Surfing Low & Shoulder Season at Macaronis
Indonesia is blessed with some of the best waves in the world. Surfers usually flock here during the “peak surfing season” from April to October in pursuit of world-class waves, warm tropical waters, in an exotic destination.
The Southern Mentawai’s Best Kept Secret
In fact, it can be so uncrowded, that our guests usually have the entire Southern Mentawai chain of breaks all to themselves, from mid-late November through until early January, while most charter boats do their dry docking in December and close down for Christmas and New Years holidays.
The secret is to travel when others are less likely to because there are perfect waves all year round. During December we’ve seldom seen a charter boat, especially over Christmas and New Year, and if we get a few surfers booked, then we’re able to visit the surrounding breaks a bit more often which are also empty!
Low season regularly delivers the type of conditions the majority of surfers only dream of; empty, head-high, glassy, perfect waves. Yet, unfortunately, many surfers often overlook visiting in these months, which makes the rewards even greater for those who do with very few surfers in the lineup.
The Southern Mentawais is wide open to long-period South swells which are common in these months. Low-pressure systems pass by the Indian Ocean at a lower longitude, causing SW groundswells to hit Western Australia and refract in a North direction aimed at Bali, Java, and South Mentawai.
Our returning guests that visit during these months rarely go back to visiting during the peak season because they claim to catch 15 waves for every 1 wave they would usually catch in the peak season, and who doesn’t love more waves?
What to expect if you visit during December – February?
The video clip above shows Guy Morgan getting seriously shacked at Greenbush just 2 days before Christmas! This was an exceptional festive season when we enjoyed 3 back-to-back South swells lasting two weeks with 3 – 6 feet surf every day and less than 10 surfers staying with us!
More powerful surf is common in winter months, but if you’d like to visit knowing you’ll probably be surfing rippable fun waves in the 3-4 feet range, but with a chance to surf larger empty sessions like this (also see the November clip below), then November and December are ideal times to visit! January and February typically get a little busier, but only with guests staying at the resort taking part in our annual intermediate surf coaching clinics.
Consistent Waves & Uncrowded Lineups
The secret to scoring perfect uncrowded waves is about when and where you visit. From December – February, South swells are common which is the optimal direction for world-class spots such as Macaronis, Greenbush, and other nearby breaks. In addition, during these months, most charter boats are doing their annual dry docking maintenance and taking Christmas holidays, which means empty lineups and more perfect waves just for you!
Macaronis Resort sits at the southernmost end of the island chain. This optimal location means our nearby breaks catch all the approaching south swells which are common during these months, providing you with consistent perfect waves.
More Waves
Fewer surfers in the lineup means more waves for you! Our returning guests claim that they catch 15 waves for every 1 wave they would usually catch during the peak season.
When surfing perfect waves, trust us, you’ll always want more!
The Wind & Weather
A significant misconception and concern for some visitors is the wind during these months and that it is the wet season, which it is not.
While it’s true that between November and March we sometimes get more tropical storm activity, as we are outside of the typical monsoonal wind flow between Southeast Asia and Australia, this means it can often be glassy all day long with no wind.
When we do get a tropical storm, usually the wind will be from the North or Northwest, and the good news is that is offshore wind for Greenbush and is mostly side shore at Macaronis blowing into the barrel, which can fluctuate N-NE and go offshore at times as well.
During these months, you can expect primarily north winds or no wind at all.
