Last updated on September 3rd, 2026 at 11:10 am
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Can a beginner learn to surf on Nias Island? – Yes, and it’s pure magic.
Let me start by getting this straight: Surfing is not a glamorous sport. So when I say ‘pure magic ’, I am certainly not referring to the endless falls and scrapes, buckets of snot, stinging eyes, and matted hair. Then, when you finally catch a long ride, seeing a playback of yourself crouching like a pleb and inching painfully slowly along the wave.
I say ‘pure magic’ because I genuinely think Nias just has that thing — and in my opinion is one of the best places in the world to learn how to surf. I can’t think of many other places where you would get a 2-hour private lesson for £20, in uncrowded waves with welcoming local surfers. Add a warm 30-degree ocean, sea-view accommodation, cheap food and drink, and a super-friendly community – what more could you want?
Nias does not have the luxuries or conveniences that you may find in Bali, and it’s all the better for it. For one thing, the island is ridiculously pretty, in that balmy Aldous Huxley ‘Island’ kind of way. Think sugar-white sands, jungled hills, with houses made out of palm fronds and bamboo. Forget traffic, trash, and CrossFit gyms; instead, you have barefoot, salty hair, low-fuss.
So here’s everything you need to know about learning to surf on Nias, Sumatra – one of Southeast Asia’s still undiscovered precious nuggets, and one of those places I actually considered gatekeeping from my readers!
CONTENTS
- About Nias
- How to Get to Nias
- When to Visit Nias
- Where to Stay in Nias
- Learning to Surf in Nias
- Where to Eat in Nias
- Budget for Visiting Nias
About Nias
You may have heard of the Mentawais, those islands off of West Sumatra famous for advanced and professional surfers. It used to be just a handful of Aussies who made the trek there, but now it’s shaping into a little Bali of old, with boutique hotels, busy line-ups, and hoards of boats with camera crews, and in season, no beginner waves.
But you probably haven’t heard of Nias, though- also off the west coast of Sumatra, just further north. Compared to ‘the Ments’, Nias has stayed largely off the radar, even though they have waves all year round, including a famous right-hand barrel called ‘The Point’. They also have baby waves for beginners deep in the shelter of Lagundri Bay, which is why I chose to come here over The Mentawais, and I am so glad I did.
What I found was a beautiful little island with a deeply ingrained surf culture among the very friendly and very welcoming locals. One resort, a boutique hotel, and a handful of more rustic but cute surf-focused homestays. Nias Island has now become one of my 5 favourite paradise islands of the world.
So here is everything you need to know to plan your surf trip to Nias, including how to get there, when to visit, where to stay in Nias, where to eat, and what it’s like learning to surf there!
Not sure what to pack for your trip to Indonesia? Check out the I Dream of Mangoes article:
The Only Female Backpacking Packing List You’ll Ever Need
How to Get to Nias
Nias is an island off the western coast of North Sumatra, and to get there, it’s highly likely you’ll need to pass through Medan airport first (KNO).
You can get direct flights to Medan from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta, amongst other places, and while there isn’t heaps to do in the city for tourists, it’s a welcoming place with some great eats. Remember this is Sumatra though, not Bali, so dressing conservatively is a must.
You could tag on a trip to Bukit Lawang before you head to Nias, a 3-hour drive from Medan and the gateway to seeing the Orangutans of the stunning Gunung Leuser National Park.
From Medan, even though you could technically bus it to the western coast of Sumatra and take a ferry to Nias (the journey could take around 3 days) – the most convenient option is to fly. Wings Air (a subsidy of Lion Air) operate flights a couple of times a day, but their website can be a bit finicky. We found that when booking domestic flights in Indonesia, it was always easier to do it through Traveloka.
In May 2026, the flight was 75 GBP, which is higher than normal due to the fuel crisis in the Middle East.
After a short one-hour flight to Gunung Sitoli (GNS) airport, you’ll need to grab a 3-hour transfer to the southern tip of the island. This may seem like a lengthy journey, but remember the best places in the world are often difficult to get to. It is a beautiful drive, and the price should be 500K (20 GBP) for a private transfer. You can arrange this with your accommodation in Nias or with one of the drivers waiting in arrivals.
