Where is lombok island in indonesia. Indonesia

The name "Lombok" means "hot pepper" in Indonesian. It was born in connection with the shape of the island: in its outlines, it really resembles a kind of pepper with a curved tail. But in the figurative sense of the word, Lombok throughout its history was very "sharp" for both the rulers of the island and for the European colonizer of this region - Holland.

History of the island

As anthropologists suggest, the Sasaks, who make up the majority of the population of Lombok, migrated from the island. It is also assumed that from India and Burma in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. But this is in theory, according to some indirect signs and information, archaeological sites did not take place on the island. The first fragmentary information about life on the island dates back to the 9th century. According to this historically very vague picture, it turns out that the Sasak principalities from the very beginning fell under the influence of the Balinese. This already looks like the truth. The islands are adjacent in the Malay Archipelago, and although they are almost equal in area, Bali, more developed both economically and culturally, has always been a powerful "big brother" in relation to Lombok, but most importantly - more influential. According to more reliable, albeit scattered, information from Bali, the local Lombok principalities from the 11th century. came to the Balinese in complete submission. The same sources testify that the Lombok principalities were at enmity with each other. Independence from the Balinese was achieved in the 13th century. only one local principality - Selaparang, and he managed to subjugate not only Lombok, but also part of the island of Sumbawa. In 1357, Selaparang was attacked by the Javanese principality of Majapahit, which also had colonies on the island of Sumbawa, used as a bridgehead. However, soon the Lomboks managed to drive the invaders out of their territories.
More accurate data on life on Lombok date back to the 17th century. By this time, relations between the Lomboks (Sasaks) and the Balinese had taken a friendly form: marriages were made, and not only dynastic ones. And then the colonizers appeared on the historical stage. These were the Dutch who sought to gain a foothold in the Lesser Sunda Islands. In 1667-1668. there were serious clashes between the Dutch detachments and the Lomboks. As a result, the Dutch were forced to leave Lombok, but the possessions of the principality of Selaparang on Sumbawa were seized. However, in 1674, the Dutch East India Company managed to conclude an agreement with the princess of the principality, in the form of a trade, in fact a political one, which, of course, did not please the Balinese. The Bali Principality of Karangasem had long had plans for Lombok, and in 1740 he managed to carry out his plans of conquest. No one remembered the recent idyll between the Balinese and the Lomboks during this period.
About 150 years later, relations between them became so aggravated that the Lomboks began to seek protection from the Dutch. They responded with weapons in their hands and in 1894 expelled the Balinese from the island, not failing, of course, to establish their power over it. The island became part of the Netherlands East Indies (and then almost all of present-day Indonesia was it) and from now on had to pay exorbitantly high taxes to the mother country. Realizing that they were trapped, the Lomboks now rebelled against their recent protectors, but suffered a series of defeats. As a result, the island was devastated. During the Second World War in 1942-1945. The Dutch East Indies, including Lombok, were occupied by Japan. The Dutch resisted but were defeated.
On August 17, 1945, the independence of Indonesia was proclaimed, but literally on the same day the Dutch restored colonial control in Lombok. Three more years of protracted negotiations and armed clashes followed, before an agreement was concluded between the Netherlands and Indonesia on Lombok in 1949: it became Indonesian.
The island of Lombok competes with Bali to this day, now - in the field of tourism.
Someone likes the brighter, ceremonial and comfortable Bali, someone likes the more provincial and less pretentious Lombok. Surfing and diving on both islands are almost equal, the service is the same, and the climate in Lombok is somewhat drier than in Bali: a relaxing holiday in a quiet "paradise", as tourists who prefer hot countries like to say, is guaranteed. For the inhabitants of the island themselves, life on it has not always been, and is, paradise. During the period 1957-1965, under President Sukarno, the communists, including those on Lombok, received support, and the poor islanders really liked the communist ideology. Under the next president, Suharto, in 1965-1998, the communists, on the contrary, began to be severely oppressed and imprisoned. Despite this and the severe droughts of 1966 and 1973, on the whole, this period is now regarded by the Lomboks as favorable. It is not easy to understand them, because it was under Suharto that they massively, due to hunger and repression, left their native island. In their assessment, if you delve into the essence of this contradiction, the main role was played by the important circumstance that in the 1980s. mass construction of hotels and other tourism infrastructure. As soon as everything built was working, they slowly began to return to Lombok. And then a new shock struck: in 2000, in the capital of the island, the city of Mataram, violent clashes with the enterprising Chinese began, provoked by the Balinese (but not local, but who had come specially from Bali, as the Sasaks believe). Those on the island, though nothing at all about both the Sasaks and the Balinese, but they somehow managed to quickly take over the tourism business. And he, this business, which had just begun to fledge as a competitor to Bali, naturally collapsed. Only by the end of the 2010s, the warring parties somehow still managed to agree to act for mutual benefit, and now tourism is the main economic pillar of the island.
The main problem of Lombok is the lack of fresh water. The main reasons for this are the reduction in the area of ​​forests due to their uncontrolled deforestation and regular droughts. The most recent catastrophic drought occurred in 2010, when all districts of the island were declared a natural disaster zone. It is not such a rare case when a person has to walk several kilometers to bring home a bucket of water. About desalination plants sea ​​water so far, they are talking on the island only as plans for the future: they, these installations, require too much electricity, and the energy on the island is also not good. And again, with a living reproach, the same Bali, there fresh water of acceptable quality flows not only from the tap, but also in the pools.
Islam began its victorious march on the Indonesian islands in the 13th-15th centuries, it was brought by Arab seafarers from the Middle East and Indian Muslim merchants, whose retinue certainly included preachers of a new faith for the islanders. Today, most of the inhabitants of Lombok are Muslims, and Islam here, although of a distinctly pronounced Sunni persuasion, has a significant difference from all other varieties of this religion, it is customary to pray in Lombok not five times a day, but only three times. This Islam is called: “Islam of veto body”, that is, if translated literally, “Islam three times a day”, it is especially widespread in the north of the island. What is the reason for such a deviation from orthodox norms, it is difficult to say, the rest of the Islamic world considers the Lomboks on this basis to be “fake” devout Muslims, but they are completely indifferent to this assessment. Maybe because they adhere simultaneously with Islam to the ancient beliefs of their ancestors in pagan gods, good and evil spirits, and they do not order to worry about such trifles as duties and canons.

