Lombok & Bali

We were surprised by how dry Lombok is at that period of the year, the landscape reminded us more of Greece than of the Indonesia we had in mind. It sits just east of the Wallace Line — the biogeographic boundary Alfred Russel Wallace drew through the strait separating it from Bali — and the climate changes almost as fast as the wildlife does. Where Bali is lush and monsoon-fed, Lombok turns dry and savanna-gold.

Most mornings in Lombok started with the drive to Grupuk and a longtail boat out to the break. The waves were almost absurdly good for my level, and the boat ride became part of the routine. Our end of day ritual was to enjoy the soft warmth of the sundowner on the beaches aroudn Kuta. We also spent some evenings at Mawi, amazed by the power of the Indian Ocean creating impressive hollow tubes. We also had a few days of scooter driving further away from Kuta, losing ourselves in the untouched nature of Lombok. Very quickly we would find only small villages and large empty beaches.

We’d already done the more classic Bali loop in 2022 — Canggu, Uluwatu, Ubud, Amed — so this time we wanted to see more of the northwest. We ended up staying in Medewi and Balian, both with waves that were perfect for my level and far less development than around Canggu. Most days were some combination of surfing, rice fields and riding the scooter through small villages. We eventually made it back to Canggu as well, mostly so I could surf every day.