The Surf Travel Company :: Surfer Reviews

SURFER REVIEWS

DIVER REVIEWS

Below is just a small sample of the great feedback we've received off our customers over the years.

Ben, Thanks again for organising our stay at Coconuts. I’d like recommend the service provided by Neil Lumsden of Manoa Tours. Neil’s a local who knows the conditions very well and surfs the breaks better than anyone – He’s the bloke you want to take you surfing! We avoided any crowds, Neil gave me a local’s insight on how to best surf the breaks and he wasn’t hard to spend time with. My trip was that much better for having him as a guide, booking Neil will be a no brainer for my next trip.

Jordan & Mel - Coconuts, Samoa

Just a quick note to say thank you for organising our trip to the Maldives, Had the best time, the guys from Sydney were really great blokes and heaps of fun. We got good waves, hot weather, great food and crew on the boat were so good. Im saving for the next trip already!

Sunset Queen, Maldives - Marcus

Hi Ben, Samoa was "totally awesome" (quote my 11 year old!). We all loved Coconuts - fale, food, people, coastline, surf etc beautiful!! Neil was an absolute legend and Anthony got great waves and loved having Neil as a guide rather then just dumping a boat load of surfers onto the closest wave. We all got on famously with Neil and would return in a flash. In Anthony's view Neil is the best surf guide he has met in 27 years of surfing in numerous countries including indo/ fiji/ caribbean. We highly recommend Coconuts to anyone and were impressed with how easy the trip was (thanks Ben!) with great transfers, meal plan etc We did a fantastic trip around Upolo and fed the turtles, swam in cave pools, slid down the sliding rocks, swan under waterfalls and snorkelled at white sands beach - all brilliant! Regards Vicki

Coconuts Resort, Samoa - Baum family

Dear Hutch, all had a great time on Arimbi, the crew really helpful and Nicko and Daz were great host they made sure no time was lost in making sure that we got the best possible waves along the way I guess you know by now where we surfed etc, the being was truly radical with a storm that was a little freaky. I must SAY Doni the cook done a great job with the food the boy’s were blow’n away. We are keen to book in advance for next year under my name. I will find the numbers to fill the charter, it will be more of a Byrne surfboard team x-pros and close ties. Thank again for such a good deal and a great trip mate.

Arimbi Surf Charters, Mentawai Islands - Chris Byrne

Hi Ben, just letting you know we got back from Bali yesterday after a truly awesome time over there, so thanks so much for helping set it up.......Pretty average having to come back! Cheers, Jeremy

Jeremy Broad, Bali

Hi Kim. Once again, sincere thanks to you and the STC team for delivering the goods! All of us were blown away by the experience and we are a well travelled bunch of rat bags so I don't say that lightly. I would like to think we can do something like that again while we are still young enough/fit enough to surf waves like that.......... Best Wishes, Marty Stewart

Arimbi Surf Charters, Mentawai Islands - Marty Stewart

Hi Kim, Just wanted to say thanks and give you some feedback from our amazing trip. Wow! The best trip ive ever done hands down and I know im speaking from all the boys. Couldn’t have had a better guy on the boat than Ollie looking after all of us, Bloody legend and super nice guy. Ollies a credit to surf travel comp and definitely made it the trip that it was. Not to mention Manto the skipper, Bubba the cook. The food was sensational not just at the start but throughout the whole trip. Not leaving out Sebi nice guy all round deck hand. Absolute A – Team. Just Dreaming became a reality for ten of the best days ever. We scored amazing waves everyday and we surfed every break in the bay. Unforgettable memories with all my best mates. Thanks again cant wait for the next one. Kolby

Just Dreaming Surf Charter - Panitian Island

Hi Kim, Well we are all back on solid ground after an incredible trip aboard the Arimbi.......... in the main everything was absolutely fantastic, and I would like to thank you for all your hard work in organising the boat, the crew and we eight old fools. I will be recommending Surf Travel Company and yourself in particular to all my surfing friends, and I hope that I can follow through with my plans to take on another surf trip with STC shortly. Thanks again & Cheers Nick Bruechle

Arimbi Surf Charters Mentawai Islands - Nick Bruechle

Hi Kim, here's some of my favorite snaps from the Mentawais trip aboard Arimbi. Darren Rogers was an excellent guide - he really looked after us on and off the boat. He found quality 4-6ft waves for older intermediate surfers like me as well as challenging 2-3m barrelling waves for the fitter blokes like Marty and our other Jan Juc mates. Thanks again for everything - it was a truly memorable experience. Regards, Phil PS. Absolutely magic trip!!

Arimbi Surf Charters, Mentawai Islands - Phil Skeggs

Hey Ben, As you predicted, the trip was fantastic……. On every front. We got classic to average waves…..classic to shithouse weather….Classic to excellent!!!! Food. We managed to surf everyday and the crew were brilliant. Every one of them went well beyond the level that would have been acceptable. All in all a great trip. Thanks for arranging it all. I have attached a couple of pics Greg

Greg, Sunset Queen - Maldives

Just wanted to say a quick thank you for your part in organising our recent trip to Panaitan on ‘Just Dreaming’. The trip went really well – great waves (although well beyond my ability !), great weather, no crowds and a great boat. With regards the boat, the food was excellent, the crew were attentive and knew the island intimately. We were always at the right break given the prevailing swell direction, size and tide. I feel a majority of the guys will be keen to go back, as it felt like we were just getting the hang of the place when it was time to leave – feels likes there’s a bit of unfinished business...

