LOMBOK
Lombok sits 35km east of Bali — the Sasak island holding **Desert Point**, one of three perfect left barrels on Earth, plus mellow Selong Belanak for first-timers.
About Lombok
Lombok is the Sasak island 35km east of Bali across the Lombok Strait, holding one of surfing's most extreme skill ranges. At its western tip, Desert Point (Bangko Bangko) is widely ranked among the three most perfect left-hand barrels on the planet — heavy, hollow, advanced only. Three hours south, Selong Belanak delivers white-sand A-frames empty enough for first-day beginners.
Gerupuk Bay packs four breaks inside one bay, accessed by short boat from the village. Quieter, cheaper, and emptier than Bali.
Surf level
| Skill level | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginners | ||||||
| Intermediate | ||||||
| Advanced |
- Best time to go
- Good time to go
- Ok time to go
- Less desirable time to go
- Not recommended time to go
Weather & Travel Comfort
| Metric | Jan-Feb | Mar-Apr | May-Jun | Jul-Aug | Sep-Oct | Nov-Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | ~24–27°C | ~24–28°C | ~24–29°C | ~22–29°C | ~23–30°C | ~24–28°C |
| Rainy days | 19d | 17d | 5d | 2d | 4d | 17d |
| What to Pack |  Water Temperature~28°C | Water Temperature~29°C | Water Temperature~28–29°C | Water Temperature~27°C | Water Temperature~27–28°C | Water Temperature~29°C |
- Boots if neededFor cold water or reef breaks
- Full protection wetsuitCold water
- Shorty / springsuitMild conditions
- No wetsuitWarm water
Tips for Surfing Lombok
Bali's quieter neighbour serves up sand-bottom Selong Belanak for newcomers and a four-break boat session out of Gerupuk village for everyone else. The four tips below cover lessons, the boat shuttle economics, and the Sasak Muslim dress code beyond the sand.
Beginners Pick Selong Belanak
Beginners: head to Selong Belanak. Group lessons run IDR 350k–500k (about €20–€30) for 2 hours.
Boat Into Gerupuk
Hire a short boat from Gerupuk village — IDR 100k splits four breaks per session.
Boardies Year-Round
Water sits 26–29°C every month — boardshorts and rashguard. Booties for Mawi reef.
Cover Up Off the Sand
Kuta Lombok is Sasak Muslim — wear long sleeves through village. Lock cars at trailheads.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to surf in Lombok?
Skill drives the answer. Beginners score November to April when Selong Belanak and Tanjung Aan run waist-high in warm 28–29°C water. Intermediates peak October to April across Gerupuk's inside breaks and Kuta beach. Advanced surfers come May to October — the prime SW season fires Desert Point, Mawi and Are Guling at 6–15ft with reliable E offshore wind. Driest months are June through September.
Is Lombok good for beginners?
Yes — Lombok is one of Indonesia's strongest first-time surf bases. Selong Belanak, west of Kuta, is a long white-sand beach with mellow A-frames that stay forgiving even on bigger days, and crowds are far thinner than Bali. Inside Right at Gerupuk Bay is a second easy option, accessed by short boat from Gerupuk village. Avoid Mawi, Are Guling, Outside Gerupuk and Desert Point — all heavy reef.
How big do the waves get in Lombok?
Waves run 2–6ft most of the year and 4–15ft on prime SW swell from April to October. Desert Point holds 6–15ft on the right pulse — heavy, hollow lefts that produce some of the longest barrel rides on the planet. Mawi and Are Guling handle head-high and bigger. Gerupuk Bay stays surfable at 2–4ft on the smallest days, and Selong Belanak keeps reforms rideable into wet season.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Lombok?
No — water sits between 26°C in August and 29°C in March, so boardshorts and a rashguard are all you need year-round. Pack a long-sleeve rashguard for sun protection on long sessions. Booties are recommended for Mawi, Are Guling and the outside Gerupuk reefs, where urchin-covered rock makes barefoot entry risky. No fullsuit, no spring suit, no boots beyond the urchin reefs.
How do I get to Lombok from Bali?
Two routes work. Fly Denpasar (DPS) to Lombok (LOP) in 30 minutes — multiple daily flights, then 30 minutes by car to Kuta Lombok. Fast boat with Gili Fast Boat or Eka Jaya takes 2–3h to Bangsal or Senggigi for IDR 400k–700k (€25–€40), plus a 1h 30min car transfer south. Most surf camps include airport pickup; charter sailboats reach Desert Point in 3h.
Where should I stay in Lombok for surfing?
Stay in Kuta Lombok for most trips — the south-coast village is the surf scene's centre, walkable to the main beach and within day-trip range of Gerupuk, Selong Belanak, Mawi and Tanjung Aan. Pick Gerupuk village if you want the four-break bay on your doorstep and a quieter, more local feel. Choose Senggigi if you're chartering to Desert Point or planning to trek Mt Rinjani.
