East Bali

In a land of perfect lefts, Keramas is one of a few perfect rights. An excellent reefbreak on a classic, black-sand beach, Keramas seems to have a wind of its own that is often different than the prevailing winds at other spots.. Unfortunately that wind is often onshore. As such, Keramas is a spot for true dawn patrol surfing. First light. After 7am, chances are that wind is going to begin to affect the barrels. Keramas is a fun righthander for hot dog surfing when it is smaller. In the past few years, surfers have been pushing the limits of what is considered too big to surf at Keramas. Keramas is a heavy wave when it is big, the reef is shallow and sharp, the currents in the end section can be fierce, and it can be difficult to exit the water.

Nusa Dua is the rainy-season bread and butter equivalent to Uluwatu. There's always a wave here. Nusa Dua is a swell magnet; in fact, Nusa Dua is known to have the biggest rideable surf in Bali, and much of Indonesia. It can be a beast of a wave. The wicked current and rogue set waves can wash a surfer down the entire reef before he or she even gets a wave. Giant Nusa is a difficult playing field, and surfers should use extreme caution when looking out at what appears to be fun, six to eight-foot waves with nobody out. The distance of the reef from the beach can be deceiving, and often they will find dangerous, 12 to 15-foot conditions.

When Nusa Dua is huge and dangerous, it's worth a look at Sri Lanka. This wave is directly in front of the Club Med Resort. Often Sri Lanka is inconsistent and imperfect, sectioning, and offering only a fat end section. However, when it all comes together, this can be one of the best barrels anywhere. When it's on, Sri Lanka is a very challenging wave to surf, particularly on your backside. To make the wave, you need to drop in behind the peak and immediately enter a dredging barrel section. To misjudge this barrel section usually means a trip to a sharp and shallow reef. There's a local crew that is usually on it the minute Sri Lanka starts to work and know the wave inside and out. It can be quite difficult for visiting surfers to get a set wave.

Serangan is a great rainy-season surf spot. There's almost always rideable surf, there's several different peaks, and it breaks on almost any tide. For the most part, Serangan is a group of hot-dog waves almost resembling a beachbreak. However, during a huge swell, Serangan transforms into a big, bowling, barreling righthander.

Just south of Sanur, way out at sea, surfers can catch a glimpse of what appears to be a long, spinning righthander peeling along a huge stretch of reef. This is Hyatt Reef. Many days, distance is a friend to this wave, and on closer inspection, what will be revealed is an imperfect, ultra-shallow cluster of sections. However, with a solid swell and a higher tide, Hyatt Reef can be as good as it looks. There are two main sections to this wave. The outside peak is a shifty, gnarly beast that can offer up square, perfect barrels just as easily as splat the unsuspecting surfer onto the reef. The inside peak is a more consistent, groomed righthander that allows maneuvers and sets up for a bowling barrel section. Hyatt Reef can get big, and when it is, it's a heavy place. Another thing worth mentioning about Hyatt Reef is that it's way out at sea, and as such, can be easily wind-affected. Best bet is early mornings or glassy days.

Sanur is a mythical wave in Bali, as tall tales abound about it being the most perfect wave on Bali. Like its dry season cousin Padang Padang, Sanur requires a huge swell to be hitting the coast. If Nusa Dua is over ten-feet, then there's a chance that Sanur could be firing, however, a long drive often ends in disappointment when Sanur is only three-feet and slightly onshore. When the swell is hitting Sanur at six-feet or more, and the wind is offshore or glassy, and the tide is mid low-high, Sanur can be a world-class wave as good as anywhere - a long, bowling wave with multiple barrel sections breaking over ultra-sharp, living coral. It is important for surfers to be aware of the tides. As the tide gets lower at Sanur the end section goes from dangerous but makeable to an almost sure trip for stitches at the local medical clinic. And when it gets real low, it's better to call it a day.