The Ultimate Surf Camp Indonesia Destination: Rote Indonesia

Safari Surf Adventures’ Expert Surf Coaches Share Why They Fell In Love With Rote

Indonesia is a rite of passage for any surfer. It is probably the most wave-rich country on the planet, consistently getting pummeled by Southern Ocean groundswell. For over 50 years, surfers have been traveling to Indonesia’s 1,700 islands seeking the perfect wave. While Bali and Lombok are popular surf spots, our pro-surf coaches at Safari Surf Adventures prefer Rote, Indonesia, a small island 500 kilometers off the coast of Australia for our surf camp Indonesia location.

Rote, Indonesia is an island unlike any other. For Surfers, the crystal-clear water, white sands, and high waves make this island a premier surf spot. Even beyond the incredible surf conditions, Rote Island is so quiet and peaceful, that time seems to have stopped. In fact, it is common to hear Rote described as “what Bali used to be”.

Here are a few reasons why Rote is one of our most popular surf camp Indonesia locations:

• Off the beaten path: Rote is one of the most eastern islands in Indonesia and a part of the province of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Because of the distance from Bali, the island is far less influenced by tourism and maintains more traditional roots. Rote consists of deserted beaches, rolling hills, terraced plantations, and a savannah that transforms from green to gold, depending on the season. Don’t even get us started about the sunsets. Rote Island is truly one of the most beautiful and tranquil destinations in the world and an exemplary location for our Indonesia surf camps.

• All about the surf: At Safari Surf Adventures, the crown jewel of our Indonesia surf trips is the world-renowned T-Land break, directly in front of our host surf camp.  Known for its epic yet mellow lefthanders formed by an ideal fringing reef and regular offshore thermal winds.  The near perfect waves, enjoy consistent swell, breaking on any tide. While other Indonesian Islands are typical for constant treacherous swells requiring advanced skills, Rote’s orientation and mellow reefs mean that waves are better suited to intermediates, emptier, and more accessible.  These wave conditions are ideal for surfers who are ready to take their skills to the next level.

• People Pleasers: The Rotenese are a shy and kind people who are happy to engage visitors. They live off their land as well as fishing and harvesting seaweed. Since its independence from Eastern Timor in 2002, Rote has been kept untouched by tourism and consequently, the Island’s culture is pure and unspoiled with little Western influence.

• An Island that gives back: The ocean is our playground. We, as surfers, are absolutely committed to Sustainable Travel in order to keep both the environments thriving and the local culture unimpacted. For all of our Indonesia Surf Vacations, we exclusively hire and train locals as a means to educate, enrich, and share with these people, whom we consider family. We are proud to participate in a number of local social and environmental sustainability programs, the Plastic Free Island Project developed to rid the Rotenese island chain of beached marine plastics.

At Safari Surf Adventures, we provide a full array of yoga and wellness practices, video assessment, and surf instruction with first-class surf coaches. Want to take your surfing to the next level at one of our favorite surf spots in the world? Book your surf camp Indonesia adventure today with Safari Surf Adventures.