Lombok, Indonesia: A Forgotten Paradise? (page 4 of 5)

Thanks so much, Thesamy, for your tips! 😎

I just checked your airfare plan, and you're right—taking an AIR ASIA flight from KUALA is unbeatable (434 euros for 4)! However, there’s no reasonably priced direct flight from PARIS to KUALA (1,022 euros right now), so it’s no longer worth it. The alternative is a connecting flight with a layover in Rome, Dubai, or Bahrain for around 770 euros, plus AIR ASIA, which would total 880 euros. Sure, we’ll be spending a lot of time on planes, but it’d be worth it, especially for 8 people instead of the 1,200 euros via GO VOYAGES! Another thing: I just checked a site called "billetdiscount.com," and they’re offering tickets for 945 euros (airport taxes included) for PARIS/BALI... No flight details except that it’s with QATAR AIRWAYS, so I’ll call tomorrow because it seems sketchy... 😕

You reassured me about accommodations in LOMBOK. For flights, our friends arriving a week before us will check at the airport and book the tickets if needed ;) and they can call the hotels too. I did email PERAMA for rates—they can reserve tickets a month in advance, but it doesn’t seem cheap: between 350,000 and 480,000 IDR per person per way, which would be around 68 euros total after conversion if I’m not mistaken!

Otherwise, I found some crazy stuff online about accommodations on GILI TRAWANGAN! The prices are wild... The DREAM DIVERS HOTEL and BLUE MARLIN DIVE HOTEL seem nice according to the *Guide du Routard*, but the price is listed as a max of 35 euros. Worth checking! We’d also love to go south toward KUTA—any great tips?

Thanks for all your valuable info!

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

Hey! You’re pretty limited with local transport... For example, if you want to follow the south coast, it’s not possible. Buses only go north-south-north-south, not east-west. Visiting the most touristy spots (Gili-Senggigi-Rinjani) by bus is no problem, but to get off the beaten track, a two-wheeler (or any independent vehicle) will be more than useful!

For flights, our friends arriving a week before us will check things out at the airport and book the tickets if needed ;) and they can call the hotels too. I still sent an email to PERAMA for the rates; they can reserve the tickets 1 month in advance, but it doesn’t seem cheap: between 350,000 and 480,000 IDR/person and per "way," so that’s x2, which comes to about 68 € after conversion if I’m not mistaken!

One week before is fine—no need to book from France in this case. It’s surprising for the price—I paid exactly 50 € for the Bali/Lombok round-trip ticket!!

Thanks Citoyendumonde 😉 I already anticipated your answer and checked out the PERAMA website! Based on what you all are saying, I’m less worried about accommodations—we’ll manage in groups of 4 if we have to!

Man, I’m struggling to focus at work right now: my head’s already in Indo😎nesia...

Man, I'm struggling to focus at work right now—I'm already dreaming of Indo😎nesia...

Oh really? Welcome to the club 😉 I’ve been like this for 4 months now...

...you still have to take an "indirect" flight with a layover in Rome, Dubai, or Bahrain, and that’s 770 euros apparently, plus AIR ASIA, which would make 880 euros total. But hey, we’ll be "eating up" a lot of flight time, though it’d be worth it, especially for 8 people instead of 1,200 euros with GO VOYAGES! Another thing: I just checked a site called "billetdiscount.com," and they have tickets for 945 euros, airport taxes included, for PARIS/BALI... no flight details except that it’s with QATAR AIRWAYS, so I’ll call tomorrow because it seems fishy...😐

It’s true that multiple layovers are really long... but at the same time, if you don’t sleep on the plane (which is my case), it’s better to take shorter flights and stretch your legs in between. Though with kids, it’s probably a different story 😉 Still, saving 320 euros per ticket means you’ll likely spend that per person over 3 or 4 weeks there! Qatar Airways is an excellent airline—definitely one of the best in the world.

You reassure me about LOMBOK regarding accommodations. For flights, our friends arriving a week before us will check at the airport and book the tickets if needed 😉 and they can call the hotels too. I did email PERAMA for prices—they can reserve tickets a month in advance, but it doesn’t seem cheap: between 350,000 and 480,000 IDR per person and per "way," so times two, that’s about 68 euros after conversion if I’m not mistaken!

Otherwise, on LOMBOK, I found some crazy stuff online about accommodations on GILI TRAWANGAN! Hello, dollars... The DREAM DIVERS HOTEL or the BLUE MARLIN DIVE HOTEL seem nice according to the *Guide du Routard*, but the price is listed as a max of 35 euros. To verify! We’d also like to go to the south, near KUTA—what are the good deals?

