15 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN LOMBOK – ADVENTURE GUIDE

If you haven’t heard of Lombok by now you definitely need to add it to your bucket list as soon as possible! Lombok is a tropical island in Indonesia, which resides right next door to Bali and is a popular island-hopping destination for travellers looking for new adventures in between or after visiting neighbouring Bali.

Having been to Lombok on several occasions, I have put together this guide of 15 Things To Do In Lombok which includes secluded beaches, spectacular waterfalls, the colourful Sasak culture and lush rainforests that surround Indonesia’s second-largest volcano, Mount Rinjani!

 

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HOW TO GET TO LOMBOK

OPTION 1

The most popular route to get to Lombok is by fast boat from Padang Bai Harbour in East Bali and arriving at Bangsal Harbour in North Lombok. There are numerous boat companies that operate daily from Bali to Lombok and you can book your ticket online in advance to guarantee the best price.

Get your ticket: Fast boat from Bali to Lombok

The boat ticket includes hotel pick-up and drop-off from the main city areas of Bali. The fast boat takes approximately 1.5 hours, stopping at Gili Trawangan Island and Gili Air Island before arriving at Bangsal Harbour in Lombok.

OPTION 2

Flying to Lombok is another alternative that is affordable and very efficient. Flights from Bali to Lombok operate on a daily basis and the cost is approximately $20 one way. The flight duration is a short 20-minutes arriving at Lombok Airport, located in the southern region.

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MAP OF LOMBOK

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GETTING AROUND LOMBOK

Lombok is quite easy to navigate your way around and it can be done on a self-guided tour. The best means of transport when visiting Lombok, and like so many other Asian countries, is to rent a car, motorbike or scooter. The cost of a car is approximately $50 per day or you can do it much cheaper on a scooter for $5 a day.

These rental options are available when arriving to Bangsal Harbour or from the main city areas such as Kuta Lombok, Senggigi and Mataram. Just look for a tourist centre or any sign that reads car/scooter rental.

15 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN LOMBOK 

#1 MOUNT RINJANI VOLCANO HIKE

If hiking and exploring incredible landscapes is a hobby of yours then I highly recommend booking a 3-day hike to the summit of Mt Rinjani. The trek begins in Senaru, a small mountainside village at the base of Indonesia’s second largest active volcano, which is a whopping 3,726 meters high! It’s the main hub for anyone wishing to take the Rinjani Trekking challenge.

WHERE TO BOOK YOUR MOUNT RINJANI TREK

There are dozens of tour companies that can organise your Mount Rinjani Trek and their offices can be found in the main towns including Sengiggi, Mataram, Senaru and Kuta Lombok.

If you arrive in Lombok by boat to Bangsal Harbour, you will most likely be approached by the locals trying to sell you one of their tour packages. So the option is there if you do decide to organise and book your trek upon arrival to Bangsal.

However, from my experience, the best option is to find your way to Senaru, which is the village where most people stay before and after trekking Mt Rinjani. In Senaru you will be able to negotiate a price with any of the tour companies in the village.

Alternatively, you can book online in advance to guarantee a fixed price for your Mt Rinjani Trek.

Conveniently for us, the owner of the Blue Mountain Cottage Homestay helped us to organise a 3-day and 2-night trek to Mount Rinjani. After some haggling, we managed to get the price of the trek for a total of USD $100 per person. This is inclusive of porters, food, water, tents, sleeping bag and a guide.

The Mount Rinjani Trek is one of the best adventures I have ever been on, and it was a truly unforgettable experience!

WHERE TO STAY BEFORE & AFTER THE MT RINJANI TREK

My friends and I stayed at Blue Mountain Cottage Homestay it is a budget accommodation for 100,000 rupiah ($7)  per night for an air-conditioned room and private bathroom. The room sleeps two people, so that’s only $3.50 each a night, BARGAIN!

For all other accommodation options in Senaru, Click Here.

Full Blog Post: Mount Rinjani Trek

Mount Rinjani Crater Rim – Things To Do In Lombok

#2 TIU KELEP WATERFALL

Tiu Kelep Waterfall is easily the most amazing waterfall I have ever laid my eyes on and it is one of the best things to do in Lombok! There is a couple of river crossings no more than knee deep and a muddy trail that leads through the jungle to the jaw-dropping sight of Air Terjun Tiu Kelep. There is no waterfall that I have seen that can compare to this. And even though this isn’t my first time here, Tiu Kelep waterfall never ceases to amaze me. The water flows out of the walls and into a crystal clear pool below.

