Directly east of Bali lies the island of Lombok. Spanning a total land area of 4,725 km², which makes it slightly smaller than Bali, Lombok’s main tourist areas are in selected spots on the western and southern coasts. For a while now people have advised travellers in search of tranquillity to hop over to Lombok to avoid the crowds of Bali.
Lombok Island is mostly void of mass tourism with many beaches unspoiled. Hop on a bicycle or scooter and explore the coastline.
Well, too many travellers have listened to that advice, so even Lombok has become popular among tourists. Fortunately, the most touristy places are confined to the areas around Senggigi Beach along the western coast, and Kuta Beach in the far south. The rest of Lombok remains very peaceful and void of any significant number of tourists.
Why travel to Lombok Island?
- The low-down: Lombok is known for its laidback vibes, great beaches and great surfing. Here you can easily escape from the crowds on the southern part of Bali. Beaches are unspoiled and idyllic!
- The brightest highlight? The beaches, sand and surf. Rent a motorbike and reach the hard-to-reach surfing enclaves. You will be heavenly awarded!
- Intrepid destination? While not as off-the-beaten as it used to be just a few years ago, if you go the extra mile to find the obscure beaches you will be delighted.
- Globerovers score (10 is highest): For tranquility and beautiful sandy beaches and
turquoise waters, we must give Lombok a score of 8.5.
The small town of Kuta in the south-central part of Lombok has been a travellers’ favourite base for a long time. Here you will find many small guesthouses, hotels, homestays, and restaurants.
Long described as the perfect getaway from Bali, Lombok remains pristine.
The town’s beach remains undeveloped, although this is set to change during late 2018 and beyond. For now, it is mostly crowded with a few fishermen and school kids, as well as some friendly stray dogs. The town is a perfect base for the southern beach areas located to the west and the east of Kuta.
West of Kuta are the beaches of Are-Guling, Mawun,
Do make sure to visit Mawi Beach (Pantai Mawi). To reach Mawi Beach, rent a scooter from Kuta and take the road towards the west. At around the 20 km mark, turn left onto a small dirt road. This is a rough road and at times you may want to push the bike or turn around. Don’t turn around. Keep going. You will reach Mawi Beach about 4 km further, and you will think you’re in heaven. Have a cold beer under one of the small basic thatched roofs and then hike northwest along the beach and over the rocky outcrop to another long and spectacular beach.
Should you continue further along this beach, though I’m not sure if that is possible, you will reach the long beach of Selong Belanak where you may see water buffaloes right on the beach. This is a great photo opportunity as the buffaloes walk lazily on the beach.
Northwest of Selong Belanak lies the port of Lembar, the gateway to a few small islands such as Gili Asahan and Gili Gede. Here you will find a few places to stay and a very laid-back lifestyle. Lembar port is best reached within 2.5 hours by boat across the Lombok Strait from Bali’s Benoa (Denpasar) port, or further north at Bali’s Padang Bai port, which is a shorter crossing.
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Just 5 km to the east of Kuta Beach is Pantai Tanjung Ann. Further along this road, about 56 km from Kuta, is Tanjung Ringgit at the southeastern tip of Lombok. This area is quite remote and beautiful. At some places, the cliffs rise several metres above the turquoise sea.
Lombok’s highest peak is Mount Rinjani, an active volcano that soars up 3,726 m, making it the second highest volcano in Indonesia. Rinjani last ejected ash into the atmosphere on 27 September 2016. Surrounded by the Gunung Rinjani National Park, an increasing number of travellers venture into this area. Climbers are allowed, when the volcano is inactive, to climb down the 200 metres deep caldera lake, or to make the more arduous climb to the highest peak. Hiking trips include sleeping a minimum of one night on the mountain. Sunrises and sunsets are stunning!
A few more photos of Lombok Island
Lancing Beach, Lombok, Indonesia Kuta Beach, Lombok, Indonesia Kuta Beach, Lombok, Indonesia Kuta Beach, Lombok, Indonesia
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Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.