About Handhu Fahli - Outer Atolls

NOTE: YOU CANNOT TRAVEL WITH SURFBOARD BAGS OVER 8 FT ON THIS TOUR AS THE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS CANNOT ACCOMMODATE THEM.

Photohgrapher packages available for March trips in 2012, World Surfaris are proud to announce that the first two trips onboard the Handhu Fahli Outer Atoll trips will now include pro photographer Brett Wortman. The well seasoned and well traveled photographer is ready to take aim and shoot in this beautiful wave rich paradise.  The photo package will be available for $200.00 per package on each trip which is  a bit of a steal. See below for some of Brett’s amazing work - More Info? - Click Here

 
Click image for Brent's Gallery

The Trip 
You will arrive in Male and connect with a flight way down south, where you will be met by your boat. The following morning  depart from your airport anchorage and within a three hour cruise you will be surfing world-class reef breaks. This atoll hosts at least a dozen documented waves and Handhu Fahli crew with their vast experience operating in the region will help you find them all.  Historic data shows that there are really only three PEAK SURF MONTHS in this region, FEBRUARY, MARCH and APRIL. We would love to sell more trips to this remote region however we would be doing you a disservice by sending you any time out of the PEAK surf period. 
 
Handhu Fahli is still a relatively new vessel, having been launched in 2005. She is the sister boat of Handhu and almost identical in layout, with five air-conditioned and fan-cooled twin cabins with ensuite bathrooms and upper air-condtioned saloon/lounge with TV, DVD and stereo. Outdoor shade areas provide a great place to chill between surfs and the aft deck is a great fishing platform. 

Click image for Boat Gallery

Click image for Boat Gallery

Click image for Boat Gallery

Click image for Boat Gallery

The Food 

Food is a mix of local and western dishes, with plenty of it to refuel you after surfing up to eight hours per day. The Chef on the Handhu Fahli is committed to preparing you a hearty meal using fresh local ingredients.
Breakfast 
A light breakfast is usually served before an early surf to get you in the water sooner. Cereal, fruit tea and coffee will be laid out early and you help yourself before hitting the waves. This is usually followed by a hot breakfast served after your morning waves. Try toast, eggs, sausage, baked beans, coffee and tea plus everything your body craves after a morning of hard surfing. 
Lunch
For lunch you’ll be served a range of dishes but typically you can expect – Pasta dishes, salads and vegies with meat and fish dishes
Dinner
For dinner you can expect similar variety as lunch and you’ll be served;  Curries, rice dishes, pastas, meat, fish
Some snacks such as fruit is made available throughout the day and chocolates etc can be purchased.
The Food is hearty and there is always plenty of it, trust us you won’t get hungry.     

Island culture
The outer atolls of the Maldives are a paradise few tourists will ever see. Surf adventurers are most fortunate to experience this incredibly beautiful region. You’ll discover a real sense of the pioneering experience here. The region is pristine and beautiful like nothing else you’ve ever experienced.   

Click image for Scenery Gallery

Click image for Scenery Gallery

Click image for Scenery Gallery

Click image for Scenery Gallery

Aussie Surf Guide ‘Stumpy’ Wallace 
Charters are 13 nights duration and our VERY experienced surf guide “Stumpy” Wallace will ensure you achieve you maximum surf time. Stumpy has been surfing this region for almost a decade now. As one of the first surf explorers in this region he knows the surf in the region better than anyone. His guiding is guaranteed to get you into the best wave options on each day. A lot of operators in the region just play follow the leader in the Outer Atolls so it pays to have a guide that knows what they’re doing and which swells will open which breaks. Stumpy will do his best to get you to that spot without the crowds in tow; don’t be surprised by a midnight anchor haul and waking up early to a pristine and uncrowded break without a boat in sight. Stumpy and the Handhu Fahli crew are your best friends when it comes to tracking and getting you empty line ups in the Outer Atolls. 

For more info on Stumpy please visit our Surf Guide Portfolio blog by – clicking here

Click image for Facility Gallery

Click image for Facility Gallery

Click image for Facility Gallery

Click image for Facility Gallery

Handhu, the Handhu Fahli's sister boat, will also visit this region during her multi-atoll charters. The guides on both boats will keep in touch with each other constantly to ensure they are different surfing breaks (many breaks work simultaneously) at any one time.

Example itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive Male and same night connect with flight to Gaafu Dhaal. Met on arrival by Stumpy and the friendly crew of Handhu-Fahli and crash out after a long days travelling. 

• 12 nights onboard Handhu Fahli with expert guide to get you to the best waves in the amazing Gaafu Dhaal atoll.  Surf, Eat, Fish, Snorkel, Surf, Eat, Beer, Sleep, repeat x 11 days! 

