At the four schools below, the entry price of a first surf lesson of about 2 hours is between IDR 300,000 (≈ $18) and IDR 450,000 (≈ $26) per person, and the price follows one number more than any other: how many students share the instructor. At Double Six in Seminyak, 1 instructor for 3 students costs IDR 300,000 (≈ $18) each. At Balangan near Uluwatu, the same ratio costs IDR 400,000 (≈ $24). On Kuta beach, a class alone costs IDR 425,000 (≈ $25). At Batu Bolong in Canggu, a private coach costs IDR 450,000 (≈ $26). Below are the four schools, what each lesson includes, how the season and the tide set the hour, and what the packs of several lessons save.
- Kuta, Double Six, Batu Bolong and Balangan: what each school sells
- Group, semi-private or private: the price of the difference
- How many lessons to book, and what packs cost
- The season and the time of day, in the schools’ own words
- Children, what to bring and how to get there
Important
Compare the ratio before the price. “Group” means 1 instructor for 3 at two of these schools and at least 6 students at a third, and one school gives prices for 2 and 3 students without saying whether they are per student or in total.
Kuta: a lesson in six published parts
Bali Surf Class on Kuta beach sells a 1-day class for IDR 425,000 (≈ $25) when you learn alone, and publishes the 2 hours minute by minute. The first 20 minutes cover safety and theory on the sand, then 15 minutes of practice on the beach, 45 minutes in the water, a 15-minute drink break, 45 more minutes in the water and 10 minutes to pack up. Level 1 is for people who have never surfed: paddling, standing up and the first small waves.
The school’s FAQ adds the practical part. A surfboard is provided, and after the lesson you get one hour of free board use; transport is not provided in any form, so you come to the beach yourself; the school has no customer insurance and asks you to check that your travel insurance covers ocean activities. The price for 2 and 3 students, IDR 374,000 (≈ $22) and IDR 340,000 (≈ $20), comes without a basis, so ask whether it is per student before you book as a group.
Double Six in Seminyak: 1 instructor for 3
Da Waves Surf’s group beginner class on Double Six beach costs IDR 300,000 (≈ $18) per person for 1 session of 2 hours, with 1 instructor for 3 students, surf equipment, photos of you surfing, a towel and a locker. Packs lower the price per lesson: 2 sessions IDR 500,000 (≈ $29), 3 sessions IDR 600,000 (≈ $35) and 5 sessions IDR 1,200,000 (≈ $71) per person, against IDR 1,500,000 (≈ $88) for five single lessons.
The operator’s page contradicts itself once. The list of inclusions, the same for every class, promises an “experienced private instructor”, while the group class is described as 1 instructor and 3 students. Expect a shared instructor. The private beginner lesson on the same page costs IDR 600,000 (≈ $35) per person, and a Family Private Class, 1 instructor for 2 students, costs IDR 800,000 (≈ $47) for the two.
Batu Bolong in Canggu: private, and timed by the tide
Surf With Aldo’s private lesson at Batu Bolong costs IDR 450,000 (≈ $26) per person, up to 2 hours from the moment you arrive, including the beach instruction and safety briefing. Board, rash guard, leash, drinking water and a shower are included; you bring swimwear and a towel. You meet at Warung Alody on the beach, and the school has no pickup: it suggests GoJek.
The school plans each lesson around the tide, the swell and your level, and confirms the start 2 to 3 days ahead; it works by booking only. In its guide to Batu Bolong it describes the waves there as slower and more forgiving than Bali’s faster reef breaks, popular with beginners and longboarders, and warns that the beach is busy: on crowded days the number of boards in the water matters as much as the size of the waves.
The same page lists a semi-private lesson, 1 coach for 2, at IDR 400,000 (≈ $24) per person and a group of at least 6 at IDR 350,000 (≈ $21). Payment is preferably in cash in rupiah on arrival; paying through the warung adds 5%. Cancelling is free up to 24 hours before.
