Jali Resort: Why It Is A Recommended Place To Stay at Gili Trawangan

Clueless of where we should stay in Gili Trawangan for our very first family holiday to the island, I opted reading the travellers' review on tripadvisor. It led me to Jali Resort, one of the choice having many positive reviews.

I reserved the room via booking dot com, after a phone call I made to Jali Resort asking whether we could stay with our Kiddos in one room. The owner explained via phone that they will provide an extra bed with no additional cost, and that the price we paid will be including breakfast for four person. Yeay! 

I reserved the room accordingly and really happy with our stay at Jali Resort.

The pool in front of our room

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Gili Trawangan For The First Timer: Getting There, Where To Stay, Where To Eat and What To Do

I am writing this post not because of I have visited Gili Trawangan so many times, instead I have only visited it twice: the first one was a daytrip (read our story in this link) and the second one we stayed there for five days.

This post is about what we have done during our New Year End holiday in Gili Trawangan. A place which I didn't have to think about traffic jam and what kind of transport should I choose: online taxi or busway. There's only two ways to go: on your foot or on the bike! Well, Cidomo (horse carriage) was too expensive to be used daily.

Gili Trawangan is a place where we could slow down, and enjoy our family time to the fullest. I love every second we had spent in this island.

A typical day in Gili Trawangan

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Svarga Resort Lombok: Where To Stay In Senggigi

I found Svarga Resort Lombok from the message I got via airbnb. I was searching airbnb apartment in Senggigi area, and the host told me that the listing located near Svarga Resort Lombok. I google the place and I fell in love with it. At the end, I didn't continue booking via airbnb, I reserved a room at Svarga Resort Lombok instead.

Our first time staying at Senggigi was at The Puncak, and we loved seeing the beautiful Lombok sky from the resort. And that was why I finally book a room at Svarga Resort Lombok. We could enjoy the sky from the infinity pool.

Not only the pool which made me book the room, but also the resort ambiance with its iconic "Batu Bolong". A stone with a whole in the middle.

The "Batu Bolong" at night

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2 Hari 1 Malam Di Lombok, Ini Itinerary-nya!

Cara dan gaya travelling itu berbeda sesuai selera, bujet dan waktu yang dimiliki. Hingga sekarang, banyak yang masih heran kenapa saya bisa ke Hong Kong pulang pergi. Tapi ada hikmahnya juga, ketika saya pergi ke destinasi domestik dengan waktu yang singkat, teman saya entah ngeledek atau apalah maksudnya.. mereka bilang, "Lah, dia sih ke Hong Kong aja PP" #jleb!

Untuk saya, sesingkat apapun suatu perjalanan, yang penting bisa menikmati destinasi yang dikunjungi. Tentunya karena waktu yang singkat, sebisa mungkin saya mencari harga tiket promo. Lah kalau perjalanan lama aja saya sabar menunggu promo kok, apalagi kalau hanya travelling satu-dua hari kan?

Kebetulan di Garuda Travel Fair 2016 ada promo ticket redemption dari Garuda Miles ke 7 destinasi tertentu, termasuk Lombok. Dari normal point 14.000 one way, diskon menjadi 7.000 point saja. Ah, I love free tickets! Saya memilih pergi Sabtu jam 05.50 dan kembali hari Minggu jam 14.50.

Rencana liburan kami hanya 2 hari 1 malam di Lombok, saat akhir pekan saja. Kami memilih untuk explore daerah sekitar Pantai Kuta Lombok, Hotel Novotel, dan sedikit melipir ke Lembar untuk makan siang. Karena tiba pagi, kami akan memulai our weekend getaway dari Desa Sasak Sade.

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Sop Buntut Istana Rasa

This Sop Buntut was introduced by our friend Daniel Yosua Ramlan when he was still working in Lombok at the time of our visit. It is located in Mataram city, the adress and the phone number is stated in the below picture. We went there for lunch, the place was full but glad we still got empty seat.

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Mandalika Beach Lombok

Here's some picture of Mandalika Beach (around Novotel Lombok) taken by noon time...





This beach is only 30 minutes away from BIL, the new airport of Lombok. So make sure you visit this beautiful beach if you're flying to Lombok. You can take taxi by the airport cost around IDR 150,000, or you can stay at Novotel and use their airport pick up.


written on January 30, 2012

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Lombok Airport Bus

Since Oct 2011, all of the airplanes going to Lombok will go to the newly opened Bandara International Lombok, about 1-1,5 hours to Senggigi Beach. But it is only 30 minutes away to Mandalika Beach.

