Echo Beach is a reef surf spot in Canggu. The wave breaks over a rock-and-reef bottom, with sand only closer to shore. The main wave is a fast left that draws intermediate and advanced surfers. The lineup is conveniently close to the beach. The spot is hugely popular — it's always busy here.
The wave & conditions
The left barrels consistently even without a big swell. On a small swell it's a gentle wall, good for turns. On a head-high or bigger swell at low–mid tide the wave transforms into a powerful barrel with a thick lip. The rights are usually short and thick. A channel runs out to the take-off zone — you can reach the lineup without going through the impact zone. It works at mid–high tide, but above 2 m on the high you get backwash off the beach and the wave quality drops. At low the reef is exposed and the wave loses its shape. The optimal swell is 4–6 ft.
The Sandbar is a separate peak about 50 metres north of Echo, breaking right on the sand. The most consistent in this zone: a wedging left, fairly round on a good swell; the right off the same peak is noticeably shorter. A good option on the highest tides, when backwash is already getting in the way at Echo.
Conditions & tips
The crowd is Echo Beach's main problem: surfing alone here is virtually impossible. There's a strong rip at the southern edge — it pulls you off the beach, so you have to keep checking your position. The reef at Echo Reef is shallow and sharp — we recommend looking at it at low tide before your first session. It's best to surf early in the morning — by midday the onshore comes up and ruins the wave. On the beach there are warungs, cafés and board rentals. Water quality is poor: a river with runoff drains into the ocean. Among surfers who ride here regularly there have been serious infections requiring a course of antibiotics. It's especially dirty in the wet season.
Hazards: strong rip, shallow lava reef, crowds