HOW TO GET TO TIU KELEP WATERFALL

Tiu Kelep Waterfall is located in the mountainside village of Senaru, North Lombok. I arrived by boat from Bali to the harbour or Bangsal, North Lombok and after some haggling to score a good price for a taxi, we were on our way to Senaru. The taxi costs around 400,000 rupiah for a 2-hour drive to Senaru.

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Tiu Kelep Waterfall – Lombok Things To Do

#3 SENDANG GILE WATERFALL

Sendang Gile Waterfall is the first waterfall along the way to Tiu Kelep. Sendang Gile is a two-tier cascading waterfall that spits out of the rock face high above. We were so early here that we only had to share this waterfall with the local monkeys! You can go swimming in the rock pools and get right beneath the falls at Air Terjun Sendang Gile. From here head back up the track and to the left to continue on to Tiu Kelep waterfall. It is a moderate 30-minute walk through the jungle and manageable without the use of a guide.

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WHERE TO STAY NEAR SENDANG GILE & TIU KELEP WATERFALL

Blue Mountain Cottage is a small homestay in Senaru village within walking distance to the waterfalls. The a/c rooms are only 100,000 rupiah per night. With two people to a room that’s cheaper than a coffee where I am from! The owner of the homestay was rather humorous and was tremendously helpful in pointing us in the right direction to find the waterfalls.

Full Blog Post: Sendang Gile & Tiu Kelep Waterfall

Sendang Gile Waterfall – Lombok What To Do

#4 BUKIT SELONG SUNRISE VIEWPOINT 

The Bukit Selong sunrise location in the heart of Lombok is becoming a popular spot for travellers. There are 2 viewpoints that overlook a blanket of crop fields – one is a dirt mound at a lower level and the other is further up the hill where you’ll see a handcrafted wooden star on bamboo stilts that makes for a great photo. And just on the other side of the hill, there is a cool little treehouse with a rickety boardwalk that leads out over the edge. Around every corner is a new epic landscape waiting to be discovered!

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HOW TO GET TO BUKIT SELONG

After the Mount Rinjani trek, our adventure continued south to see the sunrise at an incredible lookout in the village of Bukit Selong. We organised a private car and driver through the owner of our homestay at Blue Mountain Cottage in Senaru. The cost of a private taxi and driver for one day was $50. Our driver was bang on time and so the five of us piled into the minivan for what was to be a one hour drive to the sunrise viewpoint. We arrived at around 5am with an hour to spare before first light.

It was only a 2-minute walk from the carpark to the Bukit Selong viewpoint. The sound of the morning roosters and the prayers from the mosques filled the air.

Full Blog Post: Bukit Selong Sunrise Viewpoint

Bukit Selong Sunrise Viewpoint – Lombok Itinerary

CENTRAL LOMBOK WATERFALLS

After some fun mucking around at Bukit Selong Viewpoint, we decided to hit the road in search of some waterfalls in Central Lombok.

2-hours later and after stopping a few times to ask some locals directions, we arrived at the entrance point of the falls. We were ushered into a ticket office by some local officials and were almost tricked into paying 80,000 rupiah for a guide to enter the waterfall region. We refused to pay this amount as we did not feel like we needed a guide and after some arguing, we managed to get an entrance ticket for 30,000 rupiah each.

To our surprise this wasn’t just one waterfall, in fact, there are several waterfalls on a 30-minute circuit trail through the central Lombok jungle.

#5 BENANG STOKEL WATERFALL (AIR TERJUN BENANG STOKEL)

The first waterfall Benang Stokel was my favourite. There are three sets of falls here that graciously flow into a shallow rock pool below. Take your pick on which falls to take a natural shower under!

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Air Terjun Benang Stokel – What To Do In Lombok

#6 BENANG KELAMBU WATERFALL (AIR TERJUN BENANG KELAMBU)

The weather quickly took a turn for the worse and a heavy downpour of rain greeted us. We agreed to just hit one more waterfall on the circuit trail as the weather was becoming a damper and we did not want to keep the others waiting long. So we ran through the mud for a solid 15 minutes until reaching Benang Kelambu Waterfall. This unique curtain falls is unlike any other that I’ve seen. Instead of flowing through stones, the water is flowing through plants. In fact, the word “Kelambu” means curtain and the plants frame the waterfall just like a window and curtain.

