Things to do · Lombok · Indonesia
16 best things to do in Lombok
16 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Suryanata budi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Lombok are Gili Trawangan, Mount Rinjani trek and Gili Meno and the Nest. Of the 16 picks below, 4 are free, 1 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 8 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Gili Trawangan
- Free sights
- 4
- Good on a rainy day
- Islamic Center Mosque, Mataram
- Time to see the highlights
- 8 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gili Trawangan | Gili Trawangan | 1–3 days | Low cost |
| Mount Rinjani trek | Senaru | 2–4 days | Expensive |
| Gili Meno and the Nest | Gili Meno | Half a day to 2 days | Low cost |
| Gili Air | Gili Air | 1–3 days | Low cost |
| Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls | Senaru | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Tanjung Aan | Kuta and Mandalika | Half a day | Free |
| Bukit Merese | Kuta and Mandalika | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Selong Belanak | Selong Belanak | Half a day | Free |
| Mawun Beach | Kuta and Mandalika | Half a day | Free |
| Sade village | Central Lombok | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Pura Batu Bolong | Senggigi | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Taman Mayura and Pura Meru | Mataram | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Pura Lingsar | West Lombok | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Taman Narmada | West Lombok | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Islamic Center Mosque, Mataram | Mataram | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Gerupuk surf breaks | Kuta and Mandalika | Half a day | Mid-priced |
The 16 best things to do
Island · Gili Trawangan
1.Gili Trawangan
The largest of the Gili Islands has no cars or motorbikes, so visitors get around by bicycle, on foot or by horse cart. It is the base for many dive schools, with sites such as Shark Point and Turtle Heaven nearby, and the east coast is lined with cafés and bars; at sunset crowds gather on the west coast for views of Bali's Mount Agung.
Rent a bicycle and ride the coastal path anticlockwise in the late afternoon to arrive on the west coast for sunset.
- Time needed
- 1–3 days
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- After dark
- Active
Nature · Senaru
2.Mount Rinjani trek
At 3,726 metres, Rinjani is the second-highest volcano in Indonesia, with a vast caldera holding the turquoise Segara Anak lake and the young active cone of Gunung Barujari. Treks with licensed guides and porters run from Sembalun or Senaru, from two days to the crater rim to three or four days including the summit and the lake's hot springs.
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
- Book ahead
- The national park usually closes the trails in the wettest months and limits daily climbers; book with a licensed operator well ahead for July and August.
- Iconic
- Active
- Nature
- Views
- Outdoors
Island · Gili Meno
3.Gili Meno and the Nest
The smallest and quietest Gili is ringed by white sand and reef. Off its west coast, the Nest is a circle of 48 life-size figures cast in concrete by Jason deCaires Taylor, now encrusted with coral, which lies in shallow water and can be reached by snorkellers.
Snorkel the Nest early in the morning, before group boats arrive, and look out for turtles along the drop-off to the north.
- Time needed
- Half a day to 2 days
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Island · Gili Air
4.Gili Air
Gili Air is the closest Gili to the Lombok mainland and has a sandy path around its edge lined with beach cafés, yoga studios and dive shops. Shallow reefs off the north and east coasts are good for snorkelling straight from the beach.
Walk or cycle the full circuit of the island, about 5 km, and stop for a swim at the quieter north-west corner.
- Time needed
- 1–3 days
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- Kids
- Outdoors
Nature · Senaru
5.Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls
Two waterfalls in the forest below Senaru: Sendang Gile, a short walk down a stairway from the village, and the taller Tiu Kelep, about 30–45 minutes further through the jungle and across streams. Tiu Kelep has a pool for swimming in the cold spring water.
Wear sandals or shoes you can get wet, as the path to Tiu Kelep wades through a stream; local guides are available at the entrance.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
Beach · Kuta and Mandalika
6.Tanjung Aan
A pair of wide, sheltered bays east of Kuta with fine white sand and calm, turquoise water, separated by a rocky headland. It is one of Lombok's most photographed beaches, with simple beach cafés and boat rides to the surf breaks offshore.
Come in the morning for calm water and fewer hawkers, and combine it with sunset on Bukit Merese next door.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Kuta and Mandalika
7.Bukit Merese
This grassy headland between Tanjung Aan and the Mandalika coast rises above the sea with views over the bays, the cliffs and the surf. It is the south coast's favourite sunset spot, reached by a short climb from the car park.
