Kuta Lombok

Kuta on Lombok shares nothing with its Bali namesake beyond the word: a bay of coarse white sand grains often described as peppercorn-shaped, hills behind, and a run of surf beaches east and west - Tanjung Aan, Gerupuk, Mawi, Selong Belanak - that made it a low-key surf town for years. That has changed fast. The Mandalika zone, a state-designated tourism development covering a large area of the coast, brought the Pertamina Mandalika circuit, which has hosted MotoGP since 2022, along with hotels and infrastructure; the land acquisition behind it has been contested, with United Nations special rapporteurs raising concerns about evictions of Sasak residents. The result is a place changing quickly, with construction alongside the beaches.

What to look for

• Peppercorn sand - the coarse round grains the bay is known for.
• A run of surf bays - Gerupuk, Mawi, Tanjung Aan and Selong Belanak nearby.
• The Mandalika circuit - the MotoGP track built into the coast from 2021.
• Rapid construction - the state tourism zone building out around the beaches.

When to go

April to October; avoid MotoGP week unless that is the reason. Three days.

What to expect

Development is heavy and ongoing, with construction noise and dust. The land acquisition behind the zone has been contested internationally. Race week fills everything and prices multiply.

Nearby

Selong Belanak and Mawi are west; Praya airport is north.