Garrick, Panaitan Island, Indo

Hi Kim, That was a sick trip. The older guys on the boat reckon it didn’t get perfect, but it was the best waves I have surfed for a long time. The sunset queen was the best boat, the crew were great and took us surfing whenever and wherever we asked. There was so much food it was ridiculous. Regards, Dave

Dave O'Connor, Sunset Queen - Maldives

Thanks Kim, Highly recommend Partama surf trip. 5 dads,7 grommies all had a great time . Crew looked after us really well & Parda the skipper knows where to find good waves. Food was great and plenty of it. will go again. Steve

Steve Goold, Partama - Bali

Hi Ben, Just wanted to let you know that our week on the Sunset Queen was sensational. The 11 of us have been gushing with superlatives about the boat, the crew, the skipper (Musa), the food, the service and (importantly) the waves. We were very fortunate in having excellent waves for 6 of the 7 days of the trip – and Musa can take much of the credit for this. His knowledge of the breaks, the tides, the wind etc is extensive. All of the crew were very helpful and they went out of their way to make the trip an easy, comfortable and enjoyable experience. Musa made good use of my camera and took many (over 1000) shots of all of us catching some great waves. We were all very impressed and grateful for the crew enabling us to stay on the boat until evening on the last day. Musa gave us a bit of a guided tour of Male in the afternoon and the crew provided us with a lunch and dinner. All over and above the call of duty! It was a great and memorable trip. Thanks for your assistance in putting it all together and thanks to STC for providing such a great ‘product’. Philip Macken

Sunset Queen - Maldives Apr '10

Hey Kim Firstly thank you sooooo very much for making this our favorite holiday yet!

Darrilyn de San Miguel, Thailand Apr '10

Thanks for your help in arranging one of the best surf trips I have ever had – attached a few photos – amazing waves there but my pick was Jailbreaks, unbelievable right hander straight down the line. I have to go again !!!!!

Chris Tully, Maldives Apr '10

Hi Ben, attached is a selection of pics from Pipe, Frigates and Shifties. Several of my boys, a few others and a few sequences of the mysterious Spiderman! Hope these get you panting... The resort was exactly what I was looking for. Something that provided plenty of good quality, uncrowded surf whilst catering for the "surf widow" to ensure she never got bored! A great family atmosphere was created by the small number of guests who all dined together after a days surfing and everyone got on fantastically. The surf was a great blend of manageable through to challenging and my 12 and 15 year old boys had the trip of their lives! Brian and Donna have created a fantastic experience and it really was just like staying at a friends place with a bunch of mates and their families. Without doubt the best surf trip I have ever had and I will definitely be returning, hopefully next year! Simon Boylan

Simon Boylan - Matanivusi Resort Fiji

Gday Kim, had a fabulous time on our honeymoon, thanks so much for organizing everything for us! The weather and surf were awesome and it was so relaxing. Horrible to come back to reality though... haha. Thanks again! We have attached a few photos for you. Greg and Rose Beattie

Greg & Rose - Honeymoon @ Hudhuran Fushi. Mar '10.

Hi Kim, I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the extra special effort you made putting together our fantastic holiday to PNG. I went for the surf but there was so much more to PNG than I thought possible. To my surprise the locals were so friendly and we felt safer there than anywhere else I have traveled. Tiki Tu was an incredible experience, meeting villagers, who were appreciative of our visit, and gave us a guided tour. The surf there was just perfect for the less young, being a bit overhead and not powerful at all, much like Noosa, with great walls. I couldn't help laughing as I paddled over waves, that went unriden, as there was no one else there and I was flagging after too many waves. ... at Noosa Island Retreat, there they looked after us as though we were royalty. Food is fantastic and the surf much the same as The Tiki Tu surf only with a crowd of six. The fishing was spectacular with pelagic caught about fifty meters off shore. My two teenage boys didn't always surf the same spots as I did as they wanted more hollow waves , which they got, and they often skipped the arvo session to go fishing. There was hardly a day when we couldn't surf as there was always a shoulder to head high wave available. Diving and snorkeling was also special as well as the relaxed atmosphere. I will be going back and I will definitely book through The Surf Travel Company.

Chris Welsh & Family - PNG Jan '10

Thanks so much Kim. You are doing such a fantastic job there... it is so refreshing to talk to someone who knows what she is doing....ta.

Margaret Reed, Lombok

Hi Ben, We returned form our Bali/Gland trip yeasterday and just thought I'd pass on a bit of feedback. The trip went really well, no-one got hurt or sick and we only broke one board between us. We all lost a bit of skin but that is to be expected. The surf was good without being all-time. The winds were a bit cross-onshore at times and the swell not lining up that well, but we had a few great days of 4-6' and all scored heaps of great waves. A few of the regulars at G-land were saying it wasn't up to it's usual standard and that the season was finishing early. Have you had similar feedback from other trips? Bobby's Camp was great. The staff were super helpful and friendly, the food was great and the 'standard' accommodation fine for a bunch of old guys like us. We all agreed that if and when we return to G-land we would definitely stay at Bobby's again. The accommodation and breakfasts in Bali at the Inna Kuta were fantastic. A few of us are thinking we might take our wives to Bali next year so if you can get us a good deal there again we'd definitely go back. The position is great being able to walk down to the boats to go out to Kuta Reef, Middles and Airports. Garuda Airlines have also lifted their game and we were really happy with the service and standard of equipment. The only hiccup of the trip was when Greg and I didn't get picked up at the airport on arrival. We located the guys from ER tours but they had no record of us. We organised transport ourselves then made a few calls from the hotel. ER tours agreed to pick the four of us up on the 28/9 to take us to the airport in lieu of the 15/9 so we were ok with that. We also had a bit of a hassle at the Bali airport when checking in to come home. The guy told us we were allowed 35kg each, made up of 15kg sporting equipment and up to 20kg in a separate suitcase. He tried to make us go and buy another bag to put all of our clothes, wetties etc. We had all of our gear in our triple board bags and we weren't about to unpack it all just to put it in a separate bag, so we asked to speak to the supervisor and luckily he let our gear go through. Have you heard of this happening before? Other than this everything ran very smoothly. Thanks again for a great job organising our trip Ben. We will definitely be using and recommending Surf Travel Company again. Cheers, Graham

