The island of a thousand beaches — that is how people describe Lombok. Every district has its own beautiful, distinctive stretch of coast, and even though the island is small, no traveller could hope to see them all in a few days. Some beaches have white sand, some have pink sand, and some are covered in grains shaped like peppercorns. One beach, though, is unlike the rest. Along its long shoreline you will find a section of fine white sand and another where the sand looks like tiny peppercorns. That beach is Tanjung Aan. Tanjung Aan can be considered for a Lombok daily tour. The nearby Batu Payung rock shown in the archive photos below collapsed in 2019; it is no longer a standing landmark.
Still sketching out your Lombok itinerary? Tanjung Aan and Batu Payung both appear in our region-by-region guide to the 38 best things to do in Lombok.
Tanjung Aan lies inside the Mandalika Resort area of Central Lombok, only about 30 minutes from Lombok International Airport. It is the longest beach on the island, and it is split into three parts: Pantai Cemara at the western end, Pantai Batu Kotak in the middle, and Pantai Orong Pandan at the eastern end.
To take in the whole sweep of the bay from a distance, climb Bukit Mereseq (Mereseq Hill) at the western end of the beach. For a closer look at the entire beach, climb Batu Kotak, the square boulder that sits right in the middle of Tanjung Aan. The beach is made for sunbathing. Because it curves into a headland, the swell rolling in from the open sea stays gentle, so it is good for swimming too.
Batu Payung update: the iconic rock collapsed on 31 March 2019, as reported by ANTARA. The photos here document its former appearance. See our Batu Payung guide for context, and confirm current coastal access and boat arrangements locally rather than relying on the former walking route or boat fare.
