Surf's up!
Sun, sea, sand and surf. That is what Kuta-Lombok is all about. A small little sleepy town in the south of Lombok with an ironically same name as Kuta in Bali. But this is Kuta in Lombok and it's just beautiful.
Kuta-Lombok is still pristine and raw. Beautiful landscape, amazing clear waters and no high rise buildings except for the Novotel Hotel. Even then it is paradise especially for surfers. You'll need a scooter to get from one beach to another. The signs are not clear and sometimes the roads are really bad but it's simply beautiful. Unspoilt by mass tourism, this is exactly what I was looking for -paradise lost.
Kuta-Lombok is still pristine and raw. Beautiful landscape, amazing clear waters and no high rise buildings except for the Novotel Hotel. Even then it is paradise especially for surfers. You'll need a scooter to get from one beach to another. The signs are not clear and sometimes the roads are really bad but it's simply beautiful. Unspoilt by mass tourism, this is exactly what I was looking for -paradise lost.
We got scooters (Rp.50,000 a day) with surf board racks attached to the side. Kimen Surf shop in the main town centre has good surf boards. They charge about Rp.50,000 for a day's rental. Renting surf boards at surfing spot are expensive. Some will even charge you Rp.50,000 for an hour instead of a day!
The only main road that takes you from one end to the other. Amazing landscapes decorated with lush greenery, my lungs were high on oxygen.
We went for a ride, exploring the place. The weather wasn't too great as it's low season as well as monsoon. It was gloomy but perfect weather for riding. We checked out all the beaches along the way, noting down locations and ended up some 40 minutes away at Selong Blanak beach. The ride to the beach is just stunning. It's a hilly region hence views from the top of the hill, looking on to Kuta's main beach it just beautiful. We passed beautiful green hills adorned by rice fields, no air pollution, little villages, and lots of animals crossing roads! It reminded me of my time in Central Java.
This place is truly paradise!
Selong Blanak beach is at the end of the road. And as everything goes, we have to pay for parking which is about Rp.5,000 per entry. The beach is beautiful, clean and just amazing. If you've just started surfing, this might be the place for you to practice. But you'll need to paddle a fair bit to get to the waves. There was a little cafe on the beach which I chilled at while the guys played football on the beach, in the rain with some of the kids. The beach looks so beautiful, despite the rain and grey clouds, I can only imagine what it would look like on a sunny day!
Selong Blanak beach before the heavy down pour.
We were living at Anda accommodations, right in front of the beach. Nothing fancy but it was good enough for 2 nights. As always cold water showers! We got a room for 3 for a night at Rp.175,000 including breakfast which is decent. For air-conditioned rooms it would cost about Rp.300,000+ including hot water showers.
Butt naked surf!
We were up early the next morning and beach hopping it was. Air Guling was the first stop as we were told the swell was good. Getting here is a bit of a pain as there are no signs plus the roads are really bad. It's a dirt track! We noticed the beach wasn't as clean as we were expecting it to be. It had a bit of trash and lots of washed up seaweed. Plus there are no trees for shade by the beach but the waves looked good. You have to paddle a fair distance to get to the waves though. Fab seem to have a good time surfing as according to him, the waves were perfect.
The next beach up was Mawun. Again to get to the waves you have to paddle far out but the beach itself it just picture perfect. No trash, and no one apart from us on the beach! The waves are a little stronger here. The beach is a bay, a semi circle if you will, with beautiful sand. Its simply stunning... No one but us and crashing waves - bliss!
The next beach up was Mawun. Again to get to the waves you have to paddle far out but the beach itself it just picture perfect. No trash, and no one apart from us on the beach! The waves are a little stronger here. The beach is a bay, a semi circle if you will, with beautiful sand. Its simply stunning... No one but us and crashing waves - bliss!
Shelter from the storm.
Mawi is the beach between Mawun and Selong Blanak and honestly the way in is almost impossible to locate. We didn't get there but you have to ask for directions all the time. Also, most of the beaches are excessed by a dirt road so be prepared for a sore bum!
The Serge beach is to the left, past the Novotel hotel. Again, the beaches here are amazing but for surfing, we were told that Tanjung A'an, Gerupuk and Ekas are the best. Tanjung A'an is a beautiful beach while Gerupuk can be a tough drive to get to. At Gerupuk you'll have to hire a boat to take you out to the break as it's really far out to paddle. Gerupuk is to the left of Anda accommodation and further past Tanjung A'an, and most of the surfers that visit Kuta-Lombok, head to Gerupuk.
