Lombok Surf Spots Guide | Waves and Difficulty by Area

Information as of August 2026. Lombok has surf spots of very different character, mostly in the south, from beach breaks for beginners to reef points for advanced surfers only. This article sticks to comparing the spots one by one. For an itinerary and basic information on the whole island, please read the Lombok Island Complete Guide as well.

What you will learn here

  • ✓For standing up on a board for the first time, Selong Belanak; for lots of small waves, Gerupuk; for a barrel, Ekas Outside. Desert Point is for advanced surfers only
  • ✓You can compare the main spots (Gerupuk / around Kuta / Selong Belanak / Ekas / Desert Point / Senggigi) by difficulty, travel time and price guide
  • ✓You will know the costs and gear you need to hear about beforehand, such as boat fees and reef boots
  • ✓You will learn the risks particular to Lombok’s reef breaks, such as coral cuts and currents, and the first-aid steps DAN gives
  • ✓You will see that Desert Point (Bangko-Bangko) lies in the same district, Sekotong, as our base

Before the main part, let’s check the rough positions of the main spots on a map.

Figure: positions of Lombok’s main surf spots

Sekotong District (the area where we are based) 3 to 4 hours by car (unpaved at the end) Praya Lembar Senggigi Kuta Lombok Mawi Gerupuk Selong Belanak Ekas Desert Point (Bangko-Bangko) N ↑ Surf spot Waypoint (on the driving route)

Desert Point sits at the south-western edge of the map, in the same area as our base in Sekotong District. However, the road makes a big detour via Lembar, so being close in a straight line does not mean a short journey. For details see the “Desert Point / Bangko-Bangko” section below.

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Quick comparison table: difficulty, travel time and price guide by spot

First, the overall picture. Difficulty, season and prices are guides based on information published by local surf schools and wave-forecast sites, and they change a great deal with the conditions on the day. US dollar figures are approximate, converted at US$1 ≈ Rp17,800 (September 2026). Exchange rates move daily, so check the current rate just before you travel.

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Spot Break / difficulty Departure point One-way travel time (guide) Price guide Suits
Gerupuk (Inside Right)Right-hand reef / beginnerGerupuk village boat landingA few minutes by boat (about 20 to 25 minutes by car from Kuta)Rp150,000 (about US$8.40) for a 2-hour boat session for up to 3 people / Rp50,000 (about US$2.80) per person for 4 or morePeople standing up on a board for the first time
Gerupuk (Dondon)A-frame (left and right) / beginner to intermediate (opinions differ)Gerupuk village boat landingA few minutes by boatSame as above (we could not confirm from public information whether the price differs by break)People who want to practise both lefts and rights
Gerupuk (Kiddies)Small wave for beginners / beginner (breaks only on some days)Gerupuk village boat landingA few minutes by boatSame as abovePeople who want to try their first wave safely
Gerupuk (Outside Right / Left)Reef point / intermediateGerupuk village boat landingBy boat out of the bay (further than the inside)Same as aboveIntermediate surfers and above who want to catch more waves
Tanjung AanA-frame inside the bay / beginner to intermediate (depends on size)Kuta LombokAbout 15 to 20 minutes by car plus a boatBoat arranged locally (no published price; the Gerupuk rate is a guide)People who value the scenery and want to catch plenty of waves
Are GulingA-frame / intermediate to advancedKuta LombokAbout 15 to 20 minutes by car or motorbike (about 20 minutes by boat too)Roughly a parking fee (no published price; arrange locally)Intermediate surfers and above who are used to reef
MawiReef, left and right / intermediate to advancedKuta LombokAbout 30 to 40 minutes by motorbike (the last 3.4 km is unpaved)Roughly a parking fee (no published price; arrange locally)Experienced surfers only
Selong BelanakSandy-bottom beach break / beginnerKuta LombokAbout 30 minutes by car (about 23 km)Entry around Rp5,000 (about US$0.28), parking around Rp5,000 (about US$0.28) for a motorbike and Rp10,000 (about US$0.56) for a carPeople standing up on a board for the first time
Ekas InsideReef, left and right / beginner to intermediate (opinions differ)Awang HarbourAbout 40 minutes by car from Kuta plus about 30 minutes by boatThe boat fee is generally included in a surf camp or accommodation package (for a one-off booking, check locally)People who want to ride lots of long waves
Ekas OutsideHollow reef under the cliff / intermediate to advancedAwang HarbourAbout 40 minutes by car from Kuta plus about 30 minutes by boatSame as aboveExperienced surfers chasing a barrel
Desert Point (Bangko-Bangko)Left-hand reef point / advanced surfers onlyKuta Lombok / Sekotong3 to 4 hours by car from Kuta (the last stretch is unpaved)Check the entry fee beforehand (see below). Vehicle charter is extraAdvanced surfers chasing a barrel only
Senggigi / west of the islandRight-hand reef / intermediate to advancedMataram / Senggigi townAbout 1.5 to 2 hours by car from KutaNothing in particular (vehicle cost only)Plan B for days when the south is blown out

Organised by difficulty and best season, the positions look like this.

