Tanjung Aan is south Lombok's defining beach — twin crescent bays divided by a small headland, fine 'pepper-grain' sand, and Merese Hill rising on the eastern side as a sunset silhouette. Calm water, golden hour color across the wide bay, and easy combination with Merese Hill viewpoint. 10k IDR entry. 15 minutes east of Kuta Lombok.
# Tanjung Aan Sunset: South Lombok's Twin-Bay Classic
Tanjung Aan is the defining beach of south Lombok — a wide bay divided into twin crescents by a small dividing headland, with Merese Hill rising 100m on the eastern side and a fishing village hamlet on the far east end. The sand is famously fine, often described as 'pepper-grain' for its perfect spherical shape. At sunset, the twin-bay structure, the jukung silhouettes, and Merese Hill backdrop combine into one of Lombok's most photographed scenes.
Tanjung Aan opens to the south. The view at sunset:
The wide-open south orientation gives golden-hour color spread across the entire bay rather than concentrated on a single horizon point.
The sweet spot is May, June, September — peak weather and Merese Hill grass at its greenest.
Tanjung Aan sits at GPS -8.898, 116.302 on Lombok's south coast. Access:
Pay 10k IDR per person at the entry gate. Multiple parking areas along the beach access road. Cars 5k IDR, scooters 2–5k IDR.
Several distinct sunset vantage points within the Tanjung Aan area:
Western crescent: most visitors gather here, beach warungs nearby, busiest
Central headland: small rocky divider between the two bays, elevated viewpoint, photogenic
Eastern crescent: quieter, fewer warungs, often the better photo angle
Merese Hill: 5 minutes drive or 15 minutes walk east — separate destination but pairs perfectly
Boat ride: hire a jukung from the eastern fishing hamlet for an offshore sunset (100–200k IDR)
For first-time visitors: the western crescent at the warung area is the easiest. For photography, the eastern crescent or central headland are better.
Tanjung Aan offers multiple sunset compositions:
Twin-bay panorama: shoot from the central headland looking west, capturing both crescents and the sunset over the western bay. 24–35mm wide angle.
Merese Hill silhouette: from the western beach looking east, Merese Hill becomes a silhouette against the residual sky color (Merese is east, sun is west — works for the post-sunset glow).
Jukung silhouettes: anchored boats in the bay are excellent foreground subjects with 70–200mm zoom.
Pepper-grain sand close-up: macro shot of the famous round sand grains in golden hour light.
Reflective wet sand: at mid-low tide, the wide flat reflects sky color.
The wide bay gives more compositional flexibility than smaller beaches.
Tanjung Aan sunset is rarely done alone — most visitors combine with Merese Hill:
Option A — Merese first, Tanjung second: hike Merese 4–5pm for the elevated panorama in golden hour, descend, drive 5 minutes back to Tanjung Aan for the sunset itself at beach level
Option B — Tanjung first, Merese second: swim and warung lunch at Tanjung 2–4pm, drive to Merese 4:30pm, watch sunset from the hill (better photographic vantage)
Option C — Both same evening: Tanjung Aan beach 4–5:30pm, drive to Merese 5:30pm, sunset from hill 6:15pm
For first-time visitors, Option B (Merese for sunset) is the recommended combination because the elevated viewpoint gives the best photo.
Before (2–5pm):
After sunset (6:30pm onward):
A standard evening: arrive 3pm, swim, climb Merese 5pm, sunset 6:15pm, dinner Kuta 7:30pm.
Tanjung Aan is consistently one of south Lombok's busiest beaches:
The eastern crescent and Merese Hill area give relief from the busiest western section.
Per person:
Reasonable for the most iconic south-coast beach.
Tanjung Aan's 'pepper-grain' sand is genuinely distinctive:
Don't bag-up large amounts — local conservation rules ask for small samples only if at all.
Travelers should choose Tanjung Aan for sunset when:
Skip if you want solitude (try Mawun) or surf focus (try Selong Belanak).
The far eastern end of Tanjung Aan has a small fishing hamlet — wooden houses, jukung boats pulled up, daily fishing operations. This gives the bay a working-coastal character that pure tourist beaches lack. You can walk through respectfully (modest dress, no close-up photos of people without asking, small village fee 5k IDR sometimes requested).
Tanjung Aan sunset is south Lombok's most photographed and most accessible classic. Twin crescent bays, pepper-grain sand, jukung boats, Merese Hill backdrop, golden hour spreading across a wide horizon. Combine with Merese Hill for the full experience — beach below, viewpoint above. Three PM arrival, swim, climb Merese, sunset 6:15pm — that's the formula.
Tanjung Aan is on the south coast at GPS -8.898, 116.302, 12 km east of Kuta Lombok. From Kuta: 15 minutes east by scooter or car via the coastal road. From Lombok Airport: 35 minutes south (22 km). Pay 10k IDR per person at the entry gate. Park at any of several lots along the beach access road. Multiple warungs at the western and central beach.
Tanjung Aan vs Merese Hill: Merese is the elevated viewpoint above the bay; Tanjung Aan is the beach-level experience. Most travelers do both. Tanjung Aan vs Selong Belanak: Selong is wider with surf school; Tanjung Aan has the twin-bay shape and Merese backdrop. Tanjung Aan vs Mawun: Mawun is enclosed bay; Tanjung Aan has the twin-crescent shape.