For flight tickets, in my opinion, prices are higher when you book directly from France than when you’re on-site... but I could be wrong 😉

No need to book accommodations in advance—like citoyendumonde said, there’s always space (no, not just for the friends passing through...). I don’t know Gili Trawangan; I only went to Gili Air. The Gili Air Hotel (all the way north) is pretty nice... For Kuta, we stayed at the Lombok Baru guesthouse at the far end (east) of Kuta Bay, right on the beach—unlike the other hotels (on the other side of the small road). But I’m sure Citoyendumonde has much better tips for the area 😛 If I were to go back south, I’d do the whole tour of South Lombok and aim even further east... You have to check out the stunning Tajung Aan Bay, for sure...

Once you’ve tasted it, you can’t get enough... Check out citoyendumonde, a real addict 😛 and worse, we’re dealing on the forum!!! 😄😄😄

If I were to go back to the south, I’d do the whole southern loop of Lombok and aim even further east.... You’ve got to check out the stunning Tajung Aan Bay, especially... Once you’ve tasted it, you can’t get enough.... Check out citoyendu monde’s post, a real addict 😛

Hehe, I managed to delete that silly message yesterday where I said "the" beach... I’d posted it right after getting back, in full withdrawal mode 😏

Alright, the flight tickets are sorted—oh well, it cost me more, but I’d rather play it safe. I booked a PARIS-HONG KONG-BALI flight with GO VOYAGES for 1087 €... anyway, I can move on to hotels now.

I’ll probably book the one in UBUD (TEGAL SARI—it’s often spoken highly of on the forum). I’d love to go to AMED, but the hotel prices aren’t great. Any tips?

For SANUR, I already know LAGHAWA BEACH INN—great value for money.

For GILI TRAWANGAN, where can I stay without breaking the bank for, say, 2 nights? My girls really want to do their first scuba dive...

For KUTA in LOMBOK: is the area too deserted? What’s there to see besides the beaches? I love paradise beaches, but not enough to spend my whole life on them... I love greenery! So I’m thinking of TETEBATU...

I’m wondering if a week in LOMBOK might be too short?

Otherwise, in Ubud, there's Nick's pension—it's really nice, not too expensive, and you don’t need to book ahead. August, the owner (with the mustache), is super friendly!

There’s a great accommodation deal in Amed (actually, Amed is several tiny villages or guesthouses along a road that runs by the sea for a few kilometers). It’s called "Wa Wa We We II," with a stunning infinity pool overlooking the ocean (unlike what the guidebooks say...) and beautiful bungalows... not expensive... hurry! 😉

Kuta Lombok is desert-like, and that’s what makes the place so uniquely charming. Nature there is still wild and preserved... far from Bali’s well-trodden paths. I’ll attach a few photos of the area—it’ll give you an idea...

For some greenery and mountains, there’s also the trek up Mount Rinjani! A 3-day hike through breathtaking landscapes (check out my photos in a previous post here). The effort is totally worth it!

One week in Lombok is short... You should plan at least 2, unless you’re only visiting the Gili Islands and Kuta, which would be a shame.

Thanks Thesamy for your tips!

For the WA WA WE WE II, what’s the address? It sounds just like what we’re looking for: cheap but good (as you’d say, like everyone else! 😏) Do you have any photos of this hotel?

For NICK PENSION, I see it mentioned a lot on websites, but I haven’t seen any photos. Is there a pool to relax in?

We’re definitely planning to go to KUTA on LOMBOK because we’re looking for both the typical side—stunning landscapes and that feeling of being alone in the world—as well as some lively spots (can’t forget we’re traveling with "kids aged 12, 20, 20, and 17 ½"... so it’s a mix we’ll have to balance carefully).

Above all, we want unforgettable memories of landscapes, special moments, and connecting with the locals. The party scene doesn’t interest us at all! (We’re too old for that! lol)

As for the length of our stay, our bosses only gave us 3 weeks... gotta make it work! The other thing is, we only have 2 weeks overlapping with our friends who arrive a week earlier and leave a week before us! So, we’re trying to mix it up...

Wow, your photos are amazing!!!! 😇 Is it really that deserted in August? Can you tell me exactly where they were taken? We were thinking of checking out the beach after Mawi (if I didn’t butcher the name) to the left of KUTA (I think it’s Senang something...). They say it’s the most beautiful one. For the trek, we won’t have enough time, and it’s too bad because we would’ve loved to get up close to the volcano. Maybe next time?😉

We were thinking of going to see the beach after Mawi Beach (if I didn’t get the name wrong) to the left of KUTA (I think it’s called Senang something...). Apparently, it’s the most beautiful one.

