Video Stream

Yeh Gangga

eh Gangga is Balinese for “Ganges water”, indicating a place of religious importance. “Yeh” in Balinese means water, which is considered sacred and is integral to religious rituals and daily life. If you watch a Balinese ceremony, then you will always see the Mangku (priest) spraying fine droplets of water to purify and bless the attendees. “Gangga” is derived from Ganges, the sacred river in India. Balinese hinduism is unique, but still retains a profound connection to ancient Indian traditions, as India is the mother country of the religion.

Although there is a river at Yeh Gangga it is not powerful enough to have a significant effect on the surf. The waves break best at a peak a little bit North of the river. At low tide this is an expert only break, and is popular with professional surfers who are seeking the ultimate surfing thrill – getting barrelled. For most advanced surfers, the wave breaks too fast at low tide to make the take-off, and is not suitable for beginners and intermediate surfers.

As the tide fills in the wave gets more mellow and the pros with their camera teams pack up and leave it to the regular joes (recreational surfers). At low tide, the dredging barrels break both left and right, depending on the formation of the sand banks. At mid-tide and above, there are several peaks breaking in both directions. Like all surf breaks, the difficulty of the wave is mostly dependent on the size of the swell. Overhead it is great for advanced surfers at mid-high tide, while intermediate surfers will like it in the shoulder-head high range. For beginner surfers, it is best at mid-tide when the whitewater will roll in not too fiercely (except on the bigger swells).

Yeh Gannga is a beautiful spot and well worth checking out, particularly if you want to get away from the more crowded spots. Similar to Kedungu, this area is being developed quickly- and currently features a beach club just north of the main surfing area. Despite the encroaching development, the area retains its traditional Bali feel with many warungs serving local food and snacks. It’s a nice place to stay for the day and get a feeling of how Bali was before mass tourism.