Top 3 beaches in Lombok, Indonesia

Top 3 beaches in Lombok, Indonesia

• 4 May 2017

Before we planned our trip to Indonesia, I had never heard of Lombok - perhaps overshadowed by its more well known neighbour, Bali. Lombok is described as Bali before all the tourists arrived, and I can certainly see why. It is home to some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to and amazingly, most are barely visited. This means you are more than likely sharing the beach with only a handful of other people, which is quite rare these days.

Whilst in Lombok, we hired a driver to travel longer distances (trust me, this is the best option as the roads are super busy and often not the best quality) and  you will therefore need to pay around 5-10,000 IDR for parking at most beaches.

1. Selong Belanak 

 

For me, Selong Belanak easily deserves the number one spot – it may even be one of the most beautiful beaches I have been to and I am sure the pictures really speak for themselves. The sand is the whitest I have seen, the sea is a beautiful turquoise colour and there is just an abundance of space. Most importantly, despite its beauty, it was not very busy.

This is a great beach to visit if you are a beginner surfer, as the waves are not too big. For us, it was enough to watch the surfers catch the waves and just relax in the sun. We were also lucky enough to arrive just as the farmers were transferring their water buffalo's from one side of the beach to the other, which was on my list of things to see.

Located in South Lombok, Selong Belanak is about 1.5 to 2 hour drive from Senggigi.

2. Mawun Beach

 

Mawun beach, which is not too far from Selong Belanak, was my second favourite beach. Shaped like a horse-shoe, Mawun beach has crystal clear water and is nice to walk from one end to another. There is a large tree on the beach which provides lots of welcomed shade, without having to purchase an umbrella.

I do have to mention that there are many hawkers (mostly young kids) at this beach. They are very persistent in trying to sell you fruit or products, coming back every few minutes despite a polite no thank you. There were also a few stray dogs, which you always have to be careful with.

Located in South Lombok, Mawun beach is about 1.5 to 2 hour drive from Senggigi.

 

3. Nippah Beach

 

Nippah beach may not be the most beautiful beach, but it is definitely one I would recommend stopping at if you are passing by. We hired a moped for the day and drove north from Sengiggi, stopping at Pentai Nippah for a few hours. For most of the time we were there, we were the only ones, apart from a few locals at one end of the beach - which is such a rarity these days. 

If you love seafood this is the place for you. The beach is lined with local food stalls that cook fresh fish caught that day, for very good prices. Although neither Richard or I are fish fans, it was great fun walking along the beach and talking to the locals - most were more than happy to show us their catch for the day.

Located in West Lombok, Nippah beach is about a 20 minute drive from Senggigi.

Have you been to Lombok before?