AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN LOMBOK – ADVENTURE GUIDE

AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN LOMBOK, INDONESIA

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. Lombok is a popular island hopping destination for travellers looking for new adventures in between or after visiting neighbouring Bali.

Lombok is best known for its scenic and secluded beaches, spectacular waterfalls, amazing dive locations, the colourful Sasak culture and lush rainforests that surround Indonesia’s second largest volcano, Mount Rinjani!

HOW TO GET TO LOMBOK

OPTION 1

The most popular route to getting to Lombok is by fast boat from Padang Bai Harbour in Bali and arriving at Bangsal Harbour in north Lombok. There are numerous boat companies that you can book with either online or at any tourist travel centre located in the main city areas of Bali including Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud.

I have been to Lombok 3 times now and I have found Wahana Gili Ocean tour boat company to be the fastest, safest and most reliable service. You can click HERE to book online with Wahana Gili Ocean.

The cost for a one way ticket by fast boat to Lombok is $25 and an open ticket return trip costs $45. This 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 to 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 $30 one way. The flight duration is a short 20 minutes arriving to Lombok Airport located in the southern region.

MAP OF LOMBOK

THINGS TO DO IN LOMBOK – GETTING AROUND

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.

5 AWESOME THINGS TO DO IN LOMBOK INDONESIA

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 they can be found in the main towns including Sengiggi, Mataram, Senaru and Kuta Lombok.

If you arrive to Lombok by boat to Bangsal Harbour, you will most likely be smothered 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.

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 US $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!

SENARU LOMBOK ACCOMMODATION

My friends and I stayed at Blue Mountain Cottage Homestay… it is budget accommodation for 100,000 rupiah per night ($10) for an air conditioned room and private bathroom. The room sleeps 2 so thats only $5 each a night, BARGAIN! For other accommodation options in Senaru you can check HERE.

Click HEREto see the full blog post of the Mount Rinjani Trekking Experience.

Mount Rinjani Crater Rim

2. TIU KELEP + SENDANG GILE WATERFALLS 

Sendang Gile Waterfall is the first waterfall along the way to Tiu Kelep. Sendang Gile is a  2 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.

Tiu Kelep Waterfall is easily the most amazing waterfall I have ever laid my eyes on! 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 in to a crystal clear pool below.

HOW TO GET TO SENDANG GILE AND TIU KELEP WATERFALL

I arrived by boat from Bali to the harbour or Bangsal, North Lombok, where I met my friends Jackson, Jorden, Warren and Eloise. After some haggling to score a good price for a taxi, we were on our way to Senaru. The the taxi cost us around 400,000 rupiah – equivalent to $40 AUS for a 2 hour drive to our homestay.

BEST TIME TO VISIT SENDANG GILE AND TIU KELEP WATERFALL

It is best to visit the waterfalls early morning before the crowds and you can also avoid the entrance fee. Although, the entrance fee is only around 20,000 rupiah ($2)… so its not a big bite out of the wallet if you have to pay. We decided to watch the sunrise over the rice field valley before taking the path down towards the falls.

WHERE TO STAY WHEN VISITING SENDANG GILE AND 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 2 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. Click on the link to book a room at Blue Mountain Cottage.

Click HERE to see the full blog post of Sendang Gile + Tiu Kelep Waterfall.

Sendang Gile Waterfall

Tiu Kelep Waterfall

3. BUKIT SELONG SUNRISE VIEWPOINT + CENTRAL LOMBOK WATERFALLS

BUKIT SELONG SUNRISE

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 hand crafted 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!

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 + driver through the owner of our homestay at Blue Mountain Cottage in Senaru. The cost for a private taxi + driver for one day was $70. Our driver was bang on time and so the five of us piled in to the mini van 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.

Bukit Selong Sunrise Viewpoint

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 hrs later and after stopping a few times to ask some locals where to go we arrived to the entrance point of the falls. We got hustled in to the ticket office by some local officials and were almost tricked in to paying 80,000 rupiah to enter the park with a guide. We refused to pay this amount as we did not feel like we needed a guide and after some time we managed to get an entrance ticket for 30,000 rupiah ($3) each.

To our surprise this wasn’t just one waterfall, in fact there is a mecca of 5 waterfalls on a 30 minute circuit trail through the central Lombok jungle.

BENANG STOKEL WATERFALL (AIR TERJUN BENANG STOKEL)

The first waterfall Benang Stokel was my favourite. There are 3 falls here that graciously flow into a shallow rock pool below. Take your pick on which falls to shower under!

Air Terjun Benang Stokel

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 mins 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.

Click HERE to see the full blog post of Bukit Selong Sunrise + Central Lombok Waterfalls.

