Padang Padang

Surf Guide

When it's on, Padang Padang is a beast, truly "The Balinese Pipeline." On the biggest days of the year, huge swells march down the reef from Uluwatu, forming some of the biggest and heaviest barrels anywhere in Indonesia when they hit the Padang reef. Though Padang Padang breaks relatively frequently during the season, classic Padang is rare. For it all to come together, a strong, long-period SW swell, mid tides, and light offshores are required. Even with all of the elements in place, sometimes Padang Padang can pinch, or mutate halfway through the barrel. Not good when you consider that a wipeout in these conditions is very serious and means almost certain injury, broken boards, or both. When Padang Padang is classic, surfers can expect deep, dry, heavy, big tubes. When surfing Padang Padang it is important to understand the tides. During the lower tides of the month, Padang Padang can become absurdly dangerous as the end section breaks below sea level and directly in front of exposed, jagged reef. Even professional surfers find Padang's twisting barrel a challenge to negotiate, and most wipeouts mean a trip to a very unforgiving reef.