Maldives Surf Camps: 5 Great Bookings Right Now
There didn’t used to be all that many surf camps in the Maldives, but, thankfully, that’s now changing and the fantastic waves of this gorgeous nation are probably more accessible than they’ve ever beed.
For a long time, the tourism market here was a paid-up member of the jet-setter clan. Us mere mortals, the 99%, weren’t really able to fork out for all that.
Until now…
As we accelerate disconcertingly quickly through the 2020s (I swear I went to bed yesterday and it was 2021 and I was in lockdown?), there seems to be a new surf camp in the Maldives popping up almost every year.
Much of that is down to a law change that allowed private (AKA – non-mass-branded) hotels to operate on the islands. But it’s also because the sheer wealth of spots and the consistent swell, particularly in the Central and Male Atoll regions, and the growing demand for surf-travel to the islands, which means even those lux hotels of yesteryear are now doing dedicated surf-camp packages.
This guide will run through a handful of what we think are pretty nice bookings for surfers in the Maldives right now. We’ve tried to give it a good mix of local places that won’t cost loads, and those more opulent resort stays that many go to the Maldives in search of.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
>>This is just one part of our complete overall guide to surfing in the Maldives
Quick-click guide to our top surf camps in the Maldives…
- Stay Mikado – A locally run surf lodge with exceptional reviews
- Cinnamon Dhonveli – Private access to Pasta Point
- Ayada Maldives – Luxury and surf that’s away from the crowds
- Surf & Yoga Maldives – Good option for beginners (which can be rare in the Maldives)
- Adaaran Select Huduran Fushi – Private access to Lohis
Stay Mikado
A locally run surf lodge with exceptional reviews
Stay Mikado was one of the local surf-adventure hotels that emerged after the Maldivian government allowed independent hotels to operate here, and it still offers that sort of honest, down-to-earth feel that I, and a lot of other folks, really want from thier surf stay.
Sat on the western end of Thimarafushi Island (the eastern end is given over to an airstrip, making it relatively easy to get in from Male), it’s a mid-sized accom that’s tailored to folks looking to stay active.
Ask about their surf offering when booking. Typically, the folks here can plan to take you around some of the best breaks of the Central Atolls. Perhaps most of all, though, it’s about scoring the beautifully long walls at Inside Mikados, which work nicely even when the strong S winds blow through.
The other thing we love about this one? Prices hover around the $70-120/night range, which is nowhere near the sort of bonkers rates the lux spots can command.
Check prices and availability at Stay Mikado
Cinnamon Dhonveli
Private access to Pasta Point
Cinnamon Dhonveli certainly has a claim to being the most famous surf resort in the Maldives, and there’s one very good reason for that: Pasta Point.
This legendary left-hander, which is definitely up there with the best lefts in the country, and possibly even Asia by some people’s estimations, peels along the reef right beside the resort, offering long, fast walls and occasional barrels when the Indian Ocean really gets going during peak dry season.
But here’s the thing: Access is exclusive to guests booked on the resort’s dedicated surf packages, with a maximum of just 30 surfers permitted on the island at any one time.
Cue all the mixed feelings that come with that sort of resort ownership over waves, especially of the world-class ilk Pasta Point finds itself. But, that aside, the guys at Cinnamon Dhonveli do their honored place as gatekeepers of old Pasta pretty good justice…
The surfing is managed by Atoll Adventures, who run unlimited boat transfers to nearby breaks, including the hollow rights of Sultans, the peeling lefts at Honky’s and the punchy rights of Jailbreaks. All are within about 10 minutes by boat.
Packages cover accommodation, full-board meals, airport transfers and surf guiding. The resort itself has everything from beachfront bungalows to overwater suites.
Check prices and availability at Cinnamon Dhonveli
Ayada Maldives
Luxury and surf that’s away from the crowds
Ayada Maldives is one for surfers who want serious luxury without sacrificing access to some of the best waves in the Indian Ocean. It’s like the answer to the prayers of surfers who lament having to slum it in bamboo cabanas on mozzie-infested beaches just to get the wave of their lives. So, if that’s you…
This five-star resort occupies a private island in the remote Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll, where the lineups tend to be considerably quieter than around Malé. The surfing is fantastic. Short boat trips get you to the long, peeling lefts of Love Charms, the hollow rights of Five Islands and the punchy walls of Tiger Stripes. There’s also Blue Bowls, a more forgiving right-hander that can be great for intermediates.
Ayada has its own surf operation, with experienced guides organizing daily boat transfers according to the swell, wind and ability of guests.
Surf passes and board rental are available, although these aren’t automatically included in standard hotel bookings.
Back at the resort, you’re talking private-pool villas, overwater suites, eight dining venues and a seriously impressive spa. It’s not cheap, and the journey from Malé involves a domestic flight and speedboat transfer, but for a luxury surf trip with excellent wave variety that’s not likely to be crowded, this probably takes some beating.
Check prices and availability at Ayada Maldives
Surf & Yoga Maldives
Good option for beginners (which can be rare in the Maldives)
Set on the small and stunning isle of Mulah in the Central Atolls, Surf & Yoga Maldives is yet another edition of this brand that seems to be taking South Asia by storm (they now have camps in eastern Sri Lanka and southern Bali, not to mention plenty more across Europe and Central America).
I, for one, am glad they are because we simply love the look of thier authentic, down-to-earth camp offering.
Forget massive hotels that look like dry-docked cruise ships. Here, you’ll stay in a charming Maldivian house with tropical vegetation climbing through the yard, colorful walls, sandy gardens, and clean-look double and twin rooms.
The surf offering is pretty darn fine; some of the finest of the Central Atolls is right on the doorstep. You can walk to Pitstops’ lovely long rights or hitch a boat to Playgrounds or Mushrooms, which are both epic, one right, one left, and sit at opposite sides of the straight from where you’ll be based.
The main surf package includes a speedboat surfari every single day, which adds up to about 2-3 hours in the water total each session. That, plus return speedboat transfers from the airport in Male, which makes things super convenient.
Check prices and availability at Surf & Yoga Maldives
Adaaran Select Huduran Fushi
Private access to Lohis
Last but most certainly not least, we thought we’d give you something a bit left of field. If cash isn’t an option and you really want to secure yourself a place in a (relatively) empty lineup on one of the Maldives’s best breaks, choose the Adaaran Select Huduran Fushi.
This is a classic lux resort; one of the ones that had a license long before the Maldivian government thought to let the locals open their own B&Bs. We’re talking overwater bungalows that have decks where you can leap off straight into the coral reefs. That sorta thing. AKA – the quality of the stay will not be in doubt!
The reason we mention the place is because it now has a monopoly over super-quality Lohis break, a hollowish reef that peels wonderfully off one side of the island.
You’ll need to add $500/day for a surf pass for the spot, but that really manages the crowds. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to a wave pool experience in the open ocean.
Check prices and availability at Adaaran Select Huduran Fushi
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
