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All types of waves
intermediate / advanced
All boards
Feb - October
Low - Mid range
All types of waves
intermediate / advanced
All boards
Feb - October
Low - Mid range
South Sumatra is located on the mainland of Sumatra, and in this guide covers from Bengkulu and south.
Krui is the main centre for surfing in the region, and has only come on the map to surfing tourism in the last 10 years. It hosts a lot of waves and is now relatively easy to get around due to the new road that has been constructed.
The mountains of south that run up the western coast are home to the Bukit Barisan Selatan National park, one of the most bio-diverse national parks in the world. It is home to Sumatran Tigers, Rhinoceros, Tapir, Gibbon Monkeys and the worlds largest flower, although these are rare, it is almost guaranteed you will come across some sort of wild life if you venture in to the park.
Krui is a predominently Muslim culture, and the people in the Lampung and Bengkulu regions are some of the friendliest in Indonesia, if not the world. Tourism is yet to spoilt this part of the world, and people will be excited to meet a tourist from another part of the world and will often strike up conversations to practise their english. Keep a smile on your face and be patient as this enthusiasm can get overwhelming at times.
The dress standards in South Sumatra are often more conservative than that of other countries. When travelling around be sure to respect the locals by covering up. For Men it is best to wear a t-shirt when not within the confines of your hotel or at the beach, and for Women a Bikini at the beach at your resort is usually accepted, but when in town it best to just cover your shoulders and thighs as much as possible.
South Sumatra hosts over 15 waves in the Krui region, and although may not host the best waves in Indonesia, it is consistent and can be absolutely world class on its day!
Most of the waves in this region break over coral bottoms, apart from Mandiri Beach, and you will typically find more long lined up lefts in this region than rights, but The Peak, Krui Right, Jenny’s Right and Jimmies Right will keep the regular footers happy when conditions are right.
Tanjung Setia and Krui are the main surfing hubs for the region.
Tanjung Setia is a small fishing village located south of Krui and hosts one of the most consistent waves in the region, Ujung Bocur. There are a lot of accomodation options on this headland and it is likely you will find yourself surfing here at some point of your trip.
The wave is long and fun, being very accessible to intermediate surfers and above. It has long walls that stretch out in front of you for up to 400m.
Just 10 minutes drive south of Tanjung Setia is one of South Sumatra’s premiere waves, Way Jambu. Also known as ‘The Sumatran Pipeline’, this wave throws out serious barrels over shallow coral. A left best left to the experts.
Krui is the main town of this region, and hosts 4 main waves and a few other fickle spots.
Krui Left is usually the focus of the area, with predictable left handers over the perfectly shaped coral reef. Usually it is an all level wave that beginners will love and experts will rip, until a large swell makes its way into this protected bay and Krui can turn into a barrel machine!
Across the bay is Krui right, a quick right hander that is a great place to escape the sometimes crowded Krui Left, although sitting right in front of the rivermouth can mean pollution after lots of rain.
The Peak and Leftovers are further out on the point and suck in a little more swell, both offer barrels over shallow coral reef and can be great waves on their day.
In between Krui and Tanjung Setia you will find Mandiri Beach, a long sandy beach that is a thumping world class beach break when the swell is small, and the winds are light. An off season staple this wave can be heavy, giving you the barrel of your life or the beating of your life!
Banana Island offers the chance to surf on a remote tropical island. It has 2 waves, Banana Island Rights and Banana Island Lefts both working in different wind directions. Both waves are fickle, heavy and are best for experts only.
North of Krui is another little cluster of waves including Jenny’s Right, Honeysmacks, Jimmies Right and Jimmies Left.
Jenny’s Right is an approachable right hander that breaks over coral in a NW wind which makes it a great option in the wet season.
Honeysmacks, Jimmies Right and Jimmies left are all expert only waves offering heavy, round open barrels with plenty of power.
With the main breaks covered, there are still a handful of secret spots around for the more intrepid explorer.
South Sumatra offers something for every level. Intermediates and up will love the variety of waves in the region, and although it’s not at the same level as Bali, there are some options for beginners in the protected bay of Krui when the swells are small.
Expert surfers will love the challenge of Way Jambu, Banana Island, Honeysmacks and Jimmies Right, especially during the dry season when long period swells and offshore winds are the norm.
Intermediates will have a lot of fun on the long walls of Ujung Bocur, or when the swell gets up the various options in the bay at Krui.
Short-boards are typically the best option for most spots in South Sumatra especially in larger, long period swells. If you are planning on surfing Way Jambu, Honeysmacks, big Ujung Bocur or Jimmies its best to bring a step up to help get into the waves early and set your line.
There are limited options for surf shops in the region in regard to purchasing new surfboards, so best to bring all equipment will need with you. There are a few ding repairs that will do a good job of fixing up boards for a fair price.
Krui has waves all year round, but the Dry season from April to September is the most consistent time off year that give you the best chance to get good waves on most of the reefs.
Ujung Bocur, Leftovers, The peak, and Krui Left are all waves that break almost every day during the dry season.
The wind is predominately out of the south to south east, with calmer mornings as the wind comes up stronger in the afternoon. Long period swells are common this time of year as the southern hemisphere has its winter storms, so it is common to have long periods of quality surf.
The wet season, from October to March, typically rains every day especially at night. The main wind comes from the NE, making for better conditions at Mandiri Beach, Jimmies Right and Jenny’s Right. The swells this time of year are typically shorter period swells with less energy, but can still offer amazing waves at the exposed spots!
The weather in this area stay steady all year typically ranging from 24 – 32 degrees Celsius (75 – 90 degrees Fahrenheit) and
Water temperature only fluctuates a few degrees over the course of the year staying around 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit).
The west coast of South Sumatra can take some time to get to. There are a few options, but the most common is via Bandar Lampung, South Sumatra’s capital city.
There are daily flights from Jakarta’s domestic terminal direct to Bandar Lampung and the flight takes less than one hour. You can book these flights through Lion air, Batik Air, Sriwajaya Air or Garuda. Garuda is typically the most reliable airline. We suggest using google flights to search for the best rates and times.
Once in Bandar Lampung you will start the long journey to the west coast, travelling 245km through the low lands of South Sumatra and over the hills of the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. This trip can take anywhere from 6.5 – 8 hours depending on the state of the road and any traffic you encounter.
The most simple option for transfers to Krui is to organise transport through pre-booked accommodation, but if you want to make your way there yourself you can catch the local bus or find a driver. There are generally many drivers waiting outside arrivals and prices for a one-way trip start from around Rp1.3 million+, depending on your negotiation skills.
The bus is scheduled to leave from the Terminal Induk Rajabasa bus station (can be easily found on google) just north of Bandar Lampung. The daily bus is scheduled to leave at 8 am although the schedule here is vague and rarely runs on time as it is a long-distance bus. The cost is approximately Rp100k per person including boards, but again this is subject to change without notice and negotiating may be required.
If you wish to break up the trip, there are plenty of accommodation options in both Bandar Lampung or Jakarta and will allow you to take in the amazing scenery through the National Park.
Let our well informed guides direct you in the right direction! just select what you are looking for below.
(These guide will be updated as we release more regions, subscribe to keep updated)
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