Uluwatu, simply called Ulu, is one of the most famous surf locations in the world. It has been said it may have been surfed in the sixties but the most documented discovery came in 1971 when Australian surf film maker called Alby Flazon arrived with a couple of surfers. After the release of his film “Morning of The Earth”, it wasn’t long before this world class left hander was on every surfer’s radar.
Uluwatu is famous not only for its perfect waves but also for the unique way you access the wave through a small cave opening at the bottom of the towering cliffs above. Surfing Uluwatu is more than just surfing, it’s a whole experience and although it can deliver world class waves, it can also be extremely challenging. Walking down the cliffs and paddling out through the cave gives you a very unique feeling, unlike any other spot in Bali, that is hard to explain. It almost feels like a rite of passage.
You have read earlier about the dangers of the cave and the hurdles you face when coming back in but let’s talk about what it’s actually like surfing Uluwatu.
I have surfed Uluwatu more times than any other spot in Bali and have had countless experiences here. There are several different sections to surf along this reef which covers up to two kilometres. Your choice depends on the size of the waves and the size of the tide. The bigger it gets, the fewer options you have. Uluwatu draws in a lot of swell. You’ll rarely see it under three feet and it can hold waves in excess of twenty feet. Its consistency is due to its geographical location exposing it to the Indian Ocean swells. There are also very deep water channels on both sides that drive the swells into its wide stretch of reef.
Around high tide, the main peak to surf is none other than The Peak. Directly in front of the cave, The Peak offers classic barrels and carving faces that run down the line. You’ll find several takeoff zones depending on the swell direction. It can be unpredictable though, so you need to choose your waves carefully here. Most of my sessions have been here.
Once the tide drops below mid tide, The Peak will start closing out on dry reef and Racetrack starts to show its colours. Racetrack becomes a long, almost predictable, chain of sections that link together offering perfect barrels but is also an extremely fast wave. The risk though is that the water is extremely shallow beneath you. If you fall at the wrong time, the reef will annihilate you. I have witnessed many surfers get severely cut up on this unforgiving section of reef.
Once the swell starts reaching ten feet, the wave breaks further out and Outside Corner comes alive. Outside Corner offers waves that are the opposite of Racetrack. Big, thick, softer rolling walls than run for a couple of hundred metres down the reef. Your ride will be full of huge carves and drawn out cutbacks. On the same size swell at high tide, The Bombie starts breaking far out the back in front of The Cave. Keep in mind if The Bombie is breaking, the swell is massive.
The final section of the reef is Temples named because it sits below Bali’s Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple. Temples is the lineup furthest up the reef. Once paddling out from the cave, it is a long paddle up the reef at least a few hundred metres. It’s a good spot to get away from the crowds and when the swell is small, your almost guaranteed a wave up here. A wave that also packs a pretty heavy punch. Best surfed on mid to high tides.
One thing I have to mention is the crowds. Being so iconic, Uluwatu attracts surfers from all around the world. If you are a surfer going to Bali for the first time, surfing Uluwatu is number one on your list. In addition, there is always a surfable wave here. I once counted 130 surfers in the lineup! In saying that, I have also had sessions with a lot less people out and if you know your way around a crowded lineup, you’ll still get waves. If you don’t know your way around a crowded lineup, you’ll struggle for sure. Patience is key. One trick is to get your accommodation on the Uluwatu cliffs so you constantly have eyes on it. You can not only pick the time when it’s less crowded, but you can also pick the time when it is at its best. As the size of the waves increase, the crowds thin out.
One of my most memorable sessions was my last surf session of a trip before heading home to Australia. I had surfed at Uluwatu several times on the trip already but felt I had been holding back on some of the bigger waves. I knew I’d missed opportunities to take some really good ones. This last day, it was a solid six foot with the wave faces up to double that. I told myself that I was not going to pull back on any waves. No matter how big the wave was or how hesitant I was, nothing was going to stop me paddling into it! I was committed!
As I ventured down to the cave, I could feel the energy of the ocean. The water was surging in and out making even the entry into the lineup a mission in itself. As I was making my way out of the cave, I was bounced around between each side of the cave as if in a pinball machine. The whitewater from waves penetrated the cave entrance with forces that I had never experienced before. Feeling this energy, my mind began to wonder what I was getting myself into. Sure, from the cliffs above, it looked doable but, as often happens in Bali, once you get to the lineup, it can be a whole different story. Once I made it out of the cave, the strong current took a hold of me and swept me down the reef where I then started the paddle out the back, up the reef, into the lineup.
Once I was in the lineup, I put all the fear behind me. Over the next couple of hours, I ended up catching some of the biggest and best waves I had ever surfed at Uluwatu. It’s amazing what you can achieve in, or out of the surf for that matter, when you acknowledge your fear but refuse to let it control you. I paddled for every wave that gave me a chance and pulled back on none. I was the most committed I’d ever been and that commitment rewarded me immensely. The other thing that was in my favour was that the waves were absolutely pumping!
A couple of those rides were also up there with the longest I have ever had in Bali. Taking off at The Peak and racing down the line through Racetrack for hundreds of metres. After one, it would have been a shorter paddle down to Padang Padang, the next wave down the coast, than to paddle back out into the lineup. Other waves were all about just making the drop and outrunning the tsunami of whitewater chasing me down. It was an adrenaline fuelled session for sure.
We were flying home that evening and although I could have stayed out longer, I was drained and it was time to go in. It is always wise to save enough energy in your system to get in. You never know how many times you may miss the cave and have to do the ‘paddle around’! I paddled far up the reef, waited for a set and took off. It took all my might to just go straight as there was a green wall standing up inviting me in. I knew if I accepted, I would ride too far and miss my opportunity to get into the cave. As it turned out, I went straight and headed straight for the cliffs. The current had a hold of me as I sped toward the cliff face. By the time I got to the cliffs, I was directly in front of the cave and just shot straight into it. I couldn’t believe it! Probably the easiest I have ever made it in, at this size anyway. The perfect ending to an already perfect session.
Afterwards, still high on adrenaline, we had a couple of hours left before we made our way to the airport. I had a bottle of Vodka left over so I gave it to the young local surf guys at the warungs who I had become to befriend over the years. We spent the next hour or so passing the bottle around, chatting, laughing and having fun.
After the session and the post session drinks, I was exhausted. I actually fell asleep before the plane even left the runway and woke up as the wheels were touching down. Needless to say, it was the best flight I have ever had.
Great story love the photos