Day One -- (Current exchange rate, $1USD = Rp 13,089.45)
After spending a week on Bali and touring literally the entire island by scooter (dumb and dumber style), we catch a taxi (bluebird taxis because they are the highest rated for using a meter) up to the harbor in Padangbai, Bali from Kuta, Bali. Now if you want to travel ultra budget it is possible to take local transportation via buses up to Denpasar then on to Padangbai, but what it takes in time and effort your money can be better spent by either bargaining for a private car or bargaining a taxi for a trip from Kuta to Padangbai, and you should be looking in the price range of Rp 250,000 ($19 USD). We arrive in Padangbai and purchase two tickets for the slow ferry (est. travel time 4-5 hours, so bring a good read) to Lembar, Lombok for Rp 100,000 ($8 USD). This price is on the higher side because we could not find a ticket counter promptly enough and decided to settle for a middleman that you pay who takes you to the harbor gate and gets you through security. A true price that I had read would be Rp 36,000 ($3 USD) per person for the slow ferry. The ferry trip was enjoyable, there are three or four levels on the ferry and each level is open air with a roof. the benches are hard and not very well built for long distance travel, but the scenery is beautiful and the breeze is satisfying. It is a boat ride so know if sea sickness will be an issue.
We arrive in Lembar, Lombok harbor and are greeted by multiple people looking to give you rides to your destinations. The slow ferry is usually the backpackers form of transportation, so whilst on the ferry it is best to attempt to organize a group if possible to reduce the price of a ride to the destination of your choosing. On Lombok the Gili islands located off the northwest coast of the island are a popular destination with travelers, which is where the other travelers from our ferry were headed. Us, we were headed for Kuta, Lombok; A much smaller and quieter version from Bali’s Kuta. It is located in the south of the island, and is surrounded by a handful of exceptional surf breaks and perfect coves. We arrive in Kuta and pay our Rp 200,000 ($15 USD) charge we bargained for the private car (down from Rp 450,000 [$34 USD]). We are dropped off at Tri Putri homestay in Kuta’s centre, they provide basic accommodation, consisting of a mattress with bedding, a toilet, cold shower, fan, wi-fi, and make-your-own pancakes breakfast. For Rp 80,000 ($6 USD) for the two of us it is budget travel at its best!
The next morning, our first day in Lombok, we are up early to check out the surf breaks. Make sure you do your research and ask questions with the breaks if you are not experienced, this will save you from renting equipment and sometimes a boat only to get out in the break and realize it is above your skill ability. We read that Selong Belanak offered some beginner to intermediate beach breaks, so we headed off to check it out. We arrive to a very mellow beach break, so we talk to the locals and convince them that for Rp 100,000 ($8 USD) one of them drive a scooter with us and show us the way around to another beach with a better reef break. This was versus Rp 150,000 ($12 USD) for a boat with limited time. After we rent the boards for Rp 100,000 ($8 USD) (Rp 50,000 [$4 USD] each for the day [this is a good price for the day]) we head out to the beach. We arrive to a choppy break, but a break no less. The next two hours are of us attempting to catch decent swells and luckily owning the break with not a single other soul.
We finish surfing and head back to our home stay where we get some food at the nearby restaurant Warung Grand (for very reasonable prices) Rp 15,000 ($1 USD) for Nasi Goreng (fried rice with vegetables, egg, and chicken), then we hit the road to check out the famous break known as Gerupuk, which requires a 10 minute boat ride to the break. We arrive in the tiny village to surfers every where and plenty of stoke, this is a good sign. We inquire with some local guys about boards and boats, as well as some places to stay. We figure Rp 50,000 ($4 USD) for a board for the day, Rp 150,000 ($12 USD) for a boat for two (less if split between four people), and about Rp 150,000 ($12 USD) a night for accommodations (the low supply and high demand set prices a bit higher than Kuta, and bargaining is really out of the question, price-fixing by the locals keeps the market price static). So we arrange everything and hit the road back to Kuta (drives only take about 30 minutes or so). We hit the Warung Grand again for dinner (best fresh banana juice in town), and hit the sack for an early morning surf sesh that sets our spirits high!
Lombok Daily Budget (one person):
Breakfast- usually included with accommodations, if not $1 USD
Scooter- $4 USD for all day
Surfboard- $4 USD for all day
Boat (if needed)- $6 USD for about three hours
Bottled water- $0.40 USD/1.5L bottle X 2
Lunch- $1 - $2 USD (depending on how hungry and thirsty you are)
Petrol- $0.70 USD/1L of petrol for the scooter (for excursions)
Coconuts- ~$0.80 USD/1 coconut (depending on vendor and bargaining skills)
Handmade Bracelets- ~$0.40 USD/1 bracelet (handmade by local kids, price depends on bargaining skills).
Dinner- $2 USD for a good sate ayum (grilled chicken and peanut sauce with rice)
Accommodation- Avg $8 USD for basic needs (mattress and bedding, wi-fi, fan, toilet, and cold shower)
Total- $29.30 USD for a very full day (on the more pricey side)
Note: this is not an exact number by any means, it is an approximation based on average activities and daily rates, everyone is different and this is just one budget traveler’s own perceived reality.
If you enjoyed this bit please keep reading the new posts coming soon. These bits are something simple, something new, and something worth saving a bit of coin to let your travels last a lifetime.
Onward,
Hayden
