By John Thomson , 14-07-2008

if in doubt... - Kuta Lombok is an awesome place, although the waves are more in the fun category rather than all-time. It is a little wild-west style which adds to the adventure. As stated by others, Kimen Surf shop is the place to hit straight up to suss the set up - hire your bikes from here, get a surf guide from here to cut to the chase & get in the water rather than dicking around & wasting your time. Yeah, as far as the crap going on with the bike scams, this has been in existance for a long time by a select few scum bags - everywhere has them. Oh yeah, best place to retreat is up the hill looking back on Kuta at Ashtari - awesome resturant that you can eat the best food at after a surf then have alittle snooze on the cushions - best view - best people own it - Helen & Gaz, Aussies that have been there a long time & are just gems!!Things are getting better here all the time - Tomo....wish I was there now!

By René l'ours , 06-04-2008

Arnaque avec motos à Kuta Lombok - ATTENTION
Faites très attention au gars qui louent de motos à Kuta Lombok,ils sont roublards,voleurs et aggressifs, au programme de mon dernier voyage en décembre 2007:
-moto louées sans casque (attention dans les villes ils t'arrêtent),sans freins,sans lumières et sans essence (les gars se postent devant l'hotel et ricannent en vous montrant le shop pour faire le plein, d'entrée tu te sens vraiment pris pour un con...)
- ils viennent te syphonner l'essence la nuit
-s'ils te conseillent des coins pour surfer, c'est pour mieux te suivre et te piquer ton sac pendant que tu surfent
- quand tu batailles pour avoir une moto en meilleur état, ils te la changent mais t'en refilent une sans essence même si la tienne avait le plein...
- les motos louées sont pour certaines volées et sans licences, donc embrouilles avec les flics si tu te casses loin de kuta lombok,pour ma part en partant surfer à desrt point, près de l'aéroport,ça a fini par arrachage de clefs en pleine rue par un mec qui a reconnu sa moto volée, quiproquo et bagarre (pour me défendre...et éviter un lynchage par 30 mecs qui te gueulent dessus), flics qui comprennent pas l'anglais,(ou qui veulent pas comprendre), abandon des motos en pleine rue et on s'est cassé en catastrophe à l'aéroport suivi par les sbires des loueurs qui nous suivaient depuis 200 km!!!!!(bonjour la confiance, ambiance ex URSS) Ils voulaient qu'on paye pour les motos abandonnées !!!!

Il est à noter que j'ai voyagé plusieurs fois en Indonésie (Sumatra,Java,Bali,Lembogan...) et c'est la première fois que je vois ça. En plus on était 3 dont une amie Indonésienne elle même très choquée...
Donc faites gaffes à Kuta Lombok qui est quand même une île magnifique,paysages à couper le soufle, peu touristique en dehors de Kuta lombok donc dépaysement et ambiance locale,vagues sympa mais du monde sur les spots connus,méga blindé à désert Point,convois de surfeurs depuis Bali en bateau directement sur le line up de spots isolés que tu atteint par 3 heures de motos (expèrience vécue)

By Anonymous , 17-10-2007

Wazza - I second the comment on the scooter scamming. I went backpacking through the area about 4 yrs ago with my missus. I hired a scooter outside the Tourist Info Center (Kuta Lom.) - anyway half way to Grupuk one morning dudes jumped out the bushes and had a dagger at my throat and a machete at my arm. Stole my stuff and the bike. Owner would'nt let us leave until we paid for the bike. After 4 days of negotiating we came to a settlement. They found the bike and then wouldn't give us our cash back.

People at the place we stayed at were really bummed and sympathetic - because they need the toursim. Otherwise the the village leaders who did the 'investigating' and robbed us are all thick as thieves.

Take your surfing dollars somewhere else!

By Anonymous , 13-08-2007

WARNING FOR KUTA LOMBOK - Please take care renting motor bikes in kuta Lombok.. do not rent bikes from people out side the surfers inn.. 2 guys to look out for are MR BALOK and MR JERRY.. The 2 people named have been part of many scam's involving the theft's of many motor bikes..the scam being ..You pay for stolen motor bike and then they claim insurence.. Rent bikes from keiman surf shop...Lock your motor bike at night time..park in place where you are staying... this is no joke...

By Anonymous , 25-07-2007

heaven on the planet -ekkas bay - I have just returned from lombok....I stayed at heaven on the planet...I have been to indonesia many times..very over priced for what you receive..very crowded waves...owner Mr Greg is full shit ....he does not know what he is talking about.....easier to stay in kuta and travel each day to ekkas...I would not recomend staying at heaven on the planet...

By Anonymous , 05-12-2006

kuta, lombok - went surfing in kuta lombok was awsome! the swells really great! had prior surf lessons but wasn't that experienced. got a few lessons in with the guys from 'kiman surf', they're really good guys and are happy to show you there secret spots and where the great waves are. i would recomend if never before surfed in kuta lombok, pop into kiman surf, they'll be happy to show u some hot spots and where and where not to go for some awsome waves!

By Geoff , 20-03-2006

Going to Grupuk? - If your going to Grupuk..there's great waves on offer there!! I can highly reccomend someone to take you out to the reefs.
Gabrielle is his name, one of the best surfers in the region (won at the Sengiggi Contest recently). He can take you out in his boat and will give you a sign when the best/ set waves are about to hit.. very good to know!..I've been out quite a few times with him, an honest, relaible and cool guy!.. Say Geoff and Les form Sydney said Hi...

By Geoff , 20-03-2006

Bad Scams @ Kuta Lombok! - WARNING: Don't rent motorcycles from the guys accross the road from the Surfers Inn!!!
Two guys (Jan and Balok)are working together to rip off Bike renters... basically they hire the bike to you and when you return it the accuse you of crashing it, say they have witnesses to this 'fiction' and threaten to get the Police (..which they will do!)unless you pay for the damage..
Jan's role is the 'innocent'business man and Balok's role is the 'stand-over thug'that threatens people with physical violence.. unless they pay.
Happend to me (tho I refused to pay and spent quite some time with the local police.. very unpleasent!)and some days earlier to a couple of French guys..
Part two of the scam, if you don't pay up, is to steal your bike key (if left unattended!) and after you've paid for a copy ... steal the Bike!!.. this happened to one Japanese guy while I was there...also my bike key was stolen, I paid the owner to replace the locks!!
Better to rent a bike from your Hotel or even better from Kimin Surf (the only surf shop in the town, great guys.. Risman and Kimen..very knowledgeable and straight up)they also do repairs and can arrange trips..local knowlwedge.. they always seem to know where it's good!!

By uk , 23-08-2005

Lombok, Wow! - Spent a few weeks in lombok, july 05,i based myself at Kuta which was gr8, due to accseibility to surf etc. To get to the surf spots jus rent a motorbike (Cheap as)from any1 of the 20 or so places, then go explore. Basically I rekon its wot bali was probs like 20-30yrs ago or so?! Its an unbeleivably beautiful place and the people are gr8! Have fun.

By Janine from Perth. , 15-07-2005

Kuta Goes Off - Have just got back from 8 days in kuta Lombok.What an amazing place.A hidden Paradise!!!There are 3 Aussies, one is a local who have just started a Daily Surf Charter business.They have an amazing 9 Metre Yelow baot called "CHILLI" and do daily charters out of Kuta!!Stayed at "Surfers Inn", run by a Japanese guy, Henry and his Brazillian wife, Chris.Fantastic, friendly place full of people from all over the world.If you not been to Lombok, my advise would be get moving, as its really an untouched paradise.