Follow the Sun: How to Work Around the World with ASI Instructor Qualifications

Imagine waking up to warm ocean air, grabbing your board, and heading out not for a holiday, but for work. For many ASI-qualified instructors, this is everyday life. With a certification that’s internationally recognised, you can follow the sun, teach what you love, and move between seasons, surf cultures, and coastlines across the globe. 

Whether you want to escape winter, chase perfect weather, or explore the world with a paddle in hand, ASI qualifications open the door to a global lifestyle of travel, community and endless summer. 

Work Seasonally & Chase Endless Summers 

One of the biggest perks of being an instructor is the ability to follow the seasons. When it’s winter in one hemisphere, it’s summer in the other, meaning you can rotate locations and keep the sun (and student bookings) going all year round. 

Teach a European summer, head to Australia for December, and repeat. Your office becomes sand, sun, and salt water - no fluorescent lighting required. 

A great example of an ASI instructor living the follow the sun lifestyle is Niels Otten from the Netherlands. After discovering his passion for surfing and completing his ASI certification, Niels now spends his year teaching in Europe during the summer and travelling to destinations like Portugal, Spain and Indonesia in the winter - turning his love of the ocean into a career that spans seasons and continents. 

You can read more about Niels’s journey here: 
www.academyofsurfing.com/news/introducing-asi-surfing-instructor-niels-otten-netherlands 

He’s just one of many ASI instructors who have taken their qualifications abroad - teaching, travelling and building life-changing experiences around the world. Head to our ASI People section to discover more stories of instructors following the sun and carving out global surf and SUP lifestyles. 

Why ASI Qualifications Make Global Work Possible 

The Academy of Surfing Instructors (ASI) is recognised worldwide, meaning your skills don’t stop at your home beach. Once certified, you can work in: 

• Surf schools & SUP centres 

• Resorts and hotels 

• Adventure tour operators 

• Camps, retreats & travel programs 

• Water sports centres and hire outlets 

From the tropics of Bali, to the rugged coastlines of Portugal, scenic Iceland to working in summer surf camps in the USA, ASI instructors are found teaching in destinations across every ocean-loving corner of the world. 

Your certification travels with you and so do the opportunities. 

A Year in the Life of a Traveling ASI Instructor 

Here’s what 12 months could look like when you work globally as an ASI instructor - teaching, travelling and living by the ocean. 

January–April - Southern Hemisphere Summer 

Your year begins where the sun is strongest - Australia, where the summer surf season is in full swing. Mornings start with warm sand and pastel sunrises. You teach surf or SUP lessons through the day, helping travellers catch their first waves, guiding tours or coaching locals who return week after week. 

After work, you’re straight back in the water with friends, exploring new beaches on weekends, maybe spotting dolphins between sets. Your ocean skills sharpen, your confidence grows - and it feels like the best “office” in the world. 

May - Reset, Rest & Plan 

Autumn arrives, the water cools slightly, and you take a moment to breathe. This is your reset month - time to visit home if you want, apply for your next visa, polish your CV, message surf schools abroad, or simply recharge. 

You look at maps, check swell forecasts, browse ASI school locations and ask yourself - Where next? 
Europe? Indonesia? Back-to-back summer? 
You get to choose. 

June–September - Europe Summer 

Now you’re in Cornwall, Ireland, Portugal or Greece, working with another ASI-accredited school as summer kicks in. Long days mean early surf, mid-day lessons and golden evening free surfs. The beaches are busy, the vibe is lively, and you meet people from everywhere - travellers, families, students chasing their first wave. 

You’re earning, surfing and living outside from dawn to dusk. It’s peak season - and peak happiness. 

October–December - Chase Warm Water Again 

As Europe cools, you migrate once more - south to Portugal’s late warmth, or into the tropics of Bali or Indonesia. You swap hoodies for boardshorts, and the sun feels familiar again. Lessons fill your mornings, afternoons are yours to explore, surf, eat like a local and experience new culture. 

Your life is simple, ocean-centred and full of discovery. 

And then - January arrives again. 

You choose your next landing point and repeat the cycle. 
That’s the beauty of being an ASI instructor - you can follow the sun. 

Explore ASI schools around the world on our interactive map for location inspiration: 
www.academyofsurfing.com/schools/search 

Follow the Sun - Your Global Lifestyle Starts Here 

Your instructor course isn’t just a qualification. It’s a passport to opportunity. It connects you to a worldwide network of ocean people, schools, and destinations where the beach becomes your classroom and the world becomes your workplace. 

If you're dreaming of changing scenery, chasing seasons, and working where others holiday - you’re already on the right path. 

Get certified, pack your board, and follow the sun. 

Adventure, warm water and new horizons are waiting. 

Start your ASI Instructor course today  

Surfing Instructor  

www.academyofsurfing.com/surf-courses 

SUP Instructor  

www.academyofsurfing.com/sup-courses 

Bodyboarding Instructor 

www.academyofsurfing.com/bodyboard-courses-1