Ekas Lombok Travel Guide: Beaches, Surf, Sunsets and Where to Stay

Ekas is a small fishing village on the Ekas Peninsula in south-east Lombok, on the eastern shore of Awang Bay. It is known for two reef surf breaks, Inside Ekas and Outside Ekas, for empty beaches such as Paradise Beach and Kaliantan, and for long, quiet sunsets from the cliffs. It is about 1.5 to 2 hours by car from Lombok airport, there are only a handful of places to stay, and there was no ATM in the village when I went.

I found Ekas on a map during my second trip to Lombok, while looking for somewhere remote even by Lombok standards. What I found was limestone cliffs dropping into empty white sand beaches, clear water over the reef at low tide, and the best sunsets I have seen in Indonesia. It was also hot, barren and hard to reach, and I cover that below too.

I visited in December. The beaches, sunsets, road, food and stay sections are from my own trip. I did not surf there, so the surf section is researched, and I have checked prices, flights and transport details for 2026.

Where is Ekas?

Ekas sits on the eastern side of Awang Bay, a deep double bay on the south coast of Lombok. The village is on the Ekas Peninsula in the Jerowaru district of East Lombok, and the name Ekas Bay is often used for the surf area at the mouth of the bay. Pink Beach (Pantai Tangsi) is further south-east on the same peninsula.

Lombok is Bali’s neighbour to the east, about 40 minutes away by plane, yet it feels much quieter and less built up. To me, Lombok has the finest beaches I have seen anywhere, and Ekas is its most dramatic corner. Kuta Lombok is only about 13 km away across the bay as the crow flies, but the road has to go all the way round, so it takes far longer than the map suggests.

How to Get to Ekas, Lombok

My Drive from Lombok Airport to Ekas

The first part of the drive was on a good road, lined mostly with shops and trees. About halfway, there is a turn for Kuta, the main tourist town in Lombok. After that, the villages became smaller and quieter, with only a few shops.

The last part of the journey was the hardest. The sealed road ran out, and the car struggled along a narrow, muddy track covered in loose stones until I reached my stay on the southern side of the village. Roads in Lombok are improving, but ask your driver about the last stretch before you go, especially after rain.

First Impressions of Ekas

My first hour in Ekas did not go well. I had booked a villa online, and when I arrived, it was under renovation. The owner was out of town and did not know I was coming, so for a while I had nowhere to stay. Ekas is a remote village with very few places to stay, so it is wise to confirm your booking directly a day or two before you arrive.

The second surprise was the heat. There were very few trees and almost no shade anywhere, and the land felt dry and barren. At night, there were a lot of insects, so bring repellent.

Things to Do in Ekas, Lombok

Surfing at Inside Ekas and Outside Ekas

Surfing is the main reason most visitors come to Ekas. There are two breaks at the mouth of the bay, and they suit very different surfers.

Inside Ekas breaks over a deep reef, which makes it more forgiving than the shallow reefs elsewhere in Lombok. It is a softer, fatter wave with a few take-off spots, best known for its left that peels into the channel. It suits intermediates and confident beginners, though it can still get heavy on big days.

Outside Ekas sits about 1.2 km further out and is usually a few feet bigger than Inside. With a strong south-west swell, it gets hollow and powerful, so it is a wave for advanced surfers.

Getting to the waves: both breaks are reached by boat, from the beach at Ekas or from Awang on the other side of the bay. Most resorts run their own surf boats for guests.

Best season: the dry season, roughly April to October, brings the biggest and most consistent swell and offshore easterly winds. Inside Ekas works all year when there is enough swell, and the smaller, softer waves of the wet season suit beginners.

Board hire: the surf resorts rent soft tops, shortboards, mid-lengths and longboards. If you bring your own board, check your airline’s rules for surfboards first.

Paradise Beach, the Best Beach in Ekas

Of all the places I saw in Ekas, Paradise Beach is the one I think about most.

