Selong Belanak beach is a series of beautiful beaches lined up adjacent to each other, running from Kuta Beach to the west in sequence.
These are Areguling Beach, Mawun Beach, Tepar Beach, Semeti Beach, and Mawi Beach. In terms of beauty, this beach is slightly better.
Comparing Selong Belanak Beach
In my opinion, compared to Kuta Beach, this beach is a very beautiful bay adorned with cliffs and green hills as far as the eye can see.
The splendor of Selong Belanak Beach
This beach is dotted with several green hilly islands in the center, far from the beach, which only slightly adorns this location. This beach does not have many accommodation facilities.
The only hotel operating here is the Sempiak Hotel (formerly), which also uses the hotel parking lot for vehicles, as the hotel expects every guest to dine at the hotel restaurant.
This time, there are hotels and several restaurants appearing around Selong Belanak Bay and on the hill far from the beach, such as the Selong Selo Hotel.
Have Look: Lombok Surf Lesson Course In Selong Belanak Beach
Previously, this beach was only popular with surfers, thanks to its high, long waves.
It’s unfortunate that the local community didn’t care much about the beach’s cleanliness (in the past), even though there was a Rp 5,000 entrance fee for motorcycles. However, the security guards simply took the money without giving us a ticket stub.
This means the entrance fee is only for private use, not for improving public facilities on the beach.
Many changes have occurred; it seems some of the land has become the property of private resorts. The beach is no longer visible from a distance as it once was.
Now, you have to enter the beach through a tunnel with a high wall and a concrete fence. Enter through the tunnel and cross the parking lot.
Not far from the beach, there are public toilets for rent, constructed like makeshift urban structures, using used shipping containers.
A common Sight at Selong Belanak Beach
Besides relaxing around the beach, there are stalls where you can order coffee, young coconut ice, snacks, and other snacks. You can also find a surf guide if you’d like to be accompanied while surfing.
They can also teach you the basics and provide information on the surrounding area regarding wave conditions, but their services are rarely needed.
Community Hopes and Responses
I had a chance to chat with a local resident who claimed to be a surf guide. He squinted at the ocean and complained about the lack of tourists visiting Selong Belanak Beach (at that time).
He said he was tired of hoping for the same thing year after year, but nothing changed. That was when I asked him a few years ago, but now the number of visitors to this beach seems to have increased, and the beach is cleaner, as if coordinated by the area management.
The expanse of white sand at Selong Belanak Beach is vast and flat.
Also, not far from Selong Belanak Beach is Semeti Beach, just a 3 km walk or drive to the east.
Semeti Beach is very popular with backpackers, as I frequently see young people posting selfies on the steep rocks on Semeti Beach on Instagram.
Undeniably, Semeti Beach has a fantastically beautiful shape, making it a great place to take photos, as it consists of boulders battered by the waves.
It has the unique feature of towering rocks surrounding the beach so that waves coming from the sea will enter and be trapped by the steep rocks on Semeti beach.
Route to Selong Belanak Beach
So how do we get to Selong Belanak Beach? From Mataram city, it’s pretty easy; just follow the road towards Lombok International Airport.
At the Penujak village intersection, there’s a large mosque on the corner of the main road. Turn right and turn a short distance, then you’ll find the Penujak traditional market turnoff.
The first asphalt road leads to the Pengga Dam. After passing the market, there’s a bridge constructed of Australian steel. After that, turn right and continue straight south, without turning.
The road is relatively quiet, dominated by agricultural crops, usually corn, rice, or tobacco.
Before approaching the beach, the road becomes steep and winding, until Selong Belanak Beach is visible from above.
With its captivating beauty, there’s a viewpoint on the right side of the road where the ruts leading up to the parking lot are clearly visible. There’s no parking fee here.
After 5 or 10 minutes here, we descend 4 km on a long, downhill road, and if we turn around, it’s the steepest climb in Lombok.
Once you reach the bottom, at the T-junction, turn right and continue 500 meters to the beach.
