Surf Spots in Bali

Kuta Reef is a classic left-hand reef break about a kilometre off Kuta beach. The softest of the four reef breaks in the cluster (Second, Middles, Airport), boat access only from Jerman Beach. In good conditions — long rides up to 200 metres.

Keramas is the East Coast's premier performance wave, right in front of Komune Resort. A fast right-hand barrel over a volcanic reef, a WSL contest venue and a spot for floodlit night surfing. The lineup sits very close to shore, with the paddle-out through a channel on the north side — but it's a serious wave: pros and strong locals ride here, and the reef doesn't forgive mistakes.

Uluwatu is Bali's most famous surf spot, sitting on the southwestern tip of the Bukit Peninsula. It isn't a single break but a whole string of waves: The Peak, Racetrack, Inside Corner, Outside Corner, Temples and The Bombie.

Jimbaran is a beach break in a sheltered bay at the foot of the Bukit Peninsula. Flat most of the year, but on a big swell it's a handy, safe spot for beginners.

Airport Right is a right-hand reef break at the southern end of the Ngurah Rai Airport runway, on the Jimbaran side. You have to reach the spot by boat. On small days it's a long, easy right-hander. But on a decent swell Airport Right turns into a fast, powerful barrel that's rated one of the best rights on Bali's west coast.

Dreamland is the only true beach break on the Bukit. Sandy bottom in the lineup, with reef and rocks only right by the shore. The spot doesn't work every day — you need a swell and a low tide.

Nunggalan is an isolated reef break on the southern shore of the Bukit Peninsula, in the same league as Nyang Nyang and Green Ball as spots with tricky access. White sand, turquoise water, dramatic green cliffs — one of the most beautiful places in Bali. The wave is short, powerful and fast.

Sanur is one of Bali's most legendary and fickle waves. A right-hand reef break on the East Coast that only fires on a powerful wet-season swell. When the conditions line up, it's a long, powerful right with barrelling sections over ultra-sharp live coral. Rated one of the fastest, hollowest barrels in Indonesia. But those days are rare, and when Sanur switches on, the island's best surfers gather in the lineup. Besides the main reef, the Sanur area has several spots of varying levels: Sindhu, Tanjung Sari, Hyatt Reef — all reef breaks, mostly for experienced surfers.

Mushroom Rock is a fast right in the Nusa Dua area, one of the most powerful waves on this stretch of reef. On a good swell it barrels straight off the take-off and on down the line. The spot is dangerous — people often get scraped on the reef and break boards. It's a place for surfers who are confident on fast rights. It picks up less swell on average than Geger and the neighbouring spots.

Echo Beach is one of Canggu's main surf spots. A fast left-hander, the Echo Reef break with barrels. The lineup is close to shore, and it's always crowded.

Honeymoon (a.k.a. Jump Off) is a left-hand point break on the western edge of Jimbaran Bay. One of the few true point breaks in Bali. People come here when a big swell of 10 ft and up arrives and Balangan, Impossibles and Uluwatu are too big and too scary — inside the bay the wave will be half the size. But the spot also works on a medium swell — the wave will be smaller, but so will the crowd.

Impossibles is a long left reef break on the Bukit Peninsula. The spot is very sensitive to swell direction and to wind.

Baby Reef is a gentle reef break 700 metres off the Sanur shore. Sheltered by outer reefs, the swell is filtered down to small, manageable waves. One of the best spots for longboarders and for stepping up from whitewater to green waves.

Kedungu is a soft beach break just west of Canggu. Three peaks, a powerless wave — for fish, mid-lengths and longboards. A relaxed vibe among the rice fields.

Kuta is Bali's most famous and busiest surf spot, stretching 2 km along the beach. It's a beach break with a sandy bottom — one of the few places on the island without a reef. Plenty of peaks with lefts and rights appear and disappear as the sand shifts. On a small swell Kuta is the perfect place to learn: soft waves, a safe bottom, dozens of surf schools. But on a good swell there are excellent waves here that can barrel — especially at the Halfway peak.