Getting there takes some effort. You need a scooter and patience on unmarked tracks, and the route goes down towards the foot of the cliffs. I took a wrong turn twice, but the views kept getting better on the way down, and when the beach finally appeared, I forgot about the detours.

The sand is fine and clean, and the beach was completely empty when I arrived: no people, no warung, nothing but the ocean, the cliffs and me. The water was not calm. Big waves broke right at the shore, in that deep turquoise green you only see in undisturbed water. Cliffs rise on both sides, so the beach feels enclosed, like a stage.

I sat by the water as the sky changed above me. The clouds were the cleanest white I had seen anywhere, and the light kept changing the colour of the sea every half hour.

Ekas reminded me of Uluwatu in Bali, with the same cliffs, powerful surf and raw coastline. The difference is that Ekas is almost undeveloped, and I had it to myself.

Pantai Batu Dagong and Kaliantan Beach

These two beaches are close together near Paradise Beach, so you can see them on the same ride. Both are long, wide stretches of sand, and both were almost empty when I was there.

I arrived in the morning at low tide and walked out across the exposed reef. The water was so clear that I could see my feet and count the sea urchins below, so watch where you step. A small island appeared in the distance and I made it my target, walking through shallow water with small sea creatures at every step. The island disappears completely at high tide, so keep an eye on the tide if you try this.

Kaliantan Beach carries on south from Batu Dagong. It is wider and sandier, and just as empty, with no shops at all, so bring water and food.

Kitesurfing at Kaliantan: Kaliantan is about 10 minutes by road from Ekas and is one of the best known kitesurfing spots in Lombok. The wind is most reliable from about April to September, and kite camps nearby run lessons and rent gear.

Pink Beach (Pantai Tangsi)

Pink Beach, also called Pantai Tangsi, is in Sekaroh village at the south-eastern end of the Ekas Peninsula. You need a car or scooter, and the last part of the road is rough. There is a small entrance fee, paid in cash.

The pink comes from tiny pieces of red coral mixed into the white sand. I arrived in the middle of a sunny morning and could hardly see any pink, which was disappointing. The colour shows best in softer light and when the sand is wet, so going early or late in the day, near high tide, gives you a better chance.

Several places are marked Pink Beach on Google Maps, and some are small coves that charge for entry. Navigate to Pantai Tangsi rather than tapping the first result.

Biking the Ekas Peninsula

There is no public transport in Ekas, so a scooter is the only way to explore the peninsula properly. Your hotel can usually arrange one.

The main road through the village is fine. Beyond that, the tracks become rough and hilly, and sometimes disappear. On the steep clifftop sections, you will need to get off and walk. My bike fell over on an uneven patch and I got hurt, but then I looked up and saw the sunset from the cliff, and I forgot about the pain.

A scooter gives you a kind of freedom in Ekas I have not felt in many places. Every turn shows you another cliff, another empty beach, another view of the ocean. Ride slowly, though: one mistake on these tracks can have serious consequences, and help is a long way off.

The Sunsets of Ekas

I saved the best for last. The sunsets in Ekas are the finest I have seen in Indonesia, and I have watched the sun go down in Bali, Komodo, Flores and the Gili Islands.

Sunset in Ekas from Kaliantan Beach

On my first evening, I went to Kaliantan Beach for the sunset. Like most of Ekas, there was hardly anyone else there. The last rays of sun were breaking through thick clouds in a yellow sky.

As the sun lost its strength, the yellow turned to orange, then pink, then colours I cannot describe.

I did not know where to look. I kept whispering, “It’s so pretty!” I tried to capture it with my camera and could not do it justice, but I have kept it in my memory.

It was one of the best evenings of my travels, and I would go back to Ekas just for the sunsets.

Sunset from a cliff in Ekas

On my second evening, I wanted to watch from higher up, so I skipped the beaches. I rode along with the sea on one side, and when the sun was about to set, I stopped, walked a little and sat on top of a cliff. On the south side of Ekas, there are many spots like this with wide, open views of the ocean.