Westcoast Surf School

G'day Hutch, Thanks for looking after Reg and the rest of us guys on the recent surf trip. We got some great waves (especially in the first week) and had a ball out there. It was good vibes all round on the boat. And look, I don't know if you have a hand in the employment of the crew, but if you do, don't ever let Robin and Alex go. Those two fellas were great, and Robin in particular made the onboard experience so much fun. Do you have the dates for Arimbi next season sorted yet? Cheers, Stuart Nettle Editor-Swellnet Pty Ltd

Arimbi Surf Charters - Mentawai Islands '09

Hi Kim, Just wanted say a huge thank you for all your hard work in making our surf trip to Bali run smoothly and be an absolute unreal experience! Accommodation was perfect and transfers were punctual! As this was yet another surf trip to Bali working with you - as with the past few years - you didn't disappoint! You nailed it!! Spyro, Mary, Andrew, James, Nick and George also extend their thanks for an unreal holiday. I will surely be working with you in the future and singing your praises to any mates thinking about taking a surf trip :) Thanks again Kim!

Various Bali Resorts

Hi Kim, Bali was unreal, great waves, great people and great atmosphere. Me and Adam had a ball of a time both in Kuta for the Drinking and going out & at the Padang Padang Surf Camp for the Surfing. The only negative I could tell you was the size of the crowds at Uluwatu but I guess it was just the timing of the trip. Overall I would definitely hit Bali up again, and would certainly use you guys again to book it all, for my first time in bali it was great that everything was organised and in place, giving me the chance to unwind as soon as I got there not having to worry about transfers or accommodation. Thanks for everything Kim. Sam.

Sam, Bali '09

Just a quick note to say thanks for all of your organising for our recent trip on the Arimbi. We had a great time and lucked out scoring one of the swells of the season. The boat was really good and all transfers etc were perfect. A special note also to the crew on the Arimbi. Each of the crew were fantastic in particular the tireless tender driver Robin who was brilliant and the food from the new chef Doni was amazing! The captain was always helpful too and made sure we left bright and early to get there for the dawny.

Arimbi Surf Charter, Ben Guthridge 2009

Hi Kim – hope your holiday in Indo was great – we absolutely loved Heaven on the Planet – good surf , great company [ young uns had a great crew ] and spectacular spot .Much appreciate all your help !! Michael Salmon.

Heaven on the Planet - June '09

Hi Ben, it was absolutely fantastic. For me the size of the surf and quality was excellent. The crew who looked after us were truly amazing and totally customer orientated. Their Indo staff was also first class in dealing with our group and making us feel so welcome. Accommodation, people, food, waves; the total experience was all good. And lastly but by no means least thank you Ben for all your organizing. You kept us informed of the detail right up to when we left and I could always reach you if I had a question. Summation; A huge tick for an adventure I had on my “Bucket List” for a long time. Jim Tuite

Telo Island Lodge, April 2009

Hi Ben: As soon as we arrived on Ghaafu the crew met us with the Dhoni and we instantly made our way onto the Sunset Queen. I want to tell you that this is the best boat to be on in all of the Maldives (this is not the first time yachting though these atolls, so we have some experience). Although we did see a couple of the other surf charter boats on our trip, none compared with “The Queen”. We surfed Castaways and Tiger Stripes at head-to-2 feet over for three days in glassy conditions before picking up Drew at the airport on Wednesday. To leave the surf that day was fine because that was the only day that there was little surf. The Capt. timed it so we got to see Drew’s plane land and within minutes we were off to the surf zones. For 3 more days we surfed at “5 Islands”: alone, we surfed all 3 sections connecting the outside through the wedge and then into the barreling inside. The size and condition changed every session; from head high to well over double overhead, oil-slick glass to off-shore, raining hard to sunny and calm. Then we hit “Blue Bowls” and found the perfect right, great wave. To be brief, after that we surfed “YingYangs” in scary big surf; broke a couple of boards and leashes and got tubed all day. Then it was up to the middle atolls and more great surf at “Riptides” and finally at “Chickens” and “Cokes” where we surfed all day with overhead screaming fast barrels going right and left ~ surfed out! The thing you should know is that my instincts to have an all Maldivian crew hit the nail on the head because the crew was the best I have experienced on any of my countless boat surf charters. I can’t begin to tell you how great they all were; fresh towels, AC, drinks, food, willingness to move to new surf spots ALL THE TIME! Thanks for the set up, Con. 17 days on the boat, 11 friends and an all Maldivian crew, 7 atolls, 300 miles!, big, perfect rights and lefts, fishing, diving, the sky, the water, the reef...

Sunset Queen, Cental - North Male Atolls '09 adventure!

Hi Kim , thanks for all your Thanks for all your help, everything went smoothly. Samoa is such a beutiful place - paradise. We had an awesome time. Thanks Again. Dave & Nicole

Sinalei Resort, Samoa '09

Thanks again Kim for your persistence in fine tuning our holiday. If the trip is anywhere near as good as your efforts it will surpass my expectations!!

Welsh Family - PNG '09

Thanks for all your help Ben; you have made the whole process much easier. We will definitely be recommending you guys to our friends that are looking into trips.

Luke McKelvey - Tengirri '09 Mentawai Trip

...yeh what a great trip, 100 per cent satisfied. Scored sick waves, great skipper and crew and an awesome boat, just stoked!

Mark Brindley - MV Addiction - March '09

Trip was great. A good buch of people,some good waves and a great boat.

