Bureh Beach, Sierra Leone
Also within 20 km of Freetown
- Aberdeen Area Beach Surf spot · 2.9 km from Freetown
Watch this spot We email you when Bureh Beach is worth the trip.
About Bureh Beach
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (285°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (105°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 400 m out (1 in 38). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 27°C in August, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 29°C in April, its warmest (no wetsuit). For beginners the best months are usually October and November, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Freetown.
Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 24 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to FNA, changing at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Mohammed V International Airport (CMN).
See flights ORD → FNA · Skyscanner from about £485 returnAdGetting there. 1 h 05 from the airport to Bureh Beach.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Freetown, 33 km (about 1h 00 by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Bureh Beach: plan on the drive each day you surf.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Freetown, 33 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Freetown 58 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 26 places to stay · where Bureh Beach stays
Places to stay in Freetown · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Freetown · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Freetown · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Bureh Beach on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 7, too small | 2 ft8 smushy | 28kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 6 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 8, too small | 2 ft9 scrumbling | 46kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 4 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 7, too small | 1 ft12 shollow | 52kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 4 knots | 27°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 14, too small | 2 ft10 scrumbling | 103kJ | offshorewind from the east, 6 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 11, too small | 2 ft9 scrumbling | 72kJ | offshorewind from the east-north-east, 6 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 8, too small | 2 ft8 scrumbling | 54kJ | offshorewind from the east, 3 knots, offshore | 27°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 5, too small | 2 ft8 smushy | 29kJ | wind from the west, 5 knots | 28°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft8 scrumbling | 23kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots | 27°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft9 shollow | 14kJ | wind from the west, 3 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 8, too small | 2 ft9 scrumbling | 36kJ | wind from the south, 4 knots | 28°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to FNA, changing at JFK and CMN, then 1h 05 by road. About 24h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to FNA, changing at JFK and CMN, then 1h 05 by road. About 24h 35 door to door
Rough cost
About £975–£1,855 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to FNA, estimated from distance and season, changing at JFK and CMN, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £485–£1,000 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £70–£115 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £975–£1,855 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Freetown
- Tessa's RestaurantAfrican · 0.9 km from the centre
- Basha Bakery and Restaurant0.5 km from the centre
- Two Guys RestaurantBreakfast and brunch · 0.5 km from the centre
- Roof Garden Bar and Restaurant0.6 km from the centre
- The Meat Factory SL0.6 km from the centre
- Ife's Lounge0.8 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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