Kuta Lombok is a small village and a famous beach spot in the Indonesian province of West Nusa Tenggara. Known for its idyllic beaches, cliffs, mountains, jagged landscapes, pristine white sand, and emerald waters, Kuta is one of the peaceful tourist attractions of Lombok.
Kuta Lombok provides a more laid back experience with Mediterranean style food, coffee shops, bamboo huts, and restaurants, beaches, backpackers’ hostels, and four-star resorts. Visitors find the silence of this village as an addition to its beauty. You can either decide to lie on the beach or hover around in a rented motorbike or take an afternoon nap. If not, then talk to the local people who are exceptionally friendly to visitors yet unaffected by tourist activities. Thus, the crux of visiting Kuta Lombok is to submerge oneself into the tranquillity of Kuta.
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Places to Visit
Nestled between the hills in an open bay, Kuta might seem to be a sleepy backpacker town, but there are quite a few places worth visiting while on your trip to Kuta. Below is a list of some sites:
1. Tanjung Aan Beach
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Probably one of the best-known beaches, Tanjung Beach is the most beautiful stretch of white sand beach you will ever come across. The calm azure waters of the beach can make anyone fall in love with it. Do remember to climb to the east of the beach past the massive boulder for capturing a great view. The place around this corner is quite deserted, and you can own the entire spot for yourself.
2. Batu Payung From Tanjung Aan Beach rent a boat to Batu Payung. You will find an umbrella-shaped rock formation and is a perfect spot for photography lovers. People can also walk up to this spot or park the rented bike close to the place. Walking upon the rock can be a little trekking experience.
3. Merese Hill or Bukit Merese Situated at the west end of the Tanjung Aan Beach, a visit to this spot is a must. It is a 15-minute walk up to the top, and from there you can explore one of the best sunset views. However, you can explore this place at any time of the day. The view from the hill is jaw-dropping, and you can also find hidden beaches and caves around the area.
4. Mawun Beach Here, you will not find people inside the water for unknown reasons. Hence, people get a lounge chair at a minimal rate and relax along the shore or cluster near the parking area. However, the water of this beach is quite unreal to dive in for a pleasant experience.
Source5. Princess Mandalika Statue At the Seger Kuta Beach, you will find a statue of a woman who is locally known as Princess Mandalika who sacrificed her life to prevent a war amongst royal princes who wanted to wed her. She jumped off from a cliff at this beach and is known to incarnate in the form of sea worms. During the Bau Nyale festivals, local people collect the ‘nyale,’ i.e., sea worms to find good luck and prosperity.
6. Bangkang Cave Only a 10-minute drive from Kuta, this three-hundred-year-old cave is known as the bat cave. The cave is best to be visited before sunset to watch the nocturnal activities of the bats flying out of their nest.
7. Ashtari Coffee House Once you visit this place, you will agree to the hype about it. Located on a hill in the busy centre of Kuta, this coffee house gives an unbeatable view of Kuta. Here, you can play games, read a book, relax in the cafe, join the ongoing yoga classes or cooking classes, or chat with the other people.
Things to Do At Kuta Lombok
Despite being a silent destination, Kuta Lombok provides ample activities for its visitors. The best aspect is the less crowd, which lets you execute your favourite activities without any hassle. Here is a possible list of what you can do in Kuta:
Source1. Surfing Kuta Lombok is indeed a paradise for surfers. You will easily find 17 different surfing spots accessible from Kuta. Beginner level beaches are Selong Belanak, Tanjung Aan, Mawun Beach, and Desert Point Beach is an intermediate beach.
2. Swimming Swimming is an apparent activity you can do in Kuta since the beach waters are clear and clean enough to dive into it. Mawun Beach, Selong Belanak Beach, Sedek Beach, Tanjung Aan Beach are the best beaches known for swimming.
3. Snorkelling or Scuba Diving There are centres in these beaches of Kuta which also provide snorkelling or scuba diving equipment to discover the reefs inside the water. You will not have to wait in the long queues as this is a quieter tourist spot, unlike other destinations in Indonesia. Discovery Divers, Scuba Froggy are two dive centres in Kuta.
4. Horse Riding
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Horse Riding is quite an unusual activity, but there are guides which will conduct horse riding activity. The horses are tall and well-trained and are probably a unique way of strolling on the unspoiled beaches of Kuta Lombok. It costs IDR 450 for an hour, IDR 650, and IDR 750 for a two-hour ride.
Food & Restaurants
The dining options in Kuta Lombok is surprisingly quite vibrant, and it includes cuisine from all over the world. Not just this, Kuta Lombok also has a fair share of nightlife. The cuisines offered by Kuta Lombok include Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian, Asian, Moroccan, Seafood, and authentic Indonesian as well. Some of the renowned food joints are:
Source1. Bamba Oozing with unique flavours this place is a must-visit for tourists to taste Asian street food with a Nordic touch. Their steamed bao buns are a perfect dish to encounter a new taste in this country. Timings: 08:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
2. El Bazaar A peaceful courtyard, a fountain, some vegetarian kebabs, Mezze platter, and lamb tagines is how El Bazar can be defined. Undoubtedly, it is the most popular eateries in the town. Timings: 07:30 AM to 11:00 PM.
