The 5 Best Beginner Surf Spots in Bali
Bali is one of the best places in the world to learn to surf. Warm water, consistent swell year-round, and a remarkable variety of waves for every level of experience make it the ideal destination for anyone picking up a board for the first time. From our guide to 73 Bali surf spots, we have selected the five best beginner spots on the island.
Download our free PDF guide to all the surf spots in Bali.
For total beginner surfers, safety and easy access to the water matter more than wave size or ride length. Padang Padang Surf Camp uses five surfing levels — from L1 (total beginner) to L5 (advanced). This guide is for L2 beginner surfers who want to progress from riding white water to riding easy unbroken green waves.
1. Baby Padang (Padang Padang Rights)
Baby Padang is the perfect beginner wave in the Uluwatu area and the surf spot where Padang Padang Surf Camp has helped countless surfers catch their first green waves. The waves here are protected from the full force of the Indian Ocean by the Padang Padang headland, which shelters the bay and results in smaller, softer waves compared to other spots in the area — and means the surf is nearly always clean and surfable regardless of conditions elsewhere.
Baby Padang is a soft reef break that breaks both left and right, making it ideal for practising both directions. What makes it truly special for beginners is the deep water channel that separates it from Padang Padang Lefts. As we explain in our Sand vs. Reef guide, reef breaks with channels are far easier to surf than beach breaks — instead of battling through endless lines of white water to get back out, you simply paddle into the channel and the current carries you back to the lineup. No duck diving required, no fighting the ocean. Baby Padang’s gentle, slow-moving waves and effortless paddle-out make it the best learning environment in Bali. It is great for all ages including children, and a favourite for family surf holidays.
Baby Padang should not be confused with the nearby Padang Padang Lefts — the expert-only barrel known as the Balinese Pipeline. They sit on opposite sides of the same deep water channel and could not be more different in character.
2. Dreamland
Dreamland is a beautiful beach — named for good reason — and a must-visit for anyone travelling to Bali. The water colour is reminiscent of the Caribbean, and at low tide you can walk along the coast to Bingin and Balangan.
It is also the only break in the Uluwatu area that breaks primarily over sand — making it a natural transition step for surfers moving from beach breaks to the reef breaks further along the coast. The wide open beach area gives plenty of space between surfers, which is ideal for lessons. Beginners should head to the southern end of the beach near Balangan for the most manageable waves, and be aware of the rocks on the inside and the shore break — which packs a punch and is not suitable for beginners. As with all breaks, careful timing when entering and exiting the water is important. On small swells, Dreamland provides smooth, easy rides that are perfect for those just starting out.
3. Kuta Beach
Kuta Beach is located in the heart of Bali’s tourist hub and consistently produces waves suitable for beginners. The gentle gradient of the sandy bottom allows white water to run for a considerable distance even in shallow water — giving beginners more ride time, and more ride time means faster progression.
The sandy bottom means you can focus on improving your surfing without concern about reef. Kuta is best at mid-tide. Note that Canggu has replaced Kuta as the main surf and social hub in recent years, meaning Kuta’s lineups are less crowded than they once were — a genuine advantage for learners. In the rainy season, water quality at Kuta can be affected by river runoff, so it is worth checking conditions before paddling out.
4. Jimbaran Bay
Jimbaran Bay is a sheltered bay with soft sand and even softer waves. Because the bay faces northeast and is sheltered from the dominant southwest swell direction, it receives less energy than other spots in Bali — which makes it the ideal choice for beginners on days when a bigger swell makes everywhere else too large. When the swell is up and Baby Padang is too big for learners, Jimbaran is where Padang Padang Surf Camp takes its beginner students. The most consistent spot is near the lifeguard hut at the north end of the beach. Ahimsa and Muaya are also worth noting nearby.
When you are ready to step up from Jimbaran, Toro Toro at the Airport Reefs is an excellent next step — a boat trip away but one of the most forgiving, perfectly shaped reef waves in Bali. And after a session, Jimbaran offers something almost no other surf beach in the world can match: a fresh seafood dinner on the same beach where you just learned to surf.
5. Batu Bolong and Old Man’s, Canggu
Batu Bolong and Old Man’s sit adjacently in the surf town of Canggu and are the most beginner-friendly waves in the area. The waves at Batu Bolong are mellow and manageable — the flat reef bottom produces soft, reformable waves that are ideal for longer surfboards and allow for extended ride times. Old Man’s, just across the channel, offers similarly soft, consistent conditions.
One important difference from the Uluwatu area: Canggu is a beach break, which means the sandbars shift and wave quality is variable. As a beginner, you will also need to paddle through broken white water to get outside rather than using a channel. Batu Bolong and Old Man’s are excellent options if you are already based in Canggu — but if progression is your priority, the consistent reef breaks and easy channels of the Uluwatu area will serve you better. As with Dreamland, be cautious of the shore pound on bigger days.
Conclusion
Bali is rightly famous for its world-class advanced surf spots — Uluwatu, Keramas, Padang Padang Lefts. But it is equally excellent for beginners, with warm water, gentle waves and some of the most learner-friendly reef breaks in the world within a short drive of each other. Once you have moved past the beginner stage and are looking for more challenge, explore our guide to the best intermediate surf spots in Bali.
If you are a beginner looking to take your surfing to the next level, Padang Padang Surf Camp offers beginner surf lessons and private lessons with qualified instructors who will take you to the best spot for the conditions on the day. You can also explore our beginner surf tutorials and practical equipment and wave-riding tips, and start practising before you even reach the beach.
Download our free PDF guide to all the surf spots in Bali — every break mapped, rated by ability level, and explained so you always know exactly where to paddle out.