During our two-week stay in Indonesia in November 2023, we spent four days in Lombok island, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Lombok is an island of a similar size of Bali, but much less known than its neighbour Bali. We skipped Bali and opted for Lombok for a calmer stay with the kids. It is an absolute tropical paradise that can be easily reached from Indonesia's major cities. We flew to Lombok from Surabaya in East Java, where we had been staying previously; but you could also get to Lombok by fast boats from Bali.
There are three main areas to stay on the island: Kuta, Senggigi and Gili Islands. Kuta is very popular place to stay - not to be confused with Kuta area in Bali. Kuta (in Lombok) is on the south coast and a popular choice for surfers. Senggigi is a little calmer but still has a great access to shops and supermarkets. Gili Islands are little car free islands reachable by boats from Lombok. There are three islands to choose from to stay, and they all offer wide range of accommodation type. We chose Senggigi as our base, which was not too far from the main attractions and the starting point to go to the Gili Islands.
We got settled quickly in our ocean view chalet with outdoor bath that the kids loved so much.
You can rent a car if you’re okay with driving on the left side of the road. We weren’t too sure about driving on the opposite side of what we’re used to, so we opted a chauffeured car service. Metered taxis are widely available, and your hotel should be able to get one for you.
The most ideal period to visit Lombok is between April and September which is the dry season in Indonesia when you can expect mostly clear blue sky. October to March is known as the rainy season with higher humidity. However, during our stay in November we only had one rain during one afternoon (my kids absolutely love warm tropical rains) and we had mostly sunny days perfect for a swim in the ocean.
What we did in Lombok that our kids loved:
Learning how to surf. There are many surf schools along the coast of Senggingi which offer surfing lessons for young children. Some offer a whole package of service including transport from/to your hotel, lunch and photography package. We had lessons with Nemo surfing school. The waves in our part of Senggigi were smaller and ideal for beginners, the sand soft and golden. Like everything in Indonesia, feel free to haggle the price offered. After two afternoon of lessons, our children were able to catch good waves by themselves, got up on their board and surfed the waves to the shore.
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| Our 6-year-old on the surf board |
Island hopping to the Gilis. A daytrip to the Gilis is a good alternative if you prefer not to stay overnight on the small islands. You can easily go to all three Gili islands: Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan from Bangsal port, which is quite close from Senggigi. For the cheapest option, you can take public ferry boats to the Gilis (cost less than 1 euro), take the fast boat or hire a private boat, which was what we did for 30 euros/boat for up to 8 persons, one way. All three Gilis have dreamy sand beaches and free of motorised vehicle. Gili Trawangan is a hip island with lively nightlife with diverse dining options. Gili Meno is usually favoured by couples for romantic getaway with no nightlife, known as heaven for honeymooners. Gili Air is something in between of the two extremes, with some laid back bar scene. If you hire a private boat, you can choose which islands you'd like to visit. We spent a whole morning in Gili Air, swimming and snorkeling in its crystal clear water, had lunch at a local restaurant and hopped to Gili Meno for the rest of the afternoon.
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| The waters around Gili Meno |
Eating fresh and delicious tropical fruits. Since this was not our kids’ first time to be in Indonesia, they were familiar to its local cuisine and produce. However I think it was the first time our younger child (now 6-year-old) could fully enjoy and remember everything, considering she was only 2-year-old the last time we were in Indonesia. Salak, also known as snake fruit, is our kids' absolute favourite. They are crunchy, tart and sweet, and were everyday breakfast for us. Rambutan, the red hairy juicy fruit was another favourite. As for coconuts, fresh coconut water from the young fruits was our daily beverage. Explore the traditional markets and try all the fruits! The kids also enjoyed locally produced mangoes, dragon fruits and fresh lychees.
Explore the waterfalls. Lombok is waterfalls heaven, due to its volcanic landscape and steep nature. There are hundreds of waterfalls to explore on the island, but the most famous one is Sendang Gile, a two-tiered 30-meter high waterfall, 2,5-hour drive from Senggigi. It can be easily reached and the hike is not too difficult for the kids.
What we skipped to do, but you can definitely do if you have the time:
Hiking Mount Rinjani. Lombok is home to Indonesia's second highest active volcano Mount Rinjani (3,726 m). The starting point to hike the mountain is a village called Senaru, where Sendang Gile waterfall is located. The hike to the summit usually lasts 2-3 days on well-maintained but challenging paths. Most trekkers opt for a hike to the mountain's crater which sits at 2,639 m and requires 2-day hikes at moderately challenging level.
Visiting the Pink Beach. We were very sorry that we didn't get to visit the majestic Pink Beach, but since it was 3-hour drive one way from Senggigi, we just couldn't fit it to our 4-day schedule. Lombok is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beach, but Pink Beach is the only one that has a pink hue from the coral pieces and shells in this area.