Uluwatu – Temples

Surfing at Temples Overview

Quick Info

Uluwatu is possibly Bali’s most well known wave. It is a dry season staple, as it’s a wave magnet and very rarely goes flat. It breaks through all the tides, and has many different personalities, with each section of the reef warranting its own name. Check out The Peak, Outside Corner and Racetracks.

It has grown a lot since its discovery in the ’70s, and what used to be a small fishing village, is now lined with places to eat, places to stay and even a few nightclubs! Its a great place to spend an entire day.

About Uluwatu Temples

Temples is a quality wave that offers up thick, heavy double up barrels when it’s on, along with rippable performance walls. It can break for up to 100m, where it will shut down on the section of reef before it gets to the peak. Temples breaks best on the mid to high tide, as the low tide causes the bombie to break and wash through temples, causing it to become a chaotic mess of white water crashing onto the exposed reef.

As the tide floods in over the reef, and the bombie stops washing through, it helps to stand up the wall of water and refract it against the straight reef. It is this bombie that causes the wave to double up and produce the thick barrels it is famous for, although it does add a bit of unpredictability to the line up. You can take of anywhere along the reef here, and there is a little wedge on small days with higher tides up against the cliff.

There are options on the lower tides further out under the cliffs on moderate swells, which is a good option to avoid the crowds on the busier days, but it wont offer the perfection that racetrack will be in similar conditions.

There is such amazing scenery here, surfing underneath the limestone cliffs, with the Uluwatu temple in view. It can get crowded here too so be sure to bring your manners and surf within your ability, this wave can get heavy.

Best Conditions for Uluwatu Temples

Temples is offshore in the SE trade winds, making it a great, consistent option in the dry season. It breaks on the mid-high tide, with the mid tide offering the best waves. Temples will break from waist high to double overhead, almost every day during the dry season.

Getting in and out at Uluwatu Temples

Access Temples, by following the path down the cliff to the stairwell that makes its way down into the cave. From here, on the lower tides you want to find your way to the south through the caves, and walk along under the cliffs until you are in front of the wave. Temples breaks in front of the steep cliffs to the south, typically a crowd will be on it. Wade across the reef and find your way out between the lulls.

On the higher tides, It is more difficult to access temples, and you will need to paddle out at the peak, and make the long paddle all the way around and up to temples as the river like current that sweeps along the base of the cliffs can be too strong to paddle against.

Getting to Uluwatu Temples

To get to Uluwatu, follow Jalan Labuansait all the way to end, turn onto Jalan Mamo, and you will find a car park at the end. Follow your way down past Single fin, and through the warungs on the cliff, that will happily look after your belongings in exchange for some business.

Hazards to look out for at Uluwatu Temples

The low tide gets shallow here, be aware of the sharp coral.

Heavy doubles ups can break with a lot of power here.