general information

Island of the Malay Archipelago.
State affiliation: Indonesia.

Administrative affiliation: Western Province.
Administrative division : 4 districts (kabupatena), the Matarama agglomeration with its surroundings is separated into a special administrative unit - the municipality (kota), equal in status to the district.

Administrative center: Mataram.
Languages: Indonesian, Sasak, Balinese, Sasak-Balinese.
Ethnic composition: Sasaks - about 85%, Balinese - about 10%, others (peoples of Indonesia, mestizos of these peoples, as well as Chinese, Javanese, Indians, Arabs) - about 5%.
Religions: Islam - 96%, Hinduism - 3%, Buddhism - 1%. There is also a small number of Christians, mostly among the Chinese (Catholics and Protestants).

Currency unit: Indonesian rupiah.

Largest cities: Mataram - 402,296 people (2010), Selong, Pringabaya, Sugian.

Main ports: Lembar, Labukan-Lombok.

Major airport: Lombok International Airport (Mataram).

Numbers

Area: about 5435 km2.

Population: 3,166,685 (2010).

Population density: about 582.6 people / km 2.

highest point: Rinjani (3726 m).

Climate and weather

Equatorial monsoon.

Average annual air temperature: from +26 to +35°С.
Average annual water temperature: from +26 to +27°С.
Average annual rainfall: 1600 mm.
Rainy season: November to March.

Economy

Minerals: deposits of tin, lead, iron, manganese, zinc, silver and gold have been explored.

The main source of income is tourism.

Industry: extremely insignificant - several small textile and food processing enterprises, ship repair docks.

Agriculture: cultivation of rice, corn, cotton, vegetables, coffee, breeding of goats, poultry.

Fishing.
Cultivation of artificial pearls.

Traditional crafts: pottery, weaving, beekeeping, beekeeping.

Attractions

■ Volcanic mountain Rinjani, alpine lake Segara-Anak in its caldera, hot springs on the slopes ( national park Rinjani volcano).
■ Gili islands of coral origin, a popular diving spot.
■ waterfalls: Otakokok, Sindang-Jila, Thiu-Kelep, Betara Penyang.
■ Hindu Temple Pura Meru(1720, the largest religious building on the island).
■ Pura Lingsar Temple(1714), dedicated to the so-called three-time Islam and the Hindu god Shiva.
■ Narmada Water Park(built for the royal family in the 19th century), on its territory there is a Hindu temple Pura-Kalasa, a swimming pool, a "fountain of youth", a chain of small lakes and springs.
■ water palace Mayura(1744).
■ Traditional artisan villages: sukarare (silk weaving according to ancient technologies), pringasela (production of national clothes), suradadi (weaving from palm leaves), penuyak (pottery).
■ Gili beaches, Sinjane, Sinjiji.

Curious facts

■ Chomboko two-wheeled carts are the most common type of transport on the island; in the daily life of the islanders they are used for their intended purpose, in tourist clusters - for unhurried walks of guests of Lombok.
■ According to Lombok etiquette, when entering a house (and even some offices, which, as a rule, is warned in advance), it is supposed to take off your shoes. It is categorically impossible to pass anything with your left hand, and even more so to stretch it out to another person - this is the height of indecency, if not to say, defiant behavior.
■ The Mayura Water Palace, unlike the “rest home” of Narmada Park, was built not for a pleasant pastime and entertainment among the water so valued in Lombok, but as a place of royal justice. In 1894, the palace was badly damaged as a result of a battle between the Dutch and the Balinese, and now this name is understood rather as a simple park, decorated, however, not only with garden sculptures and altars, but also with cannon vents.
■ Between the islands of Bali and Lombok passes - the western biogeographic border of the transition zone between the Asian and Australian flora and fauna of our planet.
■ One of the main actors during the confrontation between the Lomboks and the Dutch in 1894 was our compatriot Vasily Panteleimonovich Malygin, a native of Moldova, a mining engineer by profession. The Dutch considered him a Russian spy, but they did not understand one thing - what does Russia need in these parts? Malygin is indeed a mysterious figure in many respects. It is not clear, first of all, what prompted him to plunge headlong into this story. This is if you think from a rational point of view. And if we assume that Maligan, as he was called on the island, is the one in whom "the spirit of adventurism has not died away", then everything is lined up. One of his "ignition of water" is worth something. To win over the local raja, Maligan said that he could perform a miracle - ignite the water. Making complex passes with his hands over a vat of water, reciting incantations, he imperceptibly threw a piece of sodium into the vat. An outbreak followed, and Maligan became the Raja's first adviser. Then he obtained weapons for the Lomboks, for which he bought a ship, raised them with incendiary speeches to revolt, sat in an Indonesian prison, disappeared and appeared either in Odessa or Singapore, escaped from police surveillance in his homeland. There are also stories about an extraordinary romantic love story associated with him. But no one knows when he died and where he is buried.

