by Joseph Richard Francis
Surfing in Indonesia – reads like a dream? This land hosts the epic Isle of the Gods and the upcoming Ments. There’s so much to get through and surfers from all over a enchanted.
An introduction to surfing in Indonesia
Surfing in Indonesia is one of those top-of-the-list sorta’ things. The country just has SO much to get through for the wave hunter that it borders on the nigh on ridiculous. Locations like Bali and Lombok are now well trodden. As are the likes of G-land over in Java. They’ve adorned the covers of surf mags since at least the 70s, with pictures of double overheads and perfect barrels of glistening Indian Ocean water. Today, these remain the mainstays of the country, and – Bali especially – now caters to all levels of surfer, from total beginner to WSL pro.
But to stick to the tried-and-tested spots when it comes to surfing in Indonesia sort of misses the point. The country has more than 17,000 islands. Yep, 17k! They are all potential surf havens, especially the ones that enjoy any touch of exposure to the Indian Ocean (a veritable factory for groundswells come the dry season months). Just glance at the map folks. Anywhere from the edge of Sumatra near Malaysia to the distant coast of West Timor is in play, with a hodgepodge in between.
Wave wise, there’s loads to get through. However, the west-south orientation of shoreline that picks up Indian Ocean swell means that Indonesia is primarily a land of left handers. Most are powered by the abundance of jagged volcanic reef, so lots are no joke at all. But there are nice beach breaks in the mix to boot. The hardest part will probably be getting around. Remoteness brings challenges, folks!
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
This guide is a part of our larger ultimate guide to surfing in Asia
Surfing in Indonesia at a glance
The good:
Bali – an island of epic left handers
The Mentawai chain – perfect breaks with hardly a lineup in sight
Long, long swell seasons (AKA it doesn’t stop here!)
The bad:
Some surf areas are hard to reach
Busy spots (mainly Bali and Lombok)
What will I find in this guide to surfing in Indo?
The top surf destinations in Indonesia
Surfing in Indonesia takes you across a whole archipelago country of such epic proportions that any truly comprehensive guide to all the spots within would take up tomes that would make even Tolstoy blush. The truth is prowling the islands for the next gnarly point break or left is kinda’ half the fun, as only small portions of the country have been cased out properly – Bali, Lombok. There’s still loads of unchartered surf territory, along with more barrels than you can shake a Indonesian gado gado at. Let’s go…
Mentawai Islands
The Mentawai Islands, or The Ments, as they’ve become known to the now-global surf community, are a string of about 70 islets that sit just under 100 miles off the coast of Sumatra.
The location is an absolute gift, because all that SW-S swell that blesses Bali and other spots for surfing in Indonesia comes in here like clockwork throughout the dry season.
It meets a series of jagged reefs and point break to throw up all sorts of surf – points, A-frames, lefts, rights. The remoteness of the archipelago, coupled with the sheer abundance of surf sports means that this one is now riding high as one of the most sought-after wave hotspots in Asia.
It’s hard to know where to begin trying to pick out the best of the Ments. There’s the epic left hand rifles of hardcore Maccas, one of the best lefts on Earth. There are the guaranteed barrels at The Hole. Oh, and you find more forgiving reefies at Nipuss* and Lances.
Mentawai used to be the mecca of boat charter surf trips but there have been some new appearances in the last five years in the form of very cool on-land surf camps.
Check out our complete guide to surfing in the Mentawai Islands right now
Bali
Bali is numero uno on most surfer’s lists of places to go in Indo. That’s understandable. The island has carved out a place in the annals of surf history like few islands on earth. It’s like Asia’s answer to Oahu, only with Hindu temples and satay chicken on the side. If we had to pin it down, we’d say Bali excels in the world of the pristine left-hander reef. There are about four of those on the western side of the Bukit Peninsula that are world class. Like, seriously, world class. Ever heard of Uluwatu? Padang Padang?
But that’s not all Bali has to offer. This isle is a bona fide surf mecca because of quantity and quality. The waves of Kuta, for example, have given many a backpacker their first intro into the sport, while the coastline north of Balian and Soka is still being discovered.
Bali is bursting with surf camps. Of course it is! Our advice? Don’t just rush ahead and book. Not all the camps here are the quality surf trips they say they are. We’ve got the lowdown on the best Bali surf camps for the coming season right here.