Figure: spots placed by difficulty and best season

Reef break (one-sided) A-frame (left and right) Beach break Dry season peak (Jul to Aug) Dry season Mainly dry season (Apr to Nov) Year-round Wet season Beginner Beginner to intermediate Intermediate Intermediate to advanced Advanced only Difficulty → Best season (leaning dry) → Gerupuk (Inside Right) Gerupuk (Dondon) Gerupuk (Outside) Selong Belanak Ekas Inside Mawi Senggigi Desert Point (Bangko-Bangko)

Lined up like this, you can see that only Selong Belanak is both beginner level and easy to surf year-round, while the rest are concentrated towards the dry season. Desert Point is the spot with the narrowest conditions in both difficulty and season.

Basic information summary: the three main spots

The administrative area and access are the first things to check when choosing a spot. Prices are gathered in the quick comparison table above.

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Item Gerupuk Selong Belanak Desert Point
LocationCentral Lombok Regency. Gerupuk village, east of Kuta LombokCentral Lombok Regency. About 23 km west of KutaWest Lombok Regency, Sekotong District (Kecamatan Sekotong), Batu Putih village (Desa Batu Putih)
AccessAbout 20 to 25 minutes by car from Kuta plus a boatAbout 30 minutes by car from Kuta. Less than 100 m from the car park to the beachVia Lembar and Sekotong. The last stretch is unpaved and a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended

These are not figures we have confirmed on foot ourselves, so please use the prices and travel times as “guides”. We will update this table as soon as we can confirm them locally.

Details by area

Gerupuk: a bay with several peaks, an easy entry point for beginners

Gerupuk Bay has five breaks of different character. Surf Indonesia lists five: Inside Right, Outside Right, Outside Left, Dondon and Kiddies.

The “Inside Right” in the bay is a right-hand reef break, and Surf Indonesia lists as good conditions beginner level, the dry season, around a mid tide (a mid to high tide according to some sources), a south-west swell and a north-east wind. KuraSurf rates it beginner to intermediate and explains that it is fast and pitchy at low tide.

The bay also has “Dondon”, an A-frame (a wave that breaks both left and right). For Dondon, Surf Indonesia gives all tides, a south swell, a north-east wind and the dry season, and calls it beginner level. KuraSurf, on the other hand, calls it intermediate, so opinions differ. What both agree on is that it gets fast and hollow as the size rises, so it is safest to pick a small day and assume you will go with an instructor or guide.

“Kiddies” is a small-wave break also said to be for beginners, but Surf Indonesia says it is fickle in how the waves form and hardly breaks outside the peak of the dry season. If you are looking for your first wave, check when you arrange the boat whether this wave is working that day.

The “Outside Right / Left” at the outer edge of the bay have more size and power, and Surf Indonesia calls both intermediate. The best season for these two only is the wet season. While the other spots in the south centre on the dry season, Gerupuk is distinctive in still having options in the wet season.

Boats are arranged at the village landing. The price Surf Indonesia publishes is “Rp150,000 (about US$8.40, approximate) for a 2-hour surf session for up to 3 people, and Rp50,000 (about US$2.80, approximate) per person for 4 or more”. Note that this is not a fare for an unlimited-time ferry. We could not confirm from public information whether the price differs by break.

Around Kuta Lombok: Are Guling / Mawi / Tanjung Aan

These are the spots around Kuta Lombok (Mandalika). Information on the whole area is in the “Kuta Lombok (Mandalika)” guide. Here we look only from the surfing point of view.

