16 Years Surfing the Maldives – Never seen anything like this

What a season it was in the Maldives.

I think it was the best year in the 16 years I have been working here and surfing the Maldives breaks… And there are still nice waves here and it is December…

November was a definite surprise.

I arrived in the Maldives in February, to prepare our boats and Cokes Surf Camp for the 2016 season.

We were treated to beautiful sunny days and the light winds that February delivers. The best part though was that February and March delivered small, but perfect waves and there were only a handful of surfers in the country. Needless to say, Feb/March is a good time for beginner and intermediate surfers to visit. The low numbers continued through April and May with the swell building to serious performance surfing levels, though still with a lot of forgiveness in the early season months.

In the Southern Atolls, the safari fleet kicked off early in March and with only a few boats working the area, were able to enjoy the rewards of this remote area. The experience is quite different in the South with the feeling of an escape from the real world and mother nature showing off all her special traits. An abundance of sea life, beautiful sunny days, light winds and perfect waves. This experience in the south will definitely exceed your expectations if you are a first timer in the area.

In June, July, August and September this year, we surfed and witnessed some of the best  waves I can remember without doubt. What made it exceptional this year was consistency, back to back swells with relatively good weather for the stormy months. During this period of the year there is always swell in the Maldives, what determines how good it gets is the weather.  In the prime swell months of 2016, we had very few days where wind and weather conditions were not conducive for good surf.

Cokes and Chickens, the popular go-to surf points in North Male, turned on some amazing days, double overhead and more, as did Jails and Sultans, albeit usually slightly smaller. On the bigger days the crowd was non existent with the safari fleet heading to more manageable locations. A few locals joined the small crew of expat surfers to enjoy these special bigger days.

The season normally winds down in October. The crowds certainly did, but someone forgot to tell Huey. The waves kept coming, October and much of November the crew still in the Maldives had it to themselves. There were plenty of respectable head high wave with light or no winds to enhance the joy.

2016 saw a good spread of Maldives safari boats in different areas of the country, some staying permanently in the Central and Southern Atolls and some flirting with new Northern Atoll areas. This dispersed the numbers at all locations to a comfortable level. Of course some days were busy in the North Male Atoll breaks, however if you timed your surf there were always opportunities to get the good in peace.

Roll on 2017, looking forward to doing it all again in this remarkable part of the surfing world.

Enquire here and book before NYE if you would like to join us and save:

		Maldives Early Bird Deals From US$357 pp for 7 nights Now is the best time to lock in your 2017 surfing Maldives holiday – not only you will save, you will also ensure you get your preferred dates.
		Cokes Surf Camp From US$357 pp for 7 nights The Perfect Wave Cokes Surf Camp is in the village of Thulusdhoo in North Male Atoll, where the mighty Cokes point break offers some of the best right-handers in the Maldives. Across the channel within easy view of the hotel, an equally good left, Chickens, works its magic.
		Kandooma Surf Resort From US$1,170 pp for 7 nights Kandooma Island is located in South Male and is a stunning new resort boasting exceptional service and facilities. Perfect for couples, honeymooners and families, this resort always receives rave reviews from our clients.
		Hamathi Surf Charter From US$1,868 pp for 8 nights Hamathi will comfortably accommodate up to 10 surfers and we have options for trips in the Southern, Central and Male Atolls. The boat can be chartered exclusively for small or large groups.
		Cobia Surf Charter From US$1,286 pp for 7 nights The 21-meter long cruise boat, Cobia is conceived and built by the skilled Maldivian craftsmen for the Maldivian waters. This beautiful cruiser with its comfortable air-conditioned rooms accommodates a maximum of 10 passengers
		Surf Sojourn with The Perfect Wave From US$800 pp for 7 nights Surf Sojourn is open for individual or exclusive group bookings. The minimum number of surfers required to have this boat exclusively is four. All of the cabins come with their own ensuite bathrooms and individually controlled air-conditioners.
		Carpe Vita From US$2,597 pp for 7 nights Introducing the MV Carpe Vita Explorer, a luxury surf charter boat designed and built for guests that enjoy a full-service surf charter. With 13 crew on board to take care of your every need, this is a truly service-inspired charter boat.
		Hariyana Surf Charter From US$975 pp for 7 nights The Hariyana One has 7 cabins and is able to sleep up to 14 people, but we limit our surf charters to max 12 surfers. All of the cabins come with their own ensuite bathrooms and individually controlled air conditioners.
		Carpe Diem From US$1,897 pp for 7 nights The MV Carpe Diem is a 35-m long motor safari yacht with a wooden hull. It has 3 decks plus a sundeck with 10 guest cabins divided in 3 categories and can cater for a maximum of 20 guests – but you only need a group of 12 to have the boat for an exclusive charter.
		Haira Surf Charter From US$1,365 pp for 6 nights Hairais a top quality charter boat – only just built for 2007 season. Sherequires a minimum of 8 passengers for an exclusive charter, and canaccommodate up to 18, but prefers to charter with a maximum of 14.
		Hudhuran Fushi Resort From US$1,771 pp for 7 nights Hudhuran Fushi has long been a popular place for surfers to stay in the Maldives. It is situated in North Male on Lohifushi Island, with Lohi’s – an awesome left hander just a short paddle off from the resort. You can stay in the popular Beach Villas, or STUNNING Overwater Villas.
		Four Seasons Kuda Huraa From US$8,014 pp for 7 nights Just a half-hour speedboat ride from Malé, discover an enchanting garden island where everything is close at hand. Find your perfect wave with the Surf School, sail to the mesmerizing Island Spa or embark on thrilling shark snorkel safaris and dolphin cruises.
		Six Senses From US$3,938 pp for 7 nights Six Senses Laamu is the only resort on the virtually uncharted Laamu atoll, deep in the Indian Ocean. The island has such outstanding natural beauty, powder white sand, lush tropical vegetation and crystal clear waters