Green Bowls - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (December - March)

Green Bowls awakens during the heart of the Indonesian wet season as the monsoon trough shifts north, allowing the Indian Ocean to pulse with consistent, long-period groundswell. The south-facing aspect is perfectly aligned to capture the dominant SSW and SW swell trains that rumble up from the Southern Ocean. Critically, the synoptic pattern delivers a high percentage of offshore winds (N, NW, NNW) — the perfect combo for groomed, bowling lefts and rights. With average swell heights sitting in the 1.5–2.5m range and periods exceeding 12 seconds, you can expect powerful, rippable waves that hold shape from dawn till dusk.

Fair Surf Season (April & November)

These transitional months offer a mixed bag. Swell energy remains robust, but the wind regime becomes less reliable as the trade wind belt begins to shift. In April, the occasional NW flow still graces the lineup, but the SE trades start to build, raising the onshore risk. November sees the reverse — the trades are retreating, and the first offshore pulses appear. Both months deliver average 1.6–1.7m swell with excellent period, but you’ll need to pick your windows carefully, often early morning before the seabreeze kicks in.

Low Surf Season (May - October)

The southeast monsoon dominates this period, pinning the coast under relentless E–SE trade winds. These are directly onshore for Green Bowls’ south-facing orientation, turning the ocean into a choppy, messy windswell zone. Despite the swell clocking in at 1.9–2.2m with very long periods (14+ seconds), the quality is severely compromised. The small window of dawn offshore flow (from N/NW) is extremely rare — ideal wind percentages drop to 1-6%. Only the most dedicated surfers will score brief, clean sessions, and even then, the swell direction shifts south of SSW, making the lineup less consistent.

January: The Prime Time Pulse

January is Ground Zero for quality surf at Green Bowls. The Indian Ocean is alive with long-period SW and SSW groundswells (average 12.4s, height 1.7m) that wrap perfectly onto the south-facing reef. The dominant swell directions are SW (47%) and SSW (36%), providing a solid mix of size and shape. What makes this month truly special is the wind regime: westerly and northwesterly flows dominate (W 41%, WNW 17%), with lighter N/NW components. This creates offshore to side-offshore conditions over 50% of the time, grooming the waves into hollow, rippable walls. Expect punchy 1–2m sets with occasional bigger pulses, making January a reliable magic month.