Lombok: Bali's quieter neighbour, and not a copy

Lombok begins where the Bali ferry ends, and the difference is immediate: fewer cars, more mosques, and a horizon dominated by a single volcano. The island is slightly larger than Bali, with about half the population, and it has spent the last two decades being described as "the next Bali" by people who have not been.

It is not the next Bali. It is a Sasak island with its own language, its own weaving, its own food and a tourism industry that is concentrated in a few places and absent from most. The 2018 earthquake destroyed thousands of homes and set development back years; the recovery is visible, and so is the resilience.

The geography and the regions

The island runs north-west to south-east, with Mount Rinjani in the north and a long, dry south coast of bays and surf beaches. The west coast faces Bali across the Lombok Strait and holds the ferry port at Lembar, the capital at Mataram and the resort strip at Senggigi. The north coast is the gateway to the Gilis and the waterfalls.

The south is the newest tourism area: Kuta Lombok and the beaches around it — Mawun, Selong Belanak, Tanjung Aan — have white sand and good surf, and the hills behind them are still mostly farmland. The east is dry and rarely visited, with the pink beach at Tangsi and the traditional villages around Sumbawa-style savanna.

Sasak culture and the island's Islam

Lombok is about 85 per cent Sasak, an ethnic group with its own language and a form of Islam that incorporates older animist and Hindu-Balinese elements. The island is often called the island of a thousand mosques, and the call to prayer is part of the soundscape, especially in Mataram and the villages of the north.

The culture is visible in the weaving: songket and ikat from Pringgasela and Sukarara, sold by the metre and still woven on handlooms. It is visible in the architecture of Sade and Ende, villages of thatched houses with buffalo-horn motifs. And it is visible in the food, which is spicier and less sweet than Balinese cooking.

Mount Rinjani and the north

Rinjani is the second-highest volcano in Indonesia after Kerinci, at 3,726 metres, and the trek to the rim is one of the best in Southeast Asia. The route from Sembalun climbs through savanna and forest to the crater rim, with a view over the Segara Anak lake and the active cone of Gunung Baru inside the caldera.

The north coast has the waterfalls: Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep, reached from Senaru, where the water comes off the Rinjani slopes in a cold, powerful cascade. The Gilis sit off the north-west coast, 20 minutes by boat from Bangsal, and the whole area is a base for trekking, diving and doing very little.

The south coast and Kuta Lombok

Kuta Lombok is not Kuta Bali. It is a small town with a surf beach, a handful of cafes and a growing number of hotels, surrounded by some of the most beautiful coastline in Indonesia. Mawun is a calm bay for swimming, Selong Belanak has a long curve of sand and gentle surf, and Tanjung Aan has two bays and a hill with a view.

The surf is the other draw: consistent waves for intermediate and advanced surfers, with fewer crowds than Bali. The dry season from May to September brings the best conditions, and the wet season is green, empty and cheap, with afternoon storms.

Food, weaving and what to buy

Lombok's food is one of the reasons to come. Ayam taliwang, grilled chicken flattened and dressed with a chilli and shrimp-paste sauce, is the signature; plecing kangkung, water spinach with chilli and lime, is the side dish; sate bulayak is skewered meat with a spicy peanut sauce and lontar-leaf rice cakes. The Sasak version is hotter and less sweet than Balinese cooking.

The island is also a weaving centre. Songket and ikat are woven in Pringgasela, Sukarara and Sade, and sold by the metre in the markets and workshops. The patterns are regional, the dyes are increasingly synthetic, and the prices vary enormously. Buy from the workshop where you can see the loom, and expect to pay Rp 300,000 to 1,500,000 for a good piece.

Where to stay and what it costs

Lombok is cheaper than Bali at every level. Guesthouses start at Rp 250,000, mid-range hotels run from Rp 600,000 to 1,500,000, and the upscale resorts on the south coast and the Gilis start around Rp 2,000,000. The range is narrower than Bali, with fewer design hotels and more family-run places.

The best bases depend on the trip: Senggigi for the west coast and boats to the Gilis, Kuta Lombok for the south coast and surf, Senaru or Sembalun for Rinjani, and the Gilis themselves for the reef. Mataram is convenient for the airport but has little for tourists.

Getting there and a one-week plan

Lombok International Airport (LOP) is 30 to 40 minutes from Mataram and about two hours from Kuta Lombok. Flights from Bali take 40 minutes and run hourly; the ferry from Padang Bai to Lembar takes four to five hours and is cheaper. Fast boats connect Bali directly to the Gilis.

A week is the right length: two nights in the Gilis, two on the south coast, one in Senaru for the waterfalls, and two in Senggigi or Mataram. The island is bigger than it looks, and the roads are slow, so do not try to see everything.

• Days 1-2: Gilis, reef and sunset.
• Days 3-4: Kuta Lombok and the south-coast beaches.
• Day 5: Senaru waterfalls and the Rinjani foothills.
• Days 6-7: Senggigi and Mataram, then the airport.
• Rent a car with a driver for the cross-island days; the roads are slow.

Questions people actually ask

Is Lombok better than Bali?

It is quieter, cheaper and less developed, with better access to empty beaches and a serious volcano. Bali has more restaurants, culture and infrastructure. Lombok suits travellers who want space; Bali suits travellers who want choice.

Do I need a car in Lombok?

Yes for the south coast and the north. Distances are long and public transport is limited. A car with a driver costs Rp 600,000 to 900,000 a day, and it is the easiest way to move between the Gilis, Kuta and Senaru.

Is Lombok safe after the 2018 earthquake?

Yes. The earthquake devastated parts of the north and west, and the recovery took years, but tourism infrastructure has been rebuilt and the main areas are functioning normally.

How long should I spend in Lombok?

A week is ideal, split between the Gilis, the south coast and the Rinjani foothills. Three or four days is enough for the Gilis and Senggigi, but you will miss the south.