Bali-Lombok round trip: the most beautiful route for couples + tips

Indonesia, and Bali in particular, are considered favorite destinations for backpackers. But they are also good for couples? We have spent our honeymoon on Bali and Lombok and can therefore unequivocally say: yes!

Especially a Bali Lombok round trip is from our point of view super suitable for couples. No matter if you are newly in love or have been together for a long time. Bali and Lombok offer you a lot of romance and wonderful experiences.

Where exactly you can find them and which highlights you should not miss on your Bali Lombok round trip, we will tell you in this article.

If you travel as a couple, you probably want to enjoy as much togetherness as possible. That’s why we take special care to avoid the typical mass tourism places on this itinerary. Instead, we send you to where you can enjoy plenty of solitude and idyll.

Guest post: Jenny and Christian run the travel blog unaufschiebbar, where you can find numerous travel tips as well as information about working location-independently. The two travel the world as digital nomads and finance the trip through their own online business.

Bali Lombok round trip for couples – your love route

To take it in advance: Bali tends to be more popular with travelers than Lombok. You will find more tranquility and togetherness on Lombok. Comparatively less tourists come to Lombok and you will find a lot of untouched nature and local flair. But also on Bali these abandoned places still exist.

Therefore, from our point of view, both islands are very suitable for a combination trip. Our Bali Lombok round trip itinerary is initially designed for 3 weeks.

If you have more time, we recommend to plan some quiet beach days and either stay longer in West Sekotong or go a bit further south to Selong Belanak.

With the right travel credit card you can save a lot of money and withdraw for free. How it works? We explain it to you here!

Day 1 to 3: Sanur

On the outward journey we recommend you to fly to the international airport Ngurah Rai on Bali. The airport is located in the south of the island, where there are also the most tourist places. From the airport it is best to take a cab to Sanur. The travel time is approx. 30 to 40 minutes.

Sanur is located on the southeast coast of Bali and is very popular with families and couples. Although Sanur has become a classic tourist resort, it is still a bit quieter than the strongholds in Kuta or Seminyak. You will find many nice restaurants in Sanur, which often offer live music in the evenings.

If you want to dine with sea view, the prices are usually a bit higher. But also along the “inland mile” you will find many nice restaurants with great flair. Spend the first few days in an accommodation that is close to the sea. For this we can recommend.B. recommend the Puri Kesari Guest House*.

Activities in Sanur

From our own experience, we can recommend the following activities in Sanur for your Bali Lombok round trip:

• Feast on the culinary delights – the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!
• Enjoy live music at dinner – you can hear which restaurants offer live music in the evening from far away
• Dancing to live music – the Balinese are guaranteed to join in the fun
• Shared water sports activities on the beach of Sanur (e.g. kayaking, stand up paddling or kitesurfing)
• Beach walks in the sand or along the beautiful beach promenade
• Get up early together and enjoy the sunrise on the beach before having a delicious breakfast together

Excursions around Sanur

If you also want to get to know the surroundings of Sanur, you can go there either by cab or by scooter. Rental cars are also available in Sanur. But be careful, because on Bali you have to drive on the left side of the road.

If you choose a cab, we can recommend the My Blue Bird app. Here you can see the fare before booking and then decide if you really want to do it.

Turtle sanctuary on the Serangan peninsula

You can reach the turtle sanctuary from Sanur in approx. 25 to 30 minutes drive. Their official name is “Turtle Conservation and Education Center”. The sanctuary rehabilitates injured sea turtles and ensures that turtle eggs are hatched safely.

The small baby turtles, which unfortunately often do not survive in the wild, are born in the sanctuary in a sheltered environment.After their birth they stay 2 weeks in the sanctuary before they are brought into the free sea.

If you like you can support the work of the turtle sanctuary by making a donation or by adopting a turtle. You can choose the baby turtle you adopt and name it yourself. After that you will personally take them to the sea and release them.

Waterblow and dream beach in Nusa Dua

If you want to experience a real dream beach with clear water and immaculate sandy beach, you should make a trip to Nusa Dua.

