0 Krui Surfs

If you like surfing as well as swimming, snorkeling, or enjoying beautiful beaches, now you have more choices. Instead of surfing Bali, Nias, Mentawai, or Sumba Islands, you can surf Krui, south Sumatera. Krui is actually located in the District of Lampung Barat, part of Lampung Province, in the southern most of Sumatera, but the region is better known as south Sumatera for foreign surfers.

The surfs in Krui has been revealed since the last decade of the last century thanks to some Australian pathfinder surfers, and becoming more and more popular as of late. Some surf spots in Krui are very well known among foreign surfers and have been covered by some foreign media from Australia, Japan, Europe, etc.

Surfing Krui, you have many choices of waves; small or big, right handers or left handers, beach breaks or reef breaks. The surfs are all beachfronts. There is no cloud waves in this area.

Most of the surfs in Krui are reef breaks. There are only two beach breaks in this area, namely Mandiri and LA, but this two breaks are less popular compared to the other reef breaks.

Among the reef breaks, Karang Nyimbur, aka Ujung Bocor (Bocor Point), often referred as The Point only by foreign surfers, is the most popular. Karang Nyimbur is the local  and also international name given by the local people while Ujung Bocor is a name given by the pathfinder surfer after the name of a local driver he hired at the time.

Karang Nyimbur, together with some other spots like Jimmy’s, Jenny’s, and Honey Smack (all these names are given by foreign surfers), has often been covered by foreign surfing magazines.

Besides those spots, there are some other spots that you can choose, they are Krui Right, The Peak, The Leftover, Bali Village (this spot apparently don’t have their local names), Walur, Way Jambu (aka Sumatran Pipeline), etc. “There are many fun waves here. You have many choices of waves, whether you are a professional or a beginner. And besides, the sea water is clean and clear and warm, and there are no big crowds,” said Lyon an Australian surfer when I asked him how he compared Krui surfs to the other surfs that he had been. 

The number of surfers coming to Krui keeps on increasing from time to time. Most of them know this place from stories told by their friends. And this pervasive word-of-mouth has become a very effective way of advertising, beating the promotions by the media. 

The popularity of Krui is due to the world-class surfs it has, its natural beauty, its conducive environment, and its nice local people. Beside the surfs, foreign tourists are often impressed by how nice and welcome the Krui people are.

Krui surfs have all of what surfers are looking for; left hander, right hander, and the A shape waves. The A shape waves that breaks in the middle are located in Mandiri, LA in La’ay, and The Peak at Way Redak. Here you can ride the wave to the right or to the left, depending on your style. The spot that is called The Peak is very short. It only last in a few seconds while the other two are quite long that you have enough time to have fun. But if you like body boarding more than surfing, The Peak is more suitable for you.

There is more left handers in Krui than right handers. Krui Left, Way Jambu, The Leftover and the iconic Karang Nyimbur are all left handers, while Jimmy’s, Jenny’s, and Krui Right are right handers. However, right handers are less consistent compared to the left handers.

 
Karang Nyimbur surfs are vary in size, ranging from 3 feet up to 14 feet. For most of the days the swells are about 4-6 feet which is favoritte for most surfers. But some times they can turn bigger up to 14 feet. And when this happen, Karang Nyimbur is usually abandoned and the surfers go looking for some other smaller spots. Krui Left is the spot most surfers turn to when Karang Nyimbur is too big.

Krui Left, the second popular, is the average in size. It is normally 3 to 4 feet in regular days, but it can get up to 6 feet in big days. And so is Jimmy’s, Jenny’s, Honey Smack and Way Jambu. However, Jimmy’s can get up to 20 feet in some special days.

Way Jambu or Sumatran Pipeline is a fast barrelling left. According to some surfers, this surf can be dangerous and is suitable for experts only for it’s a shallow reef, out of deep water. It needs medium to high tide to work. 

Beside the surfers, the development of the accommodation in this region is also encouraging. Early in the year 2000, there were only two surf camps at Karang Nyimbur, but now there are more than 20 surf camps at Karang Nyimbur only, not to mention at the other spots. 

