Lombok, Indonesia: A Forgotten Paradise? (page 3 of 5)

Love this photo/map!

And these photos—are you in front of the lake? The water’s nice and clean. Where exactly are the hot springs?

It’s making me want to go...

Yes, it's me. The water is incredibly pure! This lake is sacred to the Sasak people.

The hot springs are by the lake, slightly downhill, just a 5-minute walk max.

Yes, it makes you want to go back... so badly! !

Hi TheSamy, Awesome deal on Lombok...!!! It really made up our minds to go...!!! We’re heading to Mt Rinjani in 15 days. Despite your super-detailed descriptions, I’d still like to ask a few more questions: What’s the best way for us to get from the airport to Sembalun Lawang, considering we’re arriving in the late afternoon and there are four of us...??? A taxi, renting 125cc bikes, etc...??? We’re thinking of staying at the same guesthouse as you in Sembalun Lawang—do you know if it’s still around...??? If so, should we book in advance...??? After 3 days of trekking in the mountains, we’ll have one day left before our flight to Singapore... What do you recommend we do... A beach... Kuta...??? Isn’t it too far (even if we’re on bikes)...??? Thanks in advance 😉 ... Vianney.

So glad this little travel journal is inspiring others to discover Lombok!

To get to Sembalun Lawan, renting a car (a small Katana) is the best option, especially for four people—it’ll even be more economical! The roads can be pretty rough, and on a bike it can be quite a workout... Plus, you cover distance quickly, the climb to Sembalun Lawan is pretty steep, and you’ll be more comfortable in a car (even though I’m a biker...). It’s easier to chat too!

I’m pretty sure the guest house is still there. As for booking, honestly, we were there just a *little* more off-season than you, and we didn’t see a single tourist in Sembalun Lawan! Worst case, there’s another guest house very close to the Rinjani trekking center via the little dirt path uphill, in the middle of a lovely garden (great pasta with homemade tomato sauce!)

One day really isn’t enough, and Kuta means a lot of driving for not much time... Closer to the airport, there’s Senggigi, but personally, I’m not a fan—too touristy. Alternatively, how about a night on one of the Gili Islands (Gili Air, for example)?

Have an amazing trip, and feel free to add more info about Lombok to this journal or another one!

😉 .... we can start a Lombok fan club .... awesome ....!

I think the best option is still to stay in Senggigi for one night .... it's true that it's very touristy, but the evenings there are beautiful, and it can be a good idea to relax before leaving ..... plus, it's a bit far to go to the Gili Islands for just an evening .....

Hey TheSamy, Thanks for your reply... Renting a 4x4 actually sounds like a good idea!!! Do you know if it's possible to rent one in Mataram...??? (If so, do you have an address...???) Do we need to hire a driver or can we drive ourselves (is an international license required...???)...??? Otherwise, for Gili Air: Is it possible to finish the trek by noon and be on Gili Air the same evening...??? Can you take the boat from Bangsal at any time, or are there set schedules...??? For the return trip, how long does it take to get from Bangsal to Mataram (our flight is late in the afternoon)...??? Thanks again in advance... Vianney.

Hey Alan, Sorry, I replied to TheSamy before seeing your reply... Okay for starting a fan club... But I still want to see Lombok first...!!! Anyway, how about staying in Senggigi but then wrapping up the trek, crashing on Gili Air, spending the morning at the beach, and heading back to Mataram in the afternoon before finally returning to Singapore in the evening... If you’ve got a great tip for renting a 4x4, I’m all ears 😉 ...!!! Thanks and see you, Vianney.

No worries, and Thesamy knows those fantastic islands just as well as I do in many ways.....

Yes, you can do that..... especially since the last pirogue leaves around 4/5 PM, and that’s despite what the touts will tell you—they’ll insist on selling you tickets through an agency.....

Last time, I left Trawangan late morning to catch my international flight from Bali in the afternoon, so it’s totally doable...... but honestly, if you just want to enjoy a great beach moment, Senggigi’s beaches are still more beautiful..... though it’s true that exploring the Gili Islands is worth it, and it’d be a shame to be so close and not go.....

4x4..... no, I got around the islands by shared transport or just randomly ran into taxis that gave me rides..... you should find them easily, but watch out—they’re tough negotiators.....

Happy planning...

For the 4x4, I rented it in Senggigi, but you can find everything right after leaving the airport without any problem. Be careful, they drive a hard bargain, as Alan rightly said 😉

It’s true that for the Gilis, it does feel a bit short... Don’t you have the option to rearrange things to gain a day or two after the Rinjani trek and just chill on the Gilis?

Thesamy, thanks in advance for your amazing travel journal and your invaluable tips...

I'm leaving in 2 days to spend 10 days exclusively on Lombok... The plan is Mount Rinjani, then Kuta, then a quick trip to the Gili Islands...

See you soon! Thib.

