Bali offers over 20 top quality breaks on the west and east coasts of the island, which
are just half an hour apart by car. The dry winter season is offshore on the famous Kuta
to Uluwatu west side of the island, from early June to late August.
The wet summer season is offshore on the Sanur to Nusa Dua east side of the island,
from early December to late March. Between seasons can be less predictable, but
there are usually offshore waves somewhere on the island.
The largest, most reliable swells usually arrive mid-winter from “roaring forties” weather
fronts in the southern Indian Ocean, although tropical cyclones during the summer can
also send up a few days of solid swell.
Most surfers prefer the predictable dry winter months rather than the humid monsoon
summer months when rain squalls can be more frequent than good surf. This
unfortunately means that between June and August every year, Uluwatu can often host
hundreds of jostling surfers from as far a field as Brazil, America, Hawaii, Australia,
France and Japan.
Luckily though, Indonesia’s outer islands offer lots of uncrowded waves during these
same months, from Sumatra to Java, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, the West Timor
islands, and even Irian Jaya.
ULUWATU BALI
At high tide you surf The Peak, with big tubes right from the jacking take off. One in
three tubes tends to close down unfortunately, so be prepared to duck out through the
back.
Over 10 feet on lunar high tides can be quite dangerous trying to get back in through the
cave (the only exit). Prone out immediately after takeoff. Head for the beach up-current
from the cave to avoid being swept past and having to paddle back out and around the
break to try again.
Low tide at Uluwatu causes The Peak to close out, so you surf 100 metres further
down the reef at The Racetrack. A series of hollow bowls link together with open tubes
that lure you ever onward into the next curving bowl – but don’t go too far, because like
most Bali reef breaks, it eventually closes out savagely onto almost dry coral that is
very sharp – wear your reef boots! The wave often gets bigger the further you go down
the line. Warungs offer food, drinks and great views of the surf.
Over 10 feet at low tide, Racetrack moves further out and becomes Outside Corner, a
big thick pushy wall that rolls for over 100 metres. There are no tubes, but the faces are
ideal for big carving manoeuvres. It is a great place to push your limits into big waves.
Temples is the line-up furthest south, way out the back. A good outside reef to avoid the
crowds or find more juice on smaller days. But it is difficult to line-up the take-off spot
as it tends to shift around and close down.
West Coast breaks: Uluwatu, Padang, Impossibles, Bingin, Dreamland, Balangan,
Airport Rights, Airport Lefts, Kuta Reef, Kuta beachbreaks, Legian beachbreaks,
Canggu, Balian, Medewi.
South Coast breaks: Nyang-Nyang, Greenball
East Coast breaks: Nusa Dua, Sri Lanka, Hyatt Reef, Tanjung Sari, Sanur, Padang
Galak, Guwang, Ketewel, Lebih, Padang Bai.
LOMBOK AND SUMBAWA
These are the two islands closest to Bali to the east. The best known wave in Lombok
is Desert Point, on the southwest tip, which can be just as good as Grajagan or
Uluwatu. Incredibly long rides, tubing perfectly over very shallow coral reef. Other spots
in Lombok are far easier to reach, with at least 10 known breaks that work in all wind
conditions. The book tells you where you can stay cheaply close to all these breaks.
Sumbawa has some of the most perfect waves in Indonesia, such as Lakey Peak,
Periscopes and Supersuck, but you will need to speak some Indonesian to find your
way around.
At high tide you surf The Peak, with big tubes right from the jacking take off. One in
three tubes tends to close down unfortunately, so be prepared to duck out through the
back.
Over 10 feet on lunar high tides can be quite dangerous trying to get back in through the
cave (the only exit). Prone out immediately after takeoff. Head for the beach up-current
from the cave to avoid being swept past and having to paddle back out and around the
break to try again.
Low tide at Uluwatu causes The Peak to close out, so you surf 100 metres further
down the reef at The Racetrack. A series of hollow bowls link together with open tubes
that lure you ever onward into the next curving bowl – but don’t go too far, because like
most Bali reef breaks, it eventually closes out savagely onto almost dry coral that is
very sharp – wear your reef boots! The wave often gets bigger the further you go down
the line. Warungs offer food, drinks and great views of the surf.
