Lombok
In November 2023 I spent five days driving around Lombok with two friends.
We got on a ferry from Bali to the west cost of Lombok. It took 4 hours and the ferry was packed. It was a long, sweaty and tiring journey - I do not recommend.
We got off at the port of Lembar and drove to a small village on the south west coast.
We spent the rest of the afternoon resting and enjoying the view.
Later we went on a little hike for sunset.
I love how remote and wild this area is.
Day 2: Kuta Lombok
Our second day started early in the morning with some snorkeling and a boat trip to nearby islands.
We came back for lunch, packed, and hit the road again.
We drove through the hills (on some very bad roads!) to Selong Belanak beach - where we stoped for a break, snacks, and a cold beer.
The beach was beautiful and had a very chill vibe. There were surfers and tourists, but it wasn’t crowded.
Later we continued our journey and drove down to Kuta, where we checked in to our hotels and went to sleep.
Day 3: The east coast of Lombok
The next morning, my friends caught up on work, while I went to explore the nearby beaches.
I came back to Kuta for lunch, and to check out of my hotel.
Then we continued our journey to the east coast. We drove 3 hours along the coast through little villages, palm tree plantations, and jungles.
We arrived at a tiny village on the east coast. We had booked cottages for the night here. The local woman running the place was lovely, and served us amazing homemade curry for dinner.
I loved how remote the place was. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sleep well because of the mosques. They started singing at 4:30am and it was very loud, right next door. So I got up and went for a sunrise run.
I spent the rest of the morning by the pool. Later we had breakfast and tried the homemade mulberry jam - there were mulberry trees growing all around the cottages.
Then we packed and continued our journey.
We drove into the mountains, to a village at the foot of Rinjani - the massive 4000m volcano in the center of Lombok.
The village where we stayed wasn’t very high up, but it got quite cold at night.
We checked into some basic but very cute cottages, had fried rice for dinner, played some games, and went to bed.
Day 4: Rinjani
Another day where I woke up at 4am to the sound of the mosques!
I have to admit, this was starting to bother me.
I tried to sleep through it, but it was impossible. So I got up at 4:30am, got dressed, and went for a sunrise drive.
It was freezing, but the views were amazing in the morning light, and I got some really nice photos.
I came back to the hotel around 6:30am for breakfast. My friends joined me.
After breakfast we drove to a famous viewpoint, and the views did not disappoint.
After enjoying the views, we were ready to continue our journey.
We drove a couple of hours north, and stopped at a beautiful waterfall.
Then we continued our journey along the entire north coast of Lombok, and back to the west coast. This was the longest day of the trip.
We made it to Senggigi just in time for sunset and coconuts on the beach.
Then it was time for an early night - I was exhausted from the driving, and the 3 consecutive nights of bad sleep. I was looking forward to sleeping late today.
Day 5: Senggigi
Guess what - there was a mosque next to my hotel again, and it woke me up at 4:30am again. Honestly, at this point I was glad the trip was coming to an end, and couldn’t wait to get out of here.
I got up, made some coffee, and went for a sunrise drive again. At least I got to enjoy nice morning light on the empty beaches.
After that I checked out of the hotel early and said goodbye to my friends. They were taking the ferry back to Bali, because they came with their own motorbikes. I had rented mine, so I returned it and took the fast boat back. I couldn’t be bothered with another 4 hours on the ferry, especially in my sleep-deprived state.
The fast boat took an hour and a half, and I was back in Padang bay in Bali, where this journey ended.
Overall I have mixed feelings about this adventure. It was a great road trip for sure, and I enjoyed exploring Lombok with my friends. I loved how wild and undeveloped this island is. The beaches in the south are beautiful (and quite clean).
On the other had, I definitely did not like the non-negotiable wake up call at 4am every morning! And it looks like there was no escape from it, the mosques were everywhere (except for Kuta, they seemed a bit more quiet there because of the tourists probably).
It was also quite hard to find decent food outside of Kuta, especially as a vegetarian. I ate fried rice more than I would have liked.
And finally, most of Lombok was quite dry for my liking. I did come at the end of the dry season though. I need to come back at another time of the year, I’m sure the island would be way more beautiful when it’s lush and green.
I also want to try surfing in Lombok - the baby waves looked very nice and beginner friendly, the water was crystal clear, and there were very few tourists (for now).
Until next time Lombok!