Balangan is a reef break on the Bukit Peninsula with a fairly fast left. The reef runs from the cliff along the whole beach and splits into three sections that, on a good swell and the right tide, line up into one long ride.

Bingin is a compact surf spot on the Bukit Peninsula with an almost perfect barrelling left, often called "the easiest barrel in the world." The wave breaks very consistently and in one specific spot. The break is small in capacity and the standard is high — competition for waves runs hot here.

Geger is the main swell magnet of the Bukit's southeastern coast. It always picks up more swell than the neighbouring spots. It holds almost any size and is never flat. The spot is a long way from shore, and many people get there by boat.

Bali Soul is one of the main learner spots in Nusa Dua for the wet season. It also goes by Cook Point or the Russian Spot, and on Windy it's marked as Little Moscow. A pretty, comfortable beach with great infrastructure: board and gear rental from Gusti, a local, plenty of cafés and easy parking. Getting in is straightforward, and you can also jump carefully off the rock straight onto the spot — plenty of people do.

Airport Left is a mellow left-hand reef break right next to the runway of Ngurah Rai Airport. You get there by boat from Pantai Jerman (in the Kuta area). The wave is long, not too fast and forgiving — one of the best reef spots for intermediate surfers. At mid tide the outer and inner peaks link up into very long lines with rides of 60–80 metres.

Serangan (Turtle Island) is a wet-season, westerly-wind spot. Several peaks on a large coral reef that work consistently and at almost any tide. One of Bali's most popular winter spots — surfers from all over the island come here. With so many peaks there's room for everyone, and the vibe is friendlier than at Keramas or Sanur.

Green Ball (also known as Green Bowl) is a reef break on the southern shore of the Bukit Peninsula, very exposed to swell. A staircase of about 330 steps leads down to the beach, so it's usually not crowded.

Padang Padang is one of the most powerful and dangerous surf spots in Bali, on the Bukit Peninsula. It's known for heavy, deep barrels over a shallow reef.

Toro Toro is the most popular spot in the Airport Reefs. Long, soft right-hand walls with a predictable pace. The perfect wave for working on your manoeuvres. Boat access from Kedonganan.

Halfway is the main peak in Kuta, the most consistent beach break on the whole stretch of coast. It's right in front of Poppies Lane 2 — look for the Surf Discovery surf school and the Kuta Beach sign. On a beach break the peaks move around, but Halfway holds its position — which is why it has its own name. The wave here is better quality and more consistent than the neighbouring stretches of beach. Local surfers ride here all the time, putting on a show at sunset.

Mengiat is an A-frame reef break in the Nusa Dua area, in front of the beach of the same name. The wave is sharp and steep, with a powerful punch on the sections. The spot is fickle: good conditions don't come around often, and the wave doesn't always live up to expectations.

Padma is one of Bali's best beach breaks, in front of Padma Resort, on the boundary of Kuta and Legian. Lefts and rights over sandbanks that reshape from swell to swell — which means the character of the peaks and the strength of the current can change from session to session. At head-high it's a quality, manoeuvrable wave for intermediate and advanced surfers. It barrels even on a relatively small swell with the right tide — and that's what sets Padma apart from neighbouring Kuta. On a big swell the right delivers powerful barrels. Despite sitting next to the tourist zone, the spot is serious — there's a constant strong northbound current here.

Batu Bolong is Canggu's main surf spot, right by the Pura Batu Bolong temple of the same name. The heart of Bali's longboard culture — soft, long waves, but very crowded.

Nelayan is a quiet surf spot in Canggu between Batu Bolong and Echo Beach. The waves are softer and less frequent than its neighbours', but there's almost no crowd.

Black Stone is a reef break in the Nusa Dua area, in front of the Grand Hyatt and closer to the Waterblow headland. It's named after the black basalt rock jutting out at the edge of the reef. The main wave is a left with a sharp shove on take-off: the swell rebounds off the rock and creates a steep, unpredictable section at the start. The spot is fickle — the wave is often warped, and good conditions don't line up every day.

