Lombok
Lombok is just across the Lombok straight from Bali, but it is a world away. The island of Lombok is the first island in Indonesia’s Nusa Tenggara region, or "Far East". Lombok is a much drier and tougher island than its lush neighbor Bali, and is defined by dry desert terrain, rugged highlands, towering volcanoes, dramatic bays and headlands, and numerous white sandy beaches scattered throughout the southern coast.

Lombok's best known break is Desert Point which is widely regarded as one of the best and heaviest left hand barrels in the world. Desert Point is notoriously fickle and lies in a remote mountainous region on the SW coast of Lombok and is best accessed by boat. Lombok is lesser known for its plentiful fun breaks which can be found scattered along its West and South facing coastal areas - some of these breaks are difficult to find and reach but, when found, can be an experience to remember. Lombok is an easy escape from the crowds of Bali and for those seeking a greater variety of surf breaks, including rights, point breaks, beginner and intermediate level waves (in contrast to Padang Padang, Uluwatu, Kuta Reef, etc…) may find Lombok is the place for them to explore.

During the dry season (May – October), the trade winds blow from the south-east providing offshore winds for Desert Point as well as many of the left-hand waves on the island. Alternately, the winds in the wet season (November – April), blow from the southwest, which results in more right-hand breaks at offshore breaks such as Air Guling. Water temperatures are in the mid 70’s, but a vest can come in handy on windy days.

Kuta Beach is regarded as the the main surfing center in Lombok iand is located on the eastern side of the southern coast. Many good hotels from the 3-star Kuta Inda to the luxurious 5-star Novotel Coralia are available and the use of a guide service is often the best way to get into the best waves available at the right time. From Kuta Beach most surf breaks are within an hours drive except for Desert Point which is a half-day trip away. Desert Point is more easily accessed by surf charter boats, and is usually a stopping off point enroute to Sumbawa.

Senggigi (on the east coast of Lombok) is another surf break and is in the area of the major hotels on Lombok Island.  This reef break has a quality, classic short but powerful wave with rights and lefts which produce some rides (on a good day) of up to 150 meters. Best on a mid and high tide and begins working at about 3-5ft and holds up to 8ft. To reach the break walk to the beach from the village of Senggigi (approx 10min) and go around the private property of the Senggigi Beach Hotel to the beachfront and look for the wave peak and it is then only a short paddle to the break.  The break usually has only a few surfers and is never crowded.

Lombok is best accessed from Bali by Ferry from Benoa harbour, which takes about 2 hours. From the port at Lembar, land transfers are available to Desert Point or Kuta Beach. The other option is flying to Mataram, the largest city on Lombok, from Bali or even direct from Singapore on Silk Air.

Sumbawa
This island is much like its neighboring island of Lombok. These islands to East of Bali are much drier than Bali and the other islands of Indonesia. The land is mostly barren with many steep cliffs dropping straight into sea. The two main surfing areas are West Sumbawa and the Lakey area. Sumbawa has some of the most perfect waves in Indonesia, such as Lakey Peak, Periscopes and Supersuck, but you will need to speak some Indonesian to find your way around if you go by yourself.  Surf in West Sumbawa consists of many hollow lefts that are best accessed by boat charter. The charters will anchor at the best breaks for easy access to the surf. This area has many steep cliffs that offer scenic backdrops to the fantastic surf. The Lakey area can be accessed by charter boat as well as by ferry and overland transfers or flights from Bali. In this area there some hotels and surf camps located right in front of the main breaks of Lakey Peak and Lakey Pipe, with other breaks within walking distance. Reaching most waves mean a long paddle out or a walk across the reef depending on the tide so reef booties are recommended.

During the dry season (May – October), the trade winds blow from the southeast offering offshore winds to the lefts of West Sumbawa. Alternately, the winds in the wet season (November – April), blow from the southwest which result in more right breaks at offshore areas like Yo-Yo’s. Water temperatures are in the mid 70’s, but a vest can come in handy on windy days.

