9 Best Surf Camps in Indonesia [2025]

If you’re on the hunt for surf camps in Indonesia then you’ve come to the right place. This guide runs through the ones that we think really stand out on the Indonesian islands for the coming season, from the Ments to Bali and more…

Indonesia has some cracking, cracking surf camps. Seriously, this country of 17,000 islands or so is one of the leading destinations for planned surf packages. It’s easy to see why…

First off, it has those aforementioned 17k islands. Second, it’s home to Bali, which might flaunt the big left shoulders of Uluwatu but it also comes with the learner meccas of Kuta, Balian, and Medewi. And then there’s the fact that Indo is now eminently accessible on stacks of low-cost flights from Oz and New Zealand, plus plenty of short-haul links coming from all across Southeast Asia.

There are some very clear hotspots when it comes to surf camps in Indonesia, mind. Bali leads the way. Thankfully, things have moved away from the highly polluted Kuta Bali just a touch, up to more adventurous – and emptier – spots a dash along the southwestern shoreline.

You’ll see a lot of mentions of those in our picks below, along with one or two camps over in Java and other islands. We should also make a special mention of Lombok. That’s the island right next to Bali and it’s emerged as a doozy for surf camp traveler since Kuta Lombok (the main surf town there) has boomed into life in the last 10 years or so.

Anyway, this guide will focus in on the individual surf camps that we think are the proverbial dog’s cojones in Indonesia for the coming season. Either we’ve visited, seen them first-hand, or heard excellent things. There are, of course, plenty of other great surf camps in Indonesia to consider. You can search for a lot of them here. But there are also plenty of pretty bad deals, so careful what you pick. Anyway…let’s get started…

(Oh, and we also have an all-new guide to the top surf hotels in Bali, which is better for those who don’t want a full-on package of surf camps and rental and what not but prefer to go at their own pace).

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!

• Location: Kuta Lombok

Poetry buffs out there will know that Xanadu is the mystical Shangri La of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s epic Kubla Khan.

Well, we’re here to say that it could just as well refer to the mystical Shangri La of Lombok island, because this is now firmly established as the leading lux yoga-surf retreat on Bali’s next-door bro.

Where to begin? The camp itself, perhaps.

A Scandi-chic with light-flooded rooms that sits on a high bluff above the town, it’s pure joy to be in. There’s that pool, with its 180-degree views of the Lombok jungles and south coast. There’s that lounge, where you’ll do post-surf video recaps on the comfort of a lay-back sofa. IT IS LOVELY!

The package matches up to the finest in the region, with up to two surf lessons per day at the local spots, transport and rentals and guiding all included. But there are also some frills worked in, like coffee and sambol workshops and nightly BBQ events with the other guests.

We’ve been reccomending this spot to people heading Lombok way for a while, and now we reckon it deserves top spot in the whole of Indo for 2025. It’s fun, welcoming, luxurious, and covers great spots and teaching for all levels really (just maybe not the most advanced surfers, who should be going to the Ments anway TBH).

• Location: Padang Padang, Bali

• Location: Mentawai, West Sumatra

The Hidden Bay Resort is our standout pick in the Ments for serious surfers.

But before we get to the camp itself, let’s just say that this is a region that screams surf quality if there ever was one.

Basically, you’ve got three islands – Siberut down to Pagai – that combine to offer a majority of what we’d rate as the finest and most consistent spots in all of Indo.

It’s not packed, either, mainly because it’s a bit of a chore to reach. Barrels abound and empty lineups are the order of the day. Forget Bali. This is the real headline act of Indo.

Hidden Bay makes its home between the palm groves of the northern Ments, in a surf area known as Playgrounds (because, with over 16 named spots within easy reach by boat, it really is a playground).

It’s a paradise camp for more advanced surfers, since they have their own speedboat to reach any spot within 10-15 minutes.

There are 2x daily surf sessions of 2x hours each, which are supercharged by Five Concept fitness regimes and the services of on-site physios and yoga instructors. This is serious stuff for serious surfers, a fact that’s often matched by the hollow nature of the surrounding waves.

You’ll be bedding down in a traditional seafront Uma building, constructed in the style of classic Indonesian village huts.

They’re spacious and just a little bit luxury, plus the Ments are no Bali – fling open the window and you’ll be looking at pristine tropical coastline, not a tattoo parlor or Bintang shop in sight. What’s the catch? The price. Surf camps in this part of Indo tend to cost two or three times more than they do in Bali et al.

• Location: Canggu, Bali

• Location: Green Bowl, Bali

We’ll just go right out and say it: The 2010s have NOT been kind to Kuta Bali. It’s polluted. It’s overdeveloped. Na. Not for us.

