In many ways, Lombok is what Bali was decades ago: uncrowded, pristine, an island paradise.
Alfred Wallace studied the Malay Archipelago, from 1854 to 1862, he collected over 125,000 animal specimens from the region. He realized plants and animals related to Asian species are found to the north-west. Australasian species are found mainly to the south-east, with some Asian species. This boundary is now referred to as the "Wallace Line" and it is an imaginary transitional zone between Asia and Australia that acts a barrier for many species. Wallace independently came up with the theory of evolution by natural selection at the same time as Charles Darwin although it is Darwin who is commonly credited with the theory. The Wallace line runs through Indonesia, between Borneo and Sulawesi (Celebes); and through the Lombok Strait between Bali (in the west) and Lombok (in the east). Although the distance between Bali and Lombok is only about 35 kilometers. the differences in geology, plants, and animals are striking.
Fast forward over 160 years and the differences between the two islands is significant for surfers and tourist in general,. Bali has become a mature tourist destination. Shopping malls, movie theaters, and endless hotels ranging from 5 stars to backpacker basic meet tourists demands. There are literally thousands of restaurants of every type cuisine imaginable. Trendy coffee shops are everywhere. Of course to keep these hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops in business, tourists are needed and this year Bali will have almost 5 million tourists visiting the island. Along with the millions of tourists comes heavy traffic, pollution, and more crowded surf. Lombok has approximately 1 million tourist per year.
Lombok appears to have learned the from Bali's explosion in tourism. Better roads are being built. For the most part, Lombok is still pristine and uncrowded in comparison. Desert Point is the crown jewel of surf spots in Lombok. It should only be surfed by the most skilled surfers. Desert Point stands alone, isolated by region and rough dirt roads challenging surfers before they ever step into the water. In contrast, southern Lombok, specifically around Kuta Lombok has easy access to numerous surf breaks more oriented to beginner and intermediate surfers. In this video we selected two popular surf spots, both very close to the town of Kuta. The surf spots of Tanjung Aan beach and Gerupuk give you a glimpse of the wave potential of this coastline.
21 окт 2023
