Freeline Indonesian Surfing Trips

DESCRIPTION

Charter boat going to the Banyaks, run by Suzuki & Mick Butt, the most experienced operators in the area.

GROUP SIZE

12 (single bookings welcome. Can take up to 12 on request)

START & END IN

Gunungsitoli, Nias

DURATION
11 nights, 10 days surfing

When do I need to get there?
You must be at your charter on the Monday afternoon of departure. If you come from Medan and have the transfer package, you’ll need to be in Medan by 08:30am Monday.

Departure/arrival from Medan on same day of charter can be organised in some cases. Please contact us before confirming flights as domestic flight schedules do change. If you want to come into Indonesia on the same day as your charter departure, the Silk Air flights from Singapore arriving in Medan 0755 or Air Asia AK450 from KL arriving at 0735 will work.

When do I book my flight home?
On the way home, we recommend you stay the night in Medan on Friday and depart on Saturday after your return, as the domestic flights from Gunungsitoli to Medan are occasionally delayed or cancelled due to weather or operational requirements. If you really want to depart on the Friday night, we can aim to connect with flights leaving Medan after 7pm, but you must have fully comprehensive travel insurance as we can bear no responsibility for missed connections due to domestic airline delays or cancellations (check with travel insurance conditions re coverage of delayed flights).

ITINERARY

Day 1 (Mon)

Arrive by 2.00pm to Guningsitoli*. Transfer to Seriti, depart for islands arriving early next morning.

Days 2-11

Surf and relax in the uncrowded islands of the North Sumatra. Exact itinerary varies according to surf conditions. Your captain Mick Butt will pick the best spots at the time. Late on day 11 commence journey back to Sibolga.

Day 12 (Fri)

Arrive around day break to Nias Harbour and transfer to Guningsitoli Airport*.
If making your own flight arrangements, your departure flight must be after 8.00pm.

* Refer pricing page for Domestic flights ex Medan & Medan accommodation.
An extra night in Medan is recommended as flights may be delayed or cancelled due to weather.

ABOUT THE BOAT

Design

Length 25m US built, Aluminium Crew Boat re-fitted for surf charters

Engine

2 x GM 12V-71 TI, maximum speed 20knots

Power

20KW GM 3-71

Safety Equipment

GPS, depth sounder, VHF-CB radio, radar, satellite phone, extensive medical and first aid kit, life jackets, life rings, smoke detectors.

Accommodation

Comfortably sleeps 12 guests.

Air-con saloon with 2 large sofas, tables TV/music/ entertainment area.

At the rear of the boat is a huge deck area covered in UV-protective shade cloth where you can watch the action in the water

Tender

14ft inflatable with 15hp outboard plus larger runnabout (details TBA)

Equipment

Fishing rod reels, fighting chair outriggers/downriggers, cool box, life bait tank. Snorkeling& game fishing gear, spear gun, DVD,VCD & CD player

Meals and Drinks

A wholesome and healthy array of Asian and Western foods in included, as are all beers, bottled water and soft drinks.

ABOUT THE STAFF

Captain

Sereti is staffed by partners Katsuyoshi and Mick Butt, well know Gold Coast charger. They know the Banyaks inside out and provide the best possible guide to the islands. Over half of the bookings on the Seriti are repeat guests, a clear signal of customer satisfaction. He has over 25 years experience traveling in Indonesia and is fully qualified.

Chef

Micks wife Coco is your cook and provides an extensive range of delicious western and Indonesian cuisine.

THE SURF

The Banyaks Islands is located approximately 60 miles off the northwest coast of Sumatra. The two main islands hiding perfectly aligned breaks are Treasure Island and the Bay of Plenty Island.

The Banyak Islands receive most of their swells from the low pressure systems travelling across the Southern Indian Ocean between South Africa and Australia. They are seasonal, most frequent and intense from April to October (peak season). They also come through at other times, although usually slightly smaller and less frequent.

November-April often produces swells with more west in them, which is better for the Tuangku/Bay of Plenty breaks. Some unpredictable west swells come at this time from monsoon conditions in the northern hemisphere which does not occur during peak season, but these also create good surfing conditions.

However, local knowledge is important. In 2011, the largest swell in June came from the WSW. Swell direction is important for the Banyak breaks, in more south swells the Bangkaru breaks such as Treasure Island and Cobras can be six feet, while the Bay is almost flat. The Bangkaru breaks do not like swells with a lot of west in them.

The Banyaks is a great off-peak destination because being so close to the equator the winds are always variable. There is not much wind around and it is hard to predict it in any seasonal way, though there are perhaps more storms in the Oct-Feb time. Also, there are no trade winds. This is good because it is very rare to have non-surfing days due to wind. Offshore conditions can be had in any wind except the rare S/SW, even then it is unusual for them to hang around for more than a day.

On any particular charter we are in the hands of mother nature. In short, do not limit yourself to the middle of the year to plan your surfing trip to the Banyaks. Epic barrels can occur in January/February and November and become some of the most memorable trips of the year.

Guests usually ride a standard shortboard as waves are often in the head-high to double overhead range. However, bring a spare in case you break one (there are no surf shops nearby), and something for a bigger day, just in case.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Fishing rod reels, fighting chair outriggers/downriggers, cool box, life bait tank, game fishing gear, spear gun
Snorkeling
Aircon saloon with 2 large sofas, tables TV/music/ entertainment area: DVD,VCD & CD player
At the rear of the boat is a huge deck area covered in UV-protective shade cloth where you can watch the action in the water.

2018 PRICES

US$2,895 per person Off Peak Season

US$3,095 per person Peak Season

See pricing & schedules above.
Prices are ex Guningsitoli, Nias.
and do not include transfers from Medan (approx US$400pp). See details below.

INCLUSIONS

All meals, cold drinks (tea, coffee, water, juice and soft drinks)
Gunungsitoli Airport-Boat return transfers

NOT INCLUDED

Beer can be bought beforehand at local prices
Return Medan-Gunungsitoli transfers (this includes domestic flights, surfboard baggage charges on domestic flights, all other airport-hotel transfers, Medan accommodation as required)
CONTACT FREELINE TO ARRANGE MEDAN-GUNINGSITOLI return flights: Approximately US$400 per person and actual cost will be finalised once your flights into and out of Medan are confirmed.
Medan accommodation & transfers pre/post trip. Contact us for prices. Or you can make your own accommodation/transfer bookings.

The Banyak Islands are a group of sparsely inhabited islands located between Simeulue and Nias off the western coast of Sumatra in Aceh Province and consist of 99 small land masses. Just north of Nias, the islands of Bangkaru and Tuangku hold a number of world-class waves. Located right at the equator, the November-March provides quality waves when lower latitudes are blown out by trade winds.

Seriti

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