Over 10 feet at low tide, Racetrack moves further out and becomes Outside Corner, a
big thick pushy wall that rolls for over 100 metres. There are no tubes, but the faces are
ideal for big carving manoeuvres. It is a great place to push your limits into big waves.
Temples is the line-up furthest south, way out the back. A good outside reef to avoid the
crowds or find more juice on smaller days. But it is difficult to line-up the take-off spot
as it tends to shift around and close down.
West Coast breaks: Uluwatu, Padang, Impossibles, Bingin, Dreamland, Balangan,
Airport Rights, Airport Lefts, Kuta Reef, Kuta beachbreaks, Legian beachbreaks,
Canggu, Balian, Medewi.
South Coast breaks: Nyang-Nyang, Greenball
East Coast breaks: Nusa Dua, Sri Lanka, Hyatt Reef, Tanjung Sari, Sanur, Padang
Galak, Guwang, Ketewel, Lebih, Padang Bai.
JAVA AND SUMATERA
These are the islands west of Bali. On Java’s south eastern tip, you will find Grajagan,
better known as G-Land, the world’s longest, fastest, most awe-inspiring left-hand
reefbreak. Access to Grajagan is strictly controlled by the National Park rangers, so it is
essential you travel in an organised group with the necessary permits. The book has all
phone numbers of the only travel agents with permits to G-Land.
The book features full details on all other surf spots in West Java and Panaitan Island,
including a resort just 5 minutes walk from a great right point break!
To explore Java you will need to speak some Indonesian.
CIMAJA WEST JAVA
The Pelabuhan Ratu area, a favorite weekend surfing destination for expatriates and a growing number of Indonesian surfers based in Jakarta, is the most crowded of West Java’s surfing grounds due to sheer ease of accessibility.Most of the surf pounded beaches in the Pelabuhan Ratu resort area-also called Samudra Beach are just that: pure beach pound, featuring vicious riptides and big walls of water with nowhere to go. Most surfers skip this non-directional stuff and head a few kilometers due west to the sleepy fishing and rice-growing village known as Cimaja, or Cimaja Beach.
The Cimaja break, a right that rises off a rocky reef, is reached by walking about 300 meters from the main road through beachfront sawah (rice paddies). This spot is consistently surf able because it has a solid and angular rock bottom perfectly attuned to south and southwest swells rising out of the Indian Ocean. Its rights peel off in front of a cobble-stone and boulder strewn beach that clatters like a series of giant castanets every time a wave set rolls in.
Spot information for surfing at Cimaja:
- Type of break: pointbreak
- Type of wave: occasionally barreling wave
- Direction: right hand
- Bottom: rock
- Average lenght of ride: 100-200 meter lenght
- Suitable for: intermediate level
Detailed information:
- Crowd level: normal crowd
- Best tide: mid
- Ideal board size: 6′2-6′4 Thruster
- Ideal wind direction: east
- Wavesize & wetsuit:
- Spring – Summer – Autumn – Winter
- Good: 4′ – 6′ – Overhead: 6′- 8′ – Ok : 2′- 4′ – Ok : 2′- 4′
- Boardshorts – Boardshorts – Boardshorts – Boardshorts
Sumatra is where the real hard-core surf discoveries are being made.
There have been many videos and magazine articles showing the great new
discoveries in the remote islands near Nias, but no real names or crosses-on-maps
have been published yet. Nor are they likely to be. We will have to find these spots
ourselves, with the help of the friendly locals. So you better start practicing your
Indonesian now! The Sumatran outer islands are home to the most primitive, tattoo-covered natives in Indonesia. Be warned that these islands are covered in dense rainforest jungles, there
are hardly any decent roads, few places to stay and limited food supplies.
LOMBOK AND SUMBA
The best known wave in Sumba has been featured in a couple of Billabong movies
being surfed by Occy. There are good waves all over the island, but transport is slow
and difficult, so you need a bit of time to explore.
Most surfers who go to Timor head straight for the small island of Roti. There is good
accommodation right on the beach close to the left-hander known as T-Land. There are
also good waves on nearby islands, accessable by local ferries or through yacht
charters. Check out the book for full details.
THE NEXT FRONTIER? There might also be surf on Morotai island north of
Halmahera, or the northern islands of Sulawesi. Facing north east, they should get
similar swells to the Philippines, so go check them out and let me know if you discover
anything, especially any right hand points! (promise I’ll keep it secret).
