Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Beyond the radar of most foreign tourists, the isolated little beach of
Pantai Pulo Lampu
,
13km north of Labuhan Lombok, near the village of Transat, is popular with locals at week-
ends but otherwise very quiet. Its main attraction is access to the two groups of uninhabited
islands
just off the coast. The most southerly group -
Gili Lampu
,
Gili Kondo
and
Gili Bid-
ara
- have sandy beaches as well as coral walls and attract plenty of fish. Further north, the
larger islands of
Gili Sulat
and
Gili Lawang
are surrounded by coastal mangrove but have
lots of coral.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: EAST LOMBOK
By shuttle bus
If booked ahead, Perama Tour will do private transfers from Labuhan Lom-
bok to Kuta, Tetebatu or Senggigi, quoting Rp500,000/car for a maximum of four passengers
( 0370 693007,
peramatour.com
).
By bus
Buses travel the length of the trans-Lombok highway from Mataram's Mandalika ter-
minal to Labuhan Lombok; some continue to the ferry terminal (for boats to Sumbawa).
Destinations
Bayan (2hr); Kopang (for Praya; 1hr); Mataram (Mandalika; 2hr); Sembalun
Lawang (2hr 30min).
By bemo
Bemos from Labuhan Lombok to Pantai Pulo Lampu will drop you on the main
road for the 500m walk down to the beach.
ACCOMMODATION
Melati Lima Tiga
Jl Kayangan 14, Labuhan Lombok 0376 23316.
This very basic hotel,
about 150
m from the town centre on the road to the ferry terminal, is the only place in town.
Rp100,000
Pondok Gili Lampu
Jl Pantai Pulo Lampu 0819 1812 3389.
Basic wood-and-thatch bun-
galows in a garden behind the restaurant and beach. The enthusiastic manager arranges boat
trips to the islands for snorkelling or fishing (from Rp350,000/boat for up to six people), and
can orga
nize a priv
ate “desert-island” camping trip (from Rp1,500,000 for two people all in-
clusive).
Rp150,000
South Lombok
The as yet largely undeveloped
south coast
of Lombok is extraordinarily beautiful, its kilo-
metre upon kilometre of white-sand bays backed by wild, forested hills and washed by some
of the most rewarding surf on the island.
Kuta
is the main tourist centre, centrally positioned
for exploring the fabulous coastline to the west and east.
Inland
, there are worthwhile textile
workshops at Sukarara, plus a couple of traditional Sasak villages at
Sade
and
Rembitan
.
Outside the peak periods of July, August and late December, Kuta and the south are remark-
ably quiet, and the opening of the new
Lombok International Airport
, 15km north, hasn't
