Volume 18, March, 2011
The Coconut Telegraph
Ding Maker, Ding Master
Sumatra Surf Sessions
"Hello Mister." This is one of the first things you hear when you exit the plane in Bandar Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia. And you hear it hundreds of times each day, from adults and children alike. The kids wave frantically and call out, often chasing your motorcycle, while adults forego the wave. Everywhere you go in Lampung, these two words are repeated again and again.
Paradise Beach Bungalows is a surf camp located near Krui, a six hour drive through some amazing stretches of jungle to the west coast of Lampung province. The road is littered with potholes and people, flora and fauna, rocks and wrecks. Remnants of landslides are clearly visible and the deforestation that caused them equally evident.
Friendly is a weak term when describing this region of the world's fifth largest island and the hosts at Paradise are no exception. The camp is owned by Widya, her sister-in-law Atin and cousins Ida and Danny. The girls are lovely, always smiling and helpful. There is plenty of fresh Sumatran coffee and tea to go around, three solid meals per day and then there are the surprise snacks. From friend banana to homemade donuts, you never know what lies in store.
The men work quietly in the background - a new restaurant was just being completed during our stay - and Widya's father, Hari, and uncle Yun are hilarious. When the say is done, the 'tuak' (too - walk) comes out. It is a naturally fermented alchohol made from palm trees. Although not particularly powerful, it tends to creep up on the uninitiated and each night, the men sit around playing guitar, drumming and singing as they swill their tuak.
And let's not forget the main event - the surf. In front of the camp is Karang Nyimbor, a long left that breaks on the reef. It was not overly large during our stay, but it did get going on a few days. It can get up to 20 feet in the main season and occasionally too large to ride. There are plenty of other breaks nearby, from Mandiri, 8km down the road, to the reef breaks of Krui town, 30 minutes distant. Access is via motorcycle with a rack specially made for surf boards (or waveskis in my case) or you can rent the van for longer rides. There are a few breaks, like Jenny's and Jimmy's that were too big and fast for me to even try. One false move and you are bouncing off the reef that lies a less than a meter below - not a good way to end your surf vacation.
All in all, it was an excellent surf vacation. We met some genuine people and began to explore a new and interesting region.
From Swell to Hell
Massive waves; Glass Trees & The Arrogant American
Dave's Break