Climate and nature

Climatic conditions vary depending on the region. In December-February, the maximum precipitation falls here, their average annual amount is 1600 mm. In general, the climate here is assessed as equatorial-monsoonal. But the temperature fluctuates slightly and averages + 26 ° C.

The relief of the island is quite complex - it rises sharply from south to north, where it rises high volcano. An interesting fact is that in the western part of the island the Wallace line passes - a conditional border between the flora and fauna of Asia and. Thanks to this, on Lombok you can see plants and animals typical of the Australian nature.

Population

The island is inhabited by more than 3 million people. These are the Sasaki people (80%), Balinese (10%), Javanese and Chinese. The vast majority of the population is Muslim, thanks to which about 1,000 mosques have been built on the territory of Lombok.

The largest city, the capital of the island is Mataram. It is also considered the administrative center of the entire province of Western Lesser Sunda, or Nusa Tenggara Barat, to which Lombok belongs. The territory of the island itself is divided into 4 kabupatena - districts: Western, Central, Eastern and Northern. At the same time, the south and east of the island are more densely populated. The most touristic cities are Kuta (not to be confused with the Balinese of the same name) and.

Lombok - what to see?

The main islands of Lombok in Indonesia include:

1. - the third highest point in the country. Its crater contains beautiful lake with blue waters, Segara Anak. This area has been since 1997.
2. Narmada Park- a large landscape and architectural complex with a water park.
3. Turtle Sanctuary on the Gili Islands.
4. Mayura Water Palace(Mayura Water Palace).
5. Hindu Pura Meru and Pura Kalasa.

Vacation on the island

Arriving in Lombok, you do not have to puzzle over what to do here. Although the island is not the most touristy, vacationers are offered a fairly wide range of entertainment:

1. Beach holidays on the beaches of Lombok. The most popular in Lombok are Sengjiji and Kuta. This area is considered the most developed in terms of tourism: all the cafes, shops, entertainment of the island are concentrated here. To the north of Senggiji there are several more good secluded bays. Among other good beaches of the island, travelers call:
   • Pantai Putri Nyale;
   • Seger Beach;
   • Tanjung A'an;
   • AirGuling;
   • mawi;
   • mawun;
   • Pink Beach (the famous pink beach of Lombok).
2. The best in Lombok- on the coast of Kuta. Here, nature itself has created excellent conditions for surfers of medium and high skill levels, there are many different interesting spots. But for those who have never “caught the wave” it will be difficult to study in Kut.
3. on Lombok can be ordered from local travel agencies. Among the guests of the island, the most popular are climbing the Rinjani volcano and visiting Narmada Park. If you wish, you can travel around Lombok on your own, renting transport and looking into all interesting corners islands.
4. Study in local settlements. These are not ethnic villages where ostentatious shows are organized for tourists, but the most ordinary ones, where life has been going on as usual for hundreds of years. Here you can get acquainted with the local population, walk through the rice fields and tobacco plantations, see the beautiful waterfalls of Lombok Sindang Gila and Tiu Kelep, look into the jungle where black monkeys live. And, of course, buy souvenirs.
5. Nightlife. There are clubs and discos on the island, but only in the resort of Senggigi.

Where to stay?

Mostly active lovers, backpackers and unpretentious tourists who are not looking for comfort go to Lombok. However, if you wish, you can find good hotels. Among Lombok with good reviews vacationers worth noting:

• Kila Senggigi Beach Hotel 4*;
• Katamaran Resort 5*;
• Pool Villa Club Lombok 5*;
• Kaleydo Villas 4*;
• Living Asia resort and Spa4*.

In addition to them, the island has many guesthouses and inexpensive hotels. by the most budget options are:

• Sonya Home Stay;
• Puri Rinjani Bungalows;
• Indah Homestay;
• Mina Tanjung Hotel.

Where to eat?

Traveling around the island, you can only eat. You can only find establishments serving Western food in Sengjiji and Kuta. Since Lombok is mostly Muslim, alcohol is not welcome here.

Shopping Features

Tourists bring many interesting things from the island of Lombok:

• pearls and products from it;
• figurines made of rattan, bamboo, teak;
• wicker baskets;
• clay figurines and dishes;
• wooden masks and boxes;
• sarongs;
• designer clothes and accessories.

