Best time to surf Bali – Nusa Dua

The best time to surf at Bali – Nusa Dua is January–March, November–December, the known surf season, with water around 30°C.

Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia

Sports: Surfing

Best time to go: January–March, November–December

Nusa Dua is the resort area on the east side of Bali's Bukit Peninsula, about 14 km from Ngurah Rai airport, roughly 25 minutes on the toll road. An outer coral reef runs for more than 2 km off Pura Geger, Geger and Nusa Dua beaches. The reef faces south-east and takes the swell from the south and south-east head on, so there are often waves here when other Bali spots are small.

Several peaks break along the reef. At the southern end, Temple Lefts (Geger Left) is a steep left into the channel and the most manageable for intermediate surfers on smaller days. Further north and further out are the Keyhole lefts and rights, Elevators, a fast right over shallow reef, and the main peak, a heavy right that holds very big swells and is for experts with a longer board. Chickens, a right at the end of the reef, likes a higher tide. Mid to high tide is usually best; at low tide the reef gets very shallow.

The season is the wet season, about November to March, when west to north-west winds blow offshore here while the west-side Bukit breaks such as Uluwatu are onshore. In the dry season the south-east trade winds blow onshore from about mid-morning, so only early mornings work. The wave figures are highest in the dry season (about 1.3 m in August against 1.0 m in December and January), but the wind is wrong here then, so the best months follow the local wet-season rule.

To get out, paddle through the channel from the Geger temple car park to the southern peaks, or take a local boat from Geger or Nusa Dua beach to the outer reef; paddling from the beach takes 20 minutes or more. Currents run north along the reef on bigger days and can make it hard to get back in, there are no lifeguards on the reef, and sea urchins sit in the reef cracks. It is not a beginner spot. The water is about 27 °C in August and 30 °C in December: no wetsuit, a rash vest against sun and reef.

Month by month at Bali – Nusa Dua

January: 4 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1 m, water 29°C, air 29°C (nights 26°C), 26 sunny days, 28 rainy days
February: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 29°C, air 29°C (nights 25°C), 24 sunny days, 27 rainy days
March: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 30°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 25 rainy days
April: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1 m, water 30°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 20 rainy days
May: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 29°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 31 sunny days, 20 rainy days
June: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 28°C, air 29°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 17 rainy days
July: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 28°C, air 28°C (nights 25°C), 31 sunny days, 16 rainy days
August: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 27°C, air 29°C (nights 24°C), 31 sunny days, 15 rainy days
September: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 28°C, air 29°C (nights 24°C), 29 sunny days, 17 rainy days
October: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 29°C, air 30°C (nights 25°C), 30 sunny days, 19 rainy days
November: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1 m, water 30°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 24 rainy days
December: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1 m, water 30°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 27 sunny days, 25 rainy days