Canggu Surf Guide: Spots by Level, Seasons and Tides

Canggu is the stretch of Bali’s south-west coast where black-sand beaches, rice paddies and a long run of surf breaks sit within a few minutes of each other. It has waves gentle enough for a first lesson and waves that should be left to experienced surfers, often only a short walk apart. This guide explains which break suits which level, what the surf is like in every month of the year, and how tide and wind change things from one hour to the next.

Surf conditions change daily, and published guides do not always agree with each other. Where they differ we say so. Treat this as a starting point and always check conditions on the day with someone who knows the break.

Canggu at a glance

Canggu surf spots by level

The breaks below run along a few kilometres of coast. The levels are a general guide: the same wave can be friendly on a small day and serious on a big one.

If you have never surfed before

Start at Batu Bolong or Old Man’s, with an instructor, on a soft board. Both breaks give long, forgiving rides when the swell is small. They are also busy, so learning how to share a line-up safely is part of the lesson.

If you can already catch green waves

Batu Bolong on a bigger day, or Pererenan and the River Mouth on a smaller one, are the usual next steps. Go with someone who knows where the reef and rocks are before you paddle out at a new break.

Canggu surf seasons, month by month

You can surf Canggu in any month. What changes through the year is the size of the swell, the direction of the wind and the number of people in the water.

Is the wet season worth it?

Yes, with realistic expectations. The surf is smaller and less predictable, which often suits learners, and the water is at its warmest. Rain tends to affect part of the day and not all of it. The trade-off is onshore wind on many days and poorer water quality straight after a downpour, when it is sensible to stay out of the water near river mouths.

Tides, wind and the best time of day

• Go early. In the dry season the trade wind usually picks up from mid-morning and blows across the waves at Canggu. The cleanest conditions are normally in the first hours after sunrise.
• Tide changes everything on a reef. The same break can be soft and easy with plenty of water over the reef and fast and shallow a few hours later. The River Mouth, for example, works on a higher tide.
• Check a tide chart every day. Tide times shift daily, so yesterday’s perfect hour is not today’s.

Staying safe in the water

• Reef and rock. Most Canggu breaks have a hard bottom. Fall flat, never dive head first, and protect your head with your arms when you come up.
• Crowds. Batu Bolong and Echo Beach get busy. Learn the right-of-way rules, hold on to your board and look before you turn.
• Sun. The tropical sun is strong even on cloudy days. A rash vest and water-resistant sunscreen make a real difference.
• After rain. Give the water time to clear after heavy wet-season rain.
• Know your limit. If a break is rated above your level, watch it from the beach instead.

Getting to Canggu

Fly into Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) near Denpasar. Canggu is about 45 minutes to an hour away by road, and longer when traffic is heavy. Once you are there, most breaks are a short ride or walk from each other.

Beyond the surf

Flat day or tired arms? Tanah Lot, the sea temple on its rock, is about 20 minutes up the coast. Pura Batu Bolong, the temple that gives the beach its name, sits right above the sand. Inland, the rice paddies are still there between the cafés, and the black-sand beaches face west for sunset. For what to eat between sessions, see our guide to Indonesian foods you have to try.

Is Canggu good for beginners?

Yes, at the right breaks. Batu Bolong and Old Man’s have slow, rolling waves that suit learners, especially when the swell is small. Start there with an instructor on a soft board, go early before the wind picks up, and remember that the same reef break can be soft and easy on one tide and fast and shallow a few hours later. The other Canggu breaks are for intermediate and advanced surfers, so watch them from the beach until you are ready.

The wet season’s smaller, less predictable surf often suits learners. In the peak dry season, from June to August, beginners do best on the smaller days and with a guide. See all the ways to take surf lessons in Canggu with Mojosurf, with or without a stay at our Canggu surf camp.

Surf Canggu with Mojosurf

Mojosurf has run surf camps since 1998, and our Canggu Surf Camp is on Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong, close to the beginner breaks described above. Lessons are mobile, which means our instructors choose the spot that suits the conditions on the day.

• Surf & Stay Bali: 2 to 8 days at the Canggu camp with shared accommodation, daily breakfast and daily lessons with equipment. Suited to beginners and intermediates.
• 7 Day Canggu Surf Adventure: six nights with airport transfer, six lessons, surf theory, and photo and video analysis.
• Bali surf lessons: a half day or 2 to 5 days of lessons with hotel pickup and equipment included.

You need to be able to swim 50 metres unaided to join a lesson.

Keep exploring

• Canggu vs Lombok: which is right for you?
• Best time to surf in Bali, Lombok and Java
• Kuta Lombok surf guide
• Nusa Lembongan surf guide
• Red Island surf guide
• Island hopping from Bali: a surfer’s guide