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
Beach · Selong Belanak
8.Selong Belanak
A long arc of soft white sand west of Kuta where small, rolling waves make it one of the best beginner surf spots in Indonesia. Surf schools and board rentals operate on the beach, and in the late afternoon local farmers often walk their buffalo along the sand.
Book a lesson in the morning when the waves are smaller and the wind lighter.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Active
- Kids
- Outdoors
Beach · Kuta and Mandalika
1.Mawun Beach
Mawun is a deep, horseshoe-shaped bay enclosed by green hills, about 20 minutes west of Kuta. The enclosed shape usually keeps the water calmer than other south-coast beaches, making it good for swimming.
Rent a sunshade at the beach stalls and bring cash; there is a small parking fee and few other facilities.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
Historic site · Central Lombok
2.Sade village
A traditional Sasak village on the road between the airport and Kuta, with thatched houses and rice barns (lumbung) whose earth floors are traditionally polished with buffalo dung. Local guides show visitors around and explain Sasak customs, and residents sell woven textiles.
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
3.Pura Batu Bolong
A small Balinese Hindu temple built on a rocky outcrop above the sea just south of Senggigi, named after the hole in the rock beneath it. It faces west towards Bali's Mount Agung and is a popular sunset spot.
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
4.Taman Mayura and Pura Meru
In Cakranegara, part of Mataram, the 18th-century Mayura water garden of the Balinese kings who once ruled Lombok centres on a large pond with a floating pavilion, the Bale Kambang. Across the road, Pura Meru is the island's largest Hindu temple, with tiered meru shrines.
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
5.Pura Lingsar
Built in the early 18th century, this temple complex east of Mataram is shared by Balinese Hindus and Sasak followers of Wetu Telu, a local form of Islam. It holds sacred eels in a spring pool and hosts the Perang Topat, a ritual rice-cake 'war' between the two communities.
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
Garden · West Lombok
6.Taman Narmada
A royal water garden laid out in the 18th century east of Mataram, whose main pool was designed to represent Mount Rinjani's crater lake for a king too old to climb the mountain. Terraces, temples and spring-fed pools spread through the grounds.
Visit on a weekday, as local families fill the pools at weekends, and try the spring water said to keep you young.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Outdoors
Religious site · Mataram
7.Islamic Center Mosque, Mataram
Lombok is known as the island of a thousand mosques, and the Islamic Center of West Nusa Tenggara in Mataram is its grandest, with gold-topped minarets and patterns inspired by Sasak textiles. Its tallest tower has a viewing deck over the city towards Rinjani.
Visit outside prayer times, dress modestly (women should cover their hair), and ask at the entrance about access to the tower.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Views
- Rainy day
Experience · Kuta and Mandalika
8.Gerupuk surf breaks
From the fishing village of Gerupuk, east of Kuta, boatmen ferry surfers out to several breaks in the bay that suit beginners through to advanced riders, depending on the swell. Watching the boats and fishermen in the village is part of the experience.
Agree the boat price and waiting time before setting out, and go early when the wind is offshore.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Active
- Outdoors
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| History | Sade village, Pura Batu Bolong, Taman Mayura and Pura Meru and Pura Lingsar |
| Views | Mount Rinjani trek, Bukit Merese, Pura Batu Bolong and Islamic Center Mosque, Mataram |
| Outdoors and nature | Gili Trawangan, Mount Rinjani trek, Gili Meno and the Nest and Gili Air |
| After dark | Gili Trawangan |
| With children | Gili Air, Tanjung Aan, Selong Belanak and Mawun Beach |
| On a rainy day | Islamic Center Mosque, Mataram |
What to book ahead
- Mount Rinjani trek: The national park usually closes the trails in the wettest months and limits daily climbers; book with a licensed operator well ahead for July and August.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Lombok?
Gili Trawangan. The largest of the Gili Islands has no cars or motorbikes, so visitors get around by bicycle, on foot or by horse cart.
+What can you do for free in Lombok?
Tanjung Aan, Bukit Merese, Selong Belanak and Mawun Beach. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Lombok when it rains?
Head indoors to Islamic Center Mosque, Mataram.
+What is there to do in Lombok at night?
Gili Trawangan are best after dark.