Mandatory Surfing Equipment needed in the Maldives - ‘Ride the waves’ of the tropical blue in cool

A surfboard is an absolute no-brainer when it comes to surfing essentials. However, there's more that goes into choosing the right surfboard than picking the brightly-coloured board that catches your eye out of the hoard of surfboards presented to you. What it all comes down to is your skillset. Unless you are a seasoned surfer who knows your way around a surfboard-like the back of your hand, or at least an intermediate, you'd want to stick to a longboard. Controlling and balancing is much easier on a longboard than a shortboard, allowing the newbie surfer to catch a wave with ease.

The dolphin-shaped fins that go under your surfboard are an integral piece of gear that offers you the precious surfing elements of grip and stability. Surfing on a finless board is similar to driving a car with standard tyres on an icy road. Riding the waves will be no picnic – you will have little or no control over manoeuvring and will most likely fall off mid-wave. While there are various arrangements of fins, a 3-fin thruster setup is ideal for beginner surfers.

No matter whether you are a pro surfer who has mastered the art and science of surfing, you'd still want to strap that leash before hitting the water. The tiny piece of rope that's strapped around the ankle and attached to your surfboard can keep you as well as other surfers around from getting into serious accidents if you happen to lose control of the board. If you are staying at a Maldives luxury resort the likes of Atmosphere Kanifushi, you'd most likely be offered complimentary access to all surfing equipment.

While you ensure that your board has firm contact with the wave (by installing surfboard fins), it is vitally important that you have the same with your feet and the board. How do you do it, you ask? That's where surf wax comes to the rescue. Applying a dab or two of surf wax on the deck of your board before hitting the water will keep you from slipping off while riding the waves.

Working on your tan might be one of the goals on your trip to the Maldives, but surfing without a rash guard in this tropical island nation isn't something you'd want to try. So don't forget to throw in a rash guard to your backpack before you set off on your tropical getaway and you'll thank yourself while you are trying to catch a wave under the dazzling, hot sun.