Surf Trip for Intermediate Surfers to ‘Secret’ Indonesia

• 7 days of surfing with daily video review
• $3500 NZD – All inclusive: Villa accommodation, 3 delicious meals per day, daily surf coaching and filming/photography, transport and surf guiding around the island
• Fly to Medan ( A short, cheap flight from hubs like Singapore or KL) – Then at 845am fly as a group to the island where you’ll be picked up just after 10am and taken to the camp to get ready for your first surf!

Surf Trip Overview

Would you like to surf perfect waves, have your sessions filmed and improve your surfing? This surf trip has been designed especially for the intermediate / average surfer. If you’ve been thinking about a surf trip to Indonesia but have been unsure about your ability, where exactly to go or had no one at your level to go with, joining this trip would be a great option. The location is less crowded than Bali/Sumbawa/Lombok etc, has a variety of waves that intermediates can enjoy, as well as some ‘entry-level’ barrelling waves for a bit of challenge.

This place isn’t truly secret but it’s definitely off the radar and not blown out yet. The surf camps here are relatively new and the locals don’t surf yet. That’s why I’ve chosen not to name it online, but you can probably guess with a little research and I’ll obviously be telling anyone who is interested exactly where we are going.

If you join us you’ll be staying in a resort conveniently located near a number of quality intermediate level waves. There is a super consistent a-frame peak, it’s not too heavy and offers long walls in both directions. The takeoff can offer a little barrel if you want to paddle a bit deeper once you get comfortable. On top of that there are Long mellow lefts, hollower rights, beach breaks, a bit of everything. This variety is great as you can improve different areas of your surfing.

These trips are in early season, last time it was glassy nearly every day and waves were often around head height, sometimes a bit bigger but nothing masssive.

During past surf coaching trips I’ve found that sometimes people arrive and then find out early on that they need to make a significant change to their foundation surfing technique, such as their popup or stance. These kind of changes can take time, so this year I’ll be sending some preparation videos out in the months before the trip, just so everyone is already quite aware of technique before the trip and it won’t be information overload when we start watching our daily footage. Being prepared will allow you to really make the most of the great conditions too!

I’ll be surfing with you for all sessions and we’ll have a videographer getting footage each time we surf. As the week goes on and we have plenty of video clips, we’ll start to get land, water and drone based photos too, so you’ll hopefully come away with professional quality surf shots to hang on the wall back home!

Itinerary

Day 1: Meet up with the group in Medan and take the short flight at 845am to the island. You’ll arrive at 10am and be able to surf soon after. The camp is a short drive from the airport.
Day 2 – 7: We’ll have 6 more full days of surfing – usually 2 long surfs per day. We’ll explore the island’s many spots and if you want a bit more adventure we can arrange a boat trip or 2 to some offshore waves. There are so many spots to check out.
Day 8: Our last day, the flight heads back to Medan at 1020am.

The Daily Routine: We’ll be flexible but each day will probably be something like this….

Wake up, grab a coffee and check the waves at the beachbreak out front of the camp, then eat some breakfast. Jump in the van with the resort’s surf guide and choose a spot for our first session. Head back to the resort for lunch then relax and review your footage, get clear on what you can do to improve in your next session. Relax around the camp or take a nap, then get back in the van for a second surf once the wind glasses off, followed by dinner and an early night.

The coaching discussions will be personalised to each person’s needs from what we see in the video footage each day.

Also, I’ll be sharing some easy mobility training that I’ve found very beneficial, before the camps. What I like about it is that it is safe and there are regressions for every exercise, yet the range of motion gains are significant. Great for wave riding as well as paddling. I’ll be doing the exercises during the camp too, so feel free to join me for morning limber ups.

What level is this Surf Trip for?

“Intermediate Surfers” can be interpreted in different ways, but on my scale this trip is for level 3 and level 4 surfers. You can check your level here. Some of the spots are user friendly and mellow but if there is a bit of swell around the main reefbreaks can be quite powerful so you need to be confident surfing in head height or overhead waves on your own. People from anywhere can join this trip. The best thing is that you won’t be challenging yourself alone. You’ll have the support and camaraderie of the group. Surfers of the same level as you.

Accommodation

We are staying at a small resort that has a maximum of 12 guests at any one time. You will be in a nice villa with air conditioning, ceiling fans, private bathroom with hot-water and western toilet, mini bar fridge, TV, lounge area and Wifi.

The setup is twin share, with 2 comfortable single beds in each bedroom, or for couples a double bed. Last time we had girls sharing rooms with other girls, and guys sharing rooms with other guys.

Three large meals will be served each day -a mix of traditional and western cuisine of seafood, steak, chicken and vegetarian dishes. Vegetarian or gluten free dishes can be provided if needed, just specify at time of booking. Unlimited purified water, tea, and coffee are also provided. Extra Fruit and Snacks can easily be brought at camp or nearby stores.

For entertainment between surf sessions, cable TV, table tennis, darts, books & assorted games are all available. There is a beachbreak out the front, it’s not usually as good as the other waves we surf but it can be fun at times and is great for a swim. It’s always uncrowded.

Getting There

Although the island is off the beaten track, it is actually quite easy to get to and no long drives are required. You will need to fly to Medan (KNO) which is accessible from many places. From New Zealand, the best way is either Auckland – Singapore – Medan on Singapore Airlines and Silk Air, or Auckland – Kuala Lumpur – Medan on Malaysian Airlines. The Singapore or KL to Medan flights are only around 1 hours duration and are inexpensive. Flying to Medan from Bali is also an option but may require 2 short flights.

Since the flight from Medan to the island leaves at 845am, you will more than likely need to arrive in Medan the day beforehand and stay the night there. There are easy hotel options right at the Medan airport.

Once we land on the island, resort staff will pick us up.

For the return journey home it is sometimes necessary to stay a night in Medan also, but if your flights departure is later in the evening you may be fine to go straight through.

The cost of these flights is not included in the package but I will provide more detailed information and will help ensure everything runs smoothly.

Packing Checklist

You will need to bring your own surfboards, there are no surfboards for hire. I would recommend your standard shortboard plus a step up board more suited to hollow waves. A twin fin or fish would also be pretty fun at some of the spots. You won’t need a big gun as the waves are clean and not too big. It’s good to bring 2 boards in case one gets damaged. Here are a few other tips on what to arrange and what to bring.

• Travel Insurance is a must have for everyone on this trip.
• Bring a quality wetsuit vest for colder mornings, reef and sun protection.
• Ladies, this is Muslim territory so bring some surf leggings and long sleeve rash vest to surf in. I will provide more details on suitable clothing to bring in the trip notes.
• Spare fins, legropes, fin keys, wax are a must. There will be no surf shops on the island.
• Reef boots from a surf shop are a good idea and will make getting in and out a lot easier until you get used to the breaks. Get a snug fit.
• Mosquito repellent and light long sleeve tops/long pants.
• Bring a first aid kit to deal with any reef cuts.
• Pack as light as possible – sometimes the flights have weight restrictions.

* the above is an overview, I will provide a detailed packing list and trip information document at a later date

Bookings

The total price to join this trip is $3500 NZD per person.

To secure your place, a deposit of $400 NZD will be needed, with the remaining balance due 2 months before departure. These Indonesia trips booked up fast last time and many people missed out, so I’d recommend getting in early.