How to Find HM03 Surf in Pokémon Fire Red or Leaf Green

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Find this Water-type move that can be used outside of battle with our full guide

Co-authored by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: March 6, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Finding Surf in Fire Red
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• Best Pokémon
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• Using Surf Out of Battle
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• Next Steps
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• HM Locations
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• Video

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Surf is one of the most powerful attacks in Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green, and it’s also one of the Hidden Machines (HMs) that lets you travel across water outside of battle. Surf is hidden deep with the Safari Zone, but we’ll walk you through where to find it. Keep reading, and we’ll guide you through the Safari Zone to locate Surf, which Pokémon to teach it to, and how to use it outside of battle. We’ll even cover where to find the other HMs throughout the game.

How to Get HM03 Surf: Quick Steps

1. Enter the Safari Zone in Fuchsia City.
2. Head east to continue to the next section.
3. Take the first set of stairs, and wind up through the map like a backwards S.
4. Exit along the northwest path.
5. Take the second set of stairs and follow the path around to the southwest corner.
6. Turn west at the sign to locate the Secret House.
7. Talk to the NPC in the Secret House to get HM03 Surf.

Steps

Section 1 of 5:

How to Find HM03 Surf in Pokémon Fire Red

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1. 1
   Enter the Safari Zone in Fuchsia City. From the Pokémon Center in Fuchsia City, go right and jump over the barrier. Head north and use a Pokémon with Cut to chop down the tree blocking your path. Continue north and cut the other tree in your way. Then, go up and to the left to find the entrance to the Safari Zone.

   • It costs 500 PokéDollars to enter the Safari Zone.
2. 2
   Go to the path on the east in the first part of the Safari Zone. When you first go into the Safari Zone, head east immediately along the bottom of the map. When you hit the corner, head north until you reach the pathway. Go east through the pathway to enter the next section.

   • You only have 600 steps when you enter the Safari Zone, and you’ll be taken back to the entrance if you run out. Try to get Surf first and then return to the Safari Zone later to explore, catch Pokémon, and collect other items.
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3. 3
   Wind through the next section to take the northwest path. Go east through the grass until you hit the first set of stairs on a rocky area. Go up the stairs and head west to go down the next set of stairs. Head north until you hit another rocky section with stairs. Go up the stairs, head east, and go down the next set of stairs. Then go north, then head west until you reach the exit path.

   • If you want to avoid running into Pokémon along the way, use a Repel to prevent random encounters.
4. 4
   Take the second set of stairs and follow the path to the southwest exit. Walk east into the patch of grass, and head north up the second set of stairs. Go down the other set of stairs to the west, and then head straight north. Turn right and head east, and then go north when you hit the next patch of grass. When you hit the west edge of the map, go south toward the exit path.
5. 5
   Go west after the sign to find the Secret House. Head south until you see a sign. Then, head straight west to find the Secret House hidden deep within the Safari Zone. Go through the door to enter the house.
6. 6
   Talk to the NPC to receive Surf. The NPC in the Secret House will gift you HM03 Surf as a prize for finding him in the Secret House. It will be added to the HMs in your bag immediately, so you can teach it to Pokémon.

   • HMs are reusable, so you can teach Surf to multiple Pokémon.
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Section 2 of 5:

Best Pokémon to Teach Surf

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1. 1
   Teach Surf to a Water-type to deal extra damage during battle. Surf is one of the most powerful Water-type attacks in the game, and Water-type Pokémon do 1.5 times the damage due to the same type attack bonus (STAB). Choose any of these Water Pokémon for using Surf competitively or outside of battle.

   • Blastoise
   • Golduck
   • Poliwhirl
   • Poliwrath
   • Tentacruel
   • Slowbro
   • Kingler
   • Seaking
   • Cloyster
   • Starmie
   • Seadra
   • Gyarados
   • Vaporeon
   • Omastar
   • Kabutops
2. 2
   Use an HM slave to learn multiple HMs. Pokémon can’t forget HM moves, so use a different Pokémon if you don’t want to use up an attack slot on your primary team. A few other non-Water types can learn the attack, too, so try using any of these Pokémon that can also learn additional HMs that are useful outside of battle.