The town of Nusa Dua is located in the very south of Bali and is mainly known for its numerous luxury hotels. The beach of Nusa Dua is especially wide and miles long. This makes it ideal for beach walks. You can also find numerous water sport offers directly at the beach.

At low tide, the water at the front of the beach is so shallow that it forms a natural pool. Here you can sit comfortably in the water, enjoy the weather and sink into conversations. If it is high tide, the Waterblow, which is located right next to Nusa Dua Beach, is worth a visit.

The Waterblow is a big rock hole, in which high water fountains form at high tide and you get a small sea shower, if you are not careful. By the way, from Sanur to Nusa Dua you drive ca. 45 to 50 minutes.

Day 3 to 6: Nusa Penida

After you have started your Bali Lombok round trip comparatively calmly, the way leads you now further to the island of the adventures: Nusa Penida.

From Sanur you can take a speedboat, which will take you to the island within 35 minutes. You can find more information about the Nusa Penida journey in our detailed article.

Once on Nusa Penida, it is best to rent a scooter at the harbor. Because public transport has not really arrived on Nusa Penida yet and there are currently no cabs (except scooter cabs) on the island.

Alternatively, you can arrange a private driver (at the port or through your accommodation) or take a rental car. There are still some roads on Nusa Penida, which are so narrow that it is difficult to get through by car. Also the potholes on some paths can make you feel like mixing a cocktail in the meantime.

Nusa Penida is known for its natural beauty, the sparsely populated landscape, the many dream beaches and the high cliffs. With the exception of Crystal Bay you can reach all beaches only if you dare a steep descent.

But on Nusa Penida you have good chances for a lot of togetherness! Because of the sometimes steep descents you can have even the most beautiful picture book beaches with a little luck completely to yourself.

Activities on Nusa Penida

Nusa Penida is with 203 square kilometers much smaller than Bali. Therefore you can explore the island in 3-7 days and see almost all the highlights. We recommend the following beaches and activities:

• The absolute highlight: snorkeling with manta rays in the open sea! From Crystal Bay you can take a ca. Book a 90 minute tour and you have a high chance to see the up to seven meter long animals live in the sea.
• Probably the most beautiful place on the island is Kelingking Beach (Kelingking Secret Point). Here you have a beautiful view from the top and you can also walk down a steep path. Since the way discourages many visitors, the dream beach is comparatively empty – and this even in the high season.
• Besides Kelingking Beach, Suwehan Beach and Atuh Beach are also very nice and even more quiet.
• At low tide there is the possibility to swim in the colorful nature infinity pool at Angel’s Billabong. You should also visit the nearby Broken Bay.
• Especially unusual is the temple cave Goa Giri Putri. Here you will find a Hindu temple built into a large rock cave.
• The most beautiful viewpoints from our point of view are the Banah Sunset Point and the Pererenan Viewpoint
• And the most beautiful sunset you will experience in Crystal Bay.

Click on the detailed articles to get more information about Nusa Penida and the expected costs for your stay on the island.

Day 6 to 8: Nusa Lembongan

Your Bali Lombok round trip continues to Nusa Lembongan. Since the time on Nusa Penida is rather adventurous and eventful, you should relax on Nusa Lembongan afterwards.

For this Nusa Lembongan is perfect. The island has several beautiful beaches, which are easy to reach compared to Nusa Penida. Steep descents with many stairs you will not find here anymore.

To get from Nusa Penida to Nusa Lembongan, you can find local boats (Jungkungs) e.g. at Toyapakeh Beach in the north of Nusa Penida. Or you ask in your accommodation on Nusa Penida for a boat transfer.

Activities on Nusa Lembongan

Get some rest on Nusa Lembongan and just relax on the beach. Beautiful beaches are e.g. the Dream Beach, the Mushroom Beach, the Lighthouse Beach and the Sunset Beach. You can also explore Nusa Lembongan and the neighboring island of Nusa Ceningan by scooter.

