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In early 2005, A and I went to Lombok – Bali’s kid sister – and stayed in two different places: Sheraton and Oberoi. Sheraton is located in Senggigi beach, a much more touristy area compared to Oberoi, which is on an isolated area but an utterly gorgeous, a very peaceful and tranquil property. I instantly fell in love with Oberoi the first time A and I stayed there.

By good luck, in late 2008, we had the chance to revisit Lombok after our Gili Trawangan trip. Without a doubt, we chose to stay at Oberoi again. Reservation and a boat transfer from Gili Trawangan to Medana Beach (i.e., Oberoi’s private beach) was already confirmed a month in advance. The speed boat ride from Gili Trawangan to Medana Beach only took twenty minutes. Upon on arrival we were greeted with refreshing ginger lime ice cocktails, slices of cake and Frangipani Leis. Then we checked into our pavilion. The pavilion’s terrace has a great view of beautiful lush gardens and endless blue sea. The high-ceiling room is expansive and comes with various amenities. Its separate shower and sunken bath overlooking a private garden patio makes our stay even more enjoyable. The only downside is the bulky outdated tube television at the corner of the room. I expected to have a nice LCD TV when it comes to a five-star hotel like Oberoi.

After resting for a while, we directly went to the hotel’s beach. The beach is not spectacular but very private and secluded.  We then went snorkeling around the hotel’s jetty. Within only one minute of snorkeling, I sensed something very wrong. I felt very itchy around my arms and legs, then we realized that there were many jellyfish around us. Ahhh… We abruptly ended our snorkeling. We then took advantage of the hotel’s jellyfish-free pool. We spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and lying down by the infinity pool.

The hotel offered afternoon tea for the guests in the hotel’s bale bengong. They served banana, raisin, walnut cake and a traditional local finger food called surabi (made from rice flour, palm sugar, and shredded coconut). Regular black tea and traditional home-made ginger tea with honey were also provided. We enjoyed our tea and finger food with a view of an endless sea and a fantastic sunset over Mount Agung. It was a perfect afternoon!

As for the night, candlelight dinner tables were neatly arranged around the pool. Each of the four gazebos at the corners of the pool was also used for a private dinner. The hotel guests can also have a private romantic dinner on the beach or by the cliff overlooking the ocean. The food was remarkable, but it was a bit pricey. During dinner, an old man who had been lingering around the pool for some time suddenly approached us and casually asked a question in Chinese. He thought that we came from China. After revealing our Indonesian nationality, he was so surprised. He said that, in September, not many Indonesians usually stayed at the hotel. Maybe September is not a holiday season for most Indonesians. Well, it’s true! At that time, we were the only Indonesian guests. Hehehe… After dinner, we returned to our pavilion for a good night sleep.

The next morning we had a la carte breakfast served in the beachfront cafe with a beautiful scenery of the blue sea. The breakfast was delicious. A selection of continental breakfast included assorted croissants and breads combined with homemade jam and tropical fruits. The pancakes and omelets that we ordered were presented beautifully by the chef. We all treasured our time with a long leisure chat at the gorgeous beachside cafe. What a memorable moment…

Noticing us taking pictures, the old man with whom we had a conversation before during dinner greeted us and posed himself next to my sister. We then took a picture of him together with my sister. After that, we had a little chat with one of the waitresses. She indicated that the old man was actually the owner of the Oberoi Lombok. Wow! By looking at his outer appearance, we really couldn’t guess that he was the hotel owner. Unlike many other business owners, he dressed too casually and relaxedly, wearing only flip flops, a worn-out looking t-shirt, and “sarung” (a traditional local cloth). The waitress even told us that some of the hotel employees had even advised the owner several times to dress up more appropriately, but he simply didn’t care. Hahaha… funny. Just like an old saying: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” 

We took a complimentary “cidomo” ride to a traditional market and a local village nearby. At first glance, the traditional market appeared to be a bewildering and disorganized mess, with no clear arrangement of the stalls. Many traders simply placed their goods on the ground and sold them in the middle of the sidewalks, causing traffic congestion. And yes, like many other traditional Indonesian markets, the market was dirty with garbage and rats in plain sight. Hygienic efforts were minimal, yet care was taken to keep food items clean. The items sold at the market are in numerous kinds, such as meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, spices, clothes and household items. We have been to many traditional markets in Java, but we thought the market at Lombok was the most traditional among all. From the time we arrived to the time we left, we were the center of attention. Many of the sellers and the buyers kept staring at us and sometimes they talked about us (in a good way), not knowing that we actually understood what they were talking about. It made me feel very uncomfortable.

Before heading back to the hotel, the cidomo driver took us to see a nearby village. The villagers nicely greeted us with enthusiastic shouts of “Hello Mister!” and friendly waves. The small village carry on life as they have for centuries - simple life styles centered around farming, communal living and traditional handycrafts. Regardless what we felt about the market, the “cidomo” ride was worth a trip. To be there meeting local people and seeing how their daily simple life looked like gave us a unique cultural experience.

If you want to see how Bali looked like twenty years ago, go to Lombok and explore its countryside. You’ll understand why Lombok has been promoted as an “unspoiled Bali”. Lombok is a lot less crowded than Bali, and its nature is still in pristine condition. The beaches are far better than those in Bali. The people and culture of Lombok differ from Bali. Some of my American friends who have been to both islands like Lombok better than Bali. They think that Bali is too dense and touristy, not offering the true feeling of a tropical island.

The Oberoi Lombok is an ideal place for those seeking a romantic getaway or a peaceful seclusion. It was indeed a perfect place for us to end our vacation. 

 

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