Lombok---A Vision of Paradise

Captured by my buddy in Mawun Beach, our first stop in Lombok. Check me out on Instagram @LifeOfRedEye for more recent updates. :-)

So this blogtry came to life a month after the last one. It wasn’t a quick hiatus, was it? I have been so excited to share with you my longest trip so far, but I have been so stressed out lately---physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, and psychologically. And I have separation anxiety to credit for that and a whole lot of other factors. :-D This trip exceeded not just the duration of my Vietnam trip last year, but the experiences I had and the memories made too. As usual, it’s always bittersweet! There were a few bumps along the way, but I got through all of it. I have been wanting to write about this, but the thought that what I had been to was only temporary is just breaking my heart. I could only wish every day’s a vacation, a holiday! But then again, I have wonderful memories to take with me as I move along, memories of Lombok and Bali and Malapascua.

Cotton candies in the sky captured while I was flying from Cebu to Manila.

THE STORM SCARE

Being out of office for 15 days was truly an occasion to celebrate. The trip went from Cebu-Manila-Bali-Lombok-Bali-Manila-Cebu-Malapascua-Cebu-Manila then back to Cebu! If it were work, one would be exhausted, but thinking it was a holiday, I was more excited than thinking about being tired (except for a few experiences LOL). Like last year, I had to race against a storm too---from Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013 to Typhoon Ruby for this trip. I always had to weather a storm both literally and figuratively. Hahaha :-D

Anyway, despite the storm scare, I was thankful enough because the weather was quite cooperative when I left the country. No flight delays and the air travel through Philippine Airlines was smooth. I perfectly loved the in-flight meal served and I must say, as always, my PAL experience was great. If I were on business class, I would have been able to stay in Mabuhay Lounge too and mingled with international personalities like Sophie Sumner from ANTM who I spotted entering the lounge while I waited for my flight. Bummer, I didn’t have the guts to call her out and ask for a photo opp. Promise, I tried, but my voice just didn’t come out.

I had to wait for my flight departure for almost 8 hours from Manila to Bali so while waiting, I killed the boredom by taking photos of the interior of NAIA 3.

ARRIVING IN BALI

It was a bit drizzly when I arrived in Bali past midnight. I hadn’t changed money yet and too bad, the money changer counters in the airport didn’t change Philippine peso so my first challenge was how to pay a cab from the airport to Hotel Puri Ayu, the hotel I stayed in. The airport taxis were too expensive so I had to take risks negotiating with small airport buses (which are actually SUV’s). It was a bit scary, but I took my chances with a man named Ikomang. He assured to take me to the hotel safely and was willing to accept Philippine Peso as payment. I just had to know the conversion beforehand. Thanks to the fast airport Wifi. He was chatty and I found him really nice later on. He shared he was Hindu and so I was in safe hands. It made me feel better, but the fear was still there until we arrived. I didn’t need to pay him in Peso though as my travel buddy waited for me and I just borrowed some Indonesian Rupiah from him. :-D

MONEY CHANGING AND BALINESE ARCHITECTURE

Since my buddy was still at work when I arrived, I had to walk around a few streets in Bali just to have something to do since the start of our holiday was really in Lombok, a less than an hour plane ride from Bali. If Bali is predominantly Hindu, Lombok is mostly a Muslim community.  Be careful when you change money because some money changing counters didn’t actually know the conversion. So I had to go back at one point and get my money back. I asked the lady at the counter if she knew the conversion and she humbly admitted she didn’t and handed my money minus some notes because I already used some in buying J.Co Donuts. :-D

As I walked along the streets of Bali, after that money changing encounter, I spotted a lot of pretty Balinese structures and I must say Balinese architecture is one of the most unique in the world---and one of my favorites now. I always see them in magazines and TV shows, but looking at the structures in person is totally a different story, just awesome! They have, I would say, signature gates, signature doors and windows, signature roofs---just uniquely and truly Balinese. No wonder it’s being copied across the globe.

View of the a mall's roof from the hotel room. It was a bit rainy during my first day in Bali so I stayed most of the time in this room. 

Gates similar to this are very common in Bali. 

The roofing style is very common. Just typically and uniquely Balinese. 

Usually entries like this are made of bricks and have symbolic statues like the ones you can see in this photo. A closer look can be seen on the next shot.

Our driver during our last tour in Bali, that was after we arrived back from Lomok, said the gates look like palms put against each other like when we pray. 

FLYING TO LOMBOK

We took a 30-minute Airasia plane ride from Bali to Lombok. Since my buddy and I have become beach bums for the past few years (especially after he learned how to swim and by the way, I trained him :-P), we wanted to visit gorgeous beaches where we can swim, snorkel, and just play in the sand, but we always wanted somewhere less touristy. So my buddy thought and planned that Lombok would be the best spot for us. Indeed, it was! 