   • Nidoking
   • Nidoqueen
   • Lickitung
   • Rhydon
   • Kangaskhan
   • Tauros
   • Snorlax
   • Dragonite
   • Mew
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Use Surf Outside of Battle

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1. 1
   Defeat Koga at the Fuschia City Gym to earn the Soul Badge. Koga leads the Poison-type gym in Fuchsia City. After fighting and defeating Koga, he’ll give you the Soul Badge, which allows you to use Surf to travel across water.

   • You can still teach Pokémon Surf before you beat Koga, but they won’t be able to use the move outside of battle.
   • Koga’s Poison-types are weak to Ground and Psychic moves.
2. 2
   Approach a body of water and press A. When you have a Pokémon that knows Surf in your party, walk up next to any water on the map and press A. A prompt will appear on screen asking if you want to use Surf. Select Yes, and you’ll hop onto your Pokémon’s back and ride them across the water.
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Section 4 of 5:

Where to Go Next After Finding Surf

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1. Use Surf to access Blaine’s gym on Cinnabar Island. While you can now explore water on any route, Cinnabar Island can only be accessed by surfing there first. Cinnabar Island has the game’s seventh gym, where you’ll challenge Blaine, a Fire-type leader.

   • Head south from either Fuchsia City or Pallet Town to access the waterways to Cinnabar Island.
   • After visiting Cinnabar Island, you’ll be able to use Fly to get there more quickly.

Section 5 of 5:

Other HM Locations in Pokémon Fire Red

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1. 1
   Cut (HM01) When you visit the S.S. Anne cruise ship in Vermilion City, explore the rooms and locate the Captain in his room. He will gift you the HM Cut so you can cut through trees outside of battle.
2. 2
   Fly (HM02) Go to Route 16 outside of Celadon City, and use Cut on the first tree that you see. Go up the northern path and head west through the building. Then, continue west until you reach a small house. Go into the house, and talk to the girl inside to receive Fly.

   • Fly allows you to go to any city that you’ve already visited.
3. 3
   Strength (HM04) To get Strength, enter the Safari Zone and follow the same path you used to get to the Secret House. Instead of turning west at the sign, head straight down to find the Gold Teeth. Exit the Safari Zone, and visit the house to the right of the Pokémon Center in Fuchsia City. Talk to the Warden to return the Teeth, and he’ll gift you Strength.

   • Strength allows you to push boulders outside of battle.
4. 4
   Flash (HM05) From the south side of Vermilion City, head east until you hit the entrance to Diglett’s Cave. Go north through the cave and exit on the other side. Head south and use Cut to chop down the tree. Continue south until you enter a building. Talk to Professor Oak’s Aide there, and he’ll give you Flash as long as you’ve caught 10 different Pokémon.

   • Flash lets you light up dark areas on the map so you can see.
5. 5
   Rock Smash (HM06) Head to Vermilion City and take the Seagallop Ferry to One Island. Head east from the island and Surf on the water until you hit the first northern island on Kindle Road. Head straight north along the path and enter the first cave that you find to enter the Ember Spa. Head to the back of the Ember Spa and talk to the old man to receive Rock Smash.

   • Rock Smash allows you to break small rocks blocking paths outside of battle.
6. 6
   Waterfall (HM07) Use the Seagallop Ferry in Vermilion City to travel to Four Island. When you arrive, head east and use Surf on the eastern water section. Travel north to enter Icefall Cave. Travel up through the cave and fall through the northernmost ice hole in the floor. Go up the ladder in the next room, and then fall into the second ice hole.

   • To solve the ice puzzle, go up, right, up, left, up, right, down, right, follow the path down, go left, and then go down to the ladder.
   • Waterfall will be on the ground in the next room.
   • Waterfall allows you to travel up a waterfall outside of battle.
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