BALIAN
Balian is on the west road that travels to Medewi and Java (G-Land). It is a great place to stop off and have a surf on your way to Medewi or Java. About 1.5hrs after leaving Denpasar area you will see a broken surfboard on the left hand side of the road with Balian written on it. Follow the road for about 5 minutes and park at the warung at the top of the cliff.
The break is made up of reef and rocks and has a quality right & left hand wave producing a ride of about 150 meters on a good day and is suitable for all levels of surfer. The break can work on all tides and optimum swell size is from 3ft - 8ft. The lefts are usually longer and better shaped than the right handers. When you enter the water you will be taken out by the current to the right. Do not try to master the current because you simply will not succeed. After a 50 meters offshore paddle to the left it's a long paddle to the peak but you will be rewarded with some very long rides. Balian is a nice quiet spot, not crowed and a typically beautiful Bali surf break but, like Medewi surfing must be done in the early morning as by mid to late morning the onshore winds will begin to blow the surf out. When you enter the water you will be taken by the current to the right. Do not try to master the current because you simply will not succeed. after about 50 meters offshore paddle to the left. It's a very long paddle to the peak but at the same time you get very very long rides.
MEDEWI
To reach Medewi you have to drive north west from Kuta for around 2.5 hours in hellish traffic conditions. As this is the main traffic artery between Java and Bali it is always clogged with cars, vans, trucks, buses and motorbikes so the best option is to leave very early in the morning and beat most of the traffic. There are also a number of good breaks at the river mouths along the way, and you will rarely see anyone surfing them. Leaving Kuta head through Denpasar and follow the signs to Tabanan and keep following the main road north west.
Season - Wet & Dry Seasons - Early mornings are best as the winds can blow the surf out by midday.
Swell Direction - South
Ideal Wave Size - 4 - 6ft
Best Winds - Early morning with light winds
Break Popularity - Usually no crowd problems, probably due to the distance from the main tourist areas on the Southern Peninsula. Also many only make a day trip as there is no nightlife available but the locals are very friendly - even in the surf. When working the Medewi waves will give you long ride but does not offer many tube sections.
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