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Surf Lombok, a day at We Wave

wewavesurfcamp — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 08:32:51 +0000

Surf Lombok, A Day at We Wave

I Woke up on a tropical island in a quiet lush indo village and enjoyed my breakfast in the morning sun. At around 9am the action started at We wave surf camp! Everybody loaded up the van with not only Surfboards, but lycra and leashes too, the lifeline between you and your board. We also took lots of spf 50 sunscreen and zinc to protect our faces while surfing in the strong asian sun. Sunscreen alone is not quite enough, right under the equator. With united forces we managed to strap the five Surfboards on the roof of the van.

Agus, our trusted guide at We Wave surf camp and the rest of the surf crew were full of energy and excitement as we all headed to the best Lombok surf of the day. We’re all pumped and ready to catch some good waves in one of the most scenic landscapes in the world.Arriving at the beach and with it, the surf spot, having a moment to take it all in, I was mind blown. The surreal beautiful green hilly coastline with the next bay any valley more beautiful than the other.

My mood was amazing, I felt really excited and I couldn’t wait to jump into the water, and see what all the surf rave was about! But patience is key, we needed to make sure we were 100% ready before heading out to the surf break. Agus reminded us of some basic surfer theory and useful information about the surf spot for our morning in the waves. The surf conditions, preparing us for when and how to paddle out, watching the currents (if there are any), where the channel is, how to navigate it and where our lineup is going to be. After this we did a ten minute warm up routine, which is important before any physical activity and we were ready to go!

The team at We Wave Surf Camp Lombok has seven years of experience when it comes to selecting good spots to surf year round, so you don't waste any precious holiday time scouting the coast line yourself. They will always make sure that you surf Lombok at the right place and right time.

Being a beginner, as I am, I attended the beginner course for my first surf with We wave surf camp Lombok. Without my friend, because he’s a much more experienced surfer and has already surfed at many different surf breaks around Lombok with the advanced courses of the We wave surf camp Lombok. The beginner surf course team however went to Selong Belanak for the morning session, a beautiful beach. The We Wave Surf Camp Lombok has a blog about our favorite beaches already, here is a link.

At Selong Belanak I can see a mellow wave breaking close to the beach and over sand. This made me feel at ease, as I could see the waves were not too big and I felt confident I’d be able to do it. Many of the more advanced surf spots in Lombok have surf breaks over reef. This makes Selong Belanak safe and perfect for beginners, who are just starting to get a feel for surfing. Before going in the water, I practiced popping up on my board, so I had a good idea of foot position and balancing my weight on the board.

Surf Lesson with the We Wave Surf Camp Lombok

Finally we were in the water, and the Surf Guide Agus helped me to catch my first white water wave (that’s a wave that’s already broken, which is easier to catch and to stand up on for first timers). After a couple successful rides to the beach with white water waves Agus took me further out to the line up (the area at a surf spot where the surfers wait for waves) to catch some unbroken real green waves! I fell so often at the beginning when I attempted the take off, it felt like the wave got too steep for me too quickly and I got scared in the last moment. Agus reassured me that I was doing great, but I had to be committed and believe that I could do it, he believed it for sure.

So with new gained confidence, and experience from all the unsuccessful attempts, Agus called me into a Wave “That’s a good one! paddle into the inside, paddle hard, Stand uuuuuup!!!!!!” and so I did! I managed to drop down the Wave till the bottom and go along with the white water right up to the beach. Wow, I was speechless! The feeling of riding that wave made my body feel so energized & hungry to pursue it. I couldn’t help myself, the huge smile on my face just wanted to stay. Agus came out of the water just after me, saw me and just smiled knowing I’d been bitten by the surfbug. He said to me:”the feeling you have right now, we call it being stoked, best feeling in the World.”

We wave surfcamp Lombok After Surf

First thing we did after the good surf was chill a bit at the beach and reflect the surf session over a fresh coconut. The surfing was very exhausting so we all needed some rest. With the much needed quick rest, some energy is back to load up the van, at least for me, Agus is still loaded with energy. On the drive back along the coastline, the landscapes passing by the van window, had all my attention. This tropical paradise is just beyond beautiful. The van gets slower and next thing I was a water buffalo head thirty centimeters away from the car window I was staring out of the whole time. There was a whole herd of them! Twenty at least! Together they were walking along the road, the local herder giving them little taps on their bottoms to make sure one lane of the road was free to pass the buffalos. Oh I love this peaceful island life way too much already…

A little more rest time at the Camp, Wow! surfing really is a solid full body workout, but it feels great! In the afternoon I felt ready for a video surf analysis to see how I had done on my first day in the waves, from a different perspective. I felt like seeing myself surfing, as well as having the feedback and analysis by the experienced guides helped a lot. I feel great, although only my first day – it was a really good one & I’m so happy to have tried surfing out. A quick shower later and we are off to some big hills overlooking the Indian Ocean for a tropical sunset to have a drink or two over. After sunset it’s dinner time & we were all ready to head back down to the town for something to eat. Sometimes indonesien, sometimes burgers, sometimes pizza or a BBQ at the beach, whatever we felt like really.

