For surfers, Nias is "Paradise on Earth". The 2005 earthquake has uplifted many reefs of the island, making surfing on the "Point", the legendry right-hander near Sorake, even more challenging and exciting than in the past!
However, surfing spots are only a slice of the wonders that Nias Island has to offer. The island's unique and exotic setting - an ancient megalithic culture in a rugged tropical landscape - is even more intriguingly wondrous. The islanders call their island Ono Niha or Land of the Niassan. And that is what it fully is; A world unto itself!
Though you might have heard some travel stories about Nias, describing the island as a place of impenetrable jungles and feared head-hunting raids, there is no need to worry coming face to face with head-hunters (except perhaps in cultural performances) as this practice was brought to an end in the beginning of the 20th century. The island's lush forests and virgin beaches provide a unique opportunity to experience a feeling of last frontier, a world beyond the equator.
The unique combination of an untouched tribal culture with arcane rites and untamed nature make the island a world class destination for adventurous eco-travellers, where you will be welcomed by the local Niassan with the call "Ya'ahowu" or "Hello"!
Often the best travel experience happens unplanned, like the discovery of an amazing landscape after a wrong turn, or an impromptu drinking session with locals when you're stuck in a village during a thunderstorm. It sneaks up on you and catches you unprepared. The next thing you know, you are having tremendous fun, losing yourself in wild abandon while at the same time trying to soberly carve the moment in your head as it happens second by second, not wanting to miss a single thing.
In South Nias it is bound to happen. Not only once, but probably for the entire length of your visit, provided you keep an open heart. This is an island where warriors sit next to you at mealtime, where hundreds of enemy's skulls were buried beneath the ground on which you walk, where a spear-carrying five-year-old can be found fish-hunting in the middle of the day for his lunch. This is the island of tough and resilient men, virgin forests and waves as high as multiple-story buildings. We are not talking tour buses and two-hour allocations to click away on your camera in front of some ancient temples. We are talking real experiences, where you truly get up close and personal with the mystical island, bringing home not some crappy souvenirs but an amazing story to tell and hopefully a changed heart.
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