Other regions in Indonesia
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The Ultimate Guide to Surfing in Lombok
What makes Lombok unique
Lombok sits 35km east of Bali across the Lombok Strait, and the difference shows the moment you land. The island is 85% Sasak — the indigenous Muslim majority — culturally distinct from the Hindu mosaic of Indonesia's better-known surf hub. The surf range here is the widest in the country: at the western tip, Desert Point (Bangko Bangko) breaks 6–15ft and is widely cited as one of the three most perfect left-hand barrels on the planet. Three hours south on the Kuta coast, Selong Belanak offers a white-sand beach so mellow that first-time surfers ride waves on day one. Lombok's surf scene took off in the 2010s as Bali pricing pushed travellers off the Bukit Peninsula. The 2018 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit the island's tourism economy hard; the south coast around Kuta is fully rebuilt and operational. For a deeper geographic backgrounder, see Lonely Planet Lombok.
Lombok surf spots by skill level
Desert Point (Bangko Bangko) is the marquee — and the most demanding. Heavy, hollow left-hand reef at the island's western tip, holding 6–15ft on the right SW pulse with E offshore wind. Logistics are serious: 2.5h overland from Senggigi or charter boat (3h sail) from Bali, and most surfers stay at the basic camps near the break. Advanced and big-wave only.
Gerupuk Bay is the do-it-all bay east of Kuta Lombok, accessed by short boat from Gerupuk village. Four named breaks sit inside one mile-wide bay: Inside Right (beginner reef), Outside Right (intermediate), Don Don (advanced left), and Inside Left (intermediate). One day-trip can cover three skill levels. All levels.
Selong Belanak is the beginner basecamp — a long white-sand crescent west of Kuta with mellow A-frames and waist-high reform. The antithesis of Bali, often empty even on a peak day. Beginners.
Mawi is a heavy left-hand reef west of Kuta, holding head-high and bigger on solid SW swell. Reef is sharp, urchins everywhere — booties mandatory. Advanced.
Are Guling sits next to Mawi, another heavy left reef of the same character. Advanced.
Tanjung Aan is a wide protected sand bay east of Kuta with gentle small-day waves and zero crowds. Beginners on small days.
Kuta Lombok beach is the in-town sand-bottom main beach — convenient, beginner-to-intermediate. Senggigi on the west coast is mostly small reef, a soft beginner option close to Bangsal.
When to surf Lombok: month-by-month
April to October is the prime SW season. Waves run 4–8ft at Gerupuk and Selong Belanak with frequent 8–15ft pulses lighting up Desert Point, Mawi and Are Guling. Water sits at 26–28°C, rainfall drops to 1–6 days a month, and reliable E offshores groom the south coast at dawn. August and September are the peak — clean, consistent, dry. November to March flips to wet season: 2–6ft swell, water still warm at 28–29°C, but 14–20 rainy days a month and onshore winds. Beginners actually score this window — Selong Belanak and Tanjung Aan stay rideable while the heavy reefs go onshore. Driest months are June through September, with August averaging just 1 rainy day.
Where to stay in Lombok
Kuta Lombok is the obvious base for most trips — the south-coast village is the surf scene's centre, walkable to Kuta Lombok beach, with day-trip range to Gerupuk, Selong Belanak, Mawi and Tanjung Aan. Mid-range guesthouses, warungs, and surf camps cluster along Jalan Pariwisata. Gerupuk village, 15 minutes east of Kuta, puts you on the boat ramp for the four-break bay if you want short paddles every morning — quieter, more local. Senggigi on the west coast suits travellers arriving by fast boat from Bali who plan to charter to Desert Point or trek Mt Rinjani; it's a 1h 30min drive from the south-coast surf. Pricing across all three is roughly half of comparable Bali addresses.
How to get to Lombok from Bali
Lombok International Airport (LOP) at Praya is 30 minutes from Kuta Lombok by car (Grab works). Direct domestic flights run from Jakarta, Bali (DPS, 30min hop), and Surabaya. Most surf camps include airport transfer. From Bali by sea, fast boats with Gili Fast Boat and Eka Jaya run 2–3h to Bangsal or Senggigi for around IDR 400k–700k (€25–€40) one-way; from there it's a 1h 30min car transfer south to Kuta. Charter sailboats from Bali to Desert Point take roughly 3 hours. For wider trip planning see Indonesia Tourism.
Surf schools and Sasak culture
Three operators anchor the south-coast lesson scene: Kuta Lombok Surf School, Selong Belanak Surf School, and Gerupuk Surf School. Lombok Wakanda Surf is a fourth option for intermediate guiding. Board rentals run IDR 100k–150k/day for soft-tops and IDR 200k–300k/day for shortboards.
A word on local context: Sasak villages around Kuta Lombok dress modestly outside the surf zone — long sleeves and long pants when walking through town. Mt Rinjani (3,726m) is Indonesia's second-highest volcano and a 3-day trek from Senaru if you stack a non-surf week. On the safety side, theft from cars at Mawi and Are Guling trailheads has happened — lock everything and ideally hire a local minder. Desert Point logistics are the serious one: don't attempt without big-wave experience, and book the boat or camp through an established operator.