11 Core Surf Trips POST-COVID!

Many surfers around the world have put their daily surf fix at the very centre of their world. Several of them have become modern day pioneers, pushing through years of angst and expense in far off lands. Many just fulfil the initial dream of finding an idyllic wave location and making it “their own”. Others go further and do such things as creating surf camps in their dream areas. They search to find those with the authority to agree to a surf camp in the area. They spend months, even years, in agonisingly long, drawn out negotiations with so many parties – locals, investors, partners, designers, builders, suppliers – the list goes on. But we are so grateful to those few who do persist because oh my, what paradises they have created for us all to enjoy!

Take Telos Surfing Village (TSV) as an example. It is surrounded by multiple world class waves that work in all swell directions. The founders designed and built the infrastructure themselves, employing loads of locals along the way. They had families and brought them to TSV. The only access used to be an overnight boat trip from Padang to get to TSV – all 12 hours of it. But once at TSV, the effort is so worthwhile. There is no excuse to sleep in, as there are waves virtually every day. Beautiful, uncrowded waves. Your hosts will drag you out of bed to take you surfing, regardless of your (or their) Bintang consumption the night before. Or how well, or how badly, or how late into the night, you played in the pool comp.

Or Samoan Surfaris. Brent Ross will only take a maximum of 5 surfers at any one time. And is just as happy with lesser numbers. If you want to just go surfing, Brent is your man. For a reasonably complete outline of the daily schedule, visit Samoan Surfaris website HERE.

Of course, nothing quite says “I just wanna surf” like a boat trip in Indo or the Maldives. Jump onto the Banyaks most recent vessel, The Star Koat 2 and enjoy the unspoilt setting and the abundance of waves in the Banyaks. Or explore the more powerful Maldivian waves in the Outer Atolls on board the Maavahi.

Sometimes, we find a surf camp that we just fall in love with. And go back to, time and time again. Like Tupira OR Vanimo Lodge in PNG. With beautiful point breaks that provides great consistency and good power during the PNG surf season. Where you can literally surf every hour of the day and not have to contest every session with a crowd of fellow frothers.

Or Joyos Surf Camp at G-Land. The hard surfing, big wave charging World Surfaris Ambassador Dave Scard (Scardy) went there decades ago. It so ticked all his hard core surf trip boxes, that he returns year after year each July. Living in a National Park on the edge of the jungle, surfing world class waves in warm water – yup, ticks most of our boxes too.

Another Indo surf camp that is a bit of a hike to get to but so worth it is Lakey Peak Haven. Owned and run by ex-pat Michael Hill, the breaks in and around Lakey Peak should be on every chargers bucket list. While the left at Lakey Peak itself was the original source of wave fame, the nearby breaks such as Periscopes and Nungas provide classic powerful Indo barrels.

Obviously, the further afield you are willing to travel, the less crowded and the more rewarded you will be for your efforts. Puri Asu Resort in the Hinako Islands is exactly this. By no means is this surf trip a hop skip and jump, but let me tell you, once you arrive, it is complete paradise with the added bonus of world class waves and better yet, very few people. Owners Steve, Paris and Marcelo have built their home away from home and have opened it up and shared it with whoever is keen to venture further afield. The Hinako Islands is home to Indo Sunset (BAWA) a right hander that can handle 20ft+. Big wave surfers come from all over to have a shot at glory using the setup provided by the resort. But the boys aren’t all about big waves. Many of the waves in the area are world class and a stones throw from the resort in their 200hp wave hunting machine. Check out this epic video filmed in late 2019 HERE

While we all dream about tropical surf escapes, spend a fraction of your time thinking about the possibilities of cold water sojourns. Take New Zealand for example. ENZED has popped up recently on surfers bucket lists as we begin to consider a covid travel bubble. Yeh the water is cold but technology has improved wetsuit warmth out of sight in recent years and if you are worried about putting on a wet wetty, bring a 2^nd suit…simple! While you’re shopping for a 4/3 check out New Zealand Surfaris.

In conjunction with Jody Perry, World Surfaris have recently pioneered some commercial surf trips to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Way out to sea, with nary even a glimpse of land anywhere to be seen, GBR trips are not for everyone. Notorious for being a bit fickle, but when the Reef turns on, it’s an unforgettable adventure. If you do find the waves to be a little fickle, the fishing is world class. It is a fisherman’s Mentawais to put it in laymen terms and its like shooting fish in a barrel. If can’t catch a fish in the GBR, give up….simple as that!

So there you have it. If surfing is your number 1,2 & 3 priority on your next surf trip, look no furter than these 11 options to get you started.  

1. Telos Surfing Village
2. Samoan Surfaris
3. Star Koat 2 (Banyaks)
4. Puri Asu Resort
5. Tupira Surf Lodge
6. Maavahi, Outer Atolls
7. Great Barrier Reef
8. Joyos surf camp G-Land
9. Lakey Peak Haven
10. New Zealand Surfaris
11. Great Barrier Reef