Before you go 4 min read by the Surf Holiday Bali coaches
Good news: surfing is one of the lightest-packing sports there is, and a lesson with us is lighter still. We provide the surfboard, a rash guard, the leash, and cold drinking water. Your half of the deal fits in a small beach bag. Here it is.
The essentials
- Swimwear you can move in. You’ll be paddling, popping up, and occasionally tumbling. Board shorts with a drawstring, a sporty one-piece, or a snug bikini all work — anything that stays put when a wave rolls you is right.
- Reef-safe sunscreen, applied before you arrive. Waterproof, SPF 50, and give it 15 minutes to sink in — sunscreen applied seconds before paddling out mostly ends up in the ocean. Don’t forget the backs of your legs; they face the sun the entire time you’re lying on the board.
- A towel and dry clothes. Obvious, and still the single most forgotten item on this list.
- A little cash or e-wallet. For a coconut afterwards. Trust us, the post-surf coconut is part of the experience.
Nice to have
- Zinc stick for your face — it outlasts regular sunscreen in the water.
- A hair tie (or two) if you have long hair. Wet hair across your eyes mid-wave is no fun.
- Flip-flops for the walk to the beach; the sand gets properly hot by midday.
- A dry bag if you’re coming by scooter, so your phone and clothes survive the board rack.
What to leave behind
- Jewellery and watches. The ocean collects rings. Unless it’s rated for the surf and you’d genuinely not mourn it, leave it at your accommodation.
- Your phone — at least out of your pockets. Hand it to a friend on the beach, or better: book the photo package and let our photographer get shots of you actually riding, from in the water.
- GoPro ambitions, round one. Your hands will be fully busy with the board. Wave one is for standing up; the action cam can come on wave fifty.
What about contact lenses and glasses?
Daily disposable lenses are fine — keep your eyes squeezed through the white water and bring a spare pair. Glasses don’t survive surf lessons; if your eyesight needs them to function, tell us when you book and we’ll keep your waves extra close to shore.
That’s genuinely it. Swimwear, sunscreen, towel — we handle the rest. Pick your lesson, message us your dates, and come catch your first wave.