While most people believe that Bali’s magnificent surf was first discovered by Australian surfers at the end of the 1960s, the truth is that it was Robert Koke, founder of the Kuta Beach Hotel in the 1930s who was the first man to surf the break. He had learned to surf in Hawaii and after settling in Bali, he had one of those enormous teak wood hoards sent over. The Balinese thought he was crazy, but as we all know now, the man was a pioneer.

Bali is a surfer’s paradise. Not only does it have a wide variety of beaches and breaks to choose from, the surf here is constant. Unlike many other places, there is always a decent wave somewhere on the island and often magnificent waves in several places.

Kuta
By far the most famous surfing beach in Bali. There are numerous spots along the Kuta. Legian strip offering great waves. Depending on the season, these can be large or small but are almost always surfable. Be careful as there are some powerful rips around. Also remember your surf etiquette. It can be pretty crowded out there on good days and some people can be quite hot headed about who was fast. There are numerous places to rent boards along the beach.

Uluwatu
In the shadow of one of Bali’s holiest temples perched atop sixty meter limestone cliffs, Uluwatu is not only a magnificent sight but also one of the most challenging surfing beaches in the world. As a rule, the waves are big and frequently monstrous. Unfortunately for those with more courage than skill, they break straight onto the reef, meaning that if you are not really a competent surfer, there is a good chance that you will come up looking like a hamburger. For. surfing voyeurs this is the place to go to watch those big tanned bodies put to the test.
All along the perimeter of the Bukit, southern Bali’s highland peninsula, there are a number of great beaches frequented by surfers. Formerly very isolated, new projects such as Pecatu Indah have made beaches like Dreamland and Padang Padang easily accessible. Like Uluwatu, the waves hare usually break into the reef. Also few have channels meaning that you have to paddle like a madman to get out there.

Reef Breaks
There are two really outstanding reef breaks in Bali, one in Kuta and the other in Sanur Most hire a boat, usually a local outrigger, for a half day to carry them out and in with leisure. Sometimes the boat simply drops you off and will pick you up later. Sanur reef is a real pleasure as here is a channel that will carry you back out to the surf after you have caught a wave, meaning you won’t have to paddle like a madman.

Besides having great surfing, Bali is also the starting point for expeditions to further and more exotic destinations. By far the most popular is Grajagan, off the coast of southern Java. This is where the world championships were held. The waves here are second to nowhere in the world, including the legendary Pipeline. The best place to find out about all this is at Tubes, which functions as the local Surfing Central. Until then just remember Surf’s Up and if you haven’t surfed in Bali, then you have not surfed at all.