Nusa Lembongan

Also known as Bali’s offshore islands, there are also great waves a short boat ride from Sanur. Nusa Lembongan and Ceningan have some quality breaks that work best in the dry season. The breaks are facing north west which is direct offshore for the south easterly trade winds.

These offshore islands pick up a lot of swell as there is very deep water in the Lombok Strait, which funnels any swell that passed by Bali. The depth of the Lombok Strait reaches more than 1,300 meters and it is a significant part of the Indonesian Throughflow, where water from the Pacific Ocean flows into the Indian Ocean. The movement of a large volume of water through the Lombok Strait leads to strong and unpredictable currents. Boats regularly sink here. For safety, it is not recommended to travel between Bali and Nusa Lembongan when there is a big swell running or strong winds.

Playgrounds

As it’s name suggests this is an easy wave very suitable for beginner and intermediate surfers. It breaks very close to the shore and tends to get very crowded. Breaks both left and right but the left is the better quality wave.

Lacerations

Lacerations is an advanced right hander that barrels over shallow water. Be very careful here with wave selection as you don’t want to end up in the local hospital with lacerations. This is the most challenging wave to surf in this area but as with all quality barrelling waves it attracts surfers looking for a magic ride, so can get very crowded.

Razors

Razors is a quality left hander that can get very very good. On smaller days it is suitable for beginner and intermediates but when the swell picks up, it is advanced surfers only. At high tide it is suitable for longboarders. At low tide it gets very shallow and barrels, but be careful of the razor sharp reef.

Shipwrecks

Shipwrecks is a bit further to paddle than the other breaks nearby. It is a popular spot for shipwrecks, one of which is permanently in the location. It’s a short right hander that is very powerful and quite hard to make. It is a very popular wave for advanced surfers chasing the ultimate in surfing – getting barrelled.

Tamarind

Further up the coast, Tamarind gets less swell than the other spots on Nusa Lembongan. It’s a very small take off and a short ride, but it barrels and that is reason enough to want to surf here.

Ceningan

Ceningan is a left hand point break that is less crowded than the Nusa Lembongan breaks as harder to access. It is a soft wave but breaks with good definition and can be perfect for intermediate surfers.