Lombok

How to go from Gili to Amed (Bali) by public transport

It takes all day… and you can’t really control the length of the trip, as the ferry boat takes more than 4 hours and the bemos usually departure when they have more than three people.

From Gili Meno to Amed… step by step:

Boat from Gili Meno to Bangsal, departure at 8 a.m. (but is better arrive earlier as the boat leave as soon as it gets full) and costs 14.000 Rp and the trip takes 25 minutes.
At Bangsal you need to walkway from the pier avoiding the touts that will try to sell you something. You need to walk 1.2 kilometers until Pemenang where the bemos wait. If it’s too much to walk for you can get a cimodo or an ojek (moto-taxi).
The bemo from Pemenang to Mataram costs 20.000 Rp and takes around 1 hour. Tell the driver that you are going to Lembar and he will drop you nearby Pasar Cakranegara, on the Jalan AA. Gde Ngurah.
Then you need to spot a bemo that will be waiting on the left side of Jalan AA. Gde Ngurah (between the intersection with Jl Tumoang and Jl Chairil Anwar, not far from an Alfamart supermarket).
The bemo from Mataram to Lembar cost 20.000 Rp and it took 45 minutes and dropped me at the harbor entrance.
At Lembar harbor go straight to the ticket counter located on the right side. Public ferry Padangbai (Bali) cost 40.000 Rp. The ferryboats run 24 hours but don’t have a fix schedules and all depend on the time they need to fill the boat with trucks, cars and motorbikes. The ferry trip takes around 4.30 hours but can be more.
If you arrive during the day to Padangbai you can probably can find bemos that drive along the north coast (Candidasa, Amlapura and further north…) passing by Culik (pronounces Chulik). According to the information that I obtain you need two bemos as they don’t drive far distances.
I arrive around 7 p.m. (due to works at the pier of Padangbai that make the boat wait 1.5 hours offshore) so there were no bemos just the usual touts pushing me to a taxi for 300.000 to Amed. Think you can bargain up to 200.000 Rp but, as I was alone and still was too much.
So I got an ojek (moto-taxi) to Amed for 100.000 Rp… the ride took 1.5 hours… is a long 45 kilometers ride to do with a backpack on a motorbike!!!

Total time: 13 hours (5:45 hours in the ferry due to works at the Padangbai pier)

Total costs: 194.000 Rp (if you arrive during the afternoon you can use one of the bemos waiting at the pier, and save the hard trip by ojek)

The alternative to the public transport is the fast boat from Gilis to Amed, that takes 45 minutes and costs minimum 450.000 Rp… from Amed to Gilis you can get a fast-boat for 250.000 Rp.

Food:

There’s a masakan padang eatery at Lembar, on the left side a few meters before the ticket counter. Or you can get food and water from the vendors that hang around the pier.

Inside the ferry, you can have cookies, snacks, instant soup…

Itinerary:

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Public ferry from Bali (Pandangbai) to Lombok (Lembar)
Kuta: 3 days
Tetebatu: 2 days
Mataram: 1 day
Gili Air: 2 days
Gili Meno: 4 days
Trip from Gili Meno to Lembar, and then Bali (from Gili to Amed) by public transport

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Costs:

13 €/day

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… considering traveling solo, eating just local food, no a/c rooms, sometimes dorms, travel by public transport as far as possible, no alcohol and no soft drinks, making my own laundry and walking a lot on foot. Shopping and souvenirs are also not included, as well health expenses and communications (SIM card, mobile, telephone, internet…).

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Costs in Lombok:

room (fan): minimum 100.000 Rp up to 130.000 Rp (one person)
meal: less than 20.000 Rp (local food, vegetarian meals, the breakfast was almost always included)
rent a scooter: 50.000 Rp/day
a litre of petrol: 10.000 Rp
snorkeling: 50.000 Rp/day (just gear)
bemos: around 1.000 Rp per kilometer
ojek: 10 km cost around 15.000 Rp (but the price of the ojek depends on your bargain skills and the needs of the driver, weather, time of the day…)

Note 1: in general the cost at Gilis are higher than Lombok, but just at Gili Air, I notice this. The Gili Meno is still quite cheap for food and with the same prices for accommodation.

