Surfing around Bukit - my week at Rapture Camp Bali Cliff

Hello my friiiend, where are you from?

Oh how I missed Indonesia. After a 6.5 hours flight from the somewhat rainy Melbourne directly into the hustle and bustle of Bali, which I have come to love. Roaring chaos and shouts everywhere. And then the tropical heat - what a difference from the Australian breeze.

Unlike my previous visits, this time I decided not to stay in Kuta, Canggu or Seminyak, but to go straight to Bukit. Here you can find beautiful beaches with turquoise waters in addition to the world-famous breaks like Padang Padang and Uluwatu. Up until now, I haven't dared to go to Bukit because I knew that the reef breaks are not really suitable for beginners, and as is often the case in Bali, there are unfortunately mostly left-handers there.

Beforehand, I only heard good things about the Rapture Surfcamps, so I decided to move away from your well-known environment and try something new. Rapture Surfcamps offers two different stays in Bali, one located in Padang and the other just around the corner from the Greenbowl Breaks, called Bali Cliff. The photos of the cliffs were breathtaking, so I chose this location. And why not try something more secluded instead. Arriving in Denpasar at night, I went straight to the camp by taxi. My driver Nick was a bit sleepy, but being Balinese, he still had a nice chat with me. Unfortunately, I wasn't very talkative as I was very tired after the journey.

After the first night, I took a closer look at the stunning facilities of the camp. In addition to the typical open Indonesian construction, the camp impresses with a long and wonderful infinity pool.

In addition to several chillout areas, you can also relax on a sun terrace.

The facility is beautifully designed and offers something for every budget: a 6-dorm for me as a solo traveler, all the way to a honeymoon suite with a private pool for couples. In general, the camp is very secluded and peaceful. But you can simply rent a scooter and explore the area if you're not too tired from surfing or additional evening yoga.

Next up was breakfast. They offer a decent selection for breakfast and the best part is that you can order as much as you want. Perfect after an exhausting surf session.

After chilling out in the morning, it was time for the first surf session in the afternoon. At Rapture Surfcamps, you go surfing twice a day, either as a day trip or at 2 different beaches (in the morning and in the afternoon). The groups are divided into levels 1 to 3. However, since the camp is not a mass camp, 3 groups, or even fewer, are absolutely sufficient. For me, it was the level 2 group in the first afternoon at Balangan. The wave breaks left right in front of a beautiful beach. So the beach is not only suitable for surfers but also great for a visit as a swimmer or accompanied.

Food and drinks are also available at the warungs located on the beach. The surf was fun, although I struggled a lot with the steep left wave.

However, as the swell decreased, the waves on the next day were quite small or some beaches were not surfable at all. Unfortunately, on the 3rd day, I had the pleasure of being run over by another surfer, so my new board had two deep dings right away. What a sh***!

After the unfortunate experience, the next day we went to Uluwatu. If you're thinking, oh, only pros surf there, yes, that's true, but since there was no swell, intermediates were also able to surf there.

For me, it was an incredible experience. I never thought I would be able to surf in Uluwatu. The descent to the cave through the many stairs alone is exhilarating. Arriving at the entrance of the cave is a breathtaking sight. And the feeling of paddling out is even better. I was truly amazed when I sat in the lineup, realizing how beautiful Bali is. And then my wave came, right at the beginning, I even managed to find a short right. Wow, the first wave in Ulu! Awesome!

We stayed almost the same group for the whole week, consisting of people from all over the world:

From left to right, Finda (Surf guide, Indonesian from Sumatra), Mario (from San Diego), Andy (from New Zealand), me (German), Janina (Swiss) and Frank (from Montreal, Canada).

The atmosphere within the group was phenomenal. Everyone supported each other, laughed, teased, and also talked about serious things.

Never did it feel like we were just guests, but rather friends who surfed and hung out together. And when it got quiet, our surf guide Finda always had a good joke in store.

Finda

I also loved it when the girls from the surf camp joined us to surf. Meike and her girls gave us a warm welcome and the vibe was wonderful on and off the water.

Meike and the crew

As a final activity of the week, Meike suggested going to Keramas for the WSL event. Since it was happening in Bali. I thought, why not, I can still surf in the next four weeks. So, at 5:30 in the morning, we set off. We arrived around 6:30 and the competition started. But first, breakfast. We needed some strength because no food was allowed in the area of the venue, and we also knew that the prices on site would be high, of course.

While having breakfast on the beach, Stephanie Gilmore (7-time world champion of the Women's World Surf League) just casually walked past us and greeted guests at the warung. And other pros were walking right past us, too, and at lunchtime, Michael Rodrigues sat at the table next to us and grinned at Janina and me. To be honest, I didn't recognize him at first. It wasn't until I talked to a Brazilian guest that I became aware of him.

After 7 hours of beach fun in the sun, we returned to the camp for a quick shower and then went to the neighboring camp in Padang for pizza night and a visit to Single Fin. A perfect end to a perfect week in Bukit.