Surfing for First Timers and Where to Stay in Nias Island

I have talked enough about the beauty of the beaches in Teluk Dalam. But for now, I am beyond excited to share my very first experience surfing. Ya I know, this is a little unbelievable. Growing up and living in Nias Island doesn’t automatically make me an expert in water. I can only swim in steady and calm water like in swimming pool and only once snorkeled before, and it’s not even in Nias waters. Moreover my first experience dragging a surfboard and riding it was last weekend.  This is a little embarassing since Nias Island especially Sorake Beach in Teluk Dalam is well known for its big wave so that people from all over the world would travel almost half the globe just to surf and conquer the wave. Based on my first time surfing experience, I’d like to say that it’s so addictive and it made you feel so small and powerfull at the same time when we could make it through the big waves. Now I understand why people are so crazily into surfing.

Well for first timers, I don’t suggest you to try surfing at Sorake Beach. The wave is too big and so many coral at the beach. They’re dangerous combination for amateur. Try learning to surf at Lagundri Beach, instead. The wave is much tamer and the beach is also vast and free from coral. You can easily find a place to rent the surfboards from the locals. They have the boards for the pro ones and the first timers. I don’t really understand the difference but from what I see, the boards for the amateurs are slightly wider and it’s not entirely flat like for the pro one. The rent cost is Rp 30.000,- for the pro one and Rp 50.000,- for the amateur. If you need coaching, you can ask for a coach and the fare is Rp 150.000,- per hour including the surfboard. 

The last time I came to Teluk Dalam was with my officemates and we decided to spend 2 days and one night in Sorake Beach. We stayed in a nice homestay named Home@Nias Accomodation. This two-stories homestay  consists of two bedrooms at the second floor and one kitchen at the first floor. The bedrooms have twin beds and one bathroom for each room.. The room rate is Rp 300.000,- per room per night excluding meals. Meals are prepared by order, the menu and the price is also negotiable. Well I must admit that the price is a bit too expensive compared with the amenities we could get with the same rate from hotels in the big cities. But since this is touristry area and mostly who stay in the homestays are  foreigners, the price is understandable. There are 20 of us so clearly the beds are not enough for us so we asked for extrabeds. They charged us Rp 50.000,- per bed .

For more info, you can visit www.niassurfaccommodation.com.au