Posted: April 30, 2011 by
Francesca
Each year thousands of surfers flock to the Basque coastlines of France and Spain in search of waves. The region has some of the best surf spots in Europe and the world. There is always a wave to be had, and the area is full of character and culture. So to celebrate all things Basque and our love of their waves, we thought we would take a moment to look at what makes the Basque country so special.
The Basque Country/Euskal Herria has often been unacknowledged and ignored by Europe even though it has its own unique language, culture and home to about 3 million people. The heart of the region is found in the Western Pyrenees, spanning the border between France and Spain. About 90% of the Basque population lives on the Spanish side, in the counties of Basque Autonomous Community and Navarre, whereas the French side is known as the Pays Basque and is part of the Pyrenees Atlantic region.
The Basque people can be traced back over thousands of years, and have developed their own one of a kind language that doesn’t have any semblance to any other European language. It has been protected over the centuries, only to be made almost extinct in the later half of the the 20th century by the politics of France and Spain.
After a millennia of existence the 20th century saw the Basque people face conflict and oppression by the hands of Spain’s dictatorship lead by Franco; whilst in France the region was absorbed into the French Republic. Amazingly, despite the Basque language being banned in many areas of France and Spain during the later half of the century, pockets of communities kept the language and culture alive. The language itself is the essence of the culture and has survived to now be embraced around the coastline.
Driving around Le Pays Basque or the Spanish Basque Country you see signs in both the national language as well as in Basque. There are festivals and exhibitions held, whilst Basque is now even taught to those who want to learn. When visiting the region for surfing it’s important to respect the culture and to try out some of its customs. We recommend the traditional dessert: Gateaux Basque, a delicious almond based flan, or for a souvenir: a red beret a la Bayonne.
Some of the best spots to visit are Zarautz and San Sebastian for
surfing in Spain, whilst there are few things better than a Spring/Summer trip to Biarritz for a
surfing holiday in France. The towns are beautiful and are home to some incredible waves perfect for beginners through to experts. Look out for the
Roxy Jam longboarding contest held in July in Biarritz for a real treat.
Posted: April 28, 2011 by
Francesca
Every so often it is really good to take some time out and explore a place that’s new to you. After a year of planning it was time for me to go on an adventure and do some travelling. My destination- Bali, Indonesia.
If you have picked up a surf magazine in recent years, 9 times out of 10 there will be images of the Balinese surf. The island is a mecca for surfers from around the world as there is always a wave to find. During the rainy season the east coast gets the waves, then when it’s the dry season it switches to the west. I arrived a week ago, at the turning point of the wet to dry season- so it’s about to be west coast time.
First arriving in Bali was completely overwhelming. It was piping hot, so instantly I was drenched in sweat, wheeling around my luggage, surfboard bag and camera equipment. My travel buddy and I haggled with our taxi driver and got the show on the road into Kuta, the main town that most tourists/surfers/travellers stay in.
Kuta is hectic but has a great buzz about it. When I first saw how everyone drove, (think 4 lanes of traffic in 3, mopeds and bikes weaving everywhere) I wondered how I would cope being in the centre. However, once I’d checked into the beautiful accommodation, slept a good 12 hours, and recovered from my jet-lag, things were looking a whole lot better.
My friend and I rented a car and began our intrepid adventure to start exploring where we had landed. Once I got outside of Kuta I realized just how beautiful the island was. It is luscious, full of green tropical trees, plants and flowers. People were so friendly, always saying hello, asking you where you are from and always helping you if you needed it.
Over the last week I visited the infamous Uluwatu, Kuta beach, Padang Padang, Bingan, and Legian beach. However one of the most spectacular places I discovered was Green Bowl. Found on the Bukit Peninsular on the south of the island, Green Bowl required some work to find it... it’s at the bottom of Bali Cliff, which means a long hike down a lot of steps to the base. However, when I reached it I was in awe. Perfect breaking waves over a coral reef, wild beautiful sandy beach and an unspoiled coastline. Breathtaking, and well worth the climb down and back up again.
Life in Kuta is full of surprises, as the alleyways are filled with great shopping and incredible food. Some of the best meals I’ve ever had cost me a matter of a couple of euros, and accommodation was super cheap. Even a night out and a Bintang (the local beer) would set me back €2 or so. Incredible in comparison to how expensive home can be.
However it’s now time for a change of scene again. I’m hitting the road again and going to move further south to spend some time out in the countryside. Cue chilled surfs, quiet nights watching the sunset and stars from an ocean view hut. And so the adventure continues. Watch out for the next Bali diary installment next week.
Posted: April 25, 2011 by
Francesca
Everyone’s been enjoying the warm Spring weather but the ocean hasn’t warmed up yet, so wetsuits are still in order. To help you along your way in choosing your new spring/summer wetsuit, we’ve chosen the best of 2011’s collections. Take your pick and book that
surf holiday asap.
