Lombok Island is much less known and visited than its next-door neighbour of the Island of Bali but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t visit Lombok. In fact, this is the reason why you should visit Lombok and follow this Lombok itinerary!
Lombok feels wild and still untouched by tourism, however, there are still many things to do in Lombok and places to visit in Lombok for tourists.
This, combined with the fact that the roads are good meaning it’s great to explore Lombok by moped, and prices are much cheaper than Bali, makes Lombok the best and most underrated island in Indonesia I think.
To help you see the best of Lombok here is my Lombok blog on the places you should visit in Lombok, whether you’re planning your 1 week Lombok itinerary or 2 week Lombok itinerary!
Lombok Itinerary
- Related Lombok Posts:
- How to Extend Your VOA in Lombok to a 60 Day Visa!
- The Perfect Bali, Gili Islands and Lombok Itinerary!
- How to Spend 3 Days in Gili Trawangan!
- 30 THINGS TO DO IN GILI TRAWANGAN!
Best time to visit Lombok
When is the best time to visit Lombok? Well, the first thing to know is that Lombok has 2 seasons.
Wet Season is from November to March and Dry Season is from April to October. You may think that dry season sounds more appealing but this means it is high season in Lombok during these months so it depends what you want when you’re thinking about when to visit Lombok.
Personally, I’d recommend the shoulder months as the best time to visit Lombok, because November, December and April bring less rain and also fewer tourists! I was in Lombok in December and we saw a bit of rain each day but it didn’t rain all day and is avoidable.
Related Post: If you want to see some of Bali and Lombok, here’s my 2 Week Bali, Gili Islands and Lombok itinerary!
Best Places to visit in Lombok
Gili Islands
3 – 7 Days
The Gili Islands of Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno and part of Lombok, not Bali which is often what people think. Therefore the Gili islands have to be included on this Lombok trip itinerary!
On your Gili Islands and Lombok itinerary, I suggest spending at least 3 nights on the Gili Islands, either by spending all nights on one island or 2 nights on Gili T and 1 night on Gili Air for example.
With that being said, it’s also easy to spend 1 week in Gili Trawangan and 1 week in the Gili islands because there are so many things to do, but it is also really chilled so if you have time, plan to spend a good few days here on your itinerary for Lombok.
RELATED POST: YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE 3 GILI ISLANDS!
Things to do in Gili Islands
Getting in the crystal clear water is one of the best things to do in the Gili islands so be sure to go out snorkelling or diving.
Hiring a bike is the best way to see Gili T and you can cycle around the island in just a few hours. Be sure to look out for the Instagram famous Gili T Swings.
Come evening, be sure to watch the sunset on this Gili islands itinerary. The Gili islands are known for their sunsets and then head out for a drink to see some live music on the beach or get ready for a big night out because the nightlife in Gili T is famous!
Related Post: 30 THINGS TO DO ON GILI T FOR EVERYONE!
PLANNING YOUR GILI ISLANDS TRIP
I lived on Gili Trawangan island for 6 months so I know it well! Here are my top posts to help you plan your trip:
How to get to the Gili Islands?
There are a few ways to get to the Gili Islands on this Lombok itinerary, you can come from Bali, Bali Airport, Lombok or Lombok Airport.
Bali to Gili Trawangan
The most popular route that people do is to land in Bali International Airport and then travel to Gili Trawangan.
There is only one port and pier in Bali where the boat from Bali to Gili Islands runs and that’s from Padang Bai in the North.
You can book a minibus and boat package which will pick you up from your Bali Hotel, take you to Padang Bai and then will take you to your boat over to the Gili Islands. The whole journey takes about 5 hours depending on where you’re staying in Bali and they leave 2 or 3 times a day.
Lombok to Gili Trawangan
The Gili Islands are much closer to the island of Lombok than Bali so it is quicker and easier to get to Gili T, Gili Air and Gili Meno from Lombok than Bali.
