lombok in 5 days, 4 nights
Three nights in Kuta for Sade village, the south coast beaches and a day out to the Pink Beach, then north through Mataram for a night on the Gili Islands before the flight home.
Day 1 Into the south
- Morning
- Fly from KL to Lombok, about 3 hours; Lombok is on the same time as Malaysia. The airport is near Praya, about 30 minutes from Kuta.
- Lunch
- Ayam taliwang, grilled chicken with a fiery chilli paste, with plecing kangkung on the side, at a warung on the way.
- Afternoon
- Stop at Sade, a traditional Sasak village of thatched houses and handwoven cloth, on the drive south. Then check in at Kuta.
- Evening
- Sunset on the beach and dinner in Kuta.
Day 2 South coast beaches
- Morning
- Drive about 40 minutes west to Selong Belanak for a beginner surf lesson on its gentle waves.
- Lunch
- Lunch at a beach warung, then a swim at Mawun, a sheltered bay on the way back.
- Afternoon
- Back in Kuta, rest through the hottest part of the day.
- Evening
- Head about 10 minutes east to Tanjung Aan for sunset, then dinner back in town.
Day 3 The Pink Beach
- Morning
- Set off early with a driver for Pantai Tangsi, the Pink Beach, in the far southeast. Allow about 2 hours each way.
- Lunch
- Pack lunch and plenty of water from Kuta. It's a remote corner of the island.
- Afternoon
- Swim and snorkel off the sand, tinted pink by bits of red coral, then drive back to Kuta.
- Evening
- Dinner in Kuta and an early night.
Day 4 Up to the Gilis
- Morning
- Check out and drive north to Mataram, about 1.5 hours.
- Lunch
- Sate rembiga, the sweet and spicy beef satay, in Rembiga, the part of Mataram it's named after.
- Afternoon
- Carry on to Bangsal harbour, about an hour, and take a boat across to the Gili Islands. Gili Trawangan is the liveliest; Gili Air and Gili Meno are quieter.
- Evening
- Watch the sunset from the island's west side, then dinner by the beach.
Day 5 Gili morning and home
- Morning
- Cycle round the island or snorkel off the beach. There are no cars, just bicycles and horse carts.
- Lunch
- An early lunch, then the boat back to Bangsal.
- Afternoon
- Drive to the airport, about 2 hours, and fly home.
Good to know
- Hire a car with a driver for the whole trip. Distances are bigger than they look and public transport is thin.
- Lombok is mostly Muslim, so halal food is easy to find. Cover up when you leave the beach, especially in Sade and Mataram.
- Prefer waterfalls to the Pink Beach? Swap Day 3 for Senaru, on Rinjani's northern slopes, for an easy forest walk to Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep. It's about 3 hours from Kuta, so start early.