Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 293

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange The island now has an ATM, on
the east coast, as well as a few moneychangers near the
jetty and up the east coast - rates are poor. Try to bring
some cash with you.
Bicycle rental Ozzy's Shop, halfway up the road running
up the east coast, rents bicycles (from Rp25,000/day).
Bus tickets The Perama o ce (daily 7am-1pm &
2-6pm; T 0370 637816 or T 0818 0527 2735) is next to
Villa Karang hotel.
Internet The Gili Beach Café beside Manta Dive has a
reliable connection and Skype.
Medical aid There is a clinic inland from the harbour,
with a nurse in attendance most days (7-9am & 5-7pm).
The closest hospital is in Mataram (see p.282).
Yoga H20 Yoga ( T 0877 6103 8836, W h2oyogaand
meditation.com), just inland from Gili Air Santay, run daily
yoga and meditation classes (Rp100,000).

on how active the volcano is, so check the
website (see above) before planning a trip.
he shortest trek is from Senaru to the
crater rim, from where there are spectacular
views across Segara Anak to Gunung Baru,
and back to Senaru (two days, one night).
For a longer trek (three days/two nights),
a path continues from the crater rim (2hr)
and descends into the crater to the lake, at
2050m. It is steep and scary at the top with
metal handrails and some ropes but it gets
better further down. You can bathe in the
lakeside hot springs, and from the lake
you return the same way to Senaru.
he shortest route to the summit of
Rinjani is to climb from Sembalun Lawang
on the northeast side of the mountain,
starting on the track next to the Rinjani
Trek Centre. It takes seven to eight hours
to reach the overnight campsite, Plawangan
II , and you then attack the summit the
next morning. It's an extraordinarily steep
haul up to the summit (3-4hr up; 3hr back
down to Plawangan II ). You then descend
to the lake to ease tired muscles in the hot
springs and return to Sembalun Lawang
(three days/two nights).
he most complete exploration of the
mountain involves a one-way trip;
ascending from Sembalun Lawang,
taking in the summit, then the lake and
descending to Senaru - this has the
advantage of getting the most exhausting
ascent over while you are fresh (four days/
three nights).

GUNUNG RINJANI AND AROUND
From a distance, Gunung Rinjani (3726m)
appears to rise in solitary glory from the
plains, but in fact the entire area is a
throng of bare summits, wreathed in
dense forest. he climb up Rinjani, taking
in Danau Segara Anak, the magnificent
crater lake, with the perfect cone of
Gunung Baru rising from it, is the most
energetic and rewarding trek on either
Bali or Lombok. Climbs start from either
Senaru to the north of the mountain or
Sembalun Lawang to the northeast.
Trekking on Rinjani is not for the unfit.
A guide is essential (see box opposite) and
you must register at the Rinjani Trek
Centres at Senaru or Sembalun Lawang
and pay the National Park admission fee
(Rp150,000; W rinjaninationalpark.com).
You'll need basic equipment; bring your
own walking boots, a torch and food and
drink (take loads of snacks and sweets even
if food is provided). If you haven't got a
seriously warm, windproof jacket with you,
rent one. he Rinjani Trek Centres rent
out radios but increasingly mobile phones
are being relied on as emergency back-up;
make sure your party has one or the other.

4

Batu Koq and Senaru
he small villages of BATU KOQ and
SENARU , south of Bayan (about 86km
from Mataram), are reached by ojek from
Anyar, a few kilometres north. Buses
from Mandalika/Bertais/Sweta and
Labuhan Lombok terminate in Bayan.
Just south of Pondok Senaru, a small
path heads east to the river and Sindang
Gile waterfall (no fixed opening times;
Rp5000). he main fall is about 25m high.
Tiu Kelep is another waterfall a further hour
beyond the first, but it is essential to take a
guide (around Rp60,000-80,000/3hr).
You should probably take a dip here; the
local belief is that you become a year
younger every time you swim behind the
falls. It's also the perfect way to cool off

Gunung Rinjani
here are several possible climbs around
Rinjani, and few trekkers reach the
summit - most are satisfied with shorter,
less arduous trips. All treks are dependent