Scott Barronton (00:00)
When most travelers think about Indonesia, they picture Bali, the beaches, the temples, the lush rice terraces. But what if we told you there's another island just across a narrow stretch of sea, one that's every bit as beautiful, but with fewer crowds, more unspoiled landscapes, and a slower, more authentic rhythm of life? Today, we're taking you to Lombok, Indonesia, Bali's quieter
wilder neighbor. It's one of the stops on our upcoming cruise and we've been busy planning how to spend our single day in port. We'll share what makes Lombok so special, what you can do with about 10 hours ashore, and why we think this is a destination that deserves a longer stay all on its own.
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We're Scott and Melissa, The Sunshine Travelers.
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Scott Barronton (01:22)
You know, Scott, when we first saw Lombok on the cruise itinerary, I'll admit that I had to look up exactly where it was. I mean, I knew Indonesia, but kind of, proximity to everything else. I knew it was near Bali. I just didn't realize that it was so close across the water. Yeah, it's literally a short flight or a ferry ride away, but we're going to be there as a part of our upcoming cruise. And I knew that we were going near Bali.
but I didn't realize that it was actually this close.
So I've heard people say that Lombok is what Bali used to be. Quieter, less developed, and still absolutely beautiful. And that's what we're looking forward to. You get the beaches, the mountains, the culture, but without all the crowds and traffic, it is a little more relaxed, more connected to the land and to the people, and that's what we really enjoy. Yeah, that's really our kind of destination, a place that feels authentic.
where life seems to move at its own pace.
So today we're going to preview how to make the most of our day that we'll spend in port and then why you might want to look at it for an upcoming trip. So let's get started with what makes Lombok such a beautiful alternative to Bali.
Lumbok sits just east of Bali separated by short 20 minute flight or a two hour ferry ride. And the time of year that we're going Melissa in November, I have read that the ferries may be impacted by weather because we're going during the rainy season. but it is really close.
And so a lot of people are familiar with Bali and maybe that would just be their tendency is to choose Bali over Lombok. Yeah, I think so. mean, places that people are, familiar with. Well, at its heart is Mount Rinjani and this is Indonesia's second highest volcano. And it's really neat because I've seen so many pictures that inside this big caldera
sits a surreal blue lake called Sagara Anak, which means child of the sea. so inside that lake, there's another volcano that pops up out of the lake. so some people might be familiar with that picture. I've seen it all over in researching now Indonesia.
So if you start searching for Indonesia, specifically Lombok, you're going to see this picture. So it's one of those kind of like iconic scenes. Yeah. And unfortunately, and I think we'll talk about this in a little bit. You don't have time to go up and get to the real overlook to see that picture. So I don't know if we can take our drone on this trip or what, but they say that you'd want to fly a drone up to get that image.
Okay, wow. So the people of Lombok are known as the Sasak and their culture runs very deep here. So you'll still find villages where women weave intricate textiles by hand and homes that are made of bamboo and clay.
Faith plays a huge part in life here.
the island is Muslim and you also find Hindu and animist influences, especially at Ling Saur temple where Muslims and Hindus come together for shared ceremonies. so we had to look up what animist means and this is a perspective that believes that all things both animate and inanimate possess a spirit or soul.
Well, we're going to talk about exactly what we're going to do in a second, but I think what we're going to do is really going to help us to be able to understand and learn a lot more about the culture and the way of life.
And then on top of the culture, there's the scenery. You have white sand beaches in the south to cascading waterfalls on Rinjani slopes and those famous Gili Islands just off the Northwest coast. It's a photographer's dream and a traveler's playground. not sure about the drone yet because sometimes the regulations of that are really challenging. But
Definitely you will have your camera.
So let's talk about when to visit Lombok. Its climate is tropical year round, but the experience varies quite a bit depending on the season. Now for us, it's not like we really, we have a choice, right? We talked about in the last episode that this cruise is like the one, if you're gonna do this repositioning cruise, so there's not really a choice of what time to go, especially for this. So,
First of all, May to September is Lombok's dry season. And that's kind of going to be the sweet spot for weather, scenery and accessibility. Very little rain, perfect for beaches, hiking, water activities with comfortable temperatures
around 86 Fahrenheit or 30 degrees Celsius. And so one of the things that people like to do here is snorkeling, diving around the Ghili Islands. And so this time of year, when it's calm would be excellent visibility for that.
