I fully agree with you Dan, absolutely hated that spot!!! I’m a confident, good surfer and respectful to others, but tried surfing it 4 times and only managed the inside leftovers. Put me in a bad mood for a few days 😂

Make Bingin great again! I feel you 100 on the frustration levels surfing there now. I was pretty spoiled having it to myself during the pandemic but now it's not worth surfing there anymore with the thick crowds!!

Your videos have saved me so much money. 😄 After watching them I'm convinced the best place in the world for a trip is right here in South Africa. I'll sure as hell never go to Bali again. The crowd situation looks ridiculous.

@benfulford3943

10 ай бұрын

But indo has so many islands. You just need to pop across to one of the other islands. Indo still has the best and most consistent swell in the world

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hahhah!! Sounds like I need to come and get uncrowded waves in South Africa! I'm scared of sharks though hahah!!

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

I agree!! So many waves still unexplored if ya willing to do the missions!!

@duanebosch9508

10 ай бұрын

@@DanHarmon123 All the spots are very well documented. It's just that as soon as you leave the cities (Cape Town and Durban & J Bay of course) the spots are deserted. Lots more to SA than J Bay.

I scored relatively uncrowded bingo a few weeks ago. I think the best way to score it is to go when it's not so high quality but still working. mid tide rising midd day bit of wind o it. still an occasional barrel. was a super fu wave and crowd factor was very Mellow. this was wet season too

I feel you bro! I've been surfing Balangan several days in a row (theoretically one of the less crowded spots) and getting shamelessly burned consistently. I've gotten a few scrap runners to myself, but those have been pretty rare

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Oh damn!! Yeah I guess it's basically the same at every known spot hahah!!

Even 30 years ago it was a mission getting good waves out there with a crew of good goofy footers. Plenty of skin including mine on that reef

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

I can imagine!! Not for me this one...

@troynewman8103

2 ай бұрын

Used to ne just competent surfers in the lineup so everyone k ows the rules and get waves.not know with all the muppets that should not be out yhere.dangerous no experienced muppets the lot of ya.locals must be bummed now only to have disrespectfull idiots at their breaks.

Even living above the break and checking every day it's a wave that wants the right tide and not too big of s swell. It definitely maxes out and gets kind of mushy at size. If you're lucky to be in the rotation on a good day you do have to feel a bit aggressive to call a wave. I try to call other people onto waves as a way to get the kids and girls involved. Sometimes that relaxes the mood a bit. The locals make it look so easy as well.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah ok!! It does seem like it would do that! Even this day, the bigger ones broke out back and rolled through! Yeah that's an epic attitude to have, give waves and you may receive also hahah!

Late arvo was the go back in the early 90’s with a handful of guys taking it in turns from behind the peak. Bali’s very own wave machine

Having lived in Bali fir 15+ years, my daughter and l took a punt and went to Hainan island China to surf in 2018.Got on a bullet train from Sanya to the surf break.We were stared at like poeple from outer space.Arrived at Riyue Bay, the surf giude was Balinese😂, so my daughter spent the whole time talking to this home sick guy in Balinese. I paddled out, had 2-3ft perfect waves to myself...until the World tour Longboard crew arrived for a comp..😢. Moral of the story... it's crowded everywhere.. now, more fun riding my mountain bike in the hills of Nth Bali..no crowds, ride when l want to.😅

I've surfed high tide decent size Bingin and the current was insane. Like being on a treadmill and having to constantly paddle to stay in the take off zone, getting pushed down the beach. When a set would come, whoever had been able to stay in position the best would score, but by that time you would be so tired you could barely paddle to take off. Saw great waves, but did not score anything worth the hassle. Like you said, so frustrating and it took a good amount of time to recover from that paddling marathon. Watched the wave during low tide and it seemed better and way less current drag, but insanely crowded

Took off on my first wave at bingin. On a bigger day low tide, late drop nose dived flipped over. Smashed and dragged over the reef. Went in bleeding and with a brocken board 😂😂😂

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hahah!! Classic... Happens to the best of us!!

Had the same feeling this summer in Krui, thought it was going to be not crowded but it was quite crowded. I got some good waves but wave count was very small compared to my average and because of that and fear factor I couldnt really "play" and try to get barreled or push limits.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah ok! That's surprising for Krui!! But yeah, I guess we all have that expectation of the waves we want, but just doesn't always happen!!

@nadhemmusicproduction5786

10 ай бұрын

Yeah maybe this year was more crowded than it used to. Definately not Bali kind of crowd but still way more than in mentawai this same summer for example. Sometimes it has to do a lot woth your level and I am on the intermediate spectrum. For my standard, your session at bingin was quite good on wave count, and thats probably because you are a very good surfer. Everything is so relative when talking about expectations in surfing that you realize managing yours is your job and its really up to yo to learn how to enjoy and make the most of it even when conditions ar not the way you wanted.

