Lampung Surfing

The offshore islands of Nias and the Mentawais have been under the surf media spotlight for years, while Sumatra's mainland has remained off the radar of most travelling surfers. Despite an ideal orientation to Indian Ocean swell hitting the contoured coastline of the fifth biggest island in the world, Sumatra remains a quiet surfing backwater off the beaten Indonesian track. Sumatra has a reputation for being wild, riddled with malaria and the west coast of Lampung lies uncomfortably close to Krakatau, responsible for the most violent volcanic eruption ever recorded (1883) accompanied by 120ft (40m) high waves. Today the area remains scarcely populated and is rarely visited by tourists, despite the Bali bombing highlighting the fact that remote areas may be safer than tourist hotspots. The fishing town of Krui, is the centre of the region's coastal districts, being the first village accessed from the interior road network and providing the most services for locals and travellers alike.