Most popular places for shopping - this is a large shopping center Mataram Mall (the only one of its kind on the island) in Mataram, traditional Asian markets in the cities, the villages of Sukarara, Penujak and Banumelek, where you can buy handicrafts.

Transport

On the island of Lombok in Indonesia, there is the only one that has international status. Also here are two seaports: Lembar in the west and Labuan-Lombok in the east. They have ferry connections to Sumbawa and Bali.

Public buses run from the airport to Mataram and Senggiji Beach. For tourists there are taxis and minivans (quite expensive).

Unusual vehicle is a chimodo - a horse-drawn two-wheeled vehicle, which is used as a means for tourist walks.

And the most popular among tourists is renting a bike, on which you can comfortably explore the entire island and visit the most interesting places ah without reference to the public schedule . Rent costs from $3 to $3.5 per day.

How to get to the island?

There are no direct flights to Lombok from the CIS countries, you can fly here from or from the capital, ($ 30-50). But, as practice shows, it is easier for many tourists to get to Lombok from Bali. This can be done by air ($20.45 minutes) or by Bali-Lombok ferry ($4.5 hours).

... In the morning I had a quick breakfast with a cup of coffee and a pancake, scanned the documents at the hotel reception (two airlines canceled a couple of my flights around the Philippines in April and offered extremely clumsy replacements - as a result, I had to cancel the paid reservations and return the money to the card. And for a refund, they demanded a copy of the passport and the card used for payment) and uploaded Balinese music to a USB flash drive - I have a hobby of collecting music from the peoples of the world and their national instruments. Then there was a checkout, a road on a bike with a suitcase to the center of Seminyak to hand over the bike - this is where I once again mentioned the fact that my suitcase has not only wheels, but also backpack straps. The office where I bought combined tour to the city of Senggigi on the island of Lombok, is located next to the bike rental and I got to it in a few minutes. For some time the bike owner complained me plaintively, saying that I didn’t buy tickets to Senggigi from him, he’s like me with all my heart. and this transfer would cost me 300 thousand local money without a ticket for a boat or a ferry .. Still, they were spoiled here with free money.

I didn’t have time to settle down to continue breakfast with pre-purchased yogurts, when the transfer minibus arrived - 40 minutes earlier than I expected. I was his first passenger, then we went to some pretentious hotel, where we waited another half hour for a couple of leisurely Germans to leave. At some point, I got tired of waiting and I went to the all-inclusive restaurant of this hotel for a coffee. Then I caught a local girl dressed in bright folk Balinese clothes (she is there at the reception like a live attraction for tourists) and took a picture with her on the iPad as a keepsake. I drove a bus, having learned that I was from Russia, the first thing I said was that “Russia is waging war against Ukraine in the Crimea” - he was told so on TV ...

At one o'clock in the afternoon, the speedboat set sail from Padang Bay in the direction of the Gili Islands and further to the island of Lombok. For some reason, Canadians dominated among the passengers, judging by the maple leaf patches on the bags. I wonder what is the reason that there are so many of them here? It is clear why there are a lot of them, for example, in Cuba - they are relatively close, the best beaches in the world (IMHO), inexpensive by their standards, Americans have not been allowed to go there for half a century (like now the situation has begun to change ..) - Canadians stand out there numerically. Or why there are a lot of Australians in Bali is also understandable - on a fine day and with some luck from Australia to Bali, you can sail by boat .. But the Canadian phenomenon is still unclear to me, especially when you consider that Canada has a sparse population (all of Canada is like two extra Moscow).

This fastboat sails really fast - but in my case, the advantages in speed were leveled by the route: first we sailed to Gili Travanan, one of the three heavenly islands of Gili, located almost off the coast of Lombok, and lost half an hour there for unloading and loading passengers and luggage; then history repeated itself on Gili Air, and at the very last turn the boat sailed to the island of Lombok, losing about an hour on these Gili. As a result, the sea part of the journey was about 3 hours on a “fastboat” against the declared 5 on the ferry - the gain in time is not as significant as it is painted by traders in travel agencies, motivating their desire to have a price from you of more than half a million local money. At least two of me different places they swore that it would take about an hour and a half to sail to Senggigi on a fastboat. Nae..t really didn’t..li, but they didn’t tell the truth in advance - I went to the shore of Lombok at 16:15, the total travel time was 3 hours and 15 minutes.

As usual, I was surrounded by taxi drivers on the pier, tormented by a burning desire to take me somewhere. The price they advertised for my Ressa Homestay hotel sounded like 120 thousand at first, but after a couple of minutes of bargaining, it dropped to 50 thousand. By the way, by local standards, I had to drive quite a bit - 6-7 kilometers towards the city of Mataram.

After checking into the hotel, I asked about renting a bike - they didn’t have bikes. I went on foot to the nearest cafe - after a diet breakfast in the morning in Bali, I really wanted to eat something. In a cafe, in addition to dinner, I agreed with a local lad that, after I sing, he would give me a lift on his bike to Senggigi for a symbolic 10 thousand (less than a dollar). In Senggigi, I rented a bike for 50 thousand a day without any problems and swam a couple of times near the pier.