I went there when the airport has just opened for 2 weeks, and many people from surrounding villages go to the airport just to see the airplane. Well, no wonder as this airport was built in the middle of those villages. So don't be surprised to see many people outside the airport:p

To go to Mataram or Senggigi, you can take taxi, the rate is about IDR 200,000 to IDR 300,000. The cheapest way is to take the Lombok Airport Bus, if you go from BIL to Mataram, it cost IDR 15,000 and if you go directly to Senggigi it cost IDR 25,000. The bus is an air conditioned bus, the same bus you may find at Soekarno Hatta (Jakarta) Airport.

Here is the schedule of Lombok Airport Bus.

The bus will stop at Senggigi just opposite Asmara Restaurant, from there you can continue taking taxi if you'd like to go to Bangsal Harbour to continue going to Gili Trawangan.

Let's go to Lombok my blog readers, I just love it!

written on January 27, 2012

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Sade Village Lombok

I heard about Sade Village from Lombok Travelling book that I have bought, and to my surprise, I passed the Sade Village on my way from Mataram to Novotel Lombok. So, on the day we left Novotel, we walked into this village, just to know what is inside.

We met Pietro at the parking place, a local guy whose job is being a tour guide. When we asked them how much was his fee, he answered that it depends on how much the guest would pay him. So we walked inside the Sade Village with him. He took us to many houses that sell homemade sarong. They are beautiful. I bought two of them, cost each IDR 75,000. I was not sure how much is the normal price, but after seeing the lady made it by hand, I refuse to bargain for lower price:p

Pietro took us to see the inside of the house, I just can’t imagine how to live in these houses..

This place can be reached from Bandara International Lombok about 20 minutes by car. So if you want to see this traditional village, you can spare some time before your flight or even visiting the village right after your arrival. If you ask me, is it worth a visit? I would answer yes.

written on January 18, 2012

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Seafood Remaja Indah Lombok

It is proven that if you want to try the best local food, than hear from the local! I am really fortunate to have Daniel as our tour guide hehee..not really an official one, but he is the one taking us here and there while we're in Lombok. And he took us to this place, a seafood small resto called Remaja Indah on Jalan Raya Lawang Kuta, Lembar.Daniel said that it's the best seafood in Lombok, and frankly speaking I trust him.

The resto located opposite of a mosque. If you go towards Lembar from Mataram or BIL, you will find this resto on your right side. It's only a small resto, but it's worth the journey! For your info, Lembar is the harbour in west Lombok, you will arrive in Lembar if you are taking ferry from Padang Bai, Bali.

We ordered their shrimp, crab and grilled fish, they are all delicious, and the best was of course the crab!

To our surprise, we were 10 people and only had to pay IDR 650,000 for all the food we ordered, very cheap! Well, don't judge the book by its cover, don't judge this resto by its look from outside:p If you plan to have your culinary experience in Lombok, than this resto should be on your list!

written on January 10, 2012

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Novotel Lombok

Novotel Lombok located at Mandalika Beach, has an advantage from the opening of the new Lombok airport: Bandara International Lombok ('BIL') which is only 30 minutes away from Novotel. The previous airport, Sepinggan was close to Senggigi beach, but was 1,5 hour to Novotel Lombok.

I stayed at Jayakarta Lombok on our first night for the business trip, and the second night we tried the Novotel Lombok, as the next day we'll have to take the flight back to Jakarta. It was really a long journey from Mataram to Novotel. We left the city at about 6pm, and arrived at novotel at 7.30 pm. A local driver took us to Novotel, otherwise it is considered not save to go there after the sunset.

We didn't see much that night, all we knew that the hotel is rather isolated. So we just got into our room and promise to wake up early to see the sunrise in the morning. But the hotel staff told us that the sunset couldn't be seen from the hotel. So we just stroll down to the beach that morning. The beach looks very different than when we visited it after 10 am. You'll see in the picture below.

Than we tried their pool. It's not a big pool, and it get hot at 8 am already. So make sure to wake up early to swim in their pool.

The hotel surrounding is really a resort type. But you are far away from everything! So if you wish to stay here, make sure you rent a car or a motorbike, so you can go to the nearest resto. The food is expensive at the hotel. The breakfast is just a standard hotel breakfast, nothing was special.

The room is nice and spacious, no complaint regarding the room. Please note that there is no lift at the hotel, so ask them to have room on the ground floor if you travel with your children or elderly.

We visited the beach again at about 1 pm, and we saw a different beach than we visited in the early morning!

It's the best Novotel I have visited so far, I think the beach that made it really special:)

written on January 8, 2012

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Gili Trawangan

It's our first time ever to visit Lombok, so we decided to have a short visit to Gili Trawangan. We wanted to visit Gile Meno and Gili Air, but as it was raining, so we decided to only visit Gili Trawangan.

We left our hotel The Puncak Lombok at about 7 am, and we were heading to the Bangsal (that's how the harbour called) which was about 1 hour from our hotel in Senggigi area. On the way to the Bangsal, we could see the Gili, the Senggigi bay, very beautiful.

