page_title: Nias
section_title: Surfing
hierarchical_section_title: Nias / Surfing
caption_attribution_description: Unnamed Road, Kabupaten Nias Selatan, Sumatra Utara 22881, Indonesia
context_page_description: Nias is an island located off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Nias is also the name of the archipelago of which the island is the centre, but also includes the Batu Islands to the south-east and the small Hinako Islands to the west. Nias Island covers an area of 5,121.3 km². It is mostly a lowland area rising to around 800 m above sea level. There were 756,338 inhabitants on the island at the 2010 Census; at the 2015 Census this had risen to 798,506.
context_section_description: Nias is an internationally famous surfing destination.  The best known surfing area is Sorake Bay, close to the town of Teluk Dalam, on the southern tip. Enclosed by the beaches of Lagundri and Sorake, the bay has both left and right-hand breaks.  As they wait for waves, surfers can often see sea turtles swimming below.  There are also two consistent, world-class waves in the nearby Hinako Islands, Asu and Bawa.  Many lesser-known, high-quality surf spots with low crowds await adventurous travelers.
  Nias was part of the famous Hippie trail of the 1960s, particularly traveled by surfers, which led to Bali. It has been the site of several international surfing competitions in the past, particularly before the 1998 Indonesian Reformation Movement.
  Despite the storied history of surfing in Nias, international surfing in Nias has slowed down especially (but not specifically) due to the recent earthquakes. The situation is slowly changing, however.
caption: Coconut trees in Teluk Dalam
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