Medewi surf takes you far up the south coast of Bali to a lovely left point break that actually offers one of the longest rides on the whole Isle of the Gods. A goofy’s dream come true, we also like that it’s mellow and cruisable, nice for all levels on most days, and generally way less busy. Is this the gem we’ve been waiting for?
An introduction to Medewi surf
With the booming surf crowds of Kuta pushing people to look gradually further and further along the southern shoreline of Bali for more spots that aren’t a flying board fest, Medewi is an obvious stand-out. A point break rivermouth, it’s a peeling left that can go on for over 1000m on its day. We reckon God must have taken a break from designing the points of Peru when he/she made this one – it rides more like a mellow Latin American cruiser than a frothing Bali barrel.
That sort of quality means there’s now an inevitable following. But you still have to drive through pretty heavy traffic for three miles or so before you get here from the airport, so crowds are never going to be Bukit levels. What there is is a clutch of pretty darned good surf schools and a chilled vibe in the water that’s not got any of that infamous Bali aggro. The upshot? Learners, intermediate practicers, and pro rippers will all be happy here, so long as they bring the same good vibes.
When Medewi hits peak numbers, you can venture north and south to find all manner of other reef and estuary waves. This one can be big on huge dry season swells but really works all year round, though the water can be dirty in the wet season ☹.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Bali and Indonesia
Medewi at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Medewi?
Where is Medewi?
Medewi is actually along the very same stretch of coastline as Bali’s tried-and-tested beginner surf spots – Kuta, Legian, Seminyak. Only it’s a whopping 31 miles along that shoreline. Basically, find Kuta on the map and then trace the shore west to Pulukan. Medewi is the main black-sand beach right there, sat where the rivermouth opens to meet the sea. Transfers in from the airport in Denpasar are now available. They take around 2-3 hours depending on the traffic, which is often very bad!
Medewi surf spots
Most of the chatter is about the Medewi main break, which runs left off the point at the end of Medewi Beach. That’s the long, long left you’ve come hunting for. But there are also a few other locations to get excited at, often attracting even smaller crowds.
Pantai Rambut Siwi
There’s a chance that you’ll want to dodge the Medewi point when its at its busiest. That didn’t used to be the case but there are now more and more people moving up the south coast away from Kuta to score breaks like this. The Medewi of 10 years ago is still on offer at places like Pantai Rambut Siwi, a long run of black sand that has peaks and peaks and peaks to score. It’s not the greatest and it lacks that curling left shoulder but there are A-frames that you’ll find fun.
Medewi Beach
All the surf action is on the western end of Medewi Beach. There, a wide rivermouth has helped to build up big sandbanks at the point of a headland. They’ll create the bulging drop-in point which steepens quickly. The closer in you wait, the heavier your drop will be. Don’t worry, though – that’s the steepest part of the wave as whole. The thing quickly broadens and fattens as it moves inside, curling in and around the scythe of black sand. On the best days, it will keep shape and roll for 800+ meters, making it one of the longest waves on the whole island.
Medewi’s lefts are surfable on all tides but something a bit fuller tend to give the best conditions. It’s an all-year wave since it works with S and SW swells, though dry-season is usually a lot more powerful and wet season is sloppier and mushier for the learners.
Pulukan Beach
One beach over from Medewi itself is another run of long black sand that’s fronted by the main Bali coast road. It’s got two separate breaks worth knowing about: An A-frame at its center that needs some good S action in the swell to fire properly and a right-hander that can form off the same rivermouth as the Medewi lefts when its big enough. Because there’s more exposure here and the whole thing is more susceptible to onshore winds, it’s generally seen as a bit more of an advanced playground, though smaller days have plenty for learners. It’s also a welcome right wave for regular footers sick of the continuous left fest that goes on along this part of the Isle of the Gods shoreline.
Pantai Pangkung Jukung Pekutatan
This one’s listed on Google Maps as “Kliener Surfspot.” We can see why. Though we call it Pangkung for short, it’s a very protected bay that gets only a hint of the full whack of dry-season SW swells, which peel in neatly and bend around in a lovely crescent. When its relatively small (say 3-5 foot), the bay here can be a cracker for longboarder. The main bonus is that it’s usually empty and can harness east tradewinds as offshore.
Balian
Balian is stop number one on the way out of the Kuta-Canggu strip. If you’re keen to escape the big crowds, then choose this upcoming town. It’s a bit of a surprising swell magnet, getting big SW-S pulses in the dry season and smaller sets the rest of the year but remaining almost a foot higher than pretty much all the waves along this part of the island. That aside, we put it down as a doozy of intermediate break, since it breaks on deep reefs and offers a truly forgiving A-frame that can be ripped to shreds without too much trouble.
Where to stay when surfing in Medewi?
If you don’t want a complete surf camp experience and would prefer to simply rock up and enjoy the breaks at your own speed, then you’re in luck – Medewi is small enough and undeveloped enough to offer some seriously fantastic hotels right by the shoreline, within walking distance of the water. We absolutely love some of em’!
Bombora Medewi Wavelodge
Bombora Medewi Wavelodge literally peers over the take-off point for the main Medewi left. You probably can’t get a better location to surf here, and it’s a darn luxury choice to boot – think an infinity pool by the Indian Ocean and rooms that channel a touch of traditional Balinese class.
Medewi Surf Villa
The Medewi Surf Villa was one of the original surf villas int he town. It’s very highly rated and we can see why. The have a top-class quiver of boards for rent, a gorgeous garden pool, and a range of different room types, from villas to doubles.
Surf camps in Medewi, Bali
There’s a growing number of pretty spectacular surf camps up this way. Given the local break, we think they’ve made the right decision to focus in on the beginner and intermediate crowd, positioning away from the performance surf camps you get down on the Bukit Peninsula. Here are the ones that we can recommend…
- 8-Day Surf Camp at the Brown Sugar Surfcamp – Brown Sugar Surfcamp is sat a bit along from the main point, right by where you’ll bail when you finish one of the uber-long lefts here. It’s got a pool and a chilled vibe with bungalow accommodation on offer. This 8-day package is great for total beginners and improvers, offering two video coaching sessions and daily surf lessons, along with basic duck-dive training.
- Advanced 4-Day Surf Camp at the Medewi Bay Retreat – If you’re a more serious surfer then this package is a good short option. It’s four nights and two days of intensive surf training on the harder breaks in the area. R&R post session is at the Medewi Bay Retreat, a very good hotel a touch inland but with its own pool and bar.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Medewi surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Medewi surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp. Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Rent a car. If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Medewi?
Medewi is best surfed in the dry season. That runs from May to September in Bali and sees the most regular S-SW swell systems coming to town. They offer the most power and the cleanest waves – literally, since the ocean currents mean there’s less pollution in the water during this time of the year. Beginners and learners should know that Medewi is probably better for surf camps around the wet season (November to March), when the waves are a bit mushier and smaller.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