Note 2: this trip was made in March/April 2017, which still is considered low season, when the prices of the accommodation could be bargain.

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How to go from Lombok to Gilis by public transport

You probably gonna need to take two bemos and one boat... no worries… just go with plenty of time and no stress! It will work… but is better to start early morning, about 7:30 am, because you’ll just arrive to Amed in the evening.

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How to go from Mataram to Bangsal by public transport:

If your accommodation in Mataram is at Cakraneagara neighbourhood you just need to wait at Jalan Panca Usaha for a bemo (yellow). And you don’t need to go to Mandalika Terminal to catch it.

You must ask the driver to drop you at the crossroad between Jalan Jendral Sudirman and Jalan Dr.Wahidin. The area is called Puri Lestari, but as most of the bemo drivers don’t speak English just ask for “Bangsal” and they probably will drop you nearby the junction and point you the next bemo that will be waiting there for passengers.

The second bemo (white or black) will take you to Pemenang; from here you need to walk to reach the pier. You can also get an ojek (moto-taxi) or a horse cart… both will be waiting for you at the place where the bemos stop.

The trip cost 25.000 Rp in total and takes 2 hours… most hotels can arrange a shuttle for you for 75.000 Rp.

Bemo from Jalan Panca Usaha to Puri Lestari: 5.000 Rp (takes around 30 minutes, but maybe you need to wait a while for a bemo that goes on that way… I start at 8 a.m. and just wait around 10 minutes).
Bemo from Puri Lestari to Pemenang: 20.000 Rp (it takes about 1 hour).
From Pemenang you can walk to the Bangsal pier: around 1.4 km.

The trip between Mataram and Pemenang is quite nice, with the road passing trough a hilly area, covered by thick jungle, where hundreds of monkey, gray fur and a kind of fluffy mustaches, wait on the road rails for some food drop by the cars and motorbikes that pass by.

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Bemo from Jalan Panca Usaha to Puri Lestari: 5.000 Rp

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Bemo from Puri Lestari to Pemenang: 20.000 Rp

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road from Mataram to Bangsal that pass by the Monkey forest where grey monkey wait for food on the road side — road from Mataram to Bangsal that pass by the Monkey forest where gray monkey wait for food on the road side

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From Mataram to Gilis_DSC_4098 — From Pemenang you can walk to Bangsal pier or take a ojek (moto-taxi) or a cimodo (horse cart)

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Public Boat to Gili Air:

If you are going to Gili Air by public boat (identified by the name Koperasi Angkutan Laut Karya Bahari) you must turn right until you find a small ticket counter behind a big building where the private companies sell their tickets.

Don’t ask informations to people hanging around the pier, as most of them will try to push you to one of the private boats, that are faster but much more expensive. For informations, you can go to the main ticket counter, inside the big building located on your left as you enter the harbour area.

The public boat doesn’t have a fixed schedule and just departure when is full, which mean 40 passengers.

I arrive around 11 a.m., and was one of the first on the list, but it took just 30 minutes to fill the boat. There isn’t a pier, so you need to put wet your feet to reach the boat. The same applies to when you arrive at the island.

The trip from Bangsal to Gili Air takes 15 to 20 minutes.

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From Mataram to Gilis_DSC_4103 — Departure area for Gili Air at Bangsal

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From Mataram to Gilis_DSC_4107 — Public boat from Lombok to the Gilis

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From Mataram to Gilis_IMG_2764 — Price of the trip from Bangsal to the three Gili

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From Mataram to Gilis_IMG_2765 — for any of the Gilis is charges a extra fee for foreigners: 2.500 Rp

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other option to go to Gilis with schedules and prices — other options to go to Gilis with schedules and prices

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How to go from Gili Air to Gili Meno:

They’re a hopping island service boat, from the public company (Koperasi Angkutan Laut Karya Bahari) that links the three Gilis.

From Gili Air to Gili Meno the ticket cost you 35.000 Rp, and there are boats at 8.30 and another at 15.00. The trip from Gili Air to Gili Meno takes about 10 minutes.

