Your team of guides and instructors is made up of some of the best bodyboarders in the world, as well as the best local connections on the island, with decades of experience. They all receive in-house training and are all qualified lifeguards – so you can be sure of being in safe hands for your entire trip.
Rob Barber is not only the founder of Bodyboard Holidays - he is also a former European and British Bodyboarding Number 1. After travelling to Sumatra in the early noughties he was inspired to create a unique bodyboarding adventure experience for like-minded people. It’s a real treat to have him onboard this trip, he first travelled to Indonesia in 1995 and his years of experience means you’ll be learning from the very best.
Grant is the Indonesia resort manager for Bodyboard Holidays and will be your go-to guy for everything. Originally from Newquay, he learned to bodyboard when he was 6 years old and joined Bodyboard Holidays on an Indonesia trip as a shadow guide many years ago - he loved it so much he moved there! Indonesia is the perfect place to teach bodyboarding and Grant is thrilled to show you his favourite waves. He loves taking people to the best waves in the world, scoring sessions alongside them and watching people improve under his coaching.
Rendy is a pro photographer who will be on hand dedicated to catching shots of you on the best waves in the world. Born and raised in Sumatra, he has unrivalled knowledge of the waves, lifestyle and culture. Using drones, in-water and on-land footage you’ll get a media package with amazing footage of your shredding waves by the end of the week.
What People Say
"Warm water, offshore winds everyday and cold Bintangs with amazing food. Super friendly and welcoming hosts at a location on the beach front with coconut trees all around, it doesn’t get much better than this. The waves are absolutely on fire and Rob and Grant have thought of everything to make this an as easy as possible experience to enjoy so that all one needs to do is show up and enjoy. Unbelievably well done. "
Nikolai T
What People Say
"Went to lampung province in southern Sumatra. The trip was amazing, with great people and some of the best waves in the world. The breaks we surfed were amazing and we scored decent, consistent waves on every day of the trip. Rob and Grant did a great job of organising everything and the footage review sessions were invaluable. Everyone was riding better throughout the course of the week. "
Grantwar
What People Say
"I have just returned from an unforgettable 12 days in South Sumatra with Rob & Grant. It was everything I hoped it would be and more, amazing waves and locations coupled with 1st class coaching which has already improved my bodyboarding no end. Added to this the amount of photos and videos taken from the shore, water and even drone i've come away with some fab shots that make me look half decent! Needless to say I've already booked to go back in 2026. I would recommend any experienced Bodyboarder looking for their next big trip."
George B
What better way to enjoy the full South Sumatran experience than staying just metres above a white-sand beach complete with a crystal-clear turquoise lagoon? There are few better ways to recharge between sessions; either snorkelling for fish or kicking back and spotting a myriad of birds and monkeys in the trees overhead.
Three meals a day are included in the package price. Breakfast served straight after your morning surf session, a well-stocked lunch buffet and a delicious variation of Western and Eastern-inspired dishes for dinner.
Imagine waking up in the midst of a tropical jungle, the sound of lapping waves and birdsong filling your traditional Sumatran accommodation as the light of sunrise shines through. You grab your salt-coated board and head straight back down to the shoreline to grab some pre-coffee waves.
Our South Sumatran base has an appealing mixture of traditional bungalows and modern brick-built rooms. The apex roofs that reach up into the tree line give this special place a very old-school tropical feel. Contrasting the authentic traditional ambience, you’ll find everything you need for a clean and comfortable stay. It’s no frills, basic rooms, but the benefits of the location, and our relationship with the owners and the local community far outweigh the need for satellite TV or piping hot water.
Some of the rooms have a sea-view, while others take you closer to the enveloping tropical jungle. All rooms are light and airy and give you plenty of space to fully settle into the lush surroundings. Air-con will keep your room cool so you have somewhere to relax after hours of epic bodyboarding. You will also benefit from a private bathroom and a terraced balcony to enjoy the evening sunsets.
FACILITIES
This trip is home to some of the best waves in the world, and from the minute you arrive, we expect you’ll be frothing to wax up and get on it. While there are mellow waves to be found, South Sumatra is becoming famous for its heavy, fast, hollow reef breaks – so we know many of you won’t need to learn how to duck dive or pull-in!
This trip is not for the novice or entry-level bodyboarder, you must be able to paddle out, unassisted in solid, overhead waves. You must be able to duck dive, to catch waves, to trim and gain speed. You must be comfortable walking in swim fins across reefs and have experience in overhead waves. Our coaching is pitched at those who can self-manage, not those who need to be handheld through sessions. Please be realistic with yourself whether the waves in the videos on this page look like something that you can ride. Please contact us to chat if you aren’t sure.
Advanced Coaching
Our qualified coaches are of course on hand to provide you with any guidance, tips, hints or advice you might need in the water, but many of you will no doubt just want to paddle out and charge and save any coaching til the video analysis back at camp.
Intermediate Coaching
This is perfectly cool – and for those riders less advanced, we’re equally happy to solidify aspects of your riding and/or brush up on your general skills.
