Bali is famous for several different things. There are the ornate ceremonial processions among the steep, green rice terraces, when villagers wear traditional costume and carry extraordinary offerings of fruit on their heads to nearby temples.

There are the 20,000-odd temples themselves, spread all over the island and fascinating to visit for their striking architecture. And then there is the year-round surfing, one of the major draws for visitors from all over the world. And it’s great fun and keeps you fit, whether you are six or 60.

Back in the 1970s, surfers were packing a rucksack and, board under arm, heading over to Bali to ride the waves in Kuta and Nusa Dua in the south-east corner of the island. The combination of warm waters, beach and reef breaks and an inexpensive standard of living on a lush tropical island soon planted Bali firmly on the surf map. It began to appear in classic surf movies such as Morning of the Earth and get a reputation among surfers for being an undiscovered secret.

The surfing is mainly clustered on the Bukit peninsula, in the south-east of the island. The geography of this strip of land means you get left-hand breaks on one side and right-hand breaks on the other, just a short drive away. Kuta is the centre of the surf scene today. The sand beach, relatively gentle sets of waves and lifeguards mean this is the ideal place to learn.

Getting started is easy but don’t rent a board from someone on the beach. They may well have been damaged before and if it breaks it will cost you dearly. Rent from a surf shop and pick up a tide table as beginners should stick to surfing at high tide. The surf shops can also arrange professional lessons, which are essential and good fun as you are part of a group.

For the more experienced, the reef break at Uluwatu is the most famous, overlooked by the much photographed cliff-top temple by the sea. Further afield, Nusa Lembongan is an island off the south-east coast where many of the inhabitants farm seaweed for a living. The clear waters attract divers and snorkellers and the good waves attract plenty of surfers, meaning it gets quite busy but is compensated by the fabulous conditions.

As well as legions of shops in Kuta selling surf t-shirts, board shorts, sunglasses, hats and other accessories, there is a mass of good restaurants and bars to relax in once you have hung the board up for the day. The Melia Bali hotel is located in Nusa Dua, meaning it is close to much of the surfing.

And if you have been inspired and want to see how the pros do it, the Indonesian Surfing Championships hold numerous events in Bali and the rest of Indonesia throughout the year. Another good source of information is Palu Surf, which arranges lessons, tours and sells surfboards. If you fancy getting a taste of surfing and maybe a few lessons before you go, then this guide to surfing in the UK is a useful start.

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