I’m working on a plan to make a pilgramage and stay at the bay for month or so - maybe some day trips up the point, by boat, or??? Not planning on spending any more than I have too. Thus my plan to be there long enough to hopefully score.
I’ve read some stuff on line about some different losmen’s there.
Has anyone had any recent experience?
What’s the deal with the eat at the place v. not, i.e., are there places to eat that are open to all?
I’m looking for a simple, mellow place - I read some are fancier, some more party oriented, etc…
I’ve stayed at Sorake numerous times over the last 15yrs. You can generally just turn up and get accommodation at the point. Most provide food and accommodation, but most, if not all, are happy for you to eat at other places. Also you don’t have to stay in one place the whole time, so if you don’t like your first choice, or find a better one you can change.
Personally you couldn’t go past Shady Palm Losman, run by locals Rik and Eka, Clean, friendly, good food, great situation (Your room and balcony look right out onto the wave)
You will be treated with respect and honesty and can be as involved or as separate from things as you wish. they can also be a nice buffer from some of the less desirable rascals,scammers etc that can be a bit annoying at times (this varies from time to time)
If you google them (Shady Palm) and ring they will arrange to pick you up from the airport or ferry (something I strongly recommend)
Rik has excellent english and a good reliable car (Important also) and internet is available (well it was last year)
I’ve stayed at Sorake numerous times over the last 15yrs. You can generally just turn up and get accommodation at the point. Most provide food and accommodation, but most, if not all, are happy for you to eat at other places. Also you don’t have to stay in one place the whole time, so if you don’t like your first choice, or find a better one you can change.
Personally you couldn’t go past Shady Palm Losman, run by locals Rik and Eka, Clean, friendly, good food, great situation (Your room and balcony look right out onto the wave)
You will be treated with respect and honesty and can be as involved or as separate from things as you wish. they can also be a nice buffer from some of the less desirable rascals,scammers etc that can be a bit annoying at times (this varies from time to time)
If you google them (Shady Palm) and ring they will arrange to pick you up from the airport or ferry (something I strongly recommend)
Rik has excellent english and a good reliable car (Important also) and internet is available (well it was last year)
I’ve stayed at Sorake numerous times over the last 15yrs. You can generally just turn up and get accommodation at the point. Most provide food and accommodation, but most, if not all, are happy for you to eat at other places. Also you don’t have to stay in one place the whole time, so if you don’t like your first choice, or find a better one you can change.
Personally you couldn’t go past Shady Palm Losman, run by locals Rik and Eka, Clean, friendly, good food, great situation (Your room and balcony look right out onto the wave)
You will be treated with respect and honesty and can be as involved or as separate from things as you wish. they can also be a nice buffer from some of the less desirable rascals,scammers etc that can be a bit annoying at times (this varies from time to time)
If you google them (Shady Palm) and ring they will arrange to pick you up from the airport or ferry (something I strongly recommend)
Rik has excellent english and a good reliable car (Important also) and internet is available (well it was last year)
Hey Sam - Thanks for the note. How is ones stuff at a place they pay to stay - e.g., will my “cheap,” by USA standards, guitar be safe, when I’m out surfing, etc.?
Seems the shady palm site is unavailable.
From the pictures the food looks pretty good at all the places I’ve seen.
I would also recommend Raff www.niassurfcamp.com a bit further down the point and altho you are with Raff and family it’s a bit more suited to younger surf crew (be mindful of the fact I’m 60) Rik and Ekas tho’seems abit more mellow to me and would still be my first choice
If you contact them you can mention my name , tell them Bodge and Stew from NZ recommended them .
Gettin’ close to 50, and I’m looking for mellow… I can always take a walk to check out what the young 'ns are up to.
Lookin’ back over your post, it sounds a like what I saw in Mexico at a point break at Barre de Rio Nexpa - Save, room was one thing, and going out to eat was something else.
In general do you recomend having a place lined up as opposed to walking down the point looking for a place? Is getting a ride from one of the losmen propriators more/less exesive than some other way to get to town from the airport/ferry terminal.
Also - you recomended the ferry: is that for $$$, or becuase it is, as it sounds , a cool experience?
No I don’t recommend the ferry, It’s just that it was the only reliable way of getting there years ago.
It involved flying to Medan then a 10 -12 hr drive across Sumatera to Sibolga, then overnite ferry to Telukdelam then out to Sorake.
But since the quake and tsunami there are now daily flights (3x) to Gunungsitoli then about a 3hr drive to Sorake ( Merpati or lionair) This is the best option.