Make no mistake though, South Sumatra is a place to take your riding to the next level. Maybe you want to perfect your rail control in long, running barrels, or nail your timing and speed line to the lip to boost higher and further, or maybe you want to get more consistent on landing moves. Perhaps you just want the moral support of a crew in paddling out when it’s 4, 6 or even 8ft and absolutely booming?
Our instructors can help you achieve whatever goals you set yourself on this trip, from bespoke, one-on-one coaching on correct weight distribution and perfecting a 360 spin, to just taking a backseat and hooting you from the shoulder, Go Pro in hand, as you scoop into a screamer and get spat out.
The hospitality provided by our South Sumatran hosts cannot be spoken about highly enough, and this carries into the kitchen too. These guys put a real emphasis on enjoying your food. This isn’t just somewhere to refuel your body; the meals served in this perfectly-located ocean view restaurant are delicious, fresh and made with love.
All dietary requirements are professionally dealt with and ALL of our guests have raved about the food package. Enjoy plenty of fresh food and an array of options to pick from as well as cold local beers. The chefs here are always happy to accommodate any dietary requirements so just let them know in advance.
All of the food during your bodyboard holiday is included. 3 square meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner; at no extra cost. Seriously, what more could you ask for?
Seeing yourself bodyboard is a fantastic way to improve your performance. Every day you’ll watch a move-by-move breakdown of your bodyboarding session with footage both from the air, on land and in the water. Drone footage is a remarkable and exciting development in the bodyboarding world, and you will get world-class shots from your dedicated trip photographer – Rendy.
You’ll get to take a photo and video package home with you at the end of the week too, which is a helpful tool for your ongoing progress and an epic memento of your trip. It will all be uploaded to an online gallery as you go so you have access to all your best shots and videos to upload throughout the week. We love seeing your waves on social media so feel free to share them as you like and make all your friends wildly jealous!
Booking on the Sumatra trip means you get the team’s support to help you book your return domestic flights from Jakarta to Bandar Lampung AIrport. The transport from Bandar Lampung to your accommodation in Krui is also organised for you. All the logistics will be explained on your pre-trip video call.
You will need to arrange your own flights to Jakarta International Airport Soekarno–Hattai (CGK).
We highly recommend that you have a read of our ‘How to book a flight’ blog post to help you organise the best flights for your holiday.
FLIGHTS
Please arrange your flights to coincide with the following times:
The inter-island flight will be from Jakarta to Bandar Lampung (TKG) in Sumatra and takes 40 minutes. There will be a 5-6 hour drive from Bandar Lampung to your accommodation which takes in the national park. You will have a stop during the journey and arrive in good time for an evening surf and a sunset drink.
Check-in time at the accommodation in Jakarta isn’t until 14:00 and this is when the Bodyboard Holidays team will be expecting you from. Your welcome meeting is at 18:00 so please try to arrive with plenty of time to spare.
On the second to last day of the trip, you will travel 5-6 hours from your accommodation back to Bandar Lampung in time for the domestic flight back to Jakarta. You’ll fly with the group to Jakarta in the afternoon, then stay another night at the airport hotel in Jakarta. (If you don’t want to stay that night and make your homeward journey immediately, please let us know, this is a popular option.) This ensures you catch your ongoing travel arrangements and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a final night out and meal in the city!
If your flight includes a stop on the way to Jakarta, please allow enough time to make your connection and factor in short delays. It’s best to book a ticket that transports your luggage directly to the airport in Jakarta if possible.
ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT
You will spend your first night in the airport hotel in Jakarta. You will receive directions on how to find this hotel in your pre-arrival information email.
WELCOME MEETING
Once everyone has arrived at your accommodation and checked into your rooms, you’ll have a group meeting at 18:00 to chat about the trip and to start getting excited for the waves ahead!
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We can’t guarantee your place until we have received a payment from you.
Once you have made a payment, you’ll then be sent a trip confirmation email with all details on.
Yes definitely! We pride ourselves on being super welcoming and friendly. Most of our guests arrive solo and leave with a host of new bodyboarding buddies.
Due to this trip being in high demand and having limited spaces, we can only hold your space for up to 24 hours without payment.
You are welcome to attend for a shorter period to suit your personal schedule, however the package price will remain the same.
Group booking discounts are available, please contact us for more information.
ASAP! These holidays fill up quickly and, with limited spaces available, sell out fast. We operate on a first come first serve basis. If you want to secure your place on the trip, it is advised that you pay as soon as you can.
If you are based outside of the UK and would like to book or chat through the holiday details, we can be contacted through our online chat.
This trip is NOT for the novice or entry-level bodyboarder, you must be able to paddle out, unassisted in solid, overhead waves (over 6 feet in height). You must be able to duck dive, to catch waves, to trim and gain speed. You must be able to stop yourself and pull out of waves confidently. You must be comfortable walking in swim fins across reefs with powerful waves breaking near you. Our coaching is pitched at those that can self-manage, not those who need to be handheld through sessions. Please be realistic with yourself whether the waves in the videos on this page look like something that you can ride. Please contact us to chat if you aren’t sure.
