Lombok

We pulled up onto the beach, surrounded my palm trees with white sand between our toes; Yep, we'd found paradise again.

Lombok is beautiful and a quieter, less touristy friend of Bali. This has its pros and cons of course. We'd been spoilt by an abundance of eateries and bars on our doorstep everywhere we went in Bali so Lombok was very different. Our hotel was around a 10 minute taxi (£1.50) ride from Senggigi beach & there wasn't anything around it. Senggigi itself is lovely, with some fab bars and restaurants (see Lombok eats blog). The beach is a quiet cove strewn with a handful of hotels and restaurants.

However the real beauty is in the south. We took a day tour to the south beaches stopping off at sights on the way.

• We went to Banyumulek pottery centre where we made our own little pots - The price is a donation up to you, we gave 50k which is around £3 and they seemed quite happy.

• We then went onto the Sukarare traditional hand weaving village. I learnt to weave (a must have trait if you want to be married) & we learnt it takes a month to make one wall hanging! They dressed us up in traditional clothing of the king and queen and we treated ourselves to the most gorgeous hanging for home! I'm obsessed. The shop was a little pricey compared to other 'souvenirs' but for a months worth £40 for a wall hanging it alright in my book.

• Then we visited Sade traditional village with ancient huts. We had a great guide who told us all about the houses and the traditions of the village. There's a small donation to make but again, the amount is up to you.

• Kuta Beach (Lombok - NOT the Bali one, very different places) - soft white sand and the clearest waters I've ever seen, by far the prettiest beach we'd seen on Lombok so far. There were lots of dogs, who were friendly enough (coming from someone who's terrified of dogs) & lots of 'looky looky' people but they're just trying to make a living. We had lunch in a spot just off the beach, there was a great little selection of restaurant and bars. Kuta beach - a must see for your trip to Lombok.

• Mawun beach - a little busier than Kuta but just as beautiful. A gorgeous little cove, again at the south of Lombok. Perfect for swimming in the deep turquoise seas or grab a coconut and a BBQ corn on the cob. Fabulous.

The next day we took a private tour to the secret Gili's - check out that blog too!

There is the most spectacular volcano on Lombok called Rinjani, which we naively thought we could climb (part of it at least) in a day. However, they only do treks over a few days. If you want to get to the top it's three days of walking and two nights camping on the volcano. It sounds like the most incredible experience and something to be aware of if you're booking your accommodation on Lombok. If it's your thing, save a few days unbooked & organise the trek when you're out there (it'll be much cheaper!)

A great base to see what Lombok has to offer along with day trips to the Gili Islands - just be aware that nothing will be on your doorstep. Lombok is a big place with beauty spots strewn all over its palm tree wilderness. There's no denying that Lombok is stunning, and with it just slightly touched with the tourist bug it's beautifully authentic.

Love you Lombok.

Jess x