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)