Surf on the Bukit today
Bukit Peninsula, Bali · 11 spots ranked
Balangan is the best choice on the Bukit today: waist high, 12-second swell, light offshore wind, rated fair.Bingin is close behind.
Tomorrow, Wednesday 4 November
Balangan is the best choice on the Bukit tomorrow: chest to head high, 13-second swell, light offshore wind, rated fair.Bingin is close behind.
Surfing in the Bukit
The Bukit peninsula is Bali's south-western tip, a line of limestone cliffs with a reef under each one, and the west side of it - Balangan, Dreamland, Bingin, Impossibles, Padang Padang, Uluwatu - holds more world-class left-handers in ten kilometres than anywhere else on earth. They all face south-west, take the same Indian Ocean swell, and the dry-season east wind blows offshore at all of them.
What separates them is how much swell each reef needs and how much it can hold. Bingin is perfect at chest high; Uluwatu's Outside Corner needs double overhead to come alive. Nusa Dua and Green Ball on the east side of the peninsula are the wet-season alternative when the west is blown out. This page ranks all of them from today's forecast, using the same model as the app.
Where should a beginner surf in the Bukit?
Nowhere on the west side. Every spot is a reef that gets shallow, and the paddle out at Uluwatu goes through a cave. Nusa Dua on the east side is gentler on a small wet-season day, and Kuta Beach across the airport is the real beginner option.
Dreamland and Balangan are the softest of the west-side reefs and suit confident intermediates on a small day.
When is the best time to surf the Bukit?
April to October, the dry season - south-west groundswell and easterly trade winds that blow offshore. This is when the Bukit is the reason people fly to Bali. November to March the wind swings west and onshore; the west side still works at dawn on a good swell, but Nusa Dua and the east coast take over.
Common questions
Is Uluwatu good for beginners?
No. It is a shallow reef with a cave entry, strong current and a crowd that knows it. Learn at Kuta or Batu Bolong and come to the Bukit later.
Which Bukit spot works on a small day?
Bingin, Dreamland and Balangan. Bingin is at its best around chest to head high; Uluwatu and Padang Padang need more.
When is the best time of year for Uluwatu?
April to October, the dry season, with the biggest swells in June, July and August.
What tide does Uluwatu work on?
Mid to low for the main peaks; the cave entry and exit are easier with some water. Padang Padang needs a low tide to barrel properly.
What's the difference between Uluwatu's sections?
Temples at the top, Racetracks in the middle, Outside Corner on the biggest days, and the Peak in front of the cave. They are one reef; the section that works depends on the size.