Gili Island surf isn’t the best in either Lombok or Bali. There needs to be lots of power in the groundswell to push up through the strait and create waves on the outer reefs in these parts. But there are some half-decent breaks, plus you get to return to an uber-chilled tropical wonderland with palm trees, white sands, and party bars aplenty. Let’s take a closer look…
An introduction to Gili Island surf
The three Gili Islands – from chilled Gili Air to party-mad Gili T – dot the strait between Lombok and Bali. That hides them from most of the incoming S-SW swells that power up all the legendary spots in the surrounding vicinity, from Ulus on the Bukit to Desert Point to the south. The upshot? Surfing isn’t huge here because the isles lack that formidable consistency of the central Indonesian archipelagos. But there are a couple of decent breaks to know about in the vicinity that can be enough to tide you over for a few days, particularly if there’s action over 5-7 foot in the forecast and a big south element to the groundswell.
But we would never recommend the Gili Island surf to the most dedicated surfers anyhow. It’s not really about that. The waves here are fun, peeling reef spots with some hollow potential. Good and all, though the highlight has to be the islands themselves. You’ll dust off sessions with Bintangs on the beach, sunsets that glow red and pink behind Mount Agung on Bali in the distance, and yoga sessions in the famous eco retreats of Gili Air and Meno. It’s all very nice indeed. The perfect addition to a surf trip through central Indonesia.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Indonesia
Gili Island surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Gili Island surf?
Where are Gili Islands?
The Gili Islands dot the water between Bali and Lombok, though they’re much closer to the latter island. There are three of them in all, starting with chilled Gili Air, then to the yoga hub of Gili Meno, and finishing off with the party island of Trawangan.
Access to the lot is usually done via Bangsal Harbor in northern Lombok. It’s hectic as hell, with boat touts and dodgy taxi drivers 10 to the penny. Pre-book your tickets before you arrive there if you can – you won’t want to deal with the stress of navigating. Boats leave to all the Gilis virtually every 10 minutes. You can pay less and wait for the public vessels or pay double and choose a ferry that leaves right away. There are also direct ferries to the Gilis (usually Gili Trawangan) from Padangbai port in eastern Bali, along with others from Senggigi in western Lombok.
Gili Island surf spots
Bongkas, Gili Air
Hollow, long, barreling Bongkas is the star of the show on the Gili Islands. It’s located just off the southern reef of Gili Air but is usually the go-to spot for surf crews as far away as Trawangan. It needs a high tide to smother the reef in water because it’s super shallow stuff. With big S swells the sets here will form onto a pitching take off zone that drops you immediately into a pit. The entrance is so fast it almost feels like backdoor stuff. Finally, the last section is a tapering wall that filters off the reef and into the deeper paddle channel. Bongkas isn’t an easy wave but it’s also not mega hard if the swells aren’t huge. The boat there from the ports in Gilis will vary in price but expect to pay at least 50k IDR.
Gili Trawangan
Though Air’s Bongkas always steals the show if there happens to be some swell coming up the Bali Strait, there’s also an option on the southwestern reefs that fringe Trawangan. Again, the shelf here is hugely shallow so don’t even think about boating over at low tide. The wave itself is a very hollow right that’s fast and short. Wear reef boots.
Senggigi
The trip over to the mainland of Lombok and a little down the coast to the beaches of Senggigi takes less than an hour from the Gilis. It also opens up a whole region of more reliable surf spots that are generally seen as a real beginner playground. They include Klui Beach and others, most of which have neat little peelers over sand and cobblestone bottoms. There’s also Senggigi point here, which is better for intermediates and up but often patrolled by a pretty hawkish local crew.
Where to stay when surfing in the Gili Islands?
You can pick hotels on any of the three Gilis when you come to surf here. We say that because you’re going to need to get a boat ride to the breaks anyway. May as well bed down in the place and on the island that you like the most. They are not all made equal. Generally speaking, Gili T is for the party nuts, Gili Meno is for the yogis and couples, and Gili Air is the all-round best choice (at least in our opinion) because it has authentic local vibes and loads to do. We focus on stays on Air here because it’s our fav. Plus, it’s nearest to Bongkas, the spot that’s really the best-quality wave of all the Gili surf.
La Siesta Gili Air
Hidden in the jungles on the north side of Gili Air, La Siesta is a brand new hotel with plenty of class. The four rooms are done out beautifully, with just the right touch of rustic islander vibe. The central pool gets sun almost all day. But it’s the staff that make it really a cracker. Just ask at reception about getting a boat organized to surf Bongkas and they’ll make it happen.
L’Archipel
A very slick-looking stay in the middle of Gili Air, within easy reach by bike of the main street and the beaches. The rooms have a sleek Mykonos-esque vibe and the pool is one of the best we’ve seen.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…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: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): 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 the Gili Islands?
The best time to surf in the Gili Islands is definitely the dry season in Indonesia. That’s when the strongest SW swells from the deep 40s latitudes will be firing, sending long groundswells up to Uluwatu and others. There’s more chance that those hefty swells needed to get the sheltered Gilis working will come through. The wet season, however, can still be great. It’s usually smaller but the swells can be more southerly, which makes it easier for them to navigate through the islands of Lembongan and Penida that protect the entrance to the straight.
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!
2 comments
hi, nice work on the site!
I’m looking at taking a mate over to Bali (somewhere) in the first week of October.
He’s an OK surfer but pretty scared of reefs, I’m a little better after a couple trips to the ments but still keen to find fun waves rather than stress about losing bark.
just wondering if there are any beach breaks you can recommend, and the more “friendly reef breaks..
thanks
Wayne
Sounds like Balian or Medewi might be perfect. The first is a very consistent deep reef on the Bali south coast. The other is the longest left on the island; harder outside section for you and real easy inside beach break for your mate. The other option would be Lombok because Bali is BUSY right now. The MO on Lombok is usually to book a surf camp cos they’ll transport you break to break around Kuta Lombok town. Let us know if you want some suggestions on the best options.