Beaches of Lombok

Indonesia is beyond Bali. Lombok, Bali's nearest neighbour is still relatively unexplored and has some of the country's most stunning beaches. Together with the Gili Islands they are unforgettable. I had ended up spending my first Indonesia trip entirely at Lombok without even stepping over once at Bali. Lombok is uncrowded, is a surfer's paradise, has awesome beach shacks and restaurants, cool places to stay and most importantly is easy on the pockets. Lombok has just got a brand new airport and there are regular ferries to/from Bali. Sengigi is the biggest city followed by Mataram, but the accomodation options are scattered all over the island. Roads are okay, although in the southern part, they hardly exist and public transportation is not easy. You can rent a bike or scooter and explore the island on your own. Knowing  Bahasa Indonesia will be helpful since apart from the city dwellers hardly anybody speaks in English in Lombok. Bumbu Cafe is the best place to eat in Lombok, but street food just like the rest of Indonesia is cheap and amazing. Mount Rinjani simmers in the middle of the island and nearly every Lombok tour operator offers treks to the volcano caldera. Great beaches, surfers heaven and quiet undulating rice fields, Lombok is a relatively undiscovered paradise.