  • Are Guling: an A-frame about 20 minutes from Kuta by car or motorbike, and about 20 minutes by boat too. Both LMBK Surf House and Nalua Surf explain that the left is hollow and suits mid to high tide, while the right is fast and suits low to mid tide. The difficulty is intermediate to advanced, and LMBK Surf House states clearly that “for beginners we recommend another break such as Selong Belanak”. The tidal current in the bay is strong, and you need to understand the current before you go in.
  • Mawi: south-west of Kuta, 30 to 40 minutes by motorbike according to LMBK Surf House. The last 3.4 km is unpaved, and is said to become muddy and slippery after rain. KuraSurf rates it intermediate to advanced, gives May to September as the best time, and lists as a danger that it gets very shallow at low tide. There are rocks on the inside, and on big days a current pulling towards the cliff side becomes strong. On security around the car park, LMBK Surf House says it “used to have a poor reputation, but now there are food stalls and a car park attendant and it is much safer than before”. Even so, basic precautions are effective: do not leave valuables in the vehicle, and park in a place where people can see it, using the local stalls.
  • Tanjung Aan: an A-frame inside a white-sand bay, about 15 to 20 minutes by car from Kuta. Because the paddle out to the break is long, going by boat is usual. KuraSurf advises “avoid times when the tide is under 1 m”. It looks gentle, but on days when the size comes up it is not for beginners.

Selong Belanak: a beach break suited to your first wave

Selong Belanak, about 23 km west of Kuta and about 30 minutes by car, is a sandy-bottom beach break. Surf Indonesia calls it “the best beginner wave on Lombok”, a soft rolling wave that breaks both left and right. KuraSurf also gives “no worry of hitting reef if you fall” as a reason it suits beginners.

It is less than 100 m from the car park to the beach, which also helps when carrying gear. For prices, the Indonesian-language tourism information site Salsa Wisata gives entry Rp5,000 (about US$0.28, approximate), motorbike parking Rp5,000 (about US$0.28, approximate) and car parking Rp10,000 (about US$0.56, approximate). However, the site itself notes that “prices can change at any time at the manager’s discretion”, so the amount you are actually quoted on site may differ. Use these only as a guide, and check at the collection point on site. Waves come in easily all year, but they are weak in power and can feel unsatisfying to intermediate surfers and above.

Ekas: a bay where difficulty splits between inside and outside

Ekas Bay is an inlet on the south-east of the island. Access is by boat, about 30 minutes from Awang Harbour on the opposite shore. From Kuta to Awang is about 40 minutes by car, so the travel time is longer than for the other spots in the south.

Ekas Inside is a reef break that breaks both left and right. One explanation says the left forms a long wall (KuraSurf), another says both left and right can be used and it suits beginners too (Surf Indonesia), and the difficulty rating is split at beginner to intermediate. On tide, the shared guidance across sources is low to mid tide for the inside and mid to high tide for the outside. The best season, according to Surf Indonesia, is April to November.

Ekas Outside is a hollow wave that breaks right under the cliff, for intermediate to advanced surfers. Surf Indonesia describes it as a right and KuraSurf as a left, so the descriptions of left and right do not match; please check the day’s conditions locally. The boat fee is often included in a surf camp or accommodation stay package, and a going rate for one-off bookings is not published.

Desert Point / Bangko-Bangko: the left in the south-west and where it lies in relation to Sekotong

Desert Point (also called Bangko-Bangko) is a left-hand reef point at the south-western tip of Lombok. Surf Atlas describes barrels lasting around 30 seconds and states “experts only” repeatedly. LMBK Surf House gives figures of rides of 100 to 300 m on a single wave and 10 to 20 seconds inside one barrel. It is a low-tide-only wave, and at high tide it almost disappears. The best season is the dry season (LMBK Surf House says May to September), and the Ministry of Tourism’s tourism village database (Jadesta) gives July to August in particular. It breaks right over shallow, sharp reef, so it is not a place for inexperienced surfers to try.

In terms of administrative area, the Bangko-Bangko area is in Batu Putih village, Sekotong District, West Lombok Regency (Desa Batu Putih, Kecamatan Sekotong). The environmental media Mongabay Indonesia writes “Teluk Bangko-Bangko, Desa Batuputih, Kecamatan Sekotong, Lombok Barat, NTB”, and the Ministry of Tourism’s Jadesta also lists Desert Point as a resource of that village’s tourism village (Desa Wisata Batu Putih). In other words, it is in the same district as our base in Sekotong.

The entry fee needs care. The Jadesta page shows “Harga Mulai Dari: 0”, but this is just the price field of the tourism village database left unfilled and showing “0”, and it is no evidence that entry is free. As Mongabay Indonesia notes, the Bangko-Bangko area is a Taman Wisata Alam (TWA, a nature tourism park, a kind of protected area), and entry to a TWA has an entry fee set as state non-tax revenue (PNBP) under Government Regulation PP 36/2024. At other TWAs there are examples where, under the same regulation, a fee such as Rp100,000 (about US$5.60, approximate) per foreigner per day is set. We could not confirm from public information how much is actually collected at Bangko-Bangko. Bring cash on the assumption that you may be charged locally, and check in advance with the BKSDA NTB (West Nusa Tenggara Natural Resources Conservation Agency) or with the driver or surf guide you arrange. We will add to this article as soon as we can confirm it.

