Lombok after the earthquake

Many of you are still asking whether it is safe to travel to Lombok after the series of earthquakes which hit the island in August 2018. The first main shock with 6.9 magnitude, flattening the whole villages, happened on August 5th, just 3 days after I had booked our Lombok vacation. The other big one struck just a few days later – there were reports of even bigger damage and over 500 people killed, with thousands injured. The grounds had been shaking every day, there were also some landslides around Mt. Rinjani, some hotels had been completely destroyed and forums were flooded with travelers asking for new updates about the safety on the island. The answers were different: from “please come, Lombok needs tourists to recover”, to “the grounds are still shaking and everything is very unpredictable”. All the reports said that the south of Lombok hadn’t been affected and after getting the response from our hotel that they were operating normally, we decided to put our lives in the hands of destiny and proceed with our travel plans. Luckily the big earthquakes stopped and aftershocks were very mild (even though very frequent).

We landed in Lombok on September 12th and drove to Jeeva Beloam beach camp  first. We stayed there for 4 nights and it was the best decision in my travel life. We had the whole camp and the beach practically to ourselves during the whole vacation. All the other guests cancelled their stay (besides, September is not a peak season), so we were treated like royals, with unlimited opportunities to enjoy the beach and everything else. Surrounded by monkeys and the nicest staff you can imagine, this was a vacation I will always remember. More importantly, there was no damage from the earthquakes in the south, the camp was intact and also the wider south area seemed fine.

The situation in the west and especially north of Lombok was however completely different. We spent the remaining 5 nights just a few miles north of Senggigi (Jeeva Santai Villas in Mangsit beach) and the drive to the west coast already revealed the images of broken houses along the road. It all started around the capital Mataram, but the real nightmare for the people began north from Senggigi. Our resort and some of Senggigi hotels were fine (some with minor damage but safe to stay in), while others, especially big ones like Sheraton and Katamaran, had to close for renovation. Again, we were very lucky because Jeeva resorts seem to be built in high quality.

We rented a motorbike in Senggigi because we wanted to explore the west coast and see Mt Rinjani at least from a distance. While driving up north the images of destroyed houses, hotels, cars, even mosques, just broke my heart. Entire villages have been flattened, it seemed as they never even existed. People are sleeping in tents, and slowly rebuilding their homes during the day. A lot of bigger buildings are still standing but they are severely damaged, which means they will collapse eventually. We could also see people standing along the road waiting for the trucks from charity and government organizations to deliver food and aid. But in some strange way it all seemed quite calm and organized – almost as if people were used to this kind of disasters, fighting their way through lives, living one day after another.

 

The biggest challenge and also hope for the people of Lombok remains tourism. We have spoken to many residents and hotel staff, and they all said that after more than one month from the disaster cancellations are still happening every day, tourists are still afraid to come. During our entire stay we only saw a few couples wandering around, Lombok gorgeous beaches were practically deserted, restaurants were lonely and grocery stores were empty. We tried our best to spend as much money as possible by buying things and souvenirs we don’t need, leaving tips and giving away food to homeless dogs.

I can’t say it strong enough: apart from seeing the devastating images in the north, we enjoyed every moment of our Lombok vacation. You can check the photos in my Facebook album. The beaches are fantastic, the nature is wonderful, food is absolutely delicious, most bars and groceries are normally stocked and operating, rental booths and tourist agencies are there for you, so please don’t be afraid to come. As long as you stay in safe areas with quality buildings, you have nothing to be afraid of. Lombok needs you and it still has plenty to offer.

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Hotel review: Jeeva Beloam beach camp (Lombok, Indonesia)

Lombok is quite big and if you want to feel its pulse you need to move around the island. Due to relatively bad roads and heavy traffic it is quite tiresome to be on the road daily, so we decided to stay a few days in the South first and spend the rest of our Lombok vacation on the West coast. While I was searching for hotels in Kuta beach, I ran into this small spot in Sunut peninsula, which seemed to be quite isolated. The photos and the reviews of Jeeva Beloam beach camp were very promising – I am a sucker for beaches and the fact that the camp owns an entire bay was the first green light for me. Furthermore, the idea of living in a private luxury wooden lodge sounded very attractive and the location seemed convenient for exploring some of Lombok’s famous sights like Pink beach and Tanjug Ringgit cliffs (you can check my photos from Lombok here). After exchanging a few emails with their staff (especially after the earthquakes in Lombok in August 2018), I booked Jeeva Beloam beach camp via booking.com – (click here to get 15€ off with your next booking 😉 )

Location

I knew that Jeeva Beloam beach camp was very dislocated and that the drive from the airport would take around an hour and a half. But I didn’t realize that the road would be SO bumpy for so many miles. The resort’s driver picked us up at the airport (one way transport is included in the price of your stay) and after leaving the main road, we had about half an hour drive of REALLY slow drive ahead. So bumpy, that even I – heavy sleeper – couldn’t keep my eyes closed 🙂 But once we reached the camp, we immediately knew it was all worth it. Because the resort not only owns the entire bay but also a large portion of the property, which means no intruders (at least human ones) at all.

