Lombok

The jewel of Lombok, and reason enough to come — the three Gili Islands, tiny car-free specks of white sand and impossibly clear turquoise water off the north-west coast, where the only transport is bicycles and pony carts. Pick your island: Gili Trawangan for the buzz and nightlife, Gili Air for laid-back balance, or Gili Meno for honeymoon quiet. Swim, snorkel with turtles, cycle the sandy lanes, and watch the sun set over Bali's Mount Agung with your feet in the sea. Idyllic, barefoot and unforgettable. Simply paradise. Don't miss them.

Looming over the island is Mount Rinjani, Indonesia's second-highest volcano and one of Southeast Asia's great treks — a tough, spectacular two- or three-day climb through jungle and volcanic moonscape to a crater rim overlooking the surreal Segara Anak crater lake, with a smoking cone rising from its heart, and (for the hardy) a pre-dawn push to the 3,726m summit. Not a trekker? The Senaru rim viewpoint and the foothills reward you too. It's a serious but life-list adventure, open only in the dry season. Epic and unforgettable. Book a proper guided trek.

Some of the most beautiful beaches in Indonesia sit around Kuta in the south — and the loveliest is Tanjung Aan, a horseshoe bay of soft, pale sand (famously fine as peppercorns underfoot) and calm, glass-clear turquoise water, with a hilltop nearby (Bukit Merese) for a jaw-dropping view over the whole coast. Swim, laze and climb the headland at sunset; the string of nearby bays — Mawun, Mawi, Seger — are just as gorgeous and often empty. This is Lombok's south at its dreamiest. Simply stunning. A beach day to remember.

The waters around the Gili Islands are a snorkeller's and diver's dream — warm, clear and teeming with life, above all the green sea turtles that glide over the reefs in such numbers the islands are nicknamed 'turtle heaven'. Snorkel straight off the beach or take a cheap boat trip circling all three islands, drifting over coral, reef fish, the famous underwater statues and, again and again, turtles. Learn to dive here too — it's cheap and superb. Swimming beside a wild turtle is pure magic. An unforgettable underwater highlight. Bring or rent a mask.

A glorious white crescent of a bay in the south-west, Selong Belanak is both one of Lombok's prettiest beaches and its friendliest place to learn to surf — gentle, rolling beginner waves break over a sandy bottom, with cheap board hire and easygoing surf schools right on the sand. Take a lesson and catch your first wave, or just laze on the wide beach with a coconut and watch the surfers. It's a stunning, relaxed spot, and the south coast's clutch of surf breaks (Gerupuk, Mawi) are close by for the more experienced. A brilliant beach-and-surf day. Wonderful for beginners.

On Rinjani's lush northern slopes near Senaru village lie two of Lombok's finest waterfalls — the easily reached Sendang Gile, and, a beautiful jungle walk further (crossing streams — a local guide helps), the spectacular Tiu Kelep, a wide curtain of falls crashing into a pool you can swim in, wreathed in mist and rainbows. Cool off with a swim beneath the cascade in the green heart of the island; it's a magical half-day and a taste of Rinjani's beauty without the full trek. A refreshing, gorgeous highlight. Bring your swimmers and a guide.

Lombok's indigenous Sasak people give the island its distinct culture, and you can step into it at a traditional village like Sade or Ende near Kuta — clusters of thatched, bamboo-and-clay houses and rice barns with sweeping roofs, where villagers still live traditionally, weave gorgeous ikat textiles on backstrap looms, and demonstrate crafts and customs. A short guided visit (tip your guide) is a genuine, fascinating window into Sasak life, weaving and architecture, far from the beaches. A meaningful, cultural highlight and a good souvenir stop. Interesting and authentic. Buy a woven cloth.