Check out our complete guide to surfing in Bali right now
Sumatra
Sumatra is the western isle of Indonesia and the gateway to the aforementioned Ments and the island of Nias (also a fantastic surf place). It’s long, thin, and very undevelopment – more famous for its orangutans than big metropolises a la Jakarta.
The area that draws the eye for surfers is the southern end of the island, which is where the swell shadow cast by outlying archipelagos ends. It’s pretty great down there, with wide beaches buffeted by waves all year long and a swell window that goes SE all the way to NW in some places.
The town of Krui is the capital of surf on the mainland of Sumatra. It’s actually great, and one of our top picks for intermediate surf destinations in Indo right now.
Check out our complete guide to Sumatra surf right here
Lombok
Lombok sits just over the strait from Bali. It used to be touted as the same thing but 20 years past. We’ve seen some hefty development here in the last decade, though, and it can seem like every time we get back there there’s a whole load of new-fangled hotels and resorts. It’s still WAY more empty than Bali, though, and has some spectacular surf breaks for those willing to work for them.
Yep, we’d say this is the home of the surf boating trip. The whole south coast here picks up direct swell from both SE and SW, making it a whole different workhorse to Bali’s more sculpted breaks. That fuels everything from Desert Point in the west to the remote breaks of Ekas Bay. For good intermediates and expert surfers, this really is heaven. Beginners have one or two spots to pick from too.
There’s no doubt that the best place to base yourself is the now-established surf town of Kuta Lombok. That’s home to many of the finest surf camps in the region (and, in our humble opinion) in the whole of Indo besides, and a great place to access the rest of the south coast by bus and boat.
We’ve got a full guide to surfing in Lombok
Sumbawa
Sumbawa is the next island over from Bali and Lombok. So, it follows that it should have good surf, right? Right! The places you’re looking for are the parts of the strangely-shaped island that get exposure to the open Indian Ocean, like Bukit before it. *Quick glance at the map* They’re on offer on the far west coast facing the straight with Lombok and in the far southeast, south of Hu’u and Madawa.
Without spoiling too much, we’ll just say that there’s some serious quality in Sumbawa. East coast options include the likes of Lakey Peak, a frothing A-frame that spits you right onto a sectiony left, and nearby Lakey Pipe, a slab of a slab of a left point. Stay west and you can hit breaks like Yo-yos and tropicals, which have great consistency throughout the wet season, too.
Check out our full guide to Sumbawa surfing
Java
The home of sprawling Jakarta and the hippy enclave of Yogyakarta, Java is known for its smoking volcanos, amazing train rides, and its coffee. We’d just add surf to that list, since this is the home of G-Land, that series of left-handers that form off a huge coral shelf; a spot that Kelly Slater likes to rip up without letting anyone know he’s on his way.
That’s just the tip of Java, though. There are other world-class breaks on offer for those willing to do a little legwork in the less-developed south of the island. They come in the form of the uber-long barrel at One Palm Point (if you can handle seeing the reef whiz by underfoot) and the sucky right of Apocalypse (name = deserved!).
The middle of the island’s south coast hosts other, lesser known, surf areas. There are the mellow rights at Pangandaran, for example. Or the series of versatile bays in Pacitan.
Check out our complete guide to the surf in Java right now
Sumba
If you follow the map of the best places for surfing in Indonesia down from the Ments to the far eastern end of the country, you should notice a bean-shaped island hanging right there in the Indian Ocean swell channels. Curiosity got the better of you? Well…that’s Sumba. It’s only just coming onto the mainstream surf scene, with one pretty lovely surf camp having just set up shop. The breaks are something else, too. They’re empty, for one. And they offer something for all levels – from Pantai Marosi’s beachies to the faster left-rights of Racetracks.
Check out our complete guide to Sumba surf right now
Rote Island
Matching Java’s G-Land with Rote’s T-Land, this isle has cracking dry-season surf conditions. The main spot is a left hander that rolls perfectly into the Besialu Reef to offer long rides and three different take off zones. It can hold loads of height is unquestionably up there with the longest waves in all of Indo.
Check out our complete guide to surfing Rote Island
Nias
Big Nias is right next to the Ments. But, still, fewer people go here. It’s trickier to get to but has right-hand points that are epic, no doubt. We really like this oft-overlooked isle as an option for surf campers, too, since the line ups aren’t busy and there are reef breaks that are suited well to improvers.
