Lombok Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia)



Lombok really does have the feeling that it is about to become a booming Indonesian tourist destination, with comparisons to the Bali of yesterday. The island's overall infrastructure and quality of attractions are beginning to reflect its up-and-coming popularity.

The tourist attractions are spread around the main island of Lombok, with further sightseeing to be found on neighbouring islands, such as the Gili Islands, Gili Pentangan and Gili Sulat. On mainland Lombok, the top attractions are located at Kuta, Lembar, Mataram, Praya, Senggigi and Tetebatu, often being of a coastal nature.


Gili Islands

Address: Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
The Gili Islands are to be found just a short distance off the north-westerly shoreline of Lombok, close to the port of Bangsal, and have long been something of a Mecca for backpackers. Comprising three islands, the Gilis each come with their own pristine beaches and outlying coral reefs, where colourful marine life is just a snorkel away. Each of the Gili Islands has its very own character, with the Gili Trawangan being the most developed, with countless villas and an upscale resort. Close by, Gili Air is near to the mainland, while Gili Meno is the smallest of these Indonesian islands and relatively low-key, with its main attraction being the Taman Burung Bird Park. Twice a day, a boat service visits all three of the Gili Islands, meaning that island hopping is both popular and easy.

Gili Sulat / Gili Pentangan

Address: Gili Sulat / Gili Pentangan, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
The islands of Gili Sulat and Gili Pentangan lie alongside each other and roughly 1.5 km / 1 mile off the eastern coast, where they are famed for their glorious sandy beaches and uncommercialised nature. These islands are quite uninhabited and also feature good coral reefs, with the subsequent marine life in the clear waters being easily viewed by snorkelling. Boats to these islands can be chartered from either Labuhan Pandan or Sugian.

Kuta

Address: Kuta, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
The magnificent expanse of soft white sand that is Kuta Beach is really not to be missed under any circumstances. Often compared to the Kuta Beach of Bali, Lombok's Kuta Beach is known for its strong waves, which break on the coral reefs and are considered by experienced surfers to be nothing short of world class. Surfers of all abilities come to Kuta Beach each year to take advantage of the reliable waves, including those nearby at Gerupak Bay (Teluk Gerupak). In general, this coastline is quite undeveloped, and that is part of its charm and appeal. Lifeguards are never far from hand on Kuta Beach and hawkers are usually commonplace.

Lembar

Address: Lembar, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
A busy harbour city lying on the south-westerly coast of Lombok, Lembar is the island's main port for Bali, with passenger ships and ferries arriving and departing on a regular basis. Lembar's harbourfront is particularly beautiful, since its backdrop comprises verdant hillsides and plenty of tropical greenery. There aren't really any attractions as such to speak of in Lembar, and so most tourists don't stay here for long, instead using the city's public transport to reach nearby Mataram or Senggigi.

Mataram

Address: Mataram, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
Mataram is the capital of Lombok and the largest city by far, with a population fast approaching 400,000 people. Although very much categorised as a city, Mataram is in fact made up of three adjoining towns - Ampenan, Cakranegara, and Mataram, which is an important administrative centre. These towns are linked by one main road, which starts its life as the Jalan Pabean, before changing to the Jalan Langko, the Jalan Pejanggik and then finishing up as the Jalan Selaparang. There are many fine tourist attractions spread around the Mataram area, with the best including the Mayura Water Palace, the Pura Meru Hindu temple and the popular Museum Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat. Lots of further sightseeing opportunities surround Mataram, such as the acclaimed Taman Narmada (Narmada Park), which lies approximately 10 km / 6 miles to the east and dates back more than 200 years, being designed to recreate the summit of Mount Rinjani (Gunung Rinjani). To the north is the market town of Sesaot, the Balinese hilltop temple of Gunung Pengsong, and the numerous pottery workshops within Banyumulek.

Praya

Address: Praya, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
The principal town in southern Lombok and often classed as the island's number two destination, Praya is rather spread out and is based around a series of tree-lined avenues. There are some very attractive, historical Dutch buildings and structures within Praya, although the most noteworthy attractions lie outside of the town, such as the Penujak pottery, the Sasak houses in Sade, and the traditional houses in Rembitan. Also in nearby Rembitan is the pilgrimage mosque, the Masjid Kuno, which comes complete with thatched roof and pleasant gardens.

Senggigi

Address: Senggigi, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
The westerly coastal resort of Senggigi enjoys a splendid position, being fronted by a number of scenic sweeping bays. Senggigi serves as the main tourist strip on Lombok and offers plenty of beach-related attractions and good-value hotels. Scuba diving trips from Senggigi are always popular and usually head off to the nearby Gili Islands, although there is quite reasonable snorkelling available next to the Windy Cottages. The Balinese temple named the Pura Batu Bolong is also of note, as is the nearby beach of Mangsit and excursions to neighbouring weaving villages.

Tetebatu

Address: Tetebatu, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
Nestled on the lower slopes of Mount Rinjani (Gunung Rinjani), Tetebatu is an appealing rural retreat, with a refreshing climate and outstanding panoramas, overlooking rice paddies and green expanses of tobacco fields. The village of Tetebatu also features excellent views of Rinjani and the distant sea, and is a good place to base yourself. Various hiking trails are close by, leading to cascading waterfalls, handicraft villages and the Monkey Forest (Taman Wisata Tetebatu) and its inquisitive black monkeys.