The ULTIMATE Kuta Lombok Travel Guide (2025)

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Kuta and its beaches are truly some of the best in this part of Indonesia! Think true rainforest mountain jungle vibes flanking turquoise blue waters, and absolutely prime surf spots. 

I think what I loved about Kuta (and why you need to go) is it’s still pretty … chill. While many of Bali’s beach spots are incessantly crowded to the point you can barely find a place to sit, that vibe hasn’t yet come to Kuta Lombok. If you’re deciding between Bali and Lombok for your vacay, it’s something you should definitely take into account.

While the highlight is what surrounds Kuta, the lil’ town itself has a wide variety of delicious cafes, restaurants, and places to stay that make it the ideal hub for your Lombok trip.

Instead of huge beach clubs and resorts, you’ll find humble warungs and wooden beach chairs to rent in between dips in the water. My kind of paradise!

A lil’ Lombok itinerary to get the inspiration flowing for you: 

Day 1

Today’s all about settling in and taking things easy. Start your day off with one of Lombok’s fantastic cafes before heading east to Tanjung Aan Beach. 

Sip on something shoreside or swim in the turquoise blue bay. Surfers can also rent boards, instructors and boat rides out to a nearby break to catch some waves! 

Once sunset starts to come around, ride up to the adjacent Bukit Merese, also known as the most popular viewpoint in the area. 

End the night back in the thick of things, where there are plenty of local warungs and Western-style restaurants to choose from. I recommend popping into Warung BUDE for some iconic Lombok favorites.

Day 2 

Time to get into one of the best things to do in Lombok: go surfing! If you’re a beginner, head to Selong Belanak to try to catch your first wave. About 20km west of Kuta, it’s a huge beach with plenty of instructors to choose from.

Intermediate and experienced surfers will want to check out Mawi Beach or Gerupuk Bay. After a day out on the water, lunch break warungs aren’t ever too far away. 

I can recommend this EPIC Gerupuk Bay Surf Lesson. The instructors are full of energy and well-experienced – they are great for beginner surfers but also those who want help perfecting their technique.

Unless you head out east to Gerupuk, make sure to check out the Prabu Hills Sunset Point. We spent our last night on the island there, which is basically just a large field on a hill overlooking the sea and the super green surroundings. 

Day 3 

On your last day in Lombok, you’ve got two itinerary options. The first – go drive along the southwest coast and explore a bunch of near-empty beaches. Or…

You can opt to spend the day snorkeling around at the Secret Gilis! 

Lombok has a few different sets of “secret” Gili Islands that are absolutely prime for all my fellow snorkel lovers out there. 

Most tours cost around $40/person and include a classic Indo lunch! You’ll get picked up and dropped back off at your guest house too.

One of the very best things to do in the area is to spend some time at one of the many iconic beaches.

While Kuta itself just has one beach (Kuta Beach) there are DOZENS you can reach by scooter within one hour or less. The further you drive along the coastline, here are my personal faves and then some:

Mawun Beach 

This is my personal favorite beach near Kuta Lombok – and mostly because it had small waves perfect for swimming in instead of this odd tide pool thing I found a lot of others to have going on. Thanks to the local warungs, you can also rent beach chairs for 50,000 IDR or less and snack on fresh coconuts or nasi.

Tampah Beach 

The self-proclaimed cleanest beach on the island lives up to its promise – I found Tampah to be the cleanest and most relaxed beach out of them all. Spending the day here ended up being one of my favorite things to do in Lombok. Hidden away from the road and surrounded on both sides by forested mini mountains, I saw one of the best sunsets ever here… so be sure to stick around for it!

Mawi Beach 

A much-loved surfing hotspot not to far from Selong Belanak, this beach isn’t for beginners, but then again you don’t have to be a surfer at all to enjoy it! Still rough and wild around the edges, Mawi is the perfect escape from the slightly hectic vibes of downtown Kuta in just about 30 minutes.

Mawi is situated right near another pantai too – Semeti – meaning you can make this a 2-in-1 adventure.

But be warned! The drive to this beach is rugged. SUPER rugged. You’ll only want to tackle this one if you are very experienced and confident on your scooter.

