The sun was just rising over the mountains as we arrived at Selaparang Airport on Lombok. Although it was the middle of the rainy season, the day was dawning bright and clear, with a blue sky shining overhead and very little cloud -- just perfect for our flight over Mt Rinjani with Sky Aviation.
Sky Aviation is a company based in Lombok that has recently commenced operating charter flights and “sky tours” using light aircraft. Sky has two Liberty XL2 aircraft, which seat four (3 passengers and the pilot), and are ideal for flying at low altitudes for sightseeing trips.
As we entered the new, purpose-built Sky Aviation building at the airport, we were filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness at the thought of going up in such a small aircraft. However, we were soon put at ease by the friendliness and professionalism of Pak Odjie and the Sky Aviation team. Our pilot for the trip, Russell, was originally from the UK and has many years of experience in flying commercial aircraft and is currently a flight instructor, having just finished pilot training for local carrier, Garuda Airlines.
Under the care of such an experienced crew, we were soon strapped into our seats and zooming along the runway at Selaparang with a minimum of fuss. As the little plane lifted confidently into the sky, the true beauty of the Lombok landscape was revealed in a way we had never seen before when travelling on commercial airlines, which are forced to fly at much higher altitudes than the Sky Aviation craft.
A patchwork of brilliant green rice fields and the buildings of Ampenan soon gave way to a panorama of blue ocean and white beaches, as we followed the sweeping bays of the western coastline. Colourful fishing boats moored on the beach at Montong; the hotels of Batu Bolong and Senggigi lay below us, bright blue swimming pools sparkling in the sunshine. Stunningly beautiful, and mainly deserted, beaches and bays spread out before us as we made our way north to the majestic mountains surrounding Lombok’s volcano, Mt Rinjani.
Here the landscape becomes truly awesome, with the green folds of ancient hills and mountains on the right contrasting with the sparkling white coast and the ocean to the left. Towering over it all, at 3 726 metres above sea level, Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia and attracts thousands of visitors and mountain climbers to Lombok every year.
Our little plane easily climbed the steep slopes in minutes, as we gazed in awe at the spectacle appearing before us. The sun had just climbed over the jagged crater rim and the translucent green waters of Lake Segara Anak, the crescent-shaped lake inside the volcano’s crater, glowed as if lit from within. Visibility was excellent, with very little cloud at that time of the morning, and the views were indescribably beautiful. Luckily for us, the small volcanic cone within the lake, Gunung Baru Jari, decided to put on a show, sending up plumes of smoke from its small cone -- a result of the minor eruptions which occurred in the volcano last year.
Russell guided the plane in a wide arc around the inside of the crater, allowing us to film and photograph the awe-inspiring volcanic views from all angles. Three times we circled, low over the lake with the small volcano bubbling beneath us and the larger volcano towering around us… an unforgettable experience!
Finally dragging ourselves away, we flew east towards the Gili Islands laying like three green stepping stones in the ocean just off Lombok’s northwest coast. The glorious stretches of Medana Bay and Pantai Sire glittered enticingly, but it was the Gilis that held us fascinated, with the clear seas surrounding these small coral islands revealing a totally different impression from the air.
So much natural wonder and beauty is almost impossible to absorb in one flight. Suffice to say, we arrived back at Selaparang no longer afraid of small planes and eager to take our next trip! After so many years of exploring Lombok by land and sea, this amazing island has once again entranced us -- this time from the sky.
Sky Aviation offers private charters, emergency medical evacuations, tours of Lombok, trips to Komodo Island and Borobodur Temple in Java, and personal itineraries from Lombok and Bali. They are also becoming a popular alternative for transfers from Bali to Lombok and vice versa, being much cheaper than chartering a helicopter. Private charters start from US $400 per hour and tours are priced from just US $160 per person. www.ptskyaviation.com
