Getting Around, Lombok Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia)

There are a number of different ways to travel around the island of Lombok, with public transport being best developed around the cities of Mataram and Praya, and the tourist resorts of Kuta and Senggigi.

Those wishing to travel to Bali from Lombok often head to the harbour of Lembar, where a variety of ferry transport awaits, while further ferries are available at the port town of Labuhan and sail to nearby Sumbawa. Public transport on Lombok is generally restricted to main routes only. Popular alternative travel options include traditional fishing boats (perahu), bicycles and also horse-drawn carts (cidomo / dokar), the latter of which is used extensively on the Gili Islands, where there are no cars.

Selaparang Airport (AMI) / Arriving by Air

Address: Selaparang, near Mataram, Lombok, Indonesia, ID
Located on the westerly coast of Lombok and just a short distance to the north-west of Mataram, Selaparang Airport is the only airport on the entire island. Therefore, if you are planning to fly into Lombok, this is the gateway where you will arrive. Airlines currently in operation at Selaparang Airport offer travel between leading tourist destinations, such as Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore. Flights to nearby Bali are particularly popular with holiday makers and depart throughout the day, with a flight time of just 20 minutes.

Car Rental

If you are intending to hire a car or motorbike, then Senggigi really is the best place to make your arrangements. Car rental is also widely available in Mataram, although is generally considerably more expensive. Lombok's roads are best suited to jeep-style vehicles, and if you are prepared to pay just a little more per day, you can even hire yourself your very own driver, who will take full responsibility for the vehicle and happily transport you to island attractions. International Driving Permits are required and although not all travel agencies will look at these, you may have to present them to local police if you are stopped.

A good road spans the centre of Lombok and provides excellent transport connections between Labuhan and Mataram. Other noteworthy main roads link Mataram and Kuta (via Praya), and Mataram and Anyar (via Senggigi).

Buses and Coaches

Mandalika is the main bus station on Lombok and is situated at Bertais, which is approximately 6 km / 4 miles to the south-east of Mataram. Further regional bus terminals can be found at Anyar, Pancor (close to Selong) and Praya. Bus fares are generally fixed by each province, although tourists are often overcharged and targeted by touts. Do note that public transport is considerably more plentiful in the morning, and as the day goes on, buses soon become scarce and rarely run when it becomes dark.

A good alternative to bus transport on Lombok are 'bemos'. These converted minivans are a cheap (although not always comfortable) way to travel longer distances and can be easily flagged down on the street. Although bemo routes are quite flexible, they frequently shuttle between Senggigi, Selaparang Airport, and the ports of Bangsal and Lembar. Tourist shuttle buses are also popular and travel to Mataram, Kuta, Senggigi, Bangsal and also Tetebatu, although they do require a minimum of two passengers.

Trains

There is no railway service currently operating on the island.

Taxis

Metered taxi transport is a relatively recent arrival on Lombok and they have been well received by holiday makers, looking to travel short distances to nearby beaches and other places of interest. Taxis are very handy and quite affordable, even for travelling longer distances, between Mataram and Senggigi. Although a number of different taxi companies currently operate on Lombok, Blue Bird taxis are by far the largest and most reliable company here.

Boats and Ferries

If you are not flying to Lombok, then the only other way to reach this island is by using ferry transport. Regular ferries use Lombok's busy Pelni port at Lembar and travel to and from Padangbai on Bali at 90-minute intervals, both day and night. This journey lasts up to five hours and is considerably cheaper for foot passengers than those bringing a car. An express catamaran services transports passengers between Lembar and Pelabuhan Benoa on Bali, while further boats sail from Bangsal and Senggigi (Lombok) to the Gili Islands, ultimately reaching Bali.