Overview
The town of Krui sits in the southwest portion of mainland Sumatra and the surf region stretches about 60km east and west of the town. Like the rest of western Indonesia, the region has a broad swell window and picks up swells from the South, Southwest, and West. Wave quality in Krui varies but consistency is high. The region lacks a standout, A+ magazine quality "Indo wave" but has many fun, consistent options across the varied and diverse coastline. Perhaps because of this fact, Krui has developed slower than other Indonesian surf regions. However, with the WSL highly publicizing their WQS surf contest at Ujung Bocur and the introduction of direct flights from Bandar Lampung into Krui’s new airport (airport code: TFY) in 2019, this is now changing. The region is popular among intermediate-ish surfers looking for fun waves away from the crowds of more popular regions and with underground hellmen looking to charge unnamed or oft-overlooked barrels.
Another major attraction of the region is that, while there are many publicized spots, there are also hundreds of KMs of un-explored and often surfed coastline in this region. Travelers willing to put some time into this region will be rewarded with many uncrowded, amazing surfs.
Pros
- Consistent, high-quality waves suitable for most ability levels
- Waves during most times of the year
- Serene, picturesque beaches
- Many secret spots for those willing to venture
Cons
- Lengthy access (multiple flights and/or a long drive)
- Spots can be far apart
- Wave quality isn’t as perfect as in other Indo regions
- Many waves are touchy with direction, tide, swell combos
Access
Krui is best accessed via Bandar Lampung airport (airport code: TKG) or Krui Airport (airport code: TFY). Bandar Lampung airport is a short, 30-minute flight from Jakarta International Airport and Wings Air connects from Bandar Lampung to Krui three days per week. If you can't make the connecting flight, you'll need to arrange a taxi to go from Bandar Lampung to your accommodation. Be prepared as the drive from Lampung can take up to 6 hours but goes through the beautiful Bukit Barisan Selatan national park which is home to many endangered species including Sumatran Elephants, Rhinoceros', and Tigers.
Once in the region, access between spots is easy via motorbike or car rental. Parking is plentiful and many spots are visible from the main road.
When To Go
Krui is best during the “traditional” Indo surf season from April-October. However, due to the variety of waves in the region, good waves can be found year-round. Travelers okay with sacrificing some quality in exchange for lower crowds (and potentially lower prices) have a high potential of scoring. Off-season waves are the beach breaks around Mandiri and Jenny’s Right.
