Do an online search for the world’s top 10 surfing destinations and you’re bound to come up with a diverse collection of listings that is not likely to leave you with any definitive answers.
There are plenty of reasons for this. First of all, there are a lot of places to surf on this planet and we’re always discovering more. Second, what kind of person is the list geared towards: beginner, intermediate or expert surfers? Are they trying to appeal to someone in search of a warm and sunny holiday in a lively surf town or an extreme sports enthusiast looking for killer waves in a remote corner of the globe?
‘Ulus’ has the consistency and unique ability to handle any size swell, spread across a wide playing field of reef. From Temples to The Racetrack, its sectioning hollow walls always produce great waves.
–Guest of a Guest on Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia
There are some places that those at least somewhat in the know will expect to turn up on most lists of top 10 surfing destinations: Hawaii, Southern California, Australia’s Gold Coast, Bali, South Africa… but sometimes these are inexplicably left out.
Other contenders include Costa Rica, France, Portugal, Brazil… even Ireland is no surprise. These spots, though less famous, surely deserve to be in most rankings for top 10 surfing destinations. Some slightly less famous, but nonetheless strong choices like Japan, Peru, Spain, Morocco, Mexico, New Zealand and a variety of Polynesian islands are also firm favorites for many. Even places you wouldn’t expect to figure into any list of top 10 surfing destinations like Peru, Scotland and British Colombia occasionally pop up.
If you want to rub shoulders with the best surfers in the world while surfing some of the best waves in the world, head to Bali. Unlike its more touristy cousin, Kuta Beach, the Bukit Peninsula is a rural outpost of limestone cliffs, pristine beaches, fearsome reef breaks, and hilltop temples where Indonesian culture still dominates. Beginner and intermediate surfers should stick to beach breaks such as Dreamland. More experienced surfers need to take a crack at two of the most famous waves in the world—Uluwatu and Padang Padang. For Padang Padang, be sure to bring plenty of antiseptic for the occasional run-in with the reef.
–National Geographic on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula
Of course, we’re happy not just when Bali is mentioned, but spots on the Bukit Peninsula in particular.
Check out this article for a top 5 list of surf spots on Bali for everyone from beginners to pros.
Top 10 surfing destinations: Uluwatu, Bali, pic: Siim Teller (Flickr CC)
