Don’t let the constant threat of brush fires and landslides stop you from frolicking in the waves along some of the most enticing beaches in California – as long as you can solve the two riddles that confront all who are not residents: where to park and how to get to the beach. From the coastal highways, the beachfront looks like an unbroken wall of multi-million dollar bungalows. Before you commence your Malibu surfin’ safari, visit the Urban Rangers website (www.laurbanrangers.org), click on ‘events’ and then ‘Malibu public beaches’ where you can download a copy of the Malibu Beaches Owners Manual. It lists access points, many of which are well hidden. The most obviously accessible sections of the beach, abutting Pacific Palisades, will look familiar to fans of Baywatch, while the Malibu Surfrider Beach offers some of the best boarding on the coast. La Piedra State Beach is popular with fishermen and divers, and the kelp beds ensure favourable conditions for surfers even when the sea is choppy elsewhere. The Malibu beaches extend for about 21 miles and are best explored by car. All the television weather people include a surf report in their segments of the local news. Of course, Malibu is also known for its beachfront bistros, seafood restaurants and most intriguing of all, the Getty Villa (310 440 7300; www.getty.edu).