I took an early morning flight from Bali and reached Lombok in just 25 minutes. The flight was short but it was very scenic flight. I could see Mt Batur from the window and beautiful small islands of Bali just after the take off. Towards the end of the flight we saw huge volcanic mountain Mt Rinjani and It looked as if the mountain is rising up from the sea just like a huge tsunami. The size of the island is very similar to Bali but the island is far less developed compared to Bali. It is less touristy and less crowded. Small towns are scattered all over the island. Hotels in Lombok are less expensive than Bali but they have less amenities. I stayed near Senggigi beach because it was very close to Gili islands and Mount Rinjani. There is a direct bus also to Senggigi from the airport and it takes only 1 hour to reach. You can also stay at south Lombok near Kuta beach. Different types of restaurants, shops and accommodation are available near the beach.
On the first day at Lombok I wanted to explore all the famous beaches around Lombok I wanted to visit 3 beaches in the island. I negotiated with a taxi driver for the trip and got a deal at 30 USD, which involved trip to 3 beaches and also drop off at my hotel in the evening. Since the island is less developed there is no public transport to beaches and you have to take your own private motorbike or taxi if you want to visit all the places. I would recommend to book your own taxi because the taxi cost is very cheap.
Tanjung Ann beach –Our first stop was Tanjung Ann beach. Tanjung Ann beach is the biggest and the most famous beach in Lombok. The beach is very famous among locals. The beach is very spacious and it looks beautiful because of the white sand. Crystal clear blue water and the surrounding hills were enhancing the landscape of the beach. There is also a lookout hill situated near the beach. It takes only 30 minutes in order to climb the lookout hill. I felt it was a tough climb because the weather was very hot and I started sweating a lot after the climb. The view from the top was spectacular. You could see the entire stretch of the beach from the view point. It was a sunny day and the white sand beach was looking beautiful along with the crystal clear blue water. There were some small shops near the parking lot of the beach. The place was not that touristy compared to other beaches of Bali. You have to either bring your own motorbike or your car if you want to visit the place.
I was really hungry after climbing the hill. My driver took me to a place near airport in order to try some authentic Lombok cuisine. Unlike Bali Lombok is predominantly a Muslim place. Lombok cuisine is inspired from Malay cuisine but it has its own flavor.
Mawun Beach- After our lunch stop we visited Mawun beach. It was just 1 hour ride but the roads were really bumpy towards the last part of the beach. There were less than 10 people in the beach. The beach is shaped like a horseshoe. There are small hills both sides of the beach. I saw some people climbing the rocks situated towards the left side of the beach. It was just a 10 minutes climb and you could see great views of the beach from the spot. The beach is perfect for swimming and surfing. There are only small shops near the beach and there are no restaurants or resorts near the beach.
Selong Balanak Beach – Our next stop was Selong Balanak beach. Mawun beach was situated very close to Selong Balanak Beach. We had to trace back till the main road and after a short drive we took another left turn and voila we reached Selong Balanak beach. It takes around 30 minutes to reach the beach from Mawun beach. The beach is not a very long beach and it is more crowded compared to Mawun beach. It is a more happening place compared to Mawun beach because there are lots of shops, restaurants and surfboat rentals place near the entrance of the beach. The shape of the beach was curved and there were hills on both sides of the island. The sea was calm compared to the other two beaches I visited during the day. I visited the place during the evening time and I saw large number of buffaloes crossing the beach and it was a very unique sight. The beach is perfect for swimming because of very gentle slope and soft texture sand. We waited at the beach till sunset and the view was worth it. After sunset i started my journey back to Senggigi beach. It took us 1 hour to reach Senggigi beach from Selong Balanak beach. The weather was perfect that day for exploring beaches. My guide/driver was very friendly.
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