Surfing Guide 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.
Lombok has a surf range as wide as Bali's with a fraction of the crowd. At the beginner end, Selong Belanak on the south coast is a shallow sand-bottomed bay with waves that reform repeatedly — genuinely one of the easiest places in Indonesia to stand up for the first time. At the other end, Desert Point on the south-west tip is a long, hollow, shallow left-hand reef barrel with a serious reputation, ranked among the best waves in the world when it is working, which is not often.
Learning
Selong Belanak is the beginner beach and it is close to ideal: a wide crescent, waist-deep water a long way out, a sandy bottom and small crumbling waves. Instructors and soft-top boards work the beach; a two-hour lesson is 250,000–400,000 rupiah and board hire alone 50,000–100,000 a day. It gets busy at midday with day trippers from Kuta Lombok; go early. Are Guling and Tanjung Aan have gentle options too. Kuta Lombok town is the base, with surf camps and schools.
The south-coast reefs
Around Kuta Lombok, boat-access reef breaks fan out along the coast: Gerupuk bay holds four separate breaks — including Inside and Outside Gerupuk, which work at different tides and swells — and is reached by short boat rides from the village, making it the most reliable intermediate spot on the island. Ekas, further east, has both an inside beginner wave and a serious outside reef. Mawi, to the west, is a powerful left with a strong rip. Boat transfers are 100,000–250,000 per person.
Desert Point
On the south-west tip at Bangko Bangko, a long, fast, hollow left over very shallow reef that can run for hundreds of metres when a big south-west swell arrives — among the most respected waves on earth, and among the most punishing. It works on a limited number of days a year, mostly in the dry season, and it is expert-only: shallow, sharp reef, a long paddle, no facilities and a remote location three to four hours from Kuta. The crowd when it is on is small, serious and local-heavy.
Season and practicalities
The south coast works best in the dry season, roughly April to October, when the trade winds are offshore — the same pattern as Bali's west coast. The wet season brings onshore winds and smaller, messier surf, though Gerupuk's bay layout means something usually works. Kuta Lombok has board hire, repair and camps. Bring reef booties for the reef breaks and treat cuts immediately. Travel insurance that covers surfing is worth checking, since some policies exclude it alongside motorcycling.
Surfing Guide at a glance
| Best beginner beach | Selong Belanak — sand bottom, shallow, gentle |
|---|---|
| Lesson / board hire | IDR 250,000–400,000 / IDR 50,000–100,000 per day |
| Most reliable | Gerupuk bay — four breaks, boat access from the village |
| Expert wave | Desert Point, Bangko Bangko — long hollow left, shallow reef |
| Season | April–October for the south coast |
| Base | Kuta Lombok — camps, schools, hire and repair |