Solitude and Lombok are practically synonymous words. Tourist infrastructure is most developed in the western part of the island of Senggigi. There, tourists will be able to do nothing and shop with full dedication. The island is famous for its pottery, silk and fabrics with gold and silver thread, handmade by local craftsmen.
Note: according to allcitypopulation, the population of Indonesia is 276.4 million (2021).
Excellent surfing can be found on the other side of the island, in the resort of Kuta (not to be confused with the resort of the same name in Bali).
How to get to Lombok
The island of Lombok can be reached in 2 and a half hours by comfortable express boats. By air, you can fly here in half an hour, on a daily flight Bali – Lombok – Bali. You can fly to Lombok and directly – from Singapore or Jakarta.
Rules of conduct and safety
If you are going to visit some remote rural areas on your own, it would be prudent to take care of finding a local guide. Often the inhabitants of such places do not know not only English, but also Indonesian, so it will be possible to communicate with them only in the Sasak language.
In addition, in some places on Lombok, morals are quite strict. If you’re planning to visit the countryside, religious sites, or government offices, it’s best to wear something more modest. Women on a trip would do well to have a pareo with you – you can put it on if you decide to leave the beach for a while in one swimsuit, besides, it perfectly protects from the sun and wind.
The word “lombok” is Indonesian for “chili pepper”, but the local cuisine is generally not as spicy as one might think.
Be careful with local alcohol. On the island, things are not particularly favorable with him, so if it seems to you that you feel worse, it is better to consult a doctor just in case (however, in case of a slight ailment the next morning, it is probably not necessary to go to the hospital).
Be sure to bring insect repellant with you. It is unlikely that you will be bitten by malarial mosquitoes if you are vacationing in one of the popular resorts, but it is still quite sad to itch until the very end of the trip because of one small mistake.
And, as for local traditions, in Lombok it is customary to take off your shoes when entering someone’s house (and even to the reception rooms of some companies) and it is not customary to give your left hand or pass something with your left hand to someone with whom you are not too close. Failure to comply with these two rules is considered very rude here.
Shopping
Pottery, silk and woven products with gold and silver thread, handmade by local craftsmen, are the main souvenirs from Lombok.
Beaches
The island’s best beaches are in the Sengjiji area: they are wide, clean and with a blessedly low amount of frying and steaming. A distinctive feature of the Lombok coast is beaches with grains of sand the size of a pea of black pepper in gray-beige color. A handful of such sand is another important souvenir that is taken away from Lombok.
Kitchen
The word “lombok” is Indonesian for “chili pepper”, but the local cuisine is generally not as spicy as one might think.
One of the island’s most popular dishes is called ayam taliwang. The locals can’t agree on exactly which recipe should be considered authentic, but the most common variation of the dish is chicken in a rather spicy tomato sauce with lots of spices. Its taste can be both mild and very spicy, so it’s best to check when you order.
One of the things not to be missed when visiting Lombok is the local traditional massage.
The main food of the inhabitants of the island and an obligatory item on the menu of any cafe is rice with various additives. In terms of the amount of rice consumed, the islanders are hardly inferior to the Japanese, and the additives are quite diverse. In addition to vegetables (this is a mandatory part of the program), nuts, fish, chicken, meat or tofu can be added to rice, and as a condiment, you will probably be offered sambal sauce, which is based on ground red pepper.
Prices in restaurants and cafes in Lombok are highly dependent on their location. Lunch at a restaurant in one of the popular resorts will be quite expensive, and the dishes offered there will be adapted to European cuisine. In other places, you can find many small restaurants called warung, which are more oriented towards the locals. If you are interested in traditional cuisine, they are exactly what you need.
Alcoholic drinks can be bought almost everywhere, but since the majority of the population of Lombok is Muslim, in some areas (particularly in Praya) there is a ban on the sale of alcohol in bars and restaurants. In addition, alcohol is heavily taxed throughout Indonesia – it could very well be that a bottle of wine is the most expensive item on your order.
Entertainment and attractions of Lombok
There are interesting excursions to the Rinjani volcano, the Sendang Gila waterfall and the Danau-Segara-Anae lake. In the sea in the neighborhood are three coral islands Gili (Gili): Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan, with white beaches, bays with clear water and coral reefs. The nearest one can be reached in 15 minutes by ferry and is an ideal place for picnics, diving and snorkelling. In addition, there are several village-museums of Lombok Aboriginal Sasaks on the island.
One of the things not to be missed when visiting Lombok is the local traditional massage. You don’t even need to go anywhere for this, you can get a massage right on the beach, under the relaxing sound of the waves. In addition to the fact that this massage is extremely pleasant, it is believed that it has an excellent therapeutic effect. It is still one of the main methods of treating many diseases among Sasak healers and is very popular among all segments of the island’s population.
Fishing is another traditional entertainment on the island. There are many places where you can rent a boat with all the necessary equipment and go fishing in the sea for a day or more. It’s very relaxing, but be careful – you should keep an eye on the weather forecast and don’t swim too far.
And if you want a more active holiday, there are excellent bike tours for you on the island, where you can stretch your muscles after lying on the beach while the guide tells about local attractions.
