Top 10 things to do in KUTA Lombok: Your ultimate guide
Updated: Mar 7
Here is our youtube channel where we post tips about travelling Lombok and our daily life.
Hello, this is Coco and Emily, we are a couple living in Lombok, Indonesia. Coco is from Kuta, Lombok and Emily is English/Australian. We met in 2014 and have been living in Lombok for 8 years. Kuta, Lombok is our home, and it is one of - if not THE - most beautiful places we have ever been; here we will tell you why, and let you in on our top 10 recommended things to do while staying here.
Lombok is the island to the East of Bali, but actually the two are very different islands, they have different languages and religions, as well as different traditions. Kuta is a relaxed beach town but is developing fast, particularly since the new Moto Grand Prix track has been built. Kuta has so many amazing things to see and do, as well as having the nicest, friendliest locals. I would recommend hiring a scooter or a car, to give you more freedom to explore the island. Kuta Lombok is great to visit all year round. Rainy season is from about Nov- Feb, but it doesn’t rain all day every day, and the rainy season is actually the best time of year for surfing. This blog post is just about KUTA (south) Lombok and not all of Lombok. We will post another blog about the top ten things to do in all of LOMBOK.
1. BEACHES
South Lombok is known for its white sand, blue ocean and empty beaches, they really are breathtaking. You could drive up the coast and stop at every beautiful beach, but a few we would recommend are: Tanjung Ann, Seger, Tampah, Mawun, Mawi and Selong Belanak
2. SURFING
Kuta Lombok is the best place to learn surfing, and if you already know how to surf, South Lombok is a dream!! We recommend taking out a guide, since you usually need to travel by car or boat to get to the surf spots and it can be dangerous if you try to go out in the ocean alone! Hit up Coco and the team at www.cocosurflombok.com for surf lessons, surf guiding, board rental, and surf photography. CocoSurfLombok provides transport, boat, surf boards, instructors, surf photography and all their knowledge packed into one. Selong Belanak is the best place for first time beginner surfers, it is a small beach break with soft sand. Then for intermediate, there is Tanjung Ann or Gerupuk Inside, and for advanced surfers, there is Areguling, Mawi, Outside Gerupuk, or even the world famous Desert Point about an hour away.
We also have a blog about Lomboks surf spots, coming out very soon! So stay tuned!
3. SUNSET
Going to watch the sunset is one of our favourite things to do. There is a spot called Merese Hill, you drive there and it is a short walk up a hill, to an amazzzzing view of the ocean, coastline and sunset.
Here’s a video of Meres Hill, Sunset spot –>
4. SUNDAY MARKET:
The Sunday market is so interesting to see, it is where all the locals go to sell and buy their local produce, and you can get some really cheap food for breakfast e.g. gado gado (rice and veg with peanut sauce) or pesor (rice in banana leaf with veg and coconut) for 5000Rupiah = about 50c Australia. It opens about 6am and closes about 10am, and is also open on other days but will not be as big/busy.
5. EATING:
Not only does Kuta have the most delicious local warangs (a warang is a shop/restaurant) to try out, there are also plenty of other restaurants to choose from, such as, trendy breakfast/brunch coffee spots, pizza, Chinese, even Mexican and Moroccan.
We will make another blog post just to tell you all about the best places to eat in Kuta Lombok. But no matter what sort of food you like, you’ll definitely find somewhere to satisfy those taste buds… Personally we love all the local food - nasi campur, means mixed rice, there are so many tasty and cheap nasi campurs around town!!
6. MEETING LOCAL PEOPLE/ EXPERIENCING SASAK CULTURE
The people from Lombok are really what make it so special; they are so friendly, relaxed and funny. And that’s what travelling is all about, learning about other cultures.
Just chatting to people at the restaurant, going surfing with locals or talking to people you meet on the street.
You might even get invited to a local wedding……
7. NIGHT LIFE:
Kuta Lombok, has some fun parties throughout the week. Every night a different bar will normally have their own night to open as a special night in the week, so ask around to find out where the party is on that particular night. Some bars have live music, and others have DJs, every night is a fun relaxed beach vibe.
8. FISHING
Kuta is a coastal town and most people grew up fishing. Coco’s Dad is a fisherman and sometimes Coco goes out too. Emily has had so much fun going out and experiencing catching her own fish!
9. ROAD TRIP:
We recommend renting out a scooter, car, or asking for transport and going on a road trip to explore the country side. Just 10mins drive out of Kuta you can see local untouched villages, buffaloes and epic views.
10. BAU NYALE
Bau Nyale, is a festival in Kuta, Lombok, usually around end of Feb. This festival is an annual tradition of the Sasak People. There is a long story behind this festival. Each year worms appear at this specific point in the ocean, at this specific time of the year, and all the locals go fishing for the worms to eat. According to local legend they say that this is where the princess of Lombok threw herself off the hill at Seger beach, because of villages fighting over her. In Lombok language (Sasak), Bau is translated as to "catch", and Nyale is the name given to the sea worms. Many other fun events also take place around this time, including traditional stick fighting, and concerts with live bands.
Final thoughts, Kuta, Lombok, is a relaxed beach town, with insane waves for surfing, beautiful beaches and tropical jungles, so it really feels like paradise and you are sure to have a fun adventure! We recommend staying in Kuta as your base, and venturing out on daily trips around Lombok from there.
This article is solely about Kuta/South Lombok, but we’re also working on an article about the top 10 things to do on the whole of Lombok Island. So stay tuned!
Please contact cocosurflombok@gmail.com for any more questions about surfing, fishing or to book a trip. They are always happy to help.
Visit our youtube channel for more - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdlmSr0mTCX465zDp5UPOtw