In terms of problems, it ain’t a bad one to have. Choosing between a land camp and a boat trip for your next surf mission is about as close to a vacation win-win as you will get.
However, it’s still worth weighing up the pros and cons as both options can provide very different surfing experiences. Which best suits you and your traveling companions will be a very personal choice. Here, we break it down by category.
Big Groups (Herding Cats)
If you can wrangle up a like-minded crew of 5 to 12 surfers, it’s hard to go past the boat trip option. That could be young rippers on a first trip to Indonesia or grizzled veterans celebrating milestones such as a 40th, 50th, or 60th birthday in the Mentawais. Booking a whole boat means you know exactly who you will be hanging out with, and with all the transfers, travel, and accommodation designed for larger groups, it’s far easier to organize. Land camps will always accommodate large groups, but it takes a brave surfer to herd the cats, that is, 10 mates booking their accommodation and transfers.
Rating
🛥️ Boat: 10/10
🏝️ Land Camp: 7/10
Try: The Sibon Jaya, a luxurious 70-foot aluminium-powered catamaran that provides one of the finest surf experiences in the Mentawais.
Mixed Ability Groups (Oil and Water)
However, if your group has different surfing abilities, the land camp will shade the boat trip. While there are more wave options on a boat, you will likely make a call on a spot and hit it together. That might not be ideal for beginners or those surfers who are less adaptable to changing waves and conditions. Like oil and water or beer and orange juice, a talented tube hound and a mid-length cruiser don’t mix well on a boat.
Rating
🛥️ Boat: 7/10
🏝️ Land Camp: 9/10
Try: Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives, a high-end resort with the legendary Pasta Point out the front, limited to just 33 surfers.
Price (Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is)
This is an inexact science. A budget boat trip may come in cheaper than a luxury land camp option, or vice versa. However, the general rule is that you will probably be forking out more per night for a boat, given the exclusivity and higher running costs. In the Mentawais, a night at Macaronis Surf Camp averages around $200 a night, while the luxury Sibon Baru is about $300. You can find an option that fits your budget (especially in the off-and-shoulder seasons), and both offer great value, but a boat trip, on average, will probably take a slightly bigger chunk out of your savings (and takes a little more work to get sign off).
Rating
🛥️ Boat: 7/10
🏝️ Land Camp: 9/10
Try: The Wildcat, a 70’ x 22’ power catamaran custom-made in 2000 for surf charters in the Mentawai Islands. It has a mid-range price for a high-end experience.
Local Culture (To Interact or Not to Interact)
The basic premise of a boat trip is to isolate yourself from society and enjoy living life on the ocean, far from any of the normal aspects of civilian life. This is great for a complete immersion in nature but not so great if you want to interact with other travelers and locals and glimpse how they live. While that aspect can be incorporated into some boat trips, it’s not a focus. Land camps will offer more opportunities for cultural exchange and interaction with the local community.
Rating
🛥️ Boat: 8/10
🏝️ Land Camp: 5/10
Try: Matanivusi Surf Resort is an eco-friendly Fijian resort made for surfers and staffed by villagers from nearby Vunaniu village..
Variety Of Waves (A Boat Trip USP)
This is a much clear-cut differential, as one of a boat trip’s main USPs is access to a large variety of different waves. Be it on the big main boat or the fast tender, the hypermobility to chase waves based on winds, swells, and crowds is the reason for their top spot in the surf trip pecking order. Now, some surf camps can offer a good selection of waves within walking distance or a short boat ride. Both Macaronis Surf Resort and Kandui Villas are two Mentawai non-floating options that boast a dozen world-class waves within reach. However, even those can’t match two weeks on a purpose-built surf charter, waking up to a new, perfect wave each morning.
Rating
🛥️ Boat: 10/10
🏝️ Land Camp: 7/10
Try: Horizon II, a 78-foot, purpose-built surf cruiser stationed in the Maldive Outer Atolls.
Crowds (Or Lack Of)
Splitting hairs, this one. Most land camps will have a quality wave near the accommodation and hopefully a few options within easy access. Staying on land means there is a captive audience, but it also allows you to duck and weave and choose your surf session times. The sunrise and sunset sessions may be far emptier, for example. It’s also essential to have a surf package that includes daily boat rides with no restrictions. Boat trips give you the option of ignoring a crowded lineup and searching for the next wave. Yet, even in the Mentawais and Maldives, with their vast array of waves, it’s rare to surf alone. And there might not be a more demoralizing surfing experience than surfing a perfect wave with just your mates, only to see a boat sail in and 10 frothing surfers jump over the edge.
Rating
🛥️ Boat: 9/10
🏝️ Land Camp: 8/10
Try: Kandui Villas is situated on Karangmajet Island, directly in front of Kandui left, and Baby Kandui, in the middle of the surf mecca known as ‘Playgrounds.’