Malaysia Indonesia » Bali

Despite the fact that the line-ups, crowded, it's excessively com over-run by mass-market tourism Bali remains the heart of Indonesian surfing not just the lifestyle it offers: there are more world class high-performance breaks here than you will find anywhere other than Hawaii – and dozens of lesser breaks for those who aren’t up to the big stuff. As far as waves go, you can basically divide Bali into four areas: Kuta and the west coast; Bukit Peninsula; Sanur; and the offshore islands.

Kula hardly needs an introduction: it is at the most famous beaches in the world. The beach is crowded, but there are some good beach breaks to be had. Its best in the early morning or the late afternoon, when the wind drops and the waves have a better shape. Further off? shore are a few reefs which offer some far more serious action. These include Kuta Reef, Airport Rights and Airport Lefts. All offer good, fast walls though they don't have the hollowness you get in the waves on the Bukit Peninsular. If they're working, they get crowded fast. If you're looking for something moderate that's not as crowded as Kuta, try some of the beach and point breaks up the west coast you can drive to them easily including Canggu, Pererenan, Balian and Medewi.

The Bukit Peninsula is one of the world's great surf areas. It faces straight into the big southern swells, and its points and reef shelves help to create some of the best waves in the world. If you're head come to are easier as they're tucked in a bit out of the main swells, but the further south you go onto the tip of the peninsula, the waves get bigger, wilder and more in­tense. The first breaks, Belangan and Dreamland, are left-hand point breaks that sometimes get hollow but are usually rela­tively manageable. Just to the south, at a place called Bingin, is where the action really starts. here the waves are short, fast, hollow and challenging.

A little bit further down is Impossibles, a big shifting peak, and right beside that is the famous/notori­ous Padang Padang. This wave, some­times referred to as Indonesia's Pipeline, is very fast, very hollow and breaks along a very shallow reef. It's a spectacular ride, and this is the break that's shown in most of the spectacular surfing photos of Bali. It's definitely for experts only. Next around is Ulu Watu, one of the most famous waves in the world. It's another big, hollow left that breaks with incredible consistency. The breaks further round the peninsular — Nyang Nyang, Green Bali Bay, Nusa Dua and Sri Lanka — are all big, spec­tacular and very demanding.

Sanur & the east
Although Sanur is best known for its upmarket resorts, there are some exceptionally good waves here. Because they're on the east most of them are rights, and many of them are at their best in Bali's "off season" November to April. This place is popular with locals, so if you're just vis­iting show a little respect. Sanur Reef is one of the best barrels on Bali, but known to be a difficult wave that can easily pound you onto the shallow reef. Tandjung Reefs, a bit further north, is also beauti­fully-shaped, fast and dangerous. Further out to sea is a place called Hyatt Reef for the obvious reason which is usually bigger than the breaks closer to shore and a good option if you're looking for some­thing more powerful. It's about a kilometer out, so you're best off hiring a jukung local outrigger canoe) to take you out there. Further up the coast are some secluded beach breaks which are popular with surfers; seeking something less intense and away from the crowds. Best known is Padang Galak, which is also called Secret Beach".

Off Sanur are a cluster of small island that also get good waves and offer a much more relaxed lifestyle. The best-known, of these is Nusa Lembongan, which has tree good breaks Shipwrecks, Lacerations and Playgrounds challenging, but not up to the standard of the waves on the Bukit Peninsula.

Related Tour Packages and Information

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