Surf spots in Uluwatu

Entering and exciting the water can be rather tricky at surf spots in Uluwatu due to the shallow and sharp reefs at low tide and the strong currents. Watch out for the reef when entering at low tide and watch out for the waves pounding the cliff faces at a higher tide.

To safely enter the surf, avoid getting caught in the current that will pull you over to Racetracks, when entering directly out of the cave. Alternatively go to the left once you reach the bottom of the stairs and reach Suluban beach where you can easily paddle out to Temples.

When exiting the surfing during high tide the reef will be completely covered, however the water would surge in and out and hit the cliff walls, therefore exiting can be dangerous if your timing is not correct. Come in from well up the reef making sure you are not washed up past the entrance to the cave. If you miss it you have 2 options: either you can take a long paddle all the way down to Padang Padang with an even longer walk back to Uluwatu. Or Paddle back out, wide of the lineup where the current is weak and have a second go.

A huge plus to having these 5 peaks making up Uluwatu's Surf spots is that at least 1 out of 5 peaks will be working well at any time of the day. When it is high tide, the wave becomes slower and more mellow, this is the time that a lot of the surrounding surf schools will pick to bring the less experienced surfers out for their sessions. Therefore, at high tide these spots can be crowded with beginners and intermediates. During low tide, the waves get fast and hollow which will produce the perfect waves for your more seasoned surfers. When Uluwatu has small swell the line ups can be crowded. However, once the surf reaches 6 foot plus, the crowds tend to minimize and your more experienced surfers come out.