Surf Camp Lombok Conclusions

If someone were to ask me if I would ever go back to a Surf Camp in Lombok again? Hell yeah! I will be back in Kuta, Lombok in no time for sure! Although I hadn’t surfed before my holiday in Lombok, I can see now why Kuta Lombok is so prefect for learning the sport. I’ve always had great appreciation for surfers. In the past, when I’ve been to beaches famous for the surfing, there are always so many of them in one place! This is great for watching of course, it’s great action. But when its you, in the water, you’ll realise the sport is much more enjoyed when its not over crowded with other surfers in the line up. Makes sense right? The more surfers, the less time for you to spend actually riding the waves. For beginners especially, practice is really important – you don’t get much practice lying on the surfboard in the middle of the ocean, waiting for the line of surfers ahead of you to catch their waves first. This is just another reason why the hidden gem of Kuta, Lombok was a great place for me to discover my love for surfing.

I think on my next trip to Kuta Lombok for surfing I will do two weeks rather than only just a week. I felt like one week was too short, as soon as I really got into Surfing and started making progress, it was time to leave. I also spent all my time in the water and there’s lots more I’d love to see and do on my next trip! Overall it was a great experience with We Wave surf camp and I can’t wait to be back for more!

Have a look at some pictures I took, as highlights of my time with We Wave Surf camp.

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We Wave Surf Camp Lombok Experience

wewavesurfcamp — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 09:19:06 +0000

We Wave Surf Camp lombok Experience

Hi i’m Kendall! In October 2019 while on my travels around South East Asia I decided to take a trip to Lombok in Indonesia. I’d been to Bali twice before and really enjoyed my time spent there, I find Indonesian people welcoming and friendly. I considered going back to visit again, however, after talking to a few people that I’d met along my travels, it sounded like Lombok and the other islands to the east of Bali were a lot less touristy and more authentic. I was interested and curious to see more of Indonesia, I decided to make a trip to Lombok, my first stop being Kuta and go from there.

Surfing in South Lombok

Kuta is a very small village in the south of Lombok. Mainly known for the beautiful beaches and lush green coastline. I enjoyed exploring the town, socialising with other tourists, mostly backpackers and some expats living and working in Lombok. I met Lukas (the founder of We Wave surf camp, Lombok) a couple days into my stay in Kuta and learned about the We Wave surf camp and the beginner surfer programs they offer.

Since being in Kuta I’d done some incredible scuba diving off the south west coast, with a company called Seagypsies Lombok. I had seen and met many surfers, while on the beaches and knew it was a great place for surfing. However, I’d never tried before or considered giving it a try. I decided then was the time to see what all the rave was about. There are a few different surf camps in Kuta, but I chose We wave surf camp, Lombok after speaking with a few people and reading some reviews. I really loved the passion and dedication the team shared with surfing as well.

First time surfing

My first-time surfing, I wasn’t too sure what to expect, but figured the best way to find out- was to try. I started out at Selong Belanak beach, the beach is wide and has a long wave break. The waves didn’t look too big & close enough to shore to be able to stand up after riding a wave. The guide picked a spot where there were no other surfers nearby and told me how to position myself on the board, both when lying down preparing for the wave and when I should stand up. I tried three or four waves, once I was up and riding towards the beach it felt great, but initially I struggled getting up quick enough- finding myself riding the first part of the wave on my knees.

With a bit more practice and helpful advice from my We wave surf camp guide, I was able to pop up on the board quicker and ride the waves for longer, getting familiar with the right time to jump off the board after each wave. I noticed lots of beginners trying to catch waves on their own but I felt more comfortable having an experienced surfer with me- so I chose to do a couple more surf sessions with the We Wave surf camp Lombok team. After one more surf session at Selong Belanak, we went to Tanjung Aan- a beautiful beach just a couple kilometres east of the Kuta bay. This was different as we didn’t just paddle out to the break, of course you could, providing you’d still have energy to catch the waves, but we took a boat as the surf break was a bit further back from the beach. I enjoyed catching some small green waves, with each attempt giving me more of an idea about direction, balance and matching the pace of the wave. Of course with anything, practice is key! The We Wave surf camp team was supportive and encouraging, giving great advice on how to get the most out of the experience as a beginner surfer. When I was feeling more confident, I tried out a few bigger and more powerful waves. What a great feeling, such a rush!