That’s why we realllllyyy rate the new Rapture Surf Camp. It’s located down in Green Bowl, which is one of the few untrodden breaks of the Bukit Peninsula, and a pretty sure fire bet for decent swell both high season and low. 

They run eight-day packages that are all-in. There’ll be three fully fledged surf lessons but also daily surf guiding in both the morning and the afternoon, often to Green Bowl itself but also to a variety of breaks around the peninsula as per the local recommendations. Guests can also enjoy post-surf yoga each evening and a healthy breakko in the morn. 

The new Rapture camp here is downright da bomb. Rooms channel a touch of Scandi minimalism but have lovely Balinese style on the outside. The piece de resistance is that narrow infinity pool that’s perched above a sweep of emerald-green rice paddies, a deck primed for sunsets perched just behind.

To sum up, we’d say the Rapture is one of the best surf-camp options in Bali today. That’s mainly down to the location, which has waves for all levels and cleaner beaches that Kuta et al. But there’s also something to be said for the seriously lovely camp they’ve constructed on these southern cliff tops.

TL;DR: Book it if you can!

• Location: A private island in the middle of nowhere in the Mentawais!

Also sat smack dab in the middle of the epic region that is Playgrounds in the northern Ments, The Shadow is a surf camp with a difference. What’s the USP, you ask? How about a whole private island all to yourself.

Yep, this surf camp has a Robinson Crusoe vibe thanks to its place on a tiny little fragment of land off the south side of Siberut Island. You’ll have wispy, white-sand beaches running along the front of your bungalow, and total isolation from check-in to check-out; just you, the in-house surf guides, and the other guests.

There are 20 breaks within easy reach of the camp. And we’re talking epic, epic breaks. These guys use super-fast speedboats to whiz you around, too, so you’re often on the point before anyone else even manages to make it there in the morning.

The Shadow do super immersive, get-away-from-it-all packages that last 14 days and 13 nights. They include ALL your food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), airport transfers and ferry tickets to get you there in the first place, and daily yoga.

It’s the great surf escape you’ve been searching for.

• Location: Kuta, Lombok

Take one glance at our selection of the very best surf camps in Lombok and you’ll see that we’ve got plenty of good things to say about Kura Kura. We’re fresh off a week-long stay there (Jan 2023) and we have to say it was one seriously fantastically run camp…

Two – yes, two! – daily surf sessions meant that you were basically out on the water as long as your mortal body can handle (especially in that Indo sunshine). The guides were simply great; a good bunch of international guides with specific, detailed feedback, and local guides who helped with getting to grips with the various breaks and take-off spots. The included surf gear covered almost every single base, from egg-ended longboards to performance shorties.

And then there’s the accommodation itself. Kura Kura is a very stylish spot. It’s only got something like six rooms, each of which oozes that sorta’ Bali-chic style with a mix of polished concrete, open-air bathrooms, and tropical plantage. The chill out zones are perfect for making new surf pals, boasting a pool and a breezy workspace area in case you do need to answer some emails. You won’t regret coming here.

• Location: Canggu

You’ll notice most camps here do 7 days or 6 days of surf guiding.

Not so with this 15-day, fortnight-long package from Pelan Pelan. This is their “Get It All” pack, that offers daily guiding on the local breaks every weekday and way more besides. It would be our pick if you want a longer surf camp and have a bit more time of work.

The team of surf instructors is 100% local, which is very much necessary down in Canggu where you’ll need to know the ins and outs of each reef, each beach.

They’re very seasoned in tailoring session to various levels, and all guests will be assessed on day one to ensure they get the right sort of tuition to supercharge your improvement.

You’ll stay at the Pelan Pelan Retreat, a lovely yoga villa in the heart of Canggu’s iconic rice paddies that’s home to a few dogs and plenty of nooks and crannies for chilling and relaxing when you’re not on the waves. Talking of not being on the waves, this package brings great bang for your buck by adding in tours of Bali, 8x yoga classes, and even airport pickup.

• Location: Medewi, Bali

There aren’t all that many surf camps out there that have done enough to get their local break named after them. Brown Sugar has. The cruisy little beach number that peels into the black-sand beaches of Medewi lies just out front of the infinity pool here. For beginners, that means two meters of walking and you can be practicing your pop-up from dawn till dusk. Easy.

Past reviews have noted how the management is quite hands off at the Brown Sugar Surfcamp. It’s possible to see that as more of a pro than a con. Sometimes, surf camps can seem like organized fun and that alienates certain types of traveler. Here, the aim is create a comfy space where you can join if you wanna’ or you can just take it at your own pace and surf to your own schedule if that’s what you’d prefer. 

If you do go for the get-involved option, then look forward to daily surf lessons with dedicated instructors, plus a weekly video analysis session. All of that happens in what we’d say is one of the more upcoming locations in Bali, especially for goofies (check out our guide to Medewi).