Attractions Nearby Lombok, Day Trips and Excursions

(Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia)

felephant

Being relatively close to the islands of Bali and Java, many holiday makers on Lombok choose to explore the Indonesian attractions on the surrounding islands. Bali is perhaps the most famous of all the Indonesian islands, and with such a wealth of beautiful beaches and coastal attractions, is understandably a popular excursion from Lombok and holiday destination in its own right.

There are many appealing attractions that reside on the eastern side of Java island (west of Lombok), being within reasonable reach. Also within reach is the island of Komodo and its world-famous dragons, and the leading surfing hotspot of Sumbawa.

Bali

The attractions on Bali are almost endless, with sun seekers tending to favour the sands of Kuta Beach, Lovina Beach and Sanur Beach. For something a little different on Bali, head to Ubud and enjoy the neighbouring villages and mountainous scenery. In the Ubud area, the Bedaulu Village is home to the elaborately decorated, 1,000-year-old Elephant Cave, which is another 'must see'.

East Java

East Java is where you will find the Baluran National Park, as well as the very sizeable cities of Jombang, Malang, Rembang and Surabaya. Around the coastline of East Java, a series of beaches present themselves, such as the Sukamade Turtle Beach (south of Banyuwangi) and the Pasir Putih Beach at Situbondo. Other attractions include mountains, volcano craters, lush plantations and temples, including the ancient remains of the 13th-century Singosari Kingdom.

Komodo (Pulau Komodo)

Komodo is a fairly desolate island close to Lombok, being also near to Flores, Rinca and Sumbawa. Most visitors take an excursion to Komodo to view the iconic Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Komodo dragons are actually the biggest lizard on the planet and a full-grown specimen really is quite a sight, since it can measure more than 3 metres / 10 feet in length, being known to feed on large mammals, such as deer. The Komodo National Park is where these pre-historic giants reside and encompasses not only the island of Komodo, but also Rinca and a number of surrounding smaller islands, famed for their coral reefs and legendary scuba diving.

Sumbawa (Pulau Sumbawa)

Lying directly to the east of Lombok and separated by nothing more than an extremely narrow stretch of water, the island of Sumbawa is quite rugged in its appearance. Sumbawa features a mixture of mountains and projecting peninsulas, and whilst this is a very beautiful part of Indonesia, it is really rather a poor island. The main attractions of Sumbawa are its strong waves, and keen surfers tend to form the majority of the travellers who venture here, heading straight to the Huu and Sekongkang areas.