2019 Information Guide ​ ​ Hi there, Thank you for taking the time to consider a stay with us in our little slice of paradise here at Red Island. I was first introduced to this area by our local partner in 2007 and at that stage there was no infrastructure whatsoever. We would spend our days sitting under the pandanus trees surfing, eating, sleeping, and repeating with no other tourists in sight. Fast forward to 2019 and we now offer private rooms with A/C, Wifi access, a swimming pool, amazing food and comfortable hang out areas. Whilst the comfort level has improved, the vibe in the village remains the same, quiet, peaceful and idyllic.This accompanied with consistent fun waves makes Red Island a must see. Many of our older guests that visit relate it to how Bali was in the 70’s, before the mainstream of surfers started to flock in. Fortunately, Red Island has managed to avoid this movement entirely. With that said, we would like to share this experience with you and highly encourage you to come visit Red Island, to witness its charming appeal and give yourself the chance to experience that ‘this is how life should be’ feeling that only truly special places give you. Yours in Surfing, Mike McComas and the Red Island Travel crew Getting to Red Island from Bali: We offer a private overland transfer for guests wanting to experience the scenic drive and waves of Bali/Java that are less frequented by western tourists. Travel time is approximately 6-7 hours from Kuta/Seminyak/Canggu area, including a ferry ride to break the drive up. Our private/private-shared transport service allows a stop in Balian or Medewi for a surf/meal. Our private transfer is a door to door service and general pick-up time at 6:00 a.m. This gives you the opportunity to surf en-route to Red Island and once you arrive at Red Island. Alternatively we are able to pick you up at your time of choice. You may also stop in Banyuwangi, on the way up, to grab lunch, as upon check-in your first meal included in the packaged will be dinner. Photo (left to right): Balian, Medewi We also offer a snorkeling trip at stunning Menjangan Island and coffee plantation tour at Kalibaru en route to the camp. This gives you a chance to sample true Java coffee. Finally we offer a third party, public-shared transport service in an A/C mini-bus, with pick-up time in Bali in the evening. This service can take a few hours longer due to the additional stops for other passengers. This service generally has guests arriving at the camp sometime after midnight and guests must be aware that this late night arrival is counted as your first night at the camp. Check in is at 2pm and it is up to our guests which transport service they choose to travel with and the time they arrive at the camp. Note: At present the airport at Banyuwangi is being expanded and we hope direct flights from Bali will resume sometime in 2019. However, in-direct flights via Surabaya to Banyuwangi are available from Bali (Denpasar). Cash on Hand: There are ATM’s on the way to the camp, we suggest you stop on the way, so ​ ​ you don’t need to worry about doing a ‘cash run’ during your stay. However, we also take credit card payment. Once you arrive at camp: Upon being greeted by our staff, you will be showed to your rooms ​ ​ and given a quick tour of the camp and facilities. From there, you can unwind, familiarize yourself with the village and SURF SURF SURF!!. The Surf: The main-break ‘Mixjuice’, an a-frame beach-break with long right & left-hand peelers ​ is just out front! If in the rare case the swell is too small for ‘Mix Juice’ there are shifting sand-banks down the beach where the beach faces into all available swell, so you are able to walk down the beach and pick a peak. Red Island can have strong currents in big swells, and if you’re in doubt, don’t paddle out. On average waves break in the 2-4 ft. range most days and while ‘Mixjuice’ breaks on all tides, low-mid tide is the best. In wet season months (Dec-March) the breaks further down the beach come alive, perfect lefts and rights grind into a deep channel meaning easy paddle outs and epic waves. Mixjuice ​ Our staff: At present we have a mix of local and ​ ​ western staff. Most of our staff speak at least basic English, but all our management, including our Australian camp manager Craig speak fluent English and Indonesian. At times we are a busy little team so please exercise some ‘Island time’ patience. Our staff will always try to make your stay as comfortable as possible. The locals: The locals here at Pulau Merah (Red Island) are super friendly and warm and will ​ ​ always greet you with a warm smile and a wave. Most villagers do not speak English, so brush up on your Indonesian Greetings for example ‘Apa Kabar’ is ‘How are you’ in Indonesian. There is a growing crew of local grommets, they are all super friendly and often will surf together in the afternoon. This can make the line-up seem busy (5-10 groms) for an hour or so each day, butas our guests are normally on their 2nd,3rd or 4th surf this is generally a very social surf and great fun. You will never have a problem getting waves at Red Island and will be amazed at how many more waves you catch here than anywhere else you surf. Sundays: Red Island has become a popular beach with domestic travelers on Sundays. Expect ​ ​ the village to come alive on the weekends, especially Sunday where bus loads of beach goers come and hangout down the beach. Expect to have your photo taken with many local tourists on Sundays, try to enjoy the festive spirit of Sundays in the village. By 6pm they have all gone back to their villages, and Red Island goes back to the sleepy little village it is for the rest of the week. The quiet village of Pulau Merah (Red Island) ​ Food and Drink: 3 delicious meals per day are included in your package. Which includes our ​ Indonesian-Western Buffet, and a la carte options. Water, coffee, and tea is available at all timel. We offer vegetarian/vegan options and if you have any other dietary requirements please advise camp management and they will do the best to meet your requirements. Alcohol: Cold beer and local spirits are available from our restaurant. You are also welcome to ​ bring you own duty free alcohol. Wifi: We have a very fast WIFI connection ​ ​ Photographs: Our in-house photographer will be happy to shoot photos of you on your trip. A ​ ​ multi-day photo pack costs $35. Linen: We provide with you with a bath towel and all bed linen. ​ What to bring: Apart from the usual surf trip requirements, a wetsuit top or spring-suit can ​ ​ come in handy especially between June and August with cooler mornings and occasional cool currents. Board rental: A variety of boards including body boards, soft-tops, long, short and SUP boards ​ are available to hire for $20 per day. A display of some of our boards for hire. ​ Learn to surf groups: We host a number of learn to surf groups at Red Island as it is a perfect ​ ​ place for beginners. These guests are from all over the globe and are aged anywhere between 18-35 years old. They are mostly first timer surfers and lessons are predominantly held in waist deep water. Never a ‘threat’ to our shredders who rule out the back!!! Surf lessons: Are available ​ ​ for AUD $60 per day ($83 AUD for private) which includes 2 x 2 hour lessons per day, with our qualified and experienced instructors. Red Island is the best location in Indonesia to learn to surf!!! Who stays at our camp: Apart from the ​ learn to surfers our guests are quite diverse. Young families, surfing couples, ol’ boys and crew just looking for fun cruisey waves! 50% of our guests are surfer girls and the camp is always a lovely mix of guys and girls of all ages. We generally do not attract the surfers hunting big barrels or the super serious ‘surf or die’ crowd. It's all about having fun and cruising here. PARTY- We love to have a good time at Red Island both in and out of the water and at times it ​ is in the evening. Most nights of the week are pretty chill but we never know when an impromptu ‘good night’ is going to kick off and who are we to stop people having a great time on their holiday!! The camp has a midnight curfew in which case guests are welcome to go down to the beach if they want to continue the night. Accommodation: Our rooms are basic and comfortable. All rooms have a water dispenser, ​ fans, air-conditioning, private balconies and private en-suite open-air bathrooms. All bungalows have board-racks to keep your quiver off the ground. Bugs and insects and all other living creatures: We are lucky enough to be surrounded by ​ ​ National Park here at Red Island. This means plenty of creatures including, bugs, moths, birds, geckos, snakes, cats, dogs, fish, pigs, monkeys and according to locals still the odd tiger or two.