Tanjung Aan

Tanjung Aan was the first beach I visited in Kuta, and while it’s stunning upon first glance, I’ll be honest and say it was NOT my favorite Lombok stretch of sand. While it remains a bit rustic compared to what you may be used to while traveling in Bali, it’s still a bit crowded for my taste. But compared to some of these other options, it’s not exactly ideal for swimming or surfing. 

The majority of the bay is covered in coral, and the sandy portion is (sadly) a home base to a shocking amount of plastic bags. 

Even so, the water color is one of the best on the island and you won’t go hungry or without a beach chair. Surfers can take boats a bit farther out to catch those wave breaks, but just a fair warning that things can and do get crowded!

Other Lombok Beaches to Check Out

A few more iconic shorelines that I’d deff consider adding to your bucket list!

• Kuta Beach: Right in walking distance from the town’s main drag, this isn’t exactly my fave beach as you can’t really swim or get into water activities, but it is pretty! If you’re digital nomading, you’ll find that South Lombok Coworking Space is right across the street from it.
• Segara Beach: Super close to famous Selong Belanak, you’ll find your a world away at peaceful Segara. It’s not exact a surf spot, but its generous coral reefs make it a prime spot to potentially see some turtles!
• Semeti Beach: Pantai Semeti as it’s called in Indonesian is a true GEM of a spot – it’s a mission just to get to. About 45 minutes away from Kuta, make sure you’re hella experienced with your scooter as the last bit of “road” looks like a hiking path at best!

Considering Kuta Lombok is practically FILLED with iconic hills every way you look, it’s no surprise that there are some killer places to watch a stellar sunset. Here are two of my faves:

Bukit Merese

I spent my first night in Lombok at Bukit Merese and it did NOT disappoint! I always love a good mountain + beach combo and this viewpoint ticks both boxes. It’s perfect to combine with a trip to Tanjung Aan as it looks right over it.

You’ll have to pay 10,000 IDR ($0.80 USD) to park your scooter – but then one of the best sunsets in Lombok is all yours! Whether you’re traveling as a couple, solo, or with some hostel friends, you simply can’t skip it.

Do note that it does get pretty crowded, so head up early to get a good spot. If you want to have it all to yourself, it’s usually empty during the day and early mornings.

Prabu Hills Sunset Point

A bit less popular than Bukit Merese is Prabu Hills, which is about 10 minutes away from Kuta in the opposite direction. I spent my last night in Lombok here, and while the sun wasn’t as popping as it could have been, the view was still iconic if you ask me! This spot is pretty much an open field but there’s a cute lil’ cafe next door where you can eat/drink and enjoy the sunset.

Wondering what some of the coolest activities in Kuta are? Here are my top picks!

1. Go Beach Hopping

Kuta is home to some of the craziest white sand beaches that I have seen in Asia, and with them come with HALF the crowds you’d see in Bali. Days here consist of bobbing from beach to beach and earning a serious tan in return. Word has caught on about it’s mecca status for surfers who are looking further afield from the droves in Bali.

Tanjung Aan is the quintessentially Lombok beach—white sands and calm waters with killer reef breaks a short taxi boat away. Other cult favourites include Selong Belanak, a great spot for beginner surfers, Seger Beach and Mawi Beach.

2. Become a Surf Pro

If you have your eyes set on Lombok, chances are it’s probably for the surf. Whether you’re a newbie or surf pro, there’s something for everyone here. From predictable wave breaks to some crazy barrels, Lombok’s coastline seriously gives Bali a run for its money. Most breaks require a taxi boat to get to, local boats are happy to swing you a lift for a couple bucks if you’re going solo without a surf school.

Looking for your next favourite surf spot? I’ve got you covered:

Beginners: Hit Selong Belanak for soft, slow waves and a sandy bottom—ideal for first-timers. Tanjung Aan is another good option with mellow waves when there’s enough swell. On smaller days, it can be too flat to ride.

Intermediates: Gerupuk Bay is your spot. A mix of boat-access breaks like Inside (gentle), Outside (faster), and Don Don (peaky and fun). Loads of local guides make it easy to navigate and having an instructor is a good shout here.

