Lombok

The island of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara offers many empty and often
isolated dream beaches, friendly and interesting people, tasty food and fantastic
nature.condohotelombok.com will write you at glance about things you should
not miss on Lombok if you are planning on staying a bit longer on Lombok or
want to get to know the island even better.

1.The Secret Gilis in the east of Lombok

To see and enjoy the view of south green slope of Rinjani, Sumbawa Hills, the
peak of Rinjani between two hills, the green of rice field and plantation, you need

To may take picture on tree in the middle of the sea, swim, lay down on the empty
beach, snorkel, dive and do kayakin on the secret gili.

The east of Lombok also has some beautiful Gili Islands, such as the tiny
sandbank island Gili Kapal. Other secret gillis in the north east Lombok managed
by Lombok Arfa Tour in collaboration with condohotelombok.com are Gili Sulat,
Gili Lawang, Gili Petagan, Gili Kapal, Gili Bidara, Gili Kondo, Gili Bagik, Gili
Perende.

They are even less touristy than other Gilis but at least as beautiful as them and
absolutely “off the beaten path” The activities are organized by Lombok Arfa
Tour in collaboration with condohotelombok.com. To book the activities and the
facilities, please refer to arfatourindo@gmail.com or lomboktour2@gmail.com or
book directly to WhatApps Number +6281904056966 (RAMDANI).

1. Sekotong
Sekotong, the southwestern peninsula of Lombok, is certainly one of the most
beautiful areas of the island. Above all, it’s very quiet and tourism still not much
developed. Sekotong is great for exploring on your own with the scooter, as there
is not much traffic and the roads are mostly easily passable.
Empty road along the coast of Sekotong

Along the main road on the northern coast you can do a nice scooter tour, visit the
Elak-Elak Beach and the Elak-Elak viewpoint. From up there you have a
wonderful view of North Sekotong and the many “Secret Gilis”. Another
highlight and one of the most beautiful beaches in the area is the Mekaki Beach,
see next point.

With the Krisna for the slightly smaller travel budget or Cocotinos for higher demands,
there are a number of accommodations in Sekotong that are perfect as a base for
exploring the area.

2. Mekaki Beach
The beach of Mekaki is located in a huge bay in the south of Sekotong, which is
almost completely surrounded by a green mountain landscape. The water is
gorgeously turquoise and often the beach is lonely.

Even if it’s much quieter at low tide, the water is, due to the strong waves, rather
suited for surfing than for swimming. Nonetheless, Mekaki Beach is a real gem
and you should not miss it on your Sekotong trip!

Just before the beach on the hill, you can enjoy a wonderful view at Mekaki Bay
from the road. Insiders’ tip!

3. The “Secret Gilis” in Sekotong

A very special highlight of the Sekotong area are the 13 Gili Islands. You can
visit almost all of them or snorkel and dive in front of them. Most are still very
calm and perfectly suited if the hustle and bustle of Gili Trawangan is too much
for you.

5. Senaru and Sembalun

The villages of Senaru and Sembalun are not only two starting points for a Rinjani
trekking. It is worthwhile to spend even a few days there and explore the beautiful
surroundings in the midst of the mountain landscapes.

In Senaru you’ll find Lombok’s most famous and beautiful waterfalls: Sendang
Gile and Tiu Kelep. There is also a traditional Sasak village, a monkey forest and
rice terraces. A dream accommodation for this is the Rinjani Lodge.

In Sembalun, which actually consists of 2 villages, you can go trekking to the

Gunung Nanggi or Pergasingan Hill (Bukit Pergasingan) or at least visit the
viewpoint south of Sembalun Bumbung.

6. Mawi Beach

Mawi is a popular surf spot south of Selong Belanak, however it’s not suitable
for surf beginners. But not only experienced surfers will have much fun here. At
Mawi Beach you can also relax and partly swim.

Mawi consists of two bays. The smaller, but most visited main bay, where you
will find a beach bar and some Berugaks and the larger, much calmer bay, where
there are hardly any people to be found. The two bays are separated by a hill,
which you can easily climb up and enjoy a wonderful view from there.

Even if getting there is a bit difficult due to the bad road conditions, it is definitely worth
a visit. Also only for the great view from the hill.

7. Batu Payung
The Batu Payung is a rock right on the water near Tanjung Aan. The lower part
of the rock was “milled” through the water over time, giving it its particular
shape.

“Payung” means translated umbrella, but only with a lot of imagination this rock
will remind you of an umbrella. The small peninsula on which Batu Payung lies,
has no beach but consists mostly only of rocks and stones.

If you are planning a trip to Tanjung Aan and have some time left, you can pay a
visit to the “umbrella rock” as well.

8. Tetebatu

Tetebatu is a village at the foot of the Mount Rinjani National Park. It offers
gorgeous green rice terraces, spectacular views of the Rinjani volcano and its
massif, monkey forests and beautiful waterfalls. You can also experience real
Sasak life away from tourism and even buy home-grown chilies and many other
spices from the villagers.

9. Nambung Beach

At the end of the still untouched, miles long Nambung Beach, whose highlight is
actually the rocks next to it, you can observe a very interesting and beautiful
natural spectacle.

Some also call it the “Waterfall Beach”. Because of the huge waves that bounce
on the many rocks, the water tilts to the other side of the rocks and then falls down
again. Thus, after each big wave, there are several smaller waterfalls that are very
beautiful to look at.

Under one of the waterfalls there is even a natural pool where you can swim.

10. Udayana and Pejanggik Street

The two streets Jalan Udayana and Jalan Pejanggik are two of the largest and
most important main roads of Mataram, Lombok’s capital. Many Lombok visitors
avoid Mataram because the city is said to have little to offer.

