Surfatoll | Maldives surf trip

Tiger Stripes

To the northeast of Love Charms, in a narrow inlet between the islands of Gan and Gadhdoo, a lefthander breaks across a reef adorned with narrow gouges that look like stripes on a tiger. Tiger Stripes, sometimes referred to as Rockets, is an open lefthander that doesn’t get as hollow as some of the other nearby waves, but makes up for that with long and consistent carvable walls, fit for a variety of surfers and fun in a variety of conditions.

Although Tiger Stripes is pretty unimpressive when small, it luckily ends up being a lot bigger than everywhere else. After a tricky takeoff, the wave leads into a steep wall that speeds up as it turns the corner to an inside section that wraps around and occasionally barrels before mushing out into the channel.

Regularly noted for consistency, Tiger Stripes is the type of wave that—if there is swell—you can always count on to perform. It is a notoriously easygoing and cooperative wave, handling all stages of the tide and any variation of southerly swells, while breaking best during a southeast swell with northerly winds. It typically ranges from two to eight feet in size, but is definitely better the bigger the swell—a prime option when everywhere else is closing out.

You can return to the main page for the Northern, Central, or Southern Atolls by clicking the buttons on the right. Or you can navigate to any of the breaks within the Southern Atoll region by clicking on the break name below. If you have any questions regarding regions and waves, what is included on the surf trip, or any other questions regarding the maldives surfing experience, please visit our FAQ page or contact us.