Surfing Spot - Canggu - Bali - Indonesia

Surfing Spot - Canggu - Bali - Indonesia

Surfing Spot - Canggu - Bali - Indonesia Canggu used to be accessed by surfers staying in Kuta by a harrowing, high-speed motorcycle ride through the soft sand from Kuta Beach to Canggu. Surfers needed to maintain a top speed for the entire ride or else be stuck in the soft sand and often left unable to get started again.

These days that's no longer allowed and driving into Canggu means a mellow ride through the rice fields. Canggu is a nice place, and as such, it has become the choice of a lot of expats and local surfers, to build houses and live there. There's a community feeling at Canggu. Families, dogs, long-term friends are all around the cafe's at the main break Echo Beach.

Canggu is a strip of black sand beach and reef breaks that is known for having something for everyone. There are a few soft rolling waves that are ideal for beginners, some hot dog, rippable peaks, for high performance surfing, and, when it's big, there are some gnarly, beachfront barrels for expert surfers. Canggu is more south facing than Kuta Beach and will usually be bigger.
Canggu is often the spot when the swell is small, and many of Bali's hottest surfers from Kuta will make the morning trip to Canggu. Because it faces further south, Canggu is also more affected by the trade winds and is best in the early mornings. After 9:00 a.m.,

Canggu is frequently sideshore and not the perfect glass of a few hours earlier. To get to Canggu: Follow the main road Jln Legian through Seminyak and out to the ricefields past Pettitinget.
Follow the signs for Canggu and Tanah Lot. As you near the beach keep your eyes peeled for a sign for Echo Beach as this is the most central of the breaks and the place where most surfers start.

Surfing Spot - Balian - Bali - Indonesia

Surfing Spot - Balian - Bali - Indonesia

Balian is not a major surf destination spot in Bali for most surfers. The waves at Balian are not the ultraperfect green barrels that most surfers come to Bali for. However, Balian is a great surf get away in Bali. Contrasted to the Bukit, Balian is lush, with ricefields, rivers, and lots of coconut trees. There's a black sand beach, and it is generally a very mellow place to chill out for a few days. Balian is also a swell magnet. This is a place that will have decent surf when everywhere else is flat. The tradewinds blow sideshore here, and the rainy season westerlies blow onshore. Balian is a place for early morning surfing and the potential for a late afternoon glass of session.

The wave at Balian is a rivermouth beach and rock break that offers up very rippable shifting A-frame peaks. Usually the lefts are better than the rights, and both can show an inside barrel section when it all comes together. Balian is not a place to go when there is a big swell running. It will be impossible to paddle out and the currents will become dangerous. If a big swell is running most surfers will continue west another half an hour to Medewi.

 To get to Balian: Balian is about one and a half hours from Kuta. Leaving Kuta, follow the Krobokan Rd, past the Canggu turn off and continue straight. This road will eventually connect with the major West to East highway. Follow the signs for Gilimanuk. The coast will be in sight much of the way, and keep your eyes peeled to see if any of the assorted peaks on the way are worth investigating. You will see signs

Best Tide:	Mid-High
Best Swell Direction:	S, SW, W
Best Size:	2-5ft
Best Wind:	N, NW are offshore, Glassy mornings.
Perfect-O-Meter:	3-7 - Balian is a rippable A Frame that offers both lefts and rights. (1=Lake Erie; 10=Jeffreys Bay)
Bottom:	Stones, Rock
Ability Level:	Beginner-Expert
Bring Your:	5'8" Fish, 6'4" swallowtail
Best Season:	April-Oct
Crowd Factor:	low-Depends on how many people decide to make the drive from Kuta on any given day.
Access:	Easy
Local Vibe:	Good
Bicep Burn:	3-8 (1=1ft Waikiki; 10=15ft Ocean Beach)
Poo Patrol:	4-9. Balian is a rivermouth break. As such there is often sewage run off. This can be particularly bad during the first rains of the year and should probably be avoided at that time. (1=clean; 10=turds in the lineup) (1=clean; 10=turds in the lineup)
Shark Danger:	4-8 Caution (1=none; 10=bring an iron cage)

