5 of the Best Things to Do in Senggigi, Lombok, Indonesia

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I first visited Senggigi back in 2014 after a long trip from Flores, staying one night then quickly moving on to the Gili Islands. On my recent trip to Indonesia I returned to Senggigi and stayed for a few days, mostly in the hope of finding some great beaches hidden away along the main road branching out from town. Looking for the best things to do in Senggigi? I was too!

Check Out the Beaches

The main beach in Senggigi isn’t exactly a tropical paradise, so you’ll need to head out of town if you want to find the good beaches. I rented a car and driver and explored the coastline both north and south from Senggigi. Nipah Beach and Malimbu Beach, both north of town, are my two picks.

They’re both stunning beaches and very quiet unless you visit on a weekend. These beaches come alive during weekends, filling up with locals (the main city, Mataram, is around 30 minutes’ drive). I wrote a post about the best beaches in Senggigi so I won’t go into too much detail here, but if you’re only keen to visit a beach or two the ones I mentioned above are your best bets.

READ MORE: Where Are the Best Beaches in Senggigi?

Ghost Villa

The Ghost Villa is the remains of a house abandoned during construction long ago. It’s just a concrete shell sitting on a beautiful cliff edge with views over Malimbu Beach. It’s one of the best viewpoints in Senggigi and I heard it’s a great place to go for sunset.

Hang Out in Town

Senggigi is a small town which is well set up for tourists. There are plenty of places to stay and a good variety of restaurants. The main drag is lacking a little in atmosphere though. The beach in town is a little rough but there are some good places to eat down there and it’s a decent sunset spot.

Batu Bolong Temple is one of the few sights in town — not amazing but worth a quick look.

Viewpoints

There are lots of viewpoints on the road between Senggigi and Bangsal Port (main port for the Gilis) — if you rent a taxi to take you there you can stop off at a few. There’s also one just outside of town (Senggigi sign) which you could walk to.

The best viewpoint I found was Bukit Nipah, where you can see all three Gili Islands in the distance — it’s cool to see especially if you’re coming from / going to the Gilis.

Go to the Gili Islands

If you’re looking for information about Senggigi then chances are you’re also visiting the Gili Islands — and you definitely should! It’s a unique little island chain — three tiny, flat islands full of white sand beaches and surrounded by some of the most inviting water you could hope to find.

READ MORE: 10 of the Best Things to Do in the Gili Islands

You can get to the Gilis directly from Bali via fast boat, but if you’re travelling by slow boat or flight or coming from islands further east you’ll usually pass through Senggigi.

READ MORE: Getting to the Gili Islands From Bali

Other Things to Do in Senggigi

You could learn to surf (although Kuta, Lombok seems better for that), do some day trips around Lombok or relax at a fancy resort.

Where to Stay

I stayed at Senggigi Cottages Lombok (paid my own way) and it was great value and right in the heart of Senggigi. There are lots of other options around town and at some of the other beaches including some flash looking resorts.

Are you planning a trip to Indonesia? Let me know in the comments below

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Jon Algie

A travel blogger from New Zealand who hates talking about himself in the third person and has no imagination when it comes to naming websites.

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