• Our last trip in mid-late April is THE BEST OF MALDIVES SURFARI starting in Gaafu Dhaal atoll (Sth) and finishing in the Male atolls in the North: Spend approx 5-7 days surfing Gaafu Dhaal atoll before heading up to the remote Central atolls to surf breaks on the East and West sides.  Then travel to the Male atolls to end your trip surfing a couple of the more well known Northern breaks like Sultans, Cokes, Jails etc... This is an amazing trip at no extra cost to the standard Gaafu Dhaal trips.  A bit more travel involved (steaming at night) however the variety of uncrowded surf on offer will blow you away!

Click image for Surf Gallery

Click image for Surf Gallery

Click image for Surf Gallery

Click image for Surf Gallery

 

The Surf 
Gaafu Dhaalu starting from the airport making your way around in a clockwise direction some of the breaks don’t have names so will give the island name also some of the breaks have two names so will give both
Kaededhdhoo - right, island with the airport on it, has a right hander that is fun when the swell is large is on the west side of the atoll so doesn’t receive as much swell as the other breaks.
Beacons or barracuda point - right, one of the most powerful and hollowest wave in Maldives, faces south so picks up plenty of swell, needs north west or north wind so always better early season February to April. Pretty short ride with easy takeoff where you then line up for the inside and the fun begins best on mid to high tide and can be surfed 2 to 10 feet.
Dhigulaabadhoo - left, across the channel from beacons we call it dhiraagu after the phone company in the Maldives as the island is shaped like a phone. A sort of fat ride on the takeoff and if the swell direction is right can link up with another section on the inside where it produces a bit more speed and power, needs same wind as beacons and can be surfed on all tides. Plenty of marine life around here common to see whale sharks.
Castaways - right, very shallow only to be surfed on high tide, when the swell is over 4 foot breaks out the back where a fun wave can be had and you make the choice to keep going through to the inside where it hits the shallow ledge and gets a bit tricky, nice little deserted island in front of the break.
Blue bowls or voodoos - right, long wave not so hollow but a lot of fun best around 4-6 feet on mid tide it is protected if the wind swings around to south south west which is common in April.
Gani point - right, also protected from south winds, gets hollow, best on mid to high tide.
Booga reef - left and right, a Bombi in the middle of channel into atoll, not so hollow but a fun ride can be had the right usually being the pick needs west to north west wind.
Love charms - left, great wave from takeoff to finish, nice tube on the inside breaks 2-10 feet needs west to north winds and can be surfed on all tides.
Rockets - left, fun wave not so hollow but nice long walls to be had picks up plenty of swell and can be surfed all tides needs west to north winds.Note: There are some more spots on the top of the atoll (Gaafu Alofi) always smaller though as swell is blocked from the east side of the atoll which sticks out past these channels into the atoll 

This is a totally unspoilt region that promises consistent surf during these months. 

Handhu Fahli fact sheet

Size	Length 78 ft / width 22 ft
Cruising speed	10 knots
Guest cabins	5 cabins (10 pax) with attached toilet and shower with hot and cold water
Crew	1 captain, 1 chef, 2 crew, 1 surf guide
Equipment	1 x 225 hp Cummins engine, 1 x fibreglass dinghy with 15 hp outboard engine, 1 x desalination plant (4800 litres per day), 2 x soundproof marine generators (22.5 kW and 17.5 kW), 5 x air-conditioned cabins and restaurant, expresso coffee machine, snorkelling and fishing gear, TV, VCD/DVD player, video cassette player, hi-fi system, washing machine.
Navigation and communication	CB radio, mobile phone, GPS, searchlight, binoculars, plotting  toolkits, compass and charts.
Non-surfing activities	Night fishing, snorkelling, barbecue on desert islands, island- hopping visits to resort islands, visits to uninhabited islands and local fishing villages.

Detailed surf report below

Optimum surf conditions for the outer atolls;
Swell: Sth or SE and even SW for Westside breaks

Wind: NW is best

 

 

How To Book

World Surfaris are the market leader in packaged surfing holidays. Our highly experienced travel consultants can arrange every aspect of your surfing trip including flights and travel insurance. To streamline the booking process it is best to start by using the check prices button, then simply select the dates for your trip and our system will email you a realtime Quick Quote. No strings attached.
From there you can keep browsing our range for other options or continue the simple online enquiry process. Alternatively you can phone our office to discuss your surfing trip directly and ask any questions you may have regarding your itinerary. Our friendly consultants are standing by to assist with your travel plans.