Personally I like accomm overlooking the point (like Rik and Eka’s) there is nothing better than sitting and watching the waves, and you can keep a close eye on the crowd factor (It does get crowded these days) and whip out for a wave when the numbers drop.
Definitely get a ride from the losman you choose, arriving a the airport you are very vulnerable to touts and scams (if you’ve been Indo b4 you’ll know what I mean) As to price I’m not sure. Look at a few websites, a number of locals now have them
Hey Taylor I’ve been a few times. First went in 2005 after the earth quake, the friend I was traveling with liked it so much he paid for a losman to get rebuilt. JJ’s losman, it’s down the end of the point, owned by Yoman and his wife, good people, there’s heaps of places to stay though.
Take your own combination pad lock, most rooms in Indo have a latch and you can put your own lock on it. You can also lock your board bag if you put it on a ferry, bus, transport what ever. Without a lock on your bag, if you get a ferry there’s a good chance your board shorts or loose items won’t be there at the other end.
Like Sam said I would avoid the ferry’s at all cost, unless your a hardened traveler. If you get a ferry get the big steal ones you can get an aircon room (you’ll be ripped off without a doubt but it’s vital). If your in cattle class on a ferry with the live animals and everyone smoking all night it will be the worst experience of your life…guaranteed!! Sibolga is the arse end of the world, I’ve never been anywhere worse in my life, the mountains behind it are beauitful though.
TAKE STRONG BOARDS!!!
Lagundri is a thick barrel now, if it’s on you can easily break your whole quiver in a day. Take a board like the Rusty Slayer, short wide, a bit thicker round pin tail, I think these designs snap less easily than your standard 6’2’’ and they are really good in the barrel.
Thats about it, I think no one is posting cause its a surfboard forum and it is unfair to the people who go or are already there to tell your travel details and hints. But good luck, have fun.
JJ on a 6’8’’ tripple stringer I made him, it lasted a while but did break in the end. He surfed it through the big swells in 09 (I think) thats in the Jamie O movie. Jamie O, Makua Rothman and large entourage like going there now when a good swell comes, they don’t really have the best manners either so good luck!!
Typical indo ferry haha!! Make sure you get a room. You’l go to sleep (if your lucky) with 4 people in the room then when you wake up there’ll be 12!!!
It is a surfboard forum so here’s an idea for a board to take, this one is 5’7’’ - 12 7/8’’ - 18 1/2’’ - 14 3/8’’ - 2 3/8’'. It’s acutally at Lagundri right now, you might see it there!!
I haven’t seen your boards in my travels but I’ll keep an eye out for Phillippe, your work should be easy to spot, top quality!! I’ll be there in June and July this year.
That 5’7’’ I made for a young bloke who’s about 5’7’’ tall and 60kgs, I don’t know volume cause it was hand shaped. I’m 6’0’’ and 77kg’s, I’ll take a 5’10’’ x 19’’ x 2 3/8’’ wide nose round pin like that one. I’m not forcing my opinions here Taylor, I just think if you take a little board like this thats really versitle, if everything breaks you’ve still got one good board to rely on. I’ll take the 5’10’, a 6’2’’ and a 6’4’'.
I saw Koby Abborton on a 5’6’’ on the morning of this day at another place near by, he’s probably 90kg? Was getting some bombs on it but I guess paddling became an issue so he had a bigger board in the arvo. Depends how hard you can paddle I guess, Makua Rothman was riding a 6’1’’ at 8-10ft Lagundri, biggest swell of the year back when they were shooting Who is JOB!!
so everyone is aware of malaria issues traveling in the area - what’s not nearly as well known is the epidemic of tuberculosis throughout Indonesia, which is classified as a High Burden area by The World health Organization.
I spent some time in Indo in the 90’s, came back from a trip, few months later went through my annual TB test (all US hospital staff who work in patient areas must have annual TB tests by law), and popped a positive reading.
Doesn’t mean I have TB, it means I have been exposed to it. and if I was ever severely immune depressed, such as a serious illness or stronger cancer treatments, could well turn into an active TB.
Per the standard treatment, underwent 6 months of oral INH treatment, and learned a lot about TB during that time talking to various doctors. Estimates are that 99% of Indonesians would test positive for TB, significant population there suffers from active cases, and many travelers there have been exposed and would never know it unless either tested or it became activated.
Easiest way to get it? Overcrowded indoor spaces stuffed with coughing folks - so stay away from the ferry sleepers.
