Surfing in Sumatra – what’s the Banyak option?

by Ben Horvath | video by Nick Saxon | photo by Craig Parry

Surfing in Sumatra – what’s the Banyak option?

The above video clip is a beauty. Admittedly, it is a bit longer than most clips we post. It is a more comprehensive look into a trip on Surf Banyak’s s mighty Seriti surf charter through the pristine Banyak Islands of North Sumatra. Take an adventure through the eyes of National Geographic Adverture Channel presenters eyes, Nick Saxon, as he scores 10 days of perfect waves in perfect conditions with a good bunch of friends. Enjoy.

The Banyak Islands are a sparsely populated bunch of islands (there’s nearly 100 of them) located between Simeulue and Nias off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia’s Aceh Province.

The island chain is north of Nias and just west of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. The islands have become much more popular with surfers looking for an alternative away from the crowds of Bali and the Mentawai chain in recent years.

The Banyaks are not as crowded as the better known Mentawai area, yet, still boast a number of world-class waves, including Treasure Island. Treasure Island is not as heavy as say HT’s, which makes it more suitable for the majority of surfers – it requires only an intermediate skill level. There is no shortage of right and left reef break options, there definitely is something for everyone in the Banyaks.

Equipment-wise, all you really need is your standard shortboard and perhaps a back up or a slight step-up board just in case.