Lombok is a wild one. The island sits straight in the Indian Ocean swell path, catching raw, powerful waves that have been rolling for thousands of miles. Unlike Bali, it’s still a little rough around the edges. Less traffic, less chaos, fewer people fighting for the same peak. But make no mistake, this isn’t soft surf for the faint-hearted. Most breaks unload over sharp coral reefs, and knowing your tides and swell direction here is quite important.
If you’re a surfer, Lombok is pure gold. If you’re learning, it’s paradise for your first green waves. If you’re advanced, it’s barrels that will haunt your dreams forever.
- Best season: May to October. Dry season, offshore winds, and consistent south-west swells.
- Wet season: November to April. Windier, messier, but sheltered bays like Gerupuk and Ekas still fire and you’ll get them with half the crowd.
Beginner Spots
Selong Belanak
- Type: Sand-bottom beach break.
- Best: 1–3 ft SW swell, mid–high tide, glassy mornings.
- Wave: Soft lefts/rights, long rides, perfect for first green waves.
- Hazards: None serious, just crowds and foamies.
- Access: Direct by road, boards and lessons on the beach.
This is where everyone learns to surf. A wide sandy bay framed by hills, lined with warungs and surf schools. The vibe is mellow, the waves are forgiving, and you’ll probably remember your first proper ride here.
The waves break soft and slow, perfect for first green walls. Works best on a small swell, 1–3 ft. Any bigger and the bay just closes out. Best on mid to high tide, when the water cushions the falls.
It gets crowded with surf schools, foamies flying everywhere, but the bay is so wide you can always paddle out of the chaos.
Biggest danger? Runaway boards. Hazards otherwise? None.
If you’re stepping onto a board for the first time, this is your beach.
Senggigi
- Type: Soft reef on the north coast.
- Best: 1–3 ft, mid tide.
- Wave: Gentle peelers, short rides.
- Hazards: Reef at low tide, currents outside bay.
- Access: Road from Senggigi town.
Up on the north coast, Senggigi is way quieter. A soft little reef that peels gently, giving short but easy rides. Perfect if you want your first reef experience without 50 other learners stacked around you. Works on small swells, 1–3 ft. Mid tide is best, but be careful at low tide when the reef sticks its teeth out.
Often empty. Sometimes you’ll be the only one out.
Tanjung Aan & Seger Beach
- Type: Reef with inside reform.
- Best: 2–4 ft, mid–high tide.
- Wave: Inside whitewater for learners, outside right reef for progression.
- Hazards: Sharp reef, rips on big swells.
- Access: 15 mins from Kuta.
Fifteen minutes east of Kuta, these bays are beautiful even if you don’t surf. White sand, turquoise water, rolling hills. For beginners, the inside reform is friendly, turning outside waves into soft whitewater that’s easy to catch.
On bigger days, the outside reef at Seger throws a proper right-hand wave for those starting to step it up. Just watch the reef at low tide and the rips when the swell pumps.
Intermediate Spots
Photo by: Aidan Rodarte
Gerupuk Bay
(boat access, 10–15 mins)
Sheltered bay, works year-round with multiple breaks.
- Inside Gerupuk: Long, soft right, 2–5 ft, all tides, crowded with schools.
- Don-Don: A-frame, 3–5 ft, mid tide, softer walls.
- Outside Gerupuk: Steeper right reef, 3–6 ft, barrels on bigger sets.
Gerupuk is a surf playground. A sheltered bay, accessible only by boat (10–15 minutes from the harbor), with five different waves to choose from. It works in both dry and wet season, which is why every surf camp in Lombok drags their students here.
- Inside Gerupuk: Long, forgiving rights. Rides can go up to 150 m. Perfect for practicing cutbacks and getting your flow dialed in. Always crowded with schools.
- Don-Don: A-frame peak in the middle of the bay. Softer, playful walls. Great for intermediates.
- Outside Gerupuk: A steeper, hollow right-hand reef. More serious, with barrels when the swell’s right. Definitely the step between “learning” and “getting smashed”.
The downside? The crowds. At times it looks like a floating surf school parking lot, with boats circling the lineup. But if you’re patient, you’ll score.
Mawi
- Type: A-frame reef.
- Best: 3–6 ft SW swell, mid–high tide.
- Wave: Left barrels, right walls. Can hold up to 8 ft.
- Hazards: Sharp coral, strong rips.
- Access: 30–40 mins from Kuta, dirt road.
Now we’re talking. Mawi is the classic “step up” spot. Thirty minutes from Kuta, down a dirt road, past cows and rice fields. It’s an A-frame reef that on a good day gives left-hand barrels and rippable rights.
