6 Months in SE Asia. Where to go for epic surf & low crowds?

[OrangeJoe]

The wife and I are traveling around SE Asia for the next six months and looking for a spot to chill for a month or so with great surf and low crowds. I’m advanced getting to expert level and my wife is beginner/intermediate so somewhere that could work for both of us would be nice. She’s not into surfing as much as I am so not a deal breaker if only more advanced breaks. Willing to go a bit further off the beaten path to get away from the crowds.

I'm posting this because I have had terrible luck with surf conditions and getting a little frustrated. I was just in Costa Rica for 4 months and we only had good conditions for at most 10 days out of the entire 120 days. Popoyo was like a damn machine with off-shore winds every single day and head high even on the flattest days. Easily the best/most consistent break I've been able to stay at longer than a week.

I’ve been all around Bali and didn’t really like it to be honest. Uluwatu was phenomenal but the rest of Bali was jam-packed and the beaches were trashed. Thinking about Sumatra, the Mentawais, or Nias but not sure what to expect there. I've heard they can get pretty crowded. The surf camps there look cool but WAY too damn expensive. If I'm in SE Asia, I do not expect to pay $200 a night. I guess my budget is around $1500-2000 per month for accommodations if the surf is epic. Can the mentawais or Nias be done if you venture on your own? What about sumbawa and Lombok? Are these good options and can I expect crowds? And if there's a better recommendation, please let me know!

Only requirements other than surf is some kind of grocery or convenience store and WiFi. Doesn’t have to be good WiFi just enough to check emails and basic internet browsing. And since I'm travelling for long-term, it was way too difficult to bring my boards. So i'll need to either rent something good or buy a board and resell before I have to leave.

Here's a few more details about me and my experience level. The last break I spent two months at was Popoyo in Nicaragua. I'm regular footed but I can ride either way. I guess I'd prefer rights, but I've been mostly around rights and wouldn't mind working on my lefts as well. I made it up to the professional level in wakeboarding so I've been learning super fast. I picked up surfing because my knees would likely fall apart at my age (33) if I kept riding at the level I was at. Hoping to find a spot for barrels and/or aerials. I'm comfortable in double-overhead, but I'd much rather prefer a long clean ride than just big size.

To return the favor, I can offer advice about Central America...Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua west coast if anyone would like.

Cheers!

[jaffa1949]

Let's give you the Indo run down.
Starting with Sumatra, any Mainland surf area has both resorts from minus Stars to about 3 Star, There are also home stays but you have to negotiate, quite a few home stays are advertising on the net. Overall the Indonesians are pretty net savvy. Check google maps when you get an Address for a possibility just to see how far you are from the beach Krui is one such area. Mainland Sumatra is a Challenge Getting to other breaks as you need to engage a car or a boat to get elsewhere and often involves an up into the mountain spine and down again. rough as guts roads and not always passable, but you dont know before you go! Put your Adventure hat on!

Mentawaiis: catch Ferry out to the place you wish to stay you might need a boat trip beyond that to arrive Resorts range from $2000 US for ten or eleven days but includes trips to all breaks that suit your ability. There is some open ocean trips between islands so good crew is needed.


There are cheaper camps and even a self sufficient camp with a store nearby that might work for you.
About the only spot like that.
The playgrounds area has a lot of places and most will provide a boat and skipper, whether the price is included in the tariff is something you to check.
Nias resorts and home stays!

There are areas to check on Java, western end Cimaja and others and eastern end, west of G Land Red Beach and a few others.

East of Java there is Nus a lembongan , Lombok the entire Kita Lombok area heading east to Grupuklots of home stays, and finally at Heaven on the Planet at Ekas , the is another Resort on that Side of Ekas Bay. Accesses two breaks, Outside Ekas a pretty heavy deep water wave with lots of water moving. Inside Ekas a more benign wave and the Sand beach as a learner friendly wave.

However all of Indonesia can be crowded more so the closer you are to the epicentre Bali.
You can head further east to Sumba Sumbawa , and Rote, involves getting to the islands on dodgy Airlines .

A recommended reading is a book 'Indo Surf and Lingo' by Peter Neely, lots more informative.
Visa 30 days simple option from some countries fee free, you can buy a longer Visa, have really good clear travel insurance, many waves will test you assessment of your ability and Hospitals and injury can require Evacuation elsewhere to survive. Which will bust your Bank Balance.


Tropical diseases especially mosquito borne diseases abound . including all the deadly one and Poor sanitation diseases. be aware of the shots you need and have them!

That's the basics I can tell you more but not Secret Spots , there are still some!