Men’s
Ripcurl- E-Bomb Chest Zip Long Sleeved Springsuit
Sizes: xs, s, m, mt, l, lt, xl, xxl
Colours: Black/Blue/White, Black/Charcoal/Yellow
Price: Approx €140/£124.99
C-SKINS Summer Legend 3/2 GBS
Sizes: s, ms, m, mt, l, xl, xxl
Colours: Black
Price: Approx €124/£109.99
Billabong INTRUDER 2/2MM SHORTIE
Sizes: s, ms, m, mt, ls, l, xl, xxl
Colours: Black
Price: Approx €50/£44.99
Women’s
Animal Amp 3/2mm Womens Summer Wetsuit 2011
Sizes: 8, 10, 12, 12T, 14
Colours: Black/Pink
Price: Approx €96/£84.95
Billabong shorty wetsuit- back zip 3/2mm
Sizes: 10, 12, 14, 16
Colours: Black/Pink, Black/Blue
Price: Approx €56/£49.99
O'Neill Bahia F/L 3x2mm 2011
Sizes: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16
Colours: Pink/Black, Black/Black
Price: Approx €100/£89
Posted: April 23, 2011 by
Francesca
Wave: Cloudbreak
Where: Tavarua, Fiji
When: Whenever you can get there
Why: Long barreling powerhouse of fun
Stats: Holds 3-12ft, lasts between 150m to 500m
Out in the beautiful Fijian islands lies Tavarua. Imagine your idyllic tropical island surrounded by lapping warm waters, swaying coconut trees and the best of accommodation waiting for you. Now add in one of the world’s best waves, and you will have Cloudbreak. Hundreds of metres of roaring left hand wave for you to play in.
Although it’s normally only the pros or experts who venture out to Tavarua’s infamous wave, the world knows about Cloudbreak through surf contests. In the past it was Quiksilver and Globe who sponsored the ASP’s world championship tour, from 1999 Quiksilver ran the event until handing the honours onto Globe in 2005. However, 2008 was the last of the world tour events to be held there, as the event was dropped in favour of other left hand breaks such as Tahiti’s Teahupoo.
Along with Cloudbreak, there is another legendary break called ‘Restaurants’ that used to take up a lot of magazine space with its incredible images. When either wave was mentioned you would expect to see goofy footed surfers such as Freddy P, Damien and CJ Hobgood tearing it up. It was also one of the spots where the late Andy Irons used to excel.
Cloudbreak can only be reached by first travelling by either boat or helicopter to the island of Tavarua. Then on by boat again or a short paddle of about half a mile taking about 20 minutes. All the effort to get to the break is well worth it.
Cloudbreak is all about a powerful barrel over coral reef only a few feet below. It is very fast, and it is all about getting barreled and making it out to live to tell the tale. For the few surfers skilled enough to ride the wave it is an amazing experience and will humble even the most confident of surfers.
To top off the experience of Cloudbreak and Restaurants, is the island of Tavarua and the Fijian islands as a whole. They are very beautiful, full of friendly people who are more than happy to share their homes and traditions with visiting surfers. One of the most popular ceremonies that surfers have joined in with over the years is drinking kava with the locals. It looks like muddy water, but is in fact made from the kava root- ground up into a powder and mixed with water. It is something of a joining ceremony, and it is an honour to be invited to join in.
To get a feel for the power of the wave, check out the clip of the Billabong XXL entry of Cloudbreak below.
Posted: April 21, 2011 by
Nicky
Sinead Desmond and the Ireland AM crew joined us on a
surf holiday in Ericeira, Portugal for a week of surfing. Check out the clips below of Sinead learning how to surf, exploring the region of Ericeira and some great wipeouts in the water. Plus she stood up on her first day... whoo hoo!
Sinead and the guys stayed at the
Ecolodges for the week. They're available throughout the year and from Saturday to Saturday from June to August
Day 1: Learning how to surf
Sinead learns how to surf on Foz do Lizandro surf beach with Tobi...
Day 2: What to do in Ericeira if the surf is flat:
Segway Safari in Tapada de Mafra (Mafra National Park)...
Day 3: Interview with former Portuguese champion Grego
Jose Gregorio ('Grego"), a local Ericeira pro and big wave rider discusses what its like to surf in Ericeira...
Day 4: Trip to the Surf Board Factory
Sinead visits the Budd Glass Boardculture surf factory in Ericeira to see how surf boards are made
Day 5: Stand Up Paddle Surfing
Learning how to Stand Up Paddle Surf (SUP) on Foz do Lizandro beach in Ericeira with Tobi
To book Sinead's trip contact us:
Ireland & International: +353 1 482 2828
UK: +44 20 8144 9950
info@surfholidays.com
skype: surfholidays.com