So the vibe during that time is lively, but not crowded like Bali would be, but ideal for outdoor adventures and photography, like we mentioned. Really good time of the year for beach days, sunsets, and then hiking or trekking to the mountain and the volcano,
Visiting waterfalls like Tiu Kelep and Sendang Gile and then of course exploring the traditional villages, which I hope we also get to do. And then speaking of the ferries like you did before, that time of the year would give you the smooth ferry rides which you might not have in other times. May and June is especially great for photography because you'll have blue skies and the vibrant greens and really good light.
shoulder season here is just before and after that really dry season. So the months of April and October. So if you prefer fewer tourists, but still want mostly dry of April and October are going to be a really good bet. And Scott, you and I really like to travel in
shoulder season to a lot of places for that very reason. So April is going to be the tail end of the rainy season. Landscapes are lush. The waterfalls are full. You still will have the occasional afternoon showers. And Scott, we have been to Hawaii before after they had like a huge weeks and weeks of rain. And it was so interesting then to see how the waterfalls were so.
There were so many. rushing and so many of them, right? And before, I think we stayed about 10 days and by the end, a lot of the places where you had seen water gushing out of the mountains and the rocks had really dried up. So that's just kind of the things that you'll experience when you kind of go in this change of seasons. October, on the other hand, you're going to have warm and dry calm seas, but of course the fewer visitors as the dry season winds down. And October, lots of people are going back to school and, and holidays are over.
So this shoulder season is gonna be great for a balance of greenery and sunshine, but you'll see those budget friendly rates on resorts. Great for photography because you'll have clear skies, soft light, and just a relaxed local vibe because you won't have a lot of tourists. So these months were wonderful for culture and nature but not overly touristy.
So then Scott, we are gonna be they are at the very beginning of the rainy season. So November all the way to March is Lombok's wet season. Humidity is gonna be up, daily rain showers are common. Sounds like Florida, but it's not all bad.
but typically heavy afternoon downpours rather than all day storms, again, like Florida. That definitely sounds like Florida. Right. So warm and humid around 88 degrees Fahrenheit, but the seas can be rough, ferry crossings may be delayed, a lot fewer tourists, peaceful and quiet.
So this is a great time to travel if you like off-season pricing and fewer crowds. And then of course, the waterfalls are going to be at their fullest. And then of course, the lower prices if you travel, for longer periods of time. And then of course, exploring the cultural side of Lombok rather than the adventure activities since you might have that wet weather and stuff like that.
Yeah, I saw in the wet season, they often close the slopes on Mount Rinjani, because of the mud and it's really dangerous, for trekking. so, if that's really your vibe, you want to go and you want to do these hikes and you want to go up to these peaks and have these spectacular views, then the rainy season is not the time for you to go there.
Yeah, and again, that reminds us of Hawaii because when we were there wanting to do the Nepali Coast hike, I think there were some days when, that place just gets muddy and it gets very dangerous. So yeah, if hiking is the thing, then definitely want to pay attention to that. So we will report back, obviously, after we go and let you know what that beginning of the rainy season was like for us.
What we said at the beginning of the episode is that we have one day that we're going to get to spend there in port. And so we want to talk about how we plan to experience Lombok on our upcoming cruise. We'll be docking at Limbar port on Lombok, Southwest coast. And we have roughly 10 to 11 hours in port. So we want a good mix of nature, beauty, and really a glimpse into that local life and culture.
So Scott, you actually did a lot of the preliminary research for this particular port. ⁓ Again, this reminds me of us kind of planning when we went to Europe. you do a trip like this, there is a lot more, research that you kind of have to do when you do a lot of ports. I mean, you don't have to, I guess you could just go pick different shore excursions or...
just get off and be surprised but we like to kind of do some research and see. So you did a lot of research about this particular one
And you said the key here is for us to hire a local driver, a local guide to take us around. And what we found when we started looking is, especially coming from Australia, it seems very affordable, right? And then that also gives us the flexibility and a lot of the things that we read about several of them. Okay, so here's kind of a list of the different things you could do. What is the most interest to you?
