If you go in the summer, May thru Sept., expect the well known breaks to be crowded. The level of surfing is well above what you experiance on the east coast. There are a lot of guys surfing on a pro level. However, you can find less crowded breaks off the beaten path. It is a good idea to hire a local to drive you around for this. It cost me $100 plus gas to have a local pro surfer drive us all around the island all day and night for a week. Best $ I ever spent. We surfed spots I would have never found in 2 months of going it alone. When I go back, I plan on doing the same again.
yeah charlie is just about spot on. this was the most disappointing part of the trip. me and my friends are not the most experienced surfers, and when you go to bali its an eye opener to see the difference in skill level between here and there. i can hold my own on the east coast but go to bali and you will find yourself in a lineup of pure seasoned veterans. it was very difficult.
thanks. thats kind of what i figured. i think you have to hit colder water spots to escape the crowds.
It depends really. There are many Indo/Bali breaks that when they reach a certain size people do not drop in. Pdang and Ulu are like that for sure. I surfed 3 of the islands and had peaks with the guys I was with only on many occasions. I was there in June of 08. I think the smaller it is the more crowded it becomes. If you are good enough to surf world class waves with 10 to 12 foot faces the crowds thin out. There are so many waves there that with the right local guiding you, you can have you wave dreams come true.