If you are on a very short budget and have plenty of time, you can take the boat back to Bangsal (12.000 Rp) and then another boat to Gili Meno (14.000 Rp+2.500 Rp). I didn’t try this option that just saves you 6.500 Rp and probably takes you all day 🙁

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From Mataram to Gilis_IMG_2771 — Schedule and prices of the boats that departure from Gili Air

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hopping boat between the three Gilis — hooping boat between the three Gilis

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From Mataram to Gilis_IMG_2774 — Hooping service that link the three Gili. 35.000 Rp from Gili Air to Gili Meno

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How to go from Gili Meno to Bangsal (Lombok):

There public boats to Bangsal three times a day: 8:00, 14:00 and 15:15… and the ticket cost 14.000 Rp.

You should arrive at least 30 minutes before the schedule, as the boat departure as soon as it’s full. Mine start 10 minuts before.

The trip from Gili Meno to Bangsal takes 25 minutes.

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From Mataram to Gilis_IMG_2782 — Schedule and price of the public boats from Gili Meno to Bangsal (Lombok)

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From Mataram to Gilis_IMG_2781 — Schedule and price of the public boats from Gili Meno to Bangsal (Lombok)

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Mataram… what am I doing here?!?!?

For what I saw during the day spent at Mataram, the capital of Lombok, doesn’t show any reason to stop here (except for the chance to stay at the lovely Oka and Son Guesthouse).

Usually what stand up in a city are the markets, the old part and some temples… here there’s not properly a center, with the city spreading along wide and busy avenues, that run more or less parallel to each others orientated east to west, with some quiet small streets in between, creating a grid, that make the orientation in Mataram easy.

Maybe the most interesting area is nearby the sea, around Taman Ampenan Sakaraja with some small buildings, a kind of shop houses that are a clear influence of the Chinese traders… but still far from be a charming or an appealing place.

Walking further west, following the calling for the sea, we face a poor area of the city, nearby Pantai Ampenan, a king of slum where the friendly smiles and the “hallo” that come from everywhere cannot hide the depressive appearance of the place, where the fishing is still an important activity while the kids play in the waves that bring the plastic that accumulates at the shore.

Nearby, the Pasar Kekon Roek, located in a gloomy and characterless building has a similar atmosphere, with the vendors suffering from a grey lethargy. But early morning the market is vibrating with activity with the usual movements of people and the porters. The line of horse carts (locally called cidomo) are an unexpected image in the urban landscape, bit still very popular for short distances.
The Pasar Tradisional Cakraneagara, one of the biggest market in Mataram, is far from be attractive without many interesting things for a visitor to see or buy… even the fruits and vegetable area shows oppressive, being better just buy outside along the Jalan Banjaran Sari.

But not all is bad in Mataram… in fact, walking along the small streets we can see many influence of the Balinese arquitectura, in temples and houses, that are the result of the Balinese kingdom, that extended it’s presence to the west part of Lombok, before the Dutch invasion. As a result there’s a small group of Hindu community in a island where the population is 87% Muslim.

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Sweets at Pasar Kekon Roek, Mataram, Lombok

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Where to sleep in Mataram:

The best area to find a quiet and affordable place to sleep is around Cakranegara (pronouce chakranegára), between the Cakranegara market and the Mataram Mall.

The hotel Viktor, with his three houses located at the same street (Jalan Abumanyu) is a very popular option, with nice and clean rooms. The breakfast is very poor, bread with chocolate, boiled egg and coffee.

The price for a room with fan, and bathroom inside (cold shower), cost 120.000 Rp (no chance to bargain). A room with ac is 170.000 Rp. The breakfast is included and water, tea and coffee are free and available all day.

The staff is ok, but will not help you in nothing about moving around or how to go to your next destination, pushing you always to “shuttle buses”, “tour packs” or a taxi!!!

The wi-fi hasn’t a good connection.

