Swell on the Eastside and not allowed to surf! Tsunami warnings in place.
Damon Gunness around 2002 and the legendary Bingin warungs
Over the last week beloved Bingin on Bali's Bukit Peninsula has been making news for all the wrong reasons. The fabled, albeit short, lefthand barrel has been a firm favourite for Kiwi surfers since the '70's. The dreaded cliff track, the warm welcomes of the Warung [local cafes] owners.
Me ol' partner in crime Rueben Noble shot on film around 2004
Then the wave itself. Mechanical to a fault; deceptively easy and tight take off into a perfect barrel. While it does clamp at anything over 4 foot, after the tube there time for a quick turn before the evil Greedies section, where the reef goes dry. Every set the same.
...and Chris Speedy from the same roll of 36 exposure film
What the wave at Bingin lacks in intensity compared to it's big brothers further up the Bukit, it more than made up in vibe. The warungs set into the cliff above the high tide zone were perfect grandstands between sessions. Chill in the shade with an icey cold raspberry Fanta and a Mie Goerang. For me, since 1991, Bingin was a naughty pleasure. Yes, Padang or the Peak would have been bigger, there was the chance of the more intense tube. But Bingin was fun, cruisier, more relaxing. It was also the best access and exit to Impossibles, another guilty pleasure. Other surfers would use the keyhole and then paddle right to the Bingin peak . Veering left would place you very nicely at the bottom of Impossibles. So many sessions roaming up and down that stretch of coral finding links as the tide moved.
Like shooting fish in a barrel; Luke Cederman circa 2003
For a water photographer Bingin is ridiculously fun. There's a coral head, easily recognisable that you position yourself over or inside of. At the risk of sounding like a spoilt brat, Bingin is/was too easy to swim. Back in the day, the yeild from just a couple of shoots at Bingin would be so high, we wouldn't caption the location. The warungs in every background were the giveaway.
Jos Kennings 2003 on his way down to Greedies
The poor warungs. Last week the government commenced demolition of all of them. The contention is the families that have built and run the establishments for decades don't own the land. Effectively they are squatting. There's no doubt the sanitation was questionable at best. There's no doubt the buildings at Bingin got out of hand. But we are losing something special, hence the worldwide gnashing of teeth.
Here's a good summary from a non-surfer's perspective; https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-22/bali-crackdown-on-bingin-beach-tourist-villas-restaurants/105558256
….And Deeeeeeen…
These guys are going great, even had to get more Whanga ones screened up! 400gsm, oversized and available in any colour…as long as it’s black.
Buy either a Piha Hoodie or a Whanga Hoodie using those hyperlinks just back there.