indonesia - West Sumbawa - tropical 2012

This part of the trip was surfing, walks and looking around the area.

We booked ourselves into Nomads Tropical Resort. Not cheap but I hadn’t stayed at a surf camp before so it looked good on the net so we gave it a try.

We flew from Bali to Lombok, where we were picked up by car and driven to a jetty somewhere in east Lombok. From there, we boarded the speed boat which took us to west Sumbawa. We were met by another car which took us to Tropical Resort.

The resort was large, had pool, restaurant and bar. There were a number of other facilities e.g. gym but I didn’t use them. The rooms were good with plenty of room and a bathroom.

Straight in front of the resort were two surf breaks. The right didn’t really get any good the time we were there so we mainly surfed the left which was fun. The waves varied in size to ½ head height to double head height. It was a bit out of control when it got bigger. The reef is flat and I only hit it three times. One time hard which cut my foot though not badly. The crowds varied from just a few to way too many.

We looked at the other breaks in the area but they looked too intimidating to me.

One day, when it was small, we took a speed boat to a right hand wave down the coast. I really liked that wave though the paddle back out after a wave was a bit heart pumping. The waves broke sort of in three sections. When you pulled off the wave you were sort of in the impact zone of the next wave section if a set was following. I got caught a few times but it wasn’t too bad.

There were three of us surfing. One of the other guys got caught inside for ages after a drop in/fall off in front of me. Karma!!!

We snorkelled at the reef at Tropicals but the currents were strong and it wasn’t that good.

On a number of occasions, I went for walks along the reef and beach at low tide. These times were quiet and enjoyable. The scenery was very pretty and the hills of the point were high and covered in jungle growth. The beach was white sand fringed with thick jungle growth.

We went on a number of road trips to check out the surf breaks and local villages. The area is generally well off compared to other spots in Indo. The nearby mines provided well paid work and the feeder industries provided services for the local communities.

The resort is by itself so the people we/I met were on the beach or visiting the resort.

The people working in the mines had very interesting stories on the mines dealings with the local people. Most problems between the two seemed to stem around money. In one instance, problems arose due to the job interview process. The locals didn’t like it that they didn’t get the jobs after the first interview.

Most conversations were small talk. Some people did some interesting things. One guy travelled around Indo as a sort of intermediary between locals and companies. Another guy worked in the mining school. There were few western girls. One group of American surfers had hired a car and were travelling throughout Indo – the car must have been crowded when fully packed.

The hotel staff were locals and nice. The management positions were mainly westerners from Portugal, South Africa and Australia. One of the owners was from Indonesia with an Australian husband who built pools around indo. The husband was a quiet, interesting and nice guy.

Well, it was an enjoyable experience being at Tropicals but overall it wasn’t the place for me.

indonesia - Sumbawa - Lakey - 19 to 26 April 2011

Tuesday – 19 April 2011 – Ubud and Lakey - sun, cloudy, rain – 1 metre to over head height waves

We were up early for the drive to the domestic airport (250 000). It took just over an hour but on checking in at the airport, we were told the plane was full for surfboards. Luckily, being first to check in, my board managed to be fitted in. Other guys waited two days for their boards.
At Bima, we were greeted by Mus from Aman Gati, who organized the boards and luggage onto the cars. Advice – don’t let the porters or anyone not with Mus pick up your gear… you’ll be hassled to pay if you do.

The drive took 2 hours pass fish farms, salt farms, hills and Dompu. We checked in but the room wasn’t very good (construction work was our view) but they organized a different room for tomorrow.
I went for late surf at Nungas, which was sectioning and shallow at 1 metre to head height. Harry was there when I got out. Harry is the motorbike rider that pillioned me last year. It was great to see him again has despite our language barriers I consider him a friend. Besides that, he laughs at all my jokes. Yes, he doesn’t speak English much but that is perfect to me.

Wednesday – 20 April 2011 – Lakey – sun, cloudy - 1 metre to over head height waves

I started with an early surf at Nungas at about 1 metre and glassy with a handful of surfers. Soon, it reached overhead and barreling and very crowded.

After breakfast, I went to Periscopes for a surf which was about a metre and fun.

After lunch, I went to Cobblestones for another surf which was over head height with a lot of water movement. Shaun (met him on the plane) turned up so at least I wouldn’t drown on my own. I took some waves on the head but got a few okay waves.
Malaria tablet day.

Thursday – 21 April 2011 – Lakey – sun, cloudy, rain – one metre to head height waves

I had a late start, due to the low tide, and went to Periscopes. It was one metre and fun. The crowd picked up quickly but I still got a few waves. Harry wanted me to see his ricefields after the surf so off we went. He owned two fields and we had to walk through two fields to get to his padi. Harry’s famiy were there sitting in the shade – his wife two daughters and youngest son. His oldest son was somewhere else. Harry demonstrated to me how he works in the fields. Kerja baik – good jod! I was dying of thirst as I had forgotten to bring water with me.

