The Rise of Luxe Surf Travel (at Least According to the NY Times)

Travel Blog  •  Jim Benning  •  02.12.07 | 10:53 AM ET

imageAnyone who surfs or knows people who do realized years ago that the sport had shed its dirtbag image—that doctors and attorneys now eagerly lay claim to the title “surfer” (even if they don’t much surf) and that big bucks are spent on travel to remote, uncrowded breaks in places like Central America and Indonesia. Now, the New York Times is on the case. In a front-page story yesterday, the Times breathlessly reported: “For $10,000 a day, you can have the ultimate surfing sojourn in Indonesia aboard the 110-foot Indies Trader IV, a sort of floating hotel with 15 cabins, a helipad and three-course meals with wine. A motorized tender takes you to the waves.” And about today’s surfers: “This new species of surfer contributes to a booming market for vacation packages, instruction, equipment and real estate near some of the world’s best surf breaks. Like golf, surfing has become an ideal activity around which to discuss business.”

The Times reports that it’s “unclear” why surfing’s image has changed:

It is unclear why surfing has found a broader respectability. Some point to the initial public offering of Quiksilver, the board apparel and accessories company, in 1986 as a catalyst. Perhaps reflecting surfing’s laid-back roots, concrete figures on participation are hard to come by. Two million people consider themselves active surfers in the United States, twice as many as 20 years ago, according to Action Sports Retailer, the leading board-sports industry trade show.

Some credit has to go to Bruce Brown’s classic surf movie “The Endless Summer.” Those Wall Street brokers and anesthesiologists now buying up beachfront property in Nicaragua were kids when the movie debuted 40 years ago. Now that they have some disposable income, these professionals can realize their dreams of an endless summer—or at least a two- or three-week summer—on increasingly remote and far flung beaches.

More information on surf trips aboard the Indies Trader IV, by the way, can be found at its Web site.

 



10 Comments for The Rise of Luxe Surf Travel (at Least According to the NY Times)

TambourineMan 02.13.07 | 2:02 PM ET

Helipad? Three course meals with wine? All Spicoli ever needed were “tasty waves and a cool buzz.”

henry 02.11.08 | 6:23 AM ET

$10,000 per day??? Are you kidding me?

ZIP Code Lookup 02.17.08 | 11:46 PM ET

Being from New York I am not an avid surfer although I always wanted to try it. I thing I might hold off a while on the 10,000 a day trip though.

Dubai 02.19.08 | 6:10 AM ET

What the ? 10k per days seems a little excessive I think.

Car Auctions 02.19.08 | 6:18 AM ET

Excellent experience I am sure. You should also check out identical surf packages in the Maldives for a fraction of the cost mentioned here.

Article Writer 02.24.08 | 3:12 AM ET

For 10k a day you can forget surfing and live happily without it!

Donna - Mortgage loans 07.27.08 | 3:41 PM ET

Surfing has come a long way. But it is an adventure sport and it should remain that way. Too much of pampering will spoil the thrill involved.
Donna

ana 07.30.08 | 11:59 PM ET

I will start now for that amount of money.

Nicaragua Surf 08.04.08 | 10:25 PM ET

The movie industry really has done a lot for surfing.

I remember countless hours of sitting in the surf shop watching videos when it was flat, dreaming about the next time.

10k. I’d save up for a while to enjoy perfect surf.

Egypt Property 08.27.08 | 10:01 PM ET

For 10,000 a day I’d want more than the ultimate surf sojourn. I would want a butler, a limo, 4 personal chefs, a massage, a $5000 shopping voucher and drinks on the house.

Ravi

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