6 reasons why the Maldives is better by surf charter
This article is a little tongue in cheek and probably shouldn’t be read by anyone.
Full disclosure we love resorts and know that sometimes they just hit the spot. Other times a Surf-Charter is good for what ails you. The below is an opinion piece and if you’re considering a resort for your next surf trip we reckon you’re on the money. If you’re leaning towards the surf charter then read on.
Do you know what isn’t great? Being landlocked when you’re surrounded by pumping waves. Most of us have been in this position. We’ve locked in a surf trip with the family, non-surfing friends or significant other, because a holiday shouldn’t always be about ‘surfing’ and some time off with friends, family the ‘better half’ is welcome. This trip is usually at a resort, probably in a tropical paradise with a few waves of renown in the area.
So, if you’re like us you even brought a surfboard because the ‘home break’ looks pretty fun. A few days in, a lazy pool day, maybe a bit of a bender one night – (karaoke anyone), a few lazy but disappointing surfs then and the mind starts to wander. You start watching swell reports, and a few accounts you follow on social media are posting great swell and ‘wave-of-the-day’ videos. You see some peelers off in the distance. The mind starts to wander more – ‘I wish I was surfing those waves right now’. You might even go as far as to enquire about getting a tender out from the resort and unless you’ve pre-arranged this, you’re in for some financial hurt. Depending on where you are, quite a bit of financial hurt.
Ultimately, a big part of you declares “I wish I was on a charter with my mates instead of landlocked here.”
This is why we wrote this article. Because the Maldives like a lot of other surf destinations has a tonne of waves on offer and they’re so much easier to explore when you’re on a surf charter. Here are six reasons why the Maldives is better by surf charter.
That ‘other’ surf break is accessible
Charters are mobile, they follow the swell and avoid the winds. Neither option is available to most resorts (there are exceptions of course but you’re limited to tender/ speedboat distance and fuel tends to be expensive). Charters do things like ‘steam’ over night to get you the best wave by morning. Take Maavahi for example, you’ll start Kaededhdhoo and travel clockwise around Gaafu Dhaalu, heading past Beacons or Barracuda Point, Dhigulaabadhoo, Castaways, Blue Bowls, Gani Point, Booga Reef, Love Charms, Rockets and so on and so on… You’ll surf a plethora of waves that activate on all different types of wind and swell conditions and if the conditions aren’t right, then you’ll steam to the next one (or back to wave you sailed past to check the next spot).
Experienced Guides
Without a doubt, the best surf trips have a guide. Guides are locals, know the region, know the waves, know the distance between the breaks, know the coastline and are in tune with the forecasts. Their knowledge and experience invariably take you to the best waves and spots known in the region and sometimes unknown. Our Maldives’ charter guides are locals from the region and have grown up surfing these waves and exploring these waves: Or experienced ex-pats who have spent more time under the Maldivian sun than on their home shores. All this experience leans towards you having an amazing ‘surf-filled’, crowd dodging trip of a lifetime.
Boat Tenders for runs & more
There’s something to be said for simply putting your hand up in the air when you’ve had enough. There’s something comforting about seeing the tender, dinghy, zodiac boat zipping towards you after a long paddle. There’s usually a cold drink onboard, a light snack, sunscreen and above a friendly, helpful smile – sometimes a photographer to congratulating you on that wave you caught and asking, ‘would you like to see the pics?’. The tenders are used for short runs to and from the boat. If you’re in a channel and some of your crew want to surf that right that looks fun they can but be ready in five. The rest of the crew will go surf that wedgy left on the other side. Or you can wait, have another coffee, see which way you’re thinking and head out to your favourite then change your mind and do both. The point is you have choices and coupled with the expert advice of your guide, the tender can get you to the best spot and back again and again and again.
All inclusive – full board
Surf charters are generally full board and the food is always amazing and plentiful. It needs to be, after surfing up to 4 times a day, you’ll be hungry! Charters have a private chef onboard, the menu is generous and they cook up a storm three times a day, every day, with a mixture of delicious cuisines, and no, not just curries (though no complaint from us)! Snacks are generally also available at any time. Plus, you can dine indoors or under the blue Maldivian sky on the decks for an unbeatable view every day or night and a full service bar means a cold beer or soft drink is always on hand!
It’s bonding! Not always a great thing but never a bad.
The best stories we have are from surf charters. Years later when you’re planning another trip or catching up in the cold winter dreaming of the warmer Maldivian waters you’ll laugh at the time when [insert humorous anecdote] from that trip back in 2022. You’ll remember the comradeship, the long conversations, the book that got shared, the time you made a new friend or learned something completely new about the mates you’ve had for years. There’s simply something innate about spending time together as mates as you explore the tropical paradise of the Maldives.
Finally… The tourist or the traveller
You’re not a dyed-in-the-wool tourist on a surf charter, you feel more like a ‘traveller’. You are after all on an adventure – we may be splitting hairs here but there’s a difference. Essentially, you’ve deviated from the beaten track a little, you’ve taken comfort with you but you’ve ventured beyond the horizon into something new. You’ll stare at the hazy sunset over an endless ocean and you’ll island hop to local villages where your way of life is completely alien. You’ll get a brief experience of how tho locals live and it will build your understanding and appreciation for the region beyond those landlocked on resorts island, where, embedded in luxury (which is great at times too!), the horizon and the rest of the experiences a region has to offer may never truly reached.
As the saying goes … “Life is short and the world is wide.”
So, how about it?
Ready to lock in a Surf Charter? We’ve got a bit of a deal going on at the moment, you can read up on it and find inspiration here – https://www.worldsurfaris.com/mates-rates-2023
See you in the water
The WS team 🙂
