Almost 40 years old, Tandjung is one of Bali’s surfing pioneers.
Picking up his first board at the age of eight, he’s now a professional surfer, owner of multiple surf shops and president of a clothing company, Hurley Indonesia/Bali.
We’re standing on Kuta Beach, a five kilometer stretch of white sand that’s one of the most popular tourist areas on the Indonesian island of Bali.
Once a small fisherman’s village, today’s Kuta is anything but quiet.
Large commercial airplanes cruising into Ngurah Rai International Airport fly over the heads of surfers. Beach loungers are scattered down the shore as far as the eye can see, fighting for space with the multiple surf schools catering to tourists with “Endless Summer” dreams.
Tandjung walks us over to a little hut on the beach where we meet Made Switra, a surf shop owner, painter and leisure surfer who also grew up in Kuta.
“He’s the one, the first generation, the first kid from the fisherman village to surf,” says Tandjung.
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The boy finally gets his wish and paddles out side by side with Tandjung, even getting to catch a few waves in between world-renowned pros like Bethany Hamilton.
Childs figures this new generation of Balinese surfers — boys and girls — is the best yet to come out of Bali, but it still could be another 20 to 30 years before a Balinese tops the surfing world.
But they’ll find their way there with style and grace, he says.
“It’s not very often you see an ugly Balinese surfer,” says Childs.
“If you could build a surfer, the Balinese are close to perfect. They can jump to their feet effortlessly. They’re beautiful to watch.”
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