One of the things I love about living on Lombok is that
you can spend years exploring the island, and yet still find
new places and things to discover. The island is that diverse.
So it was that, with a few days break over the Idul Fitri
holiday, we set off on our motorbike to explore the little-visited
east side of Lombok. Not much has been written about East
Lombok; the region is generally regarded as undeveloped for
tourism and perhaps even a bit dangerous. Rumour has it that
the people are primitive and a bit fanatic… this should
be fun!
We ride across the island on the main road that links east
to west. Being a main artery, it’s wide and in good
condition, and we make good time despite the holiday traffic.
Our first stop is Selong, the capital city of East Lombok.
It’s a surprisingly large town, although not as commercially
developed as Mataram, and is the business hub for the east.
The atmosphere is very laid back, reminiscent of a large town
in the 1950’s, with wide tree-lined streets and old
Dutch Colonial architecture. In the centre of town is a large
public park, with lawns and a variety of plants and trees.
On the western edge is an old cemetery commemorating those
who fought in WWII. Friendly locals greet us and enthusiastically
show us around.
Late in the afternoon we return to the main road, heading
toward Pringgabaya. We want to check out Sapit, a small village
high on the southern slopes of the Rinjani mountain range,
where there is one of the few hotels in the area. The steep
road winds through mountain villages, interspersed with pretty
fields of crops and patches of jungle. The clouds are gathering
and the air is cool when we finally arrive at Sapit, almost
at the top of the mountain. The view is breathtaking, with
villages and fields stretched in the distance, and the rain
forest extending up the peaks behind us. Hati Suci is a small
home-stay for travellers and is perched on the edge of the
forest to take advantage of the views. The rooms are very
basic, but there’s a small restaurant and the friendly
owner, Tashi, organises trips to the nearby hot-springs, as
well as guiding trekkers up Mt Rinjani, Lombok’s famous
volcano.
Refreshed by the brisk air and a hot coffee, we race down
the mountain to join the main road again, this time heading
for Labuhan Lombok. This is the main port in East Lombok,
serving the shipping route from the eastern islands. The port
proper is called Kayangan, and is located on a peninsula which
juts into the ocean, forming a safe harbour. There are gorgeous
panoramic views from the hills before the harbour, and Labuhan
Lombok is a bustling town with plenty of warungs and eateries
to refuel the hungry traveller. There’s a small hotel
wisata close to the centre of town, on the road out to Kayangan,
for those wishing to stay, and the public ferry between Lombok
and Sumbawa operates non-stop, with regular departures daily.
By now it is late in the day and the sunset paints apricot
and gold swatches across the sky. We turn onto the main coastal
road, heading north from Labuhan Lombok, hurrying to find
our hotel before it gets too dark. The road is good and we
race past fields of tobacco and corn, occasionally catching
glimpses of the Alas Strait, the sea separating Lombok from
Sumbawa. The coastline of Sumbawa Island looms surprisingly
close, silhouetted in the twilight.
Night falls and we follow the headlights of the motorbike
in front of us. There’s little traffic now and the towns
are spaced out along the road, but the night air is warm and
the crescent of the new moon and the brilliant stars cast
enough light. Finally we reach our destination in Labuhan
Pandan, a small town on the north-east coast. It’s too
dark to find the hotels we have heard about, so we stop to
ask directions at a small shop. Alas, the Matahari Inn is
closed and so is the other place, Siola Cottages! The helpful
girl at the shop gives us directions to find a man named Acek,
who operates the hand phone shop opposite the entrance to
Matahari Inn. He tells us that the owner of Matahari is in
Europe and the hotel is temporarily closed, but there’s
another place about two kilometres further back along the
road. With friendly smiles and the offer of a room in his
house if we need it, we wave goodbye and head back the way
we have come.
A short while later we find the small town of Transat and
turn at the sign for Gili Lampu Bungalows, bumping down the
dirt road to the lights of the restaurant. Six bungalows made
from coconut and woven bamboo, sit in a shady beachside garden.
They are basic, but clean and comfortable. The largest has
two bedrooms, a fan and a western toilet with cold water shower.
At between Rp 50,000 and 90,000, including breakfast, they’re
a bargain. The delightful owner, Pak Suyanto, has been operating
the bungalows since the early 1990’s and proudly shows
us his guest book with comments from travellers as far afield
as Denmark and Japan. The beach is only about 30 metres away
from our table in the restaurant and, just offshore, lay the
beautiful gili’s (small islands) of East Lombok.
These gili’s, unlike the famous Gili Islands of north-west
Lombok, are all uninhabited and relatively unexplored. It’s
impossible to count how many islands there actually are here,
as small coral atolls rise just above sea level, but there
are at least eight to be explored. The waters off the islands
are pristine clear and home to a host of tropical fish and
corals. Pak Suyanto happily organises day trips and snorkelling
out to Gili Lampu, which can be reached by small outrigger
boat in about 20 minutes. Boat charters can also be organised
to Gili Pentangan and any of the other islands off this section
of coast.
Exhausted by a long day of travelling by motorbike, we sit
back with a glass of local brem to chat with Pak Suyanto in
his charming little restaurant. I reflect on a day filled
with wonderful sights and discoveries; no fanatics, no sense
of danger, just beautiful countryside and warm, hospitable
people.
