Kandooma, Holmes
J'Bay style master Sean Holmes shifts his act from the frigid barrels of Supertubes to the warm, glass bottom pits at Kandooma. Kandooma, for those who aren't aware, is in the central atolls of the Maldives. Holmes was travelling with his family courtesy of The Perfect Wave travel company.
For more info click: http://swllnt.com/2eD5HmY
Comments
Requires an acute SE swell to work properly, and looks like this once a year......How about Perfect Wave posts pics from this spot weekly for an entire season, so we get the real picture rather than the marketing Hype?
I must be one of the luckiest people on earth as I have been to Kandooma twice and had it like this both times. Both visits were at the start of the season in May and lasted for two to three days before the swell dropped back down to head high.
And I could throw a tennis ball from the balcony of my room into the barrel with only three or four guys out at any one time.
Not a place for the big wave chargers that seem to love boasting on this site but for your average Joe, this is paradise.
'Not a place for the big wave chargers that seem to love boasting on this site'- ha ha ha!
Meow!
Quick question to anybody-
If travelling to the Maldives around October/early November, where would you recommend to stay with the wife to keep both of us happy? Shortlist- Kandooma, Cinnamon Dhonveli (Pasta Point) or Hudhuranfushi (Lohis)? Budget not really an issue but best chance of waves, decent winds and keeping the wife fed and watered?
Thanks in advance.
Richard_kotch insta.
Cheers Udo.
Lohis probably represents the best value for money but I'm wondering how the prevailing conditions are so late in the season and where the likelihood of scoring the best waves are? Admittedly i'm not familiar with the geography of the Atolls but wondering about people who have been there at that time and have they scored?
Calling Donweather, calling Donweather...
Zen. Get Ben or Craig to flick you my email address. Happy to discuss offline about the Maldives.
Hey Zen,went to Lohis 10 years ago at the end of october scored a few waves but was really at the end of the season and winds and swell real fickle.Diving near the end of the wharf with the black tip whalers was awesome and so many big parrot fish in stunning colours so you and your wife would like that.Great spot but probably more consistent previous months imo.
Cheers Simba.
I'm choosing the holiday destination next year and as my time is covered in winter, I can only really go around then. Maldives seems to tick all the boxes as a couples destination (or maybe Fiji).
Spent three weeks at Maldives with 7 days on Kandooma with the wife. Kandooma is a nice easy wave or you can jump on a boat (extra $$) to get to Tucky Joes or other breaks. Generally less crowded than the other breaks up north, but also more fickle with winds and swell. Be prepared for down time (doing nothing), as SImba mentioned you are stuck on the island and they charge you for everything. Saying that, the wife loved it (stayed in overwater bungalows).
Up north (Lohis, Pasta), the waves are more consistent and there are more options to go to by boat - Jails, Sultans etc. But it is more crowded (maybe not that time of year though). They are also closer to Male for day trips off the island.
Good luck
Awesome Rye, thank you.
Hi Zen, I've stayed at Lohis 3 times but the last time was 7 years ago. Been in Sept and Oct and had my wife with me last 2 times. As others have said the waves were a bit fickle but had some good days. But my wife actually got a bit bored at Lohis resort and I can't get her interested in going back. They may have done up the place since but you're still pretty stuck on one island unless you go to Male for a visit. I quite like the look of Kandooma though and may swing her over there next year
Cheers PM.
As long as she has her books, decent food and a good coffee, she's sorted. If I can get clean waves over chest height, I'm sorted.
PS If the waves anything like those in the pics above, I'd never leave.
Is this a ad?
The Perfect Wave are one of our advertisers and they sent over this content.
Would be interesting to see how consistent this wave is.
Had a look at a forecast for the next 10 days don't know if its reliable but 1-2ft.
Same forecaster has Cokes at 2-3ft for the next few days dropping to 1-2 for a day then back to 2-3ft all the Male atoll breaks are similar to cokes.
Over 8 days Macaronis varies from 3-4 up to 4-6 never dropping below 4 ft until the last day at 2-3 and Cloudbreak is similar to Maccas bit bigger on a few days.
I know where I would be going.
If you're using MSW to look at the Maldives Northern Atoll forecast take their wave heights with a grain of salt.
The pictures look nice though.
Dont they all work in the southeast tradewinds anyway? Looking at a map Kandooma doesn't look all that protected from them. Couldn't imagine itd get much of the SW swells that hit Indo but its my understanding the east facing maldives doesn't get much of that anyway.
Kandooma is a little more fickle than say Cokes or Pasta but arguably a much better wave when on. It is far less crowded because The Perfect Wave limit surfing numbers there. There are 6 other breaks nearby for variety, the food and accom is slicker and more partner and kid friendly for fam holidays for sure. Similar price to say Lohis or Pasta but more upmarket so in that sense better value. Cokes Surf Camp is a cheaper option right out front of Cokes with Chickens across the way. I've stayed at both and scored both times. I've also stayed at Pasta and had fun waves. Pasta very consistent, but slightly repetitive and boring as a wave after a few days. Kandooma much better wave, but as I said slightly more prone to swell draughts at times. July through Sept, even early Oct reasonably consistent.
There's a decent sized island sitting fairly acutely (sse) of the island that Kandooma is on. It casts a swell shadow for any swells that have a high degree of south in them, and any west in them. Has to be a pretty decent groundswell to refract otherwise.
Most storms track west-east and sit a fair way south of the Maldives and therefore most swells have at least a bit of west in them and a lot of south in them. This doesn't favour Kandooma because of the nearby swell shadow. Plenty of swells will cruise right by Kandooma and still hit the northern areas quite well.
If there's a slow-moving cell sitting to the south, or a retrograding (rare) storm coming back from the east - it's game on. And it's a beautiful wave. If not, it's bigger and more consistent nearly everywhere else.