Indo Wave Wars: Which Spot Won Best in Show During an Epic Season?

The official Indo “swell”, “on” or “dry” season has just about run its course. It has been rated bagus to bloody bagus by locals and seasoned veterans, largely based on an incredible run of early-season swells and a late September surge.

But what individual waves went into the excellent range? With most resorts having in-house filmers and all the top pros setting up a Bali base, most sessions are beamed out in real-time to surf fans on social media. We trawled (or drooled) through the best of them to see which wave came out on top. In order, they are.

Hollow Trees

A byword for perfection, Hollow Trees, HT’s or Lance Rights delivered on its reputation as one of Indonesia’s premier waves. The Mentawai reef had visits from an all-star cast that included, but wasn’t limited to, Nathan Florence, Ivan Florence, Jamie O’Brien, Conor Maguire, Kai Lenny, Thomas Debierre and Tosh Tudor. The early season especially was off the scale, and Tahitian photographer Kirvan Baldassari (@kirvanb) the resident photographer at HT Resorts, was on hand to capture the magic.

Kandui

The premier, and maybe heaviest, left in the Ments stood up in the July run of swell. As the wave reached its maximum size, Kandui vets like Koa Rothman, Koa Smith, Baron Mamiya, Eli Olson and William Aliotti were on hand to tame it. Their fanbase meant that few waves were as exposed as the Playgrounds' jewel in the crown. Rothman, in particular, broadcast some incredible borderline psychotic sessions but it was Aliotti, who spends six weeks each year at Kandui Resort, who may have travelled the fastest all season on this wave.

Krui

Once the Sumatran outpost was kept relatively quiet by its isolation and hardcore aficionados but an annual QS competition, the quality of its waves and social media mean it now cops plenty of attention. Mandiri Beach Club resident filmer Lachlan Mckinnon (@misterrclips) has been on hand all Indo winter, capturing the reefs and beachbreaks. It was his footage of father and daughter Josh and Sierra Kerr at pumping early season Krui that had the location grab an early lead in the Indo Wave Wars.

Desert Point

“The best tube in the world,” had loads of moments in the hot Indo sun. Needing a bigger swell than most to break, it came to life more often than usual in the June run of solid swells. As ever, every time it did, it was met by what is now known as a fairly ferocious crowd. There was a tonne of controversial drop-ins, but the usual suspects claimed their share of shade. Local Usman Troiko is always a standout, while the intrepid Nic Von Rupp scored a swell and a number of the better sets. Tosh Tudor continued his excellent Indo run, Zeke Szekely made his presence felt, Clay Marzo, Italo Ferreira and Koa Rotham scored, but no one can outdoor Desert OG Vinnie Pereira on this Desert bomb that might be the biggest wave ever recorded on the infamous Grower section.

Uluwatu

Early in the season, the Single Fin Invitational provided the star and wow factor to Bali’s surfing and spiritual hub. The collection of waves doesn’t need any exposure, but the Opens, won by Brazilian ex-pat Bruno Santos, shone a new light. Some huge swells at Outside Corners and later visits by Nic Von Rupp, Frederico Morais and Gabriel Medina (as seen below) showed that the old dog can still provide new tricks. However, all the action was overshadowed by the excavation work on the cliffs done to protect the temple. No one is sure what the effects will be on the reef, and the waves, just that it may never be the same again. It is a new type of wave war.

Related: Uluwatu Concrete Seawall Construction Underway, and the Video Is Alarming