It isn't as easy as it looks but it's a lot of fun!

Although surfing and surfers themselves seem very easy going and relaxed, this sport is not to be taken casually- at least not until you’re trained and experienced in the many different ocean, body, and equipment factors that the sport is comprised of. Many people like the idea of just renting a board and trying to catch some waves. Of course, the choice is up to you, however, I believe you’ll find your time in the waves much more valuable and rewarding having someone with experience guiding and helping improve your surfer style. There’s plenty of time to take on the waves by yourself, once you have the basic training. I had a great experience with Lukas and the We Wave Surf Camp in Lombok both in and out of the water and highly recommend them as your chosen surf specialists while in Kuta, Lombok.

— I hope you get to try surfing with We Wave Surf Camp yourself! — Greetings from Kendall

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Best Beaches In Lombok

wewavesurfcamp — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 11:55:33 +0000

Best Beaches in Lombok

In our first blog the We Wave Surf Camp wants to introduce you to the best beaches in the stunning area of Kuta Lombok and the area around them. There is a reason for the We Wave Surf Camp to settle here. All our beaches are just beautiful, which makes it really hard to select the best beaches in Lombok, not even considering the great Surf all along the coastline of South Lombok, which is so rich in natural beauty, countless green hills with breathtaking views and beautiful bays with uncrowded beaches in between. I am still shocked at how empty they still are, undiscovered natural beauty. The area of Kuta Lombok just has it all! It has the quiet and traditional local sasak life, to explore the real Indonesian culture and its beautiful people along the way. It has amazing natural variety from waterfalls and a volcano, to rich sasak culture, and of course beautiful beaches and great waves. So all the things an explorers heart can ask for and on the other side you have all the western heart can ask for as well, nice accommodations, culinary restaurants with food from all over the world, good local warungs with the delights of the indonesian kitchen, and really fun bars for meeting like minded people after a day in the sun.

Kuta & Kuta Beach

Kuta is the touristic center of south Lombok and Lombok’s most popular destination, however, compared to the super touristy Kuta in Bali it is still small, quiet and authentically Indonesian. The surf town Kuta Lombok has a steadily growing offer of restaurants, cafes and a variety of different styles of accommodation. A traditional local market is in town every Wednesday and Sunday.

On all nights of the week local bars offer a fun little nightlife scene with varieties from live music to Hip Hop and Techno DJs in places like Bus Bar, Rusta or Surfers Bar. If just a little bar in a tree with laid back beats to enjoy your Bintang is more your style? Kuta has you covered, one of them is the Juice and Booze Bar (@juiceandboozebar), its my favorite.

Seger Beach

Seger Beach is famous for a few things, first is an amazing hill next to the beach, where every afternoon a bunch of travelers and locals alike meet to enjoy the sunset over a bintang or two. Second is the Bau Nyale Festival which happens every year around February/March and attracts thousands of people. Definitely a highlight when you are in Kuta in that time. What Seger Beach is not famous for is swimming. The shallow reef, the strong currents and the waves makes it dangerous to swim properly at Seger Beach, however it is fine for a little dip close to the beach to cool off.

Tanjung Aan

Within only a 10 minutes motorbike ride from our location, there are plenty more beautiful beaches to discover, one of them, is Tanjung Aan. This beach is one of my favorites, it’s just beyond beautiful, the fine white sand and turquoise water is almost unreal. Depending on the swell and tides, it offers good wave’s for all surfing level. The bay is huge but has almost no currents which makes it perfect for swimming, however on big swell days and big tide differences there can be a current. Fishing boats are scattered along the coast, there are plenty of Warungs (local restaurants) at the Beach to enjoy beverages like a coconut or a fresh juice and delicious indonesien dishes. The restaurants offer free sunbeds too, if you purchase any of their reasonably priced drinks or food options.Tanjung Aan is for sure a must visit while in Kuta Lombok. On the west facing end of the Beach is a large green hill, a headland separating the bay of Tanjung Aan with the next bay. This hill is for sure worth exploring as well. The Views from up there are breathtaking, there are little secret beaches on the opposite site of the hill that are very private and beautiful as well. It is an adventures experience with a bit of that Robinson Crusoe kinda Vibe, so don’t forget to bring your Wilson.

Selong Belanank

A half hour drive from Kuta lays the amazing bay of Selong Belanak. There is no doubt that Selong Belanak is one of the most beautiful beaches in Indonesia. The bay is perfect for the beginners of our We Wave Surf Camp to catch the first wave of their lives. It is also a must visit for swimming and sunbathing as well. The east part of the beach has a line of warungs (local restaurants) for beverages and local food easily available to you, right on the Beach. Past the warungs is a long stretch of perfect quite beach. Since Selong Belanak is one of the more popular beaches in Lombok, it can feel a bit busy around the warung area, but if you keep walking further to the west, you can have the stunning white sand all to yourself. Another main attraction on this Beach is it being a perfect spot to enjoy the sunset while approximately fifty massive water buffalos enjoy their version of a chilled sundowning walk along the beach.

