Solo travel · Lombok · Indonesia
Solo travel in Lombok
How to enjoy Lombok at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Suryanata budi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Lombok is popular with solo travellers, especially surfers in Kuta and divers on Gili Trawangan, where hostels, dive schools and group trips make it easy to meet people. Many solo travellers base themselves in Gili Trawangan.
Key facts
- Base
- Gili Trawangan
- Getting around
- Car
- Emergency number
- 112 (general emergency), 110 (police)
- Language
- Indonesian and Sasak
Solo travel tips
- Stay in a hostel or surf camp in Kuta or on Gili Trawangan to meet other travellers.
- Join a group Rinjani trek with a licensed operator rather than hiking alone.
- Dive and snorkel courses on the Gilis are a social way to spend a few days.
- Use registered taxis or drivers booked through your accommodation at night.
- Women travelling alone should dress modestly away from the beach and may get more attention in rural areas.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for nightlife, solo travellers, beach and budget
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan is the most developed of the three Gilis, with a strip of dive centres, restaurants, bars and accommodation along its east coast and a nightly food market near the harbour. The island can be circled by bicycle in about an hour, sunset bars line the west coast, and turtles are often seen snorkelling just offshore.
- Good
- Most choice of food, diving and nightlife; Walkable and car-free; Easy snorkelling with turtles
- Watch out
- Party noise near the main strip; Crowded in July and August
- Nearby
- Gili Meno, Night market, Sunset point
Great on your own
Nature · Senaru
Mount Rinjani trek
Choose the Sembalun route for the crater rim and summit, carry warm clothes for near-freezing nights, and book only through operators licensed by the national park.
- Time needed
- 2–4 days
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Active
- Nature
- Views
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Kuta and Mandalika
Bukit Merese
Arrive at least 45 minutes before sunset to find a place on the ridge, and bring a torch for the walk down.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
Historic site · Central Lombok
Sade village
A guided walk is expected; agree on a donation or fee at the start and buy weaving directly from the makers if you want a souvenir.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Shopping
Religious site · Senggigi
Pura Batu Bolong
Visit at sunset and wear a sarong and sash, usually lent at the entrance for a small donation.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Couples
Palace · Mataram
Taman Mayura and Pura Meru
Combine both with lunch on ayam taliwang in Mataram, and dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · West Lombok
Pura Lingsar
Bring a boiled egg to offer the sacred eels, a local custom, and hire a sarong at the gate.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
Meeting people
- Gili Trawangan night market — Each evening stalls set up near the harbour on Gili Trawangan, grilling fish and satay and selling nasi campur and sweet martabak at low prices.
- Ayam taliwang in Mataram — Eat Lombok's signature chilli chicken where it is cooked best, at one of Mataram's specialist restaurants, with plecing kangkung on the side.
- Gili Trawangan — Beach bars and a small club scene along the east-coast strip, with different bars hosting parties on different nights.
- Kuta — Surf bars, live music and late parties around the main streets and on the hill above town.
Sensible precautions
The main risks are natural ones: strong currents at some south-coast beaches and between the Gilis, scooter accidents on winding roads and steep, exposed sections of the Rinjani trek, where climbers should use licensed guides. Lombok lies in an active seismic zone, so note your accommodation's emergency information.
- Emergency number
- 112 (general emergency), 110 (police)
- Staying connected
- Local SIM cards and eSIMs give good 4G coverage on the coast and the Gilis; signal is weak on Rinjani and in remote valleys.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Lombok good for solo travellers?
Lombok is popular with solo travellers, especially surfers in Kuta and divers on Gili Trawangan, where hostels, dive schools and group trips make it easy to meet people.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Lombok?
Gili Trawangan: The largest, liveliest Gili, with dive schools, beach bars and sunset swings.