Padang Padang is the Jewel in Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. It’s the heaviest left on the west coast offering top to bottom barrels almost from take-off to kick out. It needs a large groundswell to work as it’s a little more tucked away than other surf spots in the area. This means the SE trade winds blow directly offshore. The wave is relatively short (100m~) but long enough for you to set up for two decent barrel sections. The first allows for a deep stand up barrel and the second increases with intensity setting up for a fast speed run towards the end before the wave runs out of water.
The talent here is exceptional, including a switched-on local crew, pros looking for photo opportunities and barrel hungry tourists. It goes without saying the crowd here can be hectic. When it’s pumping you’ll be lucky to pick off a bomb unless you’ve put in the time and are ready to charge.
What are the best surf conditions for Padang Padang?
Gets good between head high to triple overhead. We recommend riding a shortboard, step-up, or just the biggest board in our quiver when the size begins to pick up here. Padang Padang is best suited to pro to advanced surfers, due to both the difficulty of the wave and the nature of the crowds. The surf here is not the most consistent (5/10) and will be ridiculously crowded (9/10). The best winds for Padang Padang are Southeast. The best swell direction is from the South, Southwest and West. Works on a low to mid tide best.
We recommend wearing boardshorts or a bikini, plus a wetsuit top in strong winds, year-round where the water temperature varies between a warm to balmy 25-29 degrees! See the temperature chart below for more data on this.
