For decades, Maldives has always been a well-known place to have a wonderful vacation for divers. But what about all those folks who love surfing?

 

It all began with Antony Hinde, who taught the Maldivians the thrills of surfing. Stranded in a shipwreck on their way to Réunion Island in 1973, he and Mark Scanlon, both Australian, are known as the founders of the Maldivian Tourism Industry back then.

Known as the Father of Surfing in the Maldives, he was instrumental in bringing about modern surfing techniques into the Maldivian repertoire of using planks.

Although now you have many options to experience the ocean, like either staying in a resort all your trip, or going on a cruise around the islands on a safari boat, or even a combination of the two, or just trusting your luck at finding a great experience with just your backpack, the best idea still is island hopping, where you discover not only the subtle variations of every Maldivian village, but also the great surf in every island.

 

What to expect in the Maldivian Surf Scene

The warm equatorial climate and the high humidity all year round mean you’ll need nothing much except short fins, your surfboard and shorts! Having the best breakers during the monsoon season around September and October, the rest of the year waxes and wanes around this maximum, giving an opportunity for the less experienced surfers to improve on their game for the next peak.

It’s also interesting to note that the surf points in atolls other than Malé atoll get a bigger bunch of visitors from February to April, mainly due to the increase in consistent wave activity in the other atolls. People say that the surf season is quite similar to that of Indonesia, with off-shore conditions and waves of 3 – 8 feet height.

While these waves may not be as formidable as the ones in Tahiti or Mentawai’s, it can be challenging as the reef breaks can be quite a bit difficult to maneuver.

You might want to consider chartering a vessel, if you’re planning a holiday during the off-peak season. Some safaris are specialized in diving and some in surfing, while others are mostly about fishing, so make sure you know which one that you’re mostly interested in and make the right choice.

Most of the equipment can be rented here, but most surfers choose to bring their own stuff. A normal short-board, a mid-range gun, a long sleeve rash guard for sun protection if you burn easily, and a helmet are all important items that must be in your kit, and neoprene booties are crucial due to the sharp coral in every surf point in the Maldives.

 

 

Some popular surfing locations in the Maldives

While most of the surf points in the Malé region can be accessed via speed boat rides at the most 40 minutes long, the Atolls of Meemu,Thaa and Laamu are usually accessible via resorts or charter operators. These atolls have the capacity to turn out the longest swell periods as it sits between the northern and southern atolls of the archipelago. Exploring these atolls on a surf cruiser will be the best option, as most of the secret locations having the best surf are known only to a handful of people.

The following surf points are all reef breakers, and caution is advised even for advanced surfers as surfing in these waters can lead to injury if one takes too many risks.

Pasta Point: Tony Hussein-Hinde set up shop in this area. Named for the fact that the location used to be an Italian resort, the surf point gives perfect lefts. Unaffected by wind, the surf picks up the most swell and has a 300 yard tubing wall for pull ins, called the Macaroni Bowl before it comes into the shallows called, “Lockjaws”.

Beacons, in Gaafu Dhaalu, is an exposed reef break. If you have a northerly breeze, the consistent right handers can give you hours of entertainment, if you watch out for the reef and the currents, and if not too crowded. Beacons give you great breakers in every tide.

 

 

Meanwhile, in higher tides, Chickens is a good left hander that’s quite fast and can get hollow if it’s a wave from the south. Chickens is at Villingilimathi Huraa and is best if you visit on a charter vessel.

Cokes is a right hand reef break on the east of Thulusdhu Island. You can experience the big wave tube, but the rides are short albeit intense. You’ll have consistent waves from mid to high tides, and maybe not worth the wait at low tide, even though big swells wash up from time to time. These high frequency waves are usually best for experienced surfers.

Honkey’s is a great surf point for surfers at every experience level. This left hander is on the same reef as another surf point, the Sultans. Unfortunately, it also gets quite crowded at times, but is made up by (and also probably because of) the fact that it is quite easy to access this surf point.

Backpackers and tourists alike love the surf scene in the Maldives, where a number of international surfing competitions have been held in the past years. Professional equipments are available at several sporting shops in the capital city as well as many of the resorts in the Maldives.

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