Often touted as the 'next Bali', Lombok offers its own unique version of Indonesian culture and society at a much slower pace than its more popular neighbour to the west. In Lombok, there are certainly similarities to Indonesia's other islands, such as volcanoes, beautiful beaches, clear warm waters, jungle terrain and plenty of traditional villages which have yet to be grossly modernised. However, the low-key character of Lombok's tourism means that visitors need to do more of the legwork to find the really special sights on this island.
The island's major highlights, like the 12,000 foot Rinjani volcano and beach resorts at Senggigi and Kuta, are already well into the tourism development phase, making them popular destinations. Yet conditions rarely reach what could be considered overcrowded and even at the peak of Lombok's high season, you'll find far fewer tourists than on neighbouring Bali.
Most visitors come to Lombok to enjoy the warm weather and lovely beaches. Swimming, snorkelling, diving and surfing are all big activities here, and the sublime Gili Islands just offshore provide even more tropical splendor without the hustle and bustle of other Asian beach resorts.
