Sun, surf and celebs
Malibu delivers coastal charm, great wine – and a celebrity giraffe, Marc Greenhill writes.
Star gazer or not, it’s a buzz to spot a celebrity or two when visiting Los Angeles. In Malibu, an upmarket beach hideaway for A-listers just 48 kilometres west of Downtown LA, those chances are greatly improved. Sadly, the closest I come in three days to Hollywood royalty is hand-feeding a giraffe who made a cameo in The Hangover 3. Luckily, there’s far more to do on the United States’ California coast.
Malibu oozes the trappings of wealth. Glamourous homes line the beachfront and on the hilltops behind the highway sit dozens of mega mansions. Famous past and present residents include actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, and pop stars Britney Spears and Lady Gaga.
After four days in the city, which includes time spent seeing the sights around Hollywood, Downtown LA and Venice Beach, Malibu seems like another world.
It’s like a trip to the countryside. The journey from Hollywood takes just over an hour during early-morning gridlock traffic on the Ventura Freeway. High-rise office blocks soon give way to bushy hills and for some reason Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’ is playing in my head during the ride. The city disappears entirely as we enter the Santa Monica mountains.
High times in Malibu
Our first view of Malibu is Point Dume State Beach, about 20 minutes from the city’s famous pier. We’re greeted by a large cliff, which we later find out we’ll be climbing to the top of. Behind this rock lies the location of the famous Planet of the Apes movie scene where Charlton Heston’s character finds a half submerged Statue of Liberty in the sand.
In the real world, our task is to climb more than 100 feet (30 metres) to the top of a sheer rockface above the beach and ocean. There are palpable gulps and nervous laughs from the group. Some have opted out already because they’re not insured to risk life or limb – that’s a worry. I’ve climbed on indoor walls a handful of times but never this high and without clear hand and foot holds, and while I’m not afraid of heights per se, I’m not a massive fan of them either.
Our guide, Rock N Ropes Adventures owner Roger Ramires, knows every inch of these hills after more than a decade in the business. He quickly puts us at ease and it’s good to know he’ll be at the end of the rope. The group decides I’ll be the guinea pig/ sacrificial lamb and go up first.
I gingerly step on the rock. The gaps for finger holds are tiny and it’s difficult to see a clear way up. Roger directs me to the left, then the right, urging me to reach out with both arms and legs. I’m soon off the ground at an uncomfortable height, legs begin shaking with a mix of adrenaline, fear and tiredness.
At halfway, I offer to come down to let others have a go but Roger urges me to push on to the top. When my hand touches a steel pin that solo climbers clip into at the top, I’ve reached the ‘‘summit’’. The view is simply stunning – you can see for kilometres down the coast. After a military-style rappel back down, my feet gratefully hit the sand. Each of the others go up, some reaching the top and others not, but at least conquering their fears.
Surf city, here we come
If visitors aren’t aware that Malibu is a rock-climbing haven, they certainly know it’s famous for surfing.
Aqua Surf School, which has been teaching novice surfers across Southern California for more than 20 years, runs lessons at Malibu Point on the aptly named Surfrider Beach. Founder and CEO Allen King is our personal tutor for the day. He’s disappointed by the size of the swells, but in fairness he’s just returned from riding big waves in Hawaii.
The workout starts before we can even see the water. It’s a warm day and
the wetsuit fitting is in the car park at the start of long walk, while also carrying the long boards, to the beach. I’ve surfed a few times in Canterbury with limited success. I soon realise this is the result of poor coaching. Allen has us practising the techniques in the sand over and over. Let’s get wet already, I’m thinking in my head. However, Allen makes it fun with his banter and playful sarcasm.
We’re ready to ride, ride, ride the wild surf and Allen joins us in the water to help with wave selection and technical advice. A good swell rolls in and he shouts ‘‘paddle, paddle paddle’’. I’m up and riding for the first time and it’s exhilarating. Further attempts bring mixed success but I feel chuffed that I can employ my new skills back to New Zealand. One of the group is scared of the water and convinced she can’t do it. After Allen’s magic touch, she’s up three times or more and riding waves all the way into the beach.
Wine tasting with a twist
It’s no surprise California is one of the United States’ premier winegrowing regions. In fact, about 85 per cent of the country’s annual production comes from the Golden State.
Malibu’s Saddlerock Ranch is a model of diversification. Tucked away in the hills about a 12-minute drive from the pier, it has been growing grapes since the mid 1990s. However, It’s not your typical vineyard. Shane Semler abandoned a corporate lifestyle to start Malibu Wine Hikes on his family’s ranch. The tours take in the vineyard, orchards, a range of exotic animals and a special celebrity.
Shane guides us on the 2.5 hour hike, on the way describing the history of the property and his family’s work