10 Best Things to Do
Lombok’s southern bays draw surfers to Selong Belanak and Kuta, where restaurants sit within reach of grassy coastal headlands. In the northwest, Medana and Sira offer quieter resort beaches facing the offshore islands. Inland, Tetebatu’s rice fields, Sukarara’s weaving and Senaru’s waterfalls reveal landscapes and traditions beyond the coast. North and south are distinct bases with substantial road journeys between them; a split stay makes sense if both feature heavily in your plans.
Walk to Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep
Senaru, North Lombok, Indonesia
Senaru’s two celebrated waterfalls bring a day in the northern foothills into focus. Walk beneath forest cover to Sendang Gile, then continue with a local guide towards Tiu Kelep when conditions allow. The village’s current guided programmes can add plantation paths or rice fields, giving the outing more depth than a quick photograph. Choose it for an active nature day, allowing for steps, wet surfaces and stream crossings rather than expecting an effortless stroll.
Forest scenery and waterfalls
Explore Tetebatu’s rice fields
Tetebatu, East Lombok, Indonesia
Tetebatu offers a slower view of Lombok, with cultivated terraces and village paths beneath the southern slopes of Rinjani. A local guide can shape a walk around farming activity, coffee or nutmeg plantations and the changing landscape, rather than rushing between viewpoints. It is an appealing counterpoint to a beach stay and particularly rewarding for travellers interested in everyday rural life. Leave time for conversation and let weather and working fields determine the route.
Rural walking beneath Rinjani
Meet the weavers of Sukarara
Sukarara, Central Lombok, Indonesia
Sukarara makes Lombok’s textile traditions tangible. At a working loom, the patient sequence of threads and patterns becomes much easier to appreciate than it does in a souvenir shop. Visitors can watch demonstrations and, where offered, try a little weaving themselves. Choose this stop for a closer understanding of Sasak craftsmanship, allowing time to ask about materials and patterns before buying directly from an artisan. A local guide adds useful context to the visit.
Traditional textile craftsmanship
Visit Sade with a resident guide
Sade, Pujut, Central Lombok, Indonesia
Sade offers an encounter with Sasak community life, traditional weaving and the knowledge carried by local guides. The village is recovering from a major fire in August 2026, and visitors were returning by late October while rebuilding continued. A visit now calls for sensitivity and realistic expectations: focus on the people, craft and stories rather than expecting an untouched architectural ensemble. Arrange your visit locally, follow the guide’s advice about accessible areas and allow residents space as their community recovers.
Sasak architecture and community stories
Take a surf lesson at Selong Belanak
Selong Belanak, South Lombok, Indonesia
Selong Belanak’s broad sandy bay is a welcoming place to try surfing with an instructor. Local schools offer private and small-group beginner lessons, introducing paddling, board position and standing up before building confidence in the water. The surrounding hills and long beach make the setting enjoyable even between attempts. Choose this experience for the pleasure of learning a new skill, with the day’s conditions and your ability shaping the session rather than a fixed target.
A first experience on a surfboard
Make a snorkelling day trip to Gili Meno
Gili Meno, northwest Lombok excursion, Indonesia
Gili Meno provides a relaxed offshore excursion from Lombok’s northwest coast. Combine time on its pale beaches with a guided snorkelling outing, choosing the day’s sites according to sea conditions and the group’s confidence. The pleasure lies in changing perspective from mainland mountains to small-island shores and underwater life. Leave room in the schedule for lunch and an unhurried return, keeping encounters with turtles or other wildlife as a possibility rather than a promise.
Marine life and an island afternoon
Island-hop off Sekotong
Gili Nanggu, Sudak and Kedis, southwest Lombok, Indonesia
The small islands off Sekotong offer a different boating day from the better-known northwest Gilis. Set out from Tawun for a flexible route around Nanggu, Sudak and tiny Kedis, combining beach time with snorkelling where conditions suit. The islands’ close grouping allows the journey to feel leisurely, with the boat crew adapting stops to the sea and your interests. Choose it for an easygoing escape, taking everything you need for a comfortable day outdoors.
A quieter day on the water
Walk Bukit Merese above Tanjung Aan
Bukit Merese, South Lombok, Indonesia
Bukit Merese lifts a beach day into a wide coastal panorama. Walk the grassy headland above Tanjung Aan to see the curve of the bay and the surrounding hills, taking your time as the light changes. Late afternoon is especially appealing, although the popular viewpoint is rarely a private discovery. It suits travellers who enjoy a short scenic walk and a memorable outlook, with sensible shoes and a comfortable margin for the return before darkness.
Coastal views in the late afternoon
Explore Taman Narmada
Lembuak, West Lombok, Indonesia
Taman Narmada offers a rewarding pause inland from Lombok’s beaches. The former royal garden brings together water, shaded grounds and a Hindu temple in a landscape associated with Mount Rinjani. A guide helps explain how the design connects royal leisure with religious meaning, turning a pleasant walk into a richer historical visit. Choose it for a quieter cultural outing, approaching active sacred spaces respectfully and leaving time to enjoy the garden at a leisurely pace.
Royal gardens and Hindu heritage
Discover Banyumulek’s pottery workshops
Banyumulek, Kediri, West Lombok, Indonesia
Banyumulek rewards travellers who like to see how things are made. The village’s potters shape earthenware using inherited techniques, with local clay and traditional finishes giving the work its character. Visit a workshop to watch the process, or arrange a lesson for a more hands-on introduction. It is a thoughtful place to buy a souvenir directly from its maker, with time to ask about the design and how to transport a finished piece home.
Meeting traditional potters