3. KRNK Grab some burgers, delicious pizzas, and cocktails at KRNK and expect to get a kick start to your night. Timings: 05:00 PM to 01:00 AM.
4. Kemangi Bar and Kitchen Trying an authentic Indonesian dish is an absolute necessity while visiting Kuta Lombok. This restaurant offers an exceptional dining experience with an impressive setting and exquisite wine collection. Timings: 08:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
5. SeaSalt If you are hunting for some seafood, SeaSalt is your place. Try the grilled baby mackerel or red snapper or the deep-fried desserts; you will not be disappointed. Timings: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Accommodation at Kuta Lombok
Kuta Lombok can be seen dotting with simple homestays to private villas to backpackers hostels where one can spend their lazy vacation with all the needed facilities. Where some resorts are architectural wonders, others provide a more homely feeling. Some offer yoga classes, private chefs, surf lessons, fishing trips, swimming pools, spa, evening cinema, restaurants, and some will take you back to college days where you have bunker beds. One can find any of the accommodation options according to your budget. The price range for the available accommodation options in Kuta Lombok ranges between IDR 150,000 to IDR 1,000,000 .
Best time to Visit Kuta Lombok
Kuta Lombok has an ideal climate throughout the year with temperature ranging between 30℃ to 32℃. However, it has two seasons- Dry season from May to September and Wet Season from October to April. Hence, the ideal time to visit Kuta Lombok is during the dry season when the weather is little hot, humid, sunny, yet beautiful. However, December and January is also a time when tourist activity increases because of Christmas and New Year break. But unlike other destinations in Bali, Kuta Lombok does not get crowded, which makes it easier for visitors to enjoy their vacation. Also, if you are planning for a trek, it is better to visit the place in the dry season.
Getting around the island
Local transport is readily available in Kuta Lombok within a reasonable walking distance. Some of the transport options to get around Kuta Lombok are:
1. Bemo
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This public transport facility runs throughout Lombok. It is a small pick-up truck with narrow benches. However, research about the route you're taking before using a Bemo. You will find bemo’s on the beach road and at the junction. The prices are usually not set, but the regular fare starts from IDR 5,000
2. Car You can rent a car in Kuta to go around the place. The car fare usually starts from IDR 80,000 and goes up to IDR 6,00,000. It entirely depends on the type of car you have chosen for your journey.
3. Motorcycle Motorcycles are another preferred option of getting around in Kuta. Motorbikes can be rented for IDR 50,000 for a day but without petrol. It is advisable to hire a motorcycle in excellent mechanical condition and return it in the same condition.
4. Boat There is local boatman who can give you a short tour but opt for this only after negotiating the price before getting on to the boat.
Tips
Keep in mind before getting on a boat outing that they may not have safety equipment to save you in case of any mishap. Also, the local boatman may not know to swim; hence, it is advisable to think before taking the risk or come prepared beforehand.
You will need to bargain a lot while boarding public transport so that you do not end up paying higher than the required amount.
Kuta Lombok is majorly a Muslim dominated place; hence, there are restrictions while visiting certain areas. As visitors, it is advisable to follow the local etiquettes and not to wear clothes which can create unwanted tension.
How To Reach Kuta Lombok
By Air The closest airport to Kuta Lombok is Lombok International Airport located in Southcentral Lombok. Kuta Lombok is only 20 to 30 minutes away from the airport.
After landing at the airport, you will have four options to get to Kuta:
Taxi: There are several taxi companies outside the airport arrival terminal, which can get you to Kuta Lombok. Negotiating with the cab can get you the journey for IDR 75,000. Metered Taxi: There are bluebird taxis and express taxis outside the airport. It can cost up to IDR 90,000 to get to Kuta. Independent drivers: You will find a few independent drivers with their cars who are ready to pick up visitors and drop them to Kuta. The best way is to negotiate a deal before hiring such drivers. Hotel Airport Transfer: This service is provided by the hotel or resorts you decide to stay. Drivers will usually meet outside the airport with a placard displaying your name, which is one of the most preferred means of commuting from the airport to Kuta.
By Bus If you are travelling from Bali to Kuta, you can opt for a bus journey which will cost around IDR 230,00 from Ubud (Bali) to Kuta Lombok. Know that various tour agencies provide bus journey combined with a ferry ride.
By Taxi Besides this, if you are travelling from Lembar, you can hire a taxi after negotiating the price in advance. The best way could be to ensure that the driver is using a meter. The taxi fare from Lembar to Kuta Lombok will cost around IDR 250,000.
Hired Cars The other way is to hire a car which usually has fixed rates to get to Kuta Lombok. The final option can be to get on a Perama bus which runs on this route which will cost around IDR 125,000.
