Getting around · Lombok · Indonesia
Getting around Lombok
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Suryanata budi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Lombok has no public transport useful to most visitors, so travellers rely on private drivers, taxis, ride-hailing in the Mataram area and rented scooters. The Gili Islands have no motor vehicles at all, and boats link them to Lombok and Bali. Not to drive yourself.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Car
- Airports
- LOP
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Car
Hiring a car with a driver for a day is the most comfortable way to reach Senaru, the waterfalls and distant beaches, and can be arranged by any hotel.
Scooter
Rented scooters are widely used in Kuta and Senggigi to reach nearby beaches, but roads are winding and sandy in places.
Ride only with an international driving permit valid for motorcycles and a helmet; many travel insurance policies exclude accidents without them.
Taxi
Metered Blue Bird taxis operate from the airport and around Mataram and Senggigi; ride-hailing apps work in parts of the island.
Boat
Public boats and private speedboats run from Bangsal and other harbours on the north-west coast to the Gilis in about 15–30 minutes, and fast boats link the Gilis and Lombok to Bali in about 1.5–3 hours.
Choose established fast-boat operators and avoid crossings in rough weather.
Cycling
On the Gilis, bicycles are the main way to get around and can be rented everywhere.
Walking
Each Gili can be walked around in one to two hours; horse carts (cidomo) also operate, though many visitors avoid them on animal-welfare grounds.
From the airport
Lombok International Airport is near Praya in the centre-south of the island, about 30 minutes by car from Kuta, about 1–1.5 hours from Senggigi and about 2 hours from the Gili boat harbours. Blue Bird taxis and fixed-price taxi counters operate in the arrivals hall, and hotels can arrange transfers.
Do you need a car?
Not to drive yourself. A driver or taxi for longer journeys and a scooter for short hops cover most needs; on the Gilis you walk or cycle.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Gili Nanggu, Sudak and Kedis | About 2 hours by car, then a short boat | Car to Sekotong, then a chartered boat |
| Pink Beach (Pantai Tangsi) | About 1.5–2 hours by car | Car with driver, or boat tour from Tanjung Luar |
| Tetebatu | About 1.5 hours by car | Car with driver |
| Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls | About 1 hour by car | Car with driver |
| Sembalun valley | About 2.5–3 hours by car | Car with driver |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Lombok?
Not to drive yourself. A driver or taxi for longer journeys and a scooter for short hops cover most needs; on the Gilis you walk or cycle.
+How do you get from the airport to Lombok?
Lombok International Airport is near Praya in the centre-south of the island, about 30 minutes by car from Kuta, about 1–1.5 hours from Senggigi and about 2 hours from the Gili boat harbours. Blue Bird taxis and fixed-price taxi counters operate in the arrivals hall, and hotels can arrange transfers.
+What is the best way to get around Lombok?
Car: Hiring a car with a driver for a day is the most comfortable way to reach Senaru, the waterfalls and distant beaches, and can be arranged by any hotel.