If you wish to bring a non-bodyboarding partner with you, that is absolutely fine, however, the price stays the same.
We have a great mix of all ages from young whipper-snappers to silver surfers.
The gender ratio at the moment is around 60% men to 40% women. However, this is constantly changing and Bodyboard Holidays is inclusive to all.
Yes there is WiFi which is of a good standard for the area. It can be temperamental but can be used for daily emails and WIFI calls.
You’ll be asked to fill in an enrolment form as part of the booking process. You’ll signify which level of bodyboarder you are. You may be in a different group suited to your ability, however, there will be plenty of time to see each other back at the accommodation and during our social evening meals.
We choose the time of year and location for our holidays based on local knowledge and historical swell data. In the event of flat waves or stormy conditions, we will offer alternative activities and day trips to help you get the most out of your holiday.
We may also adjust the format of the week, for example, choosing to run more bodyboard sessions on the days that the waves are at their best.
Please visit our Terms & Conditions for more information.
The area that we visit is blessed with constant surf, you can expect great conditions most days of the trip. To give you a clearer idea, the photos on this page were all taken during previous bodyboard holiday trips.
We do not offer a discount for bringing your own equipment.
Remember to check the baggage size and weight allowance with your airline, as well as reading their guidance for carrying bodyboards. Baggage handlers can be unforgiving, so a tough bag and intelligent packing are a must.
Firstly, pack your board(s) in a protective, padded board bag, and write FRAGILE and TOP LOAD ONLY on it with a permanent marker. Make sure you wrap your towel and clothes around your board inside the bag for added protection. Place your shampoo and other wet toiletries in a separate sealed bag in case of leakage. We also recommend locking the zips on your bag with a padlock.
Most nationalities can visit Indonesia for up to 30 days without a visa. However, entry into Indonesia may be refused and airlines may turn you away if you have less than six months left on your passport validity, or you don’t have an onward ticket out of the country. If you’re travelling to Indonesia and intend to stay over 30 days (but no more than 60 days), you will need to pay for your visa on arrival at the airport in Bali – this will cost around $35USD. For more or updated information visit: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/indonesia/entry-requirements Please check international travel requirements for your nationality. Please contact your travel agent or airline if you are unsure or have any further questions.
If you are under 18, we will need to chat to you on the phone and you will need to be accompanied on the trip by a parent or guardian throughout the holiday. If you are 60 or over we’d love to chat with you about the trip before you book. Please contact us via our online chat.
On the day you travel please keep your mobile phone handy so we can stay in touch in case of delays and flight changes. Please inform us if you’re early or delayed for any reason using the guest Whatsapp group.
If you need help booking your flight then just drop us a line or read our helpful blog post about booking flights.
If you can’t find our representative at the airport hotel, stay there and wait, they won’t be far away. We will be meeting at 18.00 on the first night of the trip, so make sure you are there. Our transfer representatives will have access to your arrival details. However, if you’re having difficulties finding them follow the instructions in your pre-arrival email. One of the team will locate you. Upon booking the trip the trip leader will share their direct mobile number so that you can contact them if you need them.
As with any holiday, full travel insurance is a requirement for all guests booking a trip with the company.
Please also ensure that your policy covers you for ‘disruption to travel’ and ‘cover for cancellations’ as standard. For the Sumatra trip you also need ‘Medi Vac’ and ‘Repatriation’ cover. We will discuss this during the video call to ensure that you have exactly what you need.
For further help please read our helpful blog post about travel insurance.
You may need to add additional cover for surfing or bodyboarding, it is essential that your insurance policy covers you for all activities during your stay. Failure to take out travel insurance breaks the contract between Bodyboard Holidays and the client.
If you are joining one of our trips and you are native to the country of its location (i.e you live in Lisbon and are joining our Portugal trip) you do not need to take out medical travel insurance. This is as long as you have your own personal health-care plan or are covered by your country’s National Health Service. Although, we kindly request that you still take out trip disruption and cancellation insurance to cover all possible eventualities. It is essential that you know your travel insurance works if you do need to contact them in the case of an emergency, again we will discuss this with you during the video call.
It is difficult to obtain Indonesian Rupiah outside the country so we recommend taking a debit or credit card and using cash points once you’ve landed. You will find some ATM’s at the airport. Our accommodation has lock boxes for both passports and cash. You can exchange sterling cash with Balinese money-changers but this is less convenient than using cards.
We recommend taking at least two bank cards in case one becomes lost or damaged.
We are a UK based company that delivers trips all over the world welcoming travellers of all nationalities.
If your circumstances change and you can’t join the trip, please let us know as soon as possible via email. Your cancellation notice will start from the date we receive it.
Cancellation terms:
We hold part or full costs, depending on when you cancel:
Cancellation may fall under the terms and conditions of your holiday insurance policy and you may be able to claim.
Please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions videos.
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