BALI SURF & WEATHER REPORT
14th April 2020 (isolation)
Hello surfers (KEEP READING BELOW) and lovers of Bali and thanks again for stopping by the baliwaves (Bringing you all the good things from Bali since back in 1999) for our latest news and best possible views on surfing and weather conditions here on the island of the Gods, and the No.1 tropical surfing holiday destination and gateway to Indonesia’s surfing paradise, Bali.
Oke so it’s about day number, oh God only knows. Sorry I haven’t been updating this surf report page daily but this week I’ve been keeping the baliwaves fresh with our Bali Lock Down page and I spent just about a full day (that’s how it felt) editing some old avi video footage I shot for our latest video clip that is ready to play anytime you have a spare 4.10+- mins to watch it. It features Bingin and a few short inserts from Br Segara and a traditional dancing contest back in 2007. By the way our Bali Lock Down blog is getting quite a lot of attention and we are trying to keep it all real at ground / street level.
For today’s Bali surf report, and I am pretty much just going from top to bottom, I am still at the very top of a long list btw. But this one works in well for me especially with very fond memories of much better times, Balangan Beach.
These particular photos come from July 2010 and I was stoked to find a few old and still very precious friends of mine in there. (Here we go again)
My first trip into Balangan in the mid 90’s with my dear old friends the Cranes taking me down there. I would have never found the place otherwise and I dare say there wouldn’t have been too many others that knew how to drive in there either, at that point in time. There was no paved or bitumen roads into Balangan. Nope just a labyrinth of dirt pot holed tracks, littered with mufflers. Even the small Suzuki Katana could just fit on. My back was never the same after that tip either, sitting on the little sideways bench seat in the back and my head continually hitting the roof from all the potholes.
After quite a few wrong turns we made it and parked up on a big dirt knoll that over looked the point, that is now part of the Chinese squired “New Kuta Golf Course” and off limits to surfers. I remember standing on top of that cliff area before we climbed down jumping up and down I was that stoked. But not sure if it was stoke for getting out of the back of that little car or seeing perfect 4 footers peeling off with only 2 other surfers in the line up. From there we climbed down a little goat track onto the perfect white sand beach of Balangan. Instantly sinking down to our shins in the large grain coral “sand”.
My good friends the Crane’s had been coming down to Balangan for a long long time and had a long relationship with one of the local families at this breathtakingly beautiful beach. Their friend “Ketut” had a one of the two only little lean two “shacks” or “warung” on the beach over under the cliff. I think off hand they had a menu of noodles or “japles” (jaffles) with a choice of honey and banana or honey and banana. For drinks it was water, tea or coffee or a warm coke / fanta. It was also the place of my first Balinese style massage, life was so good.
Now that my friends and I were on the beach our focus quickly went to the waves and the 2 surfers that were out there in the water before us. My friend Geoff couldn’t believe that it was already crowded. We watched them surf and when one of the guys scored a particular long wave we called him into the shore and said hello. The surfer was a friendly Kiwi and told us he and his friend had only been in the water for an hour. So we asked if another hour alone for them would be cool before we paddled out. All good, and I remember the first wave I took off on I went that fast and stayed way out in front of the lip (it was shallow). Once I realized that I had enough skill and worked out you couldn’t fade bottom turns. That you had to take off and get speed up as fast as possible my next waves were all good with multiple turns under the lip and a few barrels.
That is the memory of my first day at Balangan and I hope yours is just as memorable. I still love going down there and I have also made some true local Balinese friends down there. A lot has changed down there since that first trip in for me, like most places anywhere on Earth that is populated by mankind.
It was only a year or two after this trip that the army came in and forced the locals that “were in the way” out for relocation. In reality to make way for a resort that was planned. The Cranes friend Ketut was also relocated in the move and I lost contact with Ketut and his family. To cut a long story as short as possible (my butt is sore from sitting down so long) The resort was never finished except for some “locked gate” housing. But they did put in a black tar road that did make it extremely easy to get to Balangan and Dreamland beach. A golf course was also built and now Chinese owned and I think there is a small resort for golfers in there somewhere, not 100% sure on that. There is a new road in these days.
Just on the other side of that head land where that brave soul jumped from is Dreamland beach. This was once a European strong hold, full of Aussie and mostly Europeans. Lots of expat owned warungs, also with a very beautiful white sand beach and easy more gentle waves. It also wasn’t long before all the warungs were bull dozed and the Chinese and domestic Indonesians moved in to compliment the golf course. It also prompted the European community to quickly relocate around at Balangan beach. The last couple of years down at Balangan there has been a lot of emotional talk, concern, of the current warungs being pulled down and the beach front also being sold off. It hasn’t happened yet and the current lack of tourists might help to hold that off a little longer. I can’t wait to get back to Balangan again as soon as we get the all clear.
