From perfect surf peeling along tropical coral atolls in the Indian Ocean to clean swell lines breaking in front of snow-capped mountains in Northern Japan, bodyboarding in Asia gives you unforgettable memories in dreamy destinations.
Itโs no surprise then that you can find some of the top waves in the world in Asia, including such destinations as Indonesiaโs Padang Padang; Cloud 9 in the Philippines and Lohiโs in the Maldives.
However, for every top spot plastered across the front pages of surf and bodyboard magazines, there are hundreds of equally amazing waves nearby, usually far less crowded and sometimes totally empty.
With such a tantalising variety of incredible bodyboarding to seek out and enjoy, itโs no surprise then that we at Bodyboard-Holidays have been working hard finding the best and most-suited spots in Asia to take your bodyboarding to the next level.
Indonesia
Located off the south-east corner of the Asian mainland, Indonesia consists of more than 13,000 islands. Such is the vastness of the worldโs biggest archipelago, this is just an official estimate โ even the government isnโt completely aware of how many there are!
With only 6,000 islands inhabited, there is a truly staggering potential for finding surf in Indo, and weโve a number of trips lined up to take you to some of the most beautiful and swell-soaked corners of this blessed group of islands.
Bali and Nusa Lembongan
While many of the worldโs surfers descend on the busier reef breaks further south, we set up our base camp close to the fun, less crowded breaks of Canggu โ usually serving up a plethora of punchy peaks, fun reefs and wedging sandbars.
This is a perfect playground to see gains in your bodyboarding, all in bath-warm seawater. We keep our itinerary flexible, making sure you get maximum surf time at the best breaks in the area.
This includes checking out the famous Bukit Peninsula, home to the renowned reef breaks of Padang Padang, Uluwatu, Impossibles, Bingin and the aptly-named Dreamland โฆ
On the east coast, we escape the crowds and check out the best breaks around Sanur, as well as epic spots like Keramas, Serangan and Nusa Dua, and a number of secret waves on this coast entirely off the radar.
We also indulge in the quintessential Indo experience โ loading up a boat and shooting over to some of the best waves in the area, including at Nusa Lembongan.
Here we check out the famous deep-water peaks of Playgrounds, and the more challenging spots of Lassoโs and Shipwrecks.
Southern Sumatra and the Mentawai Islands
We also head to the largest Indonesian island, Sumatra, and its periphery chain renowned for delivering utter perfection โ the Mentawais.
We journey through the pristine jungle of Southern Sumatra for an epic trip to the fringes of the map, enjoying the fun peaks of Mandiri Beach as well as the more challenging breaks of Honey Smacks and The Peak.
As well as enjoying the fruits of the Indian Ocean swell machine on Sumatra itself, we also offer trips to explore the best waves in the world in the Mentawai Islands.
This small island chain is packed with world-class spot after world-class spot, and with more than 20 breaks within 45 minutes of our beach camp, weโre spoilt for choice.
Each day we set sail and plunder the area, including renowned breaks such as Bank Vaults, E-Bay and Hideaways โฆ yep, itโs about as good as it gets in the Mentsโ.
Indian Ocean locations
There are of course many other destinations to bodyboard in Asia, all benefitting from a tropical climate and Indian Ocean swell consistency.
The Maldivesย is a gorgeous slice of postcard perfection, with white-sand atolls, palm trees, coral reefs and incredible surf, usually in the shoulder-to-head high range.
Spread over a few major atoll groups, bodyboarding here involves boat-tripping between breaks, hiding from the sun in crystal-blue tubes, and enjoying reef swells without the power of a destination like Indonesia.
On Asiaโs mainland, fun waves can be found on the beaches ofย Sri Lankaย andย India, with Arugam Bay the jewel in the crown of the former, and the latterโs long beaches soaking up additional swell from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
Pacific Ocean locations
Of course the massive continent of Asia also gets to enjoy the biggest ocean on the planet โ the Pacific. Theย Philippinesย has been compared to Indonesia for the quality of its surf breaks, predominantly dotted along the eastern edges of its 7,100 islands.
While many travelling bodyboarders head straight for the world-class glory of Cloud 9 and its perfect right-hand tubes, other breaks such as Stimpyโs, Tuason Point and Rock Island all get super good, and offer challenging rides.
The bodyboarding and surf industry isnโt as big in the Philippines as it is in Indonesia, but youโre bound to meet many travelling boogers here, crossing paths with like-minded souls, all looking for adventure, good times and warm-water barrels.
Also in the south-east corner of Asiaโs islands sitsย Papua New Guinea, an even more remote destination, offering small, tropical perfection at breaks like Twiggyโs, and a whole host of only-by-boat breaks yet to be discovered.
While mainland countries likeย Vietnamย can get waves, itโs really the east coast island nations that soak up the best of the Pacific swell, most notablyย Japanย in the northern latitudes.
With four main islands, it has a huge coastline to explore, with many beaches, headlands and secret coves seeing surf. However, itโs the rivermouth spots that come alive in the typhoon season of August to October, and it can get incredibly good.
Hokkaido, the northernmost island, benefits from fewer crowds, and is one of only a few places in the world you can snowboard in the morning and bodyboard in the afternoonโฆ
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