The setup is a surf villa rather than a resort. There are eight rooms, each with its own bathroom and balcony, and a big shared salon with a TV, DVD player and hi-fi. A bar sits on site, but drinks are paid separately. The whole place sleeps up to 20 surfers, and a crew of five handles cooking, boats and guiding. Everyone on the crew speaks English.

A typical day has two boat trips. The guide watches the conditions and picks the break, so on one day you might surf Jailbreak right off the island and the next run out to another reef in the atoll. The camp lists nine possible breaks in the North Malé area. Between the two sessions you come back to the villa to eat and rest. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included, so beyond the bar the only thing you need to think about is what's in the water.

The biggest difference from a boat charter or a resort-based surf trip is the flexibility. There are no fixed weekly departures. You choose your arrival day and your length of stay, and the airport pickup is booked around your flight. The trade-off is that the boat won't collect you if you land after 5:00pm. In that case you spend the night near the airport and get picked up at 9:00am the next morning, right outside customs.

Pricing is per person per night and drops as your group grows. A solo surfer pays $170 a night and may share a room with another guest. Two people pay $165 each and get a private room together. Groups of four pay $150 each and get two private rooms. Boat transfers to and from the airport are charged on top. The booking form shows $240 for transfers on a six-night stay, bringing the total for one person to $1,260.

Hummafushi is a local island rather than a private resort island, and Jailbreak is the reason surfers come here. It's a reef wave, and the North Malé reefs in general reward surfers who are comfortable on coral. The camp provides a surf guide rather than lessons, so this works best for people who can already paddle out, pick a wave and get to their feet on their own.

The page also offers a professional photographer. It's one of the nicer extras, because surf photos from a boat trip are hard to get any other way. Check with the camp before you go whether photo packages cost extra.

What's included

- Accommodation in the surf villa on Hummafushi Island - Ensuite room with balcony (private or shared depending on group size) - 3 meals a day - 2 boat surf trips per day in the North Malé area - Surf guide - Internet connection - Use of the salon (TV, DVD player, hi-fi, table football)

What's not included

- International flights to Malé (MLE) - Boat transfers between the airport and the island ($240 USD shown for a 6-night stay) - Drinks from the bar - Late check-out (50% of one night) - Accommodation near the airport if you land after 5:00pm - Travel insurance - Surfboards and surf equipment (not listed as included) - Professional photographer services (check with the camp) - Personal expenses