The beach

Oh my, THIS BEACH. Words can hardly describe this fantastic piece of heaven. Soft white sand, turquoise and crystal clear water, surrounded by hills from the east and west for the ultimate privacy, with a view of Sumbawa Island’s hills far away across the Timur Sea. You can watch the beach directly from your lodge and I was up every morning for the gorgeous sunrise. Images of the sunlight turning from pink to yellow were something I will never forget. There is a BUT though. During the dry season (we were there in September) the wind is quite heavy, which means a lot of high waves. While you can swim rather normally in the morning, afternoons can be quite a struggle, even for fitness freaks like us. So instead of fighting the waves we rather chose to do handstands on the beach and enjoyed the serenity of our terrace – reading books, taking massage and other stuff that couples do 😉

Accommodation

Jeeva Beloam beach camp has 11 “berugas” – 60 m2 wooden lodges, all with covered terraces, mosquito-netted king size beds and bathrooms with luxury showers and amenities of at least 4 star hotels. No TV though – you are in heaven, remember 😉 The electricity is available during most of the day (with some small periods when they save the energy, around 3-times daily), Wi-Fi is quite strong at the reception and in the dining area, but we could also get signal at our lodge from time to time. What a nightmare indeed 😉 We stayed in Beruga 11, at the very end of the bay and we couldn’t have chosen better if we wanted.

Food

Jeeva Beloam offers “full-board” service, which means you get breakfast, lunch and dinner, with complimentary drinking water 24/7. For other drinks you have to pay extra. The food is absolutely fantastic. Every day you can chose between 2 different dishes – fish or meat. If you are vegan, they can indulge you as well, you just have to mention that at the check in. There is also complimentary tea and coffee from 4 to 5 pm, which comes together with some cookies. The fact is that there is no convenience store or restaurant miles away, so you basically have no other choice but to trust your hosts to do their best. And they will, I promise!

Facilities

Besides the reception and already mentioned dining lodge, which is located in the middle of the camp, again with direct views of the ocean, Jeeva Beloam also has a small wellness room for massages and relaxation. The prices are higher than in Lombok “urban” area, but still much cheaper than in the “West world” (around 30€ for 60 minutes). You can also ask the staff to borrow a motorbike from one of them (for that you will pay around 5€ per day), and drive around the peninsula. You won’t get far though, because the roads are really rough and it takes forever to reach anything J The famous Pink beach is quite near though, and Jeeva Beloam offers free trips there every day – they even rent you snorkeling gear.

The unexpected visitors

If you are afraid of wild animals, don’t come to Jeeva Beloam beach camp. First of all, monkeys are there all the time. Sometimes they come to your terrace and if you don’t chase them away, they can even steal something from you. They are not hostile or dangerous though. I found them very cute, made bunch of photos. The darker side of visitors are rats and mice. First rule to keep them away is: don’t bring food to your lodge. And I mean NO food at all. I had some bars with me and the bastards chew their way to them, leaving a big hole in my brand new Adidas bag. They even destroyed my joint gel – apparently they thought it was sweet. And yes, it is disturbing when you hear them at night. But this is wilderness. You are out there in the middle of nothing, in wooden tents. And if you are not terrified of animals, you will be fine, don’t worry.

Anda’s rate: 9,5 of 10

Bottom line: Jeeva Beloam beach camp is the perfect getaway for couples who want privacy and to get away from every day hustle and bustle. I loved absolutely everything and I enjoyed every moment of it. The only thing which bothered me a little (that’s why I’m not giving it a perfect 10) were the mice, but I am partly blaming myself because I should have listened the advice about not taking any food with me. I would come back any time indeed!

 

 

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Why Australia has to be your next travel destination!

If you are a true wanderlust, your traveling choices are endless, so you have to make sure you focus on improving your experiences. There are a lot of different places in the world to visit, and your choice largely depends on the sort of adventure you would like to have. Some people love city breaks, others enjoy beach holidays, while many more like to have as many adventures as possible. Fortunately there are a few places in the world where you can enjoy all these things in abundance, making it one of the best travel experiences ever. One of them is called Australia. There are some amazing reasons why you need to visit Australia as soon as possible, and these are some of the best ones.

The Sightseeing

There are so many tourist hotspots and excellent sights to see when you check out Australia. One of the best things about Australia is the fact that it offers a uniquely diverse holiday experience. It offers amazing coastal beach holidays, wonderful bush trail treks, delightful tours from Hervey Bay, and trendy city breaks. Whether it’s architectural beauties like Sydney Opera House, their cute capital Canberra, incredible natural Wonders of the World, such as the Great Barrier Reef, the island of Tasmania… yep, there are a bunch of amazing sightseeing options down under! 

Friendly Locals

We all know that the Aussies have a reputation for being friendly and welcoming, and that rep is well warranted. The friendly nature of Australians is one of the things that has led to “Oz” being such a popular tourist destination. If you are looking to have a good time, and enjoy a warm welcome from locals, this is most definitely a place where you can have a good time. Oh, and their cute accent (“crush” emoji here).

Cultural Significance

The culture and history of “Down Under” is so important and gives a window into why it is a country that matters. Consider the aboriginals who first inhabited the island, and how much their culture permeates throughout. While the Horseshoe Bend slot canyon is the best kept secret in Arizona, one could argue Uluru is one of the best in Australia. This is one of the best places to learn about aboriginal culture, and you should make sure you do a tour of the site.

 

There are a lot of great reasons to visit Australia, don’t you agree? Have you been down under and have some great places to share with us? Scroll down and write them in a comment!

(collaborative post)

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