Philip Ambrose - MV Addiction '09 Phuket to Padang Adventure

Hi Kim, I’m back from Fiji. Fantastic trip. Accomodation was great, probably the most relaxing holiday ive ever had. Totally recharged to come back to work. Mr Wise looks aftr the guests and Joseph looks after surfing , fishing , snorkeling (it was just like in Nemo, only better), spearfishing and anything else like village trips or scuba with the sharks for hand feeding etc. Yanuca is a short 35 minute boat trip from Pacific Harbour and the closest to Frigets (about 30 minutes).Bura’s are nice, food was great (with lots of fresh crays straight from reef). No generator yet, so kero lights at night , bed early so well rested.Yanuca is a marine reserve, scores of amazing fish and brilliant coral. Joseph has an underwater garden where he is growing coral to replant on the reef. Typical Fijian friendliness and I was the only one there. Surf was a bit small but my timing wasn’t the best, cant control the swell. No propbems recommending to anyone interested in wonderful Fiji experience Bula, Gordon

Gordon Sandison - Yanuca Island

All We sailed from Kavieng on the NW tip of New Ireland the most Northerley province of PNG. Latitude 2 Deg South so the sun was in the Sth. We sailed approx 40 miles west to the New Hanover area and spent 10 days cruising from small island to the next. There were 6 guests, brother Rob (Eagle), son Mark and 3 of his mates. The crew were Andrew and Jude the owners and three delightful locals. Highlights included, scenery, tropical islands, complete isolation from other white men, fantastic surf, extremely friendly locals, river and reef exploration, tropical fishing and 28Deg water. The locals are living nearly as they would have originally except for concessions to some purchased rice,steel fish hooks and line a little temp power for entertainment only and community boats. They undertake amazing sea voyages in small canoes & dories often at night with no nav. aids except the stars, wind and ears for the ever present coral reefs. There is no radio communication from villages to the outside world and we were the first visitors since the recent tidal surges in the area which inundated many huts. Ian Howard

Ian Howard - PNG Exocoetus Charter

Hi Kim Our trip was amazing, the weather was nice and warm and all the people were lovely and really friendly. There was no dramas in any of the places we stayed at and the security made you feel more relaxed and were really nice and friendly too. I would recommend going over to Bali and Lombok to anyone who was looking for a nice relaxing holiday where you can go at your own pace and really get a feel of the locals and the way they live. The locals l must say were the most welcoming people, everywhere you went they would say hi and make you feel really welcome. Thanks for all your help with our trip! Kind Regards, Michelle

Michelle Asher - Pelangi Resort Bali & Novotel Coralia Lombok

Hi Kim I finally got around to sending you an email to thank you so much for all your hard work in planning our trip to Lombok. I know we must have tested your patience with our fifty million different dates, flights, etc but you handled it all like a true professional and you were an absolute pleasure to deal with. In fact Neil and I both commented that you were the best agent we had booked with in a long time, and how you took a personal interest in our plans and ensuring everything was just right. It was truly appreciated. Lombok was a wonderful place to visit and the Novotel was just great. The Sasak Villas were beautiful and due to a contact we managed to land the two beachfront villas so were able to walk straight onto the beach every morning. Plenty of room for the four of us with Charlie (our 3 year old) on the day bed and Annabel in the cot. The staff were wonderful, very friendly and accommodating if a bit slow (but I think this was more us getting used to the relaxed pace of the island!). The boys had the best time surfing the different breaks around the hotel They managed to organise a local guide named ‘Tokyo’ (they found him through Kiman Surf Shop in Kuta) who was super friendly. He charged 50,000Rp for ½ a day (more expensive if you needed a car). The boys hired mopeds from a man named Sam who can be found right at the Porter’s Desk at the hotel (though he is not part of the Novotel). He charges only 40,000Rp per day, compared to the hotel which charges 240,000Rp. These were all good tips we picked up from a couple who had visited for three years running. The kids and I only left the resort once which sent us a little stir crazy after 10 days. There just wasn’t much around the resort or in Kuta itself and with three kids (including Jack) it was just easier to stay put. The only time we did leave was to visit one the beaches to watch the boys surf. Beautiful (the beach that is). We enjoyed mucking around in the pool and at night the kids would watch a DVD while we had a few cocktails and a light dinner either at the bar or on the day bed right outside our villa. So relaxing. I’ve attached a couple of pics for you of the resort as well as a few of us so you can put a face to the names. Thanks again, you’re a wonderful asset to the company and your profession. Sarah

Sarah & Neil Dyball - Novotel Coralia Lombok

Hugh thought I would drop you a line to say that our trip on the Sunset Queen in the Maldives was fukn AWESOME I was on the 15/9-25/9 trip with the Troy Brice group We thought we may have encountered a bit of wind but it was fairly PERFECT Great conditions and swell the whole 10 days basically Got the best barrel of my life at cokes un-bloody-real Cant express how good the trip was and the boat and the crew and the skipper BEST surf trip by far I have ever had as far as quality of conditions and waves Cannot recommend enough the boat/crew/trip/maldives Gunna have to go again sooner or later Cheers Lee Nilsson

Lee Nilsson - Sunset Queen

Hi Hugh I recommend Coconuts Resort to anyone over on Nusa Longbogan. The Dreamview Villa was exceptional. The young couple who looked after us were fantastic and organised anything we wanted no problems. Tell clients that they have to ask questions about were to eat (eg resturants etc) or they are more than happy to cook for you at anytime. Also if arriving late in evening make sure you have cash on you (rupee) and bring small amount of food. There are a small of amount of drinks in fridge on arrival but no food. Our driver was great and took us everywhere. They were all very honest. Dreamland beach was great for surfing but it is a hike down a goat track. No problems going down but a bit hard coming up especially for the unfit. The track is right behind the villa. It was also a bit dodgy for swimming. Tell clients that there is a book in house to tell you prices for taxi fares from villa to different places and some resturants. We asked our driver to recommend places and he didnt let us down. Had the best lobster at Jamboryan Bay. Its great for surfers but if you want to be swimming I recommend Nusa Longbogan or we went to a beach called Gargar Beach which was near Nusa Dua it was beautiful and quite. I look forward to emailing you soon with our next adventure to Bali. Hoping about end of August early September. When do you recommend we make our booking. There will be probably about 8 people this time. Thanks again Sherrie You guys are great.