Surfing Spot - Medewi - Bali - Indonesia

Surfing Spot - Medewi - Bali - Indonesia

Medewi can be a very long workable left during a solid swell. This spot is known for being a lot softer than the waves of the Bukit, and longboarders, and less ambitious surfers flock to this place in search of their Bali High. Though Medewi is in Bali, there is a different feel to this place. Much of the population of Medewi are actually from Java, Islam is much more present than the rest of Bali, and it's almost as if you have traveled to a different island. The vibe at Medewi is very relaxed and fun, and the locals are very friendly. The trade winds blow sideshore at Medewi and as such it is good to plan to surf this spot early, and hope for an evening glass off.

To get to Medewi: Medewi is about two hours from Kuta. Leaving Kuta, follow the Krobokan Rd, past the Canggu turn off and continue straight. This road will eventually connect with the major West to East highway. Follow the signs for Gilimanuk. The coast will be in sight much of the way, and keep your eyes peeled to see if any of the assorted peaks on the way are worth investigating. About one half hour past Balian, you will see lots of signs for accommodations in Medewi.

Best Tide:	Mid-High
Best Swell Direction:	S, SW, W
Best Size:	2-5ft
Best Wind:	N, NW are offshore, Glassy mornings, trades are sideshore.
Perfect-O-Meter:	3-7. Medewi can be a long, workable, softer wave. (1=Lake Erie; 10=Jeffreys Bay)
Bottom:	Stones, Rock, Reef
Ability Level:	Beginner-Expert
Bring Your:	5'8" Fish, 6'4" swallowtail, Longboard, Funboard
Best Season:	April-Oct
Crowd Factor:	Medium
Access:	Easy
Local Vibe:	Good
Bicep Burn:	3-6 (1=1ft Waikiki; 10=15ft Ocean Beach)
Poo Patrol:	3 (1=clean; 10=turds in the lineup)
Shark Danger:	2 (1=none; 10=bring an iron cage)

Surf Wax Techniques & Maintenance

Before hitting the waves, take a look at our surf wax infographic to know exactly what you  need to do for perfect upkeep of your board.

Surf wax is a simple enough petroleum product with a storied past. In the early days of the  sport, surfers used to paint their boards with varnish and scatter sand across the surface to ensure they wouldn’t slip off. This gritty solution was imperfect and painful, leading to an epidemic of wipeouts and board burns. An improvement came by accident in 1935 when L.A. surfer Alfred Gallant Jr. walked through a recently waxed wood floor and found he stuck better than ever to his board. Surfing would never be the same.

Today, surfers wax their boards with two layers of surf wax: base coat and top coat. The base coat glues the board to the top coat, and the top coat glues the rider to the board. Top coat is considerably softer than base coat. It’s made to melt around a rider’s foot and stick into the contours of his or her skin.

If a top coat is too soft for the conditions, however, it will begin to degrade. For this reason, top coat surf wax comes in four flavors of hardness: cold, cool, warm, and tropical. Use cold water wax if you’re surfing off the coast of Oregon. Use tropical if you’re surfing in French Polynesia. Pick the right surf wax and properly maintain your board, and you’ll stay stuck to waves better and longer than the next guy in the water. Every edge counts. If you liked the infographic please feel free to share. DO: MORE by being properly prepared.

The Art Of Surfing - Bali

Snnounces the regions first ever High Performance Surf Training Camps 

The Art Of Surfing - Bali will hold three High Performance Surf Training Camps this November, targeted at surfers who are looking to improve their surfing through surf specific coaching and specializing in technique, equipment and competition based fundamentals. These camps are suitable for all surfers, from the novice to the pro.

Affiliated with the Asian Surfing Championship and Indonesian Surfing Championship tours, The Art Of Surfing - Bali’s High Performance Surf Training Camps will be the first of their kind ever held in Indonesia. Each of the camps will be conducted at the dyllic location of Balian on Bali’s North / West coast over a 3 day period, and will include Video Analysis, Surf Yoga, Surf Specific Fitness Training, Surf Safety Rescue Technique and Basic CPR Courses. “With the global recognition that Bali has received these past years and now as the home of a WCT event, it was only a matter of time before a High Performance Camp of this kind would be born, and we’re proud to be the first ones to do it,” says The Art Of Surfing - Bali Ambassador Tai Graham.

