Kuta Beach
One of the most famous beaches of Bali, Kuta Beach is the birthplace of surfing on this island. A favourite among all levels, it is best suited for beginners. It stretches all the way to the airport in Denpasar in the North and has steady, straight waves coming in from the West. Owing to its length, a variety of waves can be caught at this beach. For amateurs, there are perfect swells coming in near the Legian area. Waves are generally three to five feet high, with good winds that ensure you catch the surf.
One of the highlights is easy accessibility, since a road runs right alongside the beach. Surfboard rentals can also be found easily on this stretch. The best time of the day for beginners to go would be around high tide. This ensures you surf in the shallows, with smaller swells. This makes Kuta an ideal place for non-swimmers to learn surfing.
Padang Padang Beach
One of the most beautiful beaches in Bali, Pandang Padang in Uluwatu is also a top surfing spot. Located at the southern end at the point where the majestic waves of the Indian Ocean touch Bali, its white sandy beach is 100 metres long and attracts advanced-level surfers and professionals. The entrance to the beach is through a small hollow between rock walls.
The swells here are as high as 10 feet with a sharp, rocky sea bed underneath. The left break here forms a huge pipeline swell, similar to the ones you see surfers ride in movies. This is also where a lot of surfing competitions, such as the Rip Curl Cup are held. Padang Padang Beach is only three kilometres away from the world-famous Uluwatu Temple and was featured in the Hollywood film Eat, Pray, Love, as the romantic background for Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem’s reunion.
Echo Beach
Located in Canggu village, Echo Beach has the perfect setting for intermediate surfers. It is approximately a 30-minute drive from Kuta. The local name is Pantai Batu Mejan, which is derived from the Balinese Hindu sea temple on site. You will find many surfers, both with long boards as well as short boards, riding the perfect barrels that form here. There are numerous spots for surfing on Echo Beach, with swells between four and eight feet. The waves are consistent and best during mid-tide to high-tide.
The reef at the bottom can get rocky and surfers are warned against catching the waves at low tide to avoid unwanted encounters with the corals. This beach can get a bit crowded for surfers at times, since good waves form in a narrow stretch, so follow surfing etiquette here. Many competitions that draw international surfers are regularly held at this beach.
