Mantra Surfing 3 day course: Summary & Experience
I took a 3 day surfing course with Mantra surfing recently and managed to learn basics of surfing. This post shares a summary of my experience. I had previously visited Mantra briefly in 2021 but hadn't tried any course.
Day 01: First day of surfing course teaches us the basics
- About the surfboard- its parts like fin, tail, rails, leash etc & how to carry & protect the surfboard
- How to get on the surfboard, paddle and how to popup (stand on our feet while balancing the board on the wave)
- How to get off the surfboard as we near the shore
Below video shows a quick sample of how students are trained to popup on their surfboard
After theory and practice on the shore we got to enter the water and try our luck standing on the surfboard. Day 01 most students may not be able to manage well- it is great achievement for day 01 if you can standup on your feet for a few seconds without falling overboard. I think I managed to standup barely for a few seconds after several attempts.
With that done, our day 01 was over. The end to end session duration was from 3.30 PM to 6.30 PM. Assemble at 3.30, boat ride to beach, training on the beach takes about 90 minutes, another 1 hour in the ocean and another 30 minutes back to camp. Exact time is decided for each day by the experts the previous evening depending on wave forecast.
Carrying the surfboard takes fair bit of energy.
Day 02: We learnt more about waves- how they form, how they traverse, what are currents (rip current), what are different types of shores (sandy, rocky etc) and so on. After this we could practice well. Day two many of us managed to standup and stay afloat for several seconds. This is an achievement and confidence booster. Below is a short video of me surfing or rather learning to surfing.
Watch on instagram
Day 03: Our instructor covered Day 02 and Day 03 theory together on day 02, so we had Day 03 fully for practice. A bit better than last day, but we're still dependent on instructor to decide which wave is good and give us an initial push.
There is 5 day courses as well with Mantra which teach further as to how to judge the waves, how to start on our own without instructor input and how to manage direction change during surfing. I didn't take this course, maybe sometime in future.
Surfing Season: Surfing is suspended during monsoon. October/November the season starts once heavy rain & strong winds stop. Surfing season goes on till April/May till rainy season begins again. April & May is deemed to be best time for surfing as waves will be strongest- most of the surfing competitions are held during this period. November/December is good for beginners as waves will be milder.
Surfing Accessories: We were asked to get lots of accessories. I got a few, managed without few other. Below is a breakdown
- Rashguard- a thin piece of polyester cloth that hugs your body closely. While surfing we'll be rubbing our body against the surfboard, hitting sand etc so rashguard takes the initial impact of rubbing against foreign objects and protects our body. Available from 350 INR onwards on Amazon, decent ones from Decathlon cost 1000k and imported once Mantra's Thunder Monkey shop cost 2200 INR
- Leggings- I managed without this- similar to rashguard this protects the lower body. Without legging I got a few bruises- which will heal in a week's time but with legging it would have been more comfortable.
- Water bottle: To drink some water during the break, as we'll be away from base for 2-3 hours
- Energy bar/something to eat- to refresh our energy during the break
- Swimming goggles with power- if your visibility is not good, a powered swimming google will give you better visibility. Conventional specs will fall off into ocean during surfing hence can't be used.
- Zinka sunscreen- wasn't available online or in medical shops. This is special purpose sunscreen for salt water, Conventional sunscreen will wash away soon. Mantra had them imported from outside and are pretty expensive. Day 01 and 02 I applied some borrowed from someone else. Day 3 managed without one
- Board shorts- to wear on top of leggings or standalone- these are water repellent clothes, more comfortable during surfing and cover your lower half a bit as compared to figure hugging leggins
- Bag- a small bag to carry water bottle,snacks, phone etc will be needed. You can buy a waterproof bag which is more rugged and better. I managed with a normal sling bag.
Mantra Surfing is a pioneer in surfing related trainings and activities. Mantra is into its 3rd decade now having started in 2004. Mantra offer 3 day, 5 day and more advanced course. They also have some accommodation options in their Mulki campus- you can stay with them instead of having to stay in town and travel to Mantra daily. Weekday packages are bit cheaper compared to weekend. Wifi is OK to decent
Mantra students can book standalone surfing sessions (without any stay & food options) or can book a 3-day, 5-day package that includes stay, food and surfing. Sometimes session start at 7.30 AM so unless you're staying very close, stay package will be more convenient. But rooms are limited, so you've to confirm early. Alternatively you can stay at some home stay/hotel nearby (Mulki town is 3 kms from Mantra) and commute daily.
Accommodation options
- Dormitory
- Deluxe Private room
- Premium private rooms
Food provided:
- Morning tea/coffee, fruits
- Afternoon- Lunch
- Evening- Pizza and other items for purchase at the in house cafe
Other facilities available at Mantra
- Place to dry clothes
- Place to take bath & change dress
- Kayaking options
- Standup boards
- Night performances (on some days)
- Surfing Swami Foundation
Mantra also organize surfing contests in the region. Mantra surfing also are open to volunteers.
Overall I felt good unlocking a new adventure activity, surfing. Unlike swimming or cycling there is no practical usage of surfing- you can't go from A to B, but it is a lifestyle & recreational activity- you learn to utilize the energy of waves, learn to balance your body, navigate and feel good overall. Surfing is also a Olympic sport now.
Cost of learning surfing: Please check with Mantra directly for latest pricing, offers, availability of rooms. Below is a quick reference
Weekday 3 day course with dormitory stay: 8500 per person
Weekday 3 day course with private room & some activities thrown in: 25000 for 2 people.
There're few other surfing operators in Mulki, some even cheaper but I would recommend Mantra as they are the pioneers and have best of the crew and equipment for maximum learning & experience.
Nearby attractions: Padubidri bluflag beach * Kapu beach & lighthouse * Mangalore town attractions (about 20-25 kms from Mulki)
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