But walking around this area there are more options, and one place that has character and look to me very cozy is located nearby: Oka and Son Guesthouse (not to mistake with the next door called Oka homestay). Very nice place with the room facing a garden, build in Balinese style, and run by a super friendly couple. The rooms start in 150.000 Rp, and have a good wi-fi connection… and here is guaranteed that you have all the information you need about how to move around by public transportation, and no tout will show up trying to push you to expensive options. A place with a good vibe and a happy dog 🙂

Oka and Son Guesthouse

Phone: 0819-1600-3637

Address: Jalan Rapatmaja, Cilinaya, Cakranegara, Mataram

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Oka and son Guesthouse (Jalan Rapatmaja, Cakranegara). Mataram, Lombok

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Where to eat in Mataram:

Nearby Pasar Cakraneagara, along Jalan Tumpang Sari there are several options of local food, as also some street-food. The food area inside the Pasar Cakraneagara is far from being attractive.

At the Pasar Kekon Roek you can also get some snacks and sweets.

On the small streets between Jalan Selaparang and Jalan Tumpang Sari there are also small eateries very basic and very cheap. At the Jalan Banjaran Sari there is a good place to look for masakan padang food.

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How to move around in Mataram:

Along Jalan Selaparang and Jalan Tumpang Sari you can find many bemos during the day, easy to identify by the yellow color, as many of them run from the Mandalika Bus terminal to Pasar Kekon Roek.

There must be a fix price for a ride, as everyone give the exact amount of money to the driver, but for foreigners you must negotiate the price before get inside the bemo. A ride inside Mataram shouldn’t cost more than 5.000 Rp.

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Ojek (moto-taxis) that gather a bit everywhere in Mataram streets but are easily found nearby the markets. Mataram, Lombok

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Hose cart, locally called "cidomo" are still a common way to move around the city, specially for shot distances, and that are easy to find nearby the markets area. Mataram, Lombok — Hose cart, locally called “cidomo” are still a common way to move around the city, specially for shot distances, and that are easy to find nearby the markets area. Mataram, Lombok

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ATMs and Money exchange in Mataram:

There are a few moneychangers in the city, but all far away from the Cakraneagara area, some of them with appealing rates, but to reach there you need a bemo.

So if you are at a walking distance from the Pasar Cakraneagara, the best option is to go to one of the goldsmiths (took emas) shops on the crossroad of Jalan Sutra Hasanudin with Jalan Selaparang. More or less they all have the same rate, but at my visit I could get a bit more for my euros at Toko Emas Melati.

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There are a few moneychangers in Mataram, but the easiest way (and the most central) is to go to one of the Goldsmiths (Toko Emas in bahasa) located nearby the Pasar Chakranengara. Mataram, Lombok — There are a few moneychangers in Mataram, but the easiest way (and the most central) is to go to one of the Goldsmiths (Toko Emas in bahasa) located on crossroad of Jalan Sutra Hasanudin with Jalan Selaparang. Mataram, Lombok

Tetebatu and the Sasak wedding

Ducks, flying in a group with characteristic flapping wings, sending funny chirps that leave a subtle trace in the morning fresh air, returning again, moments before the sun disappears in the horizon.

Tetebatu, on the way from the sea to the top of Rinjani volcano, is a perfect place to cultivate rice, with its smooth slopes facing south. The thick clouds that frequently hide the top of Rinjani Mountain, the highest point in Lombok, leave behind a huge quantity of rain that goes down the hill until flood the rice terraces. A short walk along the rice fields offer nice views to the Rinjani volcano, but that are quickly hidden by the clouds that arrive a few hours after the sunrise and stay there during the rest of the day.

The days run smooth in Tetebatu, marked by the chanting of prayers that come out from the mosques that are a bit everywhere around the village and even at small settlements spread around. The sound of the calling for prayers, five times a day, fill the air in the Tetebatu village, but the Arabic words don’t seem to match with the tropical landscape of rice fields and coconut trees.

In Tetebatu, as also other places in the countryside of center and East Lombok, still keep alive the Sasak culture and traditions, that despite the connection and the influence of the Balinese culture, differ mainly by being strongly based on the Muslim religion.

Nowadays what pops up from the Sasak culture is the music, the weaving patterns of the sarongs, the food where the coconut is a strong presence, and the Sasak language, that is spoken by all the population, with the Bahasa used to communicate mainly with people from other islands and for official proposes, as the Sasak just exist in the oral version.