The surf camps are all located by the beach so the surfers can check the waves any time right at their doorway. Nested in the lush and shady trees with the constant wind blows every times from the sea, the surf camps are very comfortable to stay in. When the surf is not on, or when they feel tired of surfing, surfers can stay in their camp, reading a book on a hammock hanging under the shady trees, taking a sunbath, or just hanging out on the veranda watching other people surfing.   

There are many types of surf camps in Krui, ranging from simple ones made of wooden houses up to the ones made permanently with concrete walls. Since they are located by the beach, you don’t need an AC in your room. The air condition is always cool even in the middle of the day.

The surf camps vary in rate tariff, depending on the facility they have, ranging from 200 to 300 thousand rupiah per day including three meals. The camps that cost 300 thousand have more facility like TV, pool table and a nice garden. The camps that managed by local people is usually cheaper with less facility. And in the off-season, some camps go lower on price.

Around the camp area there are shoppes where you can buy all your daily needs like drinks, snacks, and cigarettes. The camps do not merge with local settlements and quite away from the traffic and local people. However, if you need to go to the other spot or just to get out of the camp you can rent a motorbike for 50.000 a day. Most surfers rent a bike to get around. Public transport is not popular in Krui. It takes times and too many hassles.

On the peak season, April to October, the camps only take surfers, but when the surfer is winding down they also take local tourists.

To go to Krui, you can start from Bandarlampung. There are two ways you can take to get Krui from Bandarlampung, via Liwa, or via Kotaagung. If you take the route via Liwa, you will spend longer time on the road. And if you take the route via Kotaagung, you’ll save 30 minutes. Half of the way of Bandarlampung-Kotaagung-Krui route run through the coastal site so you can get to the camps straightaway before you even get the town of Krui. Besides, latter route is shorter with a more interesting view all along the road.

Early 2013, the government will start the pioneer flights from Bandarlampung-Krui-Bengkulu.***

More info:

Krui the Town

Ways to Krui

Beaches in Krui

More about Krui

Important Words and Phrases

Bus to Krui 

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1 Bukit Barisan National Park

Taman Nasional Bukit Barisan Selatan (Southern Bukit Barisan National Park) is a national park aimed to conserve the tropical rain forest of Sumatera and its biodiversity. This park is dabbed a world heritage by UNESCO. While Bukit Barisan Selatan (Southern Mountain Range) is dabbed a Wildlife Reserve in 1935, but it has become a National Park only since 1982.

Taman Nasional Bukit Barisan Selatan (TNBBS) is very rich in biodiversity and is the habitat of three big mammalians that is on danger of extinction: Sumatran tiger (less than 2,000 still alive today), Sumatran rhinos (globally 300 individuals and keep on dwindling), and Sumatran tiger (global population is about 400).

TNBBS is located in west part of south Sumatera. Seventy percent of this park is located in Lampung Barat and Tanggamus district. When you are in Krui, you can see this park when you are in your way to Liwa from Krui. It is about 25 km from Krui town.

From Krui, you can take a motorbike or a car to the base camp, where you can start your journey into this national park. But I am afraid you cannot just go venturing your way through the jungle by yourselves, you should report to the forest guards and have them guide you into the forest, just like Marek Obtulovic (28) and Mai Lan Chi from Brno, Czech Republic, did the other day.

Marek and Mai started from Krui early in the morning of August 18, 2012. They took a bike taxi from the hotel where they stayed in Krui to the base camp, and started their journey from the base camp into the jungle at about 8 o’clock. They were guided by two forest guards with whom they made an appointment before. The forest guards manage everything for them, including their meals (three times a day), hammock, and guidance.

After walking about two hours through the thick forest, they arrived at a small creek where they built the hammocks for sleeping at night. And after taking a rest by the creek for sometime, they continue walking around the jungle for about two hours. They left their belongings at the camp by the creek. The water in the creek was so clean that you can drink it straight but Marek and his girlfriend didn’t drink the water from the creek. They were drinking bottle water instead.