Welcome to Indo. There’s lots of waves across the whole country and all the good waves are crowded in season. There are zero secret spots. Don’t expect anything else or you’ll probably be disappointed.

@cliftonevers5435

10 ай бұрын

there are, but they are an absolute nightmare mission to get to and stay at lol

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

In the famous spots, like the ones I'm talking about are insanely crowded! But i think, if you're willing to go to some remote islands and study charts etc, you'll find sick empty waves??

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

But yes!! You've got to be dedicated to get to them hahah!!

@cliftonevers5435

10 ай бұрын

Yeah mate. They are still out there, even world class. But higher degree of fickleness but if you want it, the dream is still real. Of course, wayyyy beyond Bali. Even at home in the UK the islands to the far north are holding but a bloody mission with high getting skunked chances. But that’s surfing now …

@EricSummers-yv6zv

10 ай бұрын

I’ve been to Bali twice, last time was in the off-season and Ulu was 9@16. Lots of waves to be had.

I spent a month in Bali as my first real international surf trip. I stayed right above Bingin for a week and totally see where you're coming from, and I'm goofy. I had a blast surfing it, also never got properly barreled there. How does one even get good tuberiding reef spots when all they're all so busy? At least beach breaks give us a proper playing field.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah it is tricky and looks a (little) easier on the frontside?! Yeah good point, remote hollow beach breaks I reckon hahah...

Did you check out impossibles? Really needs a solid swell but the crowd gets spread out way more.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah ok! I've never surfed Impossibles as I always think it looks weird hahah! But maybe i'll check it next swell!!

g land is only spot left in indo where you can get uncrowed waves, 11.30 am is the best time to paddle out

Had to stop going eventually. Used to stay at Bingin every trip and spread out from there. It’s just crazy hectic now and not worth the hassle. So disappointing.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yep, totally agree!!

This is why I’ve yet to visit Bali for surf. It looks super crowded with rippers and pros. Which Bali break is your favorite and best for us non rippers to catch a few and do some fun turns? There are also plenty of other surf spots in Asia (outside of indo) that are way less crowded (few aren’t even well known in mainstream surfing world thank god) and still get epic good during typhoon season so never felt the need to visit Bali yet.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah mate!! Totally agree and to be honest, for most place sin Bali, it's tricky to escape the crowds! And yes, of course, plenty of places around Asia to get waves by yourself... not found on KZread Homepage ;) hahah!

If it helps I am watching this from the rainy east coast of the UK, my jealousy level is off the chart. Looks pretty amazing from my perspective 😂

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

When you say it like that, this surf doesn't seem so bad hahahah!! ;)

@mm-pe3ip

10 ай бұрын

@@DanHarmon123 have fun man, loving the videos, they are getting me through my dry surf spells.:)

Top 3 best waves I've surfed in Bali and that's including Lombok and West Sumbawa. Granted it was back in 2001 but not a lot less crowded than it is these days; ought to have been at least 15 blokes on the main take-off which grew a bit. Fortunately I'm a boogie so caught 4-5ft runners on the inside and must have clocked well over 20 barrels in that session. Yeah i copped a handful of reef tattoos but being a dead reef it was all worth it. Keep up the good material Dan

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah nice!! Bet it was tolerable back then though haha! And yeah you'd be able to sneak al those inside reef runners!!

I surfed once there when first arriving in Bali . I thought it was overcrowded and I’ll never ever ever surf there again , Uluwatu only slightly better . Don’t go to the Bukit expecting to get many waves .

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah definitely a frustrating time down there!!

Bukit Peninsula is isanely croweded everywere.... forget abou Bali if your goal is to get good waves and don´t have to get in the ring with mike tyson to get them... that is what bingin and padang padang and Ulu. always reminded me.... a real bout with mike Tyson from the old days... lol

Gotta go surf outta Bali. I’m from Hawaii and Bali is never what we go to Indo for. I Don’t even surf in Bali way too crowded. But if you time it early and surf till dark your best window. Everyone drinking beers sunset and mornings people hungover

I visited Bali back in 2012 and stayed right above Bingin and didn't surf it because of the crowd and drop ins. Found better surf down the beach.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hhaha!! Yeah, plenty of easier, less crowded places to get waves close by...

I am going to Bali soon, my first time, any suggestions surf spots for intermediate surfer that not so crowded.

@DanHarmon123

9 ай бұрын

Hey mate!! It will be tricky to surf without crowds in Bali, to be honest! I'd suggest, just heading to the normal spots like Canggu and Ulus (small day), and just watching for periods throughout the day where the crowd might thin out...

