Best Surf Season (April - October)

The Indian Ocean's Southern Hemisphere storm track fires on all cylinders during these months, sending consistent, long-period SSW and SW swell across the Indian Ocean basin. At Desert Point, this deep south swell refracts forcefully around the island of Lombok, wrapping into the northwest-facing reef with serious power. Average heights sit comfortably in the 1.5m to 2.0m range, and periods routinely exceed 13 seconds – often reaching into the 14-15s sweet spot. The true magic, though, is the wind: the southeast trade winds become established, delivering clean offshore flow from the E, ESE, and SE quadrants for the vast majority of the time. This combination creates some of the most reliable, high-quality surf of the year. July and August stand out for peak swell size, but the wind becomes slightly more variable, demanding sharp timing. Still, from April through October, Desert Point is firing on all cylinders.

Fair Surf Season (March & November)

These transitional months bridge the wet and dry monsoons, offering a mixed bag of conditions. In March, the tail end of the Southern Hemisphere storm season still produces solid SSW swell with an average height of 1.5m and a very healthy average period of 13.3s. However, the wind regime is fluctuating; westerly and northwesterly onshore flow still competes with building offshore easterlies, keeping the ideal wind percentage around 43%. November sees the opposite transition: the trades are still going strong (75% ideal wind), but the storm track is winding down, so the swell is slightly smaller and less consistent, averaging 1.5m at 13.2s. Both months can dish out epic sessions if the timing is right, but you have to be willing to work around the instability.

Low Surf Season (December - February)

The heart of the Indonesian wet season is a challenging time for Desert Point. The region is dominated by the west monsoon, which brings persistent onshore winds from the W, WSW, and WNW – often blowing over 20-30kph and destroying wave quality. Ideal offshore wind conditions occur only about 17% of the time. Swell is still present – mainly from the SSW and SW – with average heights around 1.5-1.6m and periods of 12.4-12.7s, but it’s frequently accompanied by choppy, bumpy faces. The few clean windows that open up are often short-lived and can be exceptional, but overall, this is the season for the patient, dedicated surfer. Expect to pick your days carefully.