Pohnpei is often confused with the ancient Italian city of Pompeii rather than that piece of the Pacific Ocean that is part of the Federal States of Micronesia (FSM) more than 5000km southwest of Hawaii. It is one of 8 island nations within the Micronesia region which include Kiribati, Marshall, Palau, The Northern Marianas, Guam and Wake Island. The FSM is made up of more than 600 islands scattered across 3.9 million square kilometers of the Pacific, divided into 4 states: Yap, Shuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. A true tropical paradise awaits you, join us for an incredible surfing experience in Micronesia!
Being an atoll consisting mainly of low coral, Pohnpei represents the top of an extinct volcano 5 million years ago. The whole island is made of basalt sand surrounded by a deep lagoon up to 8km wide, bordered by reefs. Depicted as the garden island of Micronesia, Pohnpei is located in the middle of the “pool”, the ocean with the hottest temperature in the world.
The waves break off the reef or near the reef channels, where ships also access.
Up to 5ft the waves are friendly but then they get more serious. Most of the spots offer quick take offs, beautiful steep walls and tubes. The best is P-Pass. It takes all the waves from W-NE, but the best condition occurs with swells from north. P-Pass works without wind or with light breezes from E – NE (coming from the ground !!). These rights can be surfed at any tide but at low tide it is quite dangerous. Easy Pass is only a 5 min boat ride from Pohnpei Surf Club: this outside reef sends 2-4ft right rides during high tide.
Main Pass breaks with the same condition as P-Pass but it is generally bigger and it has the inside section with knee high water… so be careful !!!. It is a challenging spot with big waves, as the very shallow reef generally creates nice tubes.
The east side of Pohnpei has 3 different channels which work in totally different conditions from each other. Freddos offers occasional lefts when the winds are light. It keeps great swells and it can offer fun walls with some tubing.
Across the canal there is Sonden’s which also works windless, plus all sizes of swell. The fun lefts of Spaghettis require large swells from N or E (always windless). Sharp seafloor.
The next spot is Nahpali, a long right that breaks very frequently. It is only accessible with 40 minutes by boat and thanks to this the line up is usually empty. Beware of sharks and strong currents!
On the other side of the famous ruin of Nan Madol we find right waves rather exposed to the wind, but still surfable.
Nahlap has funny reefbreaks that are ideal for beginners. The waves rise with swells from the SE from July to October with light or even no wind.
Tariff per person, starting from:
| Departure | Double |
|---|---|
| From 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2020 | € 695 |
Notes
The surf season in Pohnpei runs from early October to early May. June is usually flat and by the end of July the winds are light. In August and September, you can find some waves in the more exposed spots, with offshore wind conditions and E swell generated by the trade winds east of Pohnpei. SW swells can come with powerful monsoon winds from the west of Micronesia and the Philippines. These waves hit the east and southwest sides of Pohnpei with less power and size. The trade winds rise from the end of December until May and they blow very strongly. Semi-diurnal tides with 3ft maximum range.
How to get there : 30 day visa. Affordable tickets to Pohnpei (PNI) can be difficult to get. Roundtrip travel from Los Angeles (LAX) ranges from $ 1,100 up to $ 2,000. Australians fly to Fiji, this is the best way. Only Continental Airlines flies directly to FSM. Island-hopper trip from Honolulu to Guam: Majuro, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk,
How to get around : No spot can be reached by rowing, so it is necessary to take the Pohnpei Surf Club boat. All boats are equipped with mobile phones, radios, first aid, food and drink, ice, shaded area, seats with cushions, and equipment for fishing and diving activities, included in the price of the service.
Accommodation and Food : PSC costs from $ 165-200 per night (peak during high season November 11 – March 20). There are 9 double rooms with private bathroom, hot water, A / C, TV, telephone and WI-FI. PSC has a limited number of surfers up to a maximum of 18. All You Can Eat Rotary Sushi for $ 7. Expect $ 15-20 for a daily meal.
Climate : The climate is tropical, characterized by numerous rainfalls throughout the year, especially on the eastern islands. The country is often hit by powerful typhoons, particularly from June to December.
Nature and Culture : Explore the beautiful waterfalls, visit the ancient ruins of Nan Madol, or try world class diving. Visit more distant atolls such as Ant and Pakinm just 16-50km offshore. Deep sea fishing, snorkelling, exotic bird watching, canoe trips. Scale or visit Sokehs Ridge and WWII sites.
Dangers and annoyances : Since there are always boats in the channel, there is no reef on the way to or from the spots. Most surfers don’t use boots, but sometimes they might be useful. Above 5ft the P-Pass becomes dangerous and it is only recommended for the most experienced. The currents can get very strong.
Practical advice : Bring medium-length boards (6’4 to 7’0): they work best. Renting a PSC board is not recommended, so bring everything you might need.
Exchange rate 1 EUR = 1.08 USD; 1 € = 1.51 NZD; 1 EUR = 1.41 AUD
Exchange rate variations (more than 3%) will lead to an adjustment of costs. They will be communicated within 20 days of departure.
The tariff does not include
Duration: 8 days / 6 nights
from € 242 - Excluding flights
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