Congrats on tying the knot! We wish you many happy years together. You are undoubtedly looking for a romantic hideaway to spend your honeymoon relaxing and getting pampered and spoiled rotten with your significant other. If you dream of a tropical island honeymoon in Indonesia, you will love our honeymoon in Lombok itinerary.
While we didn’t spend our actual honeymoon in Lombok, we decided to indulge our tropical romance fetish and treated ourselves to a second honeymoon on the stunning island of Lombok. We chose Lombok for its fantastic beaches, exceptional value for money and low-key ambience.
We split our one week in Lombok between three ridiculously romantic resorts and hotels on Gili Trawangan and Senggigi. If you are also looking for the ultimate Lombok honeymoon (of course you are!), here is our wedding gift – the most romantic Lombok honeymoon escape.
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Our Honeymoon in Lombok at a Glance
We narrowed it down to two places for luxury accommodation on Gili Trawangan (Gili T). In the end, we just couldn’t decide, so we chose to split our time on Gili T between a luxury resort and a private pool villa. Both turned out to be fantastic!
After a few pampered and relaxed days in Gili T, we returned to Lombok proper for an island tour and two more nights at a romantic and lavish beach resort in Senggigi.
- Day 1-2: Arrive Lombok International Airport and get a transfer to Bangsal harbour. Jump on board a boat to Gili Trawangan. Check into the Pearl of Trawangan where you’ll stay for two nights.
- Day 3-5: Get a cidomo (traditional Lombok horse cart) to transfer you and your luggage to your own private pool villa at Kelapa Villas for three nights.
- Day 6-7: Get the boat back to Bangsal and go on a private day tour of Lombok, visiting the rural Sassak villages and waterfalls. Check into the Chandi Boutique Resort & Spa in Senggigi for two last nights of tropical romance and luxury.
- Day 8: Transfer back to the airport, or extend your stay indefinitely.
Getting from Lombok Airport to Gilli Trawangan
Lombok International Airport (LOP) is located on the south of the island, while Bangsal Harbour, from where boats to the Gili Islands leave, is located on the northwestern side.
Taxis are readily available at the airport. The transfer between the airport and Bangsal harbour should take about 1.5 hours.
Once you get to Bangsal, ask the driver to enter the harbour compound (you need to pay IDR 50,000) to avoid the long walk to the ticket office with your luggage.
Go directly to the ticket office to buy your ticket, and don’t pay any attention to the hustlers trying to sell you tickets as soon as you get out of the taxi.
You can choose to take the public ferry or a speed boat.
The public ferry is slow and cheap (about IDR 22 000) and is a local experience. This is the one that we took, and it was just grand. There is no set schedule, and boats leave throughout the day as soon as enough passengers arrive. You won’t have to wait too long, as all the locals use this ferry. It takes about 40 minutes from Bangsal to Gili Trawangan.
The last public ferry leaves Bangsal around 16:30.
Fast boats leave on a set schedule (roughly hourly between 9:30-17:30) and cost about IDR 85 000. It gets you Gili Trawangan in about 30 minutes.
Once you arrive at Gili T, there is no motorized transportation. The only way to get around the island is on foot, by horse cart (cidomo), or by bicycle.
The Pearl of Trawangan, where we are staying, is a short walk from the ferry dock, but consider getting a cidomo if you’re travelling with a lot of luggage.
Staying at the Pearl of Trawangan
With a private stretch of sandy beachfront, two outdoor pools (one with a swim-up bar) nestled in tropical gardens and kind and attentive staff, the Pearl of Trawangan can rightfully claim to be the gem of Gili T.
We stayed in the Suar Superior Room, which was just perfect. You’ll find everything you need for a comfortable stay: crisp linen, AC, minibar and the likes. The outdoor bathroom is tropical living at its best.
Breakfast is something to look forward to- the best we had on Gili T. Mornings at the Pearl of Trawangan start at their thatch roof restaurant right on the beach, and your day will only get better from there. The French toast and pastries are sublime, and the Lombok coffee is dark and strong.
The restaurant serves food throughout the day, and you can even get your meal brought to your sunchair on the beach.
Pearl of Trawangan is a 10-minute walk from the ferry dock and the centre of the island’s activities. Close enough to the shops, bars and restaurants, yet far enough for those looking for a tranquil oasis.
Kelapa Villas: Your Private Pool Villa Love Nest
Kelapa Villas, set in the middle of a coconut plantation, is just the place to get away from it all and enjoy a tranquil honeymoon. Its location in the middle of the island ensures you’ll have a serene stay, away from the busier beachfront locales.
The property features 20 villas ranging from one to seven bedrooms, each with its own private swimming pool. There is also a tennis court, air-conditioned gym and restaurant.
Breakfast is delivered to your villa at the pre-arranged time, and you can request a floating breakfast if you want to have a photoshoot before having your brekkie 😂
We stayed at the one-bedroom Kuara Villa, and it felt like we never wanted to leave. The bedroom looks out on your own 8-metre-long pool with sunchairs and a tropical garden. Of course, it won’t be the tropics without an outside shower. In-house massage service enjoyed poolside or under the AC in your villa is just a phone call to reception away.
A 10-15 minute walk through the coconut groves will get you to either side of the island. We liked the island’s western side more for its chilled beach bars and sunset views with Bali on the horizon.
Things to do in Gili Trawangan
Island hopping and snorkelling with turtles
Snorkellers are in for a treat when visiting the Gilis. Snorkelling from the beach around Pearl of Trawangan or Turtle Point on the island’s northern point is okay, but you must get a boat to reach the best sites.
We went on a private glass-bottom boat tour for a memorable day of snorkelling and island hopping.