Cool content dude! What are you riding? Cheers

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Thanks so much!! In this, a 5'9 Sharp Eye Inferno 72!

@louis.A.sardine

10 ай бұрын

👍

I have stayed and surfed at Bingin maybe 10 times, I surf Bingin at day break until the crowd builds to about 10 surfers and then I leave, paddle down to Impossibles. As the name suggests, it's only actually make-abe when its big - real big but even when it lives up to its name it si more fun than Bingin cause at least you can find your spot (there are three takeoff spots at least). The last hree times I haver been I have caught some of the best waves of my life at Impossibles when the crowds are out of control at Ulluwatu and Bingin. Still crowded but big backhand barrels with a reasonable easy roll in at mid to high tide as soon as it gets bigger then head high .... but dont tell anyone

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Ahhh ok! Thanks for the heads up on Impossibles... Still sounds scary to me though hahha...

What time of the year was this filmed? Is it any less busy in the wet season ( January through March)?

@EternalJourneys

10 ай бұрын

Nope. If you want less crowd you'll have to wait for the next pandemic

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

August!! And to be honest it's pretty crowded all year now in Bali!!

I gave up on great Bingin droping tide arvos at least 10 years ago, as have all the local expats. locals tear but def don't share.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah good shout! Plenty of other spots with less crowds in Bali/Indo!!

Loved surfing Balangan and Dreamland when I was there instead.

@MrJMHP

10 ай бұрын

Deamland is a underrated spot... On a good day you can have one of the best fun surf of your life. It's a very consistent spot that can have 3 or more peaks working at the same time.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah good idea!! Never surfed Dreamland but like @MrJMHP says, it's a good "fun" option :))

Thanks for sharing Dan, Bali is a bit overrated these days. At least this paints the real picture for aspiring visitors…

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

No worries!! Yes exactly, that was the idea for this video, painting the real picture hahah :)

I often ponder how amazing it must have been back in the 1970’s for the first crew of surfers (Lopez, etc) that surfed Bali uncrowded. Can you imagine???

@Leonardo555ZZZ

10 ай бұрын

In those days almost no one went farther North than Padang Padang....you could see waves up there but they were hard to get to without the roads they have now. You had to walk for about half an hour over fields to get to Ulu , then had to walk again from there to get to Padang. Those who made the effort no doubt were rewarded.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hey mate!! Yeah woulda been incredible... Makes me think of what other waves could still be out there in the world, unridden....

Bingin is by far the best way on the bukit if not bali. Perfect barrel and from one of the resaturants it looks like the perfect wave from the magazines. but the crowds fucked it. without the crowds, best wave. barrels at 2 foot to 5 foot.

Dan, I had the same experience

@DanHarmon123

9 ай бұрын

Glad it's not just me hahaha 😂

be the first one out in the morning, or stay out until dark. many waves to be had.

@dangacore

10 ай бұрын

Yep. But this year has been fucking ridiculous.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hahha yep!! The only way to get waves hahah!!

@antsleep

10 ай бұрын

My last time in Bali was 1998, spend 4 months in Indo. Must be super crowded now. @@dangacore

Bali is the new Waikiki 💰

We skip Bali all together and I hesitate to say Sumatra imo is way more better in every way There are a few Excellent surf camps two of the best I'm going to leave to your research Thanks for sharing as always my friend Be well and Stay Safe 👍🤙

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hey mate!! Yeah thanks, probably a good shout these days!! Definitely keen to hit that place!

Been super frustrated here in Puerto Escondido... Feel like selling the sticks

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah it can get frustrating there for sure!!

@nickbrennan3389

9 ай бұрын

La Punta is a great wave but ridiculously crowded now

@babijii

9 ай бұрын

unfortunate really... @@nickbrennan3389

Anywhere where there is just a small lineup and a place as popular and crowded as bingin you better expect to hassle for waves. Of you don't you won't get any.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

For sure!! Not for me that wave...

The takeoff zone is so small, it just doesn’t handle the crowd

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

SO Small!! Not my fave spot that's for sure!!

Bali is no longer the surf destination as it once was, there’s plenty of waves to go around, but there’s no surf etiquette typically from the tourists. Even Lembogan is not the surf destination in once was for the same reason.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Thank you :)) Glad you found it helpful!!

This is everyday in SoCal😂

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hahaha yeah I must say, Trestles is the most torturously busy place i've ever surfed hahah!!

Ome of thw only places ive taken off and got smashed on dry reef

i wonder… if everybody there is not local, why are they catching all the set waves?

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah, I guess when there are no locals, good surfers know how to work the line up, especially if familiar with the break!!

@dncrht

10 ай бұрын

@@DanHarmon123 cheeky ones!

So many damn people here, they have spilled out into the water.

