Question Dive/Surf Honeymoon - Where??

[SetheryJ]

I'm hoping you all can help me with this one,

My fiancé is a surfer and I'm a diver. I want to learn to surf and she's learning to dive. We are eloping in June and hoping to go on our honeymoon in September. She did discover scuba in Cozumel, but I'm not sure if she will end up getting her open water cert before our honeymoon or not. That being said, we are trying to piece our honeymoon together and were hoping for some insight if you all would be so kind.

We are looking for a place that has great novice/intermediate surfing and great diving. We would prefer somewhere exotic, i.e. nothing Caribbean or US based. We are looking to take two weeks and want spend time in a place that takes more effort to get to. Some people have recommended Bali, Mauritius, and the Seychelles...

A bit about us: 30's, both adventurous, both experienced world travelers, she's an intermediate surfer, and I'm a CCR tec diver.

Looking for: Good consistent novice/intermediate surfing, good diving - i.e. no cruise ship dead "reef" dive sites, open to resorts or Airbnb concepts, great food/drink experiences are a plus but we are not 21 year old party animals, beaches are always great and if we can contain the screaming children to the airplanes that would be icing on the cake haha.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk and I appreciate your advice and feedback.

Seth

 

[noserider]

Bali would work well, but surf will be really crowded. Costa Rica would be great but wrong season for surf. Maldives may work, although waves could be too heavy for you, Taiwan could work well, its off the beaten track for surf and dives (although you may struggle to hire boards), Lanzarote and Fuenterventura in the canary islands could be a very good option.

I know you said not the Caribbean but from your brief Barbados would be my top choice - great beginners surf on the south coast, freights bay probably one of the best waves in the world to learn on, decent diving on the south and east coast which will keep you both interested.There are some really decent waves on the east coast including Soup Bowl, a heavy hollow reef break that Kelly Slater loves as well some more intermediate.

 

[runsongas]

Fiji would work near pacific harbour. arguably you might want to try kitesurfing or wingsurfing too.

 

[SetheryJ]

Bali would work well, but surf will be really crowded. Costa Rica would be great but wrong season for surf. Maldives may work, although waves could be too heavy for you, Taiwan could work well, its off the beaten track for surf and dives (although you may struggle to hire boards), Lanzarote and Fuenterventura in the canary islands could be a very good option.

I know you said not the Caribbean but from your brief Barbados would be my top choice - great beginners surf on the south coast, freights bay probably one of the best waves in the world to learn on, decent diving on the south and east coast which will keep you both interested.There are some really decent waves on the east coast including Soup Bowl, a heavy hollow reef break that Kelly Slater loves as well some more intermediate.

Thanks so much for the info!

When you say the surf will be crowded, I'm assuming you mean with everyone vying for the best waves? Is this similar to the Socal surf scene? She doesn't want any part of that **** show if that's the case. In her words, "We are looking for a calm consistent place to catch easier waves without getting run over by the bros".

I'm not opposed to the Maldives. Even if the waves are too big for me, if she's happy with the surfing I'm okay with that. I know when to tap out and I'm very okay with that! I'll have to look into Taiwan, Fuenterventura and the canaries. The main reason we don't want the Caribbean is because of how close and easily accessible it is. We are trying to allocate this trip to a harder to reach destination that we can enjoy for a longer amount of time. I'm not saying Barbados wouldn't be amazing, but from a flight/cost/jet lag perspective that's an easy long weekend trip with minimal effort from the US.

Thanks so much again for all the info!

Seth

 

[SetheryJ]

Fiji would work near pacific harbour. arguably you might want to try kitesurfing or wingsurfing too.

I'll look more into Fiji, but I'm not sure on this trip we want to tackle kitesurfing/wingsurfing. Not because we don't want to try it eventually, but we want to focus mainly on surfing and diving and relaxing.

Thanks for the info!

Seth

 

[Doc]

I'll look more into Fiji, but I'm not sure on this trip we want to tackle kitesurfing/wingsurfing.

When you do, Guanaja

 

[broncobowsher]

San Diego?
I took a surfing class there a decade ago. Friend of mine surfed when he lived there. Got trained on CCR while there. My surf lesson and CCR open water were 5 years apart and in the same location, La Jolla.

 

[SetheryJ]

San Diego?
I took a surfing class there a decade ago. Friend of mine surfed when he lived there. Got trained on CCR while there. My surf lesson and CCR open water were 5 years apart and in the same location, La Jolla.

No offense meant, but we don't want to take our honeymoon at a place that we can be at within 1.5 hours flight time. Plus, Socal's diving leaves a lot to be desired, not to mention the surf scene.

Thanks for your input.

Seth

 

[SetheryJ]

French Polynesia?

 

[noserider]

Thanks so much for the info!

When you say the surf will be crowded, I'm assuming you mean with everyone vying for the best waves? Is this similar to the Socal surf scene? She doesn't want any part of that **** show if that's the case. In her words, "We are looking for a calm consistent place to catch easier waves without getting run over by the bros".

I'm not opposed to the Maldives. Even if the waves are too big for me, if she's happy with the surfing I'm okay with that. I know when to tap out and I'm very okay with that! I'll have to look into Taiwan, Fuenterventura and the canaries. The main reason we don't want the Caribbean is because of how close and easily accessible it is. We are trying to allocate this trip to a harder to reach destination that we can enjoy for a longer amount of time. I'm not saying Barbados wouldn't be amazing, but from a flight/cost/jet lag perspective that's an easy long weekend trip with minimal effort from the US.

Thanks so much again for all the info!

Seth

It’s been a few years since I surfed Bali but it is rammed with Aussies, Brazilians, Japanese , locals, quite a few Americans and loads of European surfers plus backpackers. Amazing choice of waves, but the standard of surfers is high so most waves are very competitive

you will always get a wave on the beach breaks and north of Kuta. Not surfed socal but should imagine some break in Bali are worse, but you do have Lombok close which is less busy.

How long is your honeymoon?