Senggigi: the west coast, facing Bali

Senggigi was Lombok's first tourist development, built in the 1980s along a bay 15 kilometres north of Mataram. It never became another Kuta: the strip is low-rise, the beach is grey sand, and the resorts are small enough that the town still feels like a place rather than a resort.

What it has is a view. The bay faces west, across the Lombok Strait to Bali, and on a clear evening the sun sets behind Mount Agung with the Gilli islands to the north. The beach is not the island's best, but the combination of sunsets, seafood and easy access to the Gilis and Rinjani makes it a practical base.

The beach and the strip

The beach runs about four kilometres from Mangsit in the north to the Senggigi headland in the south, with the main strip in the middle. The sand is grey and coarse, the water is calm, and the swimming is fine at mid tide. There is coral offshore, and the reef is shallow enough to snorkel from the beach in places.

The strip is a single road lined with hotels, restaurants, dive shops and a few bars. It is not pretty in the way that Bali's resorts are pretty, but it is functional and friendly. The best properties are set back in gardens, and the beachfront is public and used by local families in the evening.

Pura Batu Bolong and the headland

At the southern end of the bay, Pura Batu Bolong is a small Hindu temple built on a rocky promontory with a natural arch, reached by a short walk from the road. It is a place of worship, not a monument, and the view back along the coast and out to Bali is the best on this side of the island.

The walk to the temple takes about 20 minutes from the main strip, and there are warungs and a car park at the end. Go for sunset, when the temple silhouettes against the sky and the fishermen bring their boats in. Dress respectfully and do not climb on the shrine.

Diving, snorkelling and the Gilis

The diving off Senggigi is modest compared with the Gilis, but there are reef sites within 20 minutes by boat and good snorkelling at Mangsit and the headland. Dive shops in the strip run trips to the Gilis and to the wreck of the Mawun, and courses are cheaper than in Bali.

The Gilis are the main excursion: boats leave from Bangsal, 45 minutes north of Senggigi, and take 20 to 30 minutes to reach Gili Air or Trawangan. Day trips are easy to arrange through any hotel, and there are also fast boats from Senggigi itself to the islands in high season.

Mangsit and the northern beaches

North of the main strip, the coast changes character. Mangsit and the beaches towards Klui are quieter, with better sand, a few small resorts and a reef that is easier to snorkel from the shore. The road follows the coast, and the views back to the Senggigi headland are better than the views from the strip itself.

This is where to stay if you want the sunsets without the traffic: beachfront bungalows at Rp 600,000 to 1,500,000, a couple of dive lodges and restaurants that serve whatever the boats brought in. It is a 10-minute drive from Senggigi when you want dinner or a boat, and a world away when you do not.

Where to eat and what it costs

Senggigi eats well and cheaply. The restaurants along the strip serve grilled fish, Lombok's ayam taliwang (grilled chicken with a fierce chilli sauce), plecing kangkung and sate bulayak, plus a lot of Indonesian-Chinese and Western food for the hotel crowd. A meal at a warung costs Rp 35,000 to 60,000; a beachfront dinner with drinks, Rp 150,000 to 250,000.

The seafood is the thing to order: snapper, prawns and squid, grilled with garlic and chilli. The best places are the ones with tables on the sand, north of the main strip, where the fish is landed a few hundred metres away. Book for sunset in high season.

Where to stay

Senggigi has a good range for the price: beachfront hotels from Rp 700,000 to 2,000,000, garden bungalows from Rp 400,000, and a couple of upscale resorts at Rp 3,000,000 and above. The northern end at Mangsit is quieter and has the better beaches; the central strip is convenient for restaurants and boats.

The town is 15 minutes from Mataram and 60 to 75 minutes from the airport, which makes it convenient for a first or last night. It is also the best base for a Rinjani trek if you do not want to stay in Senaru, though the drive to the trailhead is two hours.

Getting there and a two-day plan

From Lombok airport, the drive is 60 to 75 minutes via Mataram; a taxi costs Rp 250,000 to 350,000. From the Bali ferry at Lembar, it is 30 minutes. Boats to the Gilis leave from Bangsal, 45 minutes north, and fast boats from Bali arrive at the Gilis rather than Senggigi.

Two nights is enough for the beach, the temple and a day trip to the Gilis. Add a night if you want to climb Rinjani or explore the waterfalls at Senaru. The best months are May to September, when the west coast is dry and the sunsets are clear.

• Day 1: beach at mid tide, Pura Batu Bolong at sunset, seafood dinner.
• Day 2: day trip to Gili Air or Trawangan, back for the sunset.
• Swim at mid tide; the reef flat is exposed at low water.
• Boats to the Gilis leave from Bangsal, 45 minutes north, not from Senggigi.

Questions people actually ask

Is Senggigi beach good for swimming?

Yes at mid tide. The water is calm and the slope is gentle, though the sand is grey and the reef flat is exposed at low tide. It is not as clear as the Gilis.

Is Senggigi or the Gilis better for a beach holiday?

The Gilis for the reef, the white sand and the snorkelling. Senggigi for a base with restaurants, easy access to the airport and day trips. Many people do both.

How do I get from Senggigi to the Gili islands?

Drive 45 minutes north to Bangsal, then take a local or fast boat, 20 to 30 minutes. Hotels can arrange the transfer and the ticket, or you can book at the Bangsal office.

What is there to do in Senggigi when it rains?

Not much. The strip has a few shops and cafes, and Mataram is 15 minutes away with markets and temples. The wet season is quiet, and some restaurants close.