Bali Bandwagon

Justin Cote

• October 21 2008
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There’s a good reason Bali became the trendiest surf destination on Earth. “Bali Bandwagon” Photo gallery as seen in the December 2008 issue of TransWorld SURF.

“We’re all going streaking through the quad! Come on, bring your green hat!”—Frank Ricard (Will Ferrell) from the 2003 film, Old School

Surfers are serious bandwagon riders. But they do have a good excuse for hopping aboard the shred train and following each other around the world like lemmings. The top dogs go where the waves are, and where the top dogs go, the B-graders, artists, air guys, WQS warriors, groms, girls, team managers, hangers-on, sluts, partiers, spongers, longboarders, and lastly, photographers follow. About a half-decade ago, TransWorld SURF started copiously covering Bali and the young Indonesian uprising. I’m not saying we popped Bali’s cherry (that happened in the 70s), I’m just saying—and this may not be a good thing—that we helped slut-out Bali, and we haven’t stopped yet. The good thing about that is we (me, your bros, you) have enjoyed endless Bali bliss.

With all the top pros in the world going to Bali to take care of business, the place has become the ultimate Mecca for high-action surfing. Taylor Steele captured nearly all the best action in his latest flick, Stranger Than Fiction, in Bali. The Rip Curl Search had an amazing event in Bali (ironic that a guy known as the one of the best freesurfers in the world won that event), and the surf media has latched onto Bali as the end-all spot to shoot profiles, video parts, magazine covers, etc. The bandwagon is chugging down the track, and judging by the amount of Bali coverage you will see around the world, this train shows no sign of stopping. Since Transworld SURF is the go-to place for all things radical, we couldn’t ignore such a radical place. Bali is where the shit goes down these days, and we need to be where the shit goes down so we can rub it in your faces. Sorry, that was a terrible thing to say. What I meant to say was, we love you, and we love Bali, so why not bring the best surfing in the world to you for your enjoyment. Get your ticket for the Bali Bandwagon, we’re all on it, and you should be, too.—Chris Coté, Editor-In-Chief, TransWorld SURF