17 Best Kuta Lombok Beaches: A Guide to Amazing Beaches in South Lombok, Indonesia
Kuta Lombok is quickly becoming one of Indonesia’s most popular sun and surf destinations (outside of Bali). Known as a surfing mecca with stunningly beautiful blue waters and hilly backgrounds, it’s easy to see why it’s moving up on the list of best beach areas.
Kuta Lombok offers a more relaxed atmosphere than Bali, with the same developed tourist infrastructure, making it perfect for those looking for an adventurous vacation away from the mainstream crowd. Kuta Lombok beaches are some of the best on the island, and here we will look at 17 incredible beaches to visit in southern Lombok!
Winner: Kuta Lombok’s Best Beaches
If you just want to visit the absolute best beaches, I would crown my first place trophy to my favorite beaches:
- Tanjung Ann to the east
- Selong Belanak on the west.
Both beaches have the powderiest, clean white sand with beautiful blue waters and picturesque hills in the background. Both offer restaurants and chilling areas and are also great for beginner surfers. Schools and board rentals operate right off the beach.
Tanjung Aan is closer to Kuta, but at Selong Bananak, you may be lucky and catch that classic water buffalo shot.
How to Get to Kuta Lombok
To get to Kuta Lombok, you will first need to fly to Lombok International airport in central Lombok. From there, it is about an hour’s drive down to Kuta town. If you are staying at one of the big resorts, they may have a shuttle service that will take you from the airport.
There is a public transportation bus that runs from the airport to Kuta, but I heard from locals that it runs very infrequently, only in the morning. I arrived at 12pm and was already out of luck.
If you’re looking to save yourself the hassle of negotiating: pre-book your private transport from the airport to Kuta here
How to Get to the Best Beaches around Kuta Lombok
As usual for Indonesia, the best way to get around to the best beaches around Kuta Lombok is by renting your own scooter.
Almost every hotel, tourist information kiosk, and street corner has scooters available for rent.
Scooters in Kuta are paid for by the day, not a 24 hour rental, and typically cost 80K IDR daily.
If you negotiate, you may be able to lower it to 70K per day and 60k IDR if you rent for more than one week. (I got mine at LoTide Surf Hostel at this discounted price.)
If you prefer to join a tour, book this Southern Lombok Tour that combines discovering the local culture and Tanjung Ann in one.
Organization of the Best Beaches of Kuta Lombok
Kuta Lombok sits in the middle of the south coast, so which way should you go to beach hop the day away? If you have two days, I recommend spending one day east of Kuta and the second in the west. And if you’re looking for a full guide, check out this complete list of things to do in Kuta Lombok besides just its beaches.
Below I’ve organized the beaches in order of distance away from Kuta to help you plan your beach vacation.
Beaches East of Kuta Lombok
1. Kuta Beach/Mandalika Beach
1-3km from Kuta Lombok
Being the beach right in town, Kuta Beach is the most accessible for those who want to just walk to the shoreline. From anywhere on Kuta’s main road, it shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes to get to the beach. (Kuta and Mandalika seem to be one and the same, or at least very close neighbors)
There, you can then enjoy small rock formations, a newly built-up boardwalk, a small park, and plenty of restaurant options. With the construction of the MotoGP speedway, an extensive clean-up and redevelopment effort have modernized the area.
As with almost every beach near Kuta Lombok, parking will cost 10K IDR.
Not to sugarcoat it, the easy access is the main reason to visit Kuta Beach. Compared to its neighbors, it’s more or less a typical beach.
Tip: Around the Kuta Bay Harbour, trash and seaweed don’t make this the most pleasant beach experience. Stick to the east of Kuta Lombok.
2. Seger Beach
4.5km from Kuta Lombok
Just the next beach over from Kuta Lombok, Seger Beach is a quieter and more beautiful alternative. As with most Kuta Lombok beaches, a 10k IDR fee is required to enter the parking lot lined with small beach shacks of souvenirs and fresh coconuts.
On the beach itself, a lone tree protrudes out from the water in front of a colorful sea stack and the Patung Putri Mandalika statue. The statue embodies the local folklore of a princess who threw herself into the sea to escape a marriage proposal. In February, don’t miss the Bau Nyale ceremony, where locals try to catch her reincarnation – colorful sea worms that emerge during the rainy season on the beach.
Bukit Seger
Across the bamboo bridge, Bukit Seger provides a fantastic vantage point of Seger and Kuta Beach on one side and the new Pertamina MotoGP Speedway and Torok Bare Beach on the other. Pay an additional small fee of 5K IDR to access the small hill.
3. Torok Bare Beach
5km from Kuta Lombok
An ultimate secluded beach right east of Seger Beach on the other side of Bukit Seger. A long stretch of abandoned sand with no facilities lay just in front of the new Pertamina Speedway.
