An Insider's Guide to Surfing Indonesia | The Inertia

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This was the first wave we surfed called Monkeys. I think starting off on a point break type wave is a smart choice if it’s your first time to the Mentawai’s. This allows you to feel your boards out and learn how to properly eject onto shallow reef if you have to. While everyone on the boat decided to surf the outside right, I went to the inside and searched for some ramps.
Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

This was the first wave we surfed called Monkeys. I think starting off on a point break type wave is a smart choice if it’s your first time to the Mentawai’s. This allows you to feel your boards out and learn how to properly eject onto shallow reef if you have to. While everyone on the boat decided to surf the outside right, I went to the inside and searched for some ramps. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Take advantage of the perfect waves. Because you’re surfing over reef, the waves will tend to be very similar, if not identical to each other. Try different techniques on each wave and try to improve your surfing. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Take advantage of the perfect waves. Because you’re surfing over reef, the waves will tend to be very similar, if not identical to each other. Try different techniques on each wave and try to improve your surfing. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

This is the outside right at Monkeys. This was a bigger day, and the waves tended to fold on themselves and stand up super tall. Be sure to know the reef you are surfing. Watch where the boils are because the last thing you want to do is get your fins ripped out on dry reef and have a 12-foot bomb land on your head. Looking back at this giant and hearing the boys screaming from the inside is something I will never forget. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

This is the outside right at Monkeys. This was a bigger day, and the waves tended to fold on themselves and stand up super tall. Be sure to know the reef you are surfing. Watch where the boils are because the last thing you want to do is get your fins ripped out on dry reef and have a 12-foot bomb land on your head. Looking back at this giant and hearing the boys screaming from the inside is something I will never forget. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

$On this wave, I learned to never take the first wave of the set. After a round-house I set my rail and committed to this turn. I had to straighten out and \'pancaked it\' on to shallow water. After this wave there were 7 more behind it increasing in size, and I took all of them on the head. After each wave I got pushed closer and closer to shore, where soon I would be on dry reef. I managed to get back out without any cuts, but I was pushed all the way from the point, to where our boat was anchored. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones$

On this wave, I learned to never take the first wave of the set. After a round-house I set my rail and committed to this turn. I had to straighten out and 'pancaked it' on to shallow water. After this wave there were 7 more behind it increasing in size, and I took all of them on the head. After each wave I got pushed closer and closer to shore, where soon I would be on dry reef. I managed to get back out without any cuts, but I was pushed all the way from the point, to where our boat was anchored. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

$On this wave, I learned to never take the first wave of the set. After a round-house I set my rail and committed to this turn. I had to straighten out and \'pancaked it\' on to shallow water. After this wave there were 7 more behind it increasing in size, and I took all of them on the head. After each wave I got pushed closer and closer to shore, where soon I would be on dry reef. I managed to get back out without any cuts, but I was pushed all the way from the point, to where our boat was anchored. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones$

On this wave, I learned to never take the first wave of the set. After a round-house I set my rail and committed to this turn. I had to straighten out and 'pancaked it' on to shallow water. After this wave there were 7 more behind it increasing in size, and I took all of them on the head. After each wave I got pushed closer and closer to shore, where soon I would be on dry reef. I managed to get back out without any cuts, but I was pushed all the way from the point, to where our boat was anchored. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Indo is a great place to try all different kinds of airs, but most of them will be off the face of the wave, not the end section. When the wave closes out, the water is normally at its shallowest point, so chose your sections carefully! Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Indo is a great place to try all different kinds of airs, but most of them will be off the face of the wave, not the end section. When the wave closes out, the water is normally at its shallowest point, so chose your sections carefully! Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

One thing to remember while in Indo is to make sure your leash is secured tightly. If you lose your board here the locals would snag it and run into the jungle. You can try and get it back, but they will just run at you with machetes. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