In their journey knocking around the jungles they saw some tree animals like monkeys, gibbon, squirrel, and hornbill, but they fail to see four-legs-animals like tiger or rhinos. Instead of seeing the actual animals they saw some footprints of tiger, tapir, elephant, and deer on the ground. And the thing that amazed Marek so much was some scratches of tiger claws that left on a trunk of a tree.  

But one thing that sucked them so much were the bloodsuckers. Both Marek and Mai Lan got a lot of bloodsuckers stuck on their legs. And Mai Lan even brought some bloodsuckers on her body back to her hotel in town. And for your information, it was dry season, and bloodsuckers will be more on rainy season.

Having enough walk, they came back to the camp where they have the hammocks hanging on the trees and spend the night there. But, however, both Marek and Mai Lan couldn’t sleep the night. Even though they had mosquito nets, but still they got a lot of mosquito bites.

In the morning, they had breakfast at 7.00 and continue walking the jungle at 8:15. And after walking for about two hours, they walked home and arrived at the base camp at about 12:00.

Both Marek and Mai Lan enjoyed their being in the forest very much and hoping that they could stay for one more day, but the guides declined because it was Idul Fitri, the biggest Moslem festival after Ramadan, the time for family gathering for Moslem people. And if you would like to come into this jungle, don’t come on Idul Fitri days.  

Wondering if you can follow the path of Marek and Mai Lan? Well, you can make your own journey into this jungle, but nothing is for free.

For a two days and one night trip like Marek and Mai Lan’s you’ll have to pay 1.200.000 Rupiah  (for two people). The price included two guides, hammocks (for sleeping), meals (three meals a day), and permission for taking photographs. All the equipment and the meals will be provided by the guides.  

Photos by Marek Oblutovic

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0 Gunung Pugung

Gunung Pugung is the only mountain that can be seen from Krui beaches. However, this iconic mountain of Krui rarely can be seen naked. Cloud covers the top of the mountain most of the time. So if you can see this mountain clearly in one fine day, it may be your lucky day.

The clear view of the mountain usually comes in the mourning. The later the day time, the clouds come to cover the top. What makes the cloud stay and go away is not clear for ordinary people. They just stay and go away.

Mountain Pugung is located in Pugung area, north of Krui, (where Jimmy’s is). The height of this mountain is about 1.964 meters (6.445 feet). Based on peakery data, it ranks as the 3899th highest mountain in Indonesia. The nearest peaks are Gunung Seminung, Bukit Gedang, Bukit Pandan, Bukit Sipulang, Gunung Raya, and Gunung Pesagi. (peakery.com)

Nature 

Gunung Pugung has a humid (> 0.65 p/pet) climate. The land area is not cultivated, most of the natural vegetation is still intact. The landscape is mostly covered with closed to open broadleaved evergreen or semi-decidious forest. The climate is classified as a tropical wet (no dry season), , with a subtropical wet forest biozone . The soil in the area is high in andosols (an), soils composed of volcanic materials, usually dark colored (www.chinci.com)

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0 The Shady Karang Nyimbur

Karang Nyimbur is less known in Indonesia compared to Tanjung Setia. However, foreign surfers know Karang Nyimbur better than Tanjung Setia. Tanjung Setia is the name of the location (‘pekon’ in local language), while Karang Nyimbur is the name of the spot. Karang Nyimbur is where the surfs are, some foreign surfers also call it ‘Ujung Bocor’. Karang Nyimbur is where  the surfers stay, and where you can see surf camps.

Among the surf spots in Krui, Karang Nyimbur has the most camps. There are about fifteen surf camps in this spot today. In the peak season, Karang Nyimbur is packed by foreigners, surfers or non surfers. It is just a perfect place to stay. If you surf, you can check the waves in your door way every time you get up in the morning. And if you don’t, it’s a perfect place to hang out, or reading a book.