While waiting for our plane, I took this opportunity to pose 'like a model' in the airport. Hahaha Anyway, I hate to say this, but all airports that I've gone to for my international trips always have good Wifi connection, which is very important to tourists like me, but here in my own country (Philippines), airport Wifi really sucks and it's embarrassing to our visitors. It's disheartening, but it's true.

MAWUN BEACH

A car was rented during our entire stay in Lombok, which was very convenient because of the distance of the places we wanted to visit. My buddy took care of the driver's task and I took care of the map reading. :-D I must say Mawun was my most favorite from all the beaches we visited and it was our first stop. It was less touristy like how we wanted it. The sand was sugary white. And lucky for us as the sun was at its liveliest and proved he was king at daytime when we were there. The place was undeniably picture-perfect and every detail of the experience was just indescribable and irreplaceable. 

We stopped at this viewpoint that gave us a nice view of Mawun cove.

This was acting for sure. Hahaha But it looked candid, didn't it?

Another side of the cove. The sand was so soft that our feet got buried every time we walked. And my buddy was having a hard time because he can't walk on sand with finesse like me. Hahaha Forgive me for sharing this, but that was cute. 

Perspective.

The opening of the cove from the ocean---just awesome! True enough travelling makes one person humble because with a view like this, one can also realize how tiny the space we can occupy in this world.

See the number of people in this place? If my memory serves me right, I think there were only about 10 foreign tourists who were there including myself. There were a few locals who arrived on a bus, but they didn't even swim! 

Breathtaking!

The scorching heat of the sun and the long drive from central Lombok truly drained us a bit so we thought we deserve some gastronomic satisfaction. You can see Nasi Campur (pronounced champur by the local who served it) in this photo. There are no posh restaurants in the area, but there's definitely a decent one where I had this meal.

SELONG BELANAK

I've been posting photos of this beach on my Instagram account and always used #blanak as hash tag when it's supposed to be Belanak. :-D Anyway, this second stop of our Lombok trip is a very long stretch of white sand beach. It was very long that we decided not to walk farther. The waves were kind of big (but not obvious in my photos though), hence, there were loads of tourists practicing to surf when we arrived. When the weather's good, the place is perfect for sunbathing too with a million-dollar view. It's not that I need more tan as I'm already brown LOL but the heat of the sun touching my skin while on the beach and walking around a white sandy place and lying or sitting and having great convos---perfection! :-P

Surfboards on the rest.

I never had the guts to try surfing, but when I think I'm ready, I might do it in my own country at our surfing capital---Siargao. But only when my Cymophobia is gone! :-D

Part of the long shoreline. Trust me it goes on and on and on.

Talking about waves.

If the sun's heat has absorbed all your energy away, you can relax at one of the small cottages where drinks and food are sold while savoring the spectacle right in front of you. We spotted one posh place around the corner, but we chose to save our millions (Indonesian Rupiah) for something else and just settled in this small cottage where we were served hot tea when we asked for a cold one (language barrier). Hahaha :-D It was an experience to remember though. Due to the close proximity of the location to Australia, we saw lots of Aussie tourists too.

SUNSET HOUSE, SENGGIGI

Considered a traditional tourist resort in Lombok. There were loads or resorts along the road---posh and value ones. Lonely Planet describes the place in "a fine location along a series of sweeping bays, with light-sand beaches sitting pretty below a backdrop of jungle-clad mountains and coconut palms." And I have witnessed all of that including the persistent local beach hawkers on the beach. :-D The book also says something about the blood-red sun in the afternoon, which we didn't get to witness at its grandest because of the not-so-good weather, but I was able to capture some proper snapshots using my phone. 

We stayed at one of the excellent value hotels described in the book called Sunset House. It's along the main road, but has got a beach front view too or should I say, it's got its own beach for guests. The sand was not as white as the ones in Mawun and Selong Belanak, but definitely has spectacular views too. From the resort, when the skies are clear, you can have a view of one of the volcanoes from Bali. Too bad it was a bit cloudy during our entire stay there so I wasn't able to capture the volcano at its prettiest. Sunset House has its own car park, WiFi connection, restaurant fronting the beach, swimming pool, and cottages for massage. The staff is nice and friendly too. This is defo a place to recommend. 

The pool at Sunset House.

View of the beach front villas from the pool.

This view reminds me of the Hamptons, but I haven't been there really. Hahaha I just based it from the movies and reality shows I watched, magazines and books I read. :-P

That volcano from Bali viewed from Sunset House. 

Another Hamptons view. Hahaha That sunset was supposed to be blood-red, but the skies didn't want to cooperate with us.

Sigh. Looking at this makes me wish everyday is a vacation!

The restaurant at daytime.

The dramatic lighting in the restaurant at night. Our accommodation includes a breakfast buffet. For lunch and dinner, the menu offers a mix of local and western meals for guests to choose from. And when in Indonesia, don't miss to have a taste of their local beer called Bintang.

