Following a business trip to Singapore in September 2018, we decided to visit Lombok as a part of our belated summer vacation. With a good climate, cheap prices, and direct flights from Singapore, Lombok seemed like a perfect alternative to its overcrowded neighbor Bali. Unfortunately, less than one month before our departure, a series of destructive earthquakes happened, and we had some doubts about whether it was safe to travel to Lombok. The situation got stable a couple of days before our departure, so we decided to take a risk and go anyway. This decision turned out to be one of the best ones in my travel “career”, and it led to another Lombok visit in September 2024.

In this post, I will share a quick Lombok travel guide, with places to stay, things to do, safety, and other tips that will help you plan your next Indonesian adventure. In the end, you will also find some useful links and discount codes for your reference.

Where is Lombok – Getting there and around 

Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, in the eastern part of Indonesia. Hence, you only have 2 options to get to Lombok: by air or by boat. The most frequent local flights are from Jakarta, while Lombok Airport also offers direct flights from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, and some other Indonesian cities. The boat option is mostly used by tourists, visiting Lombok from Bali (the island is less than 2 hours drive away), or Sumbawa Island. There is a big difference between speed boats and local boats – not only in prices but also in the duration of travel, so I suggest you do your homework carefully.

To reach your hotel from the airport or harbor you can either rent a taxi or download the Bluebird app (similar to Uber). The roads are quite busy, bumpy, and narrow, and Indonesians drive on the left, so renting a car in Lombok is not a good idea. I strongly recommend renting a scooter, which is cheap (costs from 5-10 € per day) and it gets you anywhere. You can get one from your hotel, or in the street.

When to go

Thanks to its tropical climate the island is hot, and the ocean is warm all year round. However, if you don’t want to get wet too often, you will want to visit Lombok in the dry season from June to September. Dry season means warm sunny days with an average temperature of around 30 °C, with occasional light rain in the inner-western part. The wet season is hot and humid, but still drier than in neighboring Bali. If you want to avoid the peak season and save money, don’t visit Lombok during summer vacation (July-August) and the Christmas period.

How many days do you need to visit Lombok

With approximately 80 x 110 km you can easily spend a week there and still see only half of it. Before planning your trip, know that even if some places seem close on Google Maps, it will take forever to reach them. If you just want to take a few Instagram shots in the most popular places, count one day per each area (south, east, west, and central Lombok). But if you are a true nature lover you will probably want to hike to some waterfalls and perhaps even climb the Mt Rinjani volcano. For that, you will need at least 2 days and a good fitness level, as its peak rises to 3,726 meters.

Where to stay in Lombok – accommodation suggestions

If you are feeling adventurous, I strongly suggest staying in 2 different locations. With that, you can rent a scooter and explore the nearby attractions. Best options are Kuta in the south and Senggigi on the Western coast. The famous Gili islands are a bit further north and you can visit them as a part of a day trip, or spend a couple of days there.

We visited Lombok twice and were happy with the following choices (starting from 50€ per night):

• Jeeva Beloam beach camp in Southeast Lombok (romantic and secluded)
• Jeeva Santai Villas near Senggigi (classy and convenient)
• The Oberoi Beach Resort in Pamenang (upscale and speechless)
• Khophilau Villas near Kuta (nice and cheap but somewhat noisy due to the mosque)

If you like a more tranquil environment, pick places outside the busy areas and mind the mosques on Google Maps or check the reviews carefully. Lombok is also a backpackers’ paradise, where you can get a decent room for around 10€ at the so-called homestay.

Best things to see in Lombok 

I summed up the suggested Lombok itinerary with 5 things to see in Lombok in this link. But in short, Lombok is all about beautiful beaches, friendly monkeys, wonderful green rice fields, lush waterfalls, and a breathtaking volcano. You can either enjoy your peace in one of the high-end resorts (they still come much cheaper than most similar resorts in Europe), or taste local food and soak up the lively atmosphere in the neighborhood.

Safety 

Indonesia lies on the so-called Ring of Fire with quite a few active volcanos (including Lombok’s Mt Rinjani). The grounds are somehow shaking all the time, potentially causing deadly tsunamis. However, we visited Lombok less than a month after the earthquakes and despite the devastating consequences, we didn’t feel endangered at any point (check my 2018 Lombok after the earthquake post). Another thing is very strong currents between the islands and underestimating their power can be fatal. The currents are especially strong around the northeastern corners of the island.

When it comes to petty crimes like shoplifting, you should take care of your belongings due to the lack of police on the island (especially on the Gilis). We never experienced anything unpleasant, but we were careful not to show off with money or our cameras. More important, beware of the alcohol in Indonesia, as several people have died in the last years (mostly in Bali, Lombok, and Gili Trawangan) from methanol poisoning. If you stick to resort drinks and sealed bottles you should be fine.

Bad sides of Lombok

What bothered me the most, was the heavy pollution. You can hardly find a container on the street, and people throw away garbage, including plastics, everywhere. It was quite a cultural and environmental shock for me, to see thousands of cans and bottles lying on the floor. On top of that, locals burn the trash and together with the (controlled) burning of rice fields, your lungs fill up with smoke in no time. What a shame for this beautiful island.

Finally, you need to know that Lombok is heavily affected by the Muslim religion, which means you need to respect their culture. Bikinis on the beach and more relaxed clothes in Kuta and Senggigi are fine, but I didn’t feel comfortable showing too much in other public places. It was also quite a shock for me to hear so many mosques, which all try very hard to be heard at very unpleasant hours (like 4.30 am). Not to mention the thousands of roosters, which don’t care about the time at all 🙂

Be careful – you will want to come back

So why did we come back? To be honest, during our first visit, we were practically the only tourists on the island, and everything was quieter due to the consequences of the earthquake. The smell and the trash were not that obvious, and many mosques were damaged.

The second visit was a bit more disappointing in this sense, however, the magic is still there. The majority of Lombok is still green, and not overcrowded. The food is fantastic and ridiculously cheap. Hotels and resorts are plentiful, and they really offer a lot for the price you pay. It is a paradise for nature lovers, and we still want to come back, to conquer Mt. Rinjani. But first, our lungs need to recover and our plans to see the rest of the world need to take some rest.

You can check other photos and other tips as a part of my Lombok travel guide on my Instagram page. Feel free to follow me, I will be happy to answer any of travel-related questions. At last, here are some useful links as a part of your Lombok travel guide:

• International flights: Skyscanner (usually has best deals)
• E-sim card: Airalo for Indonesia (use code ANDA5890 for 3€ discount)
• Cheap local fligts: Trip.com
• Best hotel deals: Trip.com (they price match if you find a better deal)
• Transfer apps: Grab and Bluebird
• Best probiotics: Valens Superbiotic (use code ANDA10 for 10% discount), as food is spicy and hygiene can be delicate in Lombok
• Additional UV protection: Valens SunDoc capsules is an excellent supplement that prevents sunburn and helps with sun allergies (use code ANDA10 for 10% discount). Still don’t forget to use plenty of sunscreen. Find some good SPF deals at iHerb and use code IOQ9191 for 10% discount.