Hi there, I’m currently looking into Bali and Lombok. What’s the weather like in December/January for the holidays? Any one or two nice guest-house addresses? Besides snorkeling, are there any spots where you can go kitesurfing? Thanks! 😊

Hello

For kitesurfing in Lombok, one thing’s for sure—you won’t find anything organized. If you bring your own gear, the south, around Kuta Lombok, can be a great tip: huge beaches, shallow water (the bay just east of Kuta), white sand, etc. As for wind and the ideal season, I don’t know.

January is the rainy season, so not ideal… but it’s like everything, with a bit of luck. And we’re far from the Indian monsoon! That said, don’t even think about climbing Rinjani—it’s way too dangerous.

For guesthouse addresses, I’ve listed the names in my travel journal…

😉hi there I'm planning to go in August, and the current price is 1100 €, but is your idea really cheaper? How much should I budget for a Kuala Lumpur–Denpasar flight with AirAsia, since I couldn’t find it for August? And isn’t it a bit of a hassle to change airports in Kuala Lumpur? Thanks for your tips and your travel journal!😏

I don’t remember the exact AirAsia fares off the top of my head—it also depends a lot on how far in advance you book, the day, etc. But roughly, you’re looking at 130 to 150 €.

Flights from Paris to KL on Malaysia Airlines usually run around 700 €, plus 150 €, so about 850 € total.

To switch airports, there’s a bus, and it’s only about 15 minutes between the two terminals since they share the same runways. Honestly, it’s super easy—plus, it’s clearly marked everywhere as "LCCT" (Low Cost Carrier Terminal).

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS FOR YOUR TRIP REPORT

Thanks for the precious info. We decided to go to Indonesia at the last minute (during our round-the-world trip) because a reader of our travel journal introduced it to us a bit... Since then, we’ve been doing some research whenever we have internet access and a bit of time. It’s Lombok that interests us, and maybe Java... We’d like to stay for two months if the weather isn’t too rainy... since we’ll be there in March and April. I’m re-reading your info, and I’m sure a few questions will come up. We’re traveling as we go because we’ve been on the road for a year and a half! And we still have 6 months left in Asia before heading to Central America for another year!!

So, first of all, I’d like to know—is it possible to get off the beaten path using local transport? Comfort isn’t important, but do public transports go to many places? Maybe a motorbike if it’s not too expensive, but with the rain...

How wonderful to hear about your adventures in LOMBOK! I’m already looking forward to what we’ll experience next summer... the whole family is heading to BALI and LOMBOK for 3 weeks with friends; there’ll be 8 of us. We’ve already been to BALI for 12 days in November 2002... just a month after the bombing, and we really felt quite alone on the island!...

LOMBOK really seems like an exceptional little paradise, far from the mass tourism we’re running away from.

However, we’re already booking our flight tickets to Bali (planes are filling up fast and prices are skyrocketing too! Best price so far: 1,198 € all taxes included), and we’re looking into booking flights to LOMBOK. But I can’t seem to book anything with LION AIR or GARUDA—nothing works! We’re wondering if we’ll find 8 flight tickets on the spot around August 25th without booking in advance. What do you think? Are hotels in LOMBOK always fully booked or not? I’m worried that without booking flights or hotels ahead of time, we won’t find anything available in LOMBOK. In short, can we just wing it and travel to LOMBOK from Bali at that time without any reservations?

Thanks for your help! MLaure

Normally, March/April is when the rainy season ends (http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/index.php?destination=mataram-lombok).

Public transport exists, but not for "tourist" routes, so you’ll have to change very often, and the organization (well...) can be tricky to figure out! Sometimes you’ll spend a whole day just getting where you want to go. On the other hand, it’s always a great way to meet locals, especially if you’ve got the time.

Motorbikes are no problem, but watch out—the roads can be really rough! Otherwise, the little 4x4 Katana is super handy...

Happy travels (lucky you! 😉)!

I also went to Bali right after the attacks... it’s true that it was quiet...

Going with 8 people is a bit less easy, but it should still work out. It’s true that the Bali-Lombok flights are small (little Fokkers), and finding 8 tickets last minute can be tricky... At the same time, there’s usually some space on those planes, and there are several flights a day (I think Indonesia Air Transport also operates them).

If you arrive in Bali in the morning, you’ll probably find a flight for the afternoon, but if you get there around 2 or 3 PM, it gets more complicated... Otherwise, if the flight doesn’t work out, you’ll have to improvise—like taking the ferry and spending the first night in Bali, for example?

For "hotels," I’d say no worries—we were there at the end of August (late August to early September)—but it’s true that with 8 people, it’s also more complicated. Worst case, you take over two guesthouses next to each other...

A tip for Bali tickets: book a flight to Kuala Lumpur (via Malaysia Airlines), then take a Kuala Lumpur → Bali flight with AirAsia. You just have to change terminals by taking a bus. Since AirAsia is pretty cheap, it’s often more interesting than a direct Paris → Bali flight (well, "direct"...)

Hi there

8 flight tickets is a bit tight, indeed! You can book them from France by contacting the Perama agency http://www.peramatour.com. For hotels, there’s less to worry about. Worst case, if they don’t have 8 beds, 4 can stay in one hotel and 4 in another 😏. But honestly, even on Gili Meno in peak season, there are plenty of spots! !