Ekas is on the side of a wide bay on the eastern side of Lombok’s southern shore. It’s got two named breaks and a couple of outlying reefs, all of which are of high quality. Being far from the main town of Kuta Lombok also helps to keep crowds at a minimum. Here’s our guide…
An introduction to Ekas surf
Ekas is just one side of one of the bigger bays that score through the southern side of Lombok. It spans something like four miles across at its widest point and hosts a range of surf breaks. The most famous of the two are Inside Ekas and Outside Ekas. They’re named in the convention of other Lombok surf spots, because the latter is more exposed towards the south end of the bay and the former is protected by a few extra headlands and juts of rocks deeper within the bay.
We rate this one very, very highly indeed. The fact that it’s about an hour’s total transfer time by road and then by boat from Kuta Lombok helps to keep the crowds down (a real problem in this part of Indo these days). The reefs are deep and forgiving, helping Inside especially to give a fat, sectiony wave that’s real fun to practice on.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Indonesia
Ekas surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Ekas surf?
Where is Ekas?
Ekas is actually the name of just one of the dozen or so beaches that fringe the eastern haunch of Awang Bay. That’s one of the bigger inlets of south Lombok, located roughly eight miles to the east of Kuta Lombok, the region’s largest town (and main surf hub). Access to the surf of Ekas is usually via the port in Awang town. It’s not a commercial port. Instead, it’s mainly used by local fishermen and racing boats. Last time we were there (early 2023), it was in a pretty bad state of disrepair but it was still pretty easy to organize boats out to the waves.
Ekas surf spots
There are two main surf spots to know about in Ekas. Both of them are located on the western side of Awang Bay, up and down from the main Ekas Beach. Together, they offer a nice variation of wave shape that should suit a whole range of surfers, lending itself to mixed-ability groups and intermediates the best. Let’s delve a little deeper…
Ekas Inside
Ekas Inside is a great wave. We rate it as one of the funnest waves on the island because it’s a bit slower, a bit fatter, and breaks over very deep reef. For unsure intermediates, there’s very little to worry about here unless it’s overhead and then some. The peak breaks out back on the front of a section of reef and bowls inwards over the edge of the coral shelf, offering multiple take off zones as it peels left into the channel.
Ekas likes a pushing tide but nothing too full. It can be surfed at low. East winds are offshore.
Ekas is known by the local surf schools and they use it a lot. However, crowds are inevitably tempered here by the fact that it’s a long boat ride across and a bit of a drive in from Kuta Lombok. If you choose to stay in the hotel above the break, then you can paddle our real early and coordinate with the best tides to really make the most of the spot.
Ekas Outside
You can actually see Ekas Outside from Ekas Inside. Look to the south when you’re sitting in the lineup of the latter and you’ll be able to spot the shifting peaks curving round under the high cliffs some 4,000 feet away. It will almost always be 2-3 foot bigger over at Outside, and even 5-7 foot bigger some days (usually when there’s an element of SW in the compass direction of the swell). That means it’s more of an advanced spot, but intermediates will do well when it’s a bit smaller.
On larger days, Ekas Outside will wedge and steepen up, hollowing out into neat almond barrels before spitting you off onto a ramp straight into bottom turns. When it’s like that, you’ll usually have some of the better surfers in south Lombok for company, though the vibe is usually very nice and chilled. Access to Outside is via the same port in Awang but takes a little longer. You can also access it from the main beach here, but that’s a bit of a scooter ride down the Awang Peninsula
Surf camps in Ekas
If you want to surf in Ekas but aren’t sure about staying in the middle of nowhere then there’s another choice: Book into a surf camp. Basically all of the surf camps in South Lombok worth their salt will head here if it’s working. Most of them are based in nearby Kuta Lombok and make the hour trip out to Inside or Outside when conditions align. They’re packages also mean you’ll get to surf a whole host of other breaks in the region and won’t have to mess around negotiating with local boatmen and whatnot.
There are LOTS of surf camp options in the region these days. We have our favs, including…
- 6 Day Luxury Surf Holiday With Yoga in Tropical Lombok – This eight-day package run by Xanadu Surf & Yoga Village gets you a stay in a very luxurious surf camp close to the heart of Kuta. They do daily surf trips but also a whole holistic health program, including yoga and surf strength training.
- 8 Day Surf Addict Holiday for All Levels in Kuta-Lombok – This trip is run by DHM and it’s a better pick for more advanced surfers who want to explore harder spots around Lombok, including Ekas Outside.
Where to stay when surfing in Ekas?
Ekas is kinda’ remote. It’s not got anywhere near the level of surf hotels that you find around Gerupuk or Kuta Lombok further west. That said, the options that are here can be downright fantastic because they offer you the chance to sleep on the cliffs just above the breaks. You can peer over the infinity pool in the morning to check conditions and time your surfs to match up when the crowds are nowhere to be seen. On top of that, most of the local hotels include boat services to and from the breaks.
Ekas Surf & Kite Surfing Resort ($-$$)
Okay, so the Ekas Surf & Kite Surfing Resort isn’t quite on the cliffs gazing down at the waves, but they make it super easy to get out on the water because they offer access to their own resort boat to get back and forth from the line up – oh year, and the spot is literally five mins walk to the wave! The place also boasts a games room and on-site restaurant.
Ombak Resort at Ekas ($$-$$$)
If you like the idea of being able to walk to Ekas Inside but want at least a touch of pampering, go for Ombak. It’s, again, five mins from the paddle out but a bit more upscale, plus comes with its own pool.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Ekas surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Ekas surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Ekas?
The best time to surf in Ekas is during the Indonesian dry season, which runs from April to October. However, there’s this is a year-round surf spot, with swell that works no matter the month.
We wax lyrical about south Lombok a lot and one of the top reasons for that is that the island has some seriously nice consistency. Ekas is included in that. The break works from December to December, but does need at least 2-3 foot to hit its stride with confidence. The dry season – April-October – tends to bring the bigger sets, with regular days that have either no wind of light NE offshores. Outside especially can be a monster then, and it’s better all round for more advanced surfers. Beginner surfers and intermediates will probably love the wet season. It’s softer and slower, and there are generally fewer people dropping in on the shoulders of peeling Ekas Inside.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