Selong Blanak :P yeah, it’s amazing!

But Mawi is great too... it’s different—there’s no one there, whereas Selong Blanak has a village, so you get to interact with the locals!

On the other hand, you’ve seen how arid it is—Tetebatu isn’t arid at all ;)

Thanks to you and thesamy. I’ll look into getting a renewal sent for my driver’s license so I can rent a motorcycle. Mine expired because it was only valid for a year, and I’ve been away for 17 months... I think they’re a bit stricter about driver’s licenses than their neighbors in Asia. Thanks for the info...

Absolutely stunning!

I checked out your blog last night and honestly... there are no words for some of your photos! The colors are just incredible... How can you *not* catch the travel bug?

We’ve decided—we’re going to Senong Blanak and Tetebatu!

Are YOU heading back to LOMBOK this summer? Maybe we’ll run into each other under a coconut tree, among tobacco leaves, or even behind a bush in Senang Blanak? 😉

WaWa WeWe II is right by the side of the road, you'll find it no problem (Amed isn't exactly La Grande Motte...)

Alright, here's my round of photos for today 😉 see attached.....

For WA WA WE WE II, what's the address? It looks just what we're looking for: cheap but good (like everyone, you'll tell me!! 😏) Do you have any photos of this hotel?

For NICK PENSION, I see it mentioned a lot on sites but I haven't seen any photos; is there a pool to relax by?

maybe we’ll get the chance to meet behind a bush in Senang Blanak? 😉

Behind a bush! First off, there aren’t any bushes

Yeah, I’m heading to Lombok this summer, but it’ll just be my starting point for Sumbawa. I’m stopping in Lombok to pick up my "passenger-guide-interpreter-fisherman-friend"—basically my Sasak brother, you know? 🙂

PS: No accommodations in Selong Blanak or Mauwi yet, so you’ll have to crash in Kuta (20 km away). If you’ve got space, bring some English books, toys, or clothes for the kids—Selong Blanak is *very* poor, but the people are amazing. I’m planning to swing by next month to drop off the photos I took of them.

Wishing you a great viral dose of the travel bug 😉

Hi Thesamy, First of all, a huge thank you for this travel journal (only discovered it this week...😕) about Lombok—I was able to dream for a few moments... Having only passed through last September for just 3 days (oh, the frustration over Rinjani!!!), let’s just say that this year, I’m planning to get my revenge by staying a good two weeks to do the grand tour of the island, then spend the rest of the trip (1 month total, from late August to mid-September😛) in Sumbawa—Komodo—and Flores.

A question about renting a car or 4x4 in Lombok: can you give me a rough idea of how much renting a 4x4 for a month would cost? Also, have you been to Flores (for the Kelimutu ascent)? Thanks in advance

Thanks!

I can’t help with Flores, but I’m sure other travelers will be able to give you some tips.

For renting the Suzuki Katana, my info might be a little outdated, but I’d say 30 days would cost at least 30 x 120,000 IDR (the daily rate I paid for a 10-day rental): 3,600,000 IDR, which is about 250 €.

You’ve got to do Rinjani, for sure!!

Ask citoyendumonde for great tips in the "magnificent" south of Lombok... well, that’s just my opinion... 😉

Thanks for your reply—it’ll still give me an idea of the price, even if I’m sure it’s changed quite a bit since then with the rise in fuel costs... For the Rinjani, is it accessible for someone who isn’t used to trekking? I’ve done the Gunung Batur, but that’s really something else—totally incomparable, I’m pretty sure of that. 😏 Just looking at the ascent plan...

One last time, thanks for answering! 🙂 I’m off to ask citoyendumonde (or any other forum member who’s been to Lombok, Sumbawa, and Flores) for their great tips on where to stay and discover nice spots that aren’t too touristy—Lombok-style good deals! 😉

Hey Thesamy...

What’s with these insinuations? No, there’s no "ad deal" with "you-know-who" about "you-know-what". It’s true I’ve shared their stuff on Vf from time to time, and I even offered them free space on my site if they needed it. I think their idea is brilliant—respectful of the environment and the locals. Not that I’m super strict about principles... 😉 but I just wanted to set the record straight.

Anyway, as I told Toshi in an email, I don’t know how much car rental costs in Lombok. Unless you have a specific need or are traveling with family, I honestly think cars are more hassle than they’re worth—starting with the fact that it costs the same as 10 scooters a day, plus gas, plus the ferry fee!

Later,

(PS: I’m not mad :-)