Nemberala Beach Resort, Rote Island: A Little Paradise for Surfers

Nemberala Beach Resort, Rote Island: A Little Paradise for Surfers
Tejo
Tejo 
Published
| 4 min read

Surfers must have heard about a small island in the southernmost part of Indonesia called Rote; located only 500 km (310 miles) away from Australia. This island is known to be one of the best places in the world for surfing, due to its world-class waves. Here, the wave breaks range from 0.5 meters (1.6 ft) to as high as 5 meters (16 ft)h, attracting both professional and amateur surfers to visit Rote. No wonder, besides Australian and Asian tourists, there are also many Europeans and Americans that come all the way to this tiny island to surf and have fun. The surfing starts from a coastal village in the southwest tip of the island named Nemberala, which is the base camp for the activities, and among the few hotels in the village, Nemberala Beach Resort is one of the best hotels in the village. Not only does it have more bungalows (it has 20 bungalows), but it also has better facilities, and food.

A hotel with private beach

nemberala beach resort, rote island: a little paradise for surfers | a hotel with private beach

This is one of the few hotels on the island that has a private beach where the ocean can be seen from most of the hotel’s areas, including from the bungalows. It means beach activities like volley ball, swimming, and even yoga (there is a yoga session every morning) are just a few steps away from your bedroom!

If you asked me what is cool about its private beach, I would say it’s the swimming pool. This is one of the few hotels in the area with a winding swimming pool on its private beach. It can be an alternative place to swim, relax, or watch the sunset. There is no children pool in here, and if the kids want to swim, you can rent a life vest from the hotel (free of charge).

Who needs modern comfort here?

nemberala beach resort, rote island: a little paradise for surfers | who needs modern comfort here?

Like most other buildings in Rote Island, the bungalow has no ceilings, and instead of roof tiles, they use thatch for the roof. Most rooms, although they are clean and spacious and facilitated with private bathrooms, have very basic facilities (no air conditioner, TV, hot shower, or Wi-Fi). Although, you can upgrade your room to the one with an air conditioner (limited availability, and still there is no TV, hot shower, or Wi-Fi) for 30 USD per night, however, many people think they don’t really need these technologies. The room is airy, as a result of the big ocean winds all day long, and you can always turn on the fan or have a cold shower when you feel it’s too hot. There are also better things to do than just staying in your bungalow and watching TV, or surfing the net.

Get up close with some pigs

nemberala beach resort, rote island: a little paradise for surfers | get up close with some pigs

Besides the swimming pool, there are many other activities facilitated by the hotel. The hotel has several boats docked at Nemberala beach. It is a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel, and on the way you will be entertained with groups of big, as well as small pigs, that belong to some villagers wandering around the area. Be sure to grab your camera, as you do not want to miss this incredible photo opportunity!.

Go out to the sea

nemberala beach resort, rote island: a little paradise for surfers | go out to the sea

You will be accompanied by one or two hotel staffs, and they are willing to take you to wherever you want to go. You may go far out to the sea to surf like many others, but you can also catch fish (lots of big tuna here!), or go to nearby uninhabited islands, like Dana or Ndao for snorkeling or relaxing, and then watch the sunset. When you do manage to catch some fish, you may be wondering what to do with it. Can we sell it to the locals and get some Indonesian money, Rupiah? Haha! It may be a good choice, but there is a better option.

Eat what you catch

eat what you catch

During your stay, you will have breakfast before surfing, and brunch after the first session of surfing, which contains lighter western foods, like omelets, pancakes, cakes (delicious cheesecake!), and bacon with fruits and coffee. For lunch and dinner, they mostly serve fish bought from the local fishermen in the morning (it’s very fresh!). Order barbecued snapper with mashed potato, and salad. They make the fish a bit crispy on the outside, so you can enjoy the soft texture on the inside (very good potato gravy too!). Also, if you caught fish earlier on that day, let the staff bring it to the restaurant’s kitchen, and let the chef cook it the way you want. They are very professional, and you can even ask them to make tuna sashimi for your dinner!

Go local!

go local!

Another interesting thing to do is touring around the villages of the resort. You may either walk, or rent a bike from the hotel for free. You may ask for a staff member to accompany you during the tour, but you don’t really need a guide for the tour as it is very safe, and the locals are very welcoming to tourists. If you go on a weekend, you will see local kids and adults playing volleyball, wherein you can stop to watch. They wouldn’t mind if you join the game, and have their photographs taken with you. You will find many of them are enthusiastic to talk with you, as they want to practice their English. Next, you may also want to go to ‘pasar’ (Indonesian traditional market) and buy some unusual edible roots of yam and cassava, as well as spices, like turmeric and galangal, that perhaps are hard to find in your country.

Rates and the package

The rates start from 210 USD. They seem to be expensive, but with this rate, almost everything is taken care of by the hotel management, and you don’t need to worry about those trivialities. The rates include four meals for two guests, and two surf sessions before lunch time. The boat, surfboard, and the guide are for free. However, they will charge you 60 USD hourly per boat rented for fishing, and other excursions. If there is more than one person with you, you don’t need to pay extra for the boat or equipment, like surfboards and snorkels. A good deal, isn’t it? So be sure to book this hotel for your next visit to Rote Island!

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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A versatile individual, Tejos nutures a passion for travel, writing, translation, and teaching. With expertise in crafting articles spanning diverse subjects, he specializes in travel, business,...Read more

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