Check out our complete guide to surfing in Nias
Best surf camps in Indonesia
If you’re thinking about doing a surf camp in Indonesia then you’re thinking right. There aren’t many better places than this to find your water feet and ride your first wave. And it’s not just for the beginners. There are surf camps in the Metawais that are tailored to pros and advanced surfers too, some even on their own private islands.
Basically, surf camps are a very convenient way to plan a surf adventure. They usually cost a little more than conventional hotels (but not always) but cut out all the hassle so that you can focus on practicing your bottom turns and whatnot. Most involve daily surf sessions and surf lessons along with gear rental at the bare minimum.
There are thousands in Indonesia now. We outline what we think are the very best of the bunch in our guide to the best surf camps in Indonesia. Here’s a little taster:
- Rapture Surf Camp Green Bowl (All levels) – An all-rounder of a surf camp on the island of Bali that ticks all the boxes. They have an 8-day package that promises good surf spots around the Bukit. Plus, the lodge itself is real stylish and the pool is to die for.
- The Shadow Mentawai (Advanced) – Seasoned surfers will be licking their lips at the prospect of 10 days of surfing in the Ments’ Playground region. This resort sorts it all for you with a package that includes a stay on a private island.
- Mondo Lifestyle Resort (Beginners) – If you’ve NEVER surfed before then the week-long package offered by Mondo comes very highly rated. It’s casual enough to not put pressure on, you’ll surf the bowly waves of Canggu, and it’s in a gorgeous surf hotel.
- Kura Kura (All levels) – <3 Kura Kura. Just a solid, lovely all-round surf stay with daily sessions that last up to four hours each. They’ll take care of you in south Lombok.
The best hotels (for surfers) in Indo
There are oodles of hotels and surf camps on offer to traveling surfers in Indonesia. It’s essentially a whole subsection of the travel market in its own right. We’ve stayed in some cracking places for wave hunting. We’ve shared a few below…
Dreamsea Bali ($$-$$$)
Dreamsea Bali has one of the finest locations of any surf camp on the Isle of the Gods. It’s right there on the edge of the western Bukit Peninsula, with Padang Padang (a famous left and a beginner right) just in front. It’s also a gorgeous hotel, with boho interiors and rooms with balconies that are scorched yellow and orange at the sunset.
NIHI Sumba($$$)
My god…if you can afford this…book it. Book it now! Yep, the NIHI Sumbais something else. It basically guarantee that you’ll have one of Indo’s best left-hand reefs (Occys) all to yourself, since the wave breaks on private beachfront right in front of the resort. You have to register as one of the 10 surfers allowed out there when you book, which means you can rip without the crowds. Oh, and the hotel is downright INCREDIBLEEEE!
Masokut Ebay Surf Camp ($-$$)
Super chilled and affordable, the Masokut Ebay Surf Camp makes scoring the epic waves of the Ments easier than ever. It’s backpacker stuff – no infinity pools and whatnot. But it’s great vibes all round and you get access to some corkers of waves.
Need more inspiration on the hotels front? We have a full guide to the most stunning hotels for surfers in Bali.
ANNDD we now have a guide to our handpicked surf resorts in Indonesia.
Step-by-step guide to planning your surfing in Indonesia trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the surfing in Indonesia…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Indonesia?
There are really only two season in Indonesia, the dry and the wet. Ask any seasoned surfer and they’ll tell you that the dry season is the holy grail here. It’s got the more frequent groundswells and the best conditions.
However, surfing in Indonesia really is an all-year thing. Just you don’t get those heavy Ulu bombs and the like in the wetter season. Let’s take a closer look…
Dry season (April-October)
The Indian Ocean starts pumping out its nigh-on perfect groundswells in the spring and hardly lets up for a second until the late fall. These are what bless all the south-west facing reefs of Indonesia, from the Ments all the way to Sumba. The dry season coincides with less rainfall and north and east winds, which adds glassiness to the water and keeps the barreling spots holding nicely. This is the prime time to surf here and the best for intermediates and experts alike.
Wet season (November-March)
There’s still loads of surfing in Indonesia in the wet season. In fact, we’d give little thought to a Bali surf trip in December, where breaks like the Sanur reefs and Nusa Dua hold well, and Kuta’s long sand pumps for beginners basically nonstop. The main thing to bear in mind is that SW and S swells are less powerful and nowhere near as clean. It’s generally better for beginners and improvers, as there’s a bit of power drawn out of the bigger breaks.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