• A mangrove safari in the north of Nusa Lembongan.
• Also in the north you can snorkel on the left side of Mangrove Point.
• If you go by scooter to Nusa Ceningan, we recommend the Blue Lagoon.

Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan offer many nice accommodations with pools. In addition, the beaches also have beach bars and massage options for you to pamper yourself with. How about.B. with a partner massage with sea view for you?

You can read more about the two islands in this detailed article: Nusa Lembongan Travel Report – The Best Tip, Beaches& Activities

Day 8 to 11: Ubud

It goes back to Bali! To be more precise to Ubud. The cultural center of Bali is no longer an insider tip. And although the small place in the middle of the jungle is almost overcrowded, it should not be missed on your Bali Lombok round trip.

Ubud has a lot of beautiful nature to offer and is also a very good starting point for excursions in the area. If you don’t like it so busy, you should also look for an accommodation outside of the center. Ubud offers from our point of view the most beautiful accommodations in Bali!

• Unfortunately the accommodations are no longer available.

Activities in Ubud

In Ubud itself, the Monkey Forest is one of the highlights. Even though the monkey forest is very touristy, you should not miss the monkeys running around freely. It is best to go there already in the morning at 08:30 o’clock, so that it is not too crowded.

Afterwards you can do a short hike on the Campuhan Ridge Walk. Go the way ca. 30 minutes until you reach the Karsa Kafe. There you can get some refreshments and if necessary enjoy a massage in the neighboring Karsa Spa.

Ubud is also a paradise for healthy eating and yoga. Therefore, you can feast on the culinary offer in Ubud. Many local as well as international restaurants and warungs can be found around the Monkey Forest and the Ubud Market.

Excursions in the surroundings of Ubud

• Tukad Cepung Waterfall (ca. 1 hour drive from Ubud)
• Kuning Waterfall
• Nungnung Waterfall (a little more than 1 hour drive inland from Ubud)
• Kanto Lampo Waterfall
• Tibumana Waterfall

At these waterfalls you will find less tourists than at the other waterfall hotspots. If you go there as early as possible, you might even have the waterfalls all to yourself. Especially beautiful is the Tukad Cepung Waterfall, which is located in the middle of a canyon.

From Ubud to the northwest

Furthermore we can recommend a trip to the Jatiluwih rice terraces and the Hindu temple “Pura Luhur Batukaru”. The path takes you up into the beautiful mountain landscape. The best way to get there is by scooter or car, as there are no cabs in this area anymore.

The Jatiluwih rice terraces are over 300 hectares in size and are located at an altitude of 700 meters. From the viewpoint you can enjoy a beautiful view over the rice terraces. We also recommend a rice field trekking tour. For this you can simply follow one of the signposted trekking routes.

The Pura Luhur Batukaru Temple is an especially mystical forest temple, which dates back to the 11th century. Century originates. Here is a very spiritual and quiet atmosphere!

Bali& Lombok – Travel guide to the round trip

You want to know all the important information for planning your Bali& Lombok Trip? Then have a look at the matching guidebook. Available in three different roundtrip options: 2 weeks, 18 days and 3 weeks!

Day 11 to 13: Amed

Your Bali Lombok round trip will now take you further to Amed. From Ubud you can either take a private transfer or the shuttle bus up to Amed. A private driver can take you to Ubud.B. arrange your accommodation.

In addition, you will certainly be offered a private cab service on the road in Ubud quite often. Shuttle buses in Bali are operated by Perama Tour. For this you have to get up early, because the bus starts already at 7 o’clock in the morning. But it is the cheapest way to get to Amed (175.IDR 000 per person, as of February 2018).

Amed is located on the northeast coast of Bali and is much quieter than Ubud. Due to the greater distance to the airport, not too many tourists come here. Therefore, the small fishing village is ideal for your Bali Lombok round trip.

Activities in Amed

Amed is a beautiful place for snorkeling and diving. You will find beautiful snorkeling spots all along the coastline. Most of the accommodations rent snorkeling equipment, so you don’t have to search long for the right equipment.

