Ekas is Lombok at its quietest and most rewarding. Tucked into a remote bay on the island’s southeast corner, well off the Kuta Lombok trail, it holds one of Indonesia’s best waves for improving surfers alongside a serious barrel for the confident, and it sees a fraction of the crowds you’ll find an hour west. Inside Ekas is a soft, forgiving left over deep reef, a genuinely good place to step up from the beach onto a reef break, while Outside Ekas is the opposite: a steep, hollow wall for intermediates and above. Add warm water, a mission to get there and empty lineups, and you have a proper Lombok adventure stop on our guide to surfing in Indonesia. Here’s every break, when to go, and how to reach it.
Quick surf guide to Ekas
- Best season: dry season (May to October) for clean SW groundswell and offshore winds; peaks around August
- Best for beginners and improvers: Inside Ekas
- Best for advanced: Outside Ekas, Serangan
- Wave type: reef breaks, a mellow left and a hollow wall, in a sheltered bay
- Water temp: 25 to 30°C, boardshorts and a rash vest, no wetsuit; booties useful
- Crowds: low, one of Lombok’s quieter quality zones
- Getting there: Lombok airport (LOP), a 2 to 2.5 hour drive, or a boat across Awang Bay
- Budget: $25 to $120 a day depending on style
Where to surf in Ekas
The two main waves sit inside and at the mouth of Ekas Bay, with a couple more options across the water and along the coast. Tap a marker to preview a break, then click its name to jump to my full rundown below.
Ekas Bay
The bay holds the two waves Ekas is known for: a soft inside left and a heavier wall at the mouth, and between them they cover a huge range of ability.
Inside Ekas
Inside Ekas is the reason improvers make the trip: a mellow, forgiving wave over a deep coral shelf, with an easy take-off and long, peeling walls that can run well over a hundred meters. The left is the longer, softer ride into the channel, while the shorter right walls up and runs faster, and the depth of the reef makes it one of the better places in Lombok to safely make the jump from the beach onto reef. Genuinely one of Indonesia’s friendliest quality waves, and a joy on a longboard or a mid-length.
Outside Ekas
The serious wave of the bay: a powerful, long left that breaks at the base of the cliff and can run 400 to 500 meters down the reef with real barrel sections when the swell is up. Steep drops and heavier consequences make it a wave for confident, experienced surfers only, and it rewards a strong backhand and good positioning. When Inside is too tame and you want a proper Lombok reef, this is it, and you’ll often have it to yourself.
Along the coast
A couple more waves are within reach, one across the bay, one a day trip west, both usually empty.
Awang
Across the water on the western headland of Awang Bay, this left-hander catches the same swell that feeds Ekas but is more exposed to the wind, so it is less consistent and best in the calm of early morning. It is an uncrowded backup rather than a first choice, but on the right day it offers a quiet, fun wall away from everyone. Worth a look when you’re crossing the bay by boat anyway.
Serangan
Over on the southwest side of Lombok, and really a separate day trip rather than part of Ekas Bay, Serangan is a fast, steep-take-off right that peels a hundred meters or more into a channel like a point. It is fickle and very wind-sensitive, so it is best hit at dawn before the trade winds ruin it, and it suits confident surfers over its shallower sections. A quality wave to have on the list when the wind lines up.
When to surf in Ekas
Shoulder
Wet season
Ekas runs on the classic Indonesian rhythm. The dry season, roughly May to October, is prime: clean SW groundswell from the Southern Ocean and steady offshore trade winds, with August the standout month for size and consistency. Because Ekas faces southeast into the bay, it is one of Lombok’s more reliable year-round zones, holding a rideable wave outside the peak more often than the exposed west-coast breaks, but the dry season is when it is at its best.
The wet season, roughly November to March, brings more wind and less consistency, though the sheltered inside can still offer something on the calmer mornings. Whatever the month, dawn is the move here, before the trade winds fill in and rough up the surface, and the water is warm year-round, so it is always boardshorts, with reef booties a smart extra for the coral.
Surf camps and where to stay in Ekas
Ekas is remote and low-key: a scatter of surf resorts, homestays and simple bungalows perched around the bay, several of which run a boat out to Inside Ekas and know the tides intimately, which is the easy way to do it. There are very few shops out here, so stock up on water and snacks before you arrive, and lean on your accommodation for transfers and forecasts. Many surfers also base in Kuta Lombok and day-trip to Ekas by car and boat. For the wider island, see our roundup of the best surf camps in Lombok, and our full guide to surfing in Indonesia.
Compare surf camps in Lombok on BookSurfCamps
What to pack for Ekas
Warm water, coral reef and real remoteness are what to plan for. My Ekas checklist:
- Boardshorts and a rash vest, no wetsuit in 25 to 30 degree water, plus reef booties for the coral
- A quiver for the range: a longboard or mid-length for Inside Ekas, a shortboard for Outside and Serangan; check your board volume
- A first-aid kit for reef cuts and everything you might need, since surf shops are nonexistent: spare leashes, fins and ding repair
- Reef-safe SPF, a surf hat, and cash, since there are no ATMs out at the bay
Getting to Ekas
Reaching Ekas is part of its charm. From Lombok International Airport (LOP), the village is about 45 kilometers and a 2 to 2.5 hour drive southeast via Praya and Keruak, with the final roads rough. There are two ways to surf it: stay out at Ekas and have your resort run you to the waves by boat or scooter, or day-trip from Kuta Lombok, driving 30 to 40 minutes to Awang harbor and then hiring a local boat across the bay, about 15 minutes. Boats and captains are easy to find on arrival. If you’re planning a wider trip, pair this with surfing in Indonesia.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ekas good for beginner surfers?
For improvers especially, yes. Inside Ekas is a mellow, forgiving left over deep reef with an easy take-off, which makes it one of the better places in Lombok to move from the beach onto a reef break. Total beginners are better starting on the sand at Selong Belanak, then progressing here. Outside Ekas is for advanced surfers only.
When is the best time to surf in Ekas?
The dry season, May to October, is prime, with clean SW groundswell and offshore trade winds, and August the standout month. Because it faces southeast into a bay, Ekas is one of Lombok’s more year-round-consistent spots, but dawn sessions in the dry season are when it is at its best.
What is the difference between Inside and Outside Ekas?
Inside Ekas is a soft, deep-water left, forgiving and improver-friendly, with long peeling walls. Outside Ekas, at the mouth of the bay, is the opposite: a steep, hollow, powerful left that can run hundreds of meters with barrel sections, for confident intermediate-to-advanced surfers only.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Ekas?
No. The water is a warm 25 to 30 degrees Celsius year-round, so boardshorts and a rash vest are all you need. The key extra is reef booties, since the waves break over coral, along with a good first-aid kit for cuts given how remote the bay is.
Is Ekas crowded?
No, it is one of Lombok’s quieter quality zones, which is a big part of its appeal. Its remoteness, on the island’s southeast corner and often reached by boat, keeps the lineups thin, and Outside Ekas and Awang in particular are frequently near empty.
How do I get to Ekas to surf?
From Lombok airport it is a 2 to 2.5 hour drive southeast to Ekas village, where resorts run boats to the waves. Alternatively, base in Kuta Lombok and day-trip: drive about 30 to 40 minutes to Awang harbor, then take a local boat 15 minutes across the bay to the breaks.
Ekas is the reward for going a little further: a mellow, deep-water left to build your reef confidence on, a heavy wall for the days you want more, quiet corners to explore, and warm, empty water on Lombok’s forgotten southeast coast. Come in the dry season, bring booties and patience, surf at dawn, and enjoy one of the island’s best-kept secrets. See you in the lineup.
