From there, surfing and bodyboarding make a lot more sense, because you already understand the wave.
If you want to know more about the sport itself, read what bodysurfing is, or see where to try it in the best beaches near Lisbon.
The Bodysurf School in Costa da Caparica teaches all levels, and most sessions can mix bodysurf, bodyboard or surfboard within the same group. See the lessons or book a session.
