the heavenly beaches of East Lombok- part 1

continued in part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5

No offense to Bali – and everyone knows how I adore Bali – the best beaches I’ve had the pleasure to swim in is in the lesser known island east of it, Lombok.

I am not just talking of the strips of Senggigi or the high end Gili islands which Lombok is known for. The beaches I am featuring here are off the beaten track. They are in East Lombok or Lombok Timor (Lotim) in Indonesia and are about 2 hours away from the Mataram airport.

First is Sumerang.

Sumerang is blessed with more than 5 uninhabited islets which arc 180 degrees around the bay. Some are rock flats but at least two are soaring limestone karst cliffs that seem to be sentinels of the blue waters. As for now, there are no signs of tourists. Talk about an undiscovered gem that is not even identified in any commercial map!

My other favorite beach in Lotim is the lagoon of Serewe.

Albeit Serewe would occasionally appear in the map as Seriwe, that the spelling is a subject of confusion signifies how far-flung the area is. Like Sumerang, it is 100% devoid of tourists. Serewe features a narrow U-shaped lagoon which offers waters in a myriad of aqua blue and emerald colors.

How did I get to know these beaches? That is another story…


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/1250s, f/5.6, 190mm, ISO 100, -1/3EV
3 seaweed farmers in Sumerang, East Lombok, Indonesia



Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/1600s, f/5.6, 300mm, ISO 100, -1/3EV
fishing in Sumerang, East Lombok, Indonesia


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/200s, f/14, 18mm, ISO 100, -1/3EV
Serewe, East Lombok, Indonesia