The Island
Simeulue Island
SURF HOLIDAY SIMEULUE ISLAND NEAR SUMATRA
Simeulue Berhati Emas, describes the openness and friendliness towards visitors in Simeulue.
It means Simeulue With a Heart of Gold You will notice, when driving on your motorbike, when passing by villages, the people will wave, specially children, every time you pass them.
The beauty of Simeulue Island
Simuelue Island, a small island near Sumatra, is known for the ideal surfspots. But besides surfing, the island has got many more to offer its visitors. You will find beautiful deserted beaches, caves, forests, wild life, culture in the small towns all over the island, lakes, waterfalls and of course perfect, uncrowded surf breaks! The Simeulue Island region consists of many islands, Pulau Simeulue being the ‘biggest’. Most of the smaller islands are reachable by boat and well worth a visit. Simeulue is situated off Sumatra’s West coast, just north of the equator. While the well-known island Nias is only a ‘stone’s throw away’, it could be the other end of the world. You will not find ‘mass tourism’ on Simeulue Island like you do on Nias.
Hopefully it will stay that way for a long time! Sinabang is the major city on Simeulue Island and here you will find the only ATM on the island. It’s about a 25 min ride by motorbike. Local shops are found everywhere on the island, and they will provide you with everything you need. A bottle of gasoline, a toothbrush, cigarettes and small food are just some examples.
Getting to your Surf Holiday
The way to get to Simeulue is easy. There is one airline that flies to the island, you have to make your way down to Medan first and then catch a one hour flight with www.lionair.co.id or check out www.tiket.com and/or www.nusatrip.com
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to get around Simeulue Island?
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What is available on Simeulue island?
There is one ‘big’ city which is Sinabang, here you can find all local food, several grocery stores, a very nice market and the one I like the best: the local fish market (ask our manager when these markets are open). Along all the roads on Simeulue Island there are small shops where you can buy food, fresh fruit and veggies, coffee, fuel for your motorbike, etc. There are also nice but simple local restaurants where you can stop for a super nice local snack or dish to get you fueled if you are on roadtrip exploring the amazing surf Simeulue has to offer.
There is one ATM in Sinabang, but here you can only withdraw money with an Indonesian bank card. On the way to Sinabang from Simeulue Surflodges you will find a hospital in case of emergency, but hopefully you will only drive past and will not have to visit the hospital during your stay. Multiple pharmacies can be found in Sinabang for most common medicine needed. There is no surfshop on the Island so it is best to bring your own repair kit and a set of extra fins.
What are activities and things to do on Simeulue island?
Our manager is more than happy to sort out the following trips for you:
- There are many fun things to do and see in between surf sessions or if you don’t surf. Below are a few options to make your memories of your stay in Simeulue even better.
- Snorkeling: We have 4 snorkel sets which are free for our guests to explore the underwater world of Simeulue. Spot Parrot fish in all different colors, or the many lobsters hiding in the reef.
- Hike to a waterfall through forest and rice fields to explore the inlands of Simeulue.
- Take a boat to an idyllic tropical Island with white sand beaches where you can go snorkeling, swim, or just chill out.
- The best way to explore the Island is by motorbike, just cruise around the Island and feel and breathe the relaxed vibe of real local Indonesia. Stop at a local warung for a coffee or small snack to keep you fueled.
- The local fish market in Sinabang is always nice to visit, fresh fish caught the same day are displayed in the local harbor.
- The local market is also nice to visit, here you can find all the amazing food Simeulue has to offer.
- A boat trip in a small wooden boat is a nice way to explore the inland while floating on the river and see the landscape from a different perspective.
- The lobster farm is also fun to visit, same as the drive on your motorbike to the farm. You will pass many local villages and get a really good feeling of what Simeulue has to offer
What are the best Surf Spots in Simeulue?
- ‘Dylan’s right’ is the best surf spot in Simeulue is Dylans right which a mechanical right hand wave just 200 meter to the left of our place. Works consistently and has a super nice barrel on the inside and a more opening face on the outside. Never gets bigger than twice overhead. Getting in is easy, just paddle out through the keyhole in the reef.
