Gerupuk Surf Cafe & Restaurant — Restaurant in West Nusa Tenggara

Watch our for the Gerupuk Surf Cafe mafia. These hustlers will sit at the entrance of the town and try to exploit new comers on surf packages. The good surf in Gerupuk is a long paddle from the shore so most people use a charter boat which run 150,000 rupiah and can be split among as many as 10 passengers. Surfboard rentals in town are reasonable at 30,000 - 50,000 rupiah. The issue becomes the street hustlers who will not let you cut them out of the deal.

The hustlers tired to convince me that the boat fee is not something I can split with other surfers when it is very obvious that the boat fee is a fixed charge for the boat and not per person. I kindly expressed that they were asking for too much money and that I would consider giving them business if they could find me some more surfers to split the boat cost. They refused claiming "we have rules here bro and its 150,000 per person". I turned them down and walked into a surf shop where I negotiated a cheaper price for the board than what the hustlers asked. When I asked the surf shop how to get the boat they explained that the boat is 150,000 and that they would gather other surfers that came in for rentals and pair us up to split the cost of the boat. I thought I had it all figured out and sat at the restaurant to wait for the group to be assembled. These hustlers must have noticed that I was progressing with rounds and sent a guy over to "remind me" that what I was doing was "against the rules". After waiting for a long while I realized that the surf shop was not going to put my group together and I took it upon myself to find other surfers. As I approached a group getting ready to go out I was once again interrupted by one of these street goons. "You need to talk to the boss". I looked over and laughed at the audacity of these hustlers trying to strong arm their "rules".

Don't give into these hustlers who claim that the boat fee cannot be split. They are clearly trying to intimidate so as to take a cut of the deal for themselves without actually doing any work. If you want to avoid problems its probably best to go with your own board and crew, ignore these goons at the entrance of the town and find a boat captain and negotiate directly. If you stay in the town you may have better luck, but for outsiders looking to make a day trip here, be prepared and don't give into...

DO NOT RENT EITHER BOARDS OR BOAT LIFT HERE. When me and my friend got there a couple asked us to share the boat, (other places in the same street let you up to 10 people) They said is not possible, we should take 2 boats (pay 2 boats) We asked why and they said because is their rule and we have to follow it. Fair enough. Me and my friend left with another friend of us to another place in the same street that ofers better deals. One of the guys followed us with the bike despite we said many times we don't want bussines with you. When we where in the other place the guy came in and asked us to talk in the street and we said again we have nothing to talk to you. At that point he got agressive and started saying that we cannot surf with his permision. That no one will rent anything to us without his permision and the people from the other renting place didn't dare to talk. Apparently the "Gerupuk Surf Cafe crew" decides over all the other bussiness and they can't do anything. So we strongly recommend to not stop at Gerupuk surf cafe and go to one of the many other places you will found in the area. Obviously we just moved to a different spot to surf. I don't say names of other bussiness here just in case they get in...

SCAM SCAM SCAM!

This place is like a mafia! Please, do yourself a favor and do not go there. I will explain you why:

First they will stop you immediately when you enter the village and told you this is the only restaurant in the village. (Nope, there are much better ones, but they are not visible from the corner). We got the worst captain to go surfing. We were there alone, he drop us on bad spot and when we needed him because of exhaustion and a bit sun burnt - he was sleeping (!!!) like 300m from us! After we were completely exhausted and sun burned, he told us it was not his fault and he did not sleep at all (oh, he was like 16y.o.). The owner refused to give us any money back (just for the boat). The locals played a little theater act there together. We did not get money back, they still operate there and take your money even it is very hazard with your health!

Just don't stop and go further into the village, you will be happy there. Or you know what? Just go to different area and do not support...