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Lombok_Tetebatu_DSC_3934 — Tetebatu. Lombok

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Lombok_Tetebatu_DSC_3966 — Tetebatu. Lombok

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Lombok_Tetebatu_Sasak_DSC_3885 — Tetebatu, Lombok

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Lombok_Tetebatu_DSC_3981 — Tetebatu. Lombok

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Lombok_Tetebatu_DSC_3975 — Tetebatu. Lombok

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Lombok_Tetebatu_DSC_3982 — sarong with local patterns. Tetebatu. Lombok

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Lombok_Tetebatu_DSC_3993 — View of the Rinjani Volcano, during a clear moment without clouds early morning. Tetebatu. Lombok

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But his routine was suddenly broken by the parade of a Sasak wedding that filled Tetebatu main road, adding bright colors to the green scenario and spreading the melodious coming out from drums, bamboo xylophones, gongs and metal plates of the gamelan orchestra, that plays and perform dancing during the wedding parade.

Despite the majority of the population in Lombok being Muslim, the wedding parade shows a lot of the Balinese culture and influence, that pops up in the guest outfit, with many women without the Muslim hijab, dressing the Balinese kebaya, and the men with double sarongs and the udeng around the head. Also, the music and the dances performed during the parade that crosses the village is a clear influence from the neighbor Hindu island.

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Where to sleep in Tetebatu:

There are many accommodations in Tetebatu. Most of them are located on the road that leaves from the center of the village to East, on the way to Kemang Kuning. The prices are around 150.000 Rp, but during the low season, you can get a lower price. The Kemang Kuning Cottages have a room for 100.000 Rp but is a bit far out from the village, and just behind a mosque… and the first calling for prayers is around 4.30 in the morning.

I stay at Matra Bungalows. There a three different type of accommodation here, and the cheapest one is a small hut with a single room and bathroom, for 100.000 Rp (low season) including breakfast (coffee, fruits and pancake). Matra Bungalows is a nice place to chill with a good vibe and a friendly and helpful staff that can help to move around, by hiring a guide or rent a scooter.

The wi-fi connection is very poor, here as in almost all the accommodations around…

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Matra Bungalows. Tetebatu. Lombok. Contact

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breakfast at Matra Bungalows... there's also a menu that include Sasak specialities that are delicious here. Tetebatu. Lombok — breakfast at Matra Bungalows… there’s also a menu that include Sasak specialities that are delicious here. Tetebatu. Lombok

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Where to eat in Tetebatu:

There is only one eatery at the center of Tetebatu, is called Warung Sasak, serving the usual Indonesia food as also some of the typical Sasak food. I have a huge and tasty meal of Nasi Campur (pronounces champur) with fry tempeh and fry tofu for 20.000 Rp.

But almost all the guesthouse or homestays have a restaurant and there are many options, some with nice views. The Matra Bungalows also serve food, including the Sasak traditional food, delicious and freshly made, like the Urap-Urap (mix of vegetables with grated coconut) and the Olah-Olah (mix of vegetables with a spicy coconut sauce).

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How to move around Tetebatu:

On foot you can see a lot, walking through the rice fields, have nice views to the Gunung Rinjani (volcano and the highest point of Lombok), passing by small settlements with the rural lifestyle and even reach the Monkey Forest… and if you are lucky maybe see the black monkeys!

But to visit nearby villages, famous for handicrafts you need to rent a scooter or a guided tour.

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ATMs and money exchangers in Tetebatu:

There is no ATM or money exchanger at Tetebatu.

The nearest ATM is at Kotaraja.

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How to go from Tetebatu to Mataram:

Ojek from Tetebatu to Terara: 15.000 Rp

Bus from Terara to Mataram (stops at Mandalika Terminal): 20.000 Rp

Bemo from Mandalika Terminal to Chakra Negara area: 5.000 Rp…. think I pay too much because most of the people paid around 2.000 Rp…. but not sure!