Our boat captain, Mas, took us out to Meno Slope, just off Gili Meno, where he scanned the water for signs of turtles. Once he had spotted them, he jumped into the water with us and guided us towards them. It’s an incredible feeling swimming next to the gentle animals.
And Mas just kept on and on finding turtles! By the end of the day, we stopped counting how many turtles we had seen. It was a truly fabulous day.
Our snorkelling trip also stopped at neighbouring Gili Meno and Gili Air for more excellent snorkelling and time on the beach.
Love Snorkeling?
Read our Snorkeling Guides to Komodo and Amed, Bali
Visit the Turtle Hatchery
The small turtle hatchery on the main drag near the ferry port is easy to miss but worth a quick stop.
Locals collect the eggs from the beaches of Gili Trawangan and bring them here to hatch safely, away from predators and tourists’ feet. After they hatch, these cuties are placed in tanks and taken care of until they are old and strong enough to be released back into the wild.
Who knows, perhaps some of those turtles you saw on your snorkelling trip started their lives here at the hatchery.
Eat Seafood at the Night Market
After sunset, a night market springs up next to the mosque, near the ferry dock. This is the best place for a cheap but delicious seafood dinner.
As expected of a good fish market, the fish are fresh off the boat and caught that same day. The seafood is on display for you to inspect and smell and feel before you decide. After choosing your baracuda, snapper, grouper, shrimp, lobster or whatever you fancy, it will be prepared for you to your liking.
We always ask for bakar (grilled) with lots of lemon butter or bbq sauce. You could also ask for curry or see what they can do if you have something else in mind. Order a few sides like grilled corn, greens, rice and something cold to drink, and you’re in for a pretty delicious evening.
Watch Sunsets
For obvious reasons, the quieter, western side of the island is known as Sunset Side. The chilled beach bars right on the beach are just the place to watch the ball of fire drop behind Mount Agung on Bali while nurturing something cold.
Our favourite place to celebrate the end of yet another lovely day in paradise is near the Ombak Sunset Hotel. Ombak Sunset has a large bar and beach area, but for something quieter, we suggest taking a walk down the beach to find somewhere mellow, away from the sunset chasers who flock here.
Get here around 17:00 to find a nice spot on the beach, order something that looks pretty and has some kick, or go for a swim before the sky starts setting on fire.
Lombok Island Tour
After a few blissful days on Gili Trawangan, it’s time to get the boat back to Lombok proper for a day tour of the island. We took this customizable private tour, meaning we went where we wanted to go. For our Lombok day trip, we decided to focus on the culture and nature of northern Lombok.
Arrange to be picked up at Bangsal harbour and dropped off at the Chandi in Senggigi at the end of your tour to save time.
First, we stopped at Malimbu Hill, where we got a fine view of the three Gili islands and Bali with Mount Agung behind it.
Heading farther north to the slopes of Mount Rinjani (Indonesia’s second-highest mountain), the air got cooler, and the landscape even lusher. At Sendang Gile waterfall, we enjoyed the verdant scenery and swam in the pools under the waterfall (remember to keep your towel and swimwear in your daypack).
Moving on to Senaru, a traditional village, will show what life is like in the mountainous north of Lombok. The villagers are friendly and welcoming, without feeling like a folk village.
This is a full-day tour, so you can expect to arrive in Senggigi just in time for sunset and enjoy a sundowner poolside or on the beach
Staying at the Chandi Boutique Resort & Spa
A welcome hamper, fruit basket, flower bouquet and cake waited for us in our room when we checked into The Chandi Boutique Resort in Senggigi. We left a message with our booking to tell them that we were in Lombok for our honeymoon but had completely forgotten about it. It was indeed a very nice surprise and reminder that we were actually in Lombok for our (second) honeymoon.
This superior level of personal attention and detail to service are what make the Chandi such an exceptional place. We cannot recommend this place highly enough.
We stayed in the Executive Garden Villa, which was spacious and offered the best of inside-outside living. The surroundings gardens are lush and set inside a large coconut grove.
While it does have a beachfront location, the infinity pool overlooking it was so perfect that we had no reason to leave the resort.
Called the Temple of Relaxation, the Mandri Spa offers body treatments and pamperings in the spa, beach, or at your villa. The aroma therapy massage we had here still has the top spot of all the massages we’ve ever had.
Breakfast at the Chandi is yet another highlight to look forward to. Served in the beachside restaurant, guests are given a checklist full of yummy breakfast choices to tick off. If you feel like it, go ahead and check them all.
Want to Extend your Lombok Honeymoon?
Unfortunately, some of us can only take a week off for our honeymoon. If you’re lucky enough to have more time, you could stay in Lombok for a few more days to relax on the dazzling beaches and surf in Kuta Lombok in the south. Those looking for an active adventure can go on a three-day hike to the summit of Mount Rinjani, Lombok’s active volcano.
We combined our Lombok honeymoon with an equally relaxed and luxurious stay in Yogyakarta in Java. A short flight via Bali will get you to Yogyakarta in no time.
Bali is just a short ferry hop away to the west. Fast boats from Senggigi to Padang Bai in Bali take about 1.5 hours (book tickets here). From Padang Bai, head north for half an hour to get to Amed, our favourite spot in Bali for excellent snorkelling and more chilling.
Whether this is your first or second honeymoon, Lombok is sure to fulfil your tropical and romantic fantasies. We can’t wait to go back for our third honeymoon!
How I Shot This Guide
Every photograph in this article was taken with the exact same gear I carry on every journey. It is a setup refined over years on the road to keep travel light without compromising the final image.
- Camera: Sony A7 V
- Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art.
- My cheap underwater camera: AKASO EK7000
- Storage: SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
- Software: Adobe Lightroom Classic
- My Indonesia travel essential (trust me): Ray-Ban Wayfarer