Turtles, Indonesia
Also within 20 km of Palabuhanratu
- Java Pelabuhan Ratu Kite spot · 0.2 km from Palabuhanratu
- Karang Sari Surf spot · 0.9 km from Palabuhanratu
- Java Cimaja Kite spot · 4.3 km from Palabuhanratu
- Karang Naya Surf spot · 4.4 km from Palabuhanratu
- Cimaja Surf spot · 8.1 km from Palabuhanratu
- Indicators point Surf spot · 9 km from Palabuhanratu
- Sunset Surf spot · 9.1 km from Palabuhanratu
- Karang Hawu Surf spot · 10.9 km from Palabuhanratu
Watch this spot We email you when Turtles is worth the trip.
About Turtles
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SW (246°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (66°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 2). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hard and thick, like a slab. The sea is about 27°C in August, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 29°C in January, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually March and April, with about 3 good days in 7; in July, August and September, about 0. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Palabuhanratu.
Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 33 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), changing at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
See flights ORD → CGK · Skyscanner from about £870 returnAdGetting there. 5 h 05 from the airport to Turtles.
Accommodation.
Nearest beds: Palabuhanratu, 42 km (about 1h 15 by car)Ad
No town with beds to book is nearer Turtles: plan on the drive each day you surf.
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Palabuhanratu, 42 km away (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Palabuhanratu 74 min by car · rooms from £30 a night · 25 places to stay · where Turtles stays
Places to stay in Palabuhanratu · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Palabuhanratu · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Palabuhanratu · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Turtles on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Turtles does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 35, poor | 4 ft12 shollow | 445kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 16 knots | 26°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 9, poor | 5 ft13 sslab | 878kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 15 knots | 26°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 32, poor | 5 ft12 sslab | 715kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 14 knots | 26°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 37, fair | 4 ft10 shollow | 337kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 13 knots | 26°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 33, poor | 4 ft14 shollow | 737kJ | wind from the south-east, 16 knots | 26°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft14 sslab | 1,659kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 16 knots | 26°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft13 sslab | 1,567kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 16 knots | 26°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft12 sslab | 1,037kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 15 knots | 25°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, too big | 6 ft8 sslab | 476kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 14 knots | 25°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft9 sslab | 792kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 11 knots | 26°C |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to CGK, changing at HKG, then 5h 05 by road. About 33h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Turtles
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 5 ft at 12 s, wind 14 kn (25 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Turtles
Best 07:00 to 10:00 local time: 4 ft at 10 s, wind 13 kn (24 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Turtles
Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 4 ft at 14 s, wind 16 kn (30 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 0 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to CGK, changing at HKG, then 5h 05 by road. About 33h 20 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,140–£2,265 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to CGK, estimated from distance and season, changing at HKG, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £870–£1,800 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £35–£60 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £85–£140 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £80–£145 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £35–£55 |
| Total | £1,140–£2,265 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Palabuhanratu
- Nasi Goreng 33Indonesian · in the centre
- CFCChicken · 0.2 km from the centre
- Pizza Hut DeliveryPizza · 0.2 km from the centre
- Nasi Goreng Bunga Trotoar Samping Paris Mc Jln Kidang Kencana PalabuhanratuIndonesian · 0.9 km from the centre
- Dapoer AsrieSeafood · 0.2 km from the centre
- Delizioso Pizza SukabumiPizza · 0.3 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
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Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.