If you like Selong Belanak so much you want to stay a couple nights, We Wave Surf Camp can recommend the SUKU LIFESTYLE HOTEL (@sukulombok) for you. The accommodation offers amazing food and pool side rooms only a 100meter walk to the Selong Belanak beach. In our eyes Suku is the best price for value in the area.

Suku Lifestyle Hotel on booking.com

Mawi Beach

Driving to Mawi is a bit of a challenge, know that the last road to reach the Beach is a dirt track and you need to know how to handle a scooter. If you’re able to drive slow and controlled, the trip should be fine. In Mawi you can watch experienced surfer’s not far from the beach, a great show to watch. But therefore its not ideal for swimming, however going into the water for a little cool off next to the Beach on the South-west part is fine. There are two more hidden beaches just next to it, one you can reach by walking over the hill on the right side of the beach (another good spot to watch the surfers from). The other one you can get to be taking a left turn, instead of a right going to Mawi, on the dirt track. Not many people go to this one, so chances are that you have the beach all to yourself.

Mawun Beach

Mawun Beach is only a 10 minute ride away from Kuta and not like Mawi, the good roads provide a very easy access. The wide bay of Mawun is protected by green hills forming a headland on both sides. In between, a stunning long beach and deep blue water, perfect for swimming. While visiting this beach, we recommend staying on the east or west part of the beach, these parts are protected by the headlands while the middle part is exposed to the Indian ocean and therefore the shorebreak can be heavy at times. So the east and west is our advice to choose for activities, it also fits for kids to play better. Also since you are at the sides already, try to hike up one of the Hills of the headland, from up there you get a beautiful view over the bay, the south Lombok coastline and the Indian ocean.

Like most of the beaches in Lombok, the entrance fee for Mawun is 10k indonesian rupiah, a small price to pay for a pristine beach.

Sengigi Beach

Senggigi Beach is located at the west coast of Lombok, it is the island’s closest thing to a touristic town with resorts, hotels, restaurants and bars lined up on the long beach of Senggigi, so expect a very developed beach area. At Senggigi Beach the parking for a motorbike is free. If you like to have a resort holiday and want to have all the infrastructure you need for your holiday all in one place then Senggigi is a good choice. However, Senggigi Beach is not our favorite beach, We Wave Surf Camp recommends to rent a motorbike and explore all the gorgeous nearby beaches up and down the coast. Senggigi Beach is mentioned in our best beaches in Lombok list, because it is a famous beach in Lombok, but personally we don’t have this beach high up on our best beaches in Lombok list.

Pink Beach

How to get to Pink Beach is a bit rough, from Kuta it is a approximate two hour drive from the Kuta Lombok area and the last forty five minutes of driving are more like a dirt bike adventure, however, it is possible on a usual scooter but you should be able to handle the bike and drive carefully. If you choose not to ride there by yourself there are plenty of transport services around Kuta Lombok to find you a Taxi driver.

The main attraction of Pink Beach is, yeah you guessed it, a pink sand-colored beach. When viewed more closely, and on the wrong time of the day, it is actually a white sand beach. But when the sun hits the beach right, the sand mixed with crushed pieces of red coral appears in a obvious pink color.

Besides a pink colored beach, this place is surrounded by cliffs and a very impressive natural scenery, highlighted by a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the bay.

and many more…

Here on the South Coast of Lombok there are just too many absolutely beautiful secret beaches to mention them all. But it’s no secret that the beautiful coastline is definitely the main reason for the tourism in Kuta Lombok. We Wave Surf Camp also recommends Kuta, Lombok as a good place to be based, for the best beaches in Lombok as well as if you are interested in doing tours or day trips to other parts of the island. The town of Kuta is small, unique and has everything you need for a holiday getaway or a longer break from the buzz of the big city life. As soon as you get no less than 5 minutes away from the main beat of Kuta, Lombok area, the whole island opens up for a raw and real local travel experience. There are plenty of activities to satisfy your vacation desires and something for everyone. A trip to this little piece of paradise is definitely a unique, cultural adventure. While visiting Kuta, Lombok you are also sure to find that the locals here are very friendly, happy and eager to help you or share information, should you need it. It is a pleasure for the We Wave Surf Camp Lombok family to show you around our personal hidden best beaches in Lombok. We have fallen in love with this place and all it has to offer, we can’t wait to share it with you. But be aware, you will leave Kuta Lombok (if you do) with a huge desire for more…

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