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VISIT THE WATERFALLS
Rainy season is the best time to visit the stunningly beautiful waterfalls of Lombok!
Perhaps the most famous of Lombok’s waterfalls is Sendang Gile Waterfall in Senaru on the north coast. It’s a lovely drive up into the mountains and there are restaurants and cafés to stop for lunch or a coffee.
In rainy season, the water falls in a silver torrent from high up on the cliff to the pretty stream below. There are many stairs down to the waterfall but you’ll have a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery at the bottom.
For the adventurous, you can trek through the forest to the second waterfall – Tiu Kelep. The steep hike takes around an hour through lush jungle paths and streams but Tiu Kelep Waterfall is worth the effort, with gushing water flowing into a clear pool at the base; good for swimming.
Air Jeruk Manis, near Tetebatu, is set in a cool mountain location and reached by a pretty walk through rice fields and forest. You will need a guide who will help you to discover coffee, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and pepper growing. There is an abundance of wild life to be seen, including grey monkeys and the occasional rare black ebony leaf monkeys.
The highlight of the trek is the waterfall, which drops from around 20m into a fairly deep pool at the base surrounded by large rocks. It is a popular swimming spot and the water is very cold but wonderfully refreshing!
The awesome Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls, in Central Lombok, are located within a short trek of each other and make a perfect day trip for those who appreciate truly magical natural surroundings.
Benang Stokel features two waterfalls falling more than 30 metres down a steep cliff face covered with ferns and jungle vegetation.
A small track leads up the incline through the jungle, twisting through the verdant rainforest of the surrounding hills. Although parts of the trek can be a bit slippery and arduous, the track is safe and can be navigated by most people. The view of Benang Kelambu with waterfalls draping like a veil across the leafy green hillside is worth every minute of the effort!
When visiting the waterfalls, there is an entrance fee and most places require a guide, who will help you navigate the route. Make sure you wear good footwear and have a change of shoes. It might be a bit muddy and slippery but the experience is well worth it!
DIRT BIKING IN LOMBOK
For those who don’t mind getting down and dirty, why not sign up for a day riding a motocross bike around southern Lombok? The best off-road tracks can be found close to Kuta, with a range of companies all providing equipment, and some even offering island tours of up to seven days.
A typical day of dirt biking includes pick up from your hotel, getting comfortable on the bikes and riding three tracks in the morning, before stopping for lunch. The afternoon flies by in a whirlwind tour of exhilaration along hidden tracks before being dropped off back at your hotel in the late afternoon.
From beach routes to jungle treks to steep hill climbs, there is a dirt-bike tour or trail to suit everyone’s tastes and skill level.
HISTORIC SITES & TEMPLES
There are a number of interesting temples around the west coast, many of which are Hindu or ancient animist sites of worship.
Pura Lingsar is possibly the only place in the world where Hindus and Moslems come together to pray and celebrate. Built around 1714, Pura Lingsar was originally based on the prevailing animist beliefs of the time, and some of the original statues remain today. Perang Topat is an annual festival held at Lingsar and features a ritualised war with rice cakes, which also serve as an offering to the Gods.
Taman Narmada (or Narmada Park) in Narmada (around 6 km east of Cakranegara), was created in the late 1800’s as a replica of Gunung Rinjani and its crater lake.
The gardens at Narmada are beautifully maintained and surround the pools and lake in this cool hillside setting. Take a picnic and enjoy a few relaxing hours here or combine the trip with a visit to Lingsar or Suranadi.
Pura Suranadi, a complex of three temples located a few kilometres north of Narmada in Suranadi, is the oldest and holiest of the Balinese temples in Lombok, founded by the 16th-century Javanese priest, Danghyang Nirartha.
Underground streams bubble up into restored baths, used for ritual bathing. Huge sacred eels live in the pools and streams here, and can sometimes be lured out with an offering of boiled eggs (purchased at a nearby stall). To see a sacred eel is considered very lucky!
Across the road from the temple is a local market complex where you can sample tasty charcoal grilled satays and buy cold drinks and fresh seasonal fruits.
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Getting around Lombok is easy by car or motorbike and you can hire these in all the main tourism areas, with an International Driver’s License. The roads are generally in good condition and traffic is light. Alternatively, hire a car and driver for exploring.
Or take part in the tours and day trips by the many tour agencies on the island offering these tours; just do an internet search for the title (e.g. “dirt bikes Lombok”, “waterfall tour Lombok”, etc.)