“We’re also super stoked to announce that we’ll be giving a spot to a local Indonesian surfer in our very first camp.  Indonesia is getting closer and closer to getting a surfer on the World Tour, and we’d love to lend a hand in making that dream a reality!” he added. “What we are aiming to achieve with our camps is to expose the attendees to the best possible information at the best possible location with the best coaching & coaches, along with the best teaching products available in today,” says High Performance Head Coach Matt Scorringe

ASC and ISC Chairman Tipi Jabrik is excited about this long awaited opportunity, saying, “It’s great to finally see this kind of High Performance Training Camp being held here in Bali. We’ve needed this for some time now and what the crew from The Art Of Surfing - Bali has organized will have a very positive influence on our surfing community. We’re also proud to be able to elect one of our up and coming young surfers to attend the camp, which will provide him or her an opportunity that they can put to use as they train, surf and compete on the Asian and Indonesian tours and beyond.”


A detailed presentation to fully explain the High Performance Training Camp will be held Wednesday November 6th & Thursday November 7th at the Modern Movement Training Studio at 7pm in Seminyak, so all are welcome to attend and find out more about this exciting new program. Participation is limited in order to ensure a quality experience, so be sure to register immediately. More specific details are on the attached e-flyer, and to register please send email to: theartofsurfingbali@gmail.com

Stephan Figueiredo Pro Surfe and Kite Surfer

On Friday, 30th of August, we met by hazard the pro surfer and kite-surfer Stephan Figueiredo at Echo Beach . 

 He was just relaxing and surfing with some friends, as we noticed his really awesome skills out-there in the waves. But however he always was ready to answer our questions in a very patient and kind way! The Brazilian is 33 years old and it is his 5th time he is visiting Bali, but this time just to make holidays and meet some friends on our beautiful island.

 His passion for the sport of surfing started when he was a small child, with only 8 years he started to surf. Soon it becomes clear that he has a certain talent, so it was just a question of time when he will be discovered by scouts. At the age of 15 years, Stephan becomes a professional surfer. As you can describe him as a multi talent, Stephan started to play kite surfing just four years ago. But he was so good that he become only three years later professional in kite surfing as well as in surfing.

Nevertheless of his talent, Stephan does not like it to take part in real competitions, he said, he just does not like the rivalry and seriousness in these competitions. So his sponsors, like MCD, Globe or Blade, allow him to travel the world and surf in every spot he wants to surf. What a kind of life! That day on Echo Beach he was playing a special kind of kite surfing, as he explained. He is using his normal surfboard; therefore his feet are not fixed on the board, as it is the case for normal kite-surfer. This fact makes all the tricks and stunts he is doing in the air and on the water even harder to do successfully!

 Stephan also does not only use the wind to show all his skills, he is using the waves as well. As the wind is coming that day only from the left side looking on the ocean, he is traveling in a 45-degree angle to the wind behind its strongest zone that is close to the beach. From there, he comes back straight to the direction of the beach. If he sees a good wave coming, which usually are breaking with the wind from the left to the right side looking on the ocean, he comes with speed from the sea, catches the wave and either just rides it along or jumps and does tricks with the help of his kite and the top of the wave.

It was so impressing to see him doing all the tricks and stunts, grabbing the board with the one hand while holding the kite with his other hand in a 540° for example. Besides his passion surfing he also likes to go spearfishing or diving, and playing motocross or jeep tours. Luckily he can easily combine all these hobbies as you can practice them all in a paradise like Bali! But his fifth hobby snowboarding, he must travel to other places of the world to make it happen. He is a really interesting person and for sure worth to follow his actions and career. It was a great pleasure to meet him.

The effects of surfboard design in wave performance

Surfboard design is all about fluid dynamics, not color, look or style. When you’re buying a surfboard you’re choosing the plank that will suit you best. You’re interested in getting a very good surfboard for your level of experience and /or for a determined type of wave.


