The Maldives is a beautiful island paradise located off the coast of Sri Lanka, surrounded on all sides by the ocean – but can you surf there?
It’s often said that the Maldives experiences some of the finest surfing conditions in the world, with huge waves, endless surf breaks, and long viable surfing seasons. It’s one of the most popular activities to enjoy when you’re visiting the archipelago, whether you’re a beginner or an expert.
Read on to learn more about the Maldives, the surfing conditions there, and why it’s perfect for the sport.
Surf’s Up, Dude!
The Maldives is officially the lowest-country in the world, bordered on all sides by the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean. In fact, the highest natural point of the Maldives is just five meters above sea level – it’s as flat as a board.
As a nation, the Maldives is comprised of more than one thousand islands, ranging from the tiniest sand bars to fully-fledged inhabited islands, complete with bustling cities. It’s the second least populated country in all of Asia, and it’s dramatically popular with tourists.
Put simply, the Maldives is an island paradise; it enjoys remarkably fine weather all year round, and it boasts some of the best beaches and tropical conditions on the planet. It’s a haven for the more luxurious tourist, and there’s no end to the high-class resorts and facilities dotted around the islands.
It’s also a popular destination for those looking to enjoy a little nature, particularly that of the aquatic kind. There are submarine tours, boat rides, scuba diving trips, and fishing experiences, all just waiting to be enjoyed by the discerning tourist.
There’s also a wide variety of watersports to engage in, from simply swimming to enjoying an exhilarating session of parasailing. And yes, there’s also an abundance of opportunities to take part in a little surfing.
The Maldives has some of the finest surfing conditions in the world, but it can be a little temperamental. The conditions do change regularly, and the nature of the waves depends entirely on the surrounding atolls.
However, when the surf is up, it’s a remarkable experience, with endless ‘surf breaks’, considerable waves, and long, expansive seasons. There are plenty of other places in the world with bigger and more powerful waves to surf, like in Australia or Hawaii, but the Maldives is still a fantastic alternative.
Grab Your Board And Go
There’s a fantastic Maldives surfing breakdown provided by surfertoday.com that details the best times and places to surf in the Maldives. At the highest end of the spectrum, it seems that you can find waves climbing as big as ten feet in height, providing considerably long rides.
Although, it really depends on finding the right location, at the right time – there’s a lot of luck where surfing is involved. The veteran surfers of the Maldives have their names for the best spots, and they can advise on how popular a location might be at any given time.
Ultimately, people come from all around the world to enjoy what the Maldives has to offer, from the fine resorts to the gnarly surf. It’s a beautiful and exciting location for both the inexperienced traveler and the worldly individual alike.
The Finer Things In Life
In another article we posted, we discussed the nature of the Maldives, and how some of the islands are actually man-made. It’s a remarkable location, and the Maldives is home to some of the most high-standard resorts on Earth.
For many, the Maldives is a tropical playground, and it welcomes visitors with open arms. It’s a dramatically popular location among the world’s elite, particularly where these impeccable resorts are concerned.
At the top of the table in the Maldives sits Reethi Rah, an intensely expensive resort that caters to the likes of David Beckham, Gordon Ramsay, Tom Cruise, and Milla Jovovich, among many others.
It can cost anything up to two hundred thousand dollars a week to stay Reethi Rah, but there are plenty who say it’s worth every single penny. Of course, the Reethi Rah’s finest options come equipped with private beaches, some of which offer their own opportunities for surfing.
If you’re looking to take an exotic vacation at some point in the near future, and you have a few thousand dollars laying around, take a look at the Maldives. It’s the literal definition of island paradise, and if you’re eager to surf a little, you won’t be disappointed.