If you want to go straight to the Gili Islands I recommend looking at flights into Lombok Praya Airport, from here you can travel from Lombok Airport to Bangsal Harbour in 90 minutes and get the boat from Bangsal to Gili Trawangan in just 20 minutes which runs regularly.
Where to stay in the Gili Islands?
There is so much accommodation on Gili Trawangan and Gili Air for all budgets, from hostels to high-end beach resorts.
Bookig.com is also a great place to look for homestays and private Villas on the Gili Islands.
Senggigi and Klui
2 – 3 Days
After visiting the Gili Islands which are arguably the best place to visit in Lombok on your Lombok itinerary. Head to mainland Lombok.
There are regular boats leaving all 3 Gili islands to Lombok, the best thing to do is to get a local boat to Lombok early in the morning as this is the cheapest option and only takes 20 minutes. The pier in Lombok is called Bangsal Harbour.
From Bangsal, head slightly South staying along the West coast to Klui and/or Senggigi.
Where to stay in Senggigi?
If you want to stay in a really quiet place with a nice, wild beach, perfect for surfing, stay in Klui. I recommend staying at Diva Lombok Resort or Jeeva Klui Resort as the best hotel in Klui.
If you want to stay somewhere with a holidaymaker feel to it with more hotels, restaurants and bars, but still with a nice beach, stay in Senggigi.
Things to do in Senggigi
If you want a surf lesson on this Lombok itinerary, go see my friends at Lombok Wave Surf Shack in Klui for a lesson and a sunset chill, these are the best things to do in Klui and best things to do in Senggigi.
Related Post: Here’s my full blog post on things to do in Senggigi!
Most people think that the Gili islands are just Gili T, Gili Air and Gili Meno, but this is incorrect, there are lots more Gili islands, they just aren’t as popular.
From Senggigi, on this Lombok itinerary you can take a day trip to the really unknown Gili Islands of Gili Nanggu, Gili Kedis and Gili Sudak.
Gili Nanggu is known as a Paradise Island and the snorkelling is fantastic, this 7 hour day tour will pick you up in Senggigi and take you to white sand beaches, bays and crystal clear water:
Related Post: If you want to see some of Bali and Lombok, here’s my 2 Week Bali, Gili Islands and Lombok itinerary!
Need help getting around Lombok, check out bus availability and routes on 12GO Asia here:
Benang Stokel & Benang Kelambu Waterfalls
1 Day
For a day trip in Lombok on your Lombok itinerary, head to Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu Waterfalls. These are located close to Mount Rinjani and you have to travel through the lush green-ness of Central Lombok to see them including lots of rice terraces in Lombok. They will only take up half a day as the walk around these Lombok Waterfalls is not too long or too intense.
Mount Rinjani
3 Days
If you’re up for a challenge on your Lombok itinerary and want to go hiking in Lombok, Mount Rinjani is the answer! Mount Rinjani is the second-highest volcano in Indonesia and it is an active volcano. You have to hike up Mt Rinjani with a guide and it takes 2 nights and 3 days so be sure to plan this into your Lombok itinerary as you can’t do it in any less time.
It is a strenuous hike, but totally worth it! Here’s a look at a tour of Mount Rinjani that you can do:
If you don’t want to hike, going to Northern Lombok and staying in the area of Mount Rinjani is still a nice thing to do. Rinjani Lodge is a beautiful hotel with views over Mount Rinjani and they can help you with day tours to see the local area. Check out rates and availability for Rinjani Lodge here!
Kuta Lombok
2 – 5 Days
Kuta is the main backpacker hub on mainland Lombok so it when planning your backpacking Lombok itinerary, you should plan to spend a few days here! And if you backpacking Lombok, Pipes Hostel is a really great hostel in Kuta Lombok!
GETTING FROM BALI TO THE GILI ISLANDS
There is only one way to get from Bali to the Gili Islands and that’s my fast boat from Padang Bay.
You can wait until you arrive to book your boat or be organised and book it in advance here. Booking in advance is especially good during the summer and Christmas months!