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Air Terjun Benang Kelambu – Things To Do In Lombok

SOUTH LOMBOK

In the far south of Lombok, you’ll find a slice of paradise, to say the least! You’ll find a place that is incredibly popular for tourists and surfers from around the world. Kuta Lombok is a thriving coastal town with an abundance of cafes, bars, live music, markets, beaches and accommodations.

I spent 3 days in Kuta Lombok exploring along the pristine coastline both east and west from the central hub. It is as easy as renting a scooter for 50,000 Rupiah per day and choosing which direction to drive in! There are plenty of surf breaks to choose from and many surfboard rental shops in town that can sort you out if you are willing to get some waves. Be sure to rent a board from in town as there are no rental stores at the beaches.

HOW TO GET TO KUTA LOMBOK

If you are arriving in Lombok by plane, a taxi will cost around 100,000 Rupiah for a 45-minute drive to Kuta Lombok.

If you are coming from the north of Lombok after trekking Mount Rinjani, you can organise a driver and a van for the day which costs around 700,00 Rupiah. The drive from the north to the south is around 3-hours. However, we stopped into Central Lombok to visit some waterfalls, so the journey took us an entire day but I highly recommend visiting these waterfalls on your way through.

See All ∼ Homestays/Hotels/Resorts in Kuta Lombok

#7 BUKIT MERESE HILL IN KUTA LOMBOK

Bukit Merese Hill is the best spot to watch the sunset in Kuta Lombok. It is a short 10-15 minute scooter ride east from town. There is a carpark at the base of the hill and a parking fee of 5,000 Rupiah. If you like, you can buy beer, snacks and water from one of the many local mobile vendors in the carpark.

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The walk up to Bukit Merese Hill takes around 5 minutes. When you are at the top it is a matter of picking your own headland to perch yourself on to watch the sunset. The most popular spot is where most of the crowd will be, standing around a dead tree on the edge of the cliff. We decided to walk for a little longer to a headland that reaches right out over the ocean and we had a grassy patch all to ourselves. The sky put on an incredible show for us displaying soft pinks and blues to then bright oranges and burning reds!

The next day we headed back to Bukit Merese to explore the area again during daylight. It looked so good during the sunset the night before that we had to go back. The sun was burning hot and the skies were bright blue on this day and surprisingly not another soul in sight. Around every corner and over every peak we found stunning beaches and fluorescent shallow reefs.

Full Blog Post: Bukit Merese in Kuta Lombok

Bukit Merese Hill – Places To Visit In Lombok

Hidden beaches at Bukit Merese – Tour Lombok

Sunset at Bukit Merese – Lombok Guide

KUTA LOMBOK BEACHES TO THE EAST

#8 SEGER BEACH 

Seger Beach is only a 10-minute ride on a scooter from the centre of town. This beach is a great spot for a swim and a cold coconut from one of the beachside warungs. Seger beach is one of my favourite beaches in Lombok and a great spot to chill out for the day as you watch the world go by.

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Best Things To Do In Lombok

#9 SEGER POINT SURF BREAK

Just over the headland is a popular surf spot, Seger Point. You can either ride around the corner from Seger Beach to Seger Point and pay a parking fee of 5,000 rupiah or take a short walk up and over the hill, through some cow paddocks and make your way down to Seger Point.

Straw huts line the water’s edge on this beautiful beach, a perfect spot to perch up and gaze out over the ocean or paddle out on a surfboard to score some waves.

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Seger Point Beach – Lombok What To Do – Photo: Home Sweet Home

#10 TANJUNG AAN BEACH

After exploring Seger Point Beach, you can head east again on the bike for 2 minutes to where you’ll find a long stretch of white sand beach called Tanjung Aan. This beach looks like something you would see on a postcard and it’s one of the best things to do in Lombok.

