Surfing Bali: Why You Should Hire A Surf Guide When You Visit Bali
Planning on surfing Bali?
Planning on surfing Bali? When I was on the Island of the gods on my round the world trip, I surfed quite a bit. I probably surfed a lot there because it’s one of the world’s biggest surf destinations. It’s an intimidating sport so I was nervous to try it. Swimming is not my strong suit. I can swim but I’m not the strongest of swimmers.
When I was in Nha Trang, in Vietnam, my friend Paul taught me how to surf. Because I have been snowboarding for a long time and even used to skateboard, I was comfortable on a surfboard. I even stood up on my first try. When I was in Phuket, I took lessons again and again in Bali. Then I left for the Philippines and went surfing on Siargao. When I returned to Bali I was fully focused on surfing Bali because I was hooked!
Surfing Bali – My Experience
In Bali, I took private lessons from a guide for a week and it was much cheaper than taking lessons with a surf camp. If you wander around the beach many surf instructors will come up and try to sell lessons. Many of them know how to surf but are not skilled at teaching others. I learned that through trial and error.
My friends Willie and Paul with our surf guide Eddie
Because Eddie is local, he knows which breaks will be less crowded and what time the swells are at. He also drove us to surf spots and brought a friend to help drive our motorbikes. They know shortcuts to get to the surf breaks and fended off the local police who sometimes try to bribe tourists. My friend Willie who has been surfing for over 10 years agreed that having a guide was beneficial.
Me and a surf guide in Seminyak – try different ones if you can, not all are good
I know a lot of people who go to Bali and expect to surf and have an incredible time. This is not always the case because 1) it’s intimidating to drive a motorbike in Bal traffic to go and surf different breaks 2) Sometimes when you go out, it’s flat or the waves are too gnarly for newbies. For very little money, you can have a better time by hiring a local guide. They’ll take you into certain waves depending on your ability and be there to help you in the water. Just having someone there helped with my lack of confidence.
When you are in Bali, speak to some locals and get recommendations. Try surfing Bali with a few different guides to see who is a better fit for your skill level. After my own experience, I learned it made a huge difference to try out guides before making a longer commitment.
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HELPFUL GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS
- Flights: Find a cheap flight using Skyscanner or Momondo. I like these two booking sites because they both search all websites and airlines around the globe including budget airlines.
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- Travel Insurance: Having gotten sick on my travels in the past, I never travel without being insured. You never know when something may happen. For my round the world trip and extended long-term travel, I use World Nomads. For other trips, I have used Roam Right and they cover activities like extreme sports.
