An Alternative to Bali: Lombok Island

Lombok is practically foreign to the average tourist in Indonesia despite being minutes away from Bali. This island is essentially an alternative to Bali with fewer tourists. Not being ones that like to be surrounded by tourists, Jamarcus and I opted for Lombok instead of Bali. We stayed at Idoop hotel for about $25 a night total for the both of us, which was a steal. Although it wasn’t in walking distance to the beach, the service was great and it was spacious and clean.

We took a taxi to the beach nearby and practically had it to ourselves. The beach was stunning with water so clean you could see right through it. Jamarcus and I grabbed lunch before starting our journey.

After lunch we made our way along the beach and the views did not disappoint. Pure natural beauty. One thing in particular I enjoyed was seeing all the aquatic animals. You could find starfish, crabs, shells, everything. To be honest, we didn’t even swim our first day in Lombok. I found more pleasure in searching for creatures in the water.

Later in the day we came cross a large group of young kids shouting “OBAMA!!!”. They asked where we were from and after replying with “America” they all smiled. All of the kids expressed their satisfaction with Obama and we talked with them for a bit. Afterwards, they asked if we could help clean the beach and we agreed to. They explained that people often trash the beach and that they collectively gather to clean it up weekly. Jamarcus and I were glad to help!

The sunset in Lombok was out of this world! Pictures don’t do it justice.

For dinner, we found a local spot next to the beach and were able to get all of this for just a few dollars. Hard to imagine how a meal with this kind of view would be this affordable, it was almost too good to be true.

When you hear Indonesia, Bali often comes to your mind first, but if you’re looking for an alternative with fewer tourists and a place to relax, Lombok is the perfect place. It’s literally a boat ride away!