Karang Nyimbur nests in a lush beach with coconut trees where you can get a lot of fresh air, and stay away from the noise of busy traffics.

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2 Other than Surfing

There is a lot you can do other than surfing when you are in Krui. Below are some places you can go and attractions you can watch when you don't surf. Some of the places are located in coastal Krui, while some others are up on the hill in around Liwa, the next town.

mahamerulambar.com 

Marine Turtle Breeding Center

Located in Muara Tembulih, Ngambur, about 30 km south of Karang Nyimbur, this place is a part of Sea Conservation Zone of Lampung Barat County. There are four types of turtles which usually visit this region of ecotourism, penyu sisik (hawksbill turtle), penyu lekang (olive ridley sea turtle), penyu hijau (green turtle), dan penyu belimbing (leatherback turtle).

Pulau Pisang

Pulau Pisang (Banana Island) is one of two islands of Lampung Barat County. The tourism potentials of this island are, among other things, diving, snorkeling, and fishing. In the Banana Bay, close to this island, there is a population of dolphins. There are two kinds of dolphins you can watch here, long snout dolphin and short snout dolphins.

id.wikipedia.org

Ghepong Damar

Ghepong Damar in local language means Damar Agroforest or Damar Garden. Ghepong Damar plantation is a form of local wisdom continuously kept and maintained by local people. It’s unique because it’s not only a plantation, but also a method of land conservation. Here you can enjoy the comfort of being in a jungle, and enjoy watching people climbing damar trees at the same time.

tripwow.tripadvisor.com

Lake Tours

With a view of calm water lake, enveloped in green hills, Seminung Lumbok Resort is an integrated tourism destination. Located by Ranau Lake, about sixty km from Krui, pass Liwa, in the sub-district of Lumbok Seminung, this resort offers you a lot of things. Here you can swim, take a bath in hot water spring, go canoeing, go out bound, go fishing, go trekking, go parachuting as well as go researching about ecology of the lake.

secanggu.blogspot.com

Cultural Tours

The cultural legacy of Skala Bghak Kingdom that is still preserved until today is another tours attraction that is worth visiting. Here you can see: Cultural Party about Sekugha Masks Climbing areca nut tree, tapis cloth weaving, sea offering ceremony, Kenui Dance and Batin Dance, and custom house architectures.

flickr.com

Pilgrimage Tours at Mountain Pesagi

Mountain Pesagi is a sacred place for Lampung people. To reach the summit of Mountain Pesagi, you can go through Pekon Bahway dan Pekon Hujung. Pekon Hujung is being developed into a village of tourism. One of the attractions you can see in this village is Sabukh House Architecture

http://lampung.antaranews.com

Whitewater Rafting

One of the most challenging tourism activity in Lampung Barat is Whitewater Rafting in Way Besay River, in Sumber Jaya, (about 60 km from Liwa). Starting at Pekon Sukaraja, the trunk of Way Besay River forms rapids  of first class and second class as long as 10 km.

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0 Along Come the Dolphins

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Department of Marine and Fisheries of the local Government of Lampung Barat is studying and promoting the potential of the existing dolphins in Krui sea in order to turn the spot to be an object of marine tourism. The director of the Marine Service of the Departement, Imam Pudjono, accompanied by the head of the Department, Natadjudin Amran, said on Wednesday (Sept.7) that hundred of dolphins that were spotted at the Pisang Bay (between Pulau Pisang island and the mainland) is potential to be developed as an object of marine tourism.

In line with this, the Department of Marine and Fisheries is going to investigate whether the dolphins are occasionally seen or they are just there permanently all year round. Observing the waters about 30 minutes away from the seashore, they found that dolphins were always seen jumping to the surface of the water. “Well before the media and some tourists came to the location, we have seen the dolphins there several times. The dolphins are always there,” Imam says.     

The place can be reached about 30 minutes by fishing boat from Tembakak, a small village near the Pulau Pisang Island. You can also rent a fishing boat from Krui, and start either from the port or from Labuhan Jukung (Krui Left)

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