The Aussies say “Buh-lang-ann." Locals pronounce it “Baah-lah-gahn.” But we found that no matter which way we said it, we’d have to repeat ourselves a second time and always got corrected. 

Balangan tied with Uluwatu as Mike’s fave surf spot in Bukit, and was probably my favorite as far as a beach with all the necessary fixings for chilling out all day. 

For the week we were staying in Uluwatu, there was consistently good swell at Balangan, including one massive, double overhead day. 

Like all of the beaches in the area, there are shacks built on the sand, supported by a more-sturdy-than-it-looks combination of wood, bamboo and concrete. 

This beach was the best match for both of us because you could rent two chairs and an umbrella for only $2.50 USD for as long as you wanted to hang out. Mike was in and out of the water all day, while I read books, took photos of the waves and surfers, and drank coconuts. 

Like Uluwatu, there are local guys who sit all day with a tripod and huuuuuge lens on their DSLR, taking photos of anyone who catches a good wave. Then, when the surfers get out of the water, they call them over and show them the photos. 

No one can resist a killer photo of them crushing it. At first, I felt a bit competitive. That feeling quickly morphed into relief, because it’s really hard trying to catch every wave on camera while also enjoying my beach time. 

So, long story short, most of these photos were taken by me but some of the credit has to go to the friendly, business-savvy guys running the photo sales operation on the beach. Between the few of us, we captured Mike, tanner than ever and looking like a pro on a few killer waves.