Kuta Lombok… the secret paradise

Beautiful… a kind of beauty that make me feel close to heaven… the light blue color of the sea, the green of the grass that cover the black rocky hills, the vivid blue of the sky, the white clouds like candy cotton, the sensation of the warm breeze on the wet skin. All balance to create a kind of perfect environment… even when the rain arrive, mostly in the afternoon, brought by the grey thick clouds, it matches perfectly on the landscape, leaving behind a shiny touch on the colors the scenery and a fresh air.

The atmosphere in Kuta is laid-back with most of the visitors coming here for surf… but despite the good waves the beaches are perfect for a swim, as the reef acts as a barrier away from the shore, making the waves break far away from the beach.

And this create a curious misperception in our senses, as we hear the sound of the waves breaking hard but in front of us the sea is quiet as a lake.

Long and empty beaches are waiting for someone to come and step in the untouched sand, made from crushed coral. Along the coast, for both sides of Kuta villages there are many more beaches to explore, all depending on your stamina as a scooter driver to go further… the roads to west are steeper and with more curves, but offer very nice viewpoints for the countryside landscape, where the green of the rice fields merge with the green of the coconuts trees and the green of the almost untouched forest!

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But this paradise is threatened by the construction of luxury resorts and other tourist facilities, which construction works are already creating a big impact on the landscape, attract much more visitors that for sure will change the pace of Kuta and the surrounding beaches… maybe this “Kuta” will be something like the famous Kuta beach in Bali, already exploited by the tourism.

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Kuta beach where fishing is still part of the daily life, despite the increasing number of tourists that daily arrive to this small village, looking for good waves to surf. Kuta, Lombok

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fisherman at Serenting beach. Kuta, Lombok

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Where to sleep in Kuta Lombok:

There’s are a LOT of options for lodging in Kuta Lombok and on the beaches around, for all the styles and budgets…. guesthouse, homestays, apartments, boutique hotel, resorts, hotels… and many more things are now under construction.

There’s no point to choose a place close to the beach of Kuta the village, as the view to the sea is not clear and the beach is a bit dump to swim… and as it is a fishermen village is not the best place to sunbathe in bikini, and Kuta beach attract also many Indonesians on weekend trips… maybe you’ll not feel comfortable in bikini surrounded by women with hijab!!!

My choice was the Kuta Circle Homestay… a homestay that is not really a homestay but a row of rooms, with different styles, but where the friendliness of the family that runs the business makes you feel at home.

There are two types of room, with fan and with a/c, and both with toilet inside. The breakfast is included and can be eggs with toast or pancakes; it’s nothing special but is ok… and you can use the fridge and the kitchen and you are free to cook more pancakes during the breakfast time! Coffee and tea for free all day… and water refill by a small donation!

Don’t book on the websites… contact Kuta Circle Homestay directly.

//kutacirclehomestay.com/

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Kuta Circle homestay... room without a/c. Kuta, Lombok — Kuta Circle homestay… room without a/c. Kuta, Lombok

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Kuta Circle with the room surrounded by a garden full of tree where the chicken move around during the day and where the frogs take over the place during the night. Kuta, Lombok

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Where to eat in Kuta Lombok:

Eat local and cheap food in Kuta is easy! There are a lot of warungs that still keep the style and the prices of a small village. Some of them made an upgrade in the decoration and in the presentation of the dishes but the prices are still cheap.

You can have a gado-gado for 15.000 Rp and a nasi goreng for 25.000 Rp.

But my favourite is always the Padang food, simple and humbles, but serving a traditional delicious food with plenty of choices, from curries, to deep-fry stuff, from fish to meat, from tofu to tempeh, from vegetables to eggs… The base of a padang meal is the rice where you add what you choose from the several options exposed on the window. Don’t worry about refrigeration… I had food in this kind of places almost every day and didn’t have any stomach problem.

The cost of the padang meal depends on the quantity and the type of food, with eggs, meat and fish increasing the price… but a vegetarian meal in a can cost between 10.000 Rp (0.70€) to 20.000 Rp.