Sherrie Lucas - Dreamview Villa Bingin

Dear Hugh Thanks for the great holiday, arrived home today. It was fantastic. The surf was real good everywhere a consistant 6ft swell, even in Legian was good for surfing the boys were in surfing heaven. Nusa Longbogan was beautiful and we could have stayed there for longer. Dreamlands was fantastic. Everywhere we stayed the people were wonderful. Transport was excellent and accommodation brilliant. Thanks again Hugh for a great holiday. We are all pretty exhausted. I'll email soon as Julie and myself are going again next year WITHOUT the kids. Fantastic.

Sherrie Lucas - Bali / Nusa Lembongan

Bula Hugh Mate, thanks for planning our awesome trip. We are already looking into booking again next year. Just trying to find out the tide predictions for next september (high tide in morning!!!) Attached are some pics, I will send some more through later on in the week. We really did not want to come back. We could quite easily live over there!!! talk to you again Linda and Mick

Linda and Mick Horosko - Matanivusi Surf Resort

Bula Hugh Its week 2 into our trip and we want to live here!!! This place is amazing, the staff that work here are so funny and very nice!!! Frigates was going off the other week!!! it was between 8-10ft I caught a trevally and hopefully catch many more you have put us onto a fantastic resort, we love it I send you some pics when we get back Vinaka Linda

Linda Horosko - Matanivusi Surf Resort

Hey Ben, Sorry taken so long.. have been busy with work.. the trip was awesome, the island was very nice and food was awesome!! Ate way too much!! Waves were really good the first day we got there but wind blew onshore for rest of time we were at Hudhuranfushi.. but there was swell and waves were still very surfable!! Then on to the sunset queen, Well this blew us all away!! Boat was insane very comfortable and so nice!! We went down south and looked for waves but not much swell by then.. but still had good time snorkeling and fishing, then swell started to build and got some nice waves next morn… wind backed right off and and surf just got better and better.. then of course I had to catch transfer back to male which the capt had organized and all went smoothly from there, after I left the waves turned on and was smoking!! Not what I wanted to hear.. but mates got some good waves at jails and sultans… so all was a very cool trip and will be going back as soon as we can save the pennies.. thanks for all your help mate and will talk to you again soon Julian..

Julian Els - Hudhuran Fushi & Sunset Queen

Hi Alison I just wanted to let you know that your travel and tour arrangements for me went perfectly - all flights, transfers & baggage 100%. Excellent work. The Sunset Queen, Guide, Skipper, & Crew were fantastic. The boat had all you could want & the crew couldn't do enough for us - plus they all had a great sense of humour. Special mention for the cook - what a legend. There were only 6 of us on the boat, so that made it particularly comfortable; and we all got on really well. Thanks again - you might expect some return business from me. Cheers Julian Eitzen

Julian Eitzen - Sunset Queen

Hey Mate, We had an amazing time, both the resort and boat were awesome... but the boat "Sunset Queen" was just the best!! everyone had a great time and we scored some sick waves!! We'll be on that boat again one day for sure!! Thanks for your help!! Cheers Evan.

Evan Crandon - Sunset Queen

Had an unreal time mate. Arimbi was great, good food, good crew. Didn't really get any epic swells ... but I still scored some of the best waves of my life. Macca's is an amazing wave. Only hit the reef a few times, nothing to worry about!

Andrew Daffy - Australian Movie Festival Prize Winner/Arimbi

Ben, Got back from the southern atolls yesterday. Trip was excellent. Not only did we have really great waves but the boat and the crew were first class. Friday swell was a mongrel. 8 foot sets ( 17 seconds with huge amounts of power). A really good trip. Plan to do one again next year. Cheers Hunter

Hunter Southwick - MV Bolero Southern Maldives

Hi to the STC team Just wanted to say thanks for organising my Mentawai trip this year. Having the STC team packaging the fights and boat charter on Arimbi made life a lot easier for my hectic life and work schedule. The Mentawai’s is one of those places that all surfers need to visit before clocking off and the Arimbi was the ideal boat for getting around following the swell and staying away from potential crowds- not that it was real busy at all. The flight from Padang to Rokot was a blast and the 45 minute trip had to be better than a 9 hour boat trip. Seeing the Arimbi fully fitted out and ready to go on our arrival was pretty encouraging. We had 9 days straight of 6 foot swell!!!!!! The bonus of sharing the trip with good mates and meeting some great surfers like Dylan Hannah and Dane Durban was unreal. Dylan got the best tube I’ve ever seen at a left called No Kanduis and Dane was charging at double overhead HT’s. The only bummer was having to return to work but have started planning the next journey. Will be in touch soon. cheers Reg

Reg Barton - Arimbi, Mentawai Islands

Hi Hugh, I just want to say thank you very much. We had the best holiday all the places were fantastic, especially Coconuts Resort on Nusa Lembongan. The waves were great on the island, and also Padang and Canggu. Thanks again for all your help organising the holiday, we will be going again next year and will defiantly be using your company again. Thanks again, it was a perfect trip.

Lisa Dalton - Indo '07

Thanks for your great service booking our holiday, this is the 6th trip booked with STC and I continually recommend it to everyone i know going O/S.

Jan & Ben Pioli - Bali - September '07

"...this was my first time in the mentawais and i have to admit there is no better place in the world that i would rather surf.. have travelled the world but now want to call this place home.. We were making a surfing and music documentary and the crew on the boat made us feel so comfortable and made shooting a real ease. Arimbi is by far one of the most comfortable boats I have ever been on, there is so much space, you always kind find a place to sit on ya own and reflect or jam or chill. Thanks to Hutch and the Surf Travel Company we were able to put on the first ever music concert in the Mentawais islands, including performances by Ash Grunwald, Glen Mead, the legendary Jim Banks, Jason Rash Ryder (stand up comedian) and myself alongside some of the islands' best musicians."

