Wheels to Waves: Bikepacking Lombok Island (Video)

Words by Haetam Attamimy, photos by Muhammad Fenno

I’ve always envied people who ride gravel in a big group. They tour regularly with friends and strangers, they take turns creating the routes, which often finish at a pizza joint or a nice coffee shop. Being in Lombok Island, Indonesia, I don’t have that luxury since the combination of gravel riding, getting dirty, and strong post-ride coffee culture is more or less much non-existent. Riding solo is pretty much all I do except for occasional city rides with a couple of friends from around the area, or perhaps once a year joining a peloton that goes up to 40 kilometers and hour on a Sunday morning and I can barely keep up.

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That’s not who I am, and I was looking for a change. Even for just a minute. So, around November 2022, I hatched a plan to host a week-long ride and I started assembling a crew: Yudi Andhika, Natasha Capirossi, Bambang Anggoro, Edmund Jeds, and Amanda Dwiputri, the ultra cyclists and Audax aficionados; Wendy Indra, the gravel expert from Yogyakarta; and Boru McCullagh, who happened to be in Indonesia during his Mind Mapping tour (find parts one and two at the bottom of this post).

We set our wheels in motion for September 4, 2023, two weeks after four of the eight cyclists raced the 1,500-kilometer Bentang Jawa, where Boru triumphed and even broke the record as the fastest finisher ever in the competition. I thought it was a perfect plan—they perhaps needed something a little more relaxing after such an intense race.

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Our mission was to embark on a 600-kilometer journey around Lombok Island, a haven of clear beaches, spicy cuisine, laid-back living, and the formidable Mt. Rinjani. Spanning nine days in the end, this tour was an attempt to immerse ourselves into the island’s charm and savor its wonders at a deliberately unhurried pace, following a route I’d been developing since 2020.

CHAPTER I: TETEBATU

Instead of waves, the first ride was about tucking under the serene comfort of one of the greenest spots in Lombok: Tetebatu Village. The tour kicked off early, brimming with anticipation and a sense of adventure hanging in the air. Unfortunately, the first crisis struck after only less than 20 kilometers, as Boru had to depart due to his damaged cornea that was caused by a bug flying right into his right eye two days prior. But the show must go on. Undeterred, we forged ahead, making the most of the journey even with the absence of one of our own.

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Memorable waypoints adorned our path: Benang Kelambu Waterfall, the enchanting Joben Ecopark, a series of dusty off-road stretches, the picturesque undulations of East Lombok’s hills, and heartwarming encounters with the locals. There’s an authentic humility and genuine kindness that courses through the village, evident in the warm embrace with which they welcome us.

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Tetebatu Village, a place where tranquility and simplicity reign, exudes a genuine calmness; a quietude that refrains from overplaying its hand in commercialization. We dove headfirst into the Tetebatu experience, both on and off the bike, immersing ourselves in the essence of the village. We navigated a bike trail carefully maintained by local cyclists, greeted the little ones in a village kindergarten, savored the rich flavors of the local coffee, and played around in Mencerit’s river tubing—a day woven with threads of connection, exploration, and the unspoken beauty of Tetebatu Village.

CHAPTER II: MANDALIKA

As the sun rose on the third day, we ventured into the heart of Central Lombok. Kicking off at the crack of dawn, we faced a scenic route to the sizzling Mandalika, a current hotspot on the island. Leaving the city of Mataram behind, the tranquil morning on the emptier side of the region embraced us; setting the stage for the hilly border between West and Central Lombok. A grueling but breathtaking ascent over rough paths led us to the irresistible allure of a dip in the waters of Selong Belanak.

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After battling the relentless midday sun and the undulating hills from Selong Belanak to Mandalika, the stakes heightened as we aimed to reach two destinations stretching 25 kilometers of mostly gravel roads in a mere hour and a half: Gerupuk Surf Point and the famed sunset vista at Merese Hill. But it’s the surprises that made this tour exciting, and that became apparent as we arrived at the edge of Gerupuk. The day drew to a close atop Merese Hill, basking in the grandeur of the charming Lombok’s sunset, smiles of satisfaction etched across our faces.

