Nias

Nias is a large island off the west coast of North Sumatra, and its main surf break is the right-hand reef at Lagundri Bay, also known as Sorake. Surfers began visiting in the 1970s, and the wave became one of the best known in Indonesia. The 2005 earthquake raised the reef by around a metre, which made the wave hollower and more consistent at a wider range of tides. Sorake is a fast, barrelling right that breaks onto a shallow reef, best for intermediate and experienced surfers. On smaller days it is more manageable, and there is a smaller inside section, while the beach itself is not a learning spot. Nias's offshore islands, including the Hinako group with Asu and Bawa, offer further waves reached by boat. The main season is roughly April to October, with the biggest and most consistent swells from May to September. Trade winds from the south-east blow offshore at Lagundri during this period, especially in the mornings. Most visitors fly to Medan's Kualanamu Airport, then on to Binaka Airport in Gunungsitoli, the island's main town in the north, followed by a road journey of around three hours to Lagundri. Accommodation is mainly in simple losmen and small surf camps along the bay, many of them with direct views of the wave. Nias suits surfers who want a single high quality wave and a quieter, less developed setting. Browse the surf camps and stays in Nias below.