> > by Craig Tansley
Unlike its namesake on nearby Bali, Kuta, Lombok is an empty paradise of sweeping white sandy bays, craggy mountainous headlands, clear blue seas, pristine coral reefs and some of the best surfing waves on the planet. Because of its relative isolation – Kuta is a 90-minute drive south from Lombok’s capital, Sengiggi, located near Lombok’s airport – Kuta has traditionally been off the radar to all but the keenest surfers and the more adventurous romance seekers.
But it’s not difficult to access – flights go daily from Bali and Jakarta to Lombok Airport or you can catch a ferry from Bali, one goes every two hours. The drive south is an experience in itself as you pass through primitive farming villages, past fields of tobacco, corn and peanuts where farmers still use ploughs pulled by water buffalo. Once just a sleepy community catering for surfers, Kuta now offers five-star hotels with sophisticated dining options, but the emphasis is still on escape.
Perfect for the couple who:
Love to surf – Kuta is home to some of the world’s most revered surf spots, like Desert Point, Indonesia’s
most famed left-hand point break. There are numerous famous surf spots along the Kuta coastline, but they also offer swimming and snorkelling nearby if there’s just one of you interested in finding the tube.