You got 4 or 5 waves out there which is actually not too bad. Only guys getting more than that are goofy footers who are better surfers than you. That’s surfing, it’s not nice sometimes. I stayed right above it once and only time I contemplated surfing it was pre dawn when 3 other guys were out. All good surfers so I didn’t even bother then. Plenty of waves within a couple of km, wave count over a week is still pretty good despite the crowds

Basically Bali in a nutshell

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hahhah true!!

@FluffyAlpaca81

10 ай бұрын

So all of Bali is like this?

Dan my man. Seriously but fuck Bingin. Bali is already overcrowded and full of kooks. At bingin it’s just magnified due to the small take off and everyone fighting for waves.

@jamespardue3055

10 ай бұрын

Yep. Even shoulder season in Bali is packed now, and all the nooks and cranny spots have local crews.

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah not my fave spot!! Would rather find a random shapeless empty beachie hahah!!

Going on a surf trip to crowded destinations is not a surf trip defeats the whole purpose is still waves out there people are too lazy to go and look

worst spot i've surfed in years! Great quality waves i'm a goofy surfer love the left there. But the crowd makes it impossible to drop in! My last wave cut someone surf board and broke it in half. We dropped in at the same time he was on my right but I was fully commited and the kid didn't want to let go😫! We were around 30 which is the average. Anyways I can't recommend this spot.

Not telling

Wow, who’d have thought you’d get frustrated surfing a tight take off spot with 15 others! Same almost applies to Padang. Ppl think because they’ve forked out cash for a holiday that they’re entitled to surf anything even if its crowded. All I’ll say is go to Hawaii and see how far you get with this attitude 😂

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah I know, what was I thinking hahah! And yeah, in Hawaii I barely even surf, and resort to just bodysurfing Waimea shore break instead haha 😂

@user-dj4dl9pi7m

3 ай бұрын

@@DanHarmon123 a superb defuser , if there is such a word ..........here for 55 days......might just meditate instead lol

Yes it’s unsurfable

Why surf in Bali?......there is a whole arcaepeligo

if you`re still coming to Bali for a surfing holiday, you have lost control over your life. You complain about Bingin, but it`s everywhere. Unless you live here and know a few spots and setups when they work. Bingin is a short wave, and when Ulus is to big or crowded, ppl flood Bingin. As a holiday surfer you don`t have any standing there. So why would anyone let you get the nuggets? Surfing is a frustrating sport.

Pros wouldn't bother. It doesn't stay good with size. People rotating? no. You'll get a small bunch of over ego small wave hounds hogging the line up. Just a Kook spot these days. Most of Bali is just a Kook spot these days. Even the reefs have surf schools pushing beginners into potentially dangerous waves. And Cangu? Let the russians have it!

Bingin sucks mate. Unless you in with local guys like itchee, forget it.

Yep crowds suck. Nothing like a good surf w a few others that can surf properly. A couple of bozos can ruin the best opportunities out there.

Sounds awful 😂

Excuse my negativity but it has to be said... video blogging only contributes to the problem

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hey mate!! Yeah for sure in some cases. I only talk about already crowded waves on this channel, but maybe if I go everywhere and say it's stupidly crowded, fewer people will go ahah!? 😂

Kook. You are not a surfer. You are just a videomaker with an opinion.

@zepher5829

10 ай бұрын

Are you on the CT? No. Then you are also a kook. Welcome to the club 🤝

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hey Fernando. Well I do surf, so I think I'm a surfer as well, but I do like "videomaker" as a title also...

@fernandofalcon6700

10 ай бұрын

@@zepher5829 but I'm not making the surf an "influencer " sh$#^@^$it like this guy. Surf is such a special sport - lifestyle- spiritual and all this annoying videos trivialize the surf

@fernandofalcon6700

10 ай бұрын

@@DanHarmon123 you are a kook in life if you trivialize surf with this videos. If you are surf you will no care about make videos like this. Just surf and stop acting like a baby

@pablollanos7421

10 ай бұрын

Hey Fernando, you missed that the point is to have fun. are you lost? maybe you should learn how to express your self in any way that adds any value to this world we all live in. Good on you Dan, exploring the world and sharing!

bro why are you whinging about this on youtube, you're not a local so whatever waves you can get is good, you should be stoked to just be out there in the water at such an epic break. Dial back the expectations a bit eh

@DanHarmon123

10 ай бұрын

Hey mate! I'm not really moaning about it, I don't really care, but just showing what trips can like sometimes. And yes, of course locals should always get the best waves, but my expectations are certainly higher than a couple of half turns onto dry reef haha 😂

@FluffyAlpaca81

10 ай бұрын

He’s giving an honest review based on his first hand experience. This is helpful for some of us

@AlemasPizzaSurf

7 ай бұрын

hes not whining, you are just being a Karen hahaha