LOMBOK SURF

Lombok is just across the Lombok straight from Bali, but it is a world away. The island of Lombok is the first island in Indonesia’s Nusa Tenggara region, or "Far East". Lombok is a much drier and tougher island than its lush neighbor Bali, defined by dry desert terrain, rugged highlands, towering volcanoes, dramatic bays and headlands, and numerous white sand beaches scattered throughout the southern coast.

Lombok's best known wave is Desert Point, widely regarded as one of the best and heaviest lefthand barrels in the world. Desert Point, renowned as the feral mecca of Indo, notoriously fickle, lies in a remote mountainous region on the SW coast of Lombok and is best accessed by boat. Lombok is lesser known for its plethora of more innocuous, fun waves scattered along its W and S facing coasts - some of which are very difficult to find and reach, but the process of discovery can be an experience to never forget. Lombok is an easy escape from the severe crowds of Bali and for those surfers seeking a greater variety of setups including rights, pointbreaks, beginner and intermediate level waves (in contrast to Padang Padang, Uluwatu, Kuta Reef, etc…).

During the dry season (May – October), the tradewinds blow from the southeast providing offshore winds for Desert Point as well as many of the left-hand waves on the island. Alternately, the winds in the wet season (November – April), blow from the southwest, which results in more right breaks with offshore conditions such as Air Guling. Water temperatures are in the mid 70’s, but a vest or springsuit can come in handy on windy days. The sun is directly overhead this close to the equator so lots of sunscreen and rashguards are highly recommended.

The main surf center of Lombok is Kuta Beach, which is located on the eastern side of the southern coast. Many good hotels from the 3-star Kuta Inda to the luxurious 5-star Novotel Coralia are available with guide service being the best way to dial into the best waves at the right times (e