Indonesian Beach : Best Places Surf in Batu Karas

Batu Karas is a blend between the nearby Pangandaran Beach and the Batu Hiu Beach since it not only offers calm waters but also challenging waves. Thus, it is fit for both swimming and surfing.

Located about 40Km or an hour’s drive from Pangandaran, this uniquely black sandy beach is a perfect getaway since it is less crowded compared to those in Pangandaran or even Bali. Some even dubbed this as little Bali, since it offers similar experience but with less disturbance.

Batu Karas is already popular among surfers, nationally and internationally. Aside from the relatively flat beach, Batu Karas also has a small bay, so surfers donot have to paddle too far to the starting point of the incoming waves.  For beginners there are a lot of Surfing equipment rentals that offer complete surfing necessities, along with experienced instructors who can teach all one needs to know about surfing. So, it doesn’t matter whether you are a professional surfer or have never surfed at all, you can still try to catch the waves of Batu Karas.

Generally speaking, there are three surfing spots that are commonly known among Surfers, they are: Karang, Legok Pari and Bulak Bendak. Karang, literally means “coral rocks”, which probably gets its name from the many rocks lying underneath the surface, and can only be surfed at high tide.

best surf places


Legok Pari is the most favorite surfing spot among the three,  and the perfect beach for beginners since the beach here is relatively safe and waves are not too high. For the more advanced and professional surfers, Bulak Bendak is the spot they choose. Here, waves can create a long wall of water or even barrels which are the perfect rides for surfers. To get to Bulak Bendak surfers must take a boat ride that cost about Rp 200.000, to jump into the incoming point break.

Batu Karas is not all about surfing. Buggies, Jet Skis and Banana Boats are only a few examples of what you can do on this beach. For those who like adventure, Batu Karas offers several spots fit for camping and hiking. For a more daring adventure, you can ask the locals to take you to Karang Nunggal, an isolated beach with a spectacular view on a huge and high rock on its shore. All in all, Batu Karas is a good vacation resort for everyone. A walk on the beach during sunset, an afternoon coffee at the local “warung”, spending the day watching your kids building sand castles or just bathe under the sun, are just some of the exciting things you can do as you wait for those perfect waves.

what to do?

Surfing! Obviously that is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name : Batu Karas, and if you are not a surfer yet, then the word is Learning to Surf. With so many types of waves and places to choose from, surfing at Batu Karas will not only be exciting, but also great fun.

There are other kinds of water sports and beach activities that you can also do on this beach, such as buggy riding, Jet Skiing, banana boat rides, snorkeling, fishing or swimming and having fun in the shallow waters of the beach. There are also places where you can camp and hike or do a little bit of Jungle trekking.

surf best place

How to get there?

If you use or rent a car, then Batu Karas is about an hour’s drive from Pangandaran in the direction of Cijulang. It will not be difficult to find Batu Karas since there are a lot of signs and directions pointed to this area. If you want to use public transportation, you must first go to the main terminal of Pangandaran then take a minibus to Cijulang. From Cijulang the only transportation that can take you there are the popular motorbike taxies called “Ojek”. Just ask the ojek riders to take you to Batu Karas and the cost is roughly about IDR15.000.

Places to stay?

There are plenty of hotels and inns you can find at Batu Karas. Some of these hotels offer bungalows and cottages, while other offers the standard rooms. if you wish to know and get close to the local people, you may want to try to stay at the local’s houses.

Tips for Travelers
  • November to April  (Rainy Season) provides the favored time of the year for waves. Works best with offshore winds from the south southwest.
  • When not surfing, take a chance to visit the nearby Green Canyon, as it is not too far from Batu Karas.

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