Last minute surf trip, where would you go?

Probably best to focus this around Australia seeing as that's where 98% of our audience is based. Unfortunately $500 ain't gonna get you far internationally though, maybe New Zealand or Fiji if you get a cheap flight.

I've always wanted to surf the Raglan area of NZ on a big swell. Years ago when the Pasha Bulka (??) beached itself a mate (Greens Senator PWW for you AusPol groupies) was over there for a family holiday. Scored the most beautiful looking waves for a week. Another bloke was there said he probably surfed further distance wise in 5 days than he usually would in a decade. I've never been a quick surf trip kind of guy, but if all the variables lined up I'd want to head there for sure.

dandandan wrote:

I've always wanted to surf the Raglan area of NZ on a big swell. Years ago when the Pasha Bulka (??) beached itself a mate (Greens Senator PWW for you AusPol groupies) was over there for a family holiday. Scored the most beautiful looking waves for a week. Another bloke was there said he probably surfed further distance wise in 5 days than he usually would in a decade. I've never been a quick surf trip kind of guy, but if all the variables lined up I'd want to head there for sure.

That place is so under ated DAnxdanxDaN.
all u ned is a good kar mete;)

Surfed Raglan 2 years ago, not planned so much, just happened to be on - so good! Only ~3 hours to the other coast too.

In response to the blog question - Some of the lesser visited pacific islands sound good to me.

Bells Beach.

If $500 would take me back to a less crowded Bells beach, I'm with you FR! I'd love to surf Bells on a building swell. Start at 4 foot, then 6, then 8 until I decide it's too much for me and I run away.

500 would get me a flight from Ballina to Melbourne, a rent-a , short drive to Bells and out there. A feed at the Jan Juc pub later and a couple beers.

Do you need to fly?

$500 would be heaps of fuel and enough for food and accomm. at a camp ground/caravan park. Load up the swag and surf down the north coast of NSW if leaving from Brissie, south coast if leaving from Sydney or the other coasts if leaving from Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth. $500 could get you pretty far.

Road tripping is always fun.

Return flight to NZ $380, hire car for 4 days $120, steal food, water, petrol as you go.

Keep your $500. Get a mate, tie the boards on, get petrol. Throw the sleeping bag in.
Head north or south to a break that's at least 5 kms away from the nearest town.
Ahhhh...but only when the swell and wind is right.

SurferFuk wrote:

dandandan wrote:

I've always wanted to surf the Raglan area of NZ on a big swell. Years ago when the Pasha Bulka (??) beached itself a mate (Greens Senator PWW for you AusPol groupies) was over there for a family holiday. Scored the most beautiful looking waves for a week. Another bloke was there said he probably surfed further distance wise in 5 days than he usually would in a decade. I've never been a quick surf trip kind of guy, but if all the variables lined up I'd want to head there for sure.

Ka mate?
or
Car mate?
That place is so under ated DAnxdanxDaN.
all u ned is a good kar mete;)

Bali/ Nusa Tengarrah

Not too big ....but a nice bit of South in the Swell.

Worst comes to worst you can kick back with a Bintang ...or three.

After my last trip you cant go past Oahu North shore just smoking, mellow, warm, sunny, uncrowded.
Going to be very hard to go back to that overcrowded cesspool known as Bali.

You don't get much Hawaii for $500 though.

Mate of mine just got back from Oahu, said it was really uncrowded. I guess they've had so much surf this winter, a lot of good days would seem pretty weak.

Blowin wrote:

You don't get much Hawaii for $500 though.

Picked up return flights to Oahu for $460 just a few weeks ago (travelling in March). Can sometimes cost me about that much to get to Adelaide and back.

Which airline Benny ?

Jetstar. Had to pay a little more for extras (baggage etc) but it's a bloody good price for a non-stop flight. 

If we're talking flights and geography I'd take a cheap ANA flight to Naha in Okinawa after a typhoon has gone through, hire a car and stay in a Minshuku so dinner and brekky are covered. Bath warm crystal clear water and pretty decent waves by all accounts. You could get 4-5 days for your $500 I reckon and be a world away from anywhere.

thermalben wrote:

Jetstar. Had to pay a little more for extras (baggage etc) but it's a bloody good price for a non-stop flight. 

Be interested on how it goes, Hawaiin airlines had some Brisbane - Honolulu return @ $720 -$780 all inclusive recently.

Peru. $500 might not cover it though.

thermalben wrote:

Jetstar. Had to pay a little more for extras (baggage etc) but it's a bloody good price for a non-stop flight. 

Take carry on save on luggage costs and buy board and push bike massive selection of both. 2 dollar bus to nth shore boom!

I would have but the Aussie dollar ain't so good to be buying boards in US dollars right now. Excess baggage was only $40 each way for the boards anyway. 

Hey Ben watch out for Jetstar with the boards they told me there was a 6'6" limit on board bags. Mine was 6'8" but only had a 6'6" inside so they let it go. I suggested that it wan't in the terms and conditions , they said it was, so maybe check with them beforehand if you have anything over that size.

Thanks BB. I assume it'a Dreamliner (same that they fly to Bali) and I've been OK in the past. Won't have anything bigger than a 6'6 anyway so should be OK. 

Enjoy!

Just saw an $84 one way ticket to Bali with Jetstar.

Subtracting the taxi fare, that still leaves well over $400 to spend on large bintangs at sky garden and drinking at the pool at the bounty for a week.

Plus soft top hire for a go out at onshore halfway Kuta.

What more could you want ?

Fuck Jetstar.