Name of the padang warungs that I try at Kuta Lombok:

Resto Bundo Masakan Padang: cheap option for local food somewhere in Kuta village; close at 3 pm
RM restu bundo Masakan Padang: Not totally sure about the name but is the ONLY Padang eatery in on the road that links the circle (roundabout) to the village, just in front of the new huge mosque under construction (Jalan Pariwisata Pantai Kuta). This is my favorite of all places where I ate in Kuta… nice food, super friendly staff and very cheap prices… a vegetarian meal cost around 10.000 Rp (0.70€)

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local food and local prices at Kuta, Lombok

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Best Beaches to swim around Kuta Lombok:

Mandalika: on the left side of Seger beach; it’s an almost desert beach with thin white sand and light blue water, with almost no curling. You can climb a small hill on the left side and see the view from there
Tanjung Aan: a long stretch of sand, almost desert except at the weekends that receive a few local visitors but that usually don’t stay away from the stalls and parasols.
Serenting: long and desert beach with light blue water.
Mawun: popular among foreigners, the shore can be a bit steep.

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Many of the beaches have a kind of fee that apparently includes parking, for motorbikes or cars, and security. It’s always 10.000 Rp, no matter how long you stay and the type of the vehicle. Beaches with this fee are Seger, Tanjung Aan and Mawun.

Even when they look desert there’s a strong chance that the bracelet boys, the sarong ladies of the pineapple men show up from “nowhere” trying to make some business… they can be persistent, special the kids!

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ticket to park at Seger, Tanjung Aan and Mawun beaches. Kuta, Lombok

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How to move around Kuta Lombok:

On foot you can’t go far then the beach nearby Kuta village, that part of it is occupied by fishing activities with the fisherman and families hanging around which don’t let you very comfortable to swim in a bikini outfit. And despite this, the water is not that clean as there’s a small river that flows out to the beach with domestic dirty waters.

So the best option is to hire a scooter that costs 50.000 Rp a day. A liter of petrol cost 10.000 Rp at Kuta, and is available everywhere, on small pump station or in glass bottles at roadside shops.

There are many places renting scooters at Kuta village, but there also many reports of scam with the motorbikes… so is better if you rent at your guesthouse or homestay. I rent mine at Kuta Circle Homestay and didn’t have any issue.

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How to go from Kuta Lombok to Tetebatu:

There are no public buses leaving from Kuta to Tetebatu. There are bemos but is difficult to communicate with the drivers. You can try your chance with the ojek (moto-taxi) drivers that the at the ojek corner, if you don’t carry much luggage and weight… must be less than 150.000 Rp to Tetebatu.

By taxi or private car, you pay between 175.000 to 300.000 Rp from Kuta to Tetebatu.

I hired a car with a driver at Kuta Circle homestay for 175.000 Rp. The trip takes 1.5 hours on a good condition road.

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ATMs and money exchanger in Kuta:

There are a few ATM’s.

And there’s also one moneychanger shop, that every time I pass by it was closed.

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From Bali to Lombok… by public ferry

It takes time… an enjoyable time to do nothing, a thing that we are not much used to do, and sometimes is not so easy.

Just watch the landscape, and let your mind get empty from thoughts and allow your body to relax with the trembling of the boat, while the muffed sound of the engine mix with the clash of the small waves on the ferry-boat.

The arrival to Lombok coincided with the sunset, that paint magic colors on the green hills that from this volcanic island… where the vegetation breaks through the black volcanic rocks.

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Public ferry Bali-Lombok (Pandangbai to Lembar)

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How to go from Ubud to Kuta-Lombok by public ferry?