The road is the route linking Lembar, Sekotong and Batu Putih village, and because an unpaved section remains at the end, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended. For the travel time, LMBK Surf House gives 3 to 4 hours by car from Kuta Lombok. The straight-line distance on the map is around 50 km, but the actual road makes a big detour through Praya, Lembar and Sekotong, so estimating the time from the straight-line distance will be wildly off. Do not think “it looks close, so a day trip”; plan on the assumption that the round trip takes a whole day. In distance it is closer from the Sekotong side, but we have not yet been able to measure the actual travel time from central Sekotong. We will add it as soon as we have a figure. Details of the whole Sekotong area are in the “Sekotong Complete Guide“.

Senggigi / west of the island: plan B for days when the south is blown out

Senggigi is a right-hand reef break on the west coast of the island. LMBK Surf House places it as a dry-season (May to September) spot and explains that in the wet season it tends to be rough with onshore wind. Born to Surf Academy also says the waves line up better in the dry season. Because a large south to south-west swell has to wrap around the island to reach it, the consistency is not high.

What we can say is that on days when the south (around Gerupuk and Kuta) is flat, or conversely too big and blown out, it is worth also looking at the conditions on the west of the island as a “plan B”. It has a steep take-off and sharp coral reef, so it is for intermediate to advanced surfers and not a spot beginners should pick first. The wind and wave tendencies for each season are gathered in “Best Season and Weather“.

Cautions and downsides

Here are the points that are easy to overlook when choosing a spot.

Easily overlooked cautions

  • Some days you cannot go in, depending on tide and size: many reef breaks, such as Tanjung Aan and Mawi, are too shallow to enter at low tide, and conversely the waves get soft at high tide. Always check the day’s tide table and swell forecast.
  • Some spots need reef boots: at Mawi, Ekas Outside and Desert Point you walk over sheer reef, so going in without reef boots greatly raises the risk of injury.
  • Boat fees are extra: the outside breaks at Gerupuk, Tanjung Aan and Ekas assume travel by boat. For Gerupuk, Rp150,000 (about US$8.40, approximate) for a 2-hour session for up to 3 people is published, but there are no published prices for the other spots, so ask a local booking counter or a surf guide beforehand.
  • The dry-season peak (July to September) is crowded: people crowd into the hours when the waves are good, and this is the time when trouble easily arises if you do not know the etiquette of taking turns (the local rules).
  • Do not leave valuables at the car park: at spots like Mawi where the car park is a distance from the entry point, do not leave your wallet, passport or smartphone in the vehicle. Park where people can see, and use the stalls so they get to know your face; that is a realistic form of self-defence.

Downsides of a surf trip in the wet season

Gerupuk’s outside breaks and Tanjung Aan are said to line up better in the wet season, but you also need to count the cost of coming to Lombok in the wet season itself. Unpaved roads such as the final sections to Mawi and Desert Point become muddy and slippery after rain (LMBK Surf House). There are days when an afternoon squall stops your travel. In addition, the fast boats between Bali and Lombok are cancelled or delayed when the sea is rough. If you aim for waves in the wet season, keep 1 to 2 spare days and leave some margin in your flight connections. It also helps your decision to check the characteristics of each route from Bali together with “Best Season and Weather“.

What you especially need to know about safety

Do not treat a coral cut like an ordinary scrape. Divers Alert Network (DAN) says that because the surface of coral is covered with living organisms it easily leads to secondary infection, and recommends the following steps.

Figure: cross-section comparison of a beach break and a reef break

Beach break (Selong Belanak type) Sandy bottom (gently deepening) If you fall, there is no risk of hitting reef Reef break (Desert Point type) ! Shallow, sharp reef The wave breaks right on top of shallow, sharp reef

DAN’s first aid for coral cuts

  • Scrub the wound thoroughly with soap and water (do not just rinse lightly)
  • Flush with plenty of water
  • Clean with hydrogen peroxide diluted half and half with water, then rinse again with water
  • Apply a thin layer of antiseptic ointment
  • Cover with dry, sterile, non-stick (does not stick to the wound) gauze
  • Wash and change the dressing twice a day
  • For a wound that has formed a scab, keep changing wet-to-dry gauze dressings with saline or diluted antiseptic once or twice a day until healing progresses

DAN says that if spreading redness, red streaks, pain, fever, pus or swollen lymph nodes appear, you need to see a medical facility. It also warns that infection by Vibrio bacteria in seawater can become serious and even fatal in people with weakened immunity. Do not take it lightly even if the wound looks shallow. Also, because there is a tetanus risk with wounds in contaminated environments, it is reassuring to ask your family doctor before you travel whether you need a tetanus booster. It is safest to bring hydrogen peroxide, antiseptic ointment, non-stick gauze and tape with you from home.

