Uluwatu
Pecatu, Bali, Indonesia
Sports: Surfing
Best time to go: February, June–September
Uluwatu lies below the limestone cliffs at the south-western tip of Bali's Bukit Peninsula. Long-period swells from the Indian Ocean, mostly from the south-west, break along a coral reef as a series of left-hand waves, with several named sections that work at different tides and swell sizes. In the dry season, roughly May to September, the south-east trade winds blow offshore and the swell is most consistent.
Access is down steps through a cave to the water, and getting in and out is the trickiest part: on bigger swells, currents can sweep you past the cave exit, so check the conditions first and know where to come back in. The reef is shallow and sharp, and reef cuts need cleaning promptly in the tropics. The waves are powerful and walls can be long, so it suits experienced surfers; on smaller days the inside sections are more manageable for competent intermediates. The line-up is very crowded in season, with a mix of local and visiting surfers, so patience and respect for priority are expected.
Month by month at Uluwatu
- January: 8 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1.8 m, water 29°C, air 29°C (nights 26°C), 26 sunny days, 27 rainy days
- February: 8 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 1.9 m, water 29°C, air 29°C (nights 25°C), 24 sunny days, 27 rainy days
- March: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.8 m, water 30°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 26 rainy days
- April: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.7 m, water 29°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 20 rainy days
- May: 5 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 1.8 m, water 29°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 31 sunny days, 19 rainy days
- June: 9 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 2 m, water 29°C, air 29°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 18 rainy days
- July: 14 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 2.1 m, water 28°C, air 28°C (nights 25°C), 31 sunny days, 16 rainy days
- August: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 2.2 m, water 28°C, air 29°C (nights 24°C), 31 sunny days, 15 rainy days
- September: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 2 m, water 28°C, air 29°C (nights 24°C), 29 sunny days, 16 rainy days
- October: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 1.8 m, water 29°C, air 30°C (nights 25°C), 30 sunny days, 20 rainy days
- November: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 30°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 29 sunny days, 24 rainy days
- December: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.7 m, water 30°C, air 30°C (nights 26°C), 27 sunny days, 25 rainy days
When is the best time to go surfing at Uluwatu?
February, June–September, when the waves are biggest.
How warm is the water at Uluwatu?
28°C to 30°C over the year: boardshorts, no wetsuit needed in the warmest month, boardshorts, no wetsuit needed in the coolest.
How windy is Uluwatu?
About 65 days a year with at least 2 hours of 15+ knots in the daytime, most in July.
Figures from 5 years of weather data (Open-Meteo).
Spots near Uluwatu
- Canggu – Batu Bolong (18 km)
- Sanur (22 km)
More: All spots in Indonesia · Surfing in Indonesia
Compare with: Sanur vs Uluwatu · Canggu – Batu Bolong vs Uluwatu