Surf Spot: Lakey Peak and East Sumbawa

Updated: Apr 24

If you are looking for an adventure in a more remote place to surf world-class waves and escape the more busy parts of Indonesia then East Sumbawa might be your next destination.

East Sumbawa offers world-class waves like Lakey Peak and Lakey Pipe in a relaxed and surf-focused lifestyle in a way that reminds you of how some surf spots used to be before they got more developed.

Life here is pretty simple, surf, eat, sleep, repeat.

Some surfers are traveling alone but most, at least now during the rainy season, are traveling with family which makes it a more relaxed environment

You have some accommodations and restaurants right by the beach so you basically can walk to surf and eat so it's a place where you don't need your scooter or car much.

The accommodations here have a wide range of prices and conditions so, you can always find something that suits you, just remember that many are not listed on sites like Booking.com or Airbnb.com, so, you might have to go directly to the guesthouse and ask the price in person.

The surroundings of the spot offer tropical green forests and mountains. There are waterfalls to go to, off-road motorcycle tours, and spearfishing to keep you entertained during your off-surf time.

There are places here to fix your board and even a White Monkey Surf Shop but what is available here is of limited choice so if you plan to travel here it's probably best to get all your surf gear from home.

There are some small markets, where you can get basic supplies and also medicine but if you have any special needs maybe you should bring them with you. The same with medicine, I always advise people to bring their own from home when traveling to remote places as if you need to find something specific it might be more difficult to find it here.

Lakey Peak

Lakey Peak is an A-Frame reef break with a shorter right and a longer left and it is one of the most famous waves in Indonesia so you can expect it always to have people surfing it but it's not usually as crowded as other spots like in Bali.

It breaks right in front of the famous tower and you can surf it lower or higher tide.

The winds typically pick up late morning so I would recommend surfing early morning or late afternoon to get the best surf conditions.

Around the area, there are a lot of photographers and videographers so you can talk with them if you want to take some photos of you surfing with you back home or for your social media.

Lakey Pipe

Lakey Pipe is a left break to the left of Lakey Peak (facing the wave) and it is a barreling wave.

It usually lets you enter easy then gives you a nice and powerful but short barrel. Some of these waves continue slowly down the reef before they give you another short barrel.

It's less crowded than Lakey Peak making it an option when you would rather surf with fewer people.

Sometimes the wind is on-shore in Lakey Peak but it's ok in Lakey Pipe, so again, it can be an alternative when the wind is on.

Cobblestones

Past Lakey Pipe, there is another left reef brake located in a bay.

Nungas

To the left of Lakey Peak (facing the wave), there is another left-going wave called Nungas with several sections.

Nungas can be a good alternative for bigger surf.

Periscopes

After Nunga's you get another very famous wave called Periscopes.

This wave goes right starting at the bay on the other side of Nungas.

It can throw some nice barrels and also give you nice walls to carve on.

Conclusion

Lakey Peak and East Sumbawa can be a great option if you are looking for quality waves in a more quiet and relaxed place without all the distractions of more developed spots.

Come prepared with your surfboards for bigger and smaller surf as you will have the opportunity to use both.

All the waves mentioned in this post are reef bottom and can get pretty shallow during low tide so adjust according to how confident you feel riding in shallower conditions.

If you want to know more about the different types of waves then have a look at this post.

Enjoy Lakey Peak! and see you in the next blog post!