Ever had that meal at the restaurant the guide books recommended. While the meal is more often than not surely more than passable, you still have the feeling that your money deserved better value. Whether it is due to the crowds converging, service levels going down or general laxity which success bestows, it is difficult to put a finger upon. While walking out a small distance away you notice more establishments have sprang up near the guide book recommended place. The places seem to be less crowded, less costly and seem in every way to be able to give the established place a run for its money. You try out them and they invariably seem to provide a much better experience and value.
And so was the case with Lombok, the neighbor of illustrious Bali. The paradise of Bali, while being very beautiful is also over run with tourists and most of the things smack of that made for tourist feeling. Many people lament the fact that the Balinese people have let their paradise be destroyed due to greed in catering to the tourists. In contrast the island of Lombok while being famous for the Gilis, is not that popular a destination in itself. We decided to have a stopover at Lombok itself after recommendation from a friend and so Lombok rather than it just being a springboard to the Gilis, become a destination for our trip.
The Gilis(Air, Meno, Trawangan) in themselves are super fun with the young party loving crowds, turquoise waters and a youthful buzz around it. The laid back atmosphere of the islands coupled with the absence of motorized transport of any form transported us into a different era. One of the best sunsets I have seen was from the island of Trawangan when the Sun set across the Lombok Strait with Bali’s Mount Agung as the backdrop. The place transforms itself in the night as the revelers take over, and the youthful energy can’t be missed.
However, the real revelation was the island of Lombok. Driving from the ferry terminal to our lodging we were totally unprepared for what we experienced. Beautiful winding hilly roads, with sheer cliff drop down to the ocean, multiple spots overlooking the bays and the mountains on the adjoining islands, this surely was what I dreamed off when I started to travel. My wife immediately remembered descriptions of the Italian Amalfi Coast while images of the Pacific Highway in Southern California especially the stretch between Monterey Bay and Santa Monica crossed my mind.
Mount Rinjani in the North along with its numerous waterfalls and lakes provide an amazing backdrop for many a hiking trip. Towards the South of the island, there are numerous roads that head towards the beach. Across these roads, there are villages and lifestyles not yet touched by the tourism industry and thus they do provide the wanderers with a sort of old world charm that you could so look forward to. With the clear waters being ideal for surfers and swimmers this indeed was a paradise. The lack of crowds was refreshing and many a beach were your own private little beaches. Well almost.
It is almost exhilarating to see a place before it is over run by tourists leading to it being transformed into yet another tourist destination. That has been the bane of many a places. Fortunately Lombok is not there yet. It provides all comforts, the rustic charm, the unspoiled outdoors, friendly locals and great food. Enjoy it before it gets over run. As our Aussie hosts Fatima and Glen succinctly put it across. “Shh…. We know it is an idyllic heaven. Now you know it too. Keep it a secret as we don’t want the crowds to overrun the island and turn it into another Bali”.
If Amalfi coast is anything like the coast of Lombok, it surely has a traveler looking forward to it. And, if you get an opportunity to go beyond what the guide book suggests, by all means grab it.
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