Anyone been to the Maldives?

[Superstar Punani]

Who's surfed there? It's next on my hitlist and am looking for anything cheaper than the $1700 plane ticket from LAX.


Going with these dudes
http://www.lineupexplorers.com/

[Hugh Conway]

Dear Superstar:

Fuck you in the nicest possible manner.

Signed,

deskbound wanker

[Ripzalot]

i went in 2000 and stayed at tari village. it's been sold and renamed since but i think generally the same operation. good time, good surf, not huge (missed that by 1 week) but good shoulder to head high waves consistently, even the "flat" days. there is pasta point right on the island (wake up and be in the surf in 30 seconds for a pre-breakfast sesh). they run several dhonis to transport surfers across the channel to neighboring islands - cokes, sultans, jailhouse, chickens, etc. all really really good waves.

a boat trip will be totally different - better - bigger and more consistent waves. be sure to get some info on how they compensate or handle boat breakdowns. i recall a horror story from a group who was refused compensation when their boat was broken down and stranded for days. they spent more time on a drifting boat than surfing.

the only downside is that beer/booze is not cheap. and don't even think about bringing herb. a guy arriving the day i was leaving got popped <3gms of hash in his shoe and was facing 10 years in a maldivian jail. probably the one with the nice break out front too. i think that would be considered torture!

[robnow]

I'm over in Europe now and am thinking of going to Maldives or Sri Lanka on time-off.

Anyone got info on Sri Lanka as well??

[Ripzalot]

robnow: some guys i was with went on to sri lanka after the maldives trip. not so good there. super cheap but small beach break waves. i think you would have to get really lucky to score some size there. personally, i wouldn't bother.

[Hugh Conway]

I heard nothing spectacular surf wise in sri lanka except Arugam, and travel there is more than a bit interesting with the civil war currently on going. Especially when tensions are heating up around Arugam.

kinda apples and oranges comparison when the maldives are much more higher end packaged boattrip tourism

[Superstar Punani]

Thanks for the info Ripz! I have buds that went to Lohifushi and scored.

Mentawais is getting infested so I'm looking for somewhere different and uncrowded.

No worries on boat breakdowns. I'll be cruising on this bitch with jetski included




How easy is it to smuggle alcohol? If I load up some bottled water with vodka, and some apple juice with Glenfiddich will they taste test it?

[Ripzalot]

that's an awesome boat! you got me jonesin now. when are you going?

you could probably get away with smuggling some booze straight up and just plead ignorance if caught. the worst that could happen is they confiscate it. (i think) they might get more offended if you get caught intentionally smuggling it.

[Stu Gotz]

Superstar,

I don't surf, but my wife and I ran into a few couples from Australia during our stay in Maldives. They had just finished up sufing at the Four Season's resort. They had very good things to say about the surf - the only name that sticks out is Honky's, which I thought was a bit humorous.

The only downside to Maldives is the time involved in getting to and from. Just brutal. And I am guessing it is even worse from the west coast (30+ hours).

Once there however, Maldives is tops. My wife and I stayed at Soneva Gili, which I whole-heartedly recommend.

[Superstar Punani]

Superstar,

I don't surf, but my wife and I ran into a few couples from Australia during our stay in Maldives. They had just finished up sufing at the Four Season's resort. They had very good things to say about the surf - the only name that sticks out is Honky's, which I thought was a bit humorous.

The only downside to Maldives is the time involved in getting to and from. Just brutal. And I am guessing it is even worse from the west coast (30+ hours).

Once there however, Maldives is tops. My wife and I stayed at Soneva Gili, which I whole-heartedly recommend.

Nice Stu! I was thinking about bringing my wife on this trip but she gets seasick and is shitscared of sharks and getting smeared on coral.

West Coast flights are brutal. There's SFO/LAX-JFK-Dubai-MLE on Emirates, or SFO/LAX-SIN-MLE. with Singapore Air.

Ripz- Looking at Aug/Sep. check PM yo!

[bagtagley]

I tried like hell to get there for our honeymoon, but couldn't pull it off. Just getting there cooked our budget. It's definitely a goal of mine to spend some time there, though I'll be sitting on the deck of my overwater bungalow with a girlie drink watching people surf.

Pu, I know you will, but I'm still gonna say it...take lots of pics.

[Dhelihiker]

I like the booking policy, just give me access to your bank account

makes me wish I was a better surfer

[cito]

Know zero about Maldives' surf, but intrigued since you brought it up. Why next on wishlist, with difficult and expensive travel and just chancing the % of running into goodness? And surprised about the no wife/girl plan....seems like the perfect alibi for a relax vaca/spa crap and "oops, look at this shit hun, can't pass this up" scenario.

What about a super slim hydration pack? If there's a will, there's a way. Yup, jealous.

[pollard]

I'm over in Europe now and am thinking of going to Maldives or Sri Lanka on time-off.

Anyone got info on Sri Lanka as well??

Sri Lanka is currently having a civil WAR so if your not an aid worker or a journalist I would be sipping drinks on a yatch in the maldives

[Hayduke]

This will be home for the last 2 weeks of August.




Dhonakuhli in the northern Maldives.



Surfing, Kitesurfing, snorkelling, diving and kitesurfing. Did I mention kitesurfing and surfing.

[Misty_Fly]

Anyone got info on Sri Lanka as well??

No personal experience but a buddy went there a while back (well before the internal conflict) with his girlfriend. He wasn't expecting to surf at all and wasn't staying anywhere with any kind of reputation for waves. However, on arrival he found himself staring at a deserted beach (how romantic right?) with an absolutely perfect left and right reef point at either end and a couple of entertaining beachbreak a-frames in between. Needless to say he was delighted to make the acquaintance of the only kid in the area that surfed and spent the ensuing week shredding head high-a couple ft overhead waves all to themselves all day. The bint was less than impressed

I realise of course that this is all a bit meaningless in light of recent events but it does at least go to show that SL can get super fun surf. Once things calm down SL would I think be a great place to bolt to- do a bit of exploring, maybe help out with some aftermath aid projects and hopefully score uncrowded waves as I'm sure it will take a while for surfers to start heading back there. I read an excellent book by Tom Anderson called "Riding the magic carpet" which is about his quest to travel the world in search of perfect waves in order to eventually surf (and get the best out of) J-Bay. In it he spends a lot of time in SL, mostly in and around Migidama surfing waves he refers to as "Rams Right" and the "Lazy Left". Definately worth a read, whether for the SL beta or just as an interesting read period. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Riding-Magic.../dp/1840245026

In other news- some of those pictures of the places (and boats) in the Maldives look unreal

Very jealous...