Advanced: Mawi brings heavy reef breaks and barrels when it’s firing—sharp, shallow, and definitely not for beginners. Ekas is more remote but delivers solid, uncrowded waves on a good swell.

3. Visit the Gili Islands

If you want to live the REAL small island life, the Gili islands are the way to go, for sure. My favourite place in Indonesia, these little islands surf up a healthy dose of white beaches, calm waters and insane snorkel spots.

Gili Trawagan is a backpacker favourite, with Bali-style cafes to keep you busy in the day and enough nightlife to keep you up until the following morning. Once you get to know Tequila Sunrise, it’s hard to stay out of Tequila Sunrise…

Gili Air dishes out way more chill vibes with a focus on the little island life. Again, great snorkelling, with the only nightlife accounting for a couple of beach bars. Lots of nice restaurants here and generally feels way quieter than Gili T.

Known as a honeymoon island, Gili Meno is the smallest and least developed of the three islands. If you want to chill TF out and spend your days of beaches far less frequented, this should be your go to.

4. Chase Waterfalls

Lombok is home to some pretty insane waterfalls that would blow its Bali counterparts out of the water (literally). Although you won’t find a ton in Kuta itself, there are a lot of good tours that can pick you up from your hotel in Kuta and take you on a big ‘ol day trip to frequent the biggest and best waterfalls on the island.

From Benang Stokal Waterfall to Sendang Gile, Lombok takes its waterfalls seriously. A day trip will take you to these plus rural villages in remote Lombok for a truly cool, cultural day out. A perfect combination of culture, nature and relaxing, you won’t feel like you’ve seen Lombok until you’ve ticked off these spots.

5. Cafe Hop

Lombok has quickly given Bali a run for its money with the cafe culture that has emerged here in recent years. Perfect for if you’re a digital nomad, these cafes are breezy, laptop friendly and serve up a mean cappuccino often times.

Even if you’re not here to juggle work and surf, cafe hopping on a rainy day is a day well spent in Kuta. A few of my favourites are Jelajah Coffee Kuta and Bush Radio.

6. Climb Merese Hill

Merese Hill is a short, easy climb just outside Kuta that dishes up ridiculously good views over Tanjung Aan and the surrounding coastline. Sunrise and sunset are the main events, with rolling grassy hills and even the occasional pack of buffalo grazing in the right season.

It’s not a strenuous hike by any means, just bring a bottle of water and be prepared to sweat for it in the middle of the day.

7. Go on a Yoga Retreat

Yoga’s already a solid way to reset while you’re in Indonesia—but if you’re looking to dig a bit deeper, this retreat’s got you covered. You won’t just be stretching and sun-saluting; by the end of it, you’ll be a certified Ayurvedic Yoga and Natural Healing practitioner. It’s part retreat, part training, and fully focused on inner growth, healing, and weaving yoga into everyday life.

This isn’t your average yoga course. Dan and Randy pour everything into the Adobe program, and it shows—from the thoughtful structure to the family-like vibe that makes you feel right at home. If you’re serious about deepening your practice in a setting that’s equal parts peaceful and powerful, this one’s hard to beat.

8. Catch a Sunset

What better way to finish a day of surf and tanning than to catch a sunset? And boy, oh boy, does Lombok get some good ones. Head to a beach or bukit (hill to you and me) with a couple of Bintangs and wait for those pastel colours to hit the sky. You’ll see surfers trying to catch those last waves in the light and if you pick the right spot, you might not have to share it with anyone.

9. Explore North Lombok

Kuta is beautiful, but if you really want to tick off Lombok then you have to explore the north of the island too. Lucky for you, there’s a ton of decent tours that cover all of the best spots in the region. From waterfalls, traditional villages and the all important Mount Rinjani hike.

The best of Lombok tour will give you your daily dose of culture, nature and adventure.

10. Rent a Bike

There isn’t a TON to do in Kuta town itself, the real beauty lies in its peripheries. The best way to get around Southern Lombok is to jump on a bike and get explorin’. See, you might have visions of the GTA style roads in Bali but Lombok feels like a world away from that.

Recent development in infrastructure means that the roads are big, wide and quiet. If you’re nervous about driving a bike, Lombok is arguably one of the best places to learn because of this. Some of my favourite memories in Lombok are zipping about on my bike hunting down the next best beach and slowing down for a herd of buffalo taking their sweet time across the road.