Sorry for the essay but this is just the short version. I could go on and on but I’ll save it for another time.
Outside in my part of the World today it’s been a mostly hot and sunny day. Earlier the wind was light and variable with some North it it. Right now at 2.00pm it looks like it’s dedicated more to the East at around 8knot. The tide has just passed through the top of the High and now running out for a 0.4mtr Low set for 8.30 ish tonight. Wave height is apparently on the downward trend and getting smaller again today. I have seen on SM that there has been some very nice waves all over the island and plenty of surfers in the water at most locations. I think this will force the local authorities to start coming down harder on violators. Or on the other hand allow surfing, time will tell.
Ok friends stay safe and keep your heads down, if you want to get through it then for now where ever you are just stay at home. Keep an eye on the baliwaves.com and we will do our best to keep all you Bali people up to date.
Our friends at Joyo’s G-Land Surf Camp have extended their BUY 3 DAYS AND GET 3 DAYS FREE offer through for 2020 and 2021. Contact us here for further info on this super deal Contact us to get this promo
Kuta Lines have also told me that they will give anyone a 10% discount on any ONLINE purchase from their website.
Please spare a thought for all your Balinese / Indonesian friends here in Bali, no tourism means no income and it’s been dead quite now since January..
SURFING / ACCOMMODATION PACKAGE DEAL WITH ALL LEVEL OF SURFER WELCOME. WE SPECIALIZE IN FINDING WAVES FOR THE CREW WHO DON’T LIKE DEALING WITH MASSIVE CROWDS, BUT STILL WANT TO GET SOME GOOD WAVES. WE WILL ALSO BE HAPPY TO OFFER ANY ADVICE WE CAN THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE YOUR SURFING GETTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
LOCK THIS IS BEFORE THE END OF 2020 AND SCORE A 25% DISCOUNT (minimum 2 surfers and deposit)
WHAT YOU GET, ACCOMMODATION / SURFING DEAL:
SAFE AND SECURE location
PRIVATE AIR CONDITIONED ROOM un limited mineral water safe and secure
Join us on DAILY SURF TRIPS all around Bali
PHOTOGRAPHER to shoot all your surfing photos (photos included)
for Rp650,000 (around US$45.00)
This is single surfer price, cheaper for 2 or more surfers at Rp550,000 (around US$38.00) per surfer per day.
5 rooms only available so come and make some new friends and score some good waves.
contact us now and come surf with Wayan and Kadek here in Bali
Hot water
WiFi – Hi Speed
Contact us right now email link here !
We also have AIR CONDITIONED ROOMS starting from Rp 225,000. (around US$16.00 a night for single occupant). just a 10 min walk to the airport or beach
Hot breakfast, un limited drinking water, tea or coffee and WiFi
contact me now email link here
Or SINGLE FAN COOLED ROOM FOR JUST Rp135,000 (around US$9.00) a night (single occupant) just a 10 min walk to the airport
contact me now email link here
Wayan can PICK UP FROM YOUR HOTEL, ALL LEVEL OF SURFER WELCOME you’ll be taken to the best waves on the island to suit your level, see some of Bali’s surf breaks that aren’t on the map, avoid crowds and be at the right place at the right time.
Also INCLUDED ARE ALL YOUR SURFING PHOTOS AT EACH LOCATION YOU SURF with high end camera equipment.
1 surfer is Rp550,000 (around US$43.00)
or
2 or more surfers priced at R450,000 (around US$35.00 per surfer).
surf with Wayan here in Bali ! (this price covers Jimburan to Legian, extra fee for outside of this area)
contact me now email link here
We hope to see you here surfing in Bali soon, and don’t hesitate to drop us an email for any Bali surf info and we’ll do our best to help out.
Disclaimer; Baliwaves.com accepts no responsibility for absenteeism, day dreaming, depression, divorce, lethargy, alcoholism, jealousy, black magic, mid life crisis, Bali belly or loss of wages. Any reference or resemblance to real living people (or zombies) in these reports are purely co incident + all material appearing on baliwaves.com can under no circumstance be re printed or used in anyway without written permission (bahahaha) from baliwaves.com
Recent Comments