Lombok, Indonesia Part 1 : Senggigi

First Impressions of Senggigi

From outward appearances, Senggigi is a pretty scruffy-looking town, with abandoned and crumbling buildings and empty storefronts. It apparently had its heyday in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Lombok was being promoted as the “next Bali” and Senggigi experienced a massive building boom. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out that way.

Senggigi was once conveniently located for getting to the airport, but when Lombok opened a new airport in 2011, the drive became a 1.5- to 2-hour journey. Seven years later, the island was hit with a massive magnitude 6.9 earthquake, which caused widespread damage. Without insurance coverage common in wealthier countries, many businesses and property owners simply couldn’t afford to rebuild.

Needless to say, Senggigi got left behind and it shows as you walk along the main road.

But for me, that doesn’t necessarily make Senggigi a bad place to spend a few days. It’s close to the ferry, has enough restaurants and shops within walking distance and is a launching point for other activities.

Wandering Around Senggigi

I settled into my first day by finding a coffee place on Google Maps and hopped on to the back of a Grab scooter (US$0.90) for the 10 minute ride. Sitting under a tree and sipping coffee made from freshly roasted beans was a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The owner proudly showed me his sacks of coffee beans and his roasting machine.

Late morning, I crossed the street to the beach. Unlike the beaches in Bali, the beach looked almost deserted. Granted, it was the middle of the day, when no self-respecting person would brave the heat and sun.

I managed to find an inviting-looking place with bean bag cushions and umbrellas. After ordering a watermelon juice and some fried bananas, I settled in and got out my knitting. Oh yes, I should add that Lombok is pretty conservatively Muslim so no beer / cocktails on the beach! Outside of restaurants catering primarily to Western tourists, alcohol and pork aren’t generally on the menu.

One thing I’ve noticed about Lombok is how easy it seems to be to have genuine interactions with people. I get welcoming smiles almost everywhere I go.

A young woman who was curious about my knitting sat down next to me. Using a combination of my limited Indonesian and Google Translate, I found out a little about her family and where on the island she was from. She wasn’t trying to sell me anything but it was just a genuine interaction.

Trying Surfing Again ….

After a couple of quiet days, I was ready to do something. I took surfing lessons 20 some years ago in Costa Rica and I remember I didn’t exactly love it for the few seconds I was able to stand up. Maybe this time I’d love it. And what do have to lose? So I signed up for a lesson.