If you want to treat yourself to a little more luxury, we can recommend the Puri Wirata Resort& Spa* recommend. They are separated from the sea only by the coastal road and are situated on a small mountain. Here you have a wonderful view of the sea. In the morning you have breakfast on your private terrace and in the evening you can enjoy a wonderful “love dinner” prepared by Marina’s team.

For sunset we recommend the Jemeluk Viewpoint, which you can reach on foot from the Marina Villa’s. If you want to experience another highlight, a trekking tour on the volcano Batur is an unforgettable experience.

From Amed you can book a sunrise excursion. You will be picked up in the middle of the night and walk up the volcano in the dark. The breathtaking view at sunrise is amazing!

Day 13 to 16: Gili Islands

From Amed every morning speedboats start to the Gili Islands. The so called “Gilis” already belong to Lombok and have become a popular destination for tourists. And rightly so!

There are three Gili islands in total: Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. The busiest places are Gili Air and Gili Trawangan. Gili Meno is the smallest of the three Gili islands and also the most quiet one. The special thing about the Gilis is that there are no motorized vehicles. The only means of transportation are your feet, bicycles and horse carriages.

Activities on the Gilis

The Gili Islands are ideal for relaxing, snorkeling and diving. Especially high is the chance to meet turtles! We have seen a sea turtle twice on the west coast of Gili Trawangan. An unforgettable beautiful experience for us!

In order to see a turtle as well, you should jump into the water as often as possible and head for the signposted turtle spots. According to the locals, this is the place where turtles are most often spotted.

On all three Gili Islands there are also Turtle Conservation Centers, which take care of injured turtles and their conservation. You can visit this Conservation Center for free. They are located near the harbor on all three Gilis.

• Breakfast with your feet in the sand and the sound of the sea in your ear e.g. at the Karma Kayak Beachfront Resort* on Gili Trawangan
• Take romantic walks on the beach and go around the Gili islands (depending on the Gili island you will need approx. 30 to 120 minutes)
• Swing on one of the many swings on the beach
• Relax in one of the numerous beach cafes – there are hammocks and beanbags almost everywhere
• Do some island hopping and take the public boats for ca. 1 Euro to the next Gili island (tickets are available at the harbor)
• Book a beach barbecue in the evening and grill your delicacies in the campfire directly on the beach
• Enjoy the sunsets on the west coast of the Gili Islands – they are breathtakingly beautiful!

By the way, you will find the most peace and quiet if you stay as far away from the harbor as possible. On all three Gili islands: Near the harbor there is always the most hustle and bustle!

Day 16 to 18: Senggigi

After you have relaxed on the Gilis, the Bali Lombok round trip takes you to the mainland of Lombok. From the Gili Islands you can take a local slow boat or a speed boat to Bangsal. With both boats you are ca. 20 to 30 minutes on the way.

In Bangsal itself there is not too much to see, so we recommend you to take a cab from the harbor to Senggigi. The journey time by cab (Blue Bird is present everywhere on Lombok) is approx. 45 minutes.

Senggigi is a quite quiet place on the west coast of Lombok. You will find a lot of untouched nature and lonely, almost deserted beaches, especially north of Senggigi. Tourism has only moderately arrived here and the beaches are still mostly undeveloped.

In Senggigi itself it is a bit more crowded. You will meet more locals than tourists, which we personally find very charming.

Excursions around Senggigi

For couples we find especially the Tiu Pituq Waterfall Park simply enchanting. The best way to reach the park is by scooter or with a rental car. The drive up to the park alone is very worthwhile.

On the way there you can use the inland road and drive past the monkey forest northeast of Senggigi. The monkeys just sit here at the roadside and like to be fed with nuts and bananas by the visitors. Besides, the view along the “Monkey Road” is beautiful.

In the Tiu Pituq Waterfall Park you can expect beautiful viewing platforms, swimming opportunities, photo motifs with heart and a panoramic swing. Even if the Tiu Pituq waterfall itself is not the biggest, it is still worth a visit.

