The setup was undeniably stylish — we stayed in a trendy outbuilding (or “shalley”) with cement floors, bunk beds, and a private bathroom shared between the four of us. It was chic, well thought-out, and thankfully, no strangers. We arrived with optimism and open minds.

But early on, it was clear the camp had a different vibe than expected.

Bali draws a crowd. And, unfortunately, it often draws the kind of traveller more interested in posing with a surfboard than paddling out on one. A lot of guests seemed to be chasing the photo, not the wave. That’s fine — everyone travels for different reasons — but it made the camp feel a little shallow, a little curated for content rather than connection.

My friends and I kept to ourselves, and soon a few other guests began gravitating our way — likely craving something a bit more grounded too.

Despite the social scene falling flat, the surf tuition was a highlight. LAPoint, due to local employment laws, partners with local instructors in Bali instead of bringing in their own team. We were lucky — our instructors were knowledgeable, patient, and truly passionate about helping us progress.

It wasn’t quite the same as other LAPoint locations like Sri Lanka, where the instructors are part of the in-house team and fully integrated into the camp life. Still, credit where it’s due: the lessons were great, the local breaks were fun (though required taxi rides), and I learned more than I expected to.

Hygiene was an issue. With a large group of 20–30 people sharing facilities and no emphasis on hand sanitiser or good habits, a stomach bug went through the camp quickly. As someone a bit germ-aware, I managed to dodge it, but it highlighted a lack of care and attention from the camp team.

And culturally? Disappointing. There was little engagement with the richness of Balinese life. We discovered, independently, that a hotel nearby hosted weekly Balinese dinners with traditional entertainment — something even the camp’s “fun host” wasn’t aware of. Instead, the big push was for a group bar crawl. Not really our vibe.

In short: not this location.
Bali is beautiful — a truly stunning island with an energy all its own — but this camp didn’t reflect that. It felt more like a branded content machine than a genuine surf escape.

That said, I would recommend LAPoint’s Sri Lanka camp, hands down. The group size was smaller, the surf instructors were fantastic, and the experience felt built around people, not social media.

Bali through LAPoint taught me a lot. About surf, sure — but also about what I value in travel. Connection over content. Culture over convenience. Realness over gloss.

If you’re heading to Bali and want to surf, look into the local schools — Roxy Surf School in particular stood out for quality tuition. Then build your own experience around that. Trust me: the island has more to offer than the Instagram version.