Later, I went out at Cobblestones which was much smaller and fun.

Friday 22 April 2011 – Lakey – sun, cloudy, rain – one metre to head height waves

I woke up and had a walk along the beach and reef to Lakey Pipe. I ran into Jay, who was organizing a boat to Mystery Point.

After breakfast, Jacinta, Chloe and I caught a motorbike to Cobblestones. The girls loved the motorbike ride. There were only three out including myself but that soon changed. Still there were enough waves and it was a fun break.

Back for lunch, we went to he Frenchman’s restaurant and it took an hour to come!
Chloe and I went back to Cobblestones. This time I surfed it by myself in one metre fun waves.

Back at the hotel and after a shower, Chloe and I went for a walk to Nungas and looked around the reef pools. We met a young Aussie couple from Tasmania.

We had dinner (curry) at Dekkis which was really tasty. It is a rickety two storey building with a restaurant on the top floor. It is nothing fancy but the food was so good.

Saturday – 23 April 2011 – Lakey – rain, cloudy, sun – just below head height to double head height waves

I’ve had a virus for the last few days that was mild but on this morning it hit much harder.
Shane and Helen went back to Bali today.

After breakfast, I went with Harry to Cobblestones. It was one metre to head high with long lulls but no one out again. I had great fun waves for 2 hours.
Back at the hotel and I crashed for an hour or so.

We all went for a motor bike ride to Periscopes via Hu’u and the bay path. We had great fun driving along the road and tracks. In Hu’u we drove through the village streets (tracks) and stopped at Harry’s place. The people were so friendly in the village and we got heaps of photos. At Periscopes, the waves were solid and intense with close to double overhead on the sets. I watched 13 waves in a row and only three surfers making it. The rest were crushed to oblivion. Not my type of wave.

We watched the sunset (first to be seen this week due to clouds) Afterwards, We had dinner down the road and later sat on the beach and watched the stars (clear night) and sang songs. We need to know the words!

Sunday – 24 April 2011 – Lakey - sun, cloudy, rain – 1metre to head height

The day started with a beautiful red sky on a mountain backdrop.

Chloe and I walked to Nungas and I had a snorkel in one of the large rock pools remaining on the low tide. While snorkeling I saw a few sea horses. They were straight and moved by curving their body like a sea snake. They also had a dark brown fan at the end of their tails

Chloe and I then caught motorbikes with Jay and Harry to Cobblestones. I had a fun 1 metre surf by myself for the first hour and quarter.

Later in the afternoon, it started to pour and I drove with Harry to Periscopes where there was one metre to just below head height waves. I surfed constantly for an hour by myself before two guys paddled out. We continued to surf for another hour before the tide started to get too low. It was one of the best but intense surfs with heaps of waves, fast walls and three barrels I’d had so far.

We had a great curry down the road for dinner.

Monday – 25 April 2011 – Lakey – sun, cloudy - ½ metre waves

We had a very lazy day today.

We had a walk to Nungas. I went for a snorkel while the girls swam and lazed on the beach. There were heaps of fish. We met and spoke with a group of local ladies from Dompu on the way back.
Later, Chloe and I had a bike ride to Cobblestones and Nungadora. The lefts at cobblestones looked intense but rideable and Nungadora was blown out.

We said our goodbyes to Jay and Harry and paid them 500 000 each for the week of bike riding.

Indonesia - Lakey, Sumbawa to Legian, Bali - april 2010

The surfed looked good as we were leaving Lakey on 14 April 2010.


We paid our food/drink bills, said goodbyes to our Sumbawa bike mates then our van took us to Bima airport. There were a few of us in the van so it was a little crowded.

The drive was about 2 hours of lush hills, salt marshes, green rice fields, busy towns and laid-back villages. At Bima airport, we paid a departure tax of about 10 000 rupiah and 50 000 rupiah for my surfboard.

The flight was clear in parts with great views over Sumbawa, Lombok, Nusa Penida and Bali.

We touched down in Bali, went through customs and we said our goodbyes. Marty, Nick, Nick and Mat were off to Berewa and then Nick and Nick were off to G-land. Me, I was off to Legian and the Kumala Hotel for some resting, beers, stone massage and food. The taxi from the airport was 120 000 rupiah (60 000 for my board.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Hu'u, motorbike and dinner at Jay's - April 2010

 

 

Hu’u is the small village to the west of Lakey. It consists of a main road with a number of dirt roads branching off in a rectangle shape. The homes are fenced and dotted along the main road and the side roads.

12/04/10 - sunny

I went the first time through the village with Harry my motorbike driver. The people were very friendly saying hello or waving.

I met Harry’s wife and some of his kids as well as visited his house. Further along through the village, we met Jay’s wife and some of her family.