Balangan near Uluwatu: a family school
Froggy Surf School’s group lesson costs IDR 400,000 (≈ $24) per person for 2 hours with 1 instructor for 3 students. The school is run by a Balinese family together with its Froggy Warung, and the price includes the board, a wetsuit, sunscreen, zinc and coffee, tea or water. Classes run in the morning and the afternoon, and you can pay by cash or card.
Two things on its pages disagree. The website places the school on Balangan beach, which the school calls famous for its left-hand waves, while Google Maps marks it on Jl. Pantai Bingin in Pecatu; confirm the meeting spot when you book. The video review after the session is described once as an option to buy and once as “Free Video”; ask which applies to your class. Transport is available at extra cost, amount not published, and a board alone rents for IDR 100,000 (≈ $6) per hour.
Group or private: what the difference costs
The four schools name and split their formats differently. The table puts them side by side, per person, for one lesson.
| School and beach | Group | For 2 | Private | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da Waves Surf, Double Six | IDR 300,000 (≈ $18), 1 for 3 | IDR 800,000 (≈ $47) for the two, family class | IDR 600,000 (≈ $35) | equipment, photos, towel, locker |
| Froggy Surf School, Balangan | IDR 400,000 (≈ $24), 1 for 3 | IDR 500,000 (≈ $29) each | IDR 700,000 (≈ $41) | board, wetsuit, sunscreen, zinc, coffee or tea |
| Surf With Aldo, Batu Bolong | IDR 350,000 (≈ $21), from 6 students | IDR 400,000 (≈ $24) each | IDR 450,000 (≈ $26) | board, rash guard, leash, water, shower |
| Bali Surf Class, Kuta | IDR 374,000 (≈ $22) for 2 students, IDR 340,000 (≈ $20) for 3, basis not stated | see group | IDR 425,000 (≈ $25) | a surfboard, per the school’s FAQ |
Read the private column before the group one. At Batu Bolong a private lesson is IDR 450,000 (≈ $26), cheaper than the semi-private lesson at Balangan; at Double Six the private lesson is twice the group price. If you are two, the Double Six family class at IDR 800,000 (≈ $47) for both and the Batu Bolong semi-private lesson at IDR 400,000 (≈ $24) each come to the same total.
How many lessons, and what packs cost
Surf With Aldo answers the question in a blog post of its own: there is no fixed number. Many beginners stand up in the first lesson, when the instructor picks the wave and gives the push; learning to choose waves, paddle and position yourself takes longer, and several sessions close together help because the movements are still fresh. The school does not promise a level after three, five or ten lessons.
The packs reflect that. Surf With Aldo sells 3 private lessons within a week for IDR 1,300,000 (≈ $76) and 5 for IDR 2,000,000 (≈ $118) per person, against IDR 2,250,000 (≈ $132) for five single lessons. Da Waves sells 5 group sessions for IDR 1,200,000 (≈ $71). Bali Surf Class charges the same per day in a multi-day course, IDR 2,125,000 (≈ $125) for 5 days alone. Froggy sells 3-day packages, from IDR 1,900,000 (≈ $112) for one person on a private programme, with pickup and boat fees extra.
The season and the time of day
All four beaches are on the south-west coast. Surf With Aldo writes that Bali’s dry season, roughly April to October, is known for consistent swell and favourable winds along the west coast, and adds that the other months are not automatically bad and that no single hour is best for everyone. The school looks at the swell, the tide and the conditions first, then at the surfer, and sometimes waiting a few hours changes more than people expect.
The other schools publish hours, not seasons. Froggy runs morning and afternoon classes; Bali Surf Class is open from 8:00 to 19:00 and agrees the start when you book; Da Waves publishes no start times.
Children
Surf With Aldo takes children from 5 years old, with a private instructor, at IDR 425,000 (≈ $25) per person; the youngest start with a tandem ride together with the coach before moving to their own board. Da Waves teaches children under 10 only one to one, in its ID Surfing Lessons from IDR 700,000 (≈ $41). Froggy says its lessons are for all ages; Bali Surf Class publishes no minimum age.
