bali indonesia surfing tom hughes thisworldexists this world exists

After hearing about the Indonesian surf for years, I couldn't wait any longer. The draw of huge, head-high barrelling tubes, aqua blue sea and scorching heat sounded like a fantasy to a pale Englishman from a cold, wet and windy island. This Summer I bit the bullet and booked the flights for my friend and I to fly to Bali. The film we were working on needed some international world class waves included in the edit. After 26 hours, we finally arrived. Landing in a remote foreign country late at night was an interesting experience. Our adventure had begun.

Waking up in a tropical paradise is a pretty surreal experience. All I could think about were the wave conditions. A short walk from the hotel brought us to some incredible swell. Before we knew it, we were standing before huge aqua blue barrels and white sandy beaches, exactly what we were searching for.

Indonesia is certainly not short of traditional culture. The locals are some of the most kind and caring individuals I have ever encountered. The plan all along was to try and incorporate the local culture into the footage.

After shooting all day we were walking down the beach towards the hotel and stumbled across a dream situation. Standing on the edge of the reef were a group of local fisherman going about their daily routines, behind them a small peeling barrel. I knew that this could be the shot of the trip. After taking some time getting myself in the right position, it was just a case of waiting for that next set to roll in. I nailed the shot in the first attempt. Seeing a perfectly framed image of a fisherman and a crouched surfer brings a smile to my face, and will stick with me forever.

It's small moments like this that make a trip worthwhile. Visiting amazing countries like Indonesia offers the chance to experiment, in the hope to develop quality shots and film. Indonesia will always be a trip to remember and I can’t wait to return next summer to explore more remote islands.