SENGGIGI WEST COAST RESORT

Just over one hour from Lombok International Airport, Senggigi is the main tourism centre on Lombok and, apart from the Gili Island, the most developed tourism area on Lombok. The town of Senggigi is about 10 km north of Ampenan, and about 10km north of Ampenan, and about 30 minutes drive from Teluk nara and Bangsal – the harbours to the Gili Islands.

Nowhere near as large or as busy as its Bali counterparts, Senggigi is a great base for exploring the rest of the island. The pace is laid-back, with activities centred on the beaches and day trips to places of interest, which are all within a few hours drive from the town.

At night, Jalan Raya Senggigi ( the main street ) comes alive. Dine in the many restaurant catering to all tastes and budgets, listen to live music at the bars, or dance the night away at the nightclubs.

Senggigi Beach is the large bay that forms the centre of Senggigi, with the main road running parallel to the beach, and large resorts occupying the space between. The Senggigi Beach Hotel, Santosa Villas and Resort, and the Sheraton Senggigi Resort all line the curved bay of Senggigi Beach and offer a full range of resort facilities, equally attractive for singles, couples and families.

The beachfront is currently undergoing “revitalization” by the West Lombok Tourism Departement, which threatens to ruin the natural beauty of the beach. It can become very crowded and is best avoided on Sunday and public holidays. However, many more beautiful beaches exist just minutes away to the north.

One of most specialist sights on the island is the sunset viewed from Senggigi Beach, with the bright orange sun sinking into the sea the west and Bali’s Gunung Agung volcano silhouetted on the horizon like a giant pyramid floating in the ocean.

Senggigi Reef, off the southern point, has good coral for snorkeling and, in the right condition, some decent surf breaks, Canoes can be hired from the beach on the weekends and during peak tourism times. Local outrigger boats ( prahu) can be chartered from the beachfront for trips along the coast or out to the Gili Islands.

The main road in Senggigi is lined with small attractive hotels catering to all budgets, shops, tour agencies, restaurants, bars and nightclubs; many of which have live music in the evening. There are a couple of supermarkets, numerous ATM’s and moneychangers, a post office and all the normal tourist facilities.

Senggigi is a relaxing and attractive place to stay, with a good range of luxury hotels and resorts, as well as mid-range and budget accommodations.

Tourism de velopment runs north along the coastal road for about 10km, with many hotels and restaurant positioned along the beautiful beaches that line the entire west coast.

About 2km north of central Senggigi Kerandangan Valley has a popular beach nearby and some small boutique hotels such as Puri Mas Spa Resort and Villa Campi Sorga, situated in pretty valley Dream Estate Park comprise private villa accommodation for owners and investors, and has villas available for short and long term rental in a secure, well-managed estate.

At the end of the road through Kerandangan Valley is the Taman Wisata Alam – Kerandangan Nature Reserve- with clearly marked hiking paths leading through the rain forest along the river. There is a small Ranger’s hut and visitors centre near the entrance, and picnic areas with basic concrete tables along the paths. The park boasts a small waterfall, pretty river scenery, families of local monkeys and a variety of tropical plants and birdlife.

Further north, Mangsit has developed as an accommodation alternative to Senggigi with boutique style hotels positioned along the breathtaking beaches of this section of coast. The popular Qunci Villas, Puri Mas Beach Resort, Windy Beach Resort and Holiday Resort Lombok are located in Mangsit.

Furthest north are Klui and Lendang Luar, with two  hotels- Jeeva Klui and Hotel Bulan Baru- and long stretches of pristine beaches.

Mainly deserted white sand beaches, flanked by coconut groves and untouched by hotels development, continue all the way north along the main coastal road Malimbu and Nipah are two picturesque bays less than half an hour from Senggigi, which are good for snorkeling, swimming and getting away from it all.

Teluk Nara and Teluk Kodek are on a large bay that froms a natural harbor, about 25kms north of Senggigi. All the main dive operators have boats here, which transfer guests to the Gili islands, as an alternative to nearby Bangsal Harbour.

Bangsal Harbour, less than 5km further north, is reached by turning left at the crossroad in Pemenang and from there it is easy to catch the public ferries ( actually large outrigger boats) out to the Gilis, or to charter boats for island hopping.

Whether you are seeking luxury accommodation at a top resort with fine dining and spa facilities, or a budget holiday with days spent exploring-or all the choices in between – Senggigi caters for all tasted and budgets.

From Senggigi, it’s easy to explore the attraction of the stunning south coast or the hop on a boat to the famous Gili islands lying just offshore. Swim, snorkel, dive, hike, lie in the sun, have a massage, eat and drink at some of the great restaurant and bars in town; or just take a break and be enchanted by the peace and beauty of Lombok.

source : The Lombok Guide Magazine