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First, you need to go from Ubud to Pandangbai (sometimes written as Pandang Bai). For me, the best option was the Perama bus (a kind of tourist bus), because couldn’t find any bemo in Ubud. There are 3 Perama buses a day fromUbud to Pandangbai (see photo below), I took the one at 11.30 and arrive in Lombok (Lembar pier) by ferry around the sunset.
The bus from Ubud to Pandangbai takes 1.5 hours and cost 75.000 Rp.
The Perama bus drops you very close from the pier. Just walk straight in the direction of the sea, and ignore all the guys trying to push you away from the ferryboat, offering you faster, but more expensive options.
As you get inside the port area, you must buy your ticket inside the building on your left side. If you need orientation try to find someone with a uniform otherwise can be one of the many touts hanging around there.
The ferry ticket costs 40.000 Rp. The trip took me 4.5 hours.
When you arrive at Lembar (Lombok) you just need to walk straight to leave the port area.
When I arrive I didn’t saw any public transportation, no bemo or buses, but it was already 6.30 p.m. Grab, Uber, GoJek are NOT available in Lombok. So the only way is to use the services of one of the drivers hanging around the port gate. You can walk straight until you reach the main road (nearby a supermarket) and try to get a taxi. If you are traveling alone, the best it to talk with the other travelers while you are in the boat, to see if anyone is going to the same destination as you, so you can share the ride.
I was going to Kuta Lombok, a less popular destination, but found other travelers going on the same way. So we walk until we reach that supermarket (Indomart I think) and there I found some drivers with a kind of old mini-vans. We were three to go to Kuta and we bargain the price to 60.000 Rp per person.
The road to Kuta is good and the trip took about 30 minutes in the evening.

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Schedules of the Perama buses that departure from Ubud. Perama offer a service direct to Kuta Lombok, that cost 300.000 Rp, .... but choose to take the public ferry. — Schedules of the Perama buses that departure from Ubud. Perama offer a service direct to Kuta Lombok, that cost 300.000 Rp, …. but choose to take the public ferry.

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Perama office at Ubud, where you can buy the ticket and catch the bus to Pandangbai

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Practical information about the ferryboat from Pandangbai to Lembar:

Ferry Ticket: 40.000 Rp. By the ticket at the ticket counter inside the building. In Pandangbai the building is located inside the harbor area, on the left side.
The ferry works 24 hours.
It doesn’t have a departure fix schedule, but usually the ferries departure every hour, but it can take more time depending on the number of vehicles waiting for getting inside the boat… and no one seems to be in a hurry!!!
My trip on the ferry took, 4.5 hours but can be more if the sea conditions were rough… but I needed to wait 45 minutes until the boat were ready to departure.
Inside the boat there a few drinks and snacks, but if you want to avoid processed food, you can get one of the pack that some ladies are selling at the entrance of the boat, usually with fried-rice (nasi-goreng).
The ferry goes full of cars, but doesn’t transport many people, so you have a lot of space if you want to sleep.
For me is better to do the trip outside on the deck nearby the pilot cabin… if the fence is closed you can open without a problem and travel there.

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For more detailed and update information:

//www.lombok-network.com/ferry_tarrif.htm

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How to go from Ubud to Kuta Lombok… costs and time

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Perama bus: 7:00, 11:30, 15:00, 75.000 Rp (1.5 hours)

Ferry boat: 4.30h, 40.000 Rp

Shared Bemo: 60.000 Rp/person (minimum 2 people)

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Perama Bus has a direct service from Ubud to Kuta Lombok for 300.000 Rp, including boat and bus, but for a minimum of 2 persons.

NOTE: there aren’t Uber, Grab or GoJek in Lombok!

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Lombok

Food:

See also:

Itinerary:

Costs:

13 €/day

Costs in Lombok:

How to go from Mataram to Bangsal by public transport:

Public Boat to Gili Air:

How to go from Gili Air to Gili Meno:

How to go from Gili Meno to Bangsal (Lombok):

Where to sleep in Mataram:

Where to eat in Mataram:

How to move around in Mataram:

ATMs and Money exchange in Mataram:

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Where to sleep in Tetebatu:

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Where to eat in Tetebatu:

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How to move around Tetebatu:

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ATMs and money exchangers in Tetebatu:

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How to go from Tetebatu to Mataram:

Where to sleep in Kuta Lombok:

Where to eat in Kuta Lombok:

Best Beaches to swim around Kuta Lombok:

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How to move around Kuta Lombok:

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How to go from Kuta Lombok to Tetebatu:

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ATMs and money exchanger in Kuta:

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It takes time… an enjoyable time to do nothing, a thing that we are not much used to do, and sometimes is not so easy.

How to go from Ubud to Kuta-Lombok by public ferry?

Practical information about the ferryboat from Pandangbai to Lembar:

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For more detailed and update information:

How to go from Ubud to Kuta Lombok… costs and time

NOTE: there aren’t Uber, Grab or GoJek in Lombok!

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