Tidal currents cannot be ignored either. Each surf school warns that at Are Guling, Mawi and Gerupuk Outside the current becomes strong as the size rises. Even in the bay, the outer breaks assume travel by boat, and if you are swept away it is not easy to get back on your own. While you are a beginner or intermediate, avoid going in alone and take a guide or a boat.

The medical system is also something to think about beforehand. Indonesia’s healthcare varies greatly by region, and where advanced treatment is needed, emergency evacuation abroad (for example to Singapore) is often required. The hospitals on Lombok that can give comprehensive care are concentrated in Mataram (such as the provincial general hospital RSUD Provinsi NTB), roughly 1 to 2 hours by car from the south such as Kuta Lombok, and it takes still longer from the south-west tip where Desert Point is, including the unpaved section. If you suffer a reef cut deep enough to need stitches, you will need to act on the assumption that you travel to Mataram the same day. Private hospitals may ask for a large deposit when you are seen, so arrange travel insurance and check your credit card limit before you travel. Precautions on the ground, including security, are explained in “Lombok Safety“.

What suits you: three branches

  • If you are standing up on a board for the first time: Selong Belanak is the first choice. It has a sandy bottom, little worry about reef, and you can get in straight from the car park. Gerupuk’s Inside Right and Kiddies are also places to practise on days when the waves are small and you have an instructor with you
  • If you want lots of small waves: Gerupuk’s breaks suit you. With several peaks it is easy to move to avoid crowds, and it is an area where you can catch plenty of waves in a day. Tanjung Aan is also a candidate, but it is a reef break you go to by boat, you cannot enter at times when the tide is under 1 m, and on days when the size comes up it is not for beginners
  • If you want a barrel: Ekas Outside is the realistic choice. Surf Atlas writes of 30-second barrels at Desert Point, but also states “experts only”, so it is not a place to try while you are inexperienced

If you plan to tour other areas of the island together with surfing, checking how to set travel times in “Lombok Model Itineraries: 3 to 5 Days” will make planning easier.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Which is the most popular surf spot on Lombok?

A. We could not find official statistics to back up “most popular”. But Gerupuk is a bay with five breaks in one bay (Inside Right / Outside Right / Outside Left / Dondon / Kiddies), reached in about 20 to 25 minutes by car from Kuta Lombok plus a few minutes by boat, and its prices are published. Beginners and intermediates can move around within the same bay to match their level, so it is an area that is easy to use as a base.

Q. Can a beginner surf on Lombok?

A. Yes. Sandy-bottom Selong Belanak suits best, and both Surf Indonesia and KuraSurf name it as their top beginner pick. Reef breaks such as Gerupuk’s Inside Right, Dondon and Kiddies are sometimes practised on by beginners when the size is small and an instructor or guide goes along, but the difficulty of Dondon is rated split between beginner and intermediate depending on the source. Because these waves break over reef, they are not places to go in alone. Avoid Mawi and Desert Point.

Q. Where is Desert Point?

A. It is in the area called Bangko-Bangko at the south-western tip of Lombok. Administratively it is in Batu Putih village (Desa Batu Putih), Sekotong District, West Lombok Regency, the same district as our base in Sekotong. The road connects via Lembar and Sekotong, and an unpaved section remains at the end. It is 3 to 4 hours by car from Kuta Lombok (LMBK Surf House), which takes a long time for the short straight-line distance.

Q. When is the best season for surfing on Lombok?

A. At many spots in the south the waves are said to line up better in the dry season (roughly May to September), while some spots, such as Gerupuk’s two outside breaks and Tanjung Aan, are said to line up better in the wet season. On climate, BMKG (Indonesia’s Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics) said in its announcement of 10 June 2026 that the 2026 dry-season peak is July to September, with August the most widespread, and forecasts August as the peak for West Nusa Tenggara Province (which includes Lombok). The same announcement says this year’s dry season is expected to be drier and longer than normal, and that El Niño is likely to continue until early 2027 (98% for moderate, 62% for strong). However, the peak of the dry season does not always match good waves, so decide from the swell forecast just before you travel.

Q. Do I need reef boots for surfing?

A. They are basically not needed at sandy-bottom Selong Belanak, but we recommend wearing them at spots that break over reef such as Mawi, Ekas and Desert Point. Coral cuts easily turn septic and can wreck the itinerary itself.

The information this article is based on

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