SurfLodge Limasan

On my latest surf trip to Bali I had the pleasure of staying with the guys at SurfLodge Limasan. I say pleasure as the experience was like staying with friends; from the moment I arrived I was treated like an old friend. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming with a chilled and relaxed vibe. The lodge is located in Koberica, which is just up the road from Semenyk and a 15min scooter ride from Canggu. It's well located to get to the east coast reasonably quickly.

While I was there I took a few minutes of owners; Gabriel’s and Ola’s time to ask a few questions.

SB: Hey guys, thanks for your time, so how did 2 Swedish guys end up in Bali and starting a surf lodge?

Wow. This could be a long one haha...

I guess as all other Swedes or Europeans without surfing as a “natural” sport around you, you end up in Bali (or any other surf destination) we where just the same and fell in love with the sport and mostly with Bali.

Neither one of us knew that it would end up being our second home, but that’s what brought us together at the start.

We had some mutual non-surfing friends that connected Ola and I back in 2007, and as we were the only ones surfing we started to hang out and go surfing together…

When Ola started Uni here in Bali , or actually when he ended Uni, he needed something to do and that’s where SurfLodge Limasan came up. The rest is just a story of us planning everything together and hoping for the best. And here we are now; 3 years with the SurfLodge Limasan, doors open already and still going without any big mishaps.

SB: I really like the vibe and how the communal area connects all the areas. Tell us about the design of the place?

The main thought behind the design was to have a social atmosphere, open living room, kitchen, living area etc all under “The Limasan” roof. But all bedrooms are your private getaway when you just want to be alone for a while. That mix of privacy and social was the key to the design.

Another thing that we thought was important was to have a larger outdoor area, which is really unusual in Bali as you mostly build your house or villa on the whole plot to make as much as possible of the bit of land you have. For, us it often makes it feel enclosed and that’s why Limasan has such a big outdoor area as well.

We’ve had football games, volleyball matches, yoga etc on the grass instead of feeling squeezed around the pool area as the only way to be outside if you know what I mean.

SB: Who is Surf Lodge Limasan aimed at? What can guests expect?

As the standard of the rooms and building is pretty high and our packages are filled to the top, with no cost cut regarding food or any other service for that matter, we mainly have guests around 25 years and older.

When living and surfing with us, you can expect to be taken care of like a king or queen haha. We really want the experience to be high level, especially regarding food and surf. Food is a big part of why we ended up in Bali and surf likewise, so those two things are our main focus areas.

SB: Besides surfing what else can you do while staying at Surf Lodge Limasan?

Bali is a great place to just hop on your bike and explore, SurfLodge Limasan is just a short ride from everything, the lively pulse in Seminyak, Hipster-mania of Canggu or the cool and refreshing air up in the mountains.

We try to do some excursions as soon as we have some time to spare, go to check out some waterfalls, temples or go dirt biking in the mountains. We’ve done it all.

Except that, don’t forget to just chill at the lodge. Read a book in the hammock or have some beers in the pool.

SB: What are you favourite waves here in Bali?

Still I would say Kuta reef, that’s where I learned to surf a reef break and where I still go so many years after and still can find that wave really challenging.

It works often and has many different faces depending on the swell. It can be super-mellow and perfect for intermediate surfers one day and the next day, heavy barreling double ups with fun turn sections for more advanced surfers. It's just got everything.

You just have to know when to avoid the crowds, as I am not the only one in love with that wave…

SB: What’s the best thing SurfLodge Limassan for you?

That it still feels like a hobby, far away from a job. And the fact that we have met so many people along the way that we now call good friends.

SB: Thanks guys for taking the time to answer a few questions, absolute pleasure staying with you, hopefully some of our readers will check you guys out at SurfLodge Limasan and become good friends.