Hopping on a pushbike isn’t the first thing to come to mind when you’re on holiday, unless you’re one of those healthy people who ride mountain bikes and racing bikes for fun. Most of us, when we think of exploring a new destination, hire a car or a tour guide but, as we discovered recently, discovering the local landscape and villages is so much more “up close and personal” from the seat of a pushbike!
The sun is shining on another beautiful morning in Lombok, as we make our way to the Lombok Biking Tour office in central Senggigi. Later in the day it will be hot but, this early, the air is still fresh and cool. That’s good, because I haven’t been on a pushbike for over ten years and I’m not sure I still know how to ride… or even if I’m fit enough to be able to complete the circuit through the nearby villages and jungle!
We look at some of the steep hills we are passing with trepidation – the coastal road is a series of hills that wind along the stunningly beautiful beaches of west Lombok. Fortunately, when we arrive at the office, they have organised a bemo (local mini van) to take us to the starting point near the Jayakarta Hotel, which is around 7kms south of Senggigi.
We drive back along the road to the starting point and our bikes are unloaded. Kudus, our charming guide for the tour, thoughtfully placed bottles of water in the carriers and showed us how to work the gears on the modern mountain bikes. Seats adjusted and cameras at the ready, we start off down a small dirt track leading into the jungle. I’m wobbly at first, but soon find my balance. The sturdy bike and the gears make pedalling easy.
It’s a nice feeling, with the cool air blowing on our faces and in our hair as we ride along the small track. On the left is a small hill with an old Hindu temple and on the right stretches a field of newly-planted rice. The air smells sweet and clean and soon we forget about the bikes; just enjoying the views and the sights and smells.
Soon we come to a small Hindu village, home to some of the many Balinese Hindus who settled in Lombok hundreds of years ago. The houses are neat and tidy, lining the track on each side. Children playing in the gardens call out to us as we go past, shouting: “Hello! Hello!”
Behind one of the houses we spot a strange animal, similar to a very large pig. There are not so many pigs visible on Lombok, as the island is mostly Moslem, so we stop to investigate. There are three large animals tied to trees in the yard and we soon learn that these are captured Babi Rusa, a type of wild pig with long fangs that live in the remote jungles in Indonesia. I had never seen one before, so it was great to be able to study these huge creatures at a safe distance!
Kudus explains that the Balinese love to eat pig and often go hunting in the jungles of Lombok at night, hoping to capture one of the enormous wild Babi Rusa. We take photographs of the big animals as they stare back at us; then continue down the track past the pretty homes. In the centre of the village, we pause to admire a lovely temple built in a square where two tracks cross. Ladies stand chatting in the shade, baskets of shopping next to them, smiling and waving as we pass.
We continue down the path through the village, and then out into a shady coconut grove where cows were grazing on the grass around the palms. We pass another man on an ancient bicycle from the 1950’s, and two smiling village ladies balancing baskets of vegetables on their heads. Tall jungle trees, vines and waving palms shade the path as we ride along, admiring the natural beauty. The track slopes down to a small stream, lined with clumps of tall bamboo and Kudus speeds down the slope, racing across the stream with the water splashing around. Laughing, we race after him through the shallow water and up the other side of the hill.
Soon we come to another village, this time a Sasak kampung, home to the local people of Lombok. Again the people are friendly and, as we pass a small school, the children stop to stare and shout “Hello mister! How are you?” in a chorus of excited voices. We smile and wave, winding along paths lined with houses and the occasional mosque. Further on, the road opens up again into fields planted with corn and tapioca, and vast patches of rice, all shining bright green in the morning sun.
All too soon we are back on a main road and ahead, the bemo is waiting to transport us back to Senggigi. It’s hard to believe we have travelled around 10kms through the jungles and villages. The good condition of the bikes made it seem easy and the commentary of our charming guide as we passed points of interest, made the time pass quickly. Far from being unable to complete the course, I am already asking Kudus about the bike ride through Lingsar, near the temples in the mountains!
Lombok Biking Tours arrange a series of different tours, depending on guests’ interests and levels of fitness. There are routes through the temple areas, or through the Monkey Forest and jungle gorges inland, and a more demanding 5 hour trip around the stunning southwest coast. Alternatively, they can arrange an individual tour based on guests requests. We chose the “Route of the Day”, which is a shorter trip and suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. Prices, which include an English-speaking guide, good quality bikes, transport in bemos, a small snack and bottled water, are very reasonable. And we discovered bike tours are a fantastic way to discover the real beauty of the “hidden Lombok”!
