Selancar di Indonesia
Dengan lebih dari 13 000 pulau dan air lautnya yang panas, Indonesia dianggap tempat yang ideal untuk olahraga selancar.
Peselancar pertama di Indonesia adalah Bob Koke dari Amerika di pantai Kuta, Bali pada tahun 1930-an. Kini, sejumlah tempat hidup dari olahraga selancar, seperti Lakey Peak di Sumbawa, Sorake di Nias dan Uluwatu di Bali.
Peselancar Indonesia termasuk yang paling sukses di Asia dalam peringkat Asian Surfing Championships. Raditya Rondi dari Kuta, Bali, diberi gelar ASC Champion 2015.
Para pemerintah daerah sudah menyadari dampak positif olahraga selancar pada masyarakat dan ekonomi setempat. Namun pemerintah pusat belum mengakuinya sebagai olahraga yang berarti dan belum mendukungnya.
The island of Bali is the most touristic destination for surfing in Indonesia as it has many world class waves and infrastructures to put up the tourists. The most famous surfing destinations on the island are Padang Padang, Uluwatu, Bali and Keramas.
Jawa memiliki banyak surf spot, yang paling popular adalah G-Land di daerah Blambangan. It is a hollow and powerful left, breaking on a sharp reef.
The Mentawai is a chain of islands consisting of four main islands surrounded by numerous smaller islands. It is located near Sumatra island. There are several surf spots accessible by boat, with the best known being Macaroni, Lances Left and Lances Right.
Bob Koke (USA) was the first surfer to ride Indonesian waves in the late 1930s. He then settled there and taught some Balinese to surf. Rizal Tanjung is one of the best known Indonesian surfers in the world as he was the first Indonesian to compete on the WQS. He was one of the first Indonesian surfers to travel as a professional surfer. He won the Indonesian Surfing Championship circuit in 2002 and 2006. He was called "The most recognizable Asian surfer alive" by Transworld Surf magazine. He also owns Kurawa and Rizt (two brands). He appeared in many surfing videos, including the famous Loose Change and Stranger Than Fiction.
Oney Anwar was the first surfer from Sumbawa to compete on the WQS. He learned to surf in Lakey Peak and joined the Rip Curl team when he was 10. He moved to Australia in a Rip Curl program for young surfers and came back later in Indonesia. He is now internationally known and looking to qualify for the WCT.
"Indonesian Surfing Championships" (ISC) diluncurkan Tipi Jabrik tahun 2003, dan tahun 2004 berlangsung bermitra dengan Quiksilver. Its goal was to promote the growth of the sport of surfing in Indonesia through the organization of surfing competitions. It immediately met a big success, finally leading to a partnership with Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia in 2008. This partnership lasted almost five years, including the creation of the Asian Surfing Championships (ASC) from the success of the ISC. The ISC still exists today, with competitions part of the ASC tour, which is also based in Indonesia. Therefore, the ASC is the leading player of the Asian Surfing scene.
Indonesia adalah tujuan wisata yang popular di luar negeri karena air laut dan iklim yang panas, pemandangannya yang indah, kebudayaan, peninggalan sejarah dan arkeologi yang menarik.
Pariwisata adalah sektor penyerap tenaga kerja kedua di Indonesia. 3% dari produk domestik bruto Indonesia berasal darinya. Di Bali, tempat yang paling dikenal wisatawan asing, this pariwisata merupakan 2/3 dari ekonomi setemùpat. Belum terdapat data mengenai pangsa olahraga selancar dalam pariwisata. Diperkirakan di Bali saja selancar menghasilkan lebih dari $500 juta, atau lebih dari 10% dari pendapatan pariwisata di sana.
Banyak tempat di Indonesia yang hanya menarik peselancar. Olahraga selancar boleh dikatakan memicu kegiatan pariwisata yang tidak akan terjadi tanpanya.
Di sejumlah "surf spot" terdapat batu karang tajam yang sebaiknya dihindari pemula. Matahari yang terik bisa membakar kulit. Bisa terjadi serangan oleh hiu, walau jarang. Bisa juga ada ubur-ubur.