The beaches of Lombok

I woke up at 8 am, had breakfast at the hotel with a cup of coffee and a sandwich and went for a drive around the island of Lombok. First, swimming and taking pictures in suitable places coasts:

I drove in this way to the town of Bangsal and specified the price and time of departure of the boats to the Gili Islands - this info will come in handy for me tomorrow. Then from Bangsala I went inland through the Pusuk pass to Mataram.

Now impressions from Lombok:

firstly, the pros: firstly, the roads (at least the road along the coast from Mataram to the northern tip of the island) are simply of perfect quality, I would envy such a road.

Secondly, this road is very picturesque - the relief resembles a rollercoaster and almost every climb offers wonderful views of the surrounding beauty. Thirdly, the crystal clear sea. Fourthly, very welcoming and friendly people

Adults smile at you and willingly try to help if you turn to them, children along the roads wave their hands to you. On the Pusuk pass, a huge number of monkeys sit along the road, if you wish, you can apparently feed them.

Cons: firstly, almost all the beaches are densely littered with the local population (there are still not a lot of tourists on the island of Lombok, you should not sin on them). That is, on almost every beach, if it is located near some village or town, along the edge of the surf lies an even strip of empty bottles, pieces of paper, cigarette butts, etc.

Secondly, the sand on all beaches is either gray or almost black (volcanic). The color of the sand varies from this:

In itself, this is not so hot, what a minus - nature is nature, but I would like to ask the authors of Thomas Cook's guide "Bali and Lombok", who in their book repeatedly use the phrase "snow-white beaches" in relation to the island of Lombok - were they even on it? Or they wrote on the ball, like, and so it will do? I repeat, this is not a complaint against Lombok, this is a question for the authors of this guide. I was not particularly embarrassed by the black sand, I would have gone to Lombok anyway. Thirdly, the exchange rate of dollars for rupees on Lombok is worse than on: 11300 for 1 dollar against 11400 in Bali. So it makes sense to change money either before Lombok or after it, depending on the route.

Lombok Island is a place with a predominantly Muslim population, and after Hindu Bali, this immediately catches the eye: firstly, there are many women in hijabs, mosques often come across along the roads, in the morning the muezzin woke me up .. As a result, the architecture on Lombok is noticeably more boring than on Bali is just houses with no frills and just functional mosques (and many of them give the impression of being unfinished) - white walls without any special decorations, a green dome, a couple of minarets with megaphones, and that's it. In this sense, the architecture of Bali is cooler than the Lombok one, just like the Bolshoi Theater is cooler than some regional philharmonic society.

Lombok photo:

Life hack: how I save on hotels and insurance

In addition to traditional and well-known tools such as Booking or Hotellook, new online services have recently appeared that make life easier for the traveler and pleasantly save the thickness of his wallet. One of them - roomguru I use it all the time and recommend it to all my friends and family. This service compares prices for an object in 30 booking systems at once, and offers you the most interesting options. In addition, it tracks discounts and special offers.

As for a good working travel insurance, then it was not easy to find it before, but now it has become even more difficult due to the constant jumps in the ruble exchange rate against world currencies. For the past few years, I have been taking out insurance for my travels through an online service - here you can compare the products of different insurers and choose what is best for you:

P.S. Don't forget to join the groups Facebook www.facebook.com/site , Google+ www.google.com/site And In contact with vk.com/site and subscribe to site updates website by mail to stay tuned for new articles about independent travel around the world.

Why go to Lombok? Here are beaches with pink and black sand, swimming in a waterfall, beautiful bays, giant trees, and few people :)

Northern part of Lombok (black beaches)

The next cluster of hotels starts near the black beach after the village of Sambelia.

Near it there are two more islands of the Gili archipelago: Gili Awang and Gili Sulat, but there is no regular transport on them, you need to look for a boatman and pay him a lot of money.

There are no cafes in the area, so we ordered food from the owners of the homestay (the portions are huge and very cheap!).

Kuta Lombok and nearby beaches

Overnight in Kuta. Lombok has its own Kuta, and she is also surfer resort, like the Balinese Kuta, only there are many times fewer surfers here, and the atmosphere is much calmer and more relaxed and the prices are lower than in Bali.

Before booking.com, there were very few hotels in Kuta Lombok, you had to go to homestays and find out about room availability and prices, but now the situation has changed - there are already more than 500 offers for every taste and budget, from simple guesthouses to chic resorts.

Near Kuta Lombok there are several beaches. We hit the low tide (it was 8 am), the water level dropped by three meters, a very interesting sight.

The local fisherman said that at 10 o'clock the water would rise. Note that a fisherman from a remote village on a remote island knows English :) In Kuta itself, the water rose already at 9.

In the city of Kuta Lombok, the beach is free, and on other beaches there are boys who require 5,000 rupees for entry.

On the Pantai Seger beach we drove back 50 meters and drove through the restaurant for free.

On the Pantai Tanjung Ann beach they said that we were just going to look and were not going to swim, and they let us through. We took a few photos, at the exit we were told something about the photo, but we just left, no one rushed to catch up with us.

In principle, 5000 rupees is a small amount of money ($0.4), but it is not at all clear what to pay for there. Rubbish is lying around, there are no toilets, showers and changing rooms, all the more so, a broken road leads to the beaches.

At low tide, the spectacle is surreal, the sea recedes by 200-300 meters, and waves are splashing somewhere in the distance.

