If you want to learn to surf in Indonesia, Selong Belanak is about the best place on Lombok to do it. This wide, postcard crescent bay on the island’s south coast is a sandy, forgiving beginner beach where mellow waves roll slowly to shore with no reef or rocks to worry about, warungs line the sand, and surf schools push you into your first waves all day long. And when you’re ready to step up, a short drive west opens a run of quality reefs, from the friendly walls of Are Guling to the punchy barrels of Mawi, so Selong Belanak works as both a first-timer’s haven and a base for progression. This is a favorite learners’ stop on our guide to surfing in Indonesia. Here’s every break, when to go, and how to set up.
Quick surf guide to Selong Belanak
- Best season: dry season (May to October) for the reefs; the beginner bay works year-round
- Best for beginners: Selong Belanak beach
- Best for advanced: Mawi, Tampah, Blongas
- Wave type: a soft sandy beach break, plus reef breaks a short drive west
- Water temp: 27 to 29°C, boardshorts and a rash vest, no wetsuit; booties for the reefs
- Crowds: busy with schools on the beach, quieter at the reefs
- Getting there: Lombok airport (LOP), 30 to 45 minutes; Kuta Lombok about 20 minutes
- Budget: $25 to $90 a day
Where to surf in Selong Belanak
The main bay is the learners’ beach, with a string of reef breaks along the coast to the west for when you’re ready for more. Tap a marker to preview a break, then click its name to jump to my full rundown below.
The Selong Belanak bay
The reason to come: one of the safest, most forgiving beginner waves in Indonesia.
Selong Belanak beach
Selong Belanak is a wide horseshoe bay where mellow one-to-three-foot waves roll slowly over sand, giving learners a long, forgiving push with nothing dumping or barreling and no reef underneath. It’s the safest wave on the island, you can wade out, the whitewater is soft, and the warungs behind the beach hire soft-tops and run lessons all day. The bay is broad enough to spread the crowd, and dawn is cleanest before the onshore wind fills in. If you’re taking your first waves in Lombok, you’ll almost certainly take them here.
The reefs to the west
A short drive west along the coast lies a run of reef breaks that step up steadily in power, the natural progression once you’ve outgrown the beach.
Are Guling
Just west of Selong Belanak, Are Guling is a big bay holding both a left and a right reef peak breaking out from the middle, reached by a paddle or a short boat. It’s the natural first step up from the beach: fun, workable walls once you’re comfortable standing and turning, with the left steeper and shallower on lower tides. Get a feel for the currents before you commit, and treat it as your reef graduation before the heavier waves further along.
Mawi
Mawi is south Lombok’s marquee performance wave: a powerful A-frame with a punchy right and a longer left that opens into clean barrels when it hits six to eight foot. Reached down a bumpy track, it has strong rips and a shallow reef, so it’s firmly a wave for confident intermediates and up, not a place to be finding your feet. When it’s on, it’s the best wave in the area and draws a crowd to match, so mind the pecking order and the current.
Tampah
Next along from Mawi, Tampah is a powerful, challenging reef with consistent lefts and rights for experienced surfers who want to escape the crowds. It rewards those who commit to the drop and read the reef, and because it takes a little effort to reach it stays quiet even when the region is busy. A good option on your list once you’re surfing reef confidently and want an emptier lineup.
Blongas
An hour or so further southwest, Blongas Bay is a sheltered, hard-to-reach reef where the far-east left is long, hollow and lippy, the more consistent and higher-quality of its two peaks. This is serious, exposed, expert territory, usually accessed by boat, with strong currents and a big-wave reputation, so it’s not a casual detour. But for experienced surfers chasing an empty, powerful wave in a dramatic setting, it’s a memorable mission.
When to surf in Selong Belanak
Shoulder
Wet season
South Lombok runs on the classic Indonesian rhythm. The dry season, roughly May to October, is prime: prevailing east and southeast trade winds blow offshore across the south coast, and consistent SW groundswell lights up the reefs, with June to September the peak for size and power at Mawi and beyond. This is the window to plan around if you want to surf the reefs at their best.
