BALI EAST COAST
WHEN THE WET SEASON STARTS AROUND NOVEMBER, THE EAST COAST IS OFFSHORE FOR THE NEXT 5 MONTHS
BEST TIME TO TRAVEL:
JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH DECEMBER
SRI LANKA CAN BE A PERFECT BARREL IF THE CONDITIONS LINE UP . . .
When near by Nusa Dua is maxed out. Sri Lanka starts to turn on, the wave wraps around a submerged coral mesa facing the northwest.
The Break is situated directly in front of the resort Club-Med, not far from Nusa Dua
PADANG GALAK BEACH IS A RIVERMOUTH BEACH BREAK WITH BOILING HOT BLACK VOLCANIC SAND
Best at high tide up to 6 feet, depending upon sandbars. Beware of polluted river water and board breaking shore dump. Gets fairly crowded with Japanese surfers and Sanur locals. Hard to find, so hire a local driver to take you.
SERANGAN IS THE MOST POPULAR WET SEASON WAVE FOR INTERMEDIATE LEVEL SURFERS.
A great right and left reefbreak, just 20 minutes from Kuta, now accessible by car due to the filling in of Benoa Harbour. Works all day, on all tides, on all size swells. Consistent so therefore very crowded. But this means Nusa Dua is not so crowded these days, especially on big days.
HYATT REEF IS A VERY LONG WAY FROM SHORE (2 KMS) SO HIRE A JEKUNG BOAT TO TAKE YOU OUT AND WAIT WHILE YOU SURF.
A COUPLE OF FUN RIGHT AND LEFT REEFBREAKS IN FRONT OF THE CLASSIC TANJUNG SARI HOTEL AND THE SANUR BEACH MARKETS
The right can get awesome at dead low tide with a big swell (wear your reef boots). It offers a very long and fast ride at low tide, but at high tide it tends to break into sections and is therefore rarely ridden by tourist surfers.
Gets good between waist high and triple overhead . . . More of a performance wave for carves and turns but occasionally barrels on lower tides and bigger swells
ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST RIGHT REEF BREAKS WHEN OVER 8 FEET. BUT UNFORTUNATELY FICKLE
Sanur only breaks about 20 days a year, because it needs a very big swell from the right direction. Only a few days each year get over 10 feet. Nusa Dua is far more consistent and reliable, so surfers rarely stay at Sanur.
For Sanur to be 6 feet, Nusa Dua usually needs to be over 15 feet, depending upon swell direction. Under 4 feet Sanur sections badly and is dangerously shallow. From 5 to 8 feet it gets good but very crowded, with locals dominating. When it hits 10 feet it is a sight to behold as long-time Sanur devotees draw speed lines on 8 foot guns for 200 metres.
Golden Monkey was a well-kept secret for 20 years, but a new road changed all that
SUP Bali’s Pete Cox on a typical day for Nusa Dua – overhead, thick and powerful 200 metre rides. Photo Trevor Murphy
NUSA DUA IS BALI’S MOST CONSISTENT RIGHT REEF BREAK, RARELY UNDER 4 FEET.
Often the only place breaking for weeks, so it does get crowded (60+ surfers over 3 peaks). Breaks about 1 Km offshore, so hire a jekung ride out and back (around $10) from Surfer’s Beach, just past the Nusa Dua Golf Course and turn left at the Aman Nusa Resort. Look for the Surfer’s Beach sign, or as always it is better to hire a local driver.
Lacerations Big Day! BIG day, Photo www.monkeysurfing.com
THIS IS WHAT YOU DREAMED BALI WOULD BE LIKE – LIVING RIGHT ON THE SAND OF A QUIET, PALM-FRINGED BEACH! NUSA LEMBONGAN’S BEACHES HAVE NO PAVED ROADS OR CARS TO DETRACT FROM THE PEACEFUL IDYLLIC LIFESTYLE ENJOYED BY THE LOCAL FISHERMEN FOR CENTURIES.
You can really relax and slow down here, beach combing for hours as you wait for the tide to come in and the surf to start pumping.
TOP TRAVEL TIPS
YOU WANT TRANSPORT ?
Riding a motorbike is the most dangerous thing you can do in Indonesia. Every day there are lethal accidents, often because of unlicenced schoolkids, or drunk tourists at night. The roads are crowded and pot-holed. Most drivers don’t know any road rules except pay the cops to get out of trouble.
Read More . . .