BUY HERE: From Bali: 1-Way Boat Transfer to Gili Trawangan/Gili Air/Lombok
BUY HERE: From all Gili Islands: 1-Way Boat Transfer to Bali
How to get to Kuta Lombok?
Due to Kuta being the main hub, there are lots of taxis and buses available to take you there. If you have just hiked Mount Rinjani, your guide or hotel will be able to help you get to Kuta afterwards.
If you decide to visit Kuta first in Lombok, it is just a 30-minute journey from Lombok Praya International Airport to Kuta town.
Things to do in Kuta Lombok
If you are confident in riding a moped, this is by far the best way to get around Lombok and see all of the places near Kuta Lombok.
Surfing is one of the top things to do in Lombok and South Lombok is no different, you can go surfing on Kuta Beach which is close to the town.
These days there alongside the local warung restaurants in Kuta, there are lots of nice cafes and restaurants in Kuta serving Bali style Smoothie Bowls and avocado on toast so be sure to spend some time eating in the many cafes in Kuta Lombok.
The best Kuta tourist attractions are the beaches near Kuta Lombok.
Gerupuk
1/2 Day
For a unique surfing experience on your Lombok itinerary, head to Gerupuk where you take a boat out into the ocean and surf in the middle of the sea, it’s such a cool experience and tourist attraction in Lombok. When you arrive in Gerupuk you’ll see lots of shops offering lessons. This is the only place you can do this in Indonesia!
Tanjung Aan Beach
1 Day
Tanjung Aan Beach is a beautiful white sand beach and is just 20 minutes from Kuta town. There are some swings on the beach which make for great photos and plenty of sunbeds to sunbathe on. This beach is a must-visit on your Lombok itinerary!
From Tanjung Aan Beach you can see smaller beach coves to the right and you can actually walk up the hill and down to them if you fancy adventuring to a private beach!
Make sure you also stick around for sunset and head up Merese Hill for sunset.
Selong Belank Beach
1 – 2 Days
For another beautiful quiet beach to visit on your Lombok itinerary, drive from Kuta to Selong Belank. The drive takes about 40 minutes and it is a beautiful drive, especially on a moped!
Selong Belank Beach is a white sand beach, also with plenty of sunbeds but what I love most about this beach is only part of the beach has restaurants a long it and you can easily walk to the end and be totally on your own.
Surfing in Selong Belank Beach is the most popular things to do in Selong Belank because the waves are good and there is no coral in the ocean meaning it’s super soft when you fall off! Go and see my friends at Aqia Surf Shop in Selong Belank Beach for a lesson with a great surf teacher!
Be sure to stay on Selong Belank until sunset because not only is the sunset amazing, just before sunset, you’ll see some farmers taking their water buffalo along the beach which is a pretty iconic scene and Selong Belank Beach is only 1 of 2 beaches you can see the water buffalo at sunset in Lombok.
When you are finally ready to leave Lombok whether thats after 5 days in Lombok, 1 week in Lombok, 10 days in Lombok or 2 weeks in Lombok, you can easily fly out of Lombok.
Lombok Praya International Airport is just 30 minutes away from Kuta in Lombok and you can book a transfer car to the airport here or once you are in Kuta. Lombok Airport and it is well connected to cities in Australia and South East Asia so I would recommend looking at flights on Skyscanner from here.
If there are no flights from Lombok to where you want to go, you can get cheap, internal flights from Lombok to Bali or elsewhere in Indonesia and fly elsewhere from there.
I hope you found this Lombok itinerary and the best places to visit in Lombok helpful!
- Here are more of my Indonesia blog posts to help you plan your trip:
- How to Extend Your VOA in Lombok to a 60 Day Visa!
- 2 Week Bali, Gili Islands and Lombok itinerary!
- 30 THINGS TO DO IN GILI TRAWANGAN!
- Your Complete Guide To Visiting the Gili Islands!