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Balian

Balian also has a river of religious significance, and it is known as the sacred river. The source of the river is Batukuru mountain which is the one of Bali’s main water sources. This means the river flows year round, and can be particularly powerful in rainy season from November to March. Thousands of years of river flow has etched a deep water trench that funnels and magnifies any swell, directly to Balian. Balian always has a rideable wave, even on the tiniest of swell, due to this deep water trench. The river mouth creates a unique wave, that has a defined peak which breaks left and right.

The line up for the peak is located directly in front of Beach Villa Balian. If you are lined up directly with the villa then you can go both left and right. The left is generally slower breaking and easier to make, while the right hander is faster, heavier and more challenging. The left will take you to a deep water channel affording an easy paddle (if you make it all the way). The right hander can be much harder to paddle back, particularly if the swell is quite big. For the right hander, wave selection is key – you want to ensure that the wave you take does not close out, and will be long enough to avoid getting caught by following waves. If you pick the biggest wave in the set, and make it all the way, you should have an easy paddle back, but it can be brutal otherwise.

Most people paddle out to the break in front of the road that leads to the beach. It is quite a long paddle to the peak from here, but the deep water means that once you get past the shore break there are no breaking waves. On smaller days, the quickest and easiest paddle out is to follow the flow of the river, which flows out to sea and thus offers some assistance. At low-mid tide on smaller days you can walk directly in front of the peak, and then move to the left into the river. On bigger days this is not practical as too much risk of getting caught by set waves.

Oh, and only one spot where you can meet sharks 🦈