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Tanjung Aan Beach – Things To Do In Kuta Lombok – Photo: The Sunshine Seeker

#11 GERUPUK BEACH 

Further on from Tanjung Aan you can find Gerupuk Surf Beach, one of the most popular spots to surf in Lombok. The surf breaks are quite far out to sea and you will have to organise a boat to take you out to surf the breaks. A boat ride out to Gerupuk surf break can be easily organised through any of the friendly local surf guides along the beach.

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Gerupuk surf break – Photo: Mandalika Indonesia 

#12 PANTAI BILASAYAK & PANTAI TELUK UJUNG

Continuing on from Gerupuk you can find two beaches called Pantai Bilasayak and Pantai Teluk Ujung. This is a 30-minute drive from Gerupuk or a 1-hour drive from Kuta Lombok. This spot was quite difficult to find though with the assistance of google maps you should have no dramas. This location is off the beaten track and definitely worth adding it to your list of things to do in Lombok.

These beaches are part of an environmental park and it wasn’t until we arrived that we found this out. The entrance fee is 100,000 Rupiah per person, but we arrived late afternoon and haggled the gatekeeper down to $7 for the four of us.

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To get to Pantai Bilasayak, take the dirt road to the left when you pass through the entrance gates, and follow it right to the end until you reach the ocean. This beach was deserted when we were there and a great spot for a swim on high tide.

If you are seeking an adrenaline rush, try to spot the “lookout tower” on top of the cliffs in the distance. To get to the tower, park your bike on the beach and trek for 10 mins along the rugged cliffs till you reach the tower. It is very rusty and sketchy but if you are an adrenaline junkie like myself, it is worth the climb. The view from the top is spectacular!

Head back on the same dirt track towards the entrance and before exiting take the dirt road that leads to the left. This track leads down to Pantai Teluk Ujung, another deserted beach with rock pools and an awesome spot to watch the sunset.

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Pantai Bilasayak Beach Tower – Lombok Things To Do

Pantai Teluk Ujung – Things To Do In Lombok

KUTA LOMBOK BEACHES TO THE WEST

The drive to the west of Kuta Lombok is one hell of a scenic road along the southern coast, passing farmlands and coconut plantations that hug the pristine coastline. It’s about a 1-hour drive to three epic beaches that we spent a full day exploring. A freelance local tour guide Zilmi Zola joined us on our adventures and showed us some unreal locations.

#13 PANTAI TELAWAS 

Pantai Telawas is a tucked away paradise with several coves, blowholes, caves and cliff jumps. We spent some time here in awe of the beauty that surrounded us. Exploring Telawas Beach was one of my favourite things to do in Lombok!

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Pantai Telawas – Lombok Trip

#14 PANTAI SEMETI BEACH 

Within walking distance from Pantai Telawas is yet another secluded beach. Pantai Semeti Beach will blow you away with its crystal clear water and blinding white sand. There were some small waves breaking over the reef here so we went for a body surf and then took some shade under the palm trees along the beach to get out of the scorching sun.

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Semeti Beach Kuta Lombok – Tour Lombok

#15 MAWI BEACH

On the other side of the headland is Mawi Beach and a favourite location of mine as a surfer! The waves here are as good as it gets when the conditions are right. The tropical beach vibes here at Mawi Beach are on point – with small bamboo huts and surrounding coconut trees, you’ll sure be in for a treat.

Full Blog Post: Kuta Lombok Beaches

Mawi Beach – Things To Do In Lombok

BEST PLACES TO STAY IN KUTA LOMBOK 

Kuta Lombok has hundreds of accommodations to choose from, so I have narrowed it down to a few of my personal favourite places to stay in Kuta Lombok to suit budget backpackers and luxury travellers. See the list of accommodations below that I personally recommend:

Luxury: Novotel Resort & Villas

Mid Range: Lavella Villas

Budget: Lara Homestay

For all other accommodations in Kuta Lombok, Click Here to search on booking.com

BEST TIME TO VISIT LOMBOK

LOMBOK – THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

The currency in Lombok is Rupiah (IDR) and the exchange rate is approximately $1 USD = 14,000 IDR.

Purchasing a sim card for Lombok is very cheap and simple. You can do this either at Denpasar Airport on arrival or find a phone store close to your accommodation. For approximately $10 USD, you can get a local sim card that comes with 8GB of data.

Thanks for reading this article and if you have any questions about this Lombok Guide please leave me a comment below.

Happy Adventuring ?

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