Getting to Sumbawa:
The ferry from Bali to Sumbawa takes approximately 7 hours. Merpati Airlines operates daily flights from Bali to Bima in Sumbawa.  On landing you will need to travel by overland transfer for approx 2.5hrs to the surf break of Lakey Peak.  West Sumbawa is best accessed by charter boat.
 

G-Land, East Java

THE LEGEND:
Located at Plengkung Bay on the southern most peninsula of Java is the legendary Grajagan. G-Land, as it is otherwise known, was discovered in the 1970's by a couple of intrepid surfers on a flight between Jakarta and Bali. The long lines of waves they saw were unmistakable perfection and the discovery of this legendary surf break that followed is now regarded as arguably the worlds best left-hander.

Tom Carroll, Gerry Lopez and Peter McCabe showed the surfing world the wonders of G-Land in the movie "All down the line". The Quiksilver Pro is now an annual event at G-Land and the pro surfers are always stoked to be competing in such absolute perfection. G-Land has become a mecca for traveling surfers and surfing adventurers from all over the world flock to the Javanese jungle each year between March and November to sample G-Land's waves. During these months the swell is generally constant and flat spells are rare which makes G-Land one of the worlds most consistent breaks.

Nias
Where: Lagundri, close to Telukdalam, southern Nias, North Sumatra province
Best Time: June - October
Nias has one of the best right-handers in Indonesia. It is situated at the western end of Lagundri Bay and holds up to 15 foot. There is also an excellent left reef break that works well over 4 foot. If you are looking for hollow, deep waves Nias is definitely worth visiting.
Accommodation: Mainly basic accommodation (US$ 3), one more upmarket hotel.
Getting there: Relatively easy. Daily flights from Medan, daily ferries from Sibolga.
Others: Culturally interesting island with beautiful villages, and superb architecture. Stunning ancient to modern (!) megaliths.

Mentawai Islands
The Mentawai Islands lie roughly 100 km off of the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. They consist of 4 main islands with many smaller islands scattered throughout. From north to south, the main islands are Siberut, Sipora, North Pagi, and South Pagi. These islands block most swells from reaching the mainland on Sumatra, but they offer some of the most perfect surf in the world. Access to the islands is by sea only with regular ferries to the main trading ports, but by far the best way to access the surf is by charter boat.

Indonesia is one of the most consistent surf destinations in the world. The best waves on these islands can be had from March to October, with the biggest swells likely to occur in June - September. During these months the winds are variable and it’s easy to find a break with offshore conditions since there are waves facing almost every direction. The swells are from the South to Southwest and are generated from the many low pressure systems as they move across the southern Indian Ocean. During the peak months of June - September, the surf ranges from head-high to double overhead, with larger swells at times, and usually never drops below 3-4 feet. In the early and late season (March - May and October - November), the waves usually average from chest high to a couple feet overhead. This is a great time for surfers seeking less intense waves and offers more options perhaps for intermediate surfers.

You’ll need to take everything with you that you think you may need. There are no surf shops in the islands or in Padang, so make sure you have a spare surfboard or two, along with extra fins, leg-ropes, wax, etc. Board size is a personal thing, but it would be wise to bring an assortment for various conditions. The warm waters make it possible to swim without a wetsuit, but a vest or long-sleeved rashie is advised for protection from the sun. Booties are a necessity due to the sharp coral found on all the reefs. A helmet is also recommended.

The Mentawai Islands have consistently high temperatures and humidity, with very little change in temperature year round due to it’s proximity to the Equator. The temperature ranges between 72 – 90 F degrees (22 – 32C). Water temperature is fairly constant at about 80F degrees (27C). The dry season in this region of Indonesia is from January to September, and the wet season is from from October to December. Even during the dry season, you can expect regular rainfall, usually lasting for 1-2 hours, but this usually occurs at night. In the wet season, the rain is more frequent and a light rain jacket is good to have with you. The winds are variable throughout most of the year. Since the islands are very close to the Equator, they are less affected by any trade winds and most winds are due to local storms or pressure differentials with many glassy days during the surf season.

