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Uluwatu is the Jewel of Bali’s surf. The first time I made my way down the steps into the cave to paddle out, I realized I was someplace special. After my first session, exiting through the cave, I passed Simon Anderson, who was on his way out for a few gems, I realize, this really is The Island of the Gods. Photo: Mark Wilson
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I have found that shooting from the cave to capture the surroundings and the surf close to a religious experience. And hell, it’s just cool being there. Here Richard Arrendale is doing his best to hide from the sun. Photo: Mark Wilson
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3. Everyone who comes in looks back to convince themselves if this is real, or if they’re having the best dream of my life. During a sizeable swell, Uluwatu is a large playing field; from Temples to Race Tracks to Outside Corner, there are plenty of waves to go around. From this perspective, the cave entrance looks large, but when the swell is up, it creates strong currents and with extremely high tides, making it seems very small. You miss it, you fight your way back out, catch another and aim for it again…which isn’t always a bad thing. Photo: Mark Wilson
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5. This shot reminds me of a classic view I had previously seen of Outside Corner when there is a larger swell filling in. In my mind, this is Uluwatu. Photo: Mark Wilson
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6. It is sights like these that keeps you wondering if this really is a dream. Photo: Mark Wilson
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7. Hati Hati. With all of the beauty of Bali, the Balinese work hard on the infrastructure to keep up with the demand of the many surfers that visit every year. Photo: Mark Wilson
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Coming from North Florida, where our waves churn up the sand bottom, it was nice to experience the clarity of the Indian Ocean. I never get tired of this view. Photo: Mark Wilson
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The picture says it all. Photo: Mark Wilson
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14. As the late afternoon heat can be brutal, this is your best bet for staying cool. Photo: Mark Wilson
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Everyone should take the time to visit Ubud. It is the culture and art center of Bali. It also has the Monkey Forest, with some amazing temples inside the forest. This monkey was pretty laid back, but some will jump on you and some even bite. Don’t feed the monkeys!
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17. Ubud is also a great place to see the Kecak Fire and Trance Dance. I knew the show was going to be good when we walked up and were immediately offered cold Bintangs for purchase. Photo: Mark Wilson
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18. This is the fire dancer about to enter the fire of burning coconut husk. Photo: Mark Wilson
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After kicking his way through the fiery coconut husk, he emerges from the flames. Photo: Mark Wilson
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21. We were at this beach for three epic days. This was our last day and the swell was wrapping around – just reeling down the reef with not a drop of water out of place. Being that this place rarely breaks, there were only a handful of guys out. This was one of the most perfect waves I have ever experienced. Photo: Mark Wilson
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This was one of the lucky few out this day reaping the rewards of being in the right place at the right time. Photo: Mark Wilson
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I call this The Eye of the Dragon. I like it for the contrast of these pristine waves with a stormy morning sky as the backdrop. Photo: Mark Wilson
The North Shore of Oahu is the mecca of surfing, but I think every surfer should make the pilgrimage to the other holy land of surfing: Bali. It’s known as “The Island of the Gods,” and in my honest opinion, it should be high on every surfer’s list of destinations. With all the surf camps located in remote locations and the dozens of boat charters to choose from, Bali offers so much to visiting surfers. The reason I chose Bali, other than the surf, was the captivating Balinese people and their culture. Away from the surf, Bali is a tropical paradise steeped in culture and tradition. Even with all of the growth from tourism, the Balinese carry on and allow outsiders a peek into their world.
