Indonesia has quickly developed into a must-visit holiday destination. Visitors love the archipelago for its myriads of tourist offerings as well as luxurious but cheap accommodations. Compared to many popular vacation destinations on the globe, Indonesia beats most in costs.

 Other reasons that drive tourism in the country include friendly locals and finger-licking cuisine. While most visitors head to the more well-known Bali, there are other destinations in the archipelago that are less crowded. One of these is Lombok.

You should make your plans to visit Lombok before the world discovers the undiscovered treasure the island is. You will be pleasantly surprised by the calm island and wonder why more people fail to visit.

There are three major reasons to head over to Lombok Island:

• The visual dream that is the coastline
• The astounding countryside
• No crowds

Hence, while you are on your Komodo Island Cruise, you should consider spending a few days in Lombok. You will love the relatively untouched beauty of this Indonesian paradise. Here are a few more reasons to head over to Lombok.

1.     The Oberoi Lombok Resort

Nothing beats staying at a luxury resort right in the heart of paradise. The Oberoi Lombok Resort is the first of its kind to be built on the island. Despite not being the newest, it certainly remains the best in Lombok.

Living here gives you some idyllic views of the island as it built on a beachside at Tanjung. Also, you can easily and quickly access Gili Islands from the resort’s jetty via speedboat.

2.     Gili Islands

This brings us to the Gili Islands! Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan make up the Gili Islands; a spectacular island trio located off Lombok’s coastline. While they are officially part of Lombok, they differ in a number of ways.

The biggest of the three islands is Trawangan which has no motor vehicles. You get around by bicycle, cart taxis and horses. It is so far removed from your usual monoxide-filled haunts that you may want to extend your stay.

You can get a picnic basket from the Oberoi Lombok Resort and enjoy a quiet meal on the beach.

3.     The Waterfalls

One may argue that there is already too much water on an island, but the Lombok Waterfalls must be experienced. Visit Senaru, a village located in Gunung Rinjani. It sits 600 meters above sea level and gives you an uninterrupted view of the Flores Sea.

From here you can see the Lombok Waterfalls known locally as Singang Gile and Tiu Kelep. The most breathtaking one is Tiu Kelep. Singang Gile gets its water from Gunung Rinjani. The waterfall can be accessed via a trail in the rainforest and past it, you will get to Tiu Kelep.

You need to be careful while getting to these falls because there are shallow rapids with slippery rocks to cross. The water below the falls is lovely for a cool swim.

4.     Ride a Cidomo

This is the standard and most authentic means of transport on the island. The cidomo is a traditional horse-drawn cart that is decorated with bright colors and elaborate adornments. It is slow but allows you to experience the beauty of the island.

The cidomos are being phased out in many of the island’s larger town because the animals leave lots of dung in their wake. However, visitors can still experience complimentary rides at the Oberoi Lombok Resort.

These will take you on a guided scenic ride to the traditional market at the village of Tanjung.

5.     The Underwater Sculptures

You do not have to be a veteran diver to experience view these spectacular sculptures. A snorkeling adventure off Gili Islands’ coasts will give you a nice view. A British sculptor named Jason deCares Taylor is credited with designing one of the newest sculptors.

It has four dozen standing and prostrate human figures as big as a fully grown human. They are quite a sight to behold.

Conclusion

Lombok Island is the place to go for a quiet family or solo vacation. It is largely an untouched tropical paradise with just the right touch of modern amenities to make it comfortable.