Which Indonesian Surf Trip Fits Your Level? Six Trips, Honestly Compared

Indonesia has more good waves than any surfer will ever get to, and that is exactly the problem when you plan a trip. The photos all look incredible. What they don’t tell you is which of those waves you will actually enjoy, and which will spend a week handing you back to the beach.

We run six trips from Medewi, across Java, Lombok and Sumbawa. This is our honest guide to choosing between them, starting with the question that matters most.

First, place yourself

Forget labels for a moment and think about what you can do in the water.

Still finding your feet: you can stand up and ride whitewater or small green waves, but paddling out through a set is still a battle. Look for sand, soft waves and a coach close by.

Improving: you catch unbroken waves on your own and ride along the face rather than straight to the beach. Now you want long walls, more waves per session, and someone to fix what you can’t see yourself.

Confident: you paddle into overhead waves on your own, surf over reef without panicking, and stay calm when a set catches you inside. You are ready for the heavier end of the list.

If you are somewhere between the first two, our beginner and intermediate coaching at Medewi is the best place to build a base before any trip.

The six trips at a glance

Red Island, East Java: the friendliest

A sand-bottom beach break in a green bay in Banyuwangi, with peaks breaking left and right. Waves of three to six feet suit every level, with soft inside sections for beginners and faster walls out the back. Boards and equipment are part of the trip, from two nights and two guests. Best for: beginners, improvers and mixed groups. Read our Red Island surf guide or go straight to the Red Island trip.

Grajagan, East Java: the quiet right

A right-hand point in a small fishing village, peeling down the reef in front of the jungle. It starts with softer walls at the top of the point and gets faster further down, so it works for all levels. Board rental is included, from two nights and two guests. Best for: regular-footers who want to surf frontside after weeks of lefts, and anyone who likes a quiet lineup. See the Grajagan trip.

Tiger Track, East Java: the all-rounder in the jungle

An A-frame that splits into a left and a right off almost every set, in the same wild stretch of coast as G-Land. The two directions spread the lineup out, and the softer shoulders suit newer surfers while stronger surfers work closer to the peak. From three nights and two guests, staying at Jawa Jiwa. Best for: groups of different levels who want the G-Land jungle without the G-Land consequences. See the Tiger Track trip.

Lombok: the year-round option

Not one wave but a whole coastline. The gentle peaks of Gerupuk and Selong Belanak are made for finding your feet, and the powerful walls of Ekas wait for the day you’re ready. South Lombok is one of the few genuinely year-round surf destinations in Indonesia. From five nights and two guests. Best for: progressing step by step over a longer stay, and anyone travelling in the wet season. See the Lombok surf trip.

G-Land, East Java: the famous left

One of the most famous lefts in the world, breaking in three sections: Kongs, Money Trees and Speedies. Powerful, fast and over reef. From two nights and three guests. Best for: confident intermediate and advanced surfers. We explain the route, the season and how to know you are ready in G-Land from Medewi, and the details are on the G-Land progression trip page.

Lakey Peak, Sumbawa: the longest mission

An A-frame that peels left and right and works on all tides, surrounded by a cluster of reef breaks from the mellower walls of Nungas to the faster, technical Periscope and Lakey Pipe. A minimum of one week, because the swell needs time to move through. Reef-safe boards are included. Best for: intermediate to advanced surfers with time on their hands. See the Lakey Peak trip.

Choosing by level

• Still finding your feet: Red Island first. Lombok if you have five nights or more.
• Improving: Grajagan, Tiger Track or Lombok, depending on whether you want a right, an A-frame or variety.
• Confident: G-Land for the most famous wave on the list, Lakey Peak if you have a week.

Choosing by season

Almost every trip on the list is at its best in the dry season, from April to October, when southwest swell meets clean morning offshores. Lombok is the exception that keeps working through the wet season. If your dates are fixed, start there. If your level is the priority, pick the wave first and the dates second. Our guide to the best time to surf Medewi follows the same calendar.

Choosing by time

Red Island, Grajagan and G-Land start at two nights. Tiger Track needs three, Lombok five, and Lakey Peak a full week. Shorter trips work well added onto a stay in Medewi; the longer ones are a holiday of their own.

A progression that works

The surfers who get the most out of these trips usually build up to them. A week on the long, forgiving left at Medewi, where your first point break teaches you to read a wall. Then a trip to peaks and points like Red Island, Grajagan or Tiger Track. And when the heavier waves are the ones you have been training for, G-Land or Lakey Peak. Learning to read a surf forecast along the way helps at every step.

What every trip has in common

Small groups, never a camp programme. Sessions chosen around the swell, the tide and your level. Video analysis and theory on every trip, and drone footage on most. Transfers from Bali or Medewi. And prices built around your dates, group size and length of stay rather than a fixed package. You can compare them all on our surf trips page.

Quick answers

Which Indonesian surf trip is best for beginners? Red Island. It is a sand-bottom beach break with soft sections on the inside. Lombok is a good second choice if you have five nights or more.

Which trips are for advanced surfers? G-Land and Lakey Peak. Both break over reef and carry real power.

Which surf trip works in the wet season? Lombok. Its sheltered bays keep delivering fun waves from November to March.

How long does a surf trip need to be? From two nights for Red Island, Grajagan and G-Land, three for Tiger Track, five for Lombok and a week for Lakey Peak.

Can I combine a trip with coaching in Medewi? Yes, and we recommend it. A week at the point before a trip is the best preparation there is.

What does a surf trip cost? It depends on the destination, the length of stay, your group size and the season. Send us your dates on WhatsApp for a clear price.

Still torn between two trips? Ask us. We will place you honestly.