In front of me was the endless ocean, and to my right, a long line of cliffs. The sky went yellow, then crimson, just like the evening before. The difference was the height: from the cliff, I could take in a much wider view.

Where to Stay in Ekas, Lombok

There are only a handful of places to stay in Ekas, from simple guesthouses to two surf resorts. Book ahead in the dry season, as the best rooms fill up with surfers.

Ekas Breaks: Good Food and a Social Feel

Ekas Breaks has thatched bungalows with air conditioning, a pool, a restaurant and WiFi, and a relaxed, social atmosphere. I ate here and the food was excellent: order grilled fish the evening before or that morning, and they will have it ready for dinner. Their vegetable dishes are good too.

Ombak Resort at Ekas: Best for Comfort

Ombak Resort at Ekas is the most comfortable option, a small surf and kitesurf resort with a pool, a restaurant and its own surf boat, a few minutes from Inside Ekas. Guests rate the food and hosts very well, and the resort also arranges kitesurfing, snorkelling and day trips to Pink Beach. Check the current room types and whether it suits children when you book.

Book Ombak Resort on Booking.com

Ekas Surf Resort: Best for Surfers

Ekas Surf Resort is the best known place to stay in Ekas and a five-minute walk from the beach, with air-conditioned rooms decorated with traditional Lombok thatch, a pool, a bar and a restaurant. Its surf boat takes guests to Inside Ekas, and it has a large range of boards to hire.

In the evenings, its restaurant was the liveliest place in the village when I visited. More on that under where to eat.

Ekas Joglo Villa: Best for Seclusion

This is the villa I had booked, and after the chaotic arrival, it turned out to be a gem. It is a private house rather than a hotel, with two double bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, a huge dining area and a swimming pool. You have to climb up to reach it, which adds to the feeling of isolation. At night, it was so quiet that I spooked myself.

There is no restaurant, but the village warungs are only minutes away. If you want privacy, space and a pool in a place most tourists have never heard of, this is it.

Aqh Bungalows

Aqh Bungalows is a simple, mid-priced option with a restaurant, a front desk and WiFi, and a private bathroom in every room.

Ekas Beach Guesthouse: Best Budget Option

Ekas Beach Guesthouse faces the beach directly. The rooms are basic and the price is low, so it suits you if you only need a bed close to the water.

Map of Places to Stay in Ekas

Where to Eat in Ekas

There are only a few places to eat in Ekas, but the food I had was fresh and fairly priced.

Ekas Surf Resort

The restaurant at Ekas Surf Resort was the liveliest place in Ekas at night. When the village goes dark and quiet, most visitors end up here, and it was buzzing every evening I was there. It has a bar if you want a drink, and it serves a full English breakfast in the morning. It costs more than a local warung, but you are paying for the atmosphere.

Ekas Breaks

Ekas Breaks serves excellent food made with fresh ingredients. You can order fish in advance and they will grill it for you; tell them the day before, or that morning, if you want it for dinner. The fish I had was delicious, and the vegetables are good too.

Warung Rizki

Warung Rizki is a small family-run restaurant where I ate several times. Not everything on the menu is always available, so ask before you order. There were a couple of pet dogs around, so keep that in mind if you are allergic (or a dog lover). It is much cheaper than the two resorts.

Ekas, Lombok FAQs

How to Get from Ekas to Elsewhere in Lombok

From Ekas you can head to:

• Kuta Lombok: the main surf and beach town in Lombok, about 1.5 hours west by road
• Sekotong: a remote coast in south-west Lombok, known for island hopping
• Senggigi: the original beach resort strip on the north-west coast
• Gili Air: the most relaxed of the three Gili Islands, about 2.5 hours by road and fast boat

On your way back, you will not find a metered taxi waiting in Ekas. Arrange the return transfer through your hotel, or agree a price with a local driver in advance.

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