Paradises Exist | Three Days in Lombok

Paradises are real!  My boyfriend and I decided to spend my birthday in Lombok – Indonesia, an island that has nothing much but a pristine ocean, sweeping bays, and bars where you can watch the blood-red sun dances off the Pacific Ocean. We had a hell lot of wonderful moments on this island that we wanted to relive as soon as we stepped on our return flights. 

To stay

We stayed at two different resorts in Lombok – Katamaran Resort and Svarga Resort. Both of these resorts are located on the Mangsit beach in Lombok.

Katamaran was only built a few years ago hence everything inside the resort is still very new and clean. The resort has two swimming pools – a double decker see-through infinity pool plus a smaller pool, lots of sunbeds, poolside bar, two restaurants and a luxurious spa. The Spa is definitely a highlight of the resort as it has the most breathtaking view a spa salon can offer! We had a 120 minutes massage treatment that ended with an aromatic rose petal bath and it was just perfect!

The second resort that we stayed – Svarga was a birthday surprise planned by my lovely boyfriend. The hotel’s design is simple and neat which I adored and our villa was built on a cliff with a lovely private pool and sunbeds. We lounged around the sunbeds all day when the sun was out and sat by the pool at night to chit-chat until we finished the very last drop of wine. The only downside of Svarga is the resort is a bit old so some features of the rooms might be a bit rusty or broken but overall it was a good stay too.

If you are looking for a wider range of facilities and more choices of restaurants, then you should stay at Katamaran. But if you are craving for a detox and quiet holiday in a secluded place (there are no alcoholic drinks served in the hotel) that no one can disturb you, then Svarga would be a good choice for you.

To do & See

I’d say the thing that you must do when in Lombok is NOTHING. When we were not splashing ourselves in the tranquil waters or trotting along the sand as the sun sets, we were zipping fruity cocktails under the shade and it was fabulous.

Lombok itself is a sleepy village but there is a town called Senggigi in case you get bored (I won’t!) of the laid back resort life. It is a long strip with a few bars, restaurants, massage parlors and homestays.

On the last day of our trip, I was actually all ready to stitch myself to the sunbed but it was a stormy day so my boyfriend dragged me out to kayaking at Senggigi town and I am so glad he did that cause we got to watch the sun sinks into the surf on our little kayak and it was a remarkable experience! The price to rent kayak was very cheap compared to other popular holiday destinations, thanks to my boyfriend who managed to bring down the price from 80,000 Rupiah (6 USD) to 50,000 Rupiah (4 USD). Well done boyfriend!

Do pop by a bar called Sunset Bar if you happen to be in Senggigi town, it’s a beach bar facing the ocean inside a hotel called Senggigi Beach Hotel, it’s a good spot to sit back and relax with a few cocktails in hands.

To eat

Our best meal of the trip was the first dinner that we had at the beachside restaurant in Katamaran after we landed Lombok. They have this clear ox tail soup that will make you forget how to spell stress! Unfortunately, it was too dark for us to take any pictures (truth be told – we were too hungry to stop and take photos). We also enjoyed a delectable meal at yet another restaurant in the resort called Kliff, the view from the restaurant is amazing and the decor is also one to die for. Kliff serves east-meets-west fusion, the food was ok but the view ‘tasted’ better. We also really enjoyed the room service at Katamaran, we went to bed every night with a happy belly after gobbling all the delicious Mie Goreng topped with a fried egg that has a crispy edge, tender center and a runny yolk in bed! Last but not least, we went to a restaurant that was recommended by a few locals called New Furama, they do local Indonesian food and the grilled fish we had was pretty darn good.

 

 

We loved Lombok because it’s a place that doesn’t have too much that is happening which made us feel truly relaxed and unwind. After this trip, I believe we have found our paths to a true paradise.