Lombok .... a real surprise packet!

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A fortnight in Lombok has been quite the surprise packet, after the all too familiar chaos and charm of a return visit to Bali. A long drive out to Padang Bai is required to board the fast ferry across the Lombok strait, and it can be quite a precarious trip as the strait is very deep and prone to inclement weather. Our fast boat navigated the choppy seas without drama, and within two hours arrived at Bangsal, the main port in the northwest of the island. The differences are stark on arrival, with gojek riders nowhere to be seen, nor for that matter the prodigious traffic that is the only downside of visiting Bali. I hooked up with a driver for the long trip south to Senggigi, it was a serene drive on calm and open roads with next to no traffic, even in the centre of Senggigi. Oh yes, I am going to enjoy this adventure that's for sure!

The journal left off after a whirlwind fortnight in Bali, where time seemed to literally race by. A visit to Lombok has been a long held dream of mine, and I'm delighted to finally have the chance to explore the sister island to Bali. As a muslim island (along with the rest of Indonesia) the difference is dramatic when compared to Bali, but again the main source of astonishment is the lack of traffic! My driver dropped me off at a lovely villa just off the main strip in town, and I was sorted with a bungalow and bike in next to no time, Ah, and is that a hammock I spy out on the balcony by the pool? Bliss awaits, now all I need is a beer in the evening to complete the picture. The restaurant also does a surprisingly good seafood nasi goreng, and they arrange day tours. Everything is falling in to place for a relaxing visit, however it's worth noting Senggigi is struggling to recapture her former glory as the premier tourist destination on Lombok following the pandemic, now the happening area is Kutal Lombok further south and many resorts have gone out of business.

The next morning I headed out on a day tour with a driver at 7:00am, for a two hour drive north before arriving at the drop off point for spectacular waterfalls. The driver handed me over to a local guide with a minimum of fuss, and before I knew it I was following in his footsteps through beautiful scenery as the sound of the waterfalls gradually grew closer. We had to navigate a few shallow creek crossings and a little adventurous terrain before arriving at the gorgeous Sendang Gile waterfall, complete with lush and gorgeous tropical vegetation. The spray was problematic for photo opportunities, nevertheless it's a gorgeous waterfall. Then we headed back along the trail to Tie Kelep waterfall, an astonishingly beautiful two tiered waterfall set amongst even more lush tropical vegetation. This spot is absolutely gorgeous, I loved every minute of our visit! The tour ended with a short sharp walk up to Bukit Selong for stunning views of the farmland stretching out in segments below against a mountain backdrop, and I also sampled delicious local strawberries just before the season comes to a close. The locals in Lombok are unfailingly polite and friendly, always greeting tourists as we cross paths with a kind word - they are an absolute delight!

Reluctantly I pushed on to Kuta Lombok, as it entailed leaving behind the gorgeous accommodation and the friendly staff, but I had to check out the happening spot of Kuta Lombok down in the south of the island. A Dutch guy had recommended Edelweiss homestay, and as it's the rainy season I figured I could just rock up. So I did rock up, only to be told the homestay was full, as was the one next door. There was an expensive option nearby at a plush villa with a private pool,,, hmm, tempting, but I thought I would try a little more. While walking off the main street following a random homestay sign I stumbled across El Tropico, a stunning new 4 star resort where prices have been slashed as the rainy season has now set in. The hotel only opened in 2019 and was designed by an American architect to exacting standards, it's incredible and one of the best hotels I've stayed in with wonderful staff completing the picture.

The hotel team arranged a half day tour to nearby waterfalls in the south of the island. Once again the picture perfect locations are stunning to behold. It can be a bit of a scramble to reach some of the destinations, starting with a wild motorbike ride along the bumpy and rough dirt road. However the rider handled the terrain with aplomb, I guess he does it every day, but it sure felt sketchy at times. The scenic waterfalls are definitely a highlight of any visit to Lombok and are highly recommended. I arranged another day tour through the hotel to Gili Nanggu, which is quite a long drive from Kuta Lombok. The tour was all inclusive and the kind young owner Roy from Lombok tours accompanied me for the full day, even visiting the three islands with the captain and crew. The tropical fish and coral are stunning, it's been some of the best snorkelling of my life here in Indonesia. What a great day I had, chatting at ease with Roy and sharing our love for motorbikes. The government has just completed a race track for Moto GP and superbike events which will be held annually in Kuta Lombok. The first events took place this year, and I'm sure will continue to go from strength to strength as Kuta cements itself as the premier tourist destination in Lombok.

Finally, I headed back north with Roy to catch the local ferry across to Gil Trawangan, for a three day stay on this tropical paradise. With white sand beaches, no motorbikes or cars allowed, amazing snorkelling/diving, and venues galore it is a heaving little party island. I enjoyed some of the best live music of my life at the Reggae Bar grooving to an incredible band, and of course embarked on a half day snorkelling tour in a glass bottom boat that visited all three islands for more incredible snorkelling. It was on Gili T that I finally fulfilled a lifelong dream of swimming with sea turtles, one of these magnificent creatures came up from the bottom to take a breath so close to me we were almost touching. Yet all he cared about was taking a gulp of air before swimming back to the bottom to relax. They look so beautiful and graceful swimming, but it's also nice to observe sea turtles resting at the bottom of the clear water (and not too deep). One of the boat crew took my GoPro, and went to the bottom right next to a resting turtle to get some amazing footage. I was impressed with how long he could hold his breath, and just watched totally enthralled on the surface as the scene unfolded.

It's been an amazing visit to beautiful Lombok, which has flown by as quickly as my visit to Bali. It goes without saying you should come and visit Lombok, basically all of you should be here now!

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." St. Augustine

As I continue my travels, until next time it's signing off for now

Tom

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Comments

[Ake Och Emma]

I stayed at the opposite to a 4 star hotel
When I was in Indonesia I stayed on Lombok for a few days to organise a trip to Komodo. I then ended up in a very simple guesthouse, basically a wooden shed with two mattresses on the floor. The deal at that place was that the accomodation was free of charge but we paid for the food we had. The food was not priced, but it was very good, and we paid what we felt it was worth. /Ake

[Tom Rooney]

Memories
Great comment. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome travel memories. It's still very common to travel to Flores from Lombok on a multi day boat trip. I flew, but the memories will live with me forever seeing Komodo dragons! Blog to follow soon.