Indonesia has some of the best surf spots in the world. Nias and Bali are probably the best known destinations, but there are many more islands with phantastic waves. "The best quality waves on the entire planet" are, according to Indo Surf& Lingo, in the Sumatran Mentawai Islands. On this site we have listed some of the most popular surf spots in Indonesia, and some useful hyperlinks.

SUMATRA

Nias
Mentawai

 

JAWA

Pelabuhan Ratu
Grajagan

 

BALI

Bali
Nusa Lembongan

 

LOMBOK & SUMBAWA

Lombok & Sumbawa

 

 

APOCALYPSE, West Java, Photo: Mark Newsham

Where: Lagundri, close to Telukdalam, southern Nias, North Sumatra province
Best Time: June - October
Nias has one of the best righthanders in Indonesia. It is situated at the western end of Lagundri Bay and holds up to 15 foot. There is also an excellent left reef break that works well over 4 foot. If you are looking for hollow, deep waves Nias is definitely worth visiting.
Accommodation: Mainly basic accommodation (US$ 3), one more upmarket hotel.
Geting there: Relatively easy. Daily flights from Medan, daily ferries from Sibolga.
Others: Culturally interesting island with beautiful villages, and superb architecture. Stunning ancient to modern (!) megaliths.

Some basic information on surfing in Nias
Lonely Planet Guide
Lagundri Beach

Before you head for a surf adventure to Indonesia, you should at least acquire some basic skills in Indonesian. Learn Indonesian at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

Photo: Chief House, Bawamataluo, Nias. Photo Courtesy © Lindsay Hebberd

Where: West Sumatra province.
Best Time : May - November
Geting there: By ferry from Padang or by organized tours.
Others: Culturally interesting island in which many elements of original Indonesian culture (not influenced by Buddhism, Hinduism, or Islam) can still be found. If you travel on your own, you should at least speak some basic Indonesian.

Basic information on surfing in Mentawai
Comprehensive information on history and culture of the Mentawai Islands
Cultural information with plenty of photos
A surfer's tale

Did you know that Indonesian is spoken by 250 million people in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, southern Thailand, and Singapore?

" The island of Grajagan is situated just off Java and hosts one of the best waves in the world. G - Land is for experienced surfers with one thing in mind - surfing." (Travel Com )
Where: Province of East Java, next provincial town: Banyuwangi.

WaveCam basic information
Fairly comprehensive information on surfing in Grajagan
Another informative commercial surf site
Yet another commercial site

Where: South coast of West Jav a
Best Time: May - October

WaveCam basic information
Worldsurfaris: A commercial surf tour provider

G-LAND AERIAL VIEW. Photo: © Dick Hoole

Check out Insearch Travel for organized surf tours to Java and Bali.

Bali has not only some of the best waves in Indonesia, it is also culturally one of the most intersting islands of Indonesia. As a major destination of international tourism, Bali is probably the only place in Indonesia where you can survive without knowing a word of Indonesian.

WaveCam basic information
Updated Surf Reports and other information
Surf Spots in Bali
Balisurfcam: Interactive descriptions of Bali's best breaks

WaveCam basic information
Surftravel basic information

BALI BEACHBREAK - Photo: © MarkJohnson

Indonesian belongs to the same language family as Hawaiian and the other languages of the Pacific. It is grammatically simple with no conjugations, no tenses, no declensions.

Unlike the other major languages of Asia, Indonesian is not written with ideographic characters or complex syllabic scripts, but with the same alphabet as European languages. That means from the first day in class you are able to read anything at all written in the language.

Hits (as of 20 October 2001)

Lombok and Sumbawa are the two islands closest to Bali to the east. They are a good alternative for those who look for nice uncrowded beaches and surfing sports. The best surfing sports you'll find on the south coast. The best known wave in Lombok is Desert Point, on the southwest tip, which can be just as good as Grajagan or Uluwatu. Incredibly long rides, tubing perfectly over very shallow coral reef.
"Sumbawa has some of the most perfect waves in Indonesia, such as Lakey Peak, Periscopes and Supersuck, but you will need to speak some Indonesian to find your way around." (The Exploring Travelogue)

WaveCam basic information
Surftravel Lombok basic information
Insearch Travel organizes Surf Tours to Lambok and Sumbawa.