Head to head
Canggu vs Uluwatu: which Bali surf trip?
Pick Canggu for a first Bali trip, a longboard, or a group that wants a lively town. Pick Uluwatu when you surf reef with confidence and want long walls under the cliff.
What the data says
Canggu is best Apr–Oct, and Uluwatu is best May–Oct.
Uluwatu runs bigger on a typical day in season: 7–8 ft against 4–5 ft. Both are surfable on nearly every day in those months.
Both fly into DPS. The two breaks are about 18 km apart in a straight line. From the airport: Canggu, straight there, 26 min from DPS; Uluwatu, straight there, 30 min from DPS. Fares move every day, so this page prints none. The app shows the live fare from your airport for the weeks the swell is on.
Which one for your dates
- Mar: Canggu. It is only OK, and Uluwatu is off.
- Apr: Canggu. It is at its best, and Uluwatu is only OK.
- May–Oct: both are at their best, so the town and the wave decide.
- Nov: Canggu. It is only OK, and Uluwatu is off.
- Dec–Feb: both are off, smaller and less reliable, often fine for a lesson.
The two waves
Batu Bolong (Canggu)
Canggu's best-known wave: mellow reef peelers in front of the temple, a favorite with longboarders. The town behind it is Bali's busiest surf hub, with cafes, rentals and schools along the beach roads.
Uluwatu
The Bukit's iconic left: several reef sections below the cliff, reached by stairs and a cave at the bottom. The cliff-top warungs look straight down the line. The reef is sharp, and the tide decides which sections work.
Side by side
| Measure | Canggu | Uluwatu |
|---|---|---|
| Best months | Apr–Oct | May–Oct |
| Typical face in season | 4–5 ft | 7–8 ft |
| Surfable days in season | About 99% | About 97% |
| Suits | Beginners to intermediates | Intermediates and up |
| Water in season | 29 C / 84 F, boardshorts | 28 C / 83 F, boardshorts |
| Nearest airport | DPS | DPS |
| Getting there | Straight there, 26 min from DPS | Straight there, 30 min from DPS |
Month by month
| Month | Canggu | Uluwatu |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Off | Off |
| Feb | Off | Off |
| Mar | OK | Off |
| Apr | Best | OK |
| May | Best | Best |
| Jun | Best | Best |
| Jul | Best | Best |
| Aug | Best | Best |
| Sep | Best | Best |
| Oct | Best | Best |
| Nov | OK | Off |
| Dec | Off | Off |
Best its strongest stretch OK still worth the trip Off smaller and less reliable, often fine for a lesson
Full tables with wave size, surfable days and the wetsuit for every month: Canggu and Uluwatu. Taking a board? See what each airline charges and whether your bag fits.
Or let the week decide
The right trip is whichever one is firing when the fare is cheap. BarrelFare watches both and tells you when they line up.
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Seasons rank how often great days come; wave size and surfable days are medians. All of it is from years of wave hindcast (how we score a month). Getting there is the ground leg from the nearest airport, the same figure each spot page shows.