The Ultimate Guide To Surfing The Medewi Right

Medewi on the West Coast of Bali is rightly famous as a goofy-footer’s paradise, with its endless left-hand point break serving as the undeniable star of the show. However, just a few hundred metres down the beach lies a high-quality right-hander that many visitors completely overlook. While the crowds fixate on the long lines at the main point, this punchy rivermouth peak offers regular footers a chance to score fast, powerful walls while escaping the main crowd at the left point. Medewi Right is exactly the kind of specialist wave our free PDF guide to all 73 Bali surf spots is built to help you find — it maps the tide, swell and wind for this break and every other wave in Bali.

Located just a few hundred metres south of the main point, this rivermouth break offers a welcome change of pace. It is faster, punchier, and far less crowded than its famous neighbour. While it lacks the mechanical consistency of the Left, when the stars align with a solid swell, it transforms into a high-performance playground that lets regular footers finally crack a lip on their forehand.

Understanding the Medewi Right wave

This is not the mellow wave you find at the main Medewi point, Kedungu, or Pig Stone. Medewi Right is a rivermouth break with a cobblestone and boulder bottom that demands more from the surfer, resembling the Canggu Rivermouth Right when it is on.

The wave is significantly faster and breaks with more power than the Medewi Left. While the Left is soft and ideal for endless cutbacks, the Right is faster and steeper. On an average day, it can be a short but fun ride, but when it really turns on, it offers a peeling wall of up to 150 metres, allowing for turn after turn after turn, and maybe the occasional head dip. It breaks infrequently compared to the Left, and is prone to closeouts if the swell direction is not perfect, but it is significantly less crowded than the Left, making it a great option if you want to trade waves with just a handful of others.

Best time and conditions at Medewi Right

Medewi Right is fussier than the Left; it requires specific elements to come together to work properly. The wave requires an overhead swell to really turn on — if the swell is too small, it tends to be a very short, uninspiring ride. Note that Medewi is blocked by Java from west swells, so it needs a solid south or southwest pulse to show its true size.

The wave works on all tides, but the personality changes: low tide is faster and hollower, and more likely to close out on you, while high tide is softer and slower, with less frequent sets but a cleaner, point-break-esque shape.

Just like the Left, it is best to surf this wave as early as the tide allows. Mornings are frequently light offshore or windless, creating clean and glassy waves and the best shape before the wind kicks in. During the dry season, the south-east trade winds blow sideshore here, but the Right enjoys a better angle to this wind than the Medewi Left; while it handles the breeze a bit better, it will eventually get blown out, so the early session is always the smart call. The dry season (April to October) offers the most consistent south swells but is the windiest, while the wet season features much less wind but tends to be mushier and smaller, with dirty water often flowing from the river.

Safety and dangers at Medewi Right

This spot has a few more hazards than the main point, largely due to the rivermouth location. Pollution can be an issue here, especially in the wet season or after heavy rain, and the water can get dirty. There is also a presence of sharks and sea urchins in the area. The bottom is a mix of boulders and rocks, so be careful of rip currents that form near the river mouth, and take care not to smash your body or your fins on submerged rock coming in and out.

Access to Medewi Right

You have two options to reach the break. From Medewi Left, park at the main Medewi Left car park and walk south along the beach, crossing the river towards the next beach to the south. Alternatively, from Pantai Pulukan you can drive slightly further south and park there for more direct access.

Can beginners surf Medewi Right?

No. While smaller days can offer something for learners, the wave is generally faster, more powerful, and breaks over boulders with river currents. Beginners are much better served by the soft waves at Yeh Sumbul.

Can intermediates surf Medewi Right?

Yes. For intermediate and advanced surfers, this is a great spot to escape the “goofy-footer” monopoly of the West Coast. If you are comfortable with a faster takeoff and a boulder bottom, it is a fantastic place to sharpen your forehand attack without fighting a crowd. Want to know if the Right is working today? Our surf guiding team tracks the swell constantly and will get you there when it is firing.

Why Medewi Right rewards regular-footers

Medewi Right is the West Coast’s answer to the regular footer’s prayers. It is faster, hollower, and punchier than its famous sibling. While it needs a solid overhead swell to truly come alive, catching a 150-metre right-hander here while the main point is packed is one of surfing’s great satisfactions.

Knowing when to stick to the Left and when to gamble on the Right requires local knowledge. At Padang Padang Surf Camp, we specialise in putting you on the best wave for your stance and ability. Join our surf camp and never miss a session.