Senggigi beach

Senggigi is the main tourist area on the mainland, with the town stretching along several fantastic bays on the west coast, and is only 20 minutes from the island's Selaparang airport. It is the ideal base from which to explore the island, and all major tourist attractions can be reached by day trips from Senggigi, including boat trips from Senggigi Bay out to the Gilis. There is a wide range of accommodations ranging from the five-star Sheraton Senggigi Beach Resort to elegant private villas to comfortable small hotels and home stays. The main street in town runs parallel to the beach and is lined with restaurants, shops, banks, moneychangers and other tourist facilities. Nowhere near as developed as Kuta in Bali, Senggigi is a delightful place to stay while relaxing, dining and exploring.

Senggigi Bay is a large clean beach around which Senggigi has developed, with resorts running from the beach to the main road. The beach is a great place to hang out, sunbath and enjoy a massage, or swim and snorkel in the clear waters. The Pasar Seni (Art Market) faces onto the beach, with restaurants and bars overlooking the bay and small shops selling souvenirs, clothes and handicrafts in the market behind. The beachfront hotels and restaurants are good places to watch the magical Lombok sunsets, when the sun sinks into the ocean behind Bali, silhouetting the volcanoes against the sky.

Slightly farther north, the resort areas of Kerandangan and Mangsit offer a variety of good accommodations, including the stylish Qunci Villas, Puri Mas Boutique Resorts, Windy Beach Resort and Holiday Resort. The beaches here have white sand and clear turquoise waters and are largely deserted.

At night, there is a great range of entertainment on offer, as well as fabulous dining in some of the Senggigi restaurants. There's international fine dining, cuisines ranging from Thai, Japanese, Mexican and Korean (to name a few), or spicy local Lombok fare all on offer. A number of restaurants and bars have live entertainment with talented local bands playing popular music at night; and there are several nightclubs and discos featuring top bands, DJs and guest stars from around the nation. Senggigi caters to all types of holidaymakers - there are budget options for travelers, romantic options for couples and honeymooners, and wonderful places for families with children of all ages.

from : jakarta post