The flow of water is the science behind surfboard shaping and manufacturing. When shapers design their models, they often know what they’re doing. There areseveral variables which take part in the “construction” of a good surfboard model. The type of blank that is used, the quality of the fiberglass and resins, the knowledge of the shaper are very important issues, but there’s more. Surfboard design also involves the outline. The overall design of the board has profound impact of the wave riding performance. A rounder template will force you to longer curves and more laid-back surf.

Width and length are very important issues. You have to choose between 18’’ and 24 inches of width. Wider boards offer more fluctuation and are the perfect choice for very small fat waves. With narrower surfboards you can test you take-off skills in deep, hollow waves. If you have trouble catching waves, you will probably need a longer surfboard. On the other hand, you’ll find it harder to turn than if you were surfing with a shorter board. Surfboard thickness is also relevant in wave riding performance.
Normally, the thickness point is in the middle area of the surfboard but, in some cases, it can be hold through the tail and rocker. When the thickness level is almost even, it will help balance both feet, as you change positions throughout each ride. That is to stay a well distributed surfboard thickness helps you maintain control, despite constant weight changes on the blank. Rocker is considered the most important feature in a surfboard, by many shapers.

When viewed from side, the rocker is the curve of the surfboard from tail to nose. The surfboard rocker is subdivided into nose rocker, center and tail rocker. When it comes to analyzing surfboard rocker, there are a few logical commandments. The more rocker a surfboard has, the looser and slower it will be. Plain and flat rocker delivers faster wave performances and surfing maneuvers will be harder to pull - it works very well in small wave boards.
Surfboard bottom contours are also important in surfing. Concave and V-shaped contours have similar performances, despite opposite designs. A concave surface - or channel-type contour - will help your tail respond faster and easier to rapid turns. The Vee model helps you carve easily. A flatcontour is difficult to control at high speed. Tail designs are usually very discussed in modern surfboard shaping. Pin tail is great for big waves because there is less board in water contact and more speed is achieved.

The rounded pin tail, round tail, squash tail and rounded tail are very common because they hold the surfboard quite well in all-round surf conditions. The squash tail sits in the middle term.
Sharper edges, like the square tail, are more responsive to rad turns. Swallow tails help your paddling power and are easier to control in small waves.
Surfboard fins are part of the entire hydrodynamic performance, but are an external feature. You can learn more about the importance of fin setups (single fin, twin fin, thruster and quad).

SurfBoard Racks

Unless you live somewhere with shallow razor sharp reefs, chances are that most of the damage to your surfboards occurs during transportation and storage.
But the intrepid surfer with DIY instincts can do much to remove the chance of out of the water dings by building a set of storage racks to have a secure and stable place to keep your boards out of the way in between sessions.

The above examples are just a few variations we’ve found and used. You’re only limited by the space you have available and your imagination. Most of the above pictures are made with 3/4″ dowels and leftover wood from other home projects. The plywood rack looked like a good option for apartments or dorms where you might not be able to drill/screw into the walls and is freestanding and folds flat.

Racks can be built with just about any type of material and we’ve found that whatever you have already laying around you garage or basement usually works fine. Here we have some photos of different styles of board racks. There’s no better way to extend the life of your equipment than taking good care of it. So if you haven’t already, get out your saw and drill and build yourself some

Garage SurfBoard Racks
Custom made to fit above a garage door in otherwise wasted space

Wall mounted rack
Wall mounted racks for plenty of board storage

Freestanding floor rack
Freestanding floor racks built with leftover wood

Surfing in One of the World's Oldest Cities

Cadiz is located in Southern Spain in Andalusia. 
It is a small town with old buildings on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Some people believe that Hercules built this town. Most of the tourists come to Cadiz to see the Roma ruins, the impressive Cathedral and to know more about its interesting history.

I felt like I had found a pearl in the edge of the old town because it turns out that the beautiful beaches in Cadiz are good for surfing throughout the year even in the winter. In the afternoon, I walked along Santa Maria Del Mar beach and I met some of the Cadiz surfing community, Alberto Lopez Rodriguez and Alberto Gallardo.

