Best Beaches in Lombok and the Gili Islands

Part of the Lombok and the Gili Islands travel guide — see every topic in All Lombok and the Gili Islands Guides.

This is Lombok's strongest card. The southern coastline, from Selong Belanak east to Tanjung Aan, is a run of wide white-sand bays enclosed by headlands, with water in improbable shades of turquoise and, outside the small developed pockets, almost nobody on them. The sand is genuinely white coral sand rather than Bali's volcanic grey, the bays are sheltered enough to swim, and the roads reaching them have only recently been good enough to make the whole coast accessible.

The south coast

Selong Belanak is the crescent everyone photographs: a wide shallow bay with gently shelving white sand, warungs at one end, and a beginner surf break that makes it the best learn-to-surf beach on the island. Mawun is a near-perfect enclosed horseshoe with almost no development. Tanjung Aan has two lobes of different sand — one fine, one coarse and pepper-like — and the Merese hill above it gives the best coastal view on Lombok. Kuta Lombok's own beach is the town beach and the least good of them.

Further along

West of Selong Belanak, Mawi is a surf bay with a strong rip and a fierce reputation among the local touts; Torok and Are Guling are quieter. East of Tanjung Aan, Tanjung Bloam and the beaches towards Ekas are remote, empty and reached on rough roads. Pink Beach (Tangsi) on the south-east coast gets its colour from red coral fragments mixed into white sand, like Komodo's, and is a long drive on poor roads that most people do as an organised day trip.

The west and north

Senggigi, the original resort strip on the west coast, has grey-brown sand and a good sunset over Bali — a base rather than a beach. North of it, Nipah and Malimbu have viewpoints over the Gilis that are among the best photographs on the island. The Gili Islands themselves have white sand and clear shallows but a lot of dead coral and sea urchins at the waterline; the beaches are for looking at and the snorkelling is a short swim out. The far north around Sire has calm reef-protected water.

Practicalities

Most southern beaches now have a small parking or entrance fee, typically 5,000–20,000 rupiah, and warungs selling drinks and grilled fish. Facilities are otherwise minimal — bring water and sun protection, and expect no shade. A scooter or a car with driver is essential; the beaches are spread across forty kilometres of coast. Watch for rip currents at Mawi and the more exposed western bays, and be aware that persistent bracelet and sarong selling on some beaches is a known annoyance.

Best Beaches at a glance

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