Marco Yellin - Arimbi, Mentawai Islands

Alison, id like to say how thouroughly impressed i have been with your persistence and determination to find me a place that would suit my needs. The other places didnt bother to ring back and you did it often, never lost your patience and were always very friendly and professional . This is why i am going on this trip as i had already given up. this is my 5th OS surf trip with my son and by far the best i have even been treated. regards Bill

Bill Brown - Indonesia

Bro it was seamlessly amazing. No hassles from front to back, awesome waves, great locals, mega food and great fun. All the folks at ER tours were superb, and the people at the hotel were great, too. I surfed Balian a few days when it was flat, I just got one of the boys to drive me around the corner. So unreal. Only thing was that the vegetarian meal never made it to the flights. Thanks a million for a great week, your superb work made it go hassle-free and made it very memorable. I'm already planning my next trip there, and I'll be sure to be calling you about it! Thanks for delivering precisely what I asked for on the phone. A week chilling in the jungle with my book and some lefts, in peace and solitude. Thanks for the stoke. xx aa

Andrew G (Australian Idol)- Bali Jun '07

Ellie’s is perfectly situated for surfers (depending on the wind, swell, direction, size and tide).Our first day spent on Kuta Reef was really fun. From Ellie’s it takes about the same amount of time as from Kuta Beach, but less traffic. Then the swell dropped and we surfed Nusa Dua (10 minutes from Ellie’s or 40 minutes from Kuta). We surfed Nusa Dua for 5 days, usually alone for the first half hour because most surfers were coming from Kuta. Nusa Dua is a heavy wave with a bit of current. The swell was closing out the wave at times. So we decided to check Green Bowl which is about 25 mins from Ellie’s but at least 45 mins from Kuta. There were a few guys out there but not too many waves, so we spent our last 3 days surfing in Turtle Island (20 mins from both Ellie’s and Kuta). This wave is really fun though not too heavy. This is my fourth time to Bali, and Ellie’s is by far the best place that I have stayed. The staff were great. We like to surf before the winds or the crowds get too much, which usually means no breakfast, but at Ellie’s they would get up early and make us a super healthy breakfast, coffee and a sandwich-to-go. It made our 3-5 hour surf session great as we weren’t starving. Then when we got out of the water, the sandwich was just what we needed. We were made to feel like we were at a 5 star hotel. We wanted motorbikes with board racks. Ellie’s arranged for them to be delivered to us and at a good price. It was nice to be out of the craziness of Kuta. We went to Kuta once to go shopping and it was way too stressful.”

Greg Matthews & John Coolombe - 'Ellies at Nusa Dua', Bali

The captain and crew couldn't have been better - very entertaining and always at your service! It was apparent on our trip that our captain's knowledge was unmatched by any other boat operator - we lucked out with swell but we scored world class Supersuck, Scar Reef & Desert Point. The best part was due to our captain and because of him we got all these waves to ourselves!! Even on the return trip we got Shipwrecks and Lacerations before other boats arrived! Everything on this trip was perfect! Thanks Surf Travel - sign me up for the next one!!

Jory Earl - 'Partama charters', Lombok & Sumbawa

The trip was fantastic. The Blue point bay villas and its staff were incredible. It was the perfect honeymoon. The food was great, The swimming pool was to die for, the room was great and the surf was pumping!!!!! The Locals in uluwatu were great and every time we went down the cliffs to have a beer or something to eat we would sit and laugh with the local ding repair man Kojak and listen to his antics for hours, people like this make your stay so enjoyable. Paddling out through the cave was a little daunting at first but one I got into the surf it was all worth while. Monday the surf was clean and around 4 foot, Tuesday was 10 to 12 foot and absolutely smoking but way to heavy and big for me, Wednesday was great a good 6 foot and glassy, it was a great day for surfing, I shouldn’t have taken out my 5’ 10” fish cause of how much speed you get on the take off but all in all was a great day for surfing. Thursday and Friday was much the same as Monday with a nice 4 foot swell and glassy conditions, the crowd factor got a bit crazy with 50 to 60 guys in the water. But all in all the surf was great. The best part of our honeymoon was sitting by the sensational pool drinking bintang and relaxing with my new wife! Thank you Gemma and the surf travel company for all your help even though it was at such short notice. We will be planning a trip to Samoa next April and will be sure to book with you again.

Roz & Talbot Le Page - 'Blue Point Viila's', Uluwatu

Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that my recent trip to West Java on Just Dreaming was everything I hoped for, and more! This was my first real overseas surf trip and I can confirm it was a true adventure... We were fortunate enough to get some solid swell on this trip so we were able to surf every day, 3 -4 times a day. The first three days of the trip we had the whole area to ourselves so you are correct in advertising perfect, uncrowded conditions. First three days we surfed Pussies which is a fairly mellow left hander but a perfect wave to get your eye in. I surfed some of the best lefts of my life on this wave over the next 10 days. By Wednesday the swell had jumped and it was time for some waves that were a bit more challenging for the better surfers on the trip. Napalms was the spot on Wednesday morning and it was cranking. Again no other surfers except our crew. The swell kept building and after a few sessions at Illusions the talk was of One Palm the next morning. One Palm was on the following morning and it was absolutely smoking. The wave was a bit heavy for me but some of the other guys in the crew charged it and got some of the best waves of their lives. By now there were a few other boats that had arrived in the area but that was no real issue as the skipper had a secret spot or two to get us away to. After a two hour trip or so we arrived at a spot called Angels which was a fast and fun little wave and a really beautiful spot to stop and hang out on the beach. No other people there !!!! The skipper really looked after everyone and was able to cater to all surfing levels, nothing was to much trouble and John really knew what spots would be on. The crew was fantastic and really anxious to please us as their guests. The food on the boat was, at times, restaurant quality. Raffy the chief really knows his stuff and we were fed like kings for the majority of the trip. Overall the trip was about a 9 out of 10 and I will be recommending this trip to anyone that asks about an Indo surfing adventure!