When to Visit Nias
The dry season, along with peak surfing season, is May to September. This is when ‘The Point’; the long, consistent right-hand break at Sorake Beach, regularly reaches 4-8 feet, hitting 10-15 feet at it’s peak.
During this time, the waves in Lagundri Bay get up to 2-3 feet, which is ideal for beginners.
Not that Nias is crowded, but if you prefer practically empty waves, you can visit in wet season, where ‘The Point’ becomes more beginner- and intermediate-friendly with slightly more inconsistent 3-6 feet waves.
FOR TRAVEL INSURANCE for Nias, I used SafetyWing, as they let me open a policy partway through my travels, and they do an excellent value 4-week rolling policy for nomads.
Where to Stay in Nias
Budget – Shady Palms Surf Camp or Oseda Surf House
Lux – HIMA Bungalows
Nias is dominated by surf-focused homestays, and most places offer a similar style of fit-out. Clean and simple double rooms, with air-conditioning and a view of the waves, sitting around the 10 GBP per night mark.
We stayed in both Shady Palms and Oseda; although HIMA did look gorgeous, it was just a bit beyond our budget. Oseda is great because it has a kitchen you can use if you like to cook your own food and a pool, but the water pressure was frustratingly low, and the wifi wasn’t consistent. Shady Palms did not have a pool or kitchen, but the wifi and water pressure were great, and the hospitality was wonderful.
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Learning to Surf in Nias
I was nervous about surfing here, as we all know surfers can be territorial and unfriendly to beginners (especially in Australia) – but I had nothing to worry about. Each time I caught a wave, I was cheered and whooped by the local kids and the guys on shore… the surf environment here is the kindest I have ever experienced.
Not to mention learning is affordable, as renting a board is 100k IDR – so £4 for one session, or 150k, £6 for the whole day. If you wanted a 2-hour private lesson with an experienced local teacher, it’s 500k IDR (£20) , including the board.
If you need to rent beginner boards, you can do so in Lagundri Bay at Harus Damai – if you want something a bit more advanced, Cafe Bebas at Sorake Beach also has boards to rent.
My teacher was the lovely Iyan (+62 813 6266 9978), and I took lessons with him pretty much every day. I saw a massive improvement in my ability from day 1 to day 14. Lagundri Bay waves can be a little bit hit and miss; a couple of days there weren’t enough waves to really get much out of it, and then one day the whitewash was so ferocious it was an absolute beast of a struggle to swim back out, but every situation was a lesson in itself.
Where to Eat In Nias
Most of the restaurants on Sorake Beach are overlooking ‘The Point’, and they all offer fairly similar menus. We went to pretty much all of them during our time learning to surf on Nias. I have written about the best restaurants and cafes on Sorake Beach in my other article!
While I don’t think Nias really has touts, there are people who will try and sell you things on the beach. The kids all try and flog coconut bread, which is delicious, and doughnuts. This is more like a rite of passage and a great way to earn some pocket money, while practising English and socialising, than it is child labour.
Other people will try to sell you seafood or fruit boxes, or wooden carvings, but if you just say no, they are not persistent. We did buy a kilo of jumbo prawns (at an inflated tourist price) and cooked them up in our kitchen at Oseda though, and they were bloody lovely.
Budget for Visiting Nias
Here is a breakdown of what I spent in Nias, just to give you a hand when budgeting for a trip!
- Flight Medan to GNS – £75 (with 10kg checked luggage, no surfboard)
- Taxi GNS to Sorake – £20 (x2)
- 13 Nights Accommodation – £130
- 10 Days of private surf lessons – £200
- Scooter Rental – £4 per day
- Food & Drink – £10-15 per day (local meal is £2, beer is £1.50, juice £1, coffee £2, western meals £4.
Total estimate for a 2-week trip to Nias to learn to surf =
£700, not including flights to Medan
(If you are not taking surf lessons and you just need board rental, then your trip would be much cheaper.)
Thank you for reading my travel guide on learning to surf on Nias!
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Happy Travels! xx
2 Responses
Super cool! Sounds amazing
It really is 🙂