13/04/10 - sunny

On the second visit, we were all invited to jay’s home for dinner. Jay was Marty’s motorbike driver. The meal was really nice and we got to meet more of his family.

We had a great time after dinner with Marty giving away stickers and Marty and Nick buying fish. It caused a mini riot but it was in the name of good fun.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Periscopes - surf, HIKE, motorcycle - April 2010

Periscopes is a bit of a distance from Lakey Beach. Like most breaks around the area transport is required or else be prepared for a long walk.

The motorcycle ride to Pericopes can go two ways:

1. Along the road – We drove along the main road swerving around the potholes, goats, horses and whatever. Just before the large sign announcing the beginning of Hu’u village there is a dirt track which follows a canal leading the surf at Periscopes. Along this track there are a number of makeshift plastic sheet homes and huts. It is quite a sight passing people living, preparing food, washing and bathing along the edge of the track and canal. Most seem to be itinerant field workers.

The track becomes very bumpy and narrow passing tall elephant grasses and rice fields. Eventually the track ends and the bikes are parked and we climb over a small bamboo fence and walk the short distance to the beach.
2. The second way is via the beach. There is a sandy track to Nungas then it is over the small sand dunes and down onto the ‘hard’ beach sand. The ride is exciting, especially, while holding on to your surfboard. Now and again the bike would spin out when the sand became too soft. There is a small shallow river crossing, where all control of the bike is just about gone. Better to walk this section. It is a cool way to get to the surf and far quicker than the road.

Periscopes is a right reef break. It is a fun, fast, variable and good wave.

10 April 2010 – sunny

We had our first surf at Periscopes late in the afternoon. It was about 1 metre plus with just a few guys out. A great wave though the wind was a bit strong.

11 April 2010 – sunny

We had morning surf at Periscopes at 1 metre. Fun!

The afternoon surf was blown out by onshore winds. We had a walk on the reef during the low tide. Lots of sea creatures!

Looked again in the afternoon but it was blown out so we went reef walking.

12 April 2010 – sunny

Once again a morning surf at about 1 metre plus. There were some good waves.

13 April 2010 – sunny

We had very early surf at Periscopes. There were only two of us out for the first hour. Great waves! After two hours the crowd increased heaps and it became a little intense. Luckily, I was inshore by then and watched the tension and drop-ins mount.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Nungadora - surfing motorbike- April 2010

We were pillion on motorbikes to and from the surf. Harry was my driver.

Nungadora is a right reef break with a left break on the other side of the small bay. The left is fast and tends to close a lot. The right jacks up and is fast.

I surfed both breaks. The left was difficult has it tended to break inwards on most waves making it difficult to make. The right was easier, jacking up when hitting the reef with a steep takeoff.

8 April 2010 – sunny

Two of us surfed the left, which really wasn’t very good and the others the right, which was much better. Both waves were head height.

13 April 2010 – sunny

This was a great fun surf with solid rights from 1m to over head height on the take offs. The waves were steep and glassy. There were only four of us out which made for an excellent afternoon.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Nungas - surfing - April 2010

Nungas is a left hand reef break that peels off for a long long ride. The wave breaks in a few locations depending on the tide. It is a fun and easy wave but a bit of a paddle to get out.

11 April 2010 – sunny

The waves were a metre to head height. There were two sections for taking off depending on wave size and wave direction. It tended to be a good take off but a bit sluggish after awhile. A long paddle back out. There were only five guys out. It was fun and different compared to the other waves in the area.

Indonesia - Sumbawa -Air Panas - surf - April 2010

 

 

 

We organised the boat and food etc the day before.

9 May 2010 - sunny

We were up early and down the beach ready for a boat trip adventure and hopefully good waves at a break called ‘Air Panas’. Air Panas in Indonesia means hot springs but the hot springs are in the bay to the west. There is a lighthouse on the hill so I thought a better name would be lighthouse east beach... Anyway...

The trip was noisy due to the motor but the scenery was great and it was nice just lying back watching the world move up and down and along. I usually get seasick or disoriented from boat rides. Disorientation was the sickness this time... funny... no one seemed to notice it (my disorientation) except myself.

There is a right and left break on reefs with a channel separating the two. We moored in this channel. The beach was palm fringed with white sand and one old fishing hut.

I surfed both breaks but I thought the left was far better. It seemed to get better as the tide came in. Apparently, the day before the right was better.

We were gone most of the day with the actual boat motoring being about 3 to 4 hours.

The boat cost 750 000 rupiah for the 5 of us (or about that).

The place looks like it would be a fun place to camp out for a few nights. There is a road but apparently it is crap even by Indonesian standards.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Cobblestones - surf- April 2010

Cobblestones is a right hand reef break wave. There is a left on the other side of the small bay.

