Bali is justifiably famous for its excellent surfing beaches. The reef-breaks at Uluwatu, Padang-Padang, Kuta, Nusa Dua and Sanur are some of the very best in the world, with long tube-rides breaking over pristine coral reefs. For the less experienced, there are many safe beach-breaks and intermediate breaks scattered all around the island. No matter what time of year you come, there is always good surf with offshore winds. Bali really is "a surfer's paradise". For full details on all 27 Bali surf-breaks, plus the many other breaks in all other Indonesian islands, check out the "Indo Surf & Lingo" web-site.
Another good site with current information and pictures on the surf conditions is Baliwaves For wave forecasts Click Here, and maybe try this site for surfing tours Scuba Diving & Snorkelling There are also Nusa Lembongan & Penida Islands, noted for their strong currents (suited for only the most experienced divers), and the opportunity to swim alongside a giant (up to 3 metres) Ocean Sunfish. More recently, a lot of attention is being paid to Secret Bay, a new dive site near the Java ferry port of Gilimanuk. This seems to be on the wish list of every underwater photographer, due to the number of new species of of sea-life being discovered there. In Lombok, Takat Malang, just north of Gili Air is world renowned for its almost unequalled quality of hard coral "meadows". Slightly further away and west of Lombok, Gili Trawangan has a notable amount of soft corals. These are the top destinations for the discerning diver / snorkeller in Bali & Lombok. If you have never tried it before, a snorkel off Menjangan will fill you with delight. Just take a small plastic water bottle stuffed with bread and squeeze it out slowly. When those fish come darting in from every direction right in front of your mask, you will never call television coloured again! And there is also good snorkelling and diving elsewhere. Pemuteran, Sambi Renteng and Amed along the north coast are favourite spots, with very calm water areas. Also Candi Dasa and Sanur in the south. The decompression chamber is at the General Hospital Sanglah. For further information on scuba-diving, check out these related web-sites;
AquaMarine
/ Tauch
Terminal / Baruna
Dive / Dream
Divers / ENA
Dive / Aquapro
Bali / White Water River Rafting There are quite a number of rafting operators who will pick you up in the morning from your hotel, drive you in an air conditioned minibus to the start point, give you a cup of tea / coffee and some basic training, scare the living daylights out of you, insult your stomach's woes with some food / drinks, then take you back to your hotel again. Here are a few of them!
Water Sports (Other) Without a doubt, Sanur and Tanjung Benoa (just north of Nusa Dua) have the greatest range of water sport operators. How do you find them? Just walk along the beach! By doing this, you will probably save 50%, but chose wisely! In sanur, the best concentration of water sports operations is near the Puri Santrian Hotel, at the southern end of Sanur's reef protected beach / calm waters. Although a lot of the hotels along the entire stretch will arrange for them to come to your hotel's beach area if you ask them. One of them actually has a web-site Blue Oasis Beach Club. The same applies for Tanjung Benoa. Just walk along the beach around the northernmost part of the Tanjung peninsula, in and around the Beluga Centre. This will include small boat sailing. For larger sailing boat experiences and even expeditions, check out the Tours & Cruises Page. One last form of water sports, I shouldn't forget to mention (WaterBom Park, Kuta). Golf There are 4 main golf courses on Bali; The Bali
Golf & Country Club in Nusa Dua, Le
Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort at Tanah Lot, Bali Handara
Kosaido Country Club, and The Grand Bali Beach's Course in Sanur. As the
name suggests, Handara is targeted firmly at the upper Japanese market.
While the Grand Bali Beach's course is only 9 holes and not quite the
same level as the world renowned 18 hole course in Nusa Dua. Or the new
contender, Le Meridien Nirwana with its Greg Norman designed 18 Trekking & Walking There are some absolutely astounding walks and hikes / treks around Bali & Lombok. This is probably one of the most under realised tourist gems in paradise. Whether you are willing to climb Mt Batur, Mt Agung or Mt Rinjani (more Mt Rinjani) early in the morning enough to witness the sunrise of all time. Or perhaps you want to take life at a slower pace amongst the locals and kingfishers along the Campuhan ridge walk nearby Ubud. Then there is the Gunung Klatakan-Ambyasari trek (a fairly demanding 4 hour climb into a mountain rain-forest with many orchids) Bali Barat info. There are many fine walks throughout Bali, and some of the most inspiring are amongst the rice terraces. If you do not fancy travelling, there are a few isolated hotel walking centres as well, such as Puri Lumbung in Munduk and Pacung Mountain Resort. And then, for the day-trip experience of it, you mustn't forget Ubud Monkey Forest. Cycling Away from the packed road madness of the southern resort areas, and especially
in Ubud, you will find a number of bicycle rental shops / cycling tour
organisers. If you fancy a hotel near Ubud that panders to the cyclist,
there is the Saren
Indah. Also, a forum user (Monique) has her own site about her
cycling adventures. Bird Watching Of course, you could simply head for the Taman Barung Bali Bird Park, but these are caged birds most often from Africa and Australasia! Some of the better spots in Bali to go bird watching for real, would be at the Bali Botanical Gardens, the lakes and Bali Barat National Park. Here you will stand a chance of seeing the Blue-Crowned Barbet (you'll certainly hear it!) and the even rarer Bali Starling (please also see our Name & Shame Page about Waka Hotels endangering this bird further). If you are looking for a specialist hotel for this past-time, there is the Ayo Udayana eco-Lodge in the Jimbaran Hills, which itself is set in 70 hectares of tropical bush supporting over 50 species of local birds. And just for good measure, here's the Bali Bird Park anyway, and the Sobek Bali Bird Walks. Copyright © Travel Forums Org "Real information about sports and recreation in Bali & Lombok."
|
Bali web site owners, have you checked out our 
Surfing
written by Peter Neely of Indo Surf & Lingo 