- ‘Dylan’s Left’: just around the corner you can find Dylan’s left which as its name already tells, it’s a consistent left. Not as mechanical as Dylan’s right, but definitely a very good option for the goofy footers or when Dylan’s right has onshore winds, Dylan’s left will be side to offshore.
- ‘One Tong’ is the spot to be found across the bay and picks up the most swell. A fun and sometimes powerful left slab with little crowds will be a good stop to make on your surf trip.
- ‘Teabags’ is a very powerful right hand wave with big barreling sections. Best swell direction is South West swell. Breaks on a pretty shallow reef and booties are advised. To get there, our manager can arrange a boat trip to get you to Teabags. Just jump out the boat, straight into the line up. Beautiful to combine this trip to visit the white sand beaches of the Island and explore the underwater world with the snorkeling equipment you can take for free from our camp.
- ‘Thailand’s left’ is a consistent left hand wall suited for most surfers. Doesn’t really have a barreling sections but fun and powerful walls to cruise and practice your turns. Suited for most levels. Approximately a 40 minute motorbike trip and there you can step on a local fisherman boat which will take 10 to 15 minutes to drop you off in the line up. Also a fun wave for longboards and the non barrel seaking daredevils.
- ‘The Peak’ is a fun A frame with both left and right barreling waves. Be careful not to get caught on the inside, a big paddle out is guaranteed.
- Many other unnamed and undiscovered spot are there to be found, so just jump on your motorbike and drive on the perfect road following the coast in search for that magical empty wave of your dreams.
- We can arrange lessons and surfboards upon request, just drop us this request when you book your stay.
What is the best surfing season in Simeulue Island?
- The best surf season in Simeulue is from April to October. During this period the waves are most consistent and there is less wind during the day.
- The low season which is from November to March is less crowded and still has many good days to offer. The good thing about our location is that we have good swell and surf conditions all year round. Less wind in early mornings or late evenings.
- Many different types of waves are there to be found from beginner to expert. Reef breaks, beach breaks, barrels, walls, all types are there to be found on Simeulue.
- All swell directions between south to south west swell are good for the different surf spots on Simeulue. Easterly winds are favorable for most spots to have offshore wind conditions. Producing glassy and consistent waves.
When is the best time to visit Simeulue and what are the different seasons like?
- Wet season is from November to March, but this does not mean it will rain all the time. During this period there are many weeks of perfect sunshine and light winds.
- Depending on the conditions you are looking for, Simeulue has many different spots which work in different conditions. So you will always be able to find a surfable wave on the Island.
- During the high season (April to October) it gets a bit busier than during the low season (November to March), but the conditions are also more consistent. Even in high season there are plenty of waves to surf, so you can avoid the crowds by exploring the island. Or just check out Dylan’s right from one of the hammocks of Simeulue Surflodges to see when the spot is empty.
What to bring to Simeulue?
Below a list of items and things we recommend to bring on your trip to Simeulue:
- Surf/ding repair kit (no surf shop on the Island)
- Extra set of fins
- Reef booties
- Extra surf wax
- Lycra or t-shirt for in the water
- International drivers license (not a big problem)
- Enough cash money (ATM on the Island only works for Indonesian card holders)
- A good vibe for you and the local people and environment, always make sure to not leave any trash at the surf spots and the Island.
What travel documents do I need for Simeulue?
Below a short travel guide to Simeulue Island:
- The VISA requirements to travel to Simeulue Island are the same as when you enter Indonesia, so no other VISA documents are needed to travel to Simeulue.
- Make sure you check out the latest requirements for your VISA and passport needed through your countries website for traveling abroad. This is because rules change regularly and we can only give guidelines.
- There is a VISA exemption for most countries for stays shorter than 30 days.
- Make sure your passport is valid for more than 6 months upon leaving Indonesia.
- You can not renew or extend your VISA on Simeulue, this has to be done in Medan Sumatra.
- There are different types of VISA you can apply for with different lengths of stay and different rules, so please consult your countries travel agency which one is best for you.
How to get to Simeulue island?
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Price
From-
3 Meals a day
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FREE airport pick-up and drop-off
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FREE coffee, water and juices
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Western comfort with air conditioning
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