Vietnam vs Maldives..or else?

[ameart]

Hi all,

Been a busy year so myself and the wife are looking to get away somewhere hot around dec/Jan time.

She's just about advancing from beginner (can pop up regulary & comfortably ride a 4ish foot wave) I'm comfortably in the intermediate category.

We've been looking at places to surf that aren't populated by great whites...I don't mind sharing the water with them but she's not so keen. So that leaves South Africa & South America out!!
Settled on Sri Lanka, Maldives or Vietnam. Anyone had any experience with any of those around December/Jan time?

As I understand Sri Lanka is currently under civil unrest, Maldives are pretty small in Dec unless you boat out to an epic reef & Vietnam can be a bit windy, hopefully I'm wrong and this is not the case.

Suggestions welcome..we're happy to rough it

[jaffa1949]

Hi there I'd have a rethink about Sri Lanka the civil war is over and as it was it was confined the mostly the northern sector, my wife and I have researched it for an upcoming trip, there are cheap and adequate hotels and new surf resorts and access to the local culture at an easy pace
SE and SW corners of the island with the SE side being most likely to have swell when you are thinking of going.

The Indian Ocean main swell season starts to wind down about October but occasionally a swell will sneak up from the south pole so the Maldives might coincide for you if you are lucky, but great diving no matter what.
Vietnam great country , great people but you have to be even luckier to get swell, and it is the time of what passes for winter there so the South China Sea might kick up something.
BTW none of those countries will allow you to rough it in a tent or a a found camp site, particularly Maldives.
My money for a gentle trip = Maldives a little more up market, ut mainly surf dive and chill limited and restricted access to local culture.
My bet for more chance of surf Sri Lanka
Vietnam for an entirely different cultural experience. IMO the world's most gracious and enterprising Communist country.

[Liquid Peace]

Maldives of the 3 listed.

Better options for dec/jan; Panama, Costa Rica, & Nicaragua.

[blackball]

Hi

A good idea would be to research sri lanka further

The civial war is long over, and winter months work well on the eastern side.
I was travelling between Hikkadua and mirissa last Feb and had a great time
lots of breaks at all levels from soft beach break to shallow but forgiving points

It's very affordable, check it out

[pjkl]

Yes Sri Lanka, best destination of your list. No civil war anymore, beautiful, cheap, friendly people, really nice wave, clear water and no big sharks... only giant turtles.