Interesting sand, similar to beads.

While the tide is out, people go fishing with nets.

And finally, panorama.

The ebb and flow of the tide is changing current schedule and the presence of waves, see surf-forecast.com.

How to get to Lombok

The distance between Bali and Lombok is only 35 km across the strait. Between airports 120 km.

There are 3 ways to get from Bali to Lombok:

1. speedboat. Fast, expensive, without a bike. Prices reach up to 1,200,000 rupees ($ 100) round-trip for 1 passenger. During the auction, we were already offered 500,000 rupees ($42).

2. Ferry. Slow, very cheap, with a bike. We paid 125,000 rupees ($10) for the two of us plus the bike. A ticket for one foot passenger cost 40,000 rupees.

3. Airplane. Fast, comfortable, price from $13 one way.

Ferry Bali Lombok

Since the island of Lombok is located to the east of Bali, ferries leave from Padangbai Bay. In theory, they run around the clock every hour, in practice we were able to leave at 10 am, loading started around 9.30. Before that, some cargo ferries came and went.

Some of the bikes drive in first and cluster closer to the walls and in all sorts of niches. The rest of the space is occupied by trucks, cars, buses, etc. Our bike got a little scratched in transit, so it's best to put it as close to a wall as possible, ideally in some kind of niche, because trucks and buses pack very closely. At the end of the loading, more bikes drive into the vacant place.

At the entrance to the port of Padangbai, we checked the documents for the bike and the rights. At the exit from Padangbai, everyone was checked, and we were told to go.

In principle, there are no such traffic jams in Lombok as in Bali, so it will be convenient with a car there.

Before leaving for the ferry, crowds of merchants, musicians, beggars seep in, then it becomes freer.

It's better to sit outside. The speed is such that it does not blow, there is a shadow. And they smoke inside: (Some ferries have a room for lying. There is a conditionally soft and conditionally clean floor and it is forbidden to smoke, but it is difficult to find a place, you need to immediately run to take it.

On the ferry we met a Spanish girl from Barcelona who lives and works on. Practice Spanish with her :)

The pitching was small and only in a few areas. You can work on the laptop or read. There are no outlets.

We drove for almost 5 hours. That is, if you want to catch boats to Gili from this ferry (the last one at 17), then you need to go right away, without lunch in a cafe and long photographing of landscapes. The same number sailed back, but then hung out in Padangbai Bay for 1.5 hours, waiting for something.

The ferry sells some food and water, but 3-4 times more expensive than in stores. Considering that everyone around is chewing something, it is impossible not to get hungry.

First ferry. Not ours, eh!

We are first in line. The moped is still clean and does not know where we will go on it. We, too, there are only outlines of the route :)

The truck almost propped up the roof of the ferry. And in order to squeeze through to the door leading to the deck, you need to crawl through the gap between the truck with green bananas (on the left) and the wall. If someone fat did not have time to crawl through before loading cars and buses, then at least go in the hold.

Already launched faster and more comfortable ferries from Bali to Lombok.

See schedules and ticket prices at. There are also reviews of tourists and ratings of carriers.

Flying to Lombok

A flight from Denpasar Ngurah Rai Airport (DPS, Bali) to Lombok takes only 20-30 minutes and costs from $13 one way.

To find cheap flights, I usually compare prices using several aggregators. They all have the same principle - they look for tickets in the databases of hundreds of airlines, but their databases may differ, so the price will be better in one or the other - check everything at once.

• - unrealistically flexible search, and there is a guarantee of connection, even if you fly with low-cost airlines and the first flight is delayed!
• - the best prices for tickets from Russia and Kazakhstan, a convenient calendar low prices.
• - there are good prices for tickets from Ukraine.

By the way, KIWI gives 20 euro coupons for airline tickets to new users, but they can only be received by email. Who needs - I can send an invitation.

Get 20€ on kiwi.com ➜

Airfare low price calendar:

Transport around the island

Lombok by motorcycle/moped

We brought our bike to Lombok from Bali by ferry, but you can also rent it on the spot: at the airport, Senggigi or Kuta.

Motorcycle travel insurance

Regular policies do not cover riding motorcycles and mopeds. Separate sports insurance is required. The best option is to buy for active days the insurance policy from is an international insurance, issued online, even if you are already on a trip, and covers riding a motorcycle.

Car rental in Lombok

There is almost no traffic on Lombok, there are no traffic jams, the traffic is relaxed, the locals drive normally, so it should be fine here and by car. There are many trucks and horse-drawn vehicles. The roads are either excellent (70%), or in pits or off-road at all.

Attractions of Lombok island on the map

Here is a map of interesting places in Lombok

For orientation in Lombok, maps.me and osmand maps work well, in both applications you can download maps and then use them offline.

Where to stay: accommodation in Lombok

Recently, a lot of hotels, hotels, hostels, homestays, etc. have been built on the island of Lombok. The owners have already realized that renting accommodation via the Internet is profitable, and have registered their offers on booking.com. Previously, I had to travel around the villages and ask questions, especially in non-tourist places.

🛌 There are also more than 100 offers on the island: these are both rooms and entire villas. You can find unique offers such as a bungalow on the water or a tree house or a villa with an "infinity" pool (infinity pool).