If you’re already at Seger Beach, take the walk over for no extra charge just to go check it out the other side.
4. Tanjung Aan Beach
9km from Kuta Lombok
One of Lombok’s best beaches, Tanjung Aan is famous for its soft white sand and beautiful calm turquoise water. The sand here is so white, the light reflection at noon actually hurts my eyes to look at it.
After getting off the new highway, the road along Tanjung Aan is short but bumpy along dirt and sand. If you park at one of the beaches many warungs, there is no need to pay an entrance fee.
With plenty of restaurants and reclining areas, beach bums can swim anywhere along the beach, while surfers should head to the east to the surf break. You would think that as one of Kuta Lombok’s most popular beaches, it would be much busier than it was, but during the weekends in high season, I imagine it crould be more crowded.
Bukit Merese on Tanjung Aan Beach
As one of the best places to watch the sunset in south Lombok, Bukit Merese lies just west of Tanjung Aan. To climb this small peninsula, you must pay an entry ticket of 10k IDR. Then, walk around 30 minutes to get to the sunset point.
Tips:
- If you’re riding a scooter, keep an eye on the road, as it may be full of sand.
- Watch your belongings from potentially thieving monkeys.
Bukit Pedau
Seated between Tanjung Ann and Katil Beach, Bukit Pedau is another amazing climb to a spectacular overlook of ocean sea stacks and seaweed farms. Once known for the rock formation called Batu Payung, it has since been stomped flat by a recent earthquake.
Pay 5k IDR to park at a local’s hut to access a rocky private beach in front of the hill. Although the beach was just average, climbing to the top of Bukit Pedau was one of my favorites!
5. Katil Beach
11km from Kuta Lombok
A real Kuta Lombok hidden gem, Katil Beach is a secluded little spot that’s probably not the best for swimming and relaxing, but rather a place to observe how the locals use the natural resources. Here, it’s common to find herds of cattle walking the stretch of sand and seaweed farmers hulling their harvest.
During low tide, a hike up nearby Bukit Pedau is a must to see the amazing underwater seaweed farming fields.
Gunung Tunak Nature Reserve
If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten track, add Gunung Tunak Nature Reserve to your Kuta Lombok beaches list. As you continue to drive down the coast, Gunung Tunak Nature Reserve houses two beautiful beaches, a deer sanctuary, and a hike to an iconic sea stack arch.
As a protected reserve, an environmental fee per person costs 100k IDR. You can expect to spend several hours inside the park to see everything.
Once you enter the park, an asphalt road leads you to the Deer Sanctuary before splitting into two paths that lead to the two different beach areas.
6. Bilasayak Beach
21km from Kuta Lombok
Stick to the right of the fork at the deer sanctuary, and in about 10 bumpy minutes on a dirt road, you should be able to reach Bilasayak Beach. Although there is currently no infrastructure, a beach bungalow resort is mostly built, and I can only assume it will operate soon with a restaurant.
Walk to the end of the beach for a hiking path stairway to climb the nearby hill. And just enjoy playing in the sand, which feels so strangely artificial, like the insides of a beanie bag. I mean, just look at the circular sand particles (below).
7. Teluk Ujung Beach
21km from Kuta Lombok
Take the left fork at the deer sanctuary for a slightly less bumpy ride which leads you to Teluk Ujung Beach. In my opinion, this beach is more scenic than Bilasayak Beach.
For the more adventurous, ride your scooter to the end of the beach following the small trails up the Bukit Tunak hill.
Once it gets too steep, hike the rest of the way through the brush before entering a clearing with views of small sea stacks and the next peninsula.
8. Pantai Sari Goang Arch
21km from Kuta Lombok
If you google Gunung Tunak, you will see photos of the Sari Goang rock formation. As a beautiful archway off the shore, this area is less of a beach than a cool viewpoint.
To get there, take the same path as Teluk Ujung Beach, and just as the asphalt road ends, turn onto the left fork. We attempted to drive our scooters, but it got bad enough that we opted to hike the rest of the route. If you have a dirt bike, it would be an excellent opportunity for some off-roading.
The hike takes about 30-45 minutes one way. It’s not particularly steep, just long and hot under the sun.
9. Lombok’s Pink Beach (Pantai Tangsi Beach)
56km from Kuta Lombok
If Kuta Lombok’s white sand beaches are not enough to wow you and you’re not planning a Komodo National Park visit on the island of Flores, then a visit to Lombok’s very own pink beach is a must. Pantai Tangsi, also known as Pink Beach, is one of Lombok’s most unique beaches, well, because the sand is pink-ish.
The beach gets its color from eroded pink coral, and the contrast against the crystal clear waters makes this beach even more appealing. Although I didn’t get to go as it was 1.5 hours away from Kuta, feedback from fellow travelers has said that although pink, its not that pink, at least compared to the ones on Komodo National Park.
