Bali Surf Report and Surf Forecast

Jan
28
2023

Advanced surf guiding at Pandawa

The westerly wind and rain have returned to the Uluwatu area, leaving the entire west coast of the island with blown-out conditions. While it may be windy and onshore here at the camp, other parts of the Bukit will be offshore with clean reef-break lines. The swell came in at 3.5 ft. at 13 seconds, from 203 degrees, and the wind was blowing vigorously from the west. Our intermediate group surfed the more exposed wave at Pandawa while our Beginner group paddled out at Blackstone. At Pandawa, the head-high waves broke powerfully over the reef.

Many different parts of Bali all have their own micro-climates, which are more pronounced during the wet season. The Bukit Peninsula is generally more exposed to the wind, while further up the west and east coast, there is often no wind in the morning.

Jan
27
2023

Intermediate surf guiding at Black Stone

Our intermediate surfers enjoyed a fun session this morning at Black Stone after waiting for the tide to come in before paddling out. The morning had a low tide of .27 meters at 7:34 AM, which may be good for fishing but not for surfing for most spots in the Nusa Dua area. The swell has backed off in size to 4 ft. at 14 seconds from 206 degrees. The wind blew lightly offshore, and heavy wet-season showers drenched the entire Bukit Peninsula. The waves came in at head-high on the larger sets, which broke nicely down the reef.

After a nice run of clean surf in the Uluwatu area, we are back to the Nusa Dua area. The long-range forecast shows the swell smaller than it has been through January. This month has been very consistent, even by Bali’s very high standards.

Jan
26
2023

Beginner Surf Lessons at Padang Padang

Our beginner groups enjoyed the easy rolling peaks at Baby Padang this morning! Our swell has picked up in size, coming in at 5 ft. at 15 seconds. The swell direction has shifted more west towards 219 degrees. The wind picked up in strength overnight from a straight west direction until it was cleared by heavy rain. The wave height has jumped to slightly overhead with larger sets. At Baby Padang, the wave faces remained clean despite the light onshore wind and slightly textured sea state. With the larger size, the surfers tested their paddle strength and ability to control the board at a higher speed.

The Uluwatu area works well on a west swell as the swells come directly towards the west and north-west-facing reefs. A longer period and a more westerly swell will provide excellent surfing conditions.

Jan
25
2023

Intermediate Surf Lessons at Uluwatu

It was a beautiful, sunny morning here in Uluwatu with no wind, a clear sky, and a smooth sea state. The swell is just hanging in there at 2.5 ft. at 10 seconds; however, when the conditions are as perfect as they were this morning, it’s a good idea to grab a longer board and enjoy the small day vibes. Despite the small swell, the lines broke nicely across the reef across the several sections that make up the wave at Uluwatu. As always at Uluwatu, there were many larger, head-high set waves coming in to those who were patient enough to wait in the correct position.

A new, long period swell is forecast to fill in tomorrow with light wind predicted. With the clean conditions forecast to continue, tomorrow should be an excellent day of surfing all around the island!

Jan
24
2023

Beginner Surf Lessons at Balangan

Our beginner group took advantage of the small swell and went to Balangan this morning, which is just a few minutes down the road from our camp. At Balangan, our surfers found waist to shoulder-high rides with clean, left-breaking beginner-friendly waves. The swell has fallen off a cliff to 2.5 ft. at 12 seconds from 216 degrees, which is about as small as it gets in Bali. Unlike most places, there is always something to surf here, and our surfers made the most of the conditions.

Balangan is the next step in a beginner surfer’s journey once they have become comfortable at Padang Padang. At Balangan, there is no easy channel for the surfers to paddle out through. Once the surfers make it to the lineup, they will find a slightly steeper wave face and waves that run for longer.  Grab a board and get our there!

Jan
23
2023

Intermediate Surf Lessons at Uluwatu

It looks like the Indian Ocean is finally taking a break after several weeks of a consistent head-high to overhead waves. The forecast is showing 4 ft. at 10 seconds from 211 degrees, which brought in shoulder-high waves with the occasional larger set. The wind blew lightly onshore from the west-northwest; however, the faces of the waves remained clean as the lines ran down the reef. The crowd in the lineup was light, which ensured all had a good time amidst the relaxed, small-day vibes.

On a day like today, with a small swell and light wind, the breaks at the southern end of the Bukit Peninsula, Uluwatu, and Sarangan are your best bets. These breaks pick up more swell and nearly always have a head-high wave. The light wind allows you to surf all coastlines, spreading out the surfers.  Grab a board and let’s go!

Jan
22
2023

Beginner Surf Lessons at Padang Padang

Despite the deluge of rain this morning, everyone made it out into the lineup where they were rewarded for their persistence with clean, less crowded waves. The swell has fallen off in size to 4.5 ft at 11 seconds coming from 207 degrees, and the waves were coming in at around shoulder-high to head-high on the larger sets. The heavy rain brought glassy conditions which the surfers enjoyed for the duration of the session. In the line-up our surfers worked on transitioning to hard boards and generating speed down the line.

The wind is looking much better for our side of the island until Friday as the forecast predicts light and variable wind until then. Additionally, the longer range forecast suggests we have made it through the worst of the wind and rain for this wet season. Let’s get out there!

Jan
21
2023

Advanced surf guiding at Uluwatu

Our surfers took advantage of the unexpectedly clean conditions this morning and enjoyed fun, intermediate-level surf conditions. Last night’s stiff onshore breeze must have convinced most surfers to head to Nusa Dua, as there were only a handful of surfers in the lineup. The swell has continued to drop in size; however, the forecast is reading 6 feet at 12 seconds from 206 degrees. The wind blew lightly onshore from the southwest but the lines remained clean. Our surfers enjoyed the head-high left-breaking waves which offered several turn sections and faster walls.

Our camp is located near the iconic bridge in Padang Padang, which we use to assess the day’s conditions. We are always out there on the unexpected good days. Additionally, many in our team have been surfing these waters for decades which gives us an advantage over other camps.

Jan
19
2023

Intermediate surf guiding at Black Stone

Our intermediate surfers were off to Black Stone this morning as the west wind has picked up in strength, as per the forecast. The weather was warm and sunny, with no rain during the session. The swell came in at 5 ft. at 11 seconds from 201 degrees, and the wind blew moderately offshore. Our surfers enjoyed head-high to overhead waves breaking across the reef. The advancing surfers worked on developing drive from their bottom turns, which they used to propel themselves up the face of the wave and down the line.

Once a surfer has developed the skill set to consistently catch waves and ride along the wave face, the next step is developing a solid bottom turn. A good bottom turn is an essential maneuver that a surfer must master and it is the foundation upon which good surfing is cultivated.