Hyatt Reef is a right-hand reef break about 2 kilometres off the Sanur shore — the longest paddle in Bali. From the beach the wave looks like a long, perfect right, but up close it's often a set of disconnected sections over ultra-shallow reef. On a good swell and high tide, though, Hyatt Reef lives up to expectations — a powerful right with barrels on the outside and long walls on the inside.

Old Man's is a surf spot in Canggu, next to Batu Bolong. One of the best places to make the jump from surf school to green waves. Deeper and safer than its neighbour Batu Bolong.

Balian is a swell magnet on Bali's West Coast, an hour and a half from Kuta. A river mouth with A-frame peaks and a long left over a rock-and-sand bottom. It pumps almost all the time, even when other spots are flat. A beautiful black-sand beach and a quiet, tidy village full of guesthouses — a really pleasant place.

Sri Lanka is a right-hand reef break in the northern part of Nusa Dua, about 500 m north of Bali Soul. It's not one of the area's top spots — advanced surfers find it dull. But on the right swell Sri Lanka delivers long, comfortable waves, and when everything lines up, barrels. It picks up less swell on average than the neighbouring spots — the swell has to wrap around the Bukit Peninsula to reach the reef.

Medewi is the longest left in Bali. A soft point break over a bottom of rounded boulders that, on a good swell, runs for 800 metres and more. The most remote spot from the south — two hours from Canggu, and about three back because of the trucks heading for the ferry to Java. A relaxed vibe, ideal for a couple of days' trip.

Gunung Payung is a reef break on the southern shore of the Bukit Peninsula, about 300 metres east of Pandawa. Thanks to its direct exposure to the open ocean, it gathers swell better than almost any other spot in Bali.

Middles (Middle Reef) is a left-hand reef break between Kuta Reef and Airport Left. It catches more swell than the neighbouring spots and is often less crowded — a good option when Kuta Reef is too packed. You need a boat to reach it, though at dead low tide you can paddle out from the beach. The lineup is about 500 metres offshore.

Sindhu Right (Belan Belan — "shards of glass") is a right-hand reef break by the Sanur boardwalk. Closer to shore than Hyatt Reef. In perfect conditions, rides up to 200 m. At low tide it's serious barrels, at high tide fun walls.

Pererenan is a reef surf spot in Canggu at a rivermouth. A quality right with barrels and long walls. High competition, not for beginners.

Seminyak (Double Six) is a sand-bottom beach break on Bali's West Coast. The waves are weak and mostly closeouts. Less crowded than Kuta. Good for whitewater practice.

Sindhu Left (Jantuk, Magic Wave) is a rare quality left in Sanur. Soft on a small swell, heavy barrels on a big one — a board-breaker. Uncrowded.

Pandawa is a powerful reef break on the southern shore of the Bukit Peninsula. One of the most swell-exposed breaks in Bali — a swell magnet that's never flat.

Chocolate Factory is a right-hand point break in the village of Jasri on Bali's East Coast, near Candidasa. Named after an actual chocolate factory on the beach. Its sheltered position lets you surf when the rest of the island is overloaded — when Keramas is double overhead, the wave here is still head-high.

Berawa is a surf spot in Canggu with a varied setup: a beach break with several peaks plus two reef breaks on either side. A punchy wave for shortboards, not for beginners.

Nikko (Sawangan) is a fast right in the southern part of Nusa Dua, in front of the Hilton Bali (the former Grand Nikko). A barrelling, demanding wave — one of the highest-quality breaks in the area. Breakwaters were built here that changed the spot considerably — they shrank the rideable zone and killed the beach break for beginners. Over time more breakwaters were added. The wave used to be long and perfect; the spot is more compact now, but the wave quality has stayed high.

Nyang Nyang is a surf spot on the very southwestern tip of the Bukit Peninsula. It's considered one of the most beautiful places to surf in Bali.