It seems to work best mid to high and high to mid tide.

7 April 2010 - cloudy and sunny

The first surf was about 1 metre. The wave is fun and easy. Some of the bigger waves tended to bowl up on the outside of the wave and break inwards making it a little difficult to get around that particular section.

The crowd was small and easy going.

8 April 2010 – sunny

We surfed in the afternoon in ½ to 1 metre fun waves. It was a little bumpy but smoothed out late in the afternoon when the wind diminished.

9 April 2010 – sunny

There were ½ to 1 metre waves that improved into the evening. The waves were easy and fun.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Lakey - hill view - april 2010

 

The land backdrop of Lakey is lush green hills. On 12 may 2010, we drove the motorbikes to the foot of the hills, then climbed to a viewing rock where we were afforded panoramic views across Lakey, Hu’u and the surrounding countryside. On the way, we came across the Japanese cave and climbed inside.

 

The walk though not far was strenuous due to the high humidity in the surrounding jungle and the steepness of the track. Overall, the walk is worth the view.

Don’t forget to take water and camera.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Lakey - walk, surf - April 2010

 

Lakey Beach is a long white sand beach. The reef starts at the mid tide mark and runs along the length of the beach. Further out there is deeper water that forms a U-shape with exposed reef at low tide in the middle of the U-shape. On the exposed reef there is a two storey platform for viewing the surf.

Along the land side of the beach is a path and behind this are various restaurants and accommodations. The path is a bit uneven so at night a torch is essential.

The restaurants all have good food and the accommodations have a range of standards and prices.

Also along the path a number of small shops selling food, drinks, books, etc

There are three main breaks in front of Lakey Beach:

Lakey peak left

Lakey peak right

Lakey pipe

All these are great waves that can get intensely crowded. Forget the dawn patrol; there are guys out there in the dark.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Frenchman's Restaurant - April 2010

The Frenchman, name forgotten, ran this restaurant in Lakey.

The story told to me was that:

He owned two other restaurants but spilt with his previous local wives and left them the restaurants as part of the settlement.

The food was good and the atmosphere quiet.

Indonesia - Sumbawa - Aman Ganti Hotel - April 2010

We stayed at the Alam Ganti hotel from the 7 April 2010 to 14 April 2010. I booked this through the surf travel company in Australia.

www.surftravel.com.au

It might have been just as easy or even easier to book direct with the hotel.
+62 361 3144832 +62 361 3144832 (Office Hours Only)

+62 361 7438073 +62 361 7438073 (Mobile)

http://www.amangati.com

The package included transfers to and from airport at bali and bima, domestic flights, 7 nights accommodation and breakfast.

The web site cost for a twin share package of 7 days is $US 435.

The surf travel company was $ AUD 466

We paid for fan rooms but on arrival we were given brand new air conditioned rooms that were excellent. The room had hot/cold water shower, flush toilet, clean, made up each day and tv.

The hotel is large with rows of rooms in one or two storey blocks. The gardens are large but not lush.

There is a three tiered restaurant which has views over the beach and surfing at Lakey Peak. The food is good and service is quick. Breakfast is included in the room price.

There is also a small well maintained pool with lots of seats. It is a great area for socialising and meeting people from all over the surfing world in the evening over a cold beer.

There are much cheaper accommodation options along the same stretch of beach.

Indonesia - Bali to Sumbawa - 7 April 2010

 
I arranged transport the day before with Nyoman. This guy had a good van, turned up on time, was friendly and not problems. I used him for most of my transport on this trip.


+628155775989 from overseas

Email of brother: mande_driver@yahoo.com

We left Balian at 6:30 am on 7 May 2010 with some rain. The trip down crowded in spots with trucks coming from Java.

We arrived at the domestic airport at 8:30 am. My flight with Merpati was leaving at 10:00 am. The departure tax was 30 000 rupiah. My surfboard cost about 70, 000 rupiah. This was my first time in the domestic airport at Bali. I was meeting Nick, Nick, Marty and Mat at the airport. I met the first three guys in Medewi about two years ago. Mat was a friend of theirs that I met in Berewa about 4 days previously. Eventually, I met up with the guys and we boarded the flight to Bima, Sumbawa.

At Bima, we went fairly quickly through customs and were met by the van from the Alam Ganti hotel. The drive was about 2 ½ hours through flat and hilly terrain through little traffic on a two way road. We also passed through a few small towns.

The road deteriorated somewhat at Hu’u, which is a small village just before the Alam Ganti Hotel, Lakey Beach. On arrival, we checked in at reception and were swamped in a friendly way by guys offering motorbike transport. I took Harry, who spoke little English. We negotiated for 50 000 rupiahs per day to ride me to and from the local surfing spots.

Then we were off to the rooms, which were air conditioned and brand new.

Later, we surfed at Cobblestones and dinner at the Frenchman’s