According to them, you can surf anytime throughout the year but the best waves come around March until April. During wintertime in December waves at Del mar beach are around 1-2 metres in height and surfers needs to wear full body suits. There is another nice beach that is good for surfing as well in Los Canos. When I asked Alberto, where is the surf spot that he would most like to visit in the world? He responded with ‘Indonesia’. That’s because he often watches surf videos

with Indonesia as the setting. He said that his favourite surfer is Mick Fanning. I was lucky enough to spend my afternoon with the Cadiz surfing community who were really friendly and welcoming. Our conversation finished up with the stunning sunset as golden light reflected in the Atlantic Ocean.

Another Surfing Spots in Indonesia

Primitive Beauty and Perfect Barrels Collide at Grajagan

Indonesia is an archipelago with world’s best surf spots. One of the bests is Plengkung beach at Banyuwangi, East Java. Nicknamed by surfers as the ‘gland’ or G-Land. The word of ‘G’ in “G-Land derives from Grajagan, the name of the bay where the huge waves were found at the south of Banyuwangi. The beach is located on the edge of Alas Purwo national park, virgin tropical land forest rich in exotic flora and fauna—the ideal scenic background to your surfing odyssey.

Primitive Beauty and Perfect Barrels Collide at Grajagan

A very long, world-class, barreling left hand reef/point break breaks along the east side of Grajagan Bay. It has long been considered one of the world’s best left hand waves. The correct name of the point upon which the main wave breaks is “Plengkung.” The wave becomes shallower and more critical the further down the point one rides the wave. It is one of the most consistently rideable waves in the world in season, with offshore winds and often plentiful swell between the months of, roughly, mid April to mid October. The G-Land surf break has been divided up into several sections. The first, at the top of the point, is called “Kongs,” which breaks up to several hundred metres in length, and can hold quite large sizes— from about 2 to 12 feet+, Hawaiian scale. 

It is not usually a barrel, nor genuinely world-class, but more a series of takeoff zones with some long wall sections, although it can also barrel on occasions. This section picks up a lot of swell, and is rarely less than 3 feet, and can be a saviour when the rest of the point is too small. This wave can sometimes link up with the next section called “Moneytrees.” Moneytrees works from about 2 to 10 feet (Hawaiian scale, or about 4 to 20 feet wave faces), usually breaking over several hundred metres, and is a long, testing, barreling, world-class wave. 

The barrels become more critical the lower the tide and the larger the swell. Moneytrees may also occasionally link up with the next section called “Speedies,” with an outside takeoff section between the two called “Launching Pads.” “Launching Pads” can catch the surfer offguard, as it can break a significant way out to sea in larger swells

“Speedies” is the heaviest wave at G-Land, but can be a perfect, very round barrel for several hundred metres, rideable from about 2 to 8 feet+ (Hawaiian scale). It usually needs larger swells, and low tide can be very dangerous. Most severe injuries at G-Land have occurred at “Speedies.”

Other Nearby Surf Breaks There are a few other, smaller waves further down and within the bay, which include “Chickens,” “20/20,” “Tiger Tracks” and a few unnamed others. 

These waves generally only work on larger swells, but are surprisingly good alternatives when the main point is big. All of these waves can barrel in the right conditions, which generally require higher tides. There are also some right hand waves on the other side of the peninsula at G-Land, but they are fickle, requiring large swells, and no wind or off-season winds. 

Another right hand wave is situated about a one-hour or more drive, and boat, west of G-Land, which has been featured in Indonesian surf magazines, and dubbed as “Reverse G.” It is apparently a quality, long, right hand wave (the ‘reverse’ of G-Land) but which is very difficult to get to, requiring some boat access, and furthermore only works in off-season winds (about October to April). Despite its popularity in the surfing community, accomodation around Grajagan remains good value with cheap losmen and basic cottages dotted about the place. This is one of the only places in all of Java that has such excellent surfing. In season, Grajagan probably has the most consistently rideable waves in the world. The surf here though is demanding and only recommended for experienced or professional surfers.

