For the past 18 years, Ticket to Ride has expanded to new locations, introduced new sports and embarked upon countless new adventures. Underpinning this expansion is a genuine care for the places we operate and people we work with.
We are fortunate enough to run trips in many beautiful parts of the world and feel a strong sense of responsibility to respect and protect these places. So often, development can be incongruous with local surroundings, but we pride ourselves on engaging with and investing in each community we visit. Whilst our network of friends and riders has continued to grow, so have our relationships with local people, businesses, backpackers and charities.
Have a read below to find what we get up to and how you can be a part of our journey!
SRI LANKA
They Share – We Share
The exciting opening of our new Surf House brought with it many opportunities to work with and support a community and economy. We are now entering our fourth season and are thrilled to welcome people to the shores of Sri Lanka. We employ wonderful Sri Lankan staff year round and serve delicious traditional meals, made with locally sourced ingredients.
Head tuk tuk driver and head chef Hashen – stoked as always
We are also proud to support Sea Sisters, a social enterprise that empowers local Sri Lankan girls and women by using swimming and surfing as tools for social change. As well as loaning out equipment for sessions, our instructors volunteer their time coaching and photographing sessions. If you’d like to volunteer or donate to this amazing organisation please get in touch or visit their website.
Photo credit: @susan.nitzsche
Photo credit: @goldsazzfilm
Being surfers, a large portion of our time is spent enjoying Sri Lanka’s beautiful coastline. We hold regular beach cleans with our guests and staff to help combat plastic pollution. Beach clean-ups are a simple and tangible way to make a difference, whilst also acting as a sombre reminder of how much more work is needed to save our seas. We have introduced these clean-ups in all of our trip locations.
Ticket to Ride supports Animal SOS, a charity based in Ahangama that rescues and rehabilitates street animals. They have an on-site veterinary clinic, provide vaccinations and offer adoption schemes. We also stock some awesome local brands in our Surf Shop such as Paisley Island and Original Source and Supply.
SOUTH AFRICA
Surfing, It’s A Question Of Balance
Those who embark upon our South Africa Surf Adventures will have a wholly immersive experience. You will ride the best waves, embrace a rich and vibrant culture, encounter wildlife at its most pure and engage in meaningful community and sustainability projects.
Waves For Change
Ticket to Ride has been involved with Waves for Change since the very start, helping set up the organisation in 2007. This is an amazing charity who provides surf therapy sessions and mental health services to vulnerable and differently-abled young people from under-resourced communities. Whilst in Cape Town, the group help out with a beach session and meet W4C staff and surfers. Our operations manager and head surf coach Chris Bond recently worked with W4C to train Liberia’s first qualified surf coaches.
Fundraising for W4C with the Thames Paddle
When not busy shredding the world-class waves at Jeffreys Bay, the Ticket to Ride crew will volunteer with Tharros Child & Youth Care Centre. This facility was set up by Taise Sampson in 2016 to provide care and a home for children under threat. Tharros offer therapeutic programmes and social work services to help reunite children safely with their families or find foster care. If joining us on the trip expect to get stuck in, helping with painting, maintenance jobs and playing games with the kids at the centre.
Catering For The Community
Other initiatives we have been involved in include supporting the big-hearted team at The Chintsa Community Soup Kitchen and the wonderful non-profit organisation Sustainable Coffee Bay. We have loved visiting Ikhaya Labantwana, a rural Montessori Pre-School set up by Sustainable Coffee Bay, who provides nutritious meals and holistic educational experiences for up to 60 children.
INDONESIA
Indonesia’s potential for adventure is limitless… More than 17,000 tropical islands with countless shorelines of pumping surf, it’s become a core destination for Ticket to Ride over the past nine years.
Ranked as the ninth-fasted growing tourism sector in the world, foreign travel is essential for Indonesia’s economy. This is both a blessing and a challenge as the country’s infrastructure has at times struggled to cope, notably waste disposal poses a significant problem. Take 3 For The Sea is a global movement to combat plastic pollution and we have embraced this philosophy on all of our trips.
UK, CORNWALL
Our UK operations centre around the Ticket to Ride Surf School in Watergate Bay, Cornwall.
The Wave Project is a surf therapy charity whose efforts help improve the mental and emotional wellbeing of young people. We’re stoked to have The Wave Project join us every Wednesday at the Surf School. If you’re keen to get involved with them check out their website or register as a volunteer online here.
Our Surf School Manager Charlie enjoying an evening WP session
Waves For The Future
Ticket to Ride aims to inspire adventure with a conscience. Our surf trips provide unique opportunities for personal growth and an appreciation for the world. Responsible travel is essential if we want future generations to enjoy the oceans like we do. If you’d like to find out more and start your own adventure, speak with a team member today.
