Lombok is normally seen as the smaller Bali in Indonesia among surfers but you do want to consider it since there are some great surfing opportunities available, especially when you want to enjoy a destination that is less intense. Now is the perfect time to start planning a trip to Lombok, which is located close to Bali. This is a great island for the left-handers and is less crowded.
The great news is that you just need a tourist visa to enjoy surfing in Lombok. Any international airport can offer it for just $35 and it will be available for a month. When you need more time, you want to visit the Mataram Immigration Office during week 3 of your stay.
Getting To Lombok
You can fly straight to Lombok but there won’t be many airlines to choose from. This is why most people enter the country in Bali. After you reach Bali, you can travel to Lombok via public ferry (around 4 hours and a half), a speed boat or a flight taken from Denpasar. Extra fees may be necessary when you travel with your surf board.
When To Go Surfing In Lombok
There are two main seasons that exist in Indonesia:
- Dry Season – April to October – Most of the Lombok breaks are on its south coast so the western swells will hit Lombok and then be spoiled so the experience is hit or miss.
- Wet Season – November to March – Even if you will have to deal with a lot of rain, swell changes create highly favorable Lombok surfing conditions. You have cleaner smaller swells as opposed to the dry season.
The good news is that water is warm even during the wet season. However, some may want to visit during the dry season. In this case you want to basically stick to Lombok’s west coast when you want to enjoy surfing.
How Much Money Do You Need?
You are not going to have aces to the highly diverse accommodation options available in Bali. Most of the Lombok surfing tourists will stay in 2 areas:
- Kuta – Wide accommodation range close to various surf spots. It is possible to find really basic huts for affordable prices of around $10 per night or five star accommodations like Novotel, which will cost $100 per night.
- Desert Point – You get accommodation near the most popular surfing spot in Lombok but most of the options are simple huts without electricity for 5 to 10 dollars per night.
Booking in advance is only recommended when you want to stay in the pricier accommodation options.
If you want to eat, you should consider the street stalls first or the ruman makan cafes as meals are really cheap, just around $3. Do be sure that you taste Babalung, Sate Ikan Tanjung and Ayam Taliwang before leaving. Western food is available close to the tourist hotspots.
Generally speaking, the average budget necessary for a great Lombok surf holiday is 30 to 50 dollars. This does include transportation, accommodation and food. Obviously, hotel prices will be lower during the wet season.
Recommended Lombok Waves
When it comes to available waves, Lombok does have options for absolutely all experience levels.
- Beginner Surfing In Lombok – If you are not experienced, protected coves are a great idea. You want to particularly consider Ekas, Selong Belanak and Grupuk for great longboard breaks. As a beginner, Selong Belanak and Ekas should be taken into account first because they are not that crowded.
- Advanced Surfing In Lombok – Most of the surfing spots are going to be suitable for surfers of an intermediate to advanced skill level. Mawi is the most popular destination because most swell is picked up but you can also consider Ekas.
A special mention should be made about Desert Point. Most of the surfers are looking for this surfing spot since it was voted as being the very Best Wave In The World according to Tracks Magazine. While Desert Point just has surfing waves a small number of times per year, this is a great experience, even if there are many professionals that will want to ride the hollow left hand, perfect wave here. When you do not want to deal with the competition, simply go to G-Land.