10. Tanjung Ringgit Beach
56km from Kuta Lombok
At the southeasternmost tip of Lombok island, Tanjung Ringgit offers those who venture there lovely panoramas of steep cliffs and beautiful seas mixing with fine white sand. Many people don’t care to venture so far, and access is limited as the path to get there is not in great condition.
Fun fact: Tanjung Ringgit was a site occupied by the Japanese in WWII. Today cannons and barrack caves can still be found in the area.
Don’t Miss This! If you’re coming all the way out to Tanjung Ringgit, check out the giant bat cave and Tanjung Poki, where massive waves violently crash into the cliffs, especially during high tide.
Beaches West of Kuta Lombok
11. Mawun Beach
8.6km from Kuta Lombok
Only a short 15 minute ride west of Kuta, Mawun Beach can be accessed with a 10k IDR parking fee. With green rolling hills flanked on both sides and nice calm waves, Mawun beach is much more suitable for relaxing than a surf spot.
12. Tampah/Lancing Beach
12km from Kuta Lombok
Just the next bay over from Mawun Beach, a long stretch of sand combines Tampah and Lancing Beach. Tampah on the east has the regular 10k IDR parking fee, but entry to Lancing Beach is free.
This clean, quiet beach is sheltered, so it’s great for swimming and has some coral for those wanting to do some snorkeling.
13. Mawi Beach
19km from Kuta Lombok
Note: one entry fee of 10k IDR grants you access to the terrible road for following: Mawi Beach, Semeti Beach, Telewas Beach, Telewas Hill, Munah Beach, Rudal Rock, and Unting Beach
Mawi Beach is another one of Lombok’s hidden treasures, fantastic for more experienced surfers. With larger waves and shallow seas, Mawi is not great for swimming.
The journey to Mawi Beach is half the fun (or torture), as you’ll get to test how good are your scooter skills down awful, rocky roads. Once you arrive at the beach, a small warung provides seating for you to watch surfers shred on some sick waves.
14. Semeti Beach
19.3km from Kuta Lombok
Semeti Beach is the next beach east of Mawi, but further down the horrible road. Due to the shallow reef, it’s better to enter during the higher tide if you plan on swimming. Far from crowded, this beach is also full of beautiful rock formations to explore.
15. Telewas Beach
19.3km from Kuta Lombok
Halfway between Mawi and Semeti Beach, follow a fork to the left and park at the developed parking area at the foot of some stairs to Telewas, Munah, and Untig Beach. Another gorgeous rocky coastline, this area is full of romantic rock formations and strong swells.
16. Selong Belanak Beach
18km from Kuta Lombok
Selong Belanak Beach, a 35 minute drive to the east, is one of Lombok’s most popular beaches. Known for its surfing and beautiful white sand, Selong Belanak is a great spot for swimming and taking snapshots of water buffalo herded along the beach with rolling hills in the background.
17. Nambung Beach
35km from Kuta Lombok
Most people don’t make it as far as Nambung Beach, a solid hour’s drive from Kuta Lombok. The best time to visit is during low tide when the specialty of Nambung Beach emerges. A shallow sand bank forms, which you can swim to, and a rock formation on the east side gives the illusion of a waterfall when the waves crash.
Warning: Do not get too close to the “waterfall” during large waves or high tide, there is little access, and one big wave can drag you out to sea.
Where to Stay in Southern Lombok
Accommodations in Kuta Lombok
Budget Hostel: Mad Monkey Kuta Lombok – Book Here (it’s cheaper on Agoda)
Mad Monkey Lombok is the best hostel in Lombok, for the amenities and the price. Ranging from $5-$7 per night, you get a beautiful pool and colorful lounge area in the center of Kuta. I stayed there for about a week. (For having 3 WiFi routers, it still sucks, but it’s alright because there are 10 coffee shops within a 5 minute walk.)
Private Room Hotel: Lombok Holiday Hotel – Book Here
Conveniently located on the main street of Kuta, Lombok Holiday hotel is close to the beach and has great dining options, an indoor pool, and a pretty good complimentary breakfast. I tagged along with a friend just for their extra free breakfast and to check out the place.
Accommodation near Gunung Tunak
Private Bungalow: Bumbangku Beach Cottage – Book Here
After an afternoon at Gunung Tunak, we ran out of time to head back to town. With limited accommodation options in the area, we ended up staying at Bunbangku Beach Cottage. Although more expensive than accommodation options in Kuta, they have great beachside views and amazing fried pineapple at their in-house restaurant.
Wrap-Up: Best Beaches of Kuta Lombok, Indonesia
Kuta Lombok is an up-and-coming destination in Indonesia, known for its surf and breathtaking blue water just an easy hop, skip, and a jump away from the tourist central of Bali. I hope this guide helps you plan your Lombok itinerary, as there are so many best beaches to choose from in Kuta Lombok.