⁓ And then I think the other thing too, not that we would just go off on our own, but this will help us to kind of be on a, if you want to do this, this and this, this is kind of the time frame that you have, because that's something that we are bad about. So maybe it's just the time of the year, but we were able to find drivers for all day for a tour, transportation and all that for less than $50 per person. Yeah, I couldn't believe that. That just seemed crazy.
when I saw it and I had to go back and double check those prices a couple of times just to make sure that it was right. Yeah, so we will probably talk to them and they will tell us, okay, here is, the best approach to like the order of doing things.
But we're thinking maybe start our day in the Sade village, one of Lombok's oldest Sasak communities. The homes are built with the thatch roofs earthen floors. The villagers are known for the hand woven ikat fabrics. And they tell stories through their patterns. Now, Scott, so this is something that's super interesting to me. And I don't even know if we've ever talked about this on the podcast.
I actually have a degree in textile engineering, which of course was more on the engineering side or the production side of textiles, I just love that kind of thing, especially then when they are handmade, right? Because that's where the production side comes from is how things were actually made, by hand. So I love that and I love collecting.
⁓ things to use in our home from, and, being given them as gifts, like my sister has brought me stuff because it's so meaningful and handmade. so from what we understand, it's not a stage show, it's real life. You can watch weaving in action. and then chat with the locals about their traditions, ⁓ probably through our guide.
So this was something that we had the opportunity to do when we were in Egypt, they took us and we went to this place where they were making these rugs by hand and ⁓ Melissa got in there and they gave her a couple of strings and showed her how to tie them off. And that's what they did is they just tied these strings on continuously.
forming these patterns. And then later they'll go back and snip them off close where you can see that pattern more clearly. But definitely something that we enjoy doing. I think that tells the story of the culture more so than listening to a guide. Going there and seeing it and asking questions.
And those are the kind of things that we like to do. And maybe that's an opportunity for us to take our microphones and interview some people along the way. But after that, we're going to head south toward Tanjung A'an Beach. It is described as having turquoise water, soft white sand, and rolling green hills all around you. Very peaceful and stunning. I am hopeful. It doesn't mean
that just because it's the rainy season that it will be raining. So I am really hopeful that we'll have a nice day there and get to see the beautiful turquoise waters. Definitely we're going to ask our driver for recommendations on places where maybe we can have lunch at one of little seaside cafes. One of the things that
I read that you have to try is Ayam Talewang. And so who doesn't want some Ayam Talewang? But that's Lombok's famous spicy grilled chicken with rice and vegetables. And then after lunch, we'll make our way up to Ukit Meyurase. It's a hill overlooking the bay. And from the top, you can see the coastline curve in both directions.
been trying to find a spot where we can see that volcano that sits down inside the caldera. And all of my research just says that you need to hike like five to six hours up a steep incline on Mount Rinjani in order to get the best pictures. And so that's just not something that anyone coming in on a cruise would be able to do on a port day. Yeah. And going back for just a second about like lunch,
I too am hoping like the guide is open to, and I'm sure they would be to like have lunch with us, take us to the place, what to order, that kind of thing. Because when we've ever sat down with a guide and we've done this in several places, it's just a great, it's great experience. we did this in Jamaica. We did this when we were in Belize one time. Of course, Egypt, we've told you all about that. But that just makes a great experience to share a meal and
let them tell us about the food and things that we should try.
And I would say that is definitely one of those places that you want to try to be at during the golden hour. Perfect for photos, video, or even just a quiet moment to take all that in before you head back to the ship. And so if we have time, maybe we can make a quick stop in Kutulumbuk, not to be confused with Kutabali.
So in Bali, there's a kuta as well. And a lot of the visitors describe this as a laid back surf town with small markets and local coffee shops. So grab a quick cup of coffee before we head back to the ship and ⁓ wind up our day.
