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. There are two peaks: a powerful right and a calmer left on the other side of the channel. Green Ball's main feature is one of the strongest rips in Bali — swimming here is life-threatening.
The wave & conditions
The main peak is a right that breaks along the reef toward the channel. The take-off shifts around and the take-off zone is wide. The inside section bends into the channel through refraction, creating barrels — that's the best part of the wave. The right is best at a tide of 1–2 metres. The left peak, on the other side of the channel, only works at spring low tide (full or new moon), when the water is low enough, on a swell from 3 ft. The wave is mellow, with no barrels. Unlike most reef breaks, Green Ball works at all tides. Above 5 ft it's for experienced surfers only.
Conditions & tips
From the top the spot always looks smaller than it really is — keep that in mind when judging the size. It's a wet-season spot — the main season runs from October to April. In the dry season (May–September) the southeast wind blows the spot onshore, so it usually doesn't work then. The best conditions are early morning before the wind comes up. The current in the channel is one of the most powerful in Bali: losing your board can end badly (current diagram). At high tide the current pulls surfers onto the left peak, and the shorebreak on the shore gets heavy — getting out of the water, the inattentive get thrown against the rocks and the staircase. The bottom is flat reef with seagrass, not as sharp as at the neighbouring spots. The beach is surrounded by limestone cliffs, with bat caves at their base. There's a warung on the beach (opens at 5 a.m.) and changing cabins. No showers. Parking is up top, at the entrance to the staircase.
Hazards: very strong rip in the channel, shallow reef