CHAPTER III: EKAS

Following a visit to the traditional village of Sade and a well-deserved day of lounging on the beach, day five saw us veering southeast toward Ekas. The journey itself felt more like a leisurely stroll with a detour at Tanjung Luar’s harbor. From there, the adventure continued as bikes were unloaded onto a boat, heading to a floating restaurant where fresh seafood and a relaxing time awaited.

We continued riding as the day wound down, chasing a memorable sunset that graced a haven called Pantai Surga, nestled amid hills and pristine white sands. The day unfolded as an introduction to the wonders of Ekas, home to the most incredible off-road stretch in Lombok. However, it was on day six that the real action took center stage.

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From day one, there had been plenty of “whoa!” moments. On the sixth day, it echoed louder than ever. We were engulfed in perpetual awe as we traversed the expansive network of dirt roads linking the pristine beaches of Southeast Lombok, stretching from Pantai Kura-Kura to the far reaches of East Lombok.

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That day, we also celebrated the return of Boru, who had spent the past recovering from his corneal injury. A breather at Pantai Pink provided a refreshing interlude before the grand finale of the day: a rendezvous with the awe-inspiring cliffs of Tanjung Ringgit, bringing a fitting conclusion to our captivating journey along the beaches of the southeast.

CHAPTER IV: SEMBALUN

With our sights set on transitioning from the idyllic beaches of the southeast to the highest point a bike can reach in Lombok, we kicked off the seventh day with an early start bound for Sembalun. This particular day had lingered in everyone’s minds since the beginning, and for good reason. It was a monumental queen stage featuring a grueling 1,900-meter elevation gain over the final 20 kilometers—the last segment is aptly named “Lombok’s Satan Climb” on Strava.

Boru dominated the climbs and found solace in a steaming bowl of instant noodles once he reached the top of Pusuk Sembalun. Bambang and Natasha followed him closely, while I savored the journey but lagged behind, relishing a kilogram of grapes in the last 10 kilometers. After a well-deserved rest at Pusuk Sembalun and a leisurely descent to Sembalun Village was on the menu. The following day held the promise of us drawing even closer to the majestic presence of Mt. Rinjani.

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When you’re in Sembalun, it’s such a waste to not intimately acquaint yourself with Mt. Rinjani, the second-highest volcano in Indonesia. In this case, we traversed through some of the volcano’s dusty trails. Wendy and I had a lot of chats to piece together the intricate gravel route of Rinjani, though “gravel” might not be the perfect descriptor here—more like ultra-dusty dirt roads. Nevertheless, we embraced the challenge with zeal. Emerging from the Rinjani trails, bikes, faces, and nostrils all coated in a fine layer of dust, we charted our course toward Bukit Selong via the Pergasingan backroad. The day culminated in an eclectic mix of tree planting, a visit to a black garlic farm, and the cherry on top, handpicking fresh strawberries.

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CHAPTER V: THE FINALE

We began our last day with infectious smiles, coasting down the delectable descent from Sembalun to Bayan. Along the way, we paid homage to the island’s history with a pause at its oldest mosque in Bayan area. Rolling on from Bayan, we battled the North Lombok heat, our destination set for Pandanan Beach, home to many seafood delights. We indulged in a leisurely rock-skipping game, took one last nap, and feasted on delicious seafood. As the sun dipped into the horizon, we found ourselves at Malimbu and Villa Hantu, overlooking Setangi Beach, a place affectionately dubbed “The Spot” by Boru.

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Some 600 kilometers and nine days later, we arrived at the last stop of the tour. But, for us, this journey defied the rigid constraints of statistics and numbers; it was a symphony of taste, landscapes, and shared moments. It all drew to a close against the canvas of one last stunning Lombok sunset. Wheels to Waves: Lombok Island is a heartfelt ode to those who continually seek adventure in their backyards, and to those who cherish the idea of a perfect ride, regardless of the distance, be it near or far from home.

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Further Reading

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