Now, if you have more time to spend in Lombok, and I think that we're going to want to, that's when the magic really starts to unfold. Let's take like a five to seven day stay that lets you experience the island's diversity, both the beaches, the mountains, the culture, and some of those dreamy offshore islands, they call them Ghilis And so what I would suggest
is that you start in the south based in Kuta, Lombok,
where you're going to find beaches like Selang Belanak, Mawun Tanjung Aan. And, you know, these are some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Indonesia. They're long curved bays framed by green hills and that turquoise water that it's so famous for.
All right, Scott, let's give a little bit of idea of maybe a couple of places to stay because you and I were looking at some pictures and the prices and we were like, oh, wow. So one place that we ran across was Jeeva Balone beach camp. think like eco luxury bungalows right on the sand that overlook the water.
Absolutely gorgeous. So you found them for like $220 for two nights beachfront.
but if you want something that's more like a resort experience, look at the Lombok Lodge near the Gillies, five-star resort, private villas, infinity pools, views across to Bali's Mount Agung. So this is more like 700 to a thousand dollars for two nights. But I mean, it would be thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars for two nights anywhere else. But absolutely gorgeous.
Yeah, I was just blown away that these they're like these A-frame huts with thatch roofs and they've got this glass front that just looks out over the bay right there on the water. And, you know, for two nights for $200, I asked Melissa, said, how long could you stay here in this place? Yeah, probably. I mean, at least a week would be
Amazing, but probably a couple of weeks.
And I don't need all of the refined, resort experience. I don't have to have all of that because we're going to spend most of our time out, hiking and experiencing the culture, swimming in the ocean. Like, that's what I'm thinking about here. Yeah, but it's just good to know that if you want something that's ultra luxury
without the ultra luxury price tag, like this is a place that you need to start looking at.
Well, after a few days on the coast, now we're going to head north towards Siniru. This is the gateway to Mount Rinjani. You can visit Sin Dangile in Teukalp Waterfalls. Boy, that is something else to try to pronounce. But ⁓ these are both very spectacular.
And if you want to, you can stay at Rinjani Lodge where the infinity pool looks straight at the volcano. All right. So now I have two. No, I can't imagine, but I have two hotels now on my bucket list that have these pools that look at the volcano. One in Costa Rica. And now you've added this one to my list. Well, Costa Rica is probably going to be a little bit easier to visit. We should call that out. This is Indonesia.
So from the US, this is a really long flight to get there, but just go and stay for a couple of weeks. This place, I'm telling you, when we go and we do slow travel across Asia, this place is going to get a good amount of our time.
from what we see in some of these pictures It's one of those places that almost doesn't feel real like you're like pinching yourself while you're there the kind of view that makes you just stop talking for a minute or For an hour and just laying there and taking it in absolutely gorgeous And this is why you and I struggle on these tours is because we just want to take it in Where if we were on a bus and it was timed out
and it's got to be moving on a regular pace, we just can't take it in the way that we like to. Yeah, and so that's why I think having a guide of our own is going to be really helpful for this, even though we won't get to see everything, we'll have to cut some things out, but I think that's why. So for adventure lovers, you can hike part way up Mount Rinjani to the crater rim and look down into the Singara Lake.
It's one of the most surreal landscapes in Indonesia.
And then finish your trip on the Gili Islands, Gili Air, Gili Mino, and Gili Trawangan. So when I first saw that, I was like, Gili Air, that sounded like a little local airline.
maybe like one of those float planes or something like that. But that's actually one of these little islands or geelys that they call them. so no cars, just bikes and horse carts. And so I think after doing some more research, geely air is probably our pick. Quiet but not isolated, great snorkeling, fresh seafood, sunsets.
