Surfing is a popular sport known as riding a wave. It’s a bit challenging, but most people seem to love doing it. This ancient sport firstly introduced to America in 1928 by George Freeth. In fact, this sport is founded in 1778 by Captain Cook in Polynesian region.
While this sport seems to be easy, surfing takes time to learn. A surfer athlete needs years of training to master the balance between feet, board, and wave. However, this adrenaline-challenging sport is quite popular in Indonesia. There are several spot that can give surfer big challenge as it produces maximum wave to ride into and these places attract many surfers athlete to exercise or even compete. Here are some of the best list of surfing place and the best time to visit it:
1. Nihiwatu Island, Nusa Tenggara Timur
This island is one of the popular spot for surfing in Indonesia. Owned by a resort in West Sumba, the beach offers you with beautiful scenery and makes you fall in love with its crystal clear water and clean sand and that’s not why surfers love to visit this place. Its main attraction lies in its wave called Left God Waves due to its challenging heights and reels.
Most of the time surfer spends their days here to train. Not only professional surfer, but also domestic and international tourist visit Nihiwatu Island to learn how to surf. Other than that, people just want to spend their vacation time here as it offers various kind of tourism site since Sumba has incredible tourism spot that can make your vacation worth.
Moreover, this beach only limits its surfer to 10 people per day. This system has purpose to keep the privacy and tranquillity of special guests that loan the place. Exciting, no?
2. Plengkung Beach (G-Land), East Java
When you visit famous surfing site in Indonesia, take one example, Bali, you’ll find some information about surfing trip to G-Land. What is G-Land actually? And where is it? G-Land is located in Plengkung Beach. Most of Indonesian people doesn’t recognize where Plengkung Beach is, but for international surfers, this beach has enter to ten list for the best surfing site in the world. Amazing, isn’t it?
Plengkung beach is located in Alas Purwo National Park, Banyuwangi. The wave height could reach 8 meters and its length could reach up to 2 kilometres maximum. It’s believed that such wave could only be found whether in Africa or in Hawaii. Not only is its wave, its tranquillity also a reason why most of professional surfers considers to visit this beach. Moreover, the mysterious sentiment that’s coming from the forest adds its uniqueness for the tourist.
Moreover, Banyuwangi has more than Plengkung Beach to over in tourism site. Local government has put their best effort to build tremendous amount of tourism site that could attract domestic and international tourist to visit the city.
3. Rote Island, Nusa Tenggara Timur
This island is located in Timor Barat (West Timor). Actually there are many surfing spots in Rote Island. It may seems so far and hard to reach for tourist. But, for surfer who wants peace and calm sentiment, this island is the perfect place to surf. Rote Island is one of the best surf spot in Indonesia, that’s why most of professional surfer includes this island to their wish-list.
Its tranquillity and challenging waves could offer you the best surfing experience. If East Java has G-Land, then Rote Island has T-Land. Its wave could reach 300 meters in length, while its height could reach up to 4, 5 meters making it the longest surfing arena in Indonesia. You can also experience the beauty of its island after a long day of surfing. Don’t worry, this place can be one of your definitive wish list to visit if you like surfing.
4. Sipora Island, Sumatera Barat (West Sumatra)
West Sumatera is known for having about 400 surfing site and 49 between them has been known among international surfers. One of them has been included in 20 best surfing spot in the world by CNN Travel and it’s called Sipora Island.
Sipora Island is one of four sites in Mentawai Island, West Sumatra that offers the best experience for surfers all around the world. It’s proven by how many international surfers visit Sipora Island to practice or even compete in the beach.
The best time to visit Sipora Island is around April to October because the wave could offer the best challenge for every surfer. West Sumatra also offers various cultural events that can make your visit experience much better. Since it has around 400 surfing site, there are a lot of beach that you could chose other than Sipora Island.
5. Kampar Lake, Riau
This one offers unique experience for your surfing experience like no other place in the world could offer. Usually, people do surfing on the beach, but in Riau, you will surf in a lake. How come a lake produce a wave? This is a special case where Kampar Lake is located near ocean. This phenomena is called Bono wave. The encounter between ocean’s tidal current and lake’s high tide produces this wave.
That creates a wave sweeps alongside the lake that could reach up to 4-5 meters in height. This height attracts many surfers to try to surf on a lake. Very unique, no?
Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen very often. It only happens when both tidal current occurs, which is from 10th to 20th in August and December. Moreover, you Kampar Lake can produce up to 21 line of Bono wave, making it more and more interesting and challenging for every surfer in the world.
6. Tanjung Setia Beach, Lampung
This surfing spot is less famous than some beaches that’s listed above due to its popularity that’s rising recently. Probably because most of people or surfer particularly haven’t discovered this beach yet. But once you discover Tanjung Setia Beach, your adrenaline will be dragged up by its challenging waves.
This site will offer your surfing experience like the one in Hawaii. Its wave could reach about 4 to 5 meters in heights due to its location that’s near Indian Ocean. Moreover, you could taste some of the best Indonesian seafood in the side of the beach.
7. Nias, Sumatera Utara (North Sumatera)
Nias is one of Indonesian surfing site that’s popular among international surfers due to its wave and its beauty. It could possibly have high wave ranging from a meter to five. This is one of the recommended place to start learning to surf since they offer a course for beginners.
This beach also could give some difficult challenge for newbie to advanced surfer in the world. The positive side that beaches in Nias could offer is its constant and stable wave to surf. Usually some beaches need to find correct time to get the most challenging wave. However on Nias, the wave is constant and stable enough to do surfing throughout the year.
Furthermore, Nias also has unique cultural event that could be enjoyed after long time surfing. The local food is also really good for domestic and international tourist. That’s why Nias is one of the most recommended place to visit if you like surfing.
Surfing can be addictive and challenging. That’s why some people love it. Some people make it a hobby, some make surfing as their profession. Nevertheless, Indonesia is one of the best option to visit for surfers. From Lake to the whole Island, each offers uniqueness and experience that other surfing site could never have. So, have you included Indonesia in your wish-list site to visit? Believe me, you should.