For the beginner bay, though, seasons matter far less: Selong Belanak’s protected crescent works virtually year-round, with mornings always cleanest before the onshore wind builds. The wet season, roughly October to April, swings the winds and can favor cleaner mornings at some spots, so there’s nearly always somewhere to surf. The water is warm every month, so it’s boardshorts throughout, with reef booties a smart extra for the sharp reefs to the west.
Surf camps, schools and where to stay in Selong Belanak
Selong Belanak is one of Lombok’s great learn-to-surf bases, with warungs, surf schools and board rentals lining the beach and a growing scatter of guesthouses, villas and surf camps behind it. Many surfers stay in nearby Kuta Lombok, the area’s main hub about 20 minutes east, and drive over for lessons or to reach the reefs, which spreads your options. Learn in the bay, take a guided session to Are Guling or Mawi as you progress, and rent a scooter or hire a driver to work the coast. 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 Selong Belanak
Warm water, a soft sandy bay and sharper reefs nearby are what to plan for. My Selong Belanak checklist:
- Boardshorts and a rash vest, no wetsuit in 27 to 29 degree water; reef booties for Mawi, Tampah and Blongas but not needed in the sandy bay
- The right board: a soft-top or longboard for learning in the bay (easy to rent on the beach), a shortboard for the reefs; see our best beginner surfboards and check your board volume
- Reef-safe SPF and a surf hat for the strong sun, plus a small first-aid kit for the reefs
- A spare leash and set of fins, and cash for warungs, board hire and scooter rental
Getting to Selong Belanak
Selong Belanak is easy to reach by Lombok standards. From Lombok International Airport (LOP) it’s a 30 to 45 minute drive, and from the main hub of Kuta Lombok about 20 minutes west by scooter or car on paved roads. Grab and Gojek are limited out here, so most people rent a scooter or hire a driver, and the reef breaks further west (Mawi, Tampah, Blongas) need a scooter, 4×4 or boat over rougher tracks. Base in the bay itself or in Kuta Lombok and drive over. If you’re planning a wider trip, pair this with surfing in Indonesia.
Frequently asked questions
Is Selong Belanak good for beginner surfers?
Yes, it is widely considered the best beginner beach on Lombok. It’s a wide, sandy bay with soft, slow, forgiving waves, no reef or rocks, warungs renting soft-tops and surf schools on the sand. You can wade out and the whitewater is gentle, which makes it ideal for total first-timers.
When is the best time to surf in Selong Belanak?
The dry season, May to October, is prime, with offshore trade winds and consistent SW groundswell lighting up the reefs to the west, and June to September the peak. The beginner bay itself works virtually year-round, best in the calm of early morning before the onshore wind builds.
What surf spots are near Selong Belanak?
A short drive west lies a run of reef breaks: Are Guling, a friendly step-up bay with a left and right, then the punchy A-frame at Mawi, the powerful reef at Tampah, and the remote expert bay of Blongas. Kuta Lombok and its breaks are about 20 minutes east.
Do I need a wetsuit to surf in Selong Belanak?
No. The water is a warm 27 to 29 degrees Celsius year-round, so boardshorts and a rash vest are all you need. You don’t need booties in the sandy bay, but they’re worth having for the sharp reefs to the west like Mawi and Tampah.
Is Selong Belanak crowded?
The beach gets busy with beginners and surf schools, but the bay is wide enough to spread everyone out, so it rarely feels cramped in the water. The reefs to the west are quieter, except Mawi, which can get crowded and a little localized when it’s firing.
Can you surf in Selong Belanak year-round?
Yes, especially the beginner bay, which is sheltered and works in most conditions all year. The reefs are best in the dry season from May to October, but because the winds shift with the seasons there is nearly always somewhere rideable along this stretch of south Lombok.
Selong Belanak is where Lombok teaches you to surf: a safe, sandy, sun-soaked bay with soft waves and warungs on the sand, backed by a run of reefs that grow your skills as fast as you’re ready. Learn in the bay, graduate west to Are Guling and Mawi, come in the dry season for the reefs, and enjoy one of Indonesia’s friendliest surf towns. See you in the lineup.