The day after we drove ourselves for hours to check the famous waterfalls in Lombok and along the way, we spotted another cove as seen in the photo. The rock formations and cliffs remind me of some place I know in Europe and South America (but I have not been there yet). Hahaha :-D

More view of the cove, but with black sand this time. Still pretty though!

SENDANG GILI AND TIU KELEP WATERFALLS

Local Hindus believe that the waterfall is sacred. According to our guide who was a young local (in his early 20's), people from Bali come to Lombok to shower themselves with the cold pouring water believing they're illness would be washed away. Since my stye was back during my trip, I took my chances and showered too.

There are three waterfalls, but we were only able to reach the first two as the third one was too far and the weather that time wasn't that good. We had to park our car from the starting point and trekked to each of the waterfall. We had to walk through the jungle too to get to the hidden treasures of the place. It was something I was scared about because of possibly spotting a snake somewhere. Hahaha Snakes are creatures I'm so fascinated about, but knowing them and what they can do scares me too. :-D

The first waterfall. For one to be healed, he or she needs to go to the back and feel the water there. Damn, it was freezing cold, but it felt really soothing and relaxing at the same time. I coupled the experience with some prayers too. I didn't know if I was doing it right, but I enjoyed the experience. 

The second waterfall, which is the grander and bigger one. Both foreign and local tourists can been seen in this photo. Our young guide said that years ago, people especially ladies aren't allowed to bathe there in their two-piece bikinis, but the positive results of tourism in the place changed traditions. There were even times when tourists would swim there naked. How I wished I experienced that supposed amazing view! Hahaha :-D

A version of Fall on our way to the waterfalls!

LAST DAY IN LOMBOK

While we were enjoying our road trips, we were also debating about which sites to visit during our last day. Since our flight back to Bali won't be on until evening, we decided to drive down to the Southwest coast of Lombok to check more white sand beaches and islets. Most of the time, we were just in the car and did a few stops to take photos. And at some point, we had to look for a restaurant for some lunch. 

We stopped over this Hindu temple just close to our hotel.

Carvings in the temple.

More carvings in the temple reflective of the Hindu tradition.

The entry and exit to the temple. The place was just along the main road and for every temple we visited, we had to wear sarong and should not show our knees. 

SOUTHWEST COAST OF LOMBOK

I know most of us Filipinos are so hungry of white sand beaches. We have our Boracay, our Palawan to be proud of, but without bias, I must say Lombok has countless white sand shores that we'd never get enough of---all in one big island. It is a place where people can enjoy both mountain and beach adventures. And if you wish to tour the place, I would also recommend you'd rent a car for your entire stay to be able to get to the best destinations. We've seen the famous Gili islands on our way to the waterfalls, but then we chose not to go there as nowadays, I believe they've become the most touristy area in Lombok. 

Ships. Ships. Ships.

Another version of the Gili islands on Lombok's Southwest point. It was a long drive from Senggige to this part of the island, but it was undoubtedly worth it. Road-tripping at its best---lovely views, decadent meals, and meaningful conversations.

Our biggest challenge was deciding when to have lunch. Hahaha :-D We looked for their version of 'carenderia' but didn't find a decent and proper one so I guessed we tried our luck in on one of the resorts we spotted along the way. Some of them were too posh that we were intimidated and some were still under construction. Eventually, we found this posh-looking resort, not quite intimidating, but pleasant and worth-sharing! :-D

As I said on Instagram, this Beef Rendang was decadent! It was the best lunch as far as my palates can remember! :-D

Since I wasn't maneuvering the steering wheel, I took the chance to take photos while in the car with or without the windows open. And this is one of the loveliest and the most romantic or idyllic I think. 

And how about this? ;-)

Probably one of the best views! Hahaha The restaurant at Cocotinos Sekotong. And it's amazing that for a place as far as this, very far from the city central, the internet connection is so fast. 

If only the skies were so clear, this pool view would have been better. After the sumptuous lunch, we just rushed a little going to the airport to meet the owner of the car we rented. We also bought a few souvenirs from the airport as we headed back to Bali for more Indonesian island experience. 

Now, I am having a hard time ending this blogtry because honestly, I didn't want this Lombok holiday to end. But if it didn't, I would have been a burned pie now, my skin, due to too much sun exposure. Hahaha Kidding aside though, this Lombok adventure is truly a holiday to remember. An eye-opener too someway, somehow! So for friends and wanderlusts there who would want to visit Bali, make a side-trip to Lombok a must on your list. But oh no, don't make it a minor excursion. Make it the highlight. In my experience, Lombok is more of an adventure with nature and Bali is more of a cultural experience and I bet I already said this earlier. Hahaha I couldn't end this entry without thanking my buddy for making this holiday possible. I'm not good at planning and arranging things so his best travel skills took care of things I can't be my best at! :-D My IG buddies probably know I love quotes and I'm going to leave one this time, something that wanderlusts can truly relate to! 

"No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one!"---Elbert Hubbard

XoXo,

Red Eye