Bali bodysurfing: Legian vs Seminyak

Legian - near Pullman Hotel

Legian has more consistent surf and fewer red flags. Seminyak seems to be prone to more rips and dangerous currents. Red flags (swimming prohibited) are seen on a daily basis - not that anybody takes any notice of them. Whenever you see surf schools in Legian, you will find medium waves suitable for body surfing with the chance of a long run to the shore.
These comments relate to the April - May period.

Seminyak - Royal Beach Hotel

Bodysurfing in an Australian winter, Palm Cove, Queensland

Like a washing machine, but great fun

 It's the middle of June in Palm Cove (26 km north of Cairns). Usually the water is placid, with ripples, rather than waves. But with quite strong south-easterlies, the waves (up to 1.5 metres) can get quite interesting. I never expected to be bodysurfing here but I was getting 20 metres trips into the shore. No one in the water. The water was 26 degrees Celsius. So what if it decides to rain.

The next day, waves were more moderate, but still catchable. It's more of a challenge anyway. Judging which wave to take occupies my tiny mind. I might have looked like a bit of a wally to joggers, dog walkers and tourists strolling the beach, but what the heck.

The following day, looking north to Clifton Beach.

Where are all the people?

Low impact exercise for 50+ year olds, body surfing & water aerobics

Surf at Legian Beach, Bali

Each morning I see red-faced seniors jogging along the beach. I prefer to kill two birds with one stone - body surf as well as water aerobics. 

After catching each wave or waiting for a good one, you are moving through the surging water (see video) around 50 - 100 metres between waves. Catch 20 waves that's 1-2 km of low impact exercise. Cup your hands to increase resistance through the water. Great to tone up your arm and leg muscles. My dicky knee feels a whole lot better with this treatment. 

Does Bali have the best body surfing? How long can you travel? And a word about Bali dogs...

I have body surfed (over a 35 year period) the east and west coast of Australia, Mexico, South Africa but the waves in Kuta Beach, Bali, take some beating. Why else have tourists been flocking there since the 60's?

Legian Beach

On a good day you can travel 50 metres on a wave (sometimes one wave piggy-backs another for extra distance). You body surf until you:
(a) eat sand because you have reached the shallows;
(b) run out of breath;
(c) both.

Go where the surf schools go. These little waves are great for beginners and have maximum distance. Just watch you don't get too close when you body surf.
Legian is also good. I am writing this mid April, the end of the wet season. Seminyak body surfing okay but I can't go as far.

Tips (these might be obvious)

• Wait until the wave is about to break.
• Launch yourself by swimming strongly (freestyle) in front of the wave.
• Streamline your body (hands one on top of the other, fingers together, feet overlapping together, tuck your head under your arms, suck your gut in if you have a bit of 'middle age spread').
• Keep your head DOWN.
• I don't use fins, that's cheatin'
• Wear trunk style bathers, a zip is good for room key, etc. Speedos, second preference. Board shorts take too long to dry and can slow you down in the water.

A word about beach dogs
It is amazing the number of dogs on Bali beaches.  I didn't see so many last year. Legian has packs of stray dogs roaming from dawn 'til dusk. There are also a great dogs with owners (locals and ex pats), walking, playing with balls and paddling in the surf. Labradors are popular. 

Kuta, Bali Swimming and Body surfing... with the beach to yourself

It's near the end of March (before the Australian Easter holidays and Nyepi Day - March 31), so it's fairly quiet in Kuta. This morning around 7:00 a.m. I had the beach to myself (apart from four frisky dogs).

I'm talking about the strip of Kuta Beach from Hard Rock Hotel to the BeachWalk Mall/Sheraton Hotel.
If you swim in the middle of the day, the tide is in and the waves break too close to the shore - in other words, crap for body surfing.
The beach is quite clean, apart from the occasional plastic bag/sweet wrapper brushing past your legs. The beach graders and cleaners work on the sand early each morning.
If it rains, which it will in March (it's the end of the Wet Season), the beach is nigh on deserted in the middle of the day. No hassling, no sunburn, no glare off the water, no surf schools getting in your way. Very relaxing.
After 16:00 hr is a good time (as the tide is out).
Legian Beach (1km further north) is cleaner. Surf seems to be better in the afternoon, too. Doesn't break as close to the shore.

