Army Camp (Dana Island)
- Shortboard, Longboard
- Best for
- Beginner
- Skill Level
- Ocean
- Spot Type
- Empty
- Crowd Level
This spot information is AI-assisted and has not been human verified. It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect. Verify safety, access, local rules, and current conditions with official or local sources before riding.
About
Army Camp is a small reef-coral left-hand surf break on Dana Island in the Boa area. The wave starts working at less than about 1 meter and can hold up to around 2 meters or a bit more, with generally good wave quality and a short-ride feel. Access is the defining factor: landing on Dana Island typically requires permission from the army camp next door, and the area is described as military/private/restricted. As a result, conditions are usually very quiet—often empty—because not everyone can reach or land there. Expect to arrange transport by boat from the Boa or Nembrala side and confirm that access rules are currently valid. The break is reef-based with sharp coral and rocks, so hazards are persistent even when surf looks manageable. Plan for careful entry/exit, and assume limited formal support: spot-level reporting indicates no rescue availability, while the regional cluster describes rescue as limited. In terms of swell and tides, the spot is described as working across all tides. The most favorable swell direction is SouthWest/South, and the best wind window aligns with SouthEast, East, and NorthEast winds; with East to NorthEast winds described as offshore for the surf at this break. Seasonally, the dry-season period (roughly May through September) is highlighted for more consistent conditions, with water temperatures staying warm and reef protection recommended even in the warmer months.
- Permission required for landing/access on Dana Island
- Reef-coral left-hand break with good wave quality
- Typically very uncrowded/empty lineup
- Works from sub-1m through ~2m+ and across all tides
- Good wave quality on a consistent left-hand reef-coral break.
- Typically empty lineup due to restricted access and remote logistics.
- Waves start working below 1m and can hold to around 2m+ with all-tide availability.
- Access is controlled by a military outpost on Dana Island; you need permission before landing.
- Reef-coral break with sharp coral/rocks and remote positioning increases risk.
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- SSE, E, NE
- Offshore directions
- E, ENE, NE
- Wind Type
- Trade — Trade-wind (trade) pattern described for the Bo’a/Dana island area; also noted as offshore in East to NorthEast winds for the surf break wind effect.
- Reliability
- Reliable trade winds during dry season
- Gust Factor
- Steady — Steady gust factor reported.
- Best Months
- May, June, July, August, September
- Thermal Window
- Sea breeze
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Ocean
- Beach
- Reef — Spot-level reef/coral bottom; one provider also reports sand composition at the beach approach—reef hazards still present.
- Beach Size
- Small
- Waves
- Small — Spot-level notes small; another provider reports medium wave size. Working-size guidance indicates it starts under 1m and can hold to ~2m+.
- Launch
- Small — Little bay on Dana Island; access described as via boat or narrow beach entry depending on conditions.
- Launch Difficulty
- Difficult — Access and landing are described as difficult due to permission requirements and reef hazards; another provider describes launch difficulty as moderate.
Through the year
Generally empty due to remote location and access restrictions
December to March
By sport
What to expect for each.
Small reef-coral left-hand break in a little bay on Dana Island; the wave starts working under 1m and can hold up to about 2m+ with good wave quality. Works across all tides; lineup is typically very quiet/empty due to access restrictions.
- Wave Direction
- Left
- Optimal Swell
- S, SSW
- Swell Height
- 1–2.5 m
- Optimal Tide
- All tides
- Shelter
- Semi-sheltered — A small bay/inside-reach setting on Dana Island; still exposed enough to encounter reef hazards and variable conditions typical of reef-coral breaks.
- Wind Effect
- Offshore in East to NorthEast winds.
- Bigger Swell
- Can hold up to around 2 meters plus; working size described as up to 2m+.
- Wave Quality
- Good — Wave quality reported as good.
- Wave Power
- Moderate — Also described as 'ordinary/fun/powerless' in a surf database, and generally good/manageable rather than extreme.
- Wave Shape
- Peeling
- Peel Speed
- Medium
- Ride Length
- Short — Short rides commonly reported as under 50m; also described as normal 50–150m on good days.
- Typical Ride Length
- 50–150 m
- Ride Length Details
- Short (<50m) reported; normal rides 50–150m on good days (example typical 100m).
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Army Camp (Dana Island) in the full forecast view.
Army Camp (Dana Island) wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 4–11 ktsGusts 15 kts
- Direction
- SE128°
- Strongest day
- Thu, Oct 2911 kts
- Windy days
- 0/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 0.8–2.1 m11s period
- Temperature
- 27–31 °C
Over the next 7 days, Army Camp (Dana Island) is forecast for daytime winds of 4–11 kts, peaking around 11 kts on Thursday, October 29 with gusts to 15 kts. The prevailing direction is SE. Waves run 0.8–2.1 m with a period of about 11s. Based on the Wavind model, in the spot’s local time.
Other spots in the area
What to know before you launch
Safety, access, restrictions, rescue, and local rules can change. Treat these details as informational and confirm them locally before launching.
Hazards
- Sharp coral
- Rocks
- Reef
- Coral
- Remote/military restricted area
Rescue & support
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- No — No formal rescue availability reported for the spot; regional context describes rescue services as limited.
- Emergency Info
- Rescue availability is described as no (spot-level) / limited (regional cluster). In a serious emergency, use regional emergency services and consider medical evacuation to Kupang or Bali for major incidents; emergency number noted as 115 (BASARNAS) in the regional context.
Rules of the spot
Permission is required from the army camp on Dana Island for landing/access. Plan for restricted access and reef hazards.
- Permission from the army camp next door required for landing/access
- Private/Restricted (military restricted) access
- Expect access to be controlled by the army camp next door; check permission requirements before you arrive.
- Most access is via boat trips; confirm current access rules with local boat operators.
- Treat the wave as not worth the effort without valid access permission, and assume empty lineups due to restrictions.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Kupang
- Nearest Town
- Boa
- Nearest Airport
- David Constantijn Saudale Airport (RTI)
- Parking
- No parking on site; boat transport required
- Public Transport
- Limited (local 'bemos' and motorbike rentals); most travelers use private car transfers from the airport or ferry terminal.
- Access
- Requires permission from the army camp next door on land; located on Dana Island in a little bay. Access described as boat-only from the Boa/Nembrala area (or from Rote Island), with no on-site parking.
- Cost Level
- Moderate
- Local Language
- Indonesian
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Surf camps and guesthouses available in nearby Boa and Nembrala on Rote Island; access is typically organized from these areas.
- Equipment Rental:
- Equipment rental reported as available in Nembrala.
- Gear Repair
- Basic repairs available in Nembrala; regional cluster notes basic gear repairs may be handled by local schools/camps.
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Army Camp (Dana Island)?
The best overall months at Army Camp (Dana Island) are May, June, July, August, September.
Which wind directions work at Army Camp (Dana Island)?
Army Camp (Dana Island) works with SSE, E, NE winds. Offshore directions are E, ENE, NE.
What skill level is Army Camp (Dana Island) suitable for?
Army Camp (Dana Island) suits these riding levels: Surfing: Beginner to Intermediate.