Lobster Bay
A private villa resort in the south east with an amazing setting and beautiful sunsets. We'd highly recommend it.
OUR LOMBOK
An island made for exploring.
Lombok is a great island to explore and we loved getting to all parts of it. Rather than staying in one place, we moved around the island and found that each part had something different to offer.
We started in the south east at Lobster Bay, a private villa resort with some amazing sunsets. From there we moved west along the southern coast to Segara, another superb boutique hotel with small, comfortable huts and some great food at its restaurant.
Further north, the Oberoi gave us a great base for exploring the three Gili Islands. We loved jumping between all three by spider boat and discovering that each island had its own personality.
We also loved Kuta. Sitting in coffee shops, watching skateboarders at Tribe, seeing the boys learning to surf and simply watching the world go by became some of our favourite moments.
FROM OUR CAMERA
Lombok, as we experienced it.
SOUTH EAST
Start by getting off the beaten track.
We began at Lobster Bay in the south east, a private villa resort that felt wonderfully removed from everything. The sunsets were a particular highlight and it was exactly the kind of place that made us want to slow down before moving on again.
THE ROAD
Half the fun is seeing what happens next.
Travelling around Lombok gives you plenty of moments you simply couldn't plan. We bumped into buffalo on the roads, found little stretches of coastline and jumped on a boat to reach a tiny beach that, for a while, felt like it belonged entirely to us.
SIMPLE STOPS
Good food, cold drinks and somewhere to sit.
There are plenty of simple beach warungs along the way. Nothing complicated — just good food, cold drinks and somewhere to sit for a while.
SEGARA
Small huts and a slower pace.
Moving west along the southern coast brought us to Segara, another boutique stay that we really enjoyed. The small, comfortable huts suited the relaxed feel of the place, but the restaurant was a real highlight.
THE GILIS
Three islands. Three completely different feels.
Further north, the Oberoi was a great base for exploring the three Gili Islands. We jumped between them by spider boat and quickly realised that each Gili has its own character.
ON THE WATER
Turtles, clear water and island days.
The Gilis are made for getting in the water. We saw turtles and spent time exploring the reefs around the islands. On land, the pace was just as appealing: beach warungs, simple bars and the feeling that there was nowhere else you needed to be.
KUTA
Coffee, surf and people watching.
We really loved Kuta. It has a relaxed, youthful energy that makes it very easy to settle into. We spent plenty of time sitting in coffee shops, watching the town go by and heading over to Tribe to watch the skateboarders.
SURF
Learning the rhythm of the coast.
We loved watching the boys learning to surf. Between the surf, beaches and cafés, Kuta became somewhere we were very happy simply spending time.
ACTIVE LOMBOK
Even the gyms have character.
For anyone who wants to keep moving, there are some surprisingly good options around the island. Xeno Fit, with its bamboo gym setting, was a memorable example. Locker Gym was another useful stop for keeping training in the routine while travelling.
BEST TIME
Dry season
The drier months are a great time to explore the island, beaches and Gili Islands.
WEATHER
Tropical
Expect warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine, with seasonal rain.
GETTING AROUND
Explore
Lombok rewards getting out and about, while boats make exploring the Gili Islands part of the fun.
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
Places and experiences we loved.
Segara
A superb boutique hotel further west along the southern coast, with comfortable huts and some excellent food at its restaurant.
The Oberoi
A great choice further north because of its proximity to the Gili Islands.
The three Gilis
Explore all three. Each has its own feel and jumping between them by spider boat makes it part of the adventure.
Pondok Santi
Our choice on Gili T for laid-back beach vibes, easy island days and a relaxed atmosphere.
Tribe
In Kuta, grab a coffee, sit back and watch the skateboarders while the world goes by.
The beach warungs
Don't overlook the simple places along the coast. They are part of what makes exploring Lombok so enjoyable.
Xeno Fit
A memorable bamboo gym for keeping active while you're travelling.
Locker Gym
Another useful option if you want to keep training while exploring the island.
OUR EDIT
Don't stay in one place.
Lombok is an island we'd recommend exploring properly. We loved getting to different parts of it rather than simply choosing one resort and staying there.
Lobster Bay in the south east was a highlight, particularly for the sunsets. Moving west to Segara gave us another superb stay and some great food along the way.
Further north, the Oberoi worked brilliantly as a base for the Gili Islands. We loved jumping between all three by spider boat, discovering that each island had its own personality.
There were turtles in the water, horses and carts on Gili T and plenty of places to stop for a beer in the dive shops.
And then there was Kuta. We loved sitting in coffee shops, watching the skateboarders at Tribe and seeing the boys learning to surf.
Lombok gave us the kind of trip we like most: beautiful places, great food, plenty of movement and enough unexpected moments to make the memories feel personal.
MORE FROM OUR CAMERA
More from Lombok.
OUR MAP
Lombok & the Gilis.
From the southern coast to the Gili Islands, Lombok is best experienced by moving around and seeing what each part of the island has to offer.