If you haven't signed up for Airbnb yet:

Theoretically, you can put up a tent on some uncrowded beach. There are few such dense buildings as in Bali, the locals are quite peaceful and calm.

Excursions

Viator - TripAdvisor travel agency - offers: trips around the island by car or bicycle, and trekking through the jungle and the Rinjani volcano, and snorkeling in the Gili Islands, and getting to know the local culture of Sasak.

When to go to Lombok: seasons and weather

High season in Lombok is July and August when it's dry and it's vacation time. During these months it is better to book everything in advance.

transitional season - from May to June and September. The weather is mostly dry and there are no crowds on Gili and Kuta.

Low season, aka rainy season - October-April. It can be rainy and trekking on Gunung Rijani is not possible (the national park is closed), but the best surfing on Lombok is during these months.

We were on the island of Lombok in November, there was no rain, and no crowds either.

Lombok or Bali?

These are two completely different islands, it's hard to choose between them :) They have their own special atmosphere, many attractions and activities, but also more people. Lombok is like Bali in miniature, everything is more relaxed here.

Bottom line: our review of the holiday on the island of Lombok

If you have time in Indonesia, and everyone has already looked at Bali, then Lombok is definitely worth going to. It is different and interesting in its own way. It is best to rent a motorcycle and ride around the island yourself.

Our trip to the island of Lombok took a total of one busy week: 2 days on the ferry, 2 days on, 3 days on Lombok.

You can also hang out on the beaches of the west coast, or learn to surf in Kuta, or go on a hike to the Gunung Rinjani volcano, visit villages with folk crafts, and travel around other bays of the south coast.

If you want more privacy, then consider, or.

If you want a bigger tropical island, then it will suit you, or in Thailand.

Lombok - picturesque island in Indonesia, part of Malay Archipelago. On the south side it is washed by the waters indian ocean, and on the north side - the waters Pacific Ocean. Located 100 km east of Bali and separated from it by the Lombok Strait. After opening international airport in 2011, Lombok became one of the favorite holiday destinations for tourists from all over the world.

The total area of ​​Lombok is 5435 sq. km. The length of land from north to south is 80 km, and from east to west - no more than 70 km. The highest point of the island is the peak of the Rinjani volcano, located at an altitude of 3.72 km above sea level.

Lombok is part of the province of Nusa Tenggara. The territory of the island is divided into 4 districts (kabupatena):

• West.
• Oriental.
• Northern
• Central.

The administrative center is the city of Mataram - the largest settlement of the province, located on west coast islands. All the main infrastructure is concentrated here: hospitals, restaurants, offices, schools, shopping centers, post offices and government agency.

The population of Lombok is 3 million people. More than 80% of the inhabitants are representatives of the Sasak ethnic group. They live mainly in the northern, eastern, southern and central regions of the island. The remaining 10% of the population are Balinese. They live mainly in the western part of Lombok.

Official language on the territory of the Indonesian island. In the villages, almost all residents are also fluent in Sasak and Balinese. In Mataram you can meet many people who know spoken English. Usually these are street vendors, tourist guides, employees of bars, restaurants and hotels.

Climatic conditions

The climate on the island is subequatorial. The rainy season is observed from October to April. Tropical showers on Lombok are not uncommon, but each of them lasts an average of no more than 1 hour. About 1600 mm of precipitation falls per year. The dry season in Lombok lasts from the beginning of May until the end of September. This best time for diving, snorkeling and beach holiday.

Humidity is high because in this climate zone west equatorial and east tropical monsoons dominate. The temperature of the surface waters of the ocean reaches 25 degrees Celsius, and in some areas even up to 30.

Beaches

Pink Beach or Tangsi Beach

This beach is one of the main attractions of the island, as the sand here is not white, but pink. It acquired an unusual shade due to the fact that water constantly erodes coastal corals and, during high tides, brings their smallest particles to the shore.

Pink Beach is divided into 3 small zones, which are located not far from each other. This is the calmest and quietest beach in Lombok, as there is only 1 hotel here, consisting of 20 small villas scattered along the coast. Not far from the beach there are several stalls where locals sell coconuts, natural juices and various seafood dishes.

The ocean floor in the Pink Beach area is dotted with coral reefs, so the beach is popular not only among beach lovers, but also among divers.

Senggigi

Quiet cozy beach with a length of about 1 km, located in the western part of the island of Lombok. Suitable for lovers of a relaxing holiday. On Senggigi you can rent a sun lounger or gazebo, enjoy local cuisine in a cafe, rent a surfboard or diving equipment. The water here is clean and very warm. The sand is dark, volcanic.

Kuta

Beach in the southern part of the island, very quiet and secluded place. The sand here is pure white, coarse-grained. People often rest on Kuta with children, as there are many shoals, low waves and warm water. Along the beach is the central promenade, which was completely renovated in 2017.

Attractions and entertainment

Volcano Rinjani

Last eruption here it was recorded in 1996, but the volcano is still considered active. Lombok regularly hosts trekking tours to its summit. Together with a local guide, you can climb to the very edge of the crater at a height of 2700 meters and bathe in hot underground springs. Fans of extreme recreation can go even further and climb to the very peak of the mountain. The cost of the trip ranges from 110 to 220 dollars, the journey will take 2-3 days.