Wayne Smith - 'Just Dreaming' Yacht charter, Panaitan Island (West Java)

Let me sum up our surf trip on the 'Partama' evey reef surfed in the area with Yo Yo's 6ft, Deserts 5ft, Scar 8ft, Inside Scar 3ft, Supersuck 4ft, Donuts 5ft, Playgrounds 2ft, Shipwrecks 4ft and Lacerations tiny. As well we got Kuta Reef 4ft, Bingan up to 7ft .. we're keen for next year and thanks to all at STC, Nyoman, Ketut, Wayan 2 and Col - Trip of a lifetime!!

Shawn Coggan - 'Partama' Charters, Lombok & Sumbawa

Boat is super comfortable – shits on most of the Mentawai boats I’ve been on. Tahiti is a paradise, air temp not too hot and water very pleasant. Saw and experienced the beast of Teahapou and surfed some super fun rights and lefts. Brett does a fantastic job with the food while Ben and Mike are very competent seamen and know their shit regarding weather and surf spots. All in all a really great experience! Travelled on the recent director/shareholder charter

Ed Armytage - 'Vigilant' Yacht charter - Tahiti

Wow what a trip! Waves were pumping, food was great and the crew went out of there way to make sure we had the best boat trip possible. The boat was awesome very comfortable heaps of space to chill. Tahiti is one of the most amazing places I have been and will be coming back for another trip in the future. To the boys on the boat good luck with everything im sure it will go off! Travelled on the recent director/shareholder charter

Matt Jorgensen - 'Vigilant' Yacht charter - Tahiti

We went on a 8 day trip to Tahiti and Moorea, surfed twice a day from 6ft heavy teahupoo to super fun hittable rights. Trip ended in beautiful Moorea with two days at a secret pumping left. Food was awesome, service and crew great. Scenery and the sorkelling would always keep you amused between sessions. Travelled on the recent director/shareholder charter

Ian Cridland - 'Vigiliant' Yacht charter - Tahiti

This was my first trip to Tahiti and my first time onboard a yacht charter! The boat was Awesome (spacious, fast, comfy) and the Crew are way cool. They have plenty of local knowledge of Tahitian breaks and wind conditions. Boat food was very good. Catch of the day fish to eat, plus more. Enjoyed having DVD and TV in own bedroom. Waves - So many waves, so many spots. Swell is most powerful I have experienced. Awesome lefts and rights. Super fast, top to bottom pits and playful pits. Plenty of “OOOOOOOH” and WOWWWWWW” moments. Water is temperature is like air temperature (Can’t tell weather I’m in or out of the water). Climate is not humid and hot and stuffy like Indo. Water is super clear, aqua blue. Color of waves is the most amazing crystal blue. Reefs are about 1km off shore. Ocean energy is very raw. Going again for sure! Travelled on the recent director/shareholder charter

Robert Geranio - 'Vigilant' Yacht charter - Tahiti

Bali was so much fun- as usual... everything was real smooth, no troubles at all, and having recently been there, all the ways of Bali seemed so easy. Had some real good waves, got an epic barrel at Ulu's and had a session at Nusa Dua with two others out and 4 foot waves breaking for ages. I think Im still sunburnt! And then there's the nightlife - met heaps of cool people and loved the Bintangs. Can't wait to get back there. Cheers Gemma and STC, Tom

Tom Bamforth - Bali

My son and I went on a 10 day trip to the Mentawais in June 2004. In one word, the experience was fantastic. The boat itself is comfortable and kept spotlessly clean. Jorge runs a very tight ship, takes no chances, everything works, and one feels completely at ease safety-wise. The atmosphere on the boat (I suppose it also depends a lot on the rest of the passengers) was very laid-back and friendly. The crew are particularly helpful, and if it depended on them, you would not need to lift a hand, apart from raising the Bintang tin and knife and fork! The food, , was awesome – fresh, plenty, and really good quality – with something for the eye, fresh fruit, fresh fish (even lobster one night) (Jorge is a very dedicated fisherman – he even went spearfishing once), very well prepared. Surfwise, I doubt whether anyone in the business is more experienced than Jorge in finding the right spot at the right time – we had great surf for 10 days non-stop. He goes to a lot of trouble to get you there – pores over the charts day & night, sails at night to get to the spot at dawn – nobody else there!!! Thanks also for the special attention, Jorge. (For the record, I am a 60 yr old geezer who does doormatting!). The rubberduck and speedboat are always at your disposal to drop you off and go to check out spots. All-in all, a wonderful experience – well worth the money. I give the Irish Mist 110%.

Louis van Huyssteen, 'Irish Mist' Mentawai Charter

The '' Irish Mist " boat charter with Jorge and crew was one of the best surf trips I have experienced. He always got us to the best waves at the right time and we never seemed to encounter to much of a crowd from the other boats which was best thing . The food was great with fresh fish caught sailing from island to island such as dolphin fish ,GT and a combination of European , Asian and Aussie tucker (awesome lamb roast). Jorge took some great water shots of the boys surfing from the rubber ducky in the channel with a nice digital camera and he tells me Daniah's photos are even better. Over all it was the trip of a life time and I would do it again in a Heart beat on the "IRISH MIST" . I don't think anything beats cruising open ocean or island to island with open sails day and night in reasonable comfort searching for waves and waves we got . Anyway job well done guys and I will hopefully see you again soon for another Mentawai surfing adventure."

