Lombok Island - Everything you Need to Know about Lombok Island

Lombok is the most popular destination in Nusa Tenaggara – a province in South Central Indonesia.  Visitors head here for both underwater and on-land exploration. Situated east of Bali, it can be accessed by plane or boat. The island consists of virginal sandy beaches and a hilly terrain, fringed by mesmerizing azure shores, making it a favourite destination for trekking, surfing and beach lounging.

Lombok is paradise mixed with a dash of adventure and a hint of exoticism, blessed with majestic waterfalls and a volcano – Mount Rijani. ‘Unspoiled Bali’, would be an apt description.

Ultimately, Lombok is a place to chill. Popular with honeymooners, it offers a subdued alternative to the more mainstream Bali, while not compromising on beauty or comfort, just cost – it’s decidedly cheaper. Complete with quiet bays, white and grey sand beaches, a tranquil village style and half a dozen small islands, it retains an undiscovered tropical charm.


Magnet in Lombok

Prepare to be dazzled by the extreme natural beauty of the island of Lombok. Virginal beaches meet with a majestic mountainous terrain; a fusion of man-made and natural beauty awaits you. Due to the lack of development on the island, the majority of the sights here are natural wonders, The Gili islands offer a taste of deserted tropical living, where horse-drawn carts provide an ecologically and friendly alternative to motorbikes and cars. The premier visual attraction of Lombok is Mount Rinjani, an active volcano that towers over the island's fertile plains.
Quaint villages producing intricate crafts with handicraft methods passed down by generations, pepper the island, while the main form of architecture can be found in the temples and mosques that serve the two religions on the island - Islam and Hinduism.

Gili Islands

It is easy to see why Lombok's most popular tourist destination is the Gili islands. Meaning ‘Small Island’, this cluster of three islands has escaped the trappings of modern life, with their undeveloped, pristine sandy beaches and lush tropical vegetation. No cars or motorbikes are on the islands, instead the sounds of the rolling waves and reggae tunes greet your ears. Horse-drawn carts replace automobiles and motorbikes as the main form of transport.
Gili Trawangan is the most developed, Gili Meno the smallest and quietest, while Gili Air is the closest to the mainland with the largest population. Each island offers pretty much the same in the way of activities; world class surfing, diving and snorkeling and some tropical island lounging. Accessing the islands is easily done from the mainland, by catching one of the regular shuttle boats.

Mount Rinjani

In many respects Mount Rinjani is what separates Lombak from her sister Indonesian islands. The chance to visit a volcano is one that should not be missed. The second highest volcanic peak in Indonesia, it is part of the ‘Ring of fire’ and is considered a sacred place on Lombok. The highlands near the volcano are undeveloped and forested, while the lowlands are highly cultivated with fertile soil where rice, tobacco, cotton and soya beans are produced.
Protected by National Park status, visitors can attempt the three-day Rinjani Trek route from Senaru to the crater rim (Plawangan), down to the stunning crater lake then on to Sembalun Lawang. This is considered one of the best and most challenging treks in Southeast Asia.

Tanjung Lunar

On this long, meandering black beach, inhabited by mainly fishermen Buginese migrants from South Sulawesi, you can experience Indonesia’s old-world charm and observe the simplicity of the fishermen’s life. Popular with surfers, it is set on the Southeastern coast of this island. A visit to this port will be an enjoyable experience. At low tide the locals take to the beach to collect shells while the fishermen go about their day-to-day business.

Kuta Beach

Not to be confused with Bali’s Kuta Beach, this is Lombok's very own surfer's paradise with virginal white sand and turquoise waters, fringed by a hilly terrain.
This is the best-known place on the south coast, relatively lively and atmospheric; the area is one held in deep affection by its returning visitors and instantly wins over the hearts of the first-timers.
A 90-minute drive from Senggigi, Kuta is a great daytrip opportunity, one that should be enjoyed by all visitors.

Sukarara

15 minutes south of Mataram is the little settlement of Sukarara- Lombok’s capital. Famous for its unique handicrafts, in particular its hand-woven textiles, it is incredibly beautiful and the small village portrays the quaint lifestyle of the islanders. Each area of Indonesia has a unique style of batik and, true to plan, this island's main attraction is indeed its textile production.
Take a trip and witness the production of this art form and the extent of the work and overriding quality belonging to each item produced. The whole experience is completed by the incredible views of the surrounding mountains and looming volcanic backdrop.

Pura Lingsar

Pura Lingsar is a sea temple situated at the far north end of the beach at Ampenan, Mataram. Built in 1714, Pura Lingsar is a spiritual center for both Balinese Hinduism and the Wektu Telu religion, with temple buildings dedicated to both faiths.
You can feed hard-boiled eggs (available for sale outside) to holy eels in an enclosed pond dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The best time to visit the temple is December.

Narmada Park

Home to the famous 'Youth Fountain', thought to rejuvenate a person’s appearance, Narmada Park is situated 10 km east of Mataram, and is modeled on the basis of Mount Rinjani's pinnacle.
Known as the resting place of the King of Lombok, this park has a Hindu temple and a small pond replicating in miniature the Crater Lake at Gunung Riniani. The Balinese Pujawali festival takes place here every year.

Mantaram

The capital city of Lombok is comprised of four towns, Ampenan, Mataram, Cakranegara (Cakra) and Sweta. It is the hub of government administration. For art exhibitions, puppet shows or theatre be sure to head to the Mataram main square, which is about as busy as the whole island gets. Ampenan has the Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat museum, which gives a good overview of the culture of Lombok.

Komodo Island

Situated between Sumbawa and Flores, the Komodo Island is quite barren – a fact which makes the giant lizard, stand out all the more. These monitor lizards are indigenous to the region and grow up to three metres long (making them the world's largest living lizard).
Feeding on goats and deer, the people live in the fishing villages supplement their income by breeding goats for tourists to feed the lizards, an interesting experience to say the least. The nature reserve is easiest reached by ferry from Flores.