Surfing for Beginners: Best Beaches and Waves to Start On
You have just moved to surfing heaven, Bali, Indonesia, but have no idea how to surf. Where do I go? What do I need? What does it cost? If you are in the Canggu area, here are 2 great spots to learn about paddling and the pop up. Choose wisely where you start as not all locations are appropriate places to learn to surf.
Kedungu
A great beginners surf spot to learn for people of all ages, including young kids in the Canggu area is Kedungu. Kedungu is in Tanah Lot, an area north of Canggu. There are coaches right next to the beach who cater to beginners, in particular foreigners. A surf coach is critical to help you catch your first waves and learn about surf safety. They will outfit you with a board and rash guard if you need one. Expect to pay 300,000 IDR for a maximum 2 hour lesson and about 50,000 IDR to rent a surf board. Don’t feel bad if you don’t surf for 2 hours on your first lessons as most people will exhaust themselves after 45 minutes.
Kedungu waves are generally small and soft. This means that you won’t go through the laundry if you crash on a wave. The beach is sandy so a great place to wipe out. Access to the beach is easy as there is parking close by.
There are 3 main breaks for different levels, so as you progress you can move up to the more challenging breaks.
Batu Bolong
Batu Bolong Beach is another great place to learn to surf. The waves are soft, but can get very large on certain days. Close to the beach is where you can cut your teeth learning to surf the white water. The further you go out the bigger the waves get.
I would recommend coming early to Batu Bolong as it gets crowded quickly. Early means between 6-9 am. Surf coaches line the beaches and are ready to help. Prices are the same as in Kedungu.
The shore break at Batu Bolong Beach during high tide can get big, so be careful coming on shore as you can get slammed into the beach with force to get injured. Your coach should help navigate and guide you through this if you are surfing at high tide.
One of the benefits of Batu Bolong Beach is easy access to warungs, bars, and restaurants to have a drink after a surf session.
Have fun, be safe, and enjoy the ride!
