Sometimes you just need to get rid of all your earthly possessions, grab a waxed up board and hit the surf. While woody wagons and Beach Boys may be part of your wildest surf fantasies, the truth is, some of the best spots in the world coincide with some great travel. While Bali has become a hectic tourist destination that still offers some great breaks, an easier destination to hit the surf in Indonesia to start surfing is at Gerupuk on the Island.
Located around 20 minutes out of the city of Kuta, Lombok, Gerupuk is a fantastic place to hit the surf with locals and tourists alike. What Gerupuk offers is the chance for regular surfers to experience life as the pros do. For around $10 dollars, you can hire a boat for three hours to take you out into the surf.
With the tide being erratic and the breaks being far from the sand, getting out to the waves on your own isn't much of a possibility. The locals who drive the boat will take you to one of five breaks in the area depending on your ability, the tide and the crowd, and will even help you paddle into waves. Lessons can be hired for around $10 for the day, and boards go for around $3.50. Waves range from tiny to massive, and the breaks offer some surfing for everyone.
While Gerupuk has a ton of positives, one must be careful of the tourists who think they are locals. With the spot becoming a very popular destination to hit the surf, the fact is, waves can be busy. Unfortunately, this can also led to some fights. Like Bali currently, Gerupuk is starting to become a hotbed for surfers looking to cut waves and pick fights. While the locals of Gerupuk are friendly, accommodating and still get their waves, many tourists from a certain land down under want to try and dominate the spot as if they were born there.
Enjoy checking out the sun and sand of Lombok. The waves are great, the locals are amazing and the price is right.
Photo courtesy of Surfer Channel
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