We were guided by our friend Daniel Yosua Ramlan by blackberry messanger:p Daniel is our friend who is currently working in Lombok. He kept telling us not to stop at the first parking place, just go straight, and find a parking place near the harbour. If we stop at the first parking place, we will be forced to take cidomo (horse carriage) and will cost us quiet expensive. So when the guy in uniform told us to stop, we didn't stop and just go straigth. Thanks to Daniel:) We stopped at the parking place, just few meters from the harbour.

Than we went to the ticket booth, the Bangsal ticket booth is very traditional (the wooden house in the picture below, the modern one is the ticket booth in Gili Trawangan). Be careful with tourist scam at Bangsal. They are people telling you that the boat is not operate. Don't listen to them, just go straight to the ticket booth.

We bought a public boat ticket from Bangsal to Gili Trawangan which cost IDR 10,000 per peson. There are different colors of the ticket. We were confused of what to do after we got the ticket, until there was an announcement that passanger with pink ticket shall board to the boat. The boat is packed with people taking fruits and vegetables to the island. We saw also bed at bangsal to be taken to the island. So interesting to see how people move stuff to Gili Trawangan from Bangsal.

And finally after a 40 minutes boat ride, we arrived at Gili Trawangan for the first time ever :)

We rented a bike, we thought that we could explore the whole island with the bicycle, hmmm I am telling you never thing about it! :p We did, and we regret it so much. The stone road is only until the end of the road with many hotels and cafe, after that there were only sandy road, and we couldn't use our bike!

The good thing was, we could stop at a very quiet beach and enjoying the beautiful view :)

After enjoying the beach for a while, we continue pushing our bike until we found a stone road again, which lead us to the main road. Alhamdulillah :)

Before leaving the island, we tried their street food which look really yummy.

At about 11.30 am, the wheather was really cloudy, so we decided to go back to our hotel. It was only a short visit to Gili Trawangan, wasn't that impressive because of the bike problems:p But yes the beach is fantastic. Next time, I and rene will try to spend a night here to explore the Gilis more.

written on January 4, 2011

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The Puncak Lombok

It wasn't easy to decide where to stay in Lombok for the first timer like myself. Kuta Lombok famous for its beautiful beach yet isolated, Senggigi's beach is not that beautiful, Gili Trawangan's hotel review is really confusing.

Until I checked the Tripadvisor ('TA') forum for Lombok (oh yes I am a big fan of TA and contribute reviews there as well), and found The Puncak at Lombok. It is the #1 hotel in Senggigi based on the TA review. I read all the review regarding the hotel, all rated excellent! The reviews and the pictures made me fell in love with this place.


I checked through Agoda, the rate after tax is around 1,150,000 but I read a tip from TA reviewer to book the hotel directly to the owner. So I sent email to thepuncaklombok@gmail.com and got a prompt reply. The rate offered by the owner Jean Paul and Nury was € 120 euro or IDR 1,200,000. After some e-mails they gave me great price, and I had to pay a 50% deposit, and paid via Paypal.

It was approx 1-1,5 hour drive to reach The Puncak Lombok from BIL (Lombok newly opened airport by Oct'11). When we see a gate to Senggigi and Jayakarta Hotel on our left, we have to turn right to Jalan Bukit Layar first. Here's the picture of the street going to The Puncak. Than just go all the way up, it's the highest villa there, no wonder it has the best view.

When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted directly by Jean Paul and Nury. A very touchy welcome. We also got a glass of orange juice and watermelon. I knew from my first step to the Puncak Lombok that I would love the hotel so much.

There are only five rooms with two pools. We had a room called "Big Blue Room". Every room has this huge stone on the wall, and I regret that I didn't write down what the stone in our room called and also what are the benefits of having the stone. For sure it can give us positive aura and good health. The bathroom located at the back of our bed. Really smart so that guest can still open the curtain while someone is using the bathroom.

All rooms are ocean view room, really enjoyed laying on the bed with this breathtaking view especially at sunset.

At the blue hour time, rene has captured beutiful view as well.

Here is the breakfast, we may choose the Indonesian or American breakfast, and they deliver the breakfast to our room. Two thumbs up for the variety of food:) It was really nice to sit infront of hour room while enjoying the breakfast. The air was so fresh, really relaxing.

This hotel is just perfect! I have never had the feeling of leaving home when I leave any hotels that I have stayed so far. But when I left The Puncak Lombok, I had a feeling of leaving a family. We left at 3.30 am for our early flight, and Jean Paul woke up so early just to say goodbye to us.

Thanks so much Jean Paul, Nury and all the staffs. Again I learned and witnessed how people work with passion will give a lasting memory in the heart of their customers. I hope to come back soon to my home in Lombok: The Puncak.

written on Nov 1, 2011

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