A yearly trip to Bali is a surfing right of passage. But this year we wanted to ditch the crowds and get back to nature. Those of you who know, will recognise the spot… and those of you who don’t – do some research.
A dreamy early morning boat ride from Bali across to East Java did nothing to calm our nerves with talk of 8-10 foot surf awaiting us. On arrival, our guide told us he couldn’t chat as someone had just rearranged their face on the reef and required 10 stitches. With an introduction like that, we got acquainted with our surrounds before throwing ourselves in the deep end.
Essentially you are in the wilderness – just the a beach with monkeys, wild bore, dear and even tigers owning the surrounding jungle. You’re a long way from anywhere, so if you mess up, you’re in for a long ride to safety. But this seclusion is what we came for and we were rewarded for our travels.
Considering the location, the accommodation is pretty slick, with air con, satellite TV, pool, table tennis and excellent food. If you don’t want to take on the heavy water, there are loads of other surf options. Some days we just walked the jungle looking for waves with nothing but surfboards and our curiosity.
With a handful of stoked fellow surfers we gorged on punishing sun, perfect surf and icy cold beer for nine glorious days. We proved that you can score perfect waves to yourself, you just need to go looking for your own island paradise.
Awesome photos James. That last wave looks huge!