Nusa Tenggara

Where to surf in Nusa Tenggara

“The Southeastern Islands” of Nusa Tenggara string out across the NE border of the Indian Ocean, forming a barrier to the Banda Sea and beyond that, the mighty Pacific. Also called the Lesser Sunda Islands from Bali east, there is nothing lesser about them in surfing terms, with each major island hosting at least one world-class wave including probably the world’s best wave, Desert Point on Lombok. This region should attract surfers by the thousands, but in true Indo style, it is not so simple. While surf camps draw in visitors to a few prime spots, the rugged terrain and sparse infrastructure have left many coasts wild and undeveloped, offering the sort of vibe and exploration potential that existed on Bali 30 years ago.

Nusa Tenggara Barat

Lombok isn't all about freight-train barrels and in fact is one of the best beginner/intermediate surfing islands in Indo, centred around the deep bays at Grupuk and Ekas.

The real touristy feel is reserved for the Gili’s way up in the north of the deep Lombok Channel, which feed off huge swells and NW winds. When this rare occurrence happens, fast shallow rights spin off the reef on Gili Trawangan and sometimes on Gili Air too. There are further possibilities for surf along this east coast north of Sengigi, where there's a left on the outside reef and amongst the serene islands nestling behind Bangko Bangko when it's huge. The south coast is cliffy and rocky, with lots of little islets and punctuated by a few really deep bays, which give Lombok way more flexibility in regards to swell size and beginners waves.

West Sumbawa is the next region to represent, touting two insanely good lefts for experienced surfers at Scar Reef and Supersuck. The names are perfect aptronyms, but luckily there are some other easier waves for average Joes, including the aptly-named ramp machine, Yo-Yos!

Cruise around the corner and a wave wilderness opens up along Sumbawa's south coast for 180km. Once again the charters are usually in a hurry to get to the name breaks and safe anchorages so few spots are regularly surfed. The predominant coastal angle would favour NW wet season winds, but there are many deep bays backed by high coastal ranges that funnel winds down valleys to meet the sea at rivermouths and reef passes that are going to work during the dry season. Remoteness, rough seas and no roads are going to keep this coast off the maps for years to come.

Central Sumbawa has a less obvious naming convention, but a real concentration of classy reefs, clustered around the main event at Lakey Peak.

After the brief interruption of the surf ghetto at Lakey Peak in Central Sumbawa, normal service is resumed to the east of Wara Point out to Tanjung Langundu and the huge natural estuary that signals the end of the surf zone. This coastline fires in wet season winds and a couple of charters hit this coast around shoulder season, hoping for more swell and light NW winds.

Nusa Tenggara Timur

What swell that does get through to Komodo and Flores is mostly dashed against sea cliffs, proving this area is for divers and dragon hunters, however there is a rumour of a perfect cobblestone pointbreak left on one of the smaller islands in this area.

Sitting in splendid isolation, Sumba is a departure from the Indonesian surf norm in many ways. The undeveloped road network and infrastructure, along with the cliff-bound coast makes getting around slow and difficult unless on a boat, but even then, getting access to the islands best wave at Nihiwatu is impossible unless you are a guest at the eye-wateringly expensive resort that claims rights over the glamorous Occy's Left. There are other good quality spots at Miller's and Mangkudu, plus some secret spots tucked into the folds of this ancient island with its megalithic culture.

Sumba is a large zone that is only lightly covered with dozens of scarily high quality waves interspersed between the major breaks on the map. Between Nihiwatu and Tarimbang a contorted playground of reefs, bays and rivermouths beckons the longer range boat charters, who are the only ones that are going to be able to access these waves that work in a range of different wind/swell combos, taking experienced captains quite a while to work out and extra diesel to keep commuting between safe anchorages and the empty line-ups.

The furthest east you can go and still get reliable surf, centres around the two relatively small islands of Savu and Rote. Again there are a couple of waves that could easily fall into the world-class category on their day, including Raijua's smoking long lefts, plus a handful of excellent supporting acts like the ultra reliable regional favourite of T-Land at Nemberala on Rote.

Savu and Rote cop stronger winds than most places in Indonesia, which often brings cross-chop to line-ups that look like they should be offshore. Like Sumba, there are more breaks to be sniffed out, but wind direction and strength will be critical, as will the direction that the swell arrives through the narrow SSW to W window. Rote's SE-facing coastline should hold some waves, but it doesn't catch anywhere near as much swell as it needs and instead catches far too much of the trade wind. There's a rideable right and a sketchy left up north in Desa Mukekuku where E wind is sideshore for the left.

West Timor’s far southern coast is SW swell exposed at a couple of obvious reef set-ups, but it soon transforms into long sandy beaches and large rivermouths bringing sediment from the mountainous interior.

Timor Leste

Over the border into East Timor there’s a few pockets of reef platform around Suai, Betano and Wedauberek, but wind strength, swell consistency and large saltwater crocs are the main worries. Timor translates as “east” and surfers should take note. To head further towards Irian Jaya is counter productive as Australia shuts the window, the continental shelf cuts the power and weather systems get funky. There is of course plenty of E windswell generated and in fact the north coasts of the islands strung between Flores and Pulau Wetar can get the odd sloppy wave, but what wind chop there is, usually heads straight to Sulawesi. Maluku is outlined in the Pacific Indonesia region.