Perfect 7 Day Itinerary in Lombok and the Gili Islands

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Lombok divides cleanly into three: the south coast for beaches and surf, the Gili Islands for the water and the pace, and the north for Rinjani and the waterfalls. A week covers two of them comfortably and all three at a push. The practical structure is to fly into Praya in the south, work westwards and northwards, and leave from the Gilis by boat to Bali — or reverse it. Trying to base yourself in one place and day-trip the island means long drives on winding roads.

Days 1–3: the south coast

Fly into Praya and go straight to Kuta Lombok, thirty minutes away. Day one: settle in, Tanjung Aan in the afternoon and sunset from Bukit Merese above it, which is the best viewpoint on the island. Day two: a surf lesson at Selong Belanak in the morning, then Mawun for a swim and an afternoon on empty sand. Day three: Gerupuk bay by boat for surf, or the long drive east to Pink Beach, or Sade and Sukarara for the traditional villages and the weaving.

Days 4–5: north and the waterfalls

Drive north — three hours, and the coast road through Malimbu and Nipah with the Gili viewpoints is the best part. Stop at Senggigi for lunch. Continue to Senaru for Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep, the two best waterfalls on the island, with the second worth the extra half hour and the river crossings. Stay a night at Senaru in the cool air below Rinjani. If you are climbing the mountain, this is where the trek starts and you need three or four days, not one.

Days 6–7: the Gilis

Boat from Bangsal, twenty to thirty minutes. Pick your island: Air for the balance, Meno for silence, Trawangan for everything else. Snorkel with turtles off the beach, cycle the circuit, swim out to the underwater sculptures off Meno, and watch the sunset over Bali's Mount Agung from the west coast with a drink. Take the fast boat directly to Bali from the island rather than doubling back through Lombok.

Variations

With ten days, add the three-day Rinjani trek between the south coast and the Gilis — it is the single most memorable thing on Lombok and it needs its own block of time. With five days, do the south coast and one Gili and skip the north. If you are coming from Bali by boat rather than flying, reverse the whole itinerary: Gilis first, then down the west coast and across to Kuta. And if you only want to lie on a beach, three nights on Gili Air is a complete holiday.

Perfect 7 Day Itinerary at a glance

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