It works best at 3–6 ft. Mid to high tide is safest, but it can hold up to 8 ft if you’re ready for it. On bigger swells, this place is heavy. Sharp coral underneath, strong rips, and wipeouts that will remind you why reef cuts hurt more than anything else.
On smaller days, it’s playful and fun. On bigger days, it’s advanced territory.
Are Guling
- Type: Right reef with occasional left.
- Best: 3–6 ft, mid tide.
- Wave: Long rights, barrels on bigger sets.
- Hazards: Shallow reef at low tide.
- Access: 20 mins from Kuta, paddle or boat.
Twenty minutes from Kuta. A right-hand reef with long, rippable walls. Sometimes there’s a left, but the right is the star.
It works from 3–6 ft, with barrels on the bigger sets. Mid tide is best. Low tide turns into a coral guillotine. The paddle out is easy, or you can grab a boat for a few rupiah.
Crowds are medium, usually locals and intermediates who know what they’re doing. On a good day, it’s one of the most fun waves on the island.
Advanced Spots
Desert Point (Bangko-Bangko)
- Type: World-class left barrel.
- Best: 6–10 ft SW swell, mid–low tide, easterly offshores.
- Wave: 300 m barrels with multiple sections.
- Hazards: Razor reef, rips, remote.
- Access: 3–4 hrs from Kuta + ferry. Camping/basic losmen.
One of the most legendary waves on the planet. Desert Point is not just a surf spot, it’s a pilgrimage.
This is a world-class left barrel, considered one of the longest and most perfect tubes in Indo. When it’s on, you can ride for 300 meters with multiple tube sections. But it needs a big swell 6–10 ft SW and offshore winds to line it up.
The price of perfection? It breaks over razor-sharp reef at mid to low tide, currents rip hard, and the location is remote. Getting there takes 3–4 hours from Kuta, including a ferry crossing. Accommodation is basic: losmen, camping, a hammock if you’re lucky.
It’s not crowded compared to Bali, but the guys who surf here are serious. This is advanced only.
Ekas Bay
- Inside Ekas: Hollow left, 3–6 ft, mid–high tide.
- Outside Ekas: Heavy left wall, 5–10 ft+, steep drops, barrels.
- Hazards: Sharp reef, currents, exposed.
- Crowds: Light due to remoteness.
Remote, wild, and worth the mission. You can reach it by motorbike (expect a long, bumpy ride) or by boat. Ekas has two main waves:
- Inside Ekas: A hollow left that’s playful at 3–4 ft and turns into a proper barrel machine over 5 ft.
- Outside Ekas: The heavy big brother. Long left walls, steep drops, multiple barrel sections. Needs size to wake up, but when it does, it’s a beast.
Crowds are light simply because it’s far. You’ll often share the lineup with only a handful of surfers.
Season & Conditions – When to Go
- Dry season (May–Oct): Offshore easterly winds, consistent 3–12 ft swells. The south coast lights up.
- Wet season (Nov–Apr): Onshore winds most days, but Gerupuk and Ekas still work. Smaller swells, fewer crowds, better for learners.
- Tides: Mid to high tide is safest at most reefs. Low tide means shallow coral and reef cuts waiting to happen.
-
Boards:
- Beginners: 8–9 ft soft-top.
- Intermediates: 6’6–7’2 funboard/shortboard.
- Advanced: Shortboard + step-up (6’6–7’6) for Desert Point/Ekas.
- Gear: Reef boots, zinc, a solid leash. Bring a small first aid kit. Reef cuts are almost a rite of passage here.
Month-by-Month Surf Calendar
- Jan–Mar: Wet season, smaller swells, Gerupuk and Inside Ekas best. Good for beginners.
- Apr: Transition. Cleaner mornings, first solid swells. Less crowded.
- May–Jun: Dry season kicks in. Consistent 3–6 ft swells. Mawi, Are Guling, Gerupuk firing.
- Jul–Aug: Peak season. 6–10 ft swells, Desert Point and Outside Ekas at their best. Winds strong in the afternoons.
- Sep–Oct: Still consistent, fewer crowds than peak. All spots work.
- Nov–Dec: Transition to wet season. Glassy mornings, onshore afternoons. Great for beginners.
Bottom Line
Surfing Lombok is raw, real, and unforgettable. It’s not Bali with smoothie bowls and soft-tops at every corner. Here, you earn your waves. You scratch your reef cuts, you sweat on dirt road rides to hidden bays, you get humbled by closeouts and rips but then you score that wave of your trip and it’s all worth it.
Whether you’re paddling into your first green wave at Selong Belanak, dialing in your turns at Mawi, or chasing tubes at Desert Point, Lombok delivers.
This island is still holding onto the soul of surfing: less polished, more adventure, and endless waves waiting for those who make the effort.
0 comments