Kuta’s got it all when it comes to accommodation: backpacker hostels, homestays, your more traditional guesthouses, and even luxury villas and resorts. 

Yuli’s Homestay – Best Homestay in Kuta Lombok

Y’all, I stayed here during my time on the island and trust and believe it’s one of the best value places to stay in town! While it looks like a mini resort it’s actually owned by a lovely local woman named Yuli. Despite the luxury of THREE swimming pools, it had all the vibes of a homestay, complete with multiple communal kitchens for us budget backpackers. They also conveniently rent out scooters, and can arrange taxis as well as snorkeling tours to the Secret Gilis!

Pipes Hostel – Best Hostel in Kuta Lombok

This budget backpacker hostel is just about the cheapest place to stay in Kuta -you’ll get to choose between either air-conditioned or fan-only mixed dorm rooms. I do recommend splurging on that AC if you’re visiting during rainy season AKA summer!

What makes Pipes so special though is the communal activities and vibes. First you’ve got a pool to chill out and cool down in, not
to mention it’s right next to a vegetarian/vegan oriented cafe. They
also have a skate bowl (!!), a movie room, and a communal kitchen.

Villa Grazia Anima Eco Lodge – Best Luxury Villa in Kuta Lombok

This is absolutely the BEST spot in Lombok for those looking for a little bit of luxury. These Kuta Villas come complete with iconic private pools overlooking the lush emerald hills of the Selong Belanak area, way above the road. Featuring a blend of stone and traditional thatched roof architecture, you’ll be far, far away from the sounds of Kuta town here. Don’t be surprised if you feel downright enchanted by the landscape – it DOES look like something out of a fairytale.

TIKA Lombok – Best Place to Stay for Digital Nomads in Kuta Lombok

If you’re a digital nomad heading to Lombok, you’re going to want to find somewhere that allows you to soak in all the beachy goodness that the island has to offer… but also get some work done. Luckily, TIKA Lombok exists! With a gorgeous co-working space on-site (called KARIA), you can’t beat this spot for remote working and overall good vibes.

Restaurants in Kuta Lombok are fantastic! From local Indonesian faves to cozy cafes with massive smoothie bowls, you’ll be able to get a good feel for all the options. 

Here are some that I personally loved: 

Cafes 

• Bush Radio: This industrial-warehouse-style cafe ended up being my go-to. Why? The food was absolutely to die for, namely their smoothie bowls (literally the biggest on the island) and their mahi mahi avocado toast. 
• CoKreate: This Lombok coworking space sits on a quiet, tree-lined street and doubles as a (delicious) cafe! Their hours and work space design are ideal, and it’s the only digital nomad hamlet that also cooks up all kind of food.
• Kenza: Right across from Bush Radio at the end of Kuta’s main drag is Kenza, which is another popular and delicious cafe that has the best poke bowls in town. The menu is actually pretty expansive and they’re open for dinner too. Digital nomads are welcome to work all day until 7 pm when it becomes a laptop-free zone. 
• Loka Cafe: By far the most unique cafe in town, Loka offers tasty, nutritious eats AND a gym/recovery center! We’re talking ice baths and a proper sauna all in the same spot you can work remotely from. Their hours are also super generous – you can pop in any time from 7 am – 10 pm.
• TANAH: This is one of my favourite restaurants to visit when I want to treat myself to some of the finer things in life. These guys have nailed the perfect blend of innovation and traditional Indonesian flavours.

Restaurants 

• Bude Warung: Perhaps the best Indonesian warung in town, Bude is family-owned and top-rated for a reason – everything they serve is freakin’ fantastic. Prices are super cheap, but the quality will have you headed back meal after meal!
• KRNK: The best classic “pub” you’ll find, this iconic Kuta establishment has a little bit of everything – burgers, huge old bowls, nachos, Napolitolian pizza. Just be warned that it gets EXTREMELY busy as the space deff doesn’t fit the demand, so be prepared to wait a bit around supper time.
• The Mexican in Town: While most people hit up the always packed Mexican spot on the main road, if you just take a left you’ll run into this trendy little joint. It’s quieter, serves more authentic food, and won’t have you waiting an hour for your eats!
• The Warung: I LOVED The Warung! More of a newcomer to Kuta, this cute lil’ establishment is outside of the main drag, which means it was actually quiet and didn’t feel like a packed bar. I also loved how they had a super unique menu – Indonesian faves (literally the best nasi goreng I had on my entire trip) and actually good pizzas oddly enough!

