South Lombok Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Map of South Lombok

• -8.885289116.2756781 Kuta — a surfing mecca like its Bali namesake, but that's where the similarity ends
• Sekotong — Off the beaten path in southwest Lombok, this area is fast becoming a tourist destination.

• Tanjung Aan — almost impossibly beautiful isolated bay in the southeast which is earmarked for high end resort development.
• Banko Banko — on the south west tip of the island. Can be a bit challenging to get there. Allow plenty of time and travel with a friend.
• Gile Gede — a small island nestled in the picturesque bay off Perambag beach and west of Sekotong. It is orbited by several smaller island
• Scenic beaches and bays — the south coast is a maze of inlets and headlands with beautiful secluded white sand beaches. Some locations are quite difficult to access. Well worth your while is the short distance from the Lembar harbor west to the next bay at Labu.
• South coast — many surfing destinations some better known than others

The central inland part of South Lombok is generally low-lying with undulating hills and is commonly utilised for rice paddies and growing tobacco leaf. Toward the southern coast it is dryer and more denuded with some undulating hilly areas of between 100-355 m above sea level.

This part of the island remains essentially agrarian in activity. The central south is more fertile and productive and the southern coastal areas are less fertile due to lower rainfall, land clearing and soil degradation. Toward the south west coast it becomes a little less dry and a little more fertile than the south central coastal margins. Mount Rinjani supplies a rainfall catchment area to the north of the region and several rivers flow into central Lombok from the mountains southern slopes. Villages on the lower slopes of Rinjani support activities such as traditional weaving, pottery and handicraft production. The sea off Lombok's southern coastline supports a small local fishing industry, a fish market, a pearling industry and seaweed harvesting.

The south of the island is not heavily populated and many areas are quite remote and can be quite difficult to get to. The southern areas of Lombok are becoming increasingly popular with international visitors and the surf beaches of the southern coastline are popular with more intrepid international surfers as well as a growing number of local people on Lombok.

The language of the south of Lombok is a dialect of the indigenous Bahasa Sasak language of the Sasak peoples of Lombok. Bahasa Indonesian is spoken by many people especially the younger generations. In the tourism areas some people may speak limited English. In the larger Kuta hotels and tourism establishments there is more likelihood of English speakers being available.

Lombok International Airport (BIL) (LOP ^IATA) is south west of Praya in south central Lombok. This new international airport will provide facilities for wide bodied aircraft and more modern terminal facilities and cargo facilities.

Please see the main Lombok article for more details on the new international airport and connecting services to South Lombok.

Public buses and bemo run to and from the west coast and the city of Mataram. Similar services are available to connect through from the north of the island via Pusuk pass from Pemenang near the small Bangsal harbour that serves as the primary access point from Gili Islands.

If arriving at Labuhan Lombok by ferry from Sumbawa only limited services are available on the east coast to connect to Praya in Central Lombok, south toward Kuta or west toward the city of Mataram and West Lombok. To use public buses and bemo serving the southern region a traveller would need to have a good understanding both of the area and the vagaries of the interconnections and services. It would be far easier and more expedient to either use a taxi, rent a car and driver or to use a service such as that provided by Perama tours to access the south of Lombok.

Vehicle and passenger ferries: South Lombok is serviced from both the east and west coast of the island.

From the east coast Labuhan Lombok has basic facilities to receive the ferries that ply the Alat Strait from Sumbawa.

• Alat Strait: Labuhan Lombok - from: Pototano, Sumbawa with 8 ferries providing 18 crossings per day.

From the west coast Tanjung Lembar seaport provides facilities for the passenger ferries from Bali, passenger carrying ships visiting Lombok, small freighters and fishing boats.

• Lombok Strait: Lembar, Lombok - from: Padangbai, Bali, with 12 ferries providing 24 crossings per day.

Metered taxis normally operate in the southern area of Lombok however they will be hard to find in the more remote areas. Bookings can be made in advance by calling their radio dispatch service.

• Bluebird * Lombok Taksi, ☏ +62 370 627000. 24hr service. 
• Express * Express Taksi, ☏ +62 370 635968. 24hr service. 

Airport pick-up: The established hotels and resorts of the Kuta area may offer pickups and transfers to and from the airport or other locations in Lombok. You will need to inquire at the hotels for this service and ensure you book ahead. But please inquiry first how much the airport transfer facility is, free or not, compulsory or not.

• Take a guided tour of a village or a section of the forest with a local guide
• Walk on your own and explore the western coastline
• Rent a bike in Senggigi or some of the hotels supply them
• Rent a car
• Rent a motor bike
• Please see the main Lombok article article for more detailed information on driving in Lombok and ensure you obtain and use a helmet when riding a motor bike.

• Batu Bolong
• Namarda
• Tangung A'an
• Sekotong area
• South coast beaches

In 2010 the Kuta area had 16 hotels catering to domestic and International tourists. There are many places to see and visit and many people like to stay in the region either to relax or to explore the beaches of the southern coastline.

The south of Lombok features white sandy beaches, some of them quite isolated, remote and with limited access.

Notable beaches are:

• Pantai Gerupuk,
• Pantai Awang,
• Tanjung A'nn,
• Pantai Seger,
• Kuta Beach,
• Selong Belanak,
• Mawi Beach,
• Pantai Tomang,
• Are Guling Beach,
• Pantai Pengatap,
• Rowok,
• Torok Aik Belek,
• Pantai Mawun.

