A three-week surf adventure from LA → Sydney → Bali → Gold Coast → back to LA, chasing waves, sunshine, and good coffee across two of the best surf regions on earth. This trip was all about variety: fun beach breaks, world-class reefs, and a few tourist stops in between.
Stop 1: Sydney – Manly, Cronulla & City Vibes
The trip started with a direct flight from LAX to Sydney, landing early in the morning and heading straight south to Cronulla, where I based myself for three days. It’s one of the few surf towns in Sydney with a real local vibe, easy train access from the city, great cafés, and a long stretch of beaches that pick up plenty of swell.
I surfed Cronulla Point and The Alley, both offering fun, consistent waves and that classic Aussie beach culture right out front. On smaller days, the beach breaks were perfect for working on flow and positioning, and when the swell pulsed, the reef setups came alive.
Between surfs, I took the train and ferry up to Manly for a quick day trip and rented a board to get a session in there. The waves were fun, but the rental options were pretty limited, mostly soft-tops and older boards that didn’t quite suit the conditions. Seeing the Opera House from the ferry was nice, but if I were to do it again, I would rent a car and bring my own board so I could explore more freely and get a proper surf in without depending on rental gear.
Three days in Sydney was the right amount of time, enough to enjoy the city and surf solid waves before heading to the tropics.
Stop 2: Bali – Uluwatu Surf Villas, Dreamland, Padang Padang & Kuta Reef
From Sydney, I caught a direct flight to Denpasar and checked into Uluwatu Surf Villas, perched high on the Bukit cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean. This place completely exceeded expectations with open-air villas, private pools, and unbeatable views of the Uluwatu lineup. You can literally check the surf from your balcony.
The Setup
Each morning started with breakfast in the villa, sometimes followed by yoga before heading out to whichever break looked best. Staying in Uluwatu makes it easy to access all of the Bukit’s waves such as Dreamland, Bingin, Padang Padang, and Impossibles, all within 15 minutes by scooter or car.
The Waves
Dreamland: Super fun on smaller swells, with long, rolling lefts and rights that are perfect for intermediates. It’s forgiving but still offers enough size to stay exciting.
Padang Padang: I caught it on a small day, which made it friendly and playful. Even at waist to chest high, you can feel the potential of that reef.
Kuta Reef: I took a boat out from the beach (about $10 USD return) and scored long, clean walls that ran forever. It’s mellow enough for intermediates but still powerful enough to get the adrenaline going. This ended up being one of my favorite spots of the whole trip and I went back a few times.
Getting Around
I hired a local driver every day, which was easily the best decision of the trip. He would take me to whichever break looked best, wait with my board bag and camera gear, and then drive me to cafés afterward. The cost was around $30 USD for the full day, including wait time. It made the whole experience stress-free, especially when moving between spots or exploring new breaks. I never had to worry about stashing my stuff anywhere.
The Vibe
Evenings at Uluwatu Surf Villas were unreal, with sunsets over the cliffs followed by dinner at Single Fin or Drifter Café. The crowd was a great mix of traveling surfers and long-term locals, and the whole area had that laid-back energy that makes Bali so addictive.
Warm water, consistent surf, friendly locals, and affordable everything made it easy to see why so many surfers come for a week and end up staying a month. For intermediates, Bali’s Bukit Peninsula offers a perfect balance of challenge and fun, with world-class waves that stay manageable on smaller swells.
Stop 3: Gold Coast – Greenmount, Snapper & D’bah
To wrap up the trip, I flew from Denpasar to the Gold Coast and based myself in Coolangatta, right between Greenmount, Snapper Rocks, and Duranbah (D’bah). Each day offered something different, with perfect right-hand points one morning and punchy beach breaks the next.
Snapper Rocks was smaller than usual when I was there, so I didn’t get to feel it at its best, but the shape of the wave was still incredible. Greenmount was perfect for smooth, flowing turns, and D’bah had fun, peaky surf even though it wasn’t a great day.
Everything in Coolangatta is within walking distance, from cafés to surf spots, and it’s the kind of town where sunrise paddles and sunset beers blend seamlessly into each day. Daydream Café had amazing banana bread and great coffee, the perfect post-surf stop. One day, I took a day trip to Byron Bay, which was only about an hour away, and had one of the best meat pies of my life there.
✈️ The Wrap-Up
Three weeks, three regions, and endless waves.
The Australia–Bali combo is a dream for intermediate surfers. Reliable swell, user-friendly waves, easy connections, and an unbeatable mix of comfort and adventure make it ideal for anyone looking to level up their surf travel. From Cronulla’s local vibe to Bali’s reef perfection and the Gold Coast’s world-famous points, it’s the kind of surf trip that leaves you counting the days until you can do it all again.
This was honestly one of my all-time favorite surf trips. Everything just felt so chill, connected, and perfectly balanced between surf and travel.
