With year-round swells, sunshine and Bintangs, Indonesia is probably the world’s best surfing destination, period. For years now, surfers of all levels come from around the globe to chase some Indonesian perfection and catch waves all day, everyday.

Indonesia is huge and you will find waves pretty much anywhere that is exposed to the Indian Ocean. However, if you are gonna pick one spot for a surf trip, it has to be one of the 10 following places.

1.  Uluwatu, Bali

Uluwatu is a world-class wave located on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula right by the cliffs of Uluwatu. This reef break produces long and perfect left-hand waves that can go on for as long as a few hundred meters.

Uluwatu is also a great place to settle and enjoy wonderful Balinese sunsets or go visit the Temple for a little cultural escape.

Find a Surf Camp in Uluwatu, starting at US$581

2. Desert Point, Lombok

Desert Point is definitely Lombok’s best wave, by a mile! This fast and hollow reef break is an absolute race track that is super challenging even for the best surfers out there. Lombok is Bali’s neighbor to the east and both islands are only a short ferry away from each other. Sometimes, simply by going to Lombok, you will skip some of the Balinese crowds while still getting the same swells.

Read our complete surfing guide to Lombok, Indonesia

3. Lakey Peak, Sumbawa

Read our complete surfing guide to Sumbawa, Indonesia

Right after Lombok comes Sumbawa, just another ferry away. This island is more remote, less crowded and less developed than Bali and Lombok. Sumbawa also has GREAT waves! The island is pretty wide and has two separate airports and surfing areas. Lakey Peak is on the east side of Sumbawa and is a fantastic A-frame reef break.

4. Mentawai Islands, Sumatra

Read our complete surfing guide to Mentawai Islands

The Mentawai Islands have dozens of world-class reef breaks that make this archipelago a true surfing mecca. Although the Mentawais are more remote and hard of access, the hassle is totally worth it and most trip to the Mentawais turn out to be the surf trip of a lifetime!

5. Padang Padang, Bali

Padang Padang is another flagship surf spot on Bali, located in Bukit’s Peninsula. This left-hand wave is a hollow reef break, perfect to practice some barrel rides or simply play with a long and steep wall.

6. Yoyo’s, Sumbawa

Yoyo’s is a super consistent wave located in Sekongkang Bay, which is known for being a swell magnet. The bay is positioned in a way to catch any swell from the south-west and produce perfect waves. Yoyo’s is a right-hand reef break that works better in the morning from mid to high tide.

7. Mawi Beach, Lombok

Another nice wave on Lombok is Mawi Beach which is probably the most consistent surf spot on the island. Mawi works at all stages of the tide and breaks left and right, making it a really fun surf spot. Mawi Beach is located about 25 minutes from Kuta and a few other breaks are on the way.

8. G-Land, Java

G-Land, on the island of Java is another world-class left-hand point break that produces a perfect, long and sometimes hollow wave. Good news is G-Land is on the very eastern tip of Java which makes it just a small journey from Bali.

9. Scar Reef, Sumbawa

West Sumbawa is very rich in waves and Scar Reef is another gem of a surf spot that can be found in the area. This punchy reef break is very critical and thrilling for the barrel lovers! Scar Reef isn’t too far of SuperSuck which is another iconic reef break in West Sumbawa.

10. Nihiwatu, Sumba

Nihiwatu is not a very known surf spot compared to the rest of our list, but believe it or not, it is one of Kelly Slater’s favorite wave in the world! The island of Sumba is right beneath Sumbawa and is a very raw and underdeveloped Indonesian island that is perfect for the most adventurous surfers out there. Nihiwatu is just a perfect left-hand wave, mostly uncrowded and super consistent.

Read our complete surfing guide to Sumba, Indonesia

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Summary

The surf in Lombok is nothing less than glorious. Often forgotten due to the forever increasing popularity of its neighbor Bali, the island of Lombok remains a little hidden gem that has also been experiencing a steep climb in tourism lately. Whether it is to visit the Gili islands, climb Mt. Rinjani or surf Desert Point, people slowly realize how pretty and diversified Lombok is.

As far as surfing goes, the main region to aim for is on the south side of the island. Desert Point is a bit on its own at the south western tip of Lombok and should only be an option for the most experienced surfers. This wave is one of the best break in the world but also a very dangerous one.

Safer options are Mawi, Gerupuk and Ekas which are all located around the Kuta area. Although they are less dangerous than Desert Point, they remain some very challenging waves for intermediate and advanced surfers. Beginners will want to head to the west side of the island at Senggigi or Mataram.

All in all, Lombok is a very good option for a surf trip that will be a bit further away from the crowd without sacrificing any surfing quality. For an even more remote experience hop over to Sumbawa, the real hidden gem of Indonesia.

When to go

The best time to surf Lombok is from April to October which represents the dry season with favorable SW swells. November to March will be rainier and the swell turns a bit more southerly which is good for the whole south side of Lombok.

Where to stay in Lombok

Kuta Lombok is a great place to stay and base yourself on a surf trip to Lombok. It offers great access to many breaks, as long as you are able to rent a motorbike or scooter to get around.

On a Budget : Roy Homestay and Ocean View Villas are both lovely and simplistic homestays which cost about $6/night for a double room!

Best Value : Mana Retreat and Mandalika, two lovely and very affordable resorts.

High-end : Kumbara Villas and Villa Alasa are both amongst the top resorts in Kuta Lombok…

Getting there

There are two options to get to Lombok. Either fly into Bali and take the ferry to Lombok which runs multiple times per day or fly right into Lombok depending on the price difference.

Safety/things to know

• For more information about visas and required travel documents.
• Unlike Bali, Lombok’s religion is Islam. Respect all Muslim laws and traditions. Alcohol can be found but not as easily as it is on Bali.
• Moderate Malaria risk

Surf spots in Lombok

Desert Point

Desert Point is a long, challenging barrel that has been tackled by the world’s best surfers and featured in countless surfing magazines. Located on the very south-western tip of Lombok, this wave should be left to experts only as it is very critical and breaks on shallow reef.

• Wave direction : Left
• Bottom : Reef
• Best tide : Low
• Skill level : Advanced
• Optimal swell direction : SW
• Optimal wind direction : NE

Gerupuk

• Wave direction : Right
• Bottom : Reef
• Best tide : Mid to High
• Skill level : All levels
• Optimal swell direction : S
• Optimal wind direction : NE

Mawi

Located 20-25 minutes from Kuta, Mawi Beach is one of Lombok’s most popular break due to its incredible consistency. It is nicely sheltered from the wind and catches most of the swell when other breaks are small or flat. Mawi works on any tide but the wave will be slightly different going from left to right and becoming more hollow. 

• Wave direction : Left and right
• Bottom : Reef
• Best tide : All
• Skill level : Intermediate and advanced
• Optimal swell direction : SW
• Optimal wind direction : NE

Ekas

Located in east Lombok, Ekas is in a very nice bay that catches most southern swells and offers waves for all skill levels. Ekas Inside will be slightly more gentle than the Outside break but both will remain fairly challenging. 

• Wave direction : Left and right
• Bottom : Reef
• Best tide : Any
• Skill level : Any
• Optimal swell direction : SW
• Optimal wind direction : SE

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