Bali Odyssey
We were based in 'Legian Seminyak' that day so hit the beach breaks around that area. The swell had dropped compared to previous days but the couple of hours we spent in the water, cured the hangover. We did a bit more exploration of the island over the coming days, taking a break from the surf and heading into central and northern Bali.
More rice paddies and temples were on view but the best part of this trip was the trek up the Volcano. We got great views of the island and witnessed a beautiful sunset. The trek was knackering but the breath taking views in the end were worth it!
Back to the surf - we took a boat over to Bali's sister neighbouring island, 'Lembongan Islands' which the surf guide recommended and the book didn't lie! We hired a local fisherman to take us out to the break known as 'Shipwrecks' (named after the rusting hull that some 'out of it' navigator directed onto the reef), a mile offshore. We caught some unbelievable 4-5ft waves here! Seriously stoked to the max now! It got a bit gnarly at times as the tidal currents were strong, sucking us in, towards the remains of the rusting shipwreck!
We only stayed on the island for a day/night so spent all our surf time at Shipwrecks - the best break on the island. I didn't really fancy trying out the other two breaks - 'Lacerations' (not called Lacerations for nothing!) and 'Playgrounds'. I left Shipwrecks before low tide which is the best time to ride it but also the most dangerous. I decided to paddle back to shore, grab a beer and watch the local kamikaze surfers show me how it was done!
Back to the mainland and it was now time to spend the next four days exploring the 'Bukit Peninsula' - the numerous breaks here are what Bali is well renowned for. I couldn't wait! The 'Bukit Peninsula' south of Kuta is a curving coastline with more than ten surf spots worth checking out. First stop was 'Balangan' - a left hander.
A very busy line up when we arrived with three breaking points in the space of a couple of hundred metres so more than enough waves for all of us. Not a classic but a good start to our experience of the Bukit surf spots. Just round the headland of 'Balangan' was 'Dreamlands'. The waves were tiny here so we just enjoyed a couple beers and the views on show on the beach.
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