The Ultimate guide to surfing Dreamland

Are you looking for a surf spot that has a variety of breaks within easy paddling distance? Then look no further than dreamy Dreamland on Bali’s Bukit Peninsular.

Dreamland Bali is named so because of its breathtaking beauty and idyllic setting, which gives visitors the feeling of being in a dream or a paradise. The name “Dreamland” evokes a sense of enchantment, tranquility, and the idea of escaping to a utopian destination.

Dreamland Beach, located on the Bukit Peninsula in Bali, Indonesia, is known for its stunning white sand, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and dramatic cliffs surrounding the area. The beach offers a picturesque landscape that appears almost surreal, resembling a scene from a dream or fantasy. The beach and water colour is more reminiscent of the Carribean than Asia.

Dreamland is located in the Uluwatu area, and is one of the breaks that makes this coastline the world’s best surfing destination for consistency, variety, and quality of waves.

This guide to Dreamland will give you invaluable insights and tips to know when and where to surf the break that is best for you. If you’re ready to learn everything you ever wanted to know about Dreamland, then read on.

Dreamland surf spot information

Dreamland is located between Bingin and Balangan. At low tide it is easy to walk to either of these neighbouring spots.

Unusual for this stretch of coastline in the land of lefts, Dreamland breaks both left and right. It is also unusual for not being a coral reef break – it is sand bottom interspersed with rocks on the inside and flat rock on the outside.

Dreamland is breathtakingly beautiful and very appealing to intermediate surfers who are afraid of coral reefs, and are looking for an easier slower wavei. It attracts local groms, old expats with big boards and European hipsters. It is also popular with non surfing Indonesian tourists who enjoy getting punished by the shore break and saved by lifeguards from drowning.

There are many surf breaks at Dreamland. To the far south there is an outside left and an inside section that breaks left and right, very close to the shore. These are low tide breaks. The outside left can be ridden all the way to the inside section.

There is a boil on the outside left that is best avoided. The water is turbulent and makes the take off difficult.On smaller days best to take off deeper than the boil while on bigger days best to take off on the shoulder from the boil. An intimidating factor taking off on the inside left is that you must take off late, just before it breaks. However, the wave fattens out into deeper water and the take off is not as difficult as it seems.

The smaller waves will fatten out in deeper water but the bigger waves can be ridden all the way to the beach. Don’t be put off if the wave closes out or the section breaks too fast. Keep riding the whitewater as invariably it will reform on the inside. The inside can break left or right, but usually the left is better and it can barrel when it reaches shallow water.

The inside wave is very popular with local groms. It breaks left and right very close to the shore and packs a punch. Occasionally it will barrel but more generally it offers a launch pad for airs.

The most highly rated wave is the A frame that breaks directly in front of Kelapa resort. It needs more swell than the outside left to work, but when it is big enough it can be phenomenal. It breaks over a flat rock and is best at low tide. On a very big swell it can also work at mid tide. On a small swell the water is too deep for the wave to break, even at dead low tide. Head high and the wave breaks very soft and flattens out in deeper water. It needs to be at least head and a half high to break properly. Around double overhead is the optimum size. It will hold triple overhead but at that size it breaks very hard as it’s breaking in the same depth of water as double overhead waves. Board snapping big barrels and hold downs are the go on the biggest days.

The right is a short wave that fattens out in the channel. At low tide if you pick the right one it can go all the way to the beach but this is quite rare. The left is a longer wave and will barrel on the take off on bigger days. It’s a long fast wall that needs to be raced as far as you can before it inevitably closes out. Only on the smaller days is it possible to do a cut back. Most waves are too fast to cut back on but it does allow 1 or 2 top turns after the take off.

Unlike other surf spots in the Uluwatu region of Bali, there is no current out the back at Dreamland. So instead of needing to paddle against a current to reposition yourself, you can sit and wait for the perfect wave. Most surfers are looking either to go left or right and sit either side of the middle of the peak. Insider tip: the best right handers at Dreamland break where the goofy footers are sitting looking for the left. It is only the medium size waves that break here, and only occasionally, but it is the longest and best right on this coastline.

There is a gap between the river that runs through Dreamland with high cliffs on either side. This natural feature funnels a cross offshore wind into a directly offshore direction, perfect for grooming the waves. Unlike other Bukit breaks, Dreamland does not get choppy on a cross offshore wind.

In between the A frame and Balangan there is another break that works on mid tide and is always smaller and softer than the A frame. This is suitable for beginners on a small swell and intermediates on a medium swell. It breaks much softer than the A frame and can reform from whitewater back into a green wave.

