At just under 5300 sq kilometers, Lombok is just a fraction smaller than the more glamorous Bali just across the Strait. Although the island has good infrastructure, tourism development has been slow but steady, which is good news for the visitor seeking a quiet and peaceful holiday. The pace here is unhurried and pretty laid-back. That might mean waiting a bit longer for your food in a restaurant, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing!!

Having said that, mainland Lombok does have world class hotels such as Oberoi, and Tugu in the west, Sheraton, the Senggigi Beach and the recently renovated Sentosa in Senggigi, and Novotel in the southwest. There are two golf courses on Lombok, one with mountain views and one on the beach adjacent to the Oberoi and Tugu hotels. By the way, this is one of the best kept secrets on the island !!

West Lombok is lush and green with numerous white sand beaches and picturesque bays. The north of the island is a heavily forested mountain range of mostly old growth, and comprising thirteen peaks, including Indonesia’s second tallest volcano, Mt Rinjani. The Rinjani National Park has won numerous eco-tourism awards and the mountains offer a kalidescope of waterfalls, rivers, and jungle vegetation, all perfect for trekking or mountain biking. While the south is quite dry, it has some of the best surfing spots in the world, and some of its most exciting dive sites.