One thing to remember while in Indo is to make sure your leash is secured tightly. If you lose your board here the locals would snag it and run into the jungle. You can try and get it back, but they will just run at you with machetes. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Sometimes staying on the inside is smarter. Some of the inside waves hug the reef better and are steeper. When the wind came up, this wave offered perfect ramps to try airs. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Sometimes staying on the inside is smarter. Some of the inside waves hug the reef better and are steeper. When the wind came up, this wave offered perfect ramps to try airs. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

$This left is called Telescopes. It was the clearest water I\'ve ever seen in my life. You could see every bit of coral and every fish swimming around with ease. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones$

This left is called Telescopes. It was the clearest water I've ever seen in my life. You could see every bit of coral and every fish swimming around with ease. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Take advantage of the reef. If you look up the reef and see sets breaking you know that one is coming your way soon. A decent set had just washed through, and it was just me and another guy sitting out the back. This one came through, and I got one of my personal best waves of the trip. It seemed like everything was going in slow motion. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Take advantage of the reef. If you look up the reef and see sets breaking you know that one is coming your way soon. A decent set had just washed through, and it was just me and another guy sitting out the back. This one came through, and I got one of my personal best waves of the trip. It seemed like everything was going in slow motion. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

If you’re in Indo during the winter, one thing you will learn is, ‘the storm is always heading straight for you’. This was the beauty before the rain. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

If you’re in Indo during the winter, one thing you will learn is, ‘the storm is always heading straight for you’. This was the beauty before the rain. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

It’s normally bigger than it looks! Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before paddling out. This photo displays a perfect line up with no one out. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

It’s normally bigger than it looks! Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before paddling out. This photo displays a perfect line up with no one out. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Slabs can be your best friend or your worst enemy. This wave named ‘Bombers’ would double up super fast, and explode onto dry reef. If you didn’t make the drop it was game over. There were many broken boards after this session so be sure to bring extra! Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Slabs can be your best friend or your worst enemy. This wave named ‘Bombers’ would double up super fast, and explode onto dry reef. If you didn’t make the drop it was game over. There were many broken boards after this session so be sure to bring extra! Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Being in the barrel isn’t just nice because of the view…taking cover under Indonesian tubes is the only place where the sea lice can’t bite you. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Being in the barrel isn’t just nice because of the view…taking cover under Indonesian tubes is the only place where the sea lice can’t bite you. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Take all of these tips, book your flights, and prepare yourself for the memories of a lifetime! Special thanks to Mike Olson, Pelagic Surf Charters and my sponsors, Wellen Surf, Fish At Sea, SOVRNrepublic and Body Glove. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Take all of these tips, book your flights, and prepare yourself for the memories of a lifetime! Special thanks to Mike Olson, Pelagic Surf Charters and my sponsors, Wellen Surf, Fish At Sea, SOVRNrepublic and Body Glove. Photo: Courtesy of Hunter Jones

Crystal clear warm water, palm tree jungles, and perfect waves… Indonesia has always been my dream surf trip. Ever since I started surfing I can remember seeing photos of people getting perfect barrels under a tropical blue sky and finally this summer, it was my turn to take part in this Dreamland.

I was given a special opportunity from Red9 to go and test out a new device that could potentially change the way we view surfing. The Red9 concept answers the question: how can surfers measure and understand their performance? Red9’s mission is to offer athletes access to advanced scientific analysis in the form of easy-to-use tools. In surfing, every move counts, and this data will allow surfers to understand, improve and share every movement.

But understanding your abilities as a surfer requires both qualitative and quantitative analysis. While Red9 has helped me understand my movements in the water, there’s so much more to it — things a computer won’t analyze or comprehend. It takes feel, intuition, guts, and determination to surf most of Indonesia and I learned a few lessons along the way.

As a resource for any first timers making their Indo pilgrimage I put together some of my favorite photos from the trip and some 101 Pro Tips for how to get by in Indo and maximize your experience. These photos and annotations offer an Indo 101 guide rooted in my own experience. Surely everyone will have their own but these are some of the things I learned.

Keep up with Hunter Jones by following him on Instagram. And be sure to check out Wellen Surf by visiting their site or following them on Instagram and Liking them on Facebook.

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