This is not a water park at all. water slides as many might think. The park has a large swimming pool. Botanical Garden, Royal Residence And Hindu Temple Pura Kalas. The legendary "fountain of youth" is also located here. It is believed that the water in it has rejuvenating properties. Entrance to the park costs 10,000 rupees (about $1).

Pura Meru temple complex

It was erected in 1720 during the reign of Anak Agunda. On the territory of the complex there are 33 holy relics, symbolizing the worship of three gods: Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Religious ceremonies are regularly held in the main temple. Near the gates of the complex you can see the drums, the beating of which notifies local residents about the start of worship. Entrance is free, but according to tradition, tourists leave small donations for the upkeep of the temple.

Sindang Gila waterfall

It is difficult to get to it on your own, as there is a high risk of getting lost. The waterfall is located in the middle of the forest and reaches a height of 500 meters. Immediately below it is a large clean lake, in which anyone can swim. Every day, local guides lead small tours to this place for a nominal fee. amazing place.

Mayura Water Palace

The construction of this architectural complex was completed in 1744. Previously, the Balinese court was located in this building, but at the end of the 19th century the building was destroyed during bloody battles with the Dutch army. In the 20th century, the palace was partially reconstructed, and a luxurious park complex with many fountains and statues was laid out around it.

Best hotels

Hotel (5 stars). Small but very beautiful and comfortable hotel. It has a large swimming pool and a restaurant overlooking the ocean. The hotel offers a spa and cooking classes, where guests will learn how to cook authentic local dishes. Some suites have private pools under open sky.

Hotel (4 stars). Each room has its own balcony and air conditioning, and the apartments are beautifully decorated. The hotel is located on the first coastline, so walking tour the beach will take no more than 4-5 minutes. Two swimming pools are open for visitors: children's and adult. There is a spa, massage parlour, and a private tennis court.

Novotel Lombok Resort & Villas (4 stars). From the windows of the apartments you can enjoy a beautiful view of the ocean. The hotel is located next to the beach, so the walk to the ocean takes no more than 10 minutes. The distance from Novotel Lombok to the international airport is 42 km, which is very convenient, since the journey by car takes less than half an hour. Each room has a bar, safe, air conditioning. Three swimming pools, two restaurants and a kids club are open to guests.

Hotel (4 stars). The hotel is located on the first coastline, just 900 meters from the beach, there is a private beach area. The hotel has a bar with soft drinks and a restaurant, a spa room with a hot tub and open pool. Guests can rent bicycles, cars, canoes and deep-diving equipment for a reasonable fee.

Hotel The Suites Lombok (3 and 5 stars). For guests on site there is a fitness room with modern exercise equipment, an outdoor pool overlooking the ocean, as well as a tour desk. lovers water sports Canoes can be rented. The apartments have outdoor terraces, satellite TV and free Wi-Fi. The restaurant serves Asian, Chinese and American cuisine. There is a separate menu for vegetarians.

Transport

On Lombok you will find the following modes of transport:

• Bemo routes. They are passenger vans of various sizes. Spacious bemos cater to long-distance intercity routes, and small vans transport the population within only one locality.
• Chidomo horse carts. This type of transportation is still used in all parts of the countryside. In cities, chidomo are also found, but more as a means of recreational walks for tourists.
• Ferries. The island has several ports, all of which are served by large and small ferries. This transport runs around the clock and makes it possible to get from Lombok to Sumbawa, the Gili Islands or Bali in a few hours. The disadvantage of this method of transportation is that the cabins are often stuffy and there are no air conditioners, and being on the open deck is not always allowed. weather.
• Taxi and motorcycle taxi. One trip costs from 10,000 to 60,000 rupees.
• Tourists can also rent a car for 150-200 thousand rupees per day. This is about 500-700 rubles. It is also possible to rent a motorbike, it is much cheaper.

How to get to Lombok from Bali?

You can get from Bali to Lombok Island in the following ways:

• by plane;
• on a ferryboat;
• on high-speed boats (speedboats).

There are up to 8 flights from Bali to Lombok every day. The duration of the flight will be only 25 minutes, and this pleasure will cost 500,000 rupees (about $ 50). Air tickets can be purchased on the website Aviasales.ru. It shows all the available options of different airlines.

Ferries from Bali to Lombok run around the clock. They sail from the Padang Bay pier, located on east coast Bali, and moor at the port of Lembar Harbor on the island of Lombok. The trip lasts from 4 to 6 hours, depending on weather conditions. The fare is $3, ferries depart hourly.

The fastest way to get from Bali to Lombok is to get there by speedboat (speedboat). The trip will take only 1.5 hours and will cost about 200,000 rupees (about $15). The service is provided only by private transport companies. Boats depart from Sanur Beach and Padang Bay Pier.

Lombok island on the map

On this map, I marked the exact location of Lombok Island.

Lombok is often referred to as Bali's little brother. Holidays here will appeal to lovers of a calm environment, quiet beaches and wildlife. It is better to visit Lombok during the dry season (from May to September), as during this period the weather conditions are very good, it rarely rains and there are practically no storms.