And you know how much I love sunsets. So when we have the opportunity, like you said, to do some slow travel in Asia, I think we're gonna definitely have to check this one out. And I just love, you know, I've been to island in Greece where again, no cars, it was donkeys and I don't think I saw any bikes, but donkeys and walking. It just makes it feel so peaceful, I think.
think the point here is that Lombok has all of the beauty of Bali. It has the beaches, the culture, the luxury, but there's a lot more space to breathe. It's the perfect blend of adventure and calm while remaining authentic. And it kind of reminds me of what we've been saying to you guys about Curacao versus Aruba. One of the reasons we really loved Curacao so much was because of the authenticity
of the island still. It hadn't been overdeveloped. hadn't been, you know, turned into a tourist hotspot as much as Aruba had. Now I know there's a lot of people out there and I'm probably gonna get some messages about how great Aruba is and that we need to give it another try. And we've said that, but this is what we're thinking as we go to Lombok.
Bali had been on our list of somewhere that we wanted to go. But now I think that Lombok is just the right option for us.
And Melissa, since this is a destination episode, let's talk about what you're going to need to pack.
So this is gonna be interesting for us since like we mentioned before, we're gonna be going all the way from the southern part of Australia, right, where we may have some cooler temperatures and now we've got to think about, this humidity, the heat, and then also the rain as well.
So definitely want to think about lightweight, but we definitely also want to be modest and think about that and keep that in mind as we travel. So breathable fabrics, I think are going to be key for us. Things that are easy to wash and then dry to get wet, know, nothing, nothing precious for sure. And so of course, the things that we have been loving recently are the Paca shirts.
And we've also talked about the wool sweaters. we may need those early on as well. So quick dry shorts for the beach and for hiking. And then of course, probably longer loose clothing for the temple visits in rural areas where it would be more appropriate to have shoulders covered instead of wearing tank tops and knees covered. And so that was a good...
thing for me to take when we did that long trip in Europe as well. It was easy to transition skirts like that from beach cover-ups almost to then be able to go into the churches and go into some places where that would be more appropriate than wearing shorts as well. Since Lombok is predominantly Muslim, and again, modesty is appreciated outside the tourist areas,
I always travel with some kind of scarf as well. So just in case there's lots of uses that you can do with that. And then I also probably will bring along some loose light pants. know, jeans are too heavy, too hard to wash, but it's good to have those. They're easy to wash and they can be lightweight. Sun hats and caps, swimwear of course, ⁓ comfortable walking shoes that can get wet.
flip-flops or sandals. And I like, my Birkenstocks, of course, and a pair that can go from beach to dinner and whatever. And if they get wet and they get ruined after this trip, that's okay, because that's the purpose of them A day pack, of course.
⁓ that will need that. And we definitely need to remember to bring our microfiber towels. So even if you're on a cruise, yeah, there'll be a ⁓ beach towel that you can take from the cruise and have for the day, but they're so big. And then if they get wet, they're hard to carry around. And so what we found is like the camping towels are great for this. Reef safe sunscreen, of course, our reusable water bottles, I think are gonna be super handy.
polarized sunglasses, and then a dry bag. So we're gonna have to come up with some kind of day pack and dry bag. I think it's gonna be a good combination of that as well. and then as far as more essentials and things for health. So I think keeping basic medicines for motion sickness, minor aches and pains, and probably some stomach. So whatever you like to use for stomach issues, digestive enzymes, probiotics.
And then probably antihistamines too, just in case you run across something you're a little bit more allergic to. Hand sanitizer, wet wipes in case you can't wash up. And then of course electrolyte packets.
So of course we've been loving these at home and on our travels and just having these with us have been super handy because we have to keep in mind a lot of these places that we're gonna go, especially in this area, the tap water is not drinkable. So making sure that we are able to fill up our water bottles with bottled water or using filtered water for that as well.
And I will put a list of this in the show notes.
Well, Lombok might not have Bali's fame, but maybe that's the point. It's a place where you can still hear the wind through the palm trees, where you're greeted with a smile and a selamat pagi, which means good morning, and where the ocean seems endless. Whether you're visiting for a day or staying for a week, Lombok reminds us that sometimes the best destinations are the ones that are just beyond the familiar.
The world is full of sunshine and surprises and Lombok is definitely one of them. Make 2025 the year that you explore beyond the familiar.
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