Win $10k holiday! T&Cs apply
Win $10k holiday! T&Cs apply
Riding the waves this holiday? Life's not always a beach. Here's some fast facts about this popular sport:
Keep reading to find out what travel insurance can help you with if you're planning to surf this holiday.
If you find yourself in deep water, we might be able to help:
You won’t be covered for anything arising from your surfing if:
Think about a surf holiday, and which places come to mind? Indonesia is probably one country: islands like Bali, Nias, Nusa Lembongan and Lombok that have been attracting wave-riders for decades. You might think about Hawaii too, with its famous breaks. Maybe you’d consider the Basque country of southern France and northern Spain, or Australia, with well-known beaches like Byron Bay and Noosa, or even the Maldives. Those are all excellent choices.
However, they might not be the best. Because there’s another country that offers excellent surfing, with breaks to suit all styles and abilities. They might not be the biggest in the world, but the waves are clean and the line-ups are short. This country is affordable, with prices to match the famed surf camps of Indonesia. It has amazingly good food to eat in between sessions. It has not just beaches, but mountains and forests, plus big, chaotic cities and charming small towns, national parks filled with rare wildlife, historic monuments, and culture everywhere you look. There are also great people in this destination: friendly, fun people, some of whom surf, some of whom don’t. But it seems like everyone is up for a good time.
The destination? Sri Lanka. If you already know how to surf, Sri Lanka is great. If, however, you don’t know how to surf, it’s even better. This is the perfect place to spend a few weeks learning the basics of this beautiful pastime. The island’s west coast is particularly good for rookies, with plenty of gentle breaks serviced by budget-friendly hostels and hotels set up for surfers, with instructors onsite. The south and east coasts, meanwhile, feature breaks that are perfect for all levels, with plenty of camps set up nearby.
Enjoy the surf, enjoy the food, enjoy the people. You can’t go wrong in Sri Lanka
The water might look clear but there might be obstacles that you don’t know about, and you should watch out for sharp reefs and coral. Ask a more experienced surfer if you’re not sure.
This is a rule that applies to swimming and it applies to surfing too. It’s important that you check the weather, tides, and wind before you head out to the beach. Most beaches will also inform visitors if it’s safe to swim or go into the water.
Rips have caught many surfers and swimmers off guard. Darker colour, murky brown water, a smoother surface with much smaller waves, waves breaking further out to sea, rippled water when the surrounding water is calm...these are all signs of a rip. Learn more about rips here.
If you let your board go rogue, it could easily hit someone behind you. Good surfing manners mean that you should generally avoid paddling out directly behind other surfers.
Surfing requires a different set of skills compared to other sport. Swimming skills and general confidence in the water are important.
Your claim will be invalid if you are intoxicated whilst surfing, so you need to take reasonable precautions to ensure that you are not putting yourself at undue risk.
1Cover does not provide cover for rental surf boards. You will need to check with your rental company to see if they provide you cover if something happens to your surfboard.
We would not be able to provide medical cover for you if you are going against medical advice.
Personal belongings are covered by some of our policies. However, your surfboard will not be covered while it’s in use, and maximum limits apply. See the Policy Wording for details.
Provided you are within 2 nautical miles of land, are within the parameters stated in the PDS, and you don’t have a Domestic or Frequent Traveller Domestic policy, then the medical benefit we offer is unlimited. Terms and conditions apply. Please note: we do not cover for Search and Rescue.
In an emergency, get yourself to hospital. As soon as it's possible, we advise that you or a member of your travelling party call our medical assistance team who will be able to liaise with you or the hospital.
Find out all information you need about what’s covered and what’s not before you go adventuring.
Bet you didn't know there was a beautiful archipelago in Canada that you could go surfing. Award winning writer Ben Groundwater tells all.
Have a pre-existing medical condition that might affect your surfing? Pregnant? Or want to know about repatriation? Find out everything you need to know here.
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