Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fishing village situated behind a sweeping,
white-sand beach. It's great for a few
quiet days by the sea, especially if you like
wild coastal scenery and turbulent surf,
but you need to have your own transport
(renting a motorbike is ideal) to reach
surrounding beaches and make the most
of the area. Apart from the Sunday and
Wednesday markets , Kuta is a quiet and
laidback place.
Kuta days revolve around the beach or
pool. You can hire surfboards or book
classes and tours at Kimen Surf ( T 0370
655064, W kuta-lombok.net) in the village.
Dive operator Dive Zone ( T 0370 660
3205, W divezone-lombok.com) knows of
sites for all levels of experience, and
arranges snorkelling trips to Gili Sudah
and Gili Poh. Mimpi Manis (see below)
organizes fishing trips (Rp1,000,000/4-5hr
for up to three people).
white sand and gentle waves are idyllic.
here's a small refreshment shack behind
the beach, so you can happily spend the
whole day there. Take a decent road map
if you're exploring any further west from
Selong Blanak and be aware that the
road deteriorates badly the further west
you go.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bemo Coming from the west, buses run to Praya from
Bertais/Mandalika/Sweta terminal in Sweta. From Praya,
bemos either go as far as Sengkol, where you can change,
or right through to Kuta. From the east of Lombok, bemos
run to Praya from Kopang on the main cross-island road.
Bemos pass Mimpi Manis on their way into Kuta, then stop
at the western end of the village - it's a 10min walk to the
accommodation along the beach.
By charter transport Ask at your accommodation.
Most people use charters for one-way drops: around
Rp200,000-250,000 to Mataram, Rp250,000-300,000 to
Senggigi, and Rp300,000-350,000 to Bangsal.
Around Kuta
he glorious beaches of Seger and
Tanjung Aan to the east of Kuta are, at a
push, walkable, though bicycles and
scooters are a good idea (many of the
roads are in a poor condition, so be
prepared for a bumpy ride). Past Tanjung
Aan, the small fishing village of Gerupuk,
just under 8km from Kuta, perches on
the western shores of Gumbang Bay.
here are some good surf waves here, and
boatmen will ferry you out for around
Rp80,000 per boat including waiting
time. From Gerupuk , there are fine views
across the bay to Bumbang on the eastern
shore, and you can rent a canoe or
motorboat to take you across.
Along the coast west of Kuta you can
explore half a dozen or more of the
prettiest beaches on the island. he
closest is the tiny (but lovely) Are Goleng ,
a couple of kilometres out of Kuta, and
heading west you come to Mawun , a
gorgeous curve of golden sand with calm
waters which are good for swimming,
Tampa , Mawi (recommended for surfing)
and Rowok , before reaching the small
village of Selong Blanak , 15km from
Kuta, from where you can cut inland to
Keling and on to Praya (24km). Selong
Blanak beach is well worth the distance,
as there's hardly anybody there and the
4
ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation is spread a few hundred metres along
the road behind the beach at the eastern end of the village
or in the village itself.
G'day Inn T 0370 655342, W gday-inn.com. Five well-
kept rooms with attached cold-water bathrooms in a
friendly family homestay in the village; head east at the
main village crossroads that are just inland from the
market area. Rp120,000
Mimpi Manis T 081 836 9950, W mimpimanis.com.
Just over 1.5km north of the beach on the way to Sade,
this spotless place is run by a Balinese-English family.
Choose between fan or a/c rooms (Rp225,000), or a two-
storey house (Rp250,000); all have private bathrooms,
safes an d DVD player s (there's a big collection of films to
borrow). Rp150,000
Segare Anak T 0370 654846. This long-standing
favourite, on the road that runs behind the beach, has a
wide range of rooms, some with a/c, al l with cold water,
set in a lovely garden with a dinky pool. Rp200,000
The Spot T 0370 702 2100, W thespotbungalows
.com. Small but lovely bamboo bungalows (each with a
private deck and hammock), as well as a grass y communal
area for socializing and a small bar-restaurant. Rp280,000
Surfers Inn T 0370 655582. Simple but sizeable and
well-maintained fan rooms with communal verandas
and more swish a/c bungalows set in a pretty garden
surrounding a pool that's big enough to swim lengths in.
Rp220,000
Yuli's Homestay T 0819 1710 0983, W yulis
homestay.com. Run by a welcoming Indonesian-Kiwi
 
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