*This post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on my site at no additional cost to you.

Quite a few of us had a trip or two cancelled due to Covid-19 hey. For us along with our trip to Nikoi Island we also had a trip to Lombok cancelled in 2019. So this summer we managed to finally squeeze in a trip to Lombok after four years of waiting. 

Lombok sits right next to Bali and is very up-and-coming. It’s home to the famous Gili islands and unlike Bali is a mainly muslim country. It’s beautiful driving around the island hearing the calls to prayer alongside the crashing waves, seeing the points of brightly coloured mosques popping up between palm trees and alongside rice fields. 

The Journey to Lombok from Singapore

For us it was a very quick hop on Scoot directly to Lombok from Singapore. From the moment you approach the island you can see the hills, fields and little villages dotted around. Upon landing it was super chilled, a quiet little airport with hardly a person to be seen once we cleared immigration and got our bags. Our lovely driver Tony was waiting for us just outside. Luckily we’d stocked up on some snacks for the kids at the airport as they were starving marvin by this point after an early start. 

We hopped straight onto a very quiet dual carriageway and headed to the port. Unlike Bali where you sit in lots of traffic this was a real treat and we could feel ourselves relaxing with every mile we travelled. 

Arriving at port was fun, we pulled up to be met by some muscles who carried our suitcases onto a wooden longboat. We then jetted our way across Awang Bay to our hotel. Luckily our suitcases were waterproof and we enjoyed every minute of the warm water splashing us in the face as we took on the waves and windy day all whilst we dodged lobster farms en route to our hotel. 

Nothing better than arriving directly on the shore of the hotel barefoot as you’re greeted with a welcome drink with salty windblown hair. 

What to do in Lombok

Before this trip I did a whole lot of research around what to do in Lombok, where to stay in Lombok and what to eat in Lombok. I really wanted to make sure I did this island justice. But my research kept coming up with the same few waterfalls and not a lot else. Now that I’ve been, that’s kind of the point of Lombok. It’s a chance to unwind and just enjoy nature and time to refuel your soul. There isn’t a ton to do on Lombok but that’s the beauty of it.

Here’s some of our favourite things we did in Lombok with kids. 

1. Visit a Lobster Farm 

Now my youngest is obsessed with eating Lobster, ever since his friend introduced him (yes we’ve thanked the parents for this and just like that our son is no longer a cheap date). Lombok has a ton of lobster farms and as it goes straight from water to plate, it’s a lot more affordable. We had lots of fun learning about how lobsters are farmed. Plus my son was able to eat lobster three times a day without breaking the bank. 

2. Go on a Boat Trip to the Pink Beach

Hands down one of my favourite days ever. We drove from our hotel to a local port. Which meant driving past local markets, through tobacco fields, past horse and carts and arriving in a bustling little seaside village. We found our boat and climbed onto the roof to feel the wind in our hair and off we went into the blue.

Now if you have an apple TV you may have seen the screensaver with chocolate drop starfish? I never imagined we’d see this in real life. But as our boat took off we rode over not 100s but 1000s of these starfish in crystal clear waters. It was a pinch me is this really my life moment. 

Our first stop was on a little island that disappears with the tide as the birds flew around us as we explored this little slice of heaven. We had the place to ourselves for a good 45mins before another boat turned up. 

Then onto not one but two snorkelling spots where we saw the most amazing coral I’ve ever seen. Most of the coral I’ve seen in Asia thus far has been quite bleached but this was the most vibrant yellows and blues. A moment I won’t ever forget as I snorkelled with my kids and husband in clear water that felt like you were swimming through an aquarium. The sea was filled so many incredible varieties of fish. Always my favourite are the clown fish, thankfully I missed the snake that our guide saw. 

Then onto the Pink Beach two (yes apparently there are two) we jetted past pearl farms and local fishermen who were out to catch their dinner. As we arrived there were local families enjoying a dip in the refreshing water and eating together on the beach.