The islands are inhabited by local villagers scattered throughout and the main contact they have with the Western world is through the main ports, or encountering traveling surfers aboard charter boats. The landscape is made up of dense tropical forest sloping up from the coast to the high mountain ranges. Be aware that Malaria is rampant on these islands and surfers should take full Malaria precautions when visiting the Mentawais.

North Sumatra
Palm-fringed shorelines and unpredictable weather patterns are the norm along most of Sumatra's  coastline. North Sumatra is one of Indonesia's last surfing frontiers. "North Sumatra" consists of the 5 islands or island groups: Hinako Islands, Nias, Telos and 2 other obscure island groups to the north. North Sumatra receives similar swell to the Mentawais and enjoys its peak swell season from May to September. Despite Indonesia's reputation for hollow lefts, in North Sumatra right handers are slightly more prevalent. While Lagundri Bay at Nias has been surfed for decades, it is the more obscure rights like Bawa and Treasure Island that have recently attracted the attention of surfers. A charter boat trip is the only way to surf this area (except for Nias Island).

A surf trip to North Sumatra is a bit different than your classic Mentawais trip. The breaks, while generally much less crowded (the exception being Lagundri Bay on Nias), are more spread out and there are fewer of them. Conditions from one surf break to the next can vary greatly. Some spots in the Telos and in the Northern islands require major swells from the right direction to begin working while other breaks like Bawa in the Hinakos more often than not have too much swell. To get the best out of your surf trip you will need to hire a charter boat that has a great deal of experience in this area.

These breaks only scratch the surface of surf potential in North Sumatra. An experienced charter boat operator will have plenty of lesser known spots to offer you. A group of very small islands about 4 hours sailing further to the north also offers another large variety of world class breaks - both lefts and rights. Even further north is another larger island with a quality wave and an almost empty break.

Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is just across the Bandung Strait from the southern tourist area of Bali and can be seen from the Sanur and Nusa Dua areas.  To get to Nusa Lembongan take one of the daily boat services from Benoa or hire a local fisherman's boat from Sanur. The crossing will take approx 2hrs but a local fisherman's boat will take much longer. When you arrive at Nusa Lembongan walk up the beach and you will find a number of losman style accommodations as well as several small resorts.

The three main breaks at Nusa Lembongan are Shipwrecks, Lacerations and Playgrounds.
Shipwrecks has a good quality, classic wave on a reef break and offers a right hand, short but intense ride that is fairly safe although it can become shallow on the far inside.  Usually works only on the high tide and begins working with a swell of 3-5ft and holds up well up to 8ft.  Swell direction is usually South West - South and best winds are South East - East.  The break can appear to be flat during low tide, but will suddenly grow with the incoming tide. The easy tube, and right-hander waves makes this a popular break.

Lacerations is a reef break has a world class right hand fast and powerful wave which can produce a ride of up to 150 meters.  This break is more suited to the experienced surfer or someone who is a confident right hand tube rider.  The breaks works only a the high tide and begins working when the swell is about 5-6ft and holds up to about 12ft.  The ocean here can seem relatively flat but a sudden large swell can come in and you can find yourself on a 6ft wall of water. Best winds are East - South East and swell direction is usually West - South West. The break is popular and can get very crowded on the weekends and can even during the week you may find a large number of surfers there. The rip can be strong so you need to be aware of this hazard.  Another hazard to watch out for are the fish traps in the area that belong to the local fishermen.

Playgrounds is also a reef break and has a quality classic powerful wave that breaks right and left producing a ride of up to 150 meters. This break can be surfed by all level of surfers. Break is best on a mid to high tide with the rising and falling of the tides. Begins working with a swell of about 3-5ft and holds up to approx 6ft.  Best wind directions - North East, East or South East. This break does not get as crowded as the other two breaks.