Bali’s Best Right-Hand Waves

Bali is often referred to as the “Land of the Lefts” due to the abundance of high-quality left-hand breaks. Uluwatu, Padang Padang, and Bingin are all left-handers. This can be a challenge if you surf with your left foot forward (natural footers), because you are required to surf with your back to the wave (backhand) and it is generally more difficult to surf this way. But while Bali is famous for its left-handers, it also offers some fantastic right-hand breaks. In this blog post, you will discover the best right-hand waves in Bali, the antidote to the “Land of the Lefts” for natural footers.

Keramas

Keramas is renowned as one of the best high-performance waves in the world. It sits on the east coast of Bali, directly in front of the Komune Resort, and has hosted World Surf League (WSL) events — it is widely considered the best right-hander in Bali. Keramas is a powerful right-hander breaking over shallow volcanic rock, with a steep take-off that peels into hollow, barrelling sections. It is surfable across a wide range of sizes, holding anything from around three to ten feet, with the sweet spot for most surfers between four and six feet. On smaller days, when it is head-high or less, Keramas is a fun wave for intermediate surfers; it is only when the swell jumps to overhead and the wave begins to throw barrels that the advanced and pro-level crowd come out. It works on all tides but is best on a mid to incoming high tide, when the wave holds its shape and produces the most makeable barrels.

Although it is surfable year-round, Keramas is known as a wet-season wave (November to March), when the cold morning wind off Mount Agung blows offshore. Much of its power comes from the deep channel of the Badung Strait, which funnels swell onto an otherwise sheltered reef, as we explain in our guide to Bali’s bathymetry. The ride is not especially long, but it is intense and high-quality from start to finish.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is the best wave on the Nusa Dua coastline and one of the best right-handers in Bali, found on the island’s east side directly in front of Club Med and within walking distance of Mushroom Rock. It is a premium right-hand barrelling wave that some consider the best right-hander in Bali, throwing fast, below-sea-level barrels over a shallow reef that reel into a deep-water channel — on its best days it is like a mirror of Padang Padang. Sri Lanka picks up less swell than the other Nusa Dua breaks, so it needs a substantial swell to work, but it handles a big swell and holds a southerly wind better than any of them.

As an east-coast wave, Sri Lanka is at its best in the wet season, roughly October to April. It needs to be around double overhead on the sets to break optimally, and is then a challenging, advanced-only wave; on a mid-sized swell with higher tides it offers faster walls that are suitable for intermediate and advanced surfers.

Toro Toro

Toro Toro is the surf school’s favourite intermediate wave, and a favourite among the Japanese surfers who boat in from Kuta. Tucked inside Jimbaran Bay and sheltered from the prevailing swell direction, it needs a medium to large swell to break, and the wave peels both left and right. The left is a short ride into the channel, while the right is the better wave — near perfect, with an easy, slow take-off that almost never closes out, which makes it the perfect intermediate surf spot in Bali, particularly for regular footers who want to practise riding front hand.

A deep-water channel on either side means an easy paddle back to the line-up. Toro Toro is best at mid-tide on a medium to large swell, and it is a great alternative when the more exposed spots are too big.

Airport Rights

Airport Rights is a wave Kelly Slater has called his favourite in Bali. It sits near the end of the airport runway, about 300 metres from Toro Toro, and is one of the airport reef surf spots in Bali. Bigger, heavier and faster than Toro Toro — typically about a foot larger thanks to its greater exposure to the swell — it is one of the best surf spots in Bali for advanced surfers. Because it can only be reached by boat, the access keeps the crowds down and uncrowded sessions are common.

Padang Padang Rights (Baby Padang)

Baby Padang, also known as Padang Padang Rights, is the smaller, gentler sibling of Padang Padang Lefts, sitting on the other side of a deep-water channel that separates the two. Partially protected by the headland, it always breaks smaller and softer than its famous neighbour, which makes it the best beginner surf spot in Bali and the easiest place to learn in the Uluwatu area. It breaks both left and right: the lefts offer longer rides, while the shorter rights peel straight into the channel for an easy paddle back to the line-up.

The waves are consistent and predictable, so there is almost always something breaking. It is best in the dry season, from April to October, on a swell no bigger than head-high, as Baby Padang does not hold size and the current in the channel can get strong. You can read our full guide to surfing Baby Padang here.

Green Bowl

Green Bowl, also known as Green Ball, is a lesser-known spot reached by descending hundreds of steps to the surf — going down is easy enough, but the climb back up can be punishing after a long session. The waves here are often bigger than they look from the clifftop, and it features a shifty right-hander with a love-it-or-hate-it reputation. Green Bowl is very exposed to the trade winds and picks up plenty of swell, so it is best surfed in the early morning, and in the wet season when the swell is smaller and the wind lighter.

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings is a shifting reef break at the end of the reef that forms Geger Right. It breaks far offshore and requires boat access from the Nusa Dua Tourist Zone. The break is made up of several peaks spread over a wide distance, so you can pick your preferred size — the outside peak holds the largest waves and the inside peak the smallest. Given its exposure to the wind, Chicken Wings is best in the wet season, when the trade wind is predominantly offshore.

Conclusion

Bali is known for its world-class left-handers, particularly at the surf spots found in the Uluwatu area, but it is not just a paradise for goofy footers. Regular footers can find respite and finally surf facing the wave at some quality rights, and Bali’s right-handers cater to surfers of all levels — from the high-performance barrels of Keramas, to the easy-going intermediate haven at Toro Toro, Kelly Slater’s favourite wave at Airport Rights, and the beginner-friendly Baby Padang.

Ultimately, Bali caters to all surfers of any ability, style, and preference. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced surfer, regular or goofy, visiting in the wet or dry season, or seeking beach or reef breaks, Bali has everything a surfer could ever want. This is why Bali is the world’s best surfing destination. We look forward to seeing you in the water.