Surfing Batu Karas

Batu Karas is a slow right point in a sheltered fishing bay near Pangandaran, in West Java. It peels for 150 to 300 metres over sand and scattered rocks, with an easy takeoff and a long shoulder, and it's one of the best places in Indonesia to learn to surf.

The bay cuts the swell down to waist or head high and blocks the wind that blows out the open coast, so it often stays clean for much of the day. Beginners use the inside, longboards and mid-lengths suit the point, and it works best at low to mid tide on a south or south-west swell.

The village is one quiet street of guesthouses, surf schools and fish grills. Green Canyon is 20 minutes away for flat days. It gets busy with visitors from Bandung at weekends, so go midweek if you can.