Air Terjun Benang Kelambu

4. BUKIT MERESE HILL IN KUTA LOMBOK

Welcome to Bukit Merese, Kuta 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 accommodation.

HOW TO GET TO BUKIT MERESE, KUTA LOMBOK

From Lombok International Airport a taxi will cost 100,000 Rupiah for a 45 minute drive. If you are coming from the north of Lombok after a Mt. Rinjani Trek, you can organise a driver and a van for the day which cost us 700,00 Rupiah. The drive from the north to the south is around 3 hours drive direct. I stopped in to Central Lombok to visit some waterfalls which I would highly recommend on your way through.

ARRIVING TO BUKIT MERESE HILL

Bukit Merese Hill is the best spot to watch the sunset in Kuta Lombok. It is a short 10-15 min scooter ride east from town. There is a carpark at the base of the hill and a parking fee of 5,000 Rupiah. You will be haggled to buy beer, snacks and water etc by one of many local mobile vendors in the carpark.

The walk up to the view point takes around 5 mins. 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 cliffs edge. We decided to walk for 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.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR BUKIT MERESE KUTA LOMBOK

Krisna Homestay was the cheapest accommodation we could find in town – only IDR 160,000 per night for a double a/c room, private bathroom and breakfast included. The owners can also help you organise scooter rentals for IDR 50,000 per day and taxi pick up and drop off. It is walking distance to shops, restaurants, bars, beaches and ATM machines.

Click HERE to see the full blog post of Bukit Merese in Kuta Lombok

Hidden Beaches At Bukit Merese

Sunset At Bukit Merese

5. KUTA LOMBOK BEACHES

Do yourself a favour on your next visit to Indonesia and check out the wonderful Kuta Lombok Beaches!

GETTING AROUND KUTA LOMBOK

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 IDR 50,000 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.

KUTA LOMBOK BEACHES TO THE EAST

SEGER BEACH (PANTAI) – KUTA LOMBOK

Seger Beach is only a 10 min ride from the centre of town. This beach is a great spot for a swim and a cold coconut from one of the beach side warungs… a great spot to chill as you watch the world go by.

SEGER POINT BEACH – KUTA LOMBOK

Just over the headland is a popular surf spot, Seger Point. You can either ride around to the car park and pay a parking fee or take a short walk up and over the hill, through some cow paddocks and make your way down to the beach. Straw huts line the waters edge where you can perch up to gaze out over the ocean or paddle out to score some waves.

BUKIT MERESE HILL – KUTA LOMBOK

Jump back on your bike and drive another 5-10 mins east to Bukit Merese, a popular sunset point with rolling hills and several small beaches and coves.

TANJUNG AAN BEACH – KUTA LOMBOK

After exploring Bukit Merese Hill, you can head east again on the bike for 2 minutes to a long stretch of white sand beach called Tanjung Aan. This beach looks like something you would see on a postcard.

GERUPUK BEACH – KUTA LOMBOK

Further on from Tanjung Aan you can find Gerupuk Surf Beach, one of the most popular spots to surf. The surf breaks are quite far out to sea and you will have to organise a boat to take you out to the breaks. This can be easily done through any of the friendly local surf guides at the harbour.

PANTAI BILASAYAK + PANTAI TELUK UJUNG – KUTA LOMBOK

Continuing on from here to find 2 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.

These beaches are part of an environmental park and it wasn’t until we arrived that we found this out. The entrance fee is a steep 100,000 Rupiah ($10) per person, but we arrived late afternoon and haggled the gate keeper down $10 for the 4 of us.

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 spot the “look out 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.

Pantai Bilasayak Beach Tower

Pantai Teluk Ujung

KUTA LOMBOK BEACHES TO THE WEST

The drive to the west of Kuta Lombok is one hell of a scenic road along the coast. Passing farmlands and coconut plantations that hug the pristine coastline. It’s about a 1 hour drive to 3 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.

PANTAI TELAWAS – KUTA LOMBOK

Pantai Telawas is a tucked away paradise with several coves, blow holes, caves and cliff jumps. We spent some time here in awe of the beauty that surrounded us.

PANTAI SEMETI BEACH – KUTA LOMBOK

Within walking distance from Pantai Telawas is yet another slice of paradise. 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 out of the scorching sun.

MAWI BEACH – KUTA LOMBOK

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

Click HERE to see the full blog post of Kuta Lombok Beaches!

KUTA LOMBOK ACCOMMODATION

If you’re looking for cool places to stay, you can click HERE to look and book all accommodation options in Kuta Lombok.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article, and if you did please share it!

Happy Adventuring 🙂