Tip: To avoid 'swimmer's ear' (earache), wear earplugs. Good old Blu Tack works just as well. If you do get swimmer's ear, you can buy strong eardrops/antibiotics at a local pharmacy (Apotik 15, near Kuta Square). I had acute earache, throbbing, couldn't chew without pain. After 24 hours of treatment, all good.  Price 55 000 rupiah (50 000 rupiah on Jalan Legian, near Jalan Melasti)  A bargain.

Snorkelling on the cheap in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia

In the past I have thought Nusa Dua was overrated, soulless and bursting with same-same 5 star resorts. And some people like that stuff. A big surprise however was the not bad solo snorkelling opportunities from your resort.
I stayed at the Sofitel (near Nusa Dua Beach Hotel). Here are my tips:

• Snorkel and mask, of course. I use sunblock and wear a t-shirt.
• Bring reef shoes for wading out past the breakers (when low tide) or flippers (high tide)
• Aim to snorkel at high tide (usually middle of the day - check tide times online) to avoid trampling out for 100-200 metres at low tide. Sea urchins can spoil your holiday.
• Getting back to shallow water is easy, just catch a wave (body surf).
• Observe where glass bottom boats are anchored (for the best coral and fish). Usually only one or two craft, never crowded.

Random Bali Travel Tips - taxis, body surfing, visas and being a cheap bastard

• Sit as close to the front of the plane as possible. This means you are first off, avoiding long queues at the Visa On Arrival counter. Having US$25 (per person) on you will make life easier too.
• If staying in Kuta, cheapest place for drinking water and tonic water (for the all important Duty Free vodka/gin and tonics watching the sunset) is Matahari Supermarket - Kuta Square.
• Use metered taxis for the trip to the airport.
• Every time I go to Bali I get a swimmer's ear (ear ache), whether it's in the surf or hotel pool. Pack a wad of Blu-tack and use as ear plugs. Works a treat. I have lost proper ear plugs in the rough surf.
• Wear reef shoes when in the surf, water can get murky and there can be surprises (e.g. broken glass, old nappies/diapers from the beach). Don't be put off, the waves are worth it! Great for body surfing. 
• Kuta/Legian, best time for body surfing is before the flags go up (often red) and the surfers and surfing schools arrive. Before 8:00 a.m. Before 7:00 ideally, only the locals are on the beach. Classic views of volcanoes to the north, before smoke from local burn offs/cloud arrives.
• Don't pay hotel prices for Balinese Massage. One hour, full body in air conditioned comfort in numerous salons along Poppies Lane 1 or Poppies Lane 2 around 50, 000 rupiah ($5 Australian). Set price. Keep underwear on, don't expect 'a happy ending'. The girls ask you whether you want hard or soft massage. It's much better than beach massages where you have to negotiate a price, put up with sand in the oil, the heat and miscellaneous visiting vendors flogging beer, tee shirts or hair braiding.

Body surfing and snorkelling in South Lombok, Indonesia (written by an old fart)

Surfers' beach, 7 min walk  from Novotel Lombok across a very rickety footbridge - think "Indiana Jones" - ice cold Bintang (large) A$3 from huts (left corner)

When the Novotel was built here in 1997 (about 3 km east of Kuta Beach) they picked the perfect spot. Azure waters, distant breakers, white sand, incredible rocky outcrops. From the hotel beach you can snorkel out to where the waves are breaking, then catch a few waves body surfing on your way back. Catching a wave, while multi-coloured coral flashes past your mask is quite an experience.
Minimum equipment: reef shoes (a must for low tide), snorkel and mask, tee-shirt/blockout (the sun can be a killer on your neck and shoulders). Those hand flipper thingies would be good also.

Next big thing: 20 minutes east from the Novotel is a beach called Tanjung Aan. Turquoise water, whitest sand stretching for 2 km or more. Forget Senggigi Beach in North Lombok! Now the new airport is finished in Praya, watch out for luxury resorts sprouting up in the coming years. At the moment there are just shacks and warung.