Let’s Be Honest: Nowhere Compares To Indonesia

Ah, to be young, frothing and on the move in Indo. Stationed in Bali, Kian Martin just made a dash through surfing’s breadbasket. Scoring ramps, wedges and barrels, he’s looking right at home in his backyard courtesy of his latest video drop.

It can be easy to overlook what a magical zone the Indian Ocean island chain is. When it first captured surfing’s collective imagination decades ago it was new and exotic; a frontier where the perfection in your imagination came to life. 

But as the world turns, other subsequent surf discoveries and advancements have moved to the forefront. Waves like Skeleton Bay reminded us that the dream is still out there. Machines like the Surf Ranch proved that man can rival nature.

But as Kian so eloquently illustrates, Indo’s still got plenty of magic left. It’s still one of the few places in this world that if you go deep enough, as John Severson so famously said, “The surfer can still seek and find the perfect day, the perfect wave, and be alone with the surf and his thoughts.”