Dessert

• Cozy House: This small roadside dessert shop has hundreds of 5-star ratings for a reason – it’s absolutely INSANELY good. I stumbled upon it on Google Maps, and immediately went there to get one of their famous soufflé pancakes. And yall it did NOT disappoint. Not a single Lombok dessert spot can compare – and it’s owned and operated by a local woman! 

A lil’ guide on how much you can expect to spend in Lombok.

I’m about to get up on my soapbox for a sec, because I feel pretty passionate about this topic. I visited Lombok in early April, and while there were a few stand-out sunny days, most were cloudy or dotted with downpours. 

Because of this, the best time to visit Kuta Lombok (much like the best time to visit Bali) is absolutely during the dry season, so ideally from June – September. 

I will say the one benefit of coming when it’s rainy is that the waterfalls are at their absolute peak. We’re talking huge pools to swim in and mad powerful cascades. This is a super nice time to visit Lombok‘s waterfalls.

But back to Kuta – it will be hard to swim and snorkeling will be nearly impossible if you come during “winter”. The sea is also notably filled with trash and debris from storms and strong currents. 

When planning your trip, you’ve got two options to get to Kuta, and both are going to come with a taxi ride at the end! (Unless you’re doing a badass island hopping trip with your motorbike, that is.) 

Your first option is to fly into Lombok International Airport from either Bali, Jakarta, or one of the few international routes that fly in. From there, Kuta’s only about 30 minutes away.

Flights from Bali should be somewhere around $50 USD, but unfortunately, other routes tend to be PRICEY.

If you opt to take the ferry like I did, most routes leave Padang Bai in Bali and take around 4 hours to reach Bangsal Harbor. 

In terms of safety, Eka Jaya is arguably their best option as the boats are huge and tend to do better on the often rocky Lombok Strait. But even so, there’s a TON of other options, so feel free to shop around and see what’s available! I often use 12go to book my transport around Indonesia.

Getting Around the Island

Like Bali and most other Southeast Asian islands, the best way to get around Lombok is by scooter. At around 80,000 IDR ($5 USD) a day, it’s SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than a taxi which would charge upwards of $25-$30 USD for a day of driving around.

Most homestays can arrange a bike for you – just don’t forget that helmet, while there are some small medical centers in Kuta Lombok, but the only quality hospital is a good 45 minutes away. 

Do note that Grab and Gojek (Indonesia’s version of Uber if you’re not in the know) don’t really exist in Lombok, especially not down here. To get back to the harbor or airport after your trip, your accommodation can arrange a taxi for a fair price. 

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance for Lombok

I actually had to use my travel insurance while traveling in Lombok and it saved me $250! Don’t forget to grab some.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

A few questions people usually ask me about Kuta…

Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from me, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straightforward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art I have perfected over many years.

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Keep your laundry organized and stink free

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Hanging Laundry Bag

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Stay Dry With a Micro Towel

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Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.

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Monopoly Deal

Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.

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Reduce Plastic – Bring a Water Bottle!

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Grayl Geopress Water Bottle

Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!

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Check out my definitive Hostel Packing list for even more top hostel packing tips!

And there you have it – a (hopefully) thorough guide with everything you need to know for venturing around Kuta Lombok! I spent more than a week in this little beachy paradise and it was a breath of fresh air from the Bali crowds.

Pristine beaches that look like something out of a tropical jungle paradise, surfing for each and every level, and a ton of delicious spots to eat and work from are just a few of the highlights of the region.

A place where you can still find lonely roads without a lick of traffic, forested hills towering over turquoise blue water, and completely empty stretches of sand.

I have no doubt Kuta Lombok is on its rise to fame, so do yourself a favor and get there quickly – it won’t stay this peaceful for long!

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