For Lombok's gentler, greener side, head into the cool foothills of Rinjani to Tetebatu — a peaceful village of emerald rice terraces, tobacco fields and jungle, laced with little waterfalls and monkey forest, and dotted with viewpoints looking up to the volcano and down over the patchwork of paddies. Walk or cycle the terraces, chat with farmers, and soak up the serene rural pace; it's a lovely, low-key escape from the beaches into the real, working countryside. A beautiful, restful highlight and a taste of village Lombok. Scenic and calming.

Out on Lombok's remote south-east coast lies a genuine natural wonder — Pink Beach (Pantai Tangsi), one of only a handful of pink-sand beaches on earth, its sand blushed rosy by crushed red coral mixed into the white. Set in a wild, undeveloped bay of clear water good for snorkelling, it's a bumpy but rewarding trip (often combined with a boat to nearby islets and a viewpoint) far from anywhere. Come for the novelty and the raw, empty beauty; the pink is subtlest and prettiest in bright sun. A unique, off-the-beaten-track highlight. Wild and special.

Lombok has its own fiery cuisine, and the dish to seek out is ayam taliwang — a whole young chicken grilled and slathered in a searing red chilli, garlic and shrimp-paste sauce, born in the island's Taliwang district and now its signature. Eat it with plecing kangkung (water spinach in a blazing tomato-chilli-lime sambal) and rice at a local warung; together they're the classic Sasak meal. Lombok's food is hotter and more distinct than Bali's — the island's name is even said to mean 'chilli'. Delicious, fiery and cheap. Come with a tolerance for spice.

The biggest Gili, Gili Trawangan ('Gili T'), has Lombok's liveliest scene — but it's still barefoot and mellow by most standards. Watch the sunset from the island's west side, where beach swings and bean bags line the sand and the sky flames over Bali's volcano across the water, then join the laid-back party as beach bars fire up with live music, fire shows and DJs (a different bar hosts the big night each evening). It's sociable, scenic and fun without being Bali-brash. A gorgeous sunset and an easy island night out. Relaxed and lively.

The coastal road winding north from Senggigi toward the Gili piers is one of Lombok's most scenic drives, and it's studded with spectacular viewpoints — above all Malimbu and Nipah, where you pull over on the cliffs for a sweeping panorama of the curving coastline, the deep-blue sea and the three Gili Islands floating offshore, with Bali's Mount Agung beyond. It's glorious any time and magical at sunset. Stop for photos on the way to or from the islands; it's a free, breathtaking highlight and the classic Lombok postcard. Simply gorgeous. Go at sunset.

Lombok's original beach resort, Senggigi, strings along a series of gently curving bays on the west coast — easygoing, palm-backed beaches with calm water, a relaxed local scene and some of the island's finest sunsets, glowing over the sea toward Bali. It's a mellow, convenient spot for a beach day close to the Gili piers and the capital, with beach bars for a sundowner and a laid-back, unpolished charm. Come for the sunsets and the easy, uncrowded coast. A relaxed, well-placed beach highlight. Lovely at golden hour.

For a glimpse of Lombok's unique religious harmony, visit Pura Lingsar near Mataram — a serene 18th-century temple compound, unusual in Indonesia for being shared by both the island's Muslim Sasak (Wetu Telu) and Hindu Balinese communities, set in gardens around holy spring-fed pools full of sacred eels you can feed with a boiled egg. Nearby, the pretty royal water gardens of Taman Narmada echo Rinjani's crater lake. It's a peaceful, culturally fascinating stop away from the beaches, and the setting for the famous Perang Topat festival. A serene, interesting highlight. Calm and unusual.

Far quieter than their famous northern cousins, the little-known 'secret Gilis' off Lombok's south-west coast — Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis — are tiny, near-deserted islets of white sand and clear, calm water made for snorkelling, reachable by a short boat from the Sekotong coast. Hop between them on a private longtail, snorkel over coral and fish, and have a castaway beach almost to yourself; Gili Kedis is barely bigger than a sandbar. A lovely, peaceful alternative to the busy Gilis and a great easy day trip. Serene and unspoilt. Bring a picnic.