There are less than a handful of charter boats operating in the Banyaks and only one land-camp so the chances of scoring some world class waves to yourself is very high.

I have to admit that on the first couple of days of this trip we did not see any great waves. Sure we surfed, we surfed waves that were, for the most part, better than anything you would get on an average day on Australian beachbreaks. However, the swell was small and the winds a little too strong to offer up any Indonesian Perfection.

Then everything changed. A shift in both wind and swell direction had our surf guide calling everyone back to the boat, the crew weighing anchor and the beginning of a two hour steam to a break known as Treasure Island.

It took a few waves for me to figure out how to surf 'Treasures' but, once I had it dialed in, the wave became like a best friend and rocketed itself into one of my top ten favourite waves in the world. It's a righthand reef break that is more like a reef bottomed point. With three barrel sections and super fast walls, it is truly amazing. We surfed Treasures for most of the week under varying conditions and some memorable sessions where all the elements aligned and you would find yourself making all three barrels down the line then kicking out clean before the wave horseshoed around the reef and imploded on itself. Rumour has it that, before the earthquake, the end section was actually makeable... such is life.

We spent about a week surfing Treasure Island. Every day it offered up waves that literally blew your mind. Everyone on the boat got barreled and the chef caught what was probably the wave of the week. Growing up surfing Nias probably had something to do with that!

The boat we were on was called 'The Dream' and was the brainchild of two friends from France. They had a dream to buy a yacht and sail around the world to look for surf and adventure. They saved their Euro's, bought the boat and completed the refit. Only months before they were due to leave, a third friend came to them and threw a massive curve-ball into their plans. He suggested that instead of sailing around the world he invest with the two of them and they purchase another boat in Indonesia, refit it for surf charters and run 'The Dream' as a business. Convinced it was a good idea, Pierre and Nico went to work with the third partner being a financial investor only. They sourced an old fishing boat and spent 15 months rebuilding it from the bones up. They did a great job and the spacious, comfortable design is testament to their hard work. They christened the boat 'The Dream' and welcomed aboard their first guests.

The boat is operating its first season and the guys are having the time of their lives. The waves in this part of Indonesia are amazing, the crowds that plague other areas are not an issue here and life seems pretty mellow. So sure, it might take a while to get to the Banyaks, but the travel is well worth the effort and I guarantee you will not be disappointed if you make the journey. I'm going back for sure!...

Words and photos by Joel Coleman of Saltmotion and The Perfect Wave. To enquire about a trip to the uncrowded perfection in The Banyaks click here.