SENGGIGI BEACH

Occupying a series of a sweeping bays, Senggigi is the most developed tourist area in Lombok, with a wide ring if tourist facilities. Senggigi underwent rapid development in the early 1990s, but with the dearth of tourists in recent years it has something of an abandoned look, with empty shopping malls, neglected hotels and quits restaurant. The good news for visitors is this means big discount and Senggigi is now one of the best-value destinations in Indonesia for those seeking creature comforts.

Senggigi has fine beaches and the Gilis are just a boat ride away. There are beautiful sunsets over Bali that can be enjoyed from the beach, one of the beachfront restaurant or the nearby temple. As it gets dark in the evening the fishing fleet line up offshore, the bright lanterns like a floating village againt the night sky.

Orientation and Information

Senggigi spend about 10km of costal road. Most of the shops and other facilities, and a fair concentration of hotels, are on the main road, Jl. Raya Senggigi, which start about 6km north of Mataram. Money and travelers cheques can be exchanged at most of the big Hotels, but it is better to use one of the moneychangers along Jl. Raya Senggigi. There are several ATMs in central Senggigi. The Telkom office is inconveniently position northwest of the main shopping area, but there are other wartel along Jl. Raya Senggigi. There are several Internet Café in the centre of Senggigi, including Milenuim Internet Café and Planet Senggigi, both on Jl. Raya Senggigi and charging Rp.300 a minute. The nearest hospital in Mataram, but the Senggigi Medical Clinic (0370 693856) is based at the Senggigi Beach Hotel. The Police station (110) is next to the Pasar Seni (arts market), just north of central Senggigi.

Pura Batubolong

This temple is on a rocky point that just into the sea about 1km south of central Senggigi. As a Balinese temple, it’s orient towards Gunung Agung, which is Bali’s holiest mountain. There’s a good view of Senggigi from this point, and a great place to watch the sunset.

Activities

There is reasonable snorkeling of the point, in the sheltered bay around the headland near Senggigi, and in front of the Windy Cottages, a few kilometers north of the town. Diving trips from Senggigi normally visit the Gili Island, so it’s better and cheaper to base your self there, unless you prefer swankier hotels of Senggigi.

Entertainment

Several of the more popular restaurants, like Bayan Restaurant, Taman Senggigi and Café Alberto, have live music in the evening. Nightlife can same tame after Bali, but this is as raucous as it gets in Nusa Tenggara, excepting Gili Trawangan. Saturday night is the big one, when young folk from Mataram head here in force.

Café Berry is the place to get warm up for an evening, a small bar with a big host in the shape of larger-than-life Berry Albertus. Drinks flow and there is usually a small crowed. Later the action makes the move to Marina Pub, a big bar on two floors that has a live band most night. It also has excellent pizzas with can fill a late-night hole. The other popular late-night haunt is Club Tropicana, where drinks are unfortunately not free, but there’s enough for everyone. There is cover charge of Rp.30.000, but it’s often waived for foreigners. One other Pub worth considering for a beer is the Down Under Pub at the Princess of Lombok Restaurant. It is small place with a pool table.

Shopping

The Pasar Seni (art market) was pretty much destroyed by fire in 2002, but is slowly reopening. Other shopping malls such as the Galleria remain weofullu under-occupied. It is probably better to browse through the shops on the road to Ampenan or craft center on Mataram.