One super friendly family invited us over as they wanted to have photos with us. We then stayed for a while as my husband and son took them on in a football match. My daughter and me chilled in the water with the ladies and children as they practiced their English on us. 

3. Visit a Weaving Village 

I love to weave, that and basically all things crafty, so I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to visit a village where all the ladies weave beautiful fabrics. Our driver Dinh knew a village so took us to meet them, two ladies took us around to show us the process, we even got to have a go, that was my day made (again). No money was exchanged for the visit but I did buy some fabric from them which I can’t wait to use as a tablecloth.  

What was also interesting is when speaking to the ladies who did the weaving was that I asked them if they enjoyed weaving. I’d had had similar conversations with carpet makers in India and they could only work on a carpet for a few hours a day before their eyes and brains hurt.  But these ladies weave for about 8-9 hours a day in Lombok. They told me they have no choice, they have to weave to get an income. It made me pause and think what a privilege it is that I can weave for fun whenever I fancy it.

4. Learn How to Surf
   Now it’s worth mentioning that we made a mistake at the first place we stayed at. They didn’t spend enough time teaching us how to get up on a board on the beach. Then they took us out onto intermediate waves on a reef in the middle of the bay. No soft sand, no gentle waves, just waves that headed for a cliff. We tried, then my son lost his confidence on a big wave, I took a board to the nose and we called it a day and chalked it up to experience. 

But at the next place we stayed the beach was sandy, the water was shallow and the instructors were great. So we gave it another go and loved every minute. I didn’t get up, but I tried and there is always next time as I’m fully committed to learning how to surf this decade! 

5. Explore Kuta 

Yes there is another Kuta and it’s in Lombok (not just Bali). The main drag has lots of cute cafes. We ate at Bush Radio for lunch and it was delicious. I can personally recommend their hummus sandwich and kombucha. There was a cute shop opposite but it was shut when we were there. But we had a chilled time strolling up the road popping into the boutiques and surf shops.   

Bonus items 

Now I wanted to include these things, but I can’t vouch for them personally as we ran out of time on this trip, but they are on my list for next time! 

6. Worm Festival

One of the most interesting festivals in Lombok is the Bau Nyale or sea worm festival. Held every February when the sea worms spawn in the waters off of Kuta beach in South Lombok. Expect dances, parades and a ceremony that sees a priest wading into the sea to see how many worms there are. If there are lots, he will declare the year’s harvest will be plentiful. Afterwards people gather worms to eat. Apparently the best way to eat them is mixed with coconut and spices and then roasted in banana leaves. You first! 

7. Waterfalls

Lombok has numerous waterfalls you can hike to, mostly in the northern part of the island. Among others, there would be Tui Teja, Tiu Kelep or Sendang Gile. In the center of Lombok you will find a few good ones also, for example the Benang Kelambu, Benang Stokel or Jeruk Manis near Tetebatu.

8. Craft market
   For stuff like clothes, jewelry or other souvenirs you can visit the Cakranegara Market (Pasar Cakranegara) in Mataram (the main town).

9. Visit the Gili Islands
   Apparently some of the best snorkelling and diving in the world to be had in these three little islands. Sadly the ocean is quite rough in August so we didn’t make the crossing, but it’s on the list for next time. 

Where to Stay in Lombok

We split our stay and I’m so glad we did, we did the first half at Innit Resort in Awang Bay and the second half at Sempiak Villas. Innit gave us seclusion and relaxation, a chance to pause away from everything and Sempiak Villas gave us the surf, beach walks and closer to other restaurants and places to visit.

Summary of Lombok

In summary we can’t wait to get back to Lombok. We are obsessed with the kind people, the chilled vibes, the beautiful landscapes, the fresh air and the fresh food. We loved every minute of our trip. If we were to win the lottery we’d certainly like to invest in a little bolthole here.

Have you been? What did you enjoy?