Things to do in Lombok

Lombok is Bali's neighbour and its opposite in temperament. Same volcanic geology, a fraction of the visitors, and a Muslim Sasak culture rather than a Hindu Balinese one.

Rinjani dominates the island. The active volcano rises to 3,726 metres with a crescent crater lake inside it, the second-highest peak in Indonesia. The climb is a two- to three-day trek, and it fills the trailheads in the dry season.

The rest of the island is coast, with the Gilis offshore.

• The south — a run of wide, half-empty bays around Kuta Lombok. Mawun, Selong Belanak and Tanjung Aan are among the best beaches in the country, and the surf scene is where Bali's was thirty years ago.
• Senggigi — the older resort strip, on the west coast.
• The Gili islands — three of them off the northwest tip: Trawangan, Meno and Air. No motor vehicles at all, only bicycles and horse carts.

Trekking and water carry the island.

• Rinjani — the headline: guided ascents to the crater rim or the summit, with porters, camping and a start well before dawn.
• Below the mountain — the waterfalls at Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep, the Sasak weaving villages at Sade and Sukarara, and the pottery at Banyumulek.
• The Gilis — snorkelling with turtles, diving and doing nothing. Boats run there from Bangsal and directly from Bali.
• The south coast — surf lessons and empty sand.

The offer here is thinner than on Bali. Most of it is arranged locally, which is part of the point.

Practical

• Season. The dry months, April to October, are the only sensible window for Rinjani. The mountain closes entirely in the wet months and around the turn of the year for maintenance.
• Crossings from Bali. Between one and a half and four hours depending on the boat, and cancelled in rough weather. The fast boats are the ones that get cancelled.
• Airport. Lombok's own sits in the south, an hour from Kuta Lombok.
• Dress and Ramadan. This is a conservative Muslim island: beachwear stays on the beach, and Ramadan changes opening hours.
• Cash. It matters more than on Bali, and ATMs are scarce on the Gilis.
• Tipping. A note rather than a percentage.