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Best surfing destinations in Asia

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Mentawai Islands
Surfer's paradise with tribal culture
8.1
Chris Goodnow, Scott Wakefield and Tony Fitzpatrick found Macaronis in 1980. Lance's Right was found about ten years later. Photos leaked after a 1992 trip aboard the MV Indies Trader. The islands lie about 150 kilometres off the coast of Sumatra. Over 40 charter boats take surfers to waves up to 15 feet.
Highlights:
  • ⛵ Join a boat expedition to remote outer islands
  • 🌊 Stay in an overwater bungalow surrounded by turquoise lagoons
  • 🏄‍♂️ Surf world-class waves at Lance’s Right and Hollow Trees
Siargao
Philippines' untouched surfing paradise
7.6
Cloud 9 is a right breaking reef wave with thick hollow tubes. Photographer John Seaton Callahan named it after a chocolate bar. Surfer magazine featured it in March 1993. Crowds earned it the nickname Crowd 9. Offshore winds blow from August to December during the southwest monsoon.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Go island hopping to Daku, Guyam, and Naked Islands
  • 💦 Swim in the crystal-clear waters of Sugba Lagoon
  • 🏄‍♂️ Surf the legendary Cloud 9 wave at sunrise
Bali
Tropical beaches, vibrant culture and adventure
8.2
A 1971 film called Morning of the Earth put Uluwatu on the surf map in 1972. The outer reef Bombie can reach 20 feet on bigger swell days. Pura Luhur Uluwatu stands 70 metres up on the rock at the tip of the peninsula. The best months are May to October.
Highlights:
  • ⛪ Visit Uluwatu Temple perched high on a seaside cliff
  • 💦 Swim beneath the cascading Tegenungan Waterfall
  • 🌋 Watch the sunrise over Mount Batur volcano
Arugam Bay
Sri Lanka’s Surf and Sunrise Haven
6.4
Main Point is a classic right hand reef point with rides of 50 to 150 metres. On good days a ride can run past 400 metres. The main season runs from April to September. The bay is the only international surf competition venue in Sri Lanka. Crowds peak from June to August.
Highlights:
  • 🦌 Join a safari in nearby Kumana National Park
  • 🪨 Climb Elephant Rock for panoramic coastal views
  • 🏄‍♂️ Catch waves at world-famous Arugam Bay Beach
Chiba
Suspended monorail, port tower and bay views
7.6
Surfing made its Olympic debut at Tsurigasaki Beach in Ichinomiya. Ítalo Ferreira and Carissa Moore won the gold medals in 2021. Locals call the beach Shida. Its piers make lefts and rights and the rights tend to work best. Chiba shines from late August to October.
Highlights:
  • 🌇 Climb Chiba Port Tower for panoramic Tokyo Bay views
  • 🐬 Explore Kamogawa Sea World’s orca and dolphin shows
  • ⛩️ Visit Naritasan Shinsho-ji, an ancient Buddhist temple complex
Java
Vibrant capital city and ancient temples
8.6
G-Land breaks along half a kilometre of shallow coral reef in Alas Purwo National Park. Its sections include Kongs, Moneytrees and Speedies. Speedies is the heaviest wave there. Consistent waves run from mid April to mid October. Boat charters from Bali are the usual way in.
Highlights:
  • 🏮 Stroll Yogyakarta's Malioboro Street, shop batik souvenirs
  • 🛕 Explore Borobudur temple's ancient stone carvings
  • 🌋 Climb Mount Bromo sunrise for breathtaking views
Maldives
Coral atolls, lagoons and overwater villas
9.2
Australian surfer Tony Hinde was shipwrecked on a Maldivian reef in December 1973. He named the waves and kept them secret for about 15 years. In 1989 he founded the country's first surf operation at Pasta Point. Water stays between 28 and 30 degrees Celsius so no wetsuit is needed.
Highlights:
  • 🌌 Watch a glowing beach at night on Vaadhoo Island
  • 🦈 Snorkel with reef sharks and manta rays at Hanifaru Bay
  • 🏝️ Stay in an overwater villa surrounded by turquoise lagoon
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