Afterwards you can visit the nearby waterfalls Tiu Pupus and Air Terjun Gangga. All waterfalls are little visited and hardly known by tourists. That’s why we find it all the more worthwhile.

On the way back you should take the coastal road back to Senggigi. During the day as well as at sunset you can enjoy beautiful views of the sea and the coastline.

The most beautiful beaches around Senggigi are from our point of view Pantai Setangi 3, Pantai Pandan Malaka and Pantai Kerandangan (Coco Beach). But also in Senggigi itself you can spend a nice beach day.

Day 18 to 21: West Sekotong

As a last stop of the Bali Lombok round trip we recommend the small place West Sekotong at the southwest coast of Lombok. The place offers lonely beaches and is also a great starting point for excursions in the region as well as for beach hopping.

To go from Senggigi to West Sekotong, it’s best to take a Blue Bird Taxi. The driving time is about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

If you want to treat yourself to a lot of luxury at the end of your Bali Lombok round trip, the Star Sand Beach Resort* is a very good address. Here you live directly at the beach and look already when waking up through large panorama fronts to the sea. A dream for every couples vacation!

Excursions around West Sekotong

You will find a lot of loneliness on the so called Secret Gilis. These are mainly Gili Nanggu, Gili Sudak and Gili Kedis. All three islands offer you fine, white sandy beaches, turquoise-blue, clear water and once again beautiful snorkeling and diving spots.

The islands are comparatively small and you can walk around them very quickly. Therefore we recommend you to rent a private boat from West Sekotong and make a day trip.

Beaches on Lombok’s south coast

West Sekotong is also a good starting point to explore the beaches in the south of Lombok. For beach hopping a rental scooter is the best choice.

On the beaches of the south coast you will find ideal conditions for surfing. For beginners especially Selong Belanak Beach is good, because the waves here are comparatively small. Lessons can be found on the beach, where you can also rent surfboards.

Selong Belanak Beach is in our opinion the most beautiful beach on the south coast. In addition, Mawi Beach (with very high waves), Mawun Beach and Tanjung Aan are also worth a visit.

Return trip to Bali

On the last day of your Bali Lombok round trip you have two return options available. Provided your flight back home departs from Bali.

1. You will take a domestic flight from Lombok International Airport back to Bali. The flight takes only approx. 30 minutes and is offered with a small propeller machine. On a clear day you have a nice bird’s eye view of Bali and Lombok.

2. You will go to the port of Lembar and take the ferry to Padang Bai. The ferry costs only a few Euros and brings you in contact with the locals, as very few other tourists ride it. The crossing takes 4 to 5 hours depending on the current.

But on board you have the possibility to lie down and. Sleeping places available. Before the trip, you should also take a travel tablet in case you get seasick quickly. From Padang Bai you can take a cab to the airport afterwards. The trip takes ca. 75 to 80 minutes.

If you have not booked a return flight from Bali, you can fly directly from Lombok to your home country. Lombok International Airport offers direct flights to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, which are often stopovers on the way to Germany anyway.

Bali& Lombok travel guide

Well, have you got the taste now? Then we have a little something for you in the end! Because this Bali Lombok round trip is not the only route we have in stock.

In our big Bali& Lombok travel guide we show you our personal highlight itinerary. Here we do without long text deserts and give you instead clear information in a nice design.

This modernly designed travel guide is just what you need if you want an exact itinerary with daily planning, restaurant and accommodation recommendations, and tips on how to get around.

In addition, you will find all the necessary basic information there, such as.B. Climate tables, visa info, a packing list, app recommendations and much more.

The travel guide for the Bali Lombok round trip* is available in three different versions: 2 weeks, 18 days and 3 weeks. Feel free to have a look – we are looking forward to seeing you!!

Do you still have questions about our detailed Bali& Lombok round trip for couples? If so, just write us a comment! We are looking forward to it!

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