Surfing at Echo Beach – Hard to find – Hard to forget

Echo Beach

Surfing at Echo Beach – Hard to find – Hard to forget

 It is one of the last all-natural beaches in Bali. But now, the first work is in process. It is a project by the Indonesian government to keep the land behind the beaches safe and clean, because in high tide the water destroys all the plants on the shores. So they build stonewalls in order to keep the water away and safe. Except this wall, the Echo Beach is all-natural. The black sand is there since the first people discovered the beach, and also the stones everywhere were natural in their position. 

Maybe that is why the Echo Beach is such a good place to surf. The rocks and stones in the water make the water breaks on and keeps the sand away, so it is clear and you have a better view on your surrounding. Moreover, in Echo Beach you can go surfing in high tide as well as in low tide, so everybody can surf there at anytime. There are always good waves! As the beach is such a spot for surfer, many restaurants build their buildings along the beach, but compared to other beaches, the Echo Beach is free from mass tourism, it seems rather to be an insider tip or just a meeting point for surfers from all over the world. Once a year, in Echo Beach there is a big surf contest, the “Oakley Pro” surf contest, but there are several small contests just for local surfers held by the Canggu Surf Community (CSC).

Next to the surf contests, the Surf Community also cares for the beach, they organize meetings in which they clean the beach and teach the new surf students to surf and how to handle the beach to keep it healthy.   As one of the first restaurants, the Echo Beach House opened his doors just in front of the beach on the top of some small rocks. This restaurant also gave its name to the beach, as the actual name of the beach is Pantai Batu Mejan. It is located next to the temple that belongs to the community of Canggu. The temple is called Pura Batu Mejan, also build on rocks just in front of the ocean. For the local villagers, it is very important as they are economically poor but rich in their believes. Many local people have to work in two jobs in order to feed their families; one example, a person has to work as security guard during night and in a beach bar during day.
All in all, Echo Beach is one of the most beautiful places in Bali, even as it is one of the last all natural beaches, and especially for surfers from all over the world or just to see the fantastic sunset from one of the restaurants or beach bars there. So Echo Beach is worth a visit, for sure!

Surfing at Echo Beach – Hard to find – Hard to forget

Young Female Surfer Indonesia : Taina Izquiredo

When you visit Padang-padang beach, maybe you will see this little girl with a sweet smile is hanging out and practice his skills in surfing. Little Surfer who has the name Taina Izquiredo says that being a professional surfer champion is his dream. When he does not surf or go to the beach with his friends, you will meet Taina at his father's popular Mexican restaurant on the cliffs of Padang Padang beach. This girl born November 1, 2001 is bloody Puerto Rico and Java. In recent years, the achievements of Surfer Girl Team Rider is quite calculated among peers. Some local and national competition he won. Want to know more about Taina? Ayuk refer to the interview of the Wave Hunter and Taina !!

Q: Hi Taina, when did you start learning to surf?
A: I started learning to surf when I was 9 years old

Q: Who taught you to surf, and where did you first learn?
A: Where I learned to surf first time in Padang Padang. My father taught me.

Q: Do you choose to live in Bali or Puerto Rico?
A: I choose Bali ,, of course. Bali is my home, the place where I was born and to this day I really like Bali. Bali it's beautiful.

Q: Why do you choose surfing in comparison to other sports?
A: Because surfing is very fun and very competitive.

Q: My favorite surfspot in Bali, if outside of Bali?
A: In Bali I chose Uluwatu, because the waves are so powerful! For outside Bali I choose Lakey peak, Sumbawa.

Q: Besides surfing, what sport do you like?
A: I like basket ball

Q: What experiences can not you forget when you surf?
A: As I enter the surf competition at Lembongan. It was an experience and a motivation for me.

Q: Who is the most powerful person in your life?
A: Of course my father.

Q: Who always keeps you company when you surf?
A: My friends.

Q: Message to reader of waves hunter?
A: Surfing is also an adventure.

Q: What does Surfing mean in your life?
A: Surfing is the battle of my life.


Thank you Taina. Keep Ripping, Girl !!