Surfing is very popular with local and international visitors and the south coast has some popular destinations for international surfers and travellers. Fishing villages, grouper fish cultivation, pearl cultivation, the traditional fish market and coral reefs also attract visitors to this part of Lombok.

Other attractions lie in the hills of central lombok rising toward Mount Rinjani.

South Lombok supports an industry of traditional weaving and handicraft production.
Individual tourists or tour guides often arrange small personalised tours or private visits to see traditional weaving and other handicraft production or to see religious and cultural ceremonies.
Mount Rinjani is at the northern flank of nearby Central Lombok. The foothills of Mount Rinjani are a popular tourist attraction and activities include trekking, study of rare tropical flora and local fauna. Objects of cultural heritage in this part of the island include Sade Hamlet, Hamlet NDE, a location of a traditional housing, traditional villages, local arts and traditional ceremonies. Mosque Mount Pujut is a historic local mosque. Other historic attractions are the tomb of King Pejanggik, the tomb of Nyatok, and Clack Tomb and Mausoleum, the tomb of Serewe Islamic religious figures.

The south has quite a few restaurants, some catering to tourists, more so in the Kuta area. The region has many small warungs and local eating houses selling local food at very reasonable prices. Be cautious with hygiene and ensure you are clear about what you are ordering.

Licensed premises such as hotels and some restaurants may serve alcohol. Do not expect a bar service or alcoholic drinks to be served in other than the larger hotels and please respect local sensibilities by avoiding drinking openly in public whilst in Lombok. Local coffee, tea, fruit juices, coconut juice and softdrinks (sodas) are normally readily available.

Kuta is only 17 km from Lombok International Airport, while Senggigi in West Lombok is 47 km away from the airport. Kuta has several hotels near the beach, for 300 meters walk or less with price around Rp 300,000. If you want to sleep in a 2- or 3-star hotel with beachfront for around Rp 300,000, you'd better go to Sekotong Beach, about 70 km, from Kuta or more than 55 km from the airport. In Nusa Dua Bali, there are many 4- to 5-star hotels with beachfront, but the price is Rp 1,000,000 or above. It's better to sleep one day in Kuta and one day in Sekotong. Since Sekotong Beach is about 25 km long, and the hotels are far spread each others and also the restaurants, you should hire a car. There are no mini markets in Sekotong Beach.

Try to keep off the roads at night and avoid travelling in the more remote areas on your own.

Lock up your possessions and never leave your luggage or personal items unattended.

Please see the main Lombok article for more details on health and safety.

South Lombok has varying terrain from urban townships to remote valleys beaches and coastal bays. Accordingly mobile telephonary varies from reasonable to patchy to non-existent. The towns and built up areas normally have reasonable to good coverage from the two main operators.

• Telkonsel is operated by Indonesia's Telkom. They provide GSM 2G and in some areas 3G reception and broadband wireless connections may be possible.
• XL is also provides a wide coverage of 2G and in some areas 3G coverage.

Post office services are available in Mataram at the central post office. It may be prudent to use the main office in Mataram at Jalan Sriwijarya, Mataram, if required.

Post offices are described as Kantor Pos in Indonesia.

• Mataram, including Sweta, Cacranegara, historic Ampenan
• Lombok International Airport (Bandara Internasional Lombok) (LOP ^IATA)
• West Lombok, including Batu Bolong, Lembar, Senggigi beach, Mangsit beach, Klui beach and further to the north Tanjung
• Gili Islands
• North Lombok including Senaru, Mount Rinjani, Bayan
• Central and East Lombok including Tetebatu, Praya and Labuhan Lombok
• Sumbawa
• Bali
• Java
• Komodo
• Flores
• Singapore
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Please see the Lombok main article for a more comprehensive list of medical facilities available in Mataram.
• Mataram Public Hospital (Rumah Sakit Umun), Jl. Pejanggik 6, Mataram, ☏ +62 370 638464. 24 hours UGD-Emergency room and admissions. The islands main public hospital with UGD (Unit Gawat Darurat)-Emergency treatment room, ICU and OR facilities, laboratorium, Specialist consulting rooms. 
• Klinik Risa (Risa Centra Medika Hospital), Jl. Pejanggik No.115, Cakranegara (just east of Mataram mall on the right hand side of the road), ☏ +62 370 625560. 24/7 emergency room. Full hospital facilities available on site, specialist consulting rooms, dentist. 
• RS Harapan Keluarga, Jl Ahmad Yani, Selagalas (to the immediate east of the city), ☏ +62 370 673666. Modern facility with a polyclinic, ICU, operating theatres, CT and MRI scans, modern x-ray equipment, hemodialysis, ultrasound (USG), endoscopy, bronchoscopy and fluoroscopy facilities. Ambulance callout, emergency room (UGD), pharmacy, on-site laboratory and radiology department is available 24/7. This is the island's most advanced and comprehensively equipped private facility. RS Risa is a second preference, in a serious emergency the closest facility should be accessed. 

• Ambulance
  In emergency dial - 118

The reality is that unless within the confines of the main city of Mataram/Ampenan/Cakranegara an ambulance is normally too far away to provide prompt transport in the case of a true emergency. Most often a taxi, police vehicle or a private car is used to get someone requiring urgent medical attention to a hospital. The ambulances in Lombok are more often used in the role of assisted patient transport rather than for first responder/paramedic supported emergency assistance and transport.