Mamaka by Ovolo, an urban resort located on Bali’s Kuta Beach, has announced a partnership with the Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy – the island’s most renowned surfing school. As official partners, the Academy will be nestled within the resort and provide the finest surfing lessons to those keen on learning the sport.  

Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy’s proven track record and ISA-certified instructors will complement Mamaka’s prime location, as Kuta Beach’s long stretch of golden sand and phenomenal sunsets has become a globally recognised surfer’s paradise. 

“Kuta has long been known as a surfing hotspot, and to be in partnership with Mamaka and be a part of the Ovolo family is exciting,” said Made Switra, co-founder of Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy. “It will certainly attract surfers from around the globe to ride the waves of the Kuta Beach once more.” 

On the partnership, Joel Bartlett, general manager of Mamaka by Ovolo, added: “At Mamaka, we aim to provide guests with good vibrations and enjoy the ultimate Bali experience. To have Quiksilver Bali Surf Academy as our official partner, our goal is we aim to give guests an exceptional surfing experience through the surf academy’s outstanding surf lessons, given all within our prime location as the birthplace of Bali’s surf culture.” 

Surfing in Indonesia

Surfing was first introduced in Indonesia by an American couple, Bob and Louis Koke. Around the mid-1930s, they embarked on a trip to Bali and decided to settle on the exotic island. Bob, an avid surfer who first experienced surf culture during his time in Hawaii, became the first person to surf the waves of Kuta Beach. He taught some of the locals to surf, which sparked the beginning of the island’s long and unique surf history. Back then, surfboards were commonly crafted out of hollowed-out teak wood, which was heavy and quite difficult to manoeuvre.  

In the late 1930s, Made Switra’s grandfather, who had a penchant for shaping wooden boards, discovered Bob Koke’s abandoned surfboard and decided to bring it home. It was then that he created the first-ever handmade surfboard in Bali, which was carved to an iconic shape made out of wood from local trees. This legendary surfboard is now showcased in all its glory in Mamaka’s lobby. 

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