We took a drive down to Awang beach, which is on the opposite end of Selong Blanak beach and the road ends here. But to get to Ekas, it's another 30-40 minutes drive from here on a dirt path that takes you inland. Now we didn't venture that far out as it was getting complicated and there is the Inner Ekas and Outter Ekas. These spots for break are brilliant, we were told, if you are good surfer. Suggest that one should buddy up with other surfers who have been there, just so you don't want time getting lost on your way up.
The Serge beach is to the left, past the Novotel hotel. Again, the beaches here are amazing but for surfing, we were told that Tanjung A'an, Gerupuk and Ekas are the best. Tanjung A'an is a beautiful beach while Gerupuk can be a tough drive to get to. At Gerupuk you'll have to hire a boat to take you out to the break as it's really far out to paddle. Gerupuk is to the left of Anda accommodation and further past Tanjung A'an, and most of the surfers that visit Kuta-Lombok, head to Gerupuk.
We took a drive down to Awang beach, which is on the opposite end of Selong Blanak beach and the road ends here. But to get to Ekas, it's another 30-40 minutes drive from here on a dirt path that takes you inland. Now we didn't venture that far out as it was getting complicated and there is the Inner Ekas and Outter Ekas. These spots for break are brilliant, we were told, if you are good surfer. Suggest that one should buddy up with other surfers who have been there, just so you don't want time getting lost on your way up.
Working the rice fields.
Bottom line, Kuta-Lombok is a surfer's heaven. For a beach bum like me, not much to do other than go diving. Scuba Froggy has a dive shop in the Novotel Hotel and do diving around these shores. The Mantel dive site is known to have schools of hammer head sharks! I so wanted to go diving but after much research, found out that these waters are known for strong current plus there are requirements for diving at certain sites. At the Mantel, for example, they will only take you down if you are a Dive Master or clocked in more than 100+ dives on record.
Since these waters are not too popular, I'm guessing the dive sites must be beautiful. Talk about swimming with schools of hammer head sharks... Wow!!
Since these waters are not too popular, I'm guessing the dive sites must be beautiful. Talk about swimming with schools of hammer head sharks... Wow!!
"You want??"
- dead baby shark!
- dead baby shark!
Places to eat around here, the best and cheapest is Warung Jawa 1 and 2 It's really cheap and good quantity of food, delicious too. Now the drinks, if you're going for the juices, don't bother with anything else except the Iced Coconut. It's the only one that is worth getting as it's not watered down like the rest. On the hind side, you get these little pesky children pestering you to purchase bracelets. Some of them are rather persistent, which is rather annoying.
"I think I'm being watched"
- lots of crabs race around Air Guling beach and they are almost translucent.
- lots of crabs race around Air Guling beach and they are almost translucent.
Kuta town as I mentioned, is a sleepy little town, though for me it was beautiful and perfect. Driving past paddy fields, watching locals playing footballs, people working on the rice fields, some driving herds of buffaloes and cows, it's a sight that relaxes the eyes. Sitting by beautiful beaches watching the sunset and listening to nothing but waves, it's just gold. As we drove from one end to the other, I couldn't help but notice sign boards placed on plots of land. Proud signs claiming ownership to the land that disgust me as they are of big hotelier groups.
I can't imagine what this place would be like in 10-15 years down the road. With big hotels comes mass tourism. With no proper management it would turn out to be like Kuta-Bali; Crammed, dirty and just polluted. These beautiful beaches would soon fade... I can only hope that process doesn't happen to this place anytime soon. It's just too beautiful and I will definitely be back to enjoy its pristine beaches and underwater life before it's too late.
Next up: Bali!
I can't imagine what this place would be like in 10-15 years down the road. With big hotels comes mass tourism. With no proper management it would turn out to be like Kuta-Bali; Crammed, dirty and just polluted. These beautiful beaches would soon fade... I can only hope that process doesn't happen to this place anytime soon. It's just too beautiful and I will definitely be back to enjoy its pristine beaches and underwater life before it's too late.
Next up: Bali!
The life of a beach bum…