There is not much current at Dreamland, unless the swell is very big. Due to the incoming whitewater, there is a rip current running out to sea (which is helpful for surfers), but has been known to drown Jakarta tourists. Whenever in a rip current, try not to panic and swim perpendicular to wherever the whitewater is breaking as the whitewater will push you to the shore.

When is the best time to surf Dreamland?

Dreamland is primarily a dry season surf spot. There is a gap between the headlands, where the river runs, that funnels the wind directly offshore. In rainy season the wind is primarily onshore, and this makes surfing more difficult. However, the inside wave works almost as good on an onshore wind and can be an option when other breaks are blown out. It handles side shore and cross offshore winds very well as it’s tucked in very close to the beach. The outside waves are more exposed to the wind, and need cleaner conditions to work good, as onshore winds pushes the wave to break too soon, and chop will affect the wave quality.

Early mornings are always best for all 4 wave sections. Sunset is always packed with the groms surfing the inside wave. It’s fun and vibrant but these kids are always in the right spot. The local rippers don’t surf the outside left or A frame so these are better options in the afternoon.

There is nearly always a wave breaking at Dreamland on low tide. If it’s too small it’s easy to walk around the headland to Balangan which is never flat. Conversely if Balangan is too big and too difficult to enter the water at low tide, Dreamland could be the better option.

How to enter the water at Dreamland

The shore break is heavy and quite embarrassing  to be slam dunked onto the sand. Also lots of rippers ripping on the inside. Best to head close to a spot where the inside left wave usually ends, and is close to flat rock. The Balangan side of the flat rock is a better option if surfing the A frame. Insider tip: Don’t paddle out on the flat rock itself as it is very dangerous. Paddle out either side of the flat rock, depending on which section of the wave you plan to surf.

To get to the A frame it’s a straight paddle out if you enter close to the end of the flat rock. On bigger days it breaks quite powerful over boulders so timing and duck diving is necessary but the water is deep after getting through the inside section. Be careful for sneaker sets catching you on the paddle out. Veer to the left a bit and it is deeper water quite easy to duck dive.

Walk a little bit up the beach to access the last section of the wave. There are some rocks here but it is not a pounding shore break. Coming in and out here (half way between flat rock and Balangan) is the easiest and safest entry/exit of the water.

How to exit the water at Dreamland

Be careful coming in to avoid the flat rock in the middle of the beach. Better to get pummelled into sand than rock. Either side of the flat rock is OK, but be careful of kicking your feet on submerged rocks. 

Can beginners surf Dreamland?

The inside wave breaks too fast and powerful for beginners. The A frame is too far from the shore and the boil at outside lefts will spook beginners. Beginners are catered for by the break near Balangan at mid tide which is located inside of the A frame peak.

Can intermediates surf Dreamland?

Intermediates love the outside left as soft and fat and usually uncrowded. Can also be a long ride. A frame good for intermediates when head to head and a half high.

Dreamalnd is known as an intermediate wave but when it gets to double overhead on the A frame it is an advanced wave. Lefts and rights. Great fun. Shore break section is the place for groms, little barrels and airs.

When it gets to triple overhead it is experts only. It breaks like Hawaii. The sets come in very fast, it barrels on the peak and the whitewater will break your board.

Baby Padang is the best surf spot for beginners in the Uluwatu area and works on a higher tide than Dreamland.

Where to stay at Dreamland

There used to be many homestays run by locals. Sadly these were all burned down. We don’t normally call out developers as greedy, but we will make an exception here and say that we can not recommend any Hotel on the cliff at Dreamland due to the way the land was acquired – forced evictions and compulsory purchases of land. We would recommend Bingin as a good option for accommodation as it is a beautiful walk on the beach.

Where to eat at Dreamland

There are very little food options other than 1 locally run restaurant which is a nice place to hang our and watch the sunset. If you are looking for international standard cuisine then we can highly recommend El Kabron which overlooks both Dreamland and Bingin surf breaks and has an excellent sunset party every day.

Where to do for non-surfers at Dreamland

The walk to Bingin is beatiful and secluded. The water is turqoise colour and looks more like the Carribean than Asia. There is also a beautiful walk the other direction towards Balangan. At low tide you can cross over to Balangan.

For golfers there is a world class golf course which is reasonably priced by international standards. The golf course has amazing views overlooking both Dreamland and Balangan.

Conclusion

Dreamland has something for everyone. Great place to hang out and spend the day. It is an under-rated wave and one of the surf camps favourite options at low tide. On bigger swells it also breaks good at mid-tide.