But if you are interested in the real life of the island, you just can’t miss these
streets as a foodie. Hardly anywhere else on Lombok you can taste the real
Lombok food cheaper and more varied.

Especially Pejanggik Street (the street where the Mataram Mall is located) offers
countless street side Warungs in the evenings and at night, where you can find a
great choice of delicious foods. The Udayana Street also turns into a food paradise
at night. It’s also home to the island’s most iconic mosque, the incredibly huge
Islamic Center that is lit up in bright colors at night.
11. The old town of Ampenan (Kota Tua)

In the architecture of the old port city of Ampenan, which was an important
transshipment point for merchants of all sorts of goods, you can still clearly see
the Dutch influences in the streets and small alleys.

Very noteworthy is the cultural diversity of the place. In addition to the Dutch
influences in architecture, you will also find many Arabic and Chinese influences
here (including the Chinese Buddhist temple Pao Hwa Kion/Po Hwa Kong).

12. Cakranegara Market

The market in Matarams district Cakranegara is a great place to buy cheap

souvenirs, as well as clothes or sarongs. Of course, you can buy them in tourist
resorts or from beach vendors, but at the market in “Cakra” everything is a bit
more authentic – and usually much cheaper!

You can also try many Indonesian delicacies and snacks here.

13. Sire Peninsula and Sire Beach

The peninsula Sire is a promontory approximately the size of one of the three Gili
Islands. It is also just a few hundred meters away from Gili Air. Accordingly,
from the northern and eastern side of the Sire Peninsula you also have a great
view at the Gilis.

Sire itself does not have much to offer but beaches and the small village. These
beaches surround the entire peninsula and as the Sire peninsula is not often visited
by tourists, it’s very likely that you will find a lonely place here.

The most famous beach is the Sire Beach. Here, however, mostly only locals come and
especially on the weekend it can get a bit more crowded. Normally, the beach is very
quiet and great for a day trip from Senggigi.

14. Bukit Merese

East of the dream beach Tanjung Aan near Kuta is a peninsula with the Merese
Hill. From up there you have a fantastic view over the bay of Aan and the
surrounding area. The adjoining beach of Merese, which leads to Tanjung Aan
Beach, is also worth a visit.

15. Pandanan Beach

About 10 kilometers north of Senggigi, there are some beautiful beaches that are
great for swimming. They are surrounded by beautiful mountain landscapes and
hills, which are shining green especially in the rainy season and shortly after.
The beaches offer mostly beautiful turquoise waters and are still untouched by
hotels or other tourist facilities. Only a few small Warungs can be found right on
the beaches, where you can eat cheaply and order other snacks. Highly
recommended is a grilled fish (Ikan Bakar).

There would be e.g. Pandanan Beach, which in my opinion belongs to the most
beautiful beaches. From Pandanan Beach you can even see Gili Trawangan and
Gili Meno.

1. The Gili islands

3 paradise islands – which seem tiny compared to Lombok – are located only 20
minutes away by boat: Gili Trawangan, the main island, Gili Meno and Gili Air.

The Gilis are very popular for scuba diving and snorkeling but also for relaxing,
swimming and partying. Backpackers and tourists visit especially Gili Trawangan

often. Over here you can feel the lively reggae-ganja-magic-mushroom-vibe.

The Gili islands are a MUST!!!

You can also discover the colorful underwater world of the Gilis by snorkeling on a day
trip from Lombok. With a little bit of luck, you can even spot turtles.

2. Mount Rinjani

The second highest volcano of Indonesia is definitely one of THE highlights of

Lombok! You can book multi-day, guided tours to the Crater Lake and even to the
top at all touristy spots. The pictures speak for themselves…

3. Senggigi

Most tourists arrive in Senggigi because many hotels are located over here. It’s
also great for going out at night or eating. One of the most popular surf spots for
locals and tourists alike is Senggigi Beach.

At this beach the vendors and locals aren’t pushy at all but you can have a nice
small talk if you like (mainly about football since Indonesians love football).

4. From Senggigi to Pemenang

To explore this road next to the coast it is best to use a scooter, which you can rent
for example in Senggigi. One of the highlights is the viewpoint at Malimbu Hill 1
and 2. It offers a marvelous view over Malimbu and Nipah Beach and the 3 Gili
Islands. Check out the other view points and beaches that you can find on this
way as well since they are worth seeing, too.
If you leave Lombok with the public boats to the Gili Islands and would take a
taxi from the airport or from Lembar (where the public ferry from Bali arrives)
you will probably use the very same road (or you tell the taxi driver your preferred
route) since this road goes directly to Bangsal, where public boats are leaving.

5. Pusuk Monkey Forest

Taking a winding road through a breathtaking mountain landscape is the second

option to get to Bangsal. It’s were you find the so-called monkey forest, named
after the numerous wild monkeys in the jungle and near the street. Feed the
hungry and annoying little bastards at the view points if you like.

But be careful and look for your bags, backpacks and such. You can go there by
scooter as well, but always “Hati Hati”, like the Indonesian says.

If you don’t want to explore Lombok on your own with a scooter, you can also
visit the Malimbu Hill viewpoints and the Monkey Forest on a guided day tour.

6. Kuta

After Senggigi, Kuta is probably the second tourist hotspot on Lombok. It offers
beautiful beaches as well and lots of accommodations and restaurants.

From here you can explore the dream beaches of Mawun, Tanjung Aan and
Selong Belanak since they are very close by (see below). Even Kuta Beach itself
is worth a look.