David Bennell - 'Irish Mist' Mentawai Islands

Fiji was great and we hope to go back in a couple of years. On the main Island, the Sheraton is amazing with 3 resorts, golf courses and restaurants. On Mololo Lai (Home of Plantation and Musket Cove) it is less of a resort but more beautiful. People are the friendliest in the world, food is great, there are heaps of cruises and activities and the surfing was awesome. We went out to Wilkes which is about 30mins off the Island. Both days it was 4-6 foot with about a dozen guys out and heaps of good waves. I am really looking forward to going back to Fiji to surf Cloudbreak but we have so many other places to go first. Thanks, Anthony

Anthony Rosier - Plantation Island Resort, Fiji

I've just arrived back from my trip to Mentawai and Sumbawa. I was on Arimbi, with 10 surfers (Aug21- Sep01). We had a fantastic surftrip, the food was perfect, the captain put us at the right places with least crowds, the crew was perfect, we were surfing breaks with just our boat on many days. We got the biggest swell of this season - we surfed macarroni´s perfect with one boat. It was my 3th trip to Mentawais and Arimbi crew was the best experience I have had! Andrew (surfguide) did a great job. He helped a lot during difficult times on the reefs, and he was always pushing the surfers for surfing the best waves. The skipper it is really good. I hope you could keep him for next year. Thank you very much for STC - Australia!

Eduardo Rubin - 'Arimbi' Yacht charter, Mentawai Islands, Indonesia

The trip was great and went really well. I managed a surf in Bali before I had to hand the boards over so that was good, then the transfers to G-land went smoothly. (as smooth as they can on Indo roads!) We had to wait just off the break due to the tide until we could get the boat in so plenty of chance to watch some waves run down the reef. A quick change and we were out there and as the tide pushed, so did the swell. We arrived just as a quick pulse hit, the first decent waves in weeks. It peaked at about 10' on the sets and after that we were all expecting a classic few days but sadly the next day it had dropped to around the 4' mark. Still great fun but it could have stayed good for longer. It stayed that size for the whole trip even dropping a bit depending on tide. It was a fantastic spot, great people running the place, very laid back and just what I needed. The funny thing was that the swell hit 10+ at airport lefts for my last day in Bali so I was able to get a boat out and still have some waves while thinking about the guys who had stayed on and would be catching some classic surf. Airport Lefts seemed really easy after G-Land where I would normally have been hesitating on the later ones!!

Russel Salmon - 'Bobby's G'land Surf Camp, Indo

The trip was pretty awesome. Didn't get a lot of swell but I'll never forget the experience the cool group of guys onboard. The crew were on the ball, as well as being really friendly and helpful, and the food onboard was awesome! Kellie my consultant, was very helpful - it was my first trip overseas and I would have been lost without her! Overall, didn't get a lot of swell, but I had the best trip time of my life - what more can you ask for!

Brett Heckenberg, 'Partama' Yacht charter, Lombok/Sumbawa

Just letting ya know we had a blast over there. The weather was perfect the whole time and with the trade winds blowing at Ulus! We surfed ulus every day...the resort was beautiful and the staff were great. Very relaxing, get the fruit juces if ya go, they're mad. The boat was cool, not much swell but still some fun waves. Deserts broke both times we were there and got to about 5ft. Yo Yos and Shipwrecks also had some fun lil barrels. All the crew were cool and it was just laughes all round. Even though there wasn't much surf, it was cool just relaxing, fishing, snorkeling, spear fishing and stuff. Some of the crew from Sydney had been to G Land before the boat and said it was mad so im keen as around August for some rumbelling in the Jungle out there. Cheers for all ya hard work!

Brad Davies, 'Partama' yacht charter & Uluwatu Resort, Indo

Just got back from 10 days on Just Dreaming in West Java and I wish I was still there. We scored great surf at One Palm Point and Illusions. In addition to the surf, the food and crew were excellent. Johnny the Skipper was an added bonus to the trip - he tooks us to where the waves were at every day... I am already planning two return trips next year.

Patrick Reilly, 'Just Dreaming' Yacht charter, West Java

A white fibreglass banana boat picks us up at Kandavu for the 35 minute commute to Nagigia Island, driven by one of the burliest Fijian's you'll ever come across, with the ironic name of 'Mini' (short for his Fijian name, not an Australian type of nickname). At crack neck speeds and with immense skill Mini prepared all of us for what would be one of our best holidays. On arrival at Nagigia it didn't take Jackie and I long to unwind. Fijians have a great way of making you feel welcome and helping you relax, but if you are finding it a little tough try Fijis answer for alcohol - Cava! King Kong lefts which is straight in front of the Island, breaks on a reasonably deep reef. With a couple of other lads from Brisbane we went for our first bash at Kongs, it took a little time getting used to the speed and jackup even on the smaller waves but once I got the hang of surfing the break the sun was down and it was time for us to head back to the boat. On the way to the boat I was confident that I didn't have to worry about sharks because they are so well fed around there, unfortunately I met a sea snake and that had me in the boat quick smart (I was told later the snakes only have small mouths and can't bite you). For the next day or two the swell was coming from the wrong direction (East), which gave Jackie and I a great opportunity to hang out on the almost deserted beaches - they are awesome. You will not top these beaches anywhere else in the world - I guarantee it! Because the swell was coming from the East we were taken to a break called Uatotoka. It was there that we all had a bit of an eye opener with fluky 10 footers rolling in unannounced. I was caught inside often - but had a ball riding some beautiful walie rights. Later in our stay the swell changed direction and King Kong Lefts came alive and it was bliss! I was impressed with the speed behind the waves at Nagigia and the shape was awesome. One of the locals assured me on my last day that I still hadn't ridden it at its best. Nagigia definitely suits goofy footers and surfers with partners. The Island is not set up for young children and they make no apologies for that (not a bad excuse to leave the kids at home). This isn't a five star resort and that's what we loved about it. The beaches, surf and people are great ! This was one holiday that left Jackie and I feeling home sick when we got home.

Stuart & Jackie Voysey, Nagigia Island Resort, Fiji


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