These days, Mandalika is widely known as one of the must-see places in Indonesia. Located in central Lombok, another hidden gem was discovered after Motogp on March 2022. Since then, the government has continued to develop Mandalika into an attractive tourist destination.
Mandalika is an excellent nature reserve and a great place to get close to nature. Many tourists visit this place to enjoy its beauty and learn about Lombok culture. Check out these 6 tourists attraction you should visit, next time you come.
Mandalika Legends
The folklore name Mandalika derives from the name of the daughter of the kingdom Negri Eberu, who once ruled the Mandalika region of Lombok. Mandalika comes from the word Mandalam, which means “a place of rest and relaxation”.
Princess Mandalika is the daughter of Raja Tongjan Vel and Dewi Seranting. Princess Mandalika is known to be very beautiful and she has a loving and caring heart. But because of her beauty, it became a boomerang for her, and she faces trouble when she had to decide to marry the prince of another kingdom. War and disaster ensue when she chooses the wrong prince of another kingdom.
Simply put, she decided not to choose any prince, and she also went to sea. When she arrived at the beach, the princess stood on a rock and told everyone that she would become an earthworm, commonly known as Nyare.
How to Get to Lombok Mandalika?
One way to get to Mandalika Lombok from Bali or Jakarta is by plane. You will land at Lombok International Airport. From the airport, you can take the Damri Bus to Mandalika
Another route is by sea, you can take a ferry to Lombok via Padang Bai harbor (Bali island), to Bangsal, or to Lembar harbor, the travel time is 4-6 hours. Then, take the bus or rent a motor or car to reach Mandalika.
Lombok Mandalika Tourist Attractions
Mandalika is more than just a beach. During your travel, you can see beautiful hilly landscapes from different angles, spend an afternoon waiting for a glorious sunset, observe the local indigenous culture in several villages, and even get closer to local people.
Merese Hills
Merese hill is located on Tanjung Aan Beach, Lombok Island. Known as one of the most beautiful places to see the sunset and this hill lives up to its label. Merese hill is easily accessible with a 30-minute drive from Lombok International Airport.
Arriving at this location, you will be greeted by views of Tanjung Aan Beach, white sands, and calm blue waters. You need to climb to reach the summit, it can be quite a chore only 15 minutes of trekking, but it’s worth it. There is no entrance fee, but you need to pay the parking fee is IDR 10.000 for a car and IDR 5000 for a motor.
Tip to Merese: Don’t forget to bring a hat, and the best time to visit is during sunny weather, the water will be crystal clear and the sky is clear
Kuta Mandalika
Mandalika screams heaven from all its enchanted corners. The Special Tourism Economic Zone offers various places and nearby attractions so that visitors don’t have to go anywhere, such as vibrant bars and nightclubs, an international race track, exhilarating water parks, luxury hotels and resorts, glamorous golf courses, and rejuvenating spas. This 1,250-acre paradise has something for everyone.
The government is focusing on Mandalika’s special economic zone and hope in the future, the Lombok economy grows as more tourist come to Kuta Lombok.
The strategic location makes mandalika accessible from various major cities on a direct flight such as Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bali. From Jakarta, the flight will take about 2 hours, while from nearby Bali, it will only take about 30 minutes.
In Kuta center, you can find so many shops and day clubs also available. The accommodation there also provides with swimming pool and a deluxe room, perfect for you to relax. The deluxe room in Kuta Lombok is much larger than other rooms.
Everything you need is already available here. just make sure next time you travel, Kuta Lombok is on your bucket list
The Beautiful Beaches
Tanjung Aan
You will likely arrive in Tanjung Aan before reaching Merese hill, The waves at Tanjung Aan Beach are not too big, even once the waves are very calm. The beach is quite shallow.
Tanjung Aan Beach is characterized by the presence of white sand shaped like peppers. So when you walk barefoot on the beach sand, you can feel the effect of stepping on a pepper.
The shape of the sand is said to have originated from long-dead coral fossils. Residents believe the sands of Arne Beach are good for their health.
You can also do so many things on Aan Beach here, such as snorkeling, surfing and even chilling on the boat.
Seger Beach
Seger Beach is located on the south coast of Lombok, about 15 minutes drive from Kuta Lombok. When you enter the entrance, you can see the bridge on your right, but if you keep going left, you can go straight to Seger Beach.
Seger Beach Lombok is surrounded by beautiful hills that can be climbed to enjoy beautiful views. It’s very peaceful and if you’re lucky you might have the whole beach to yourself.
If you are coming in February or March, there will be a Bau Nyale festival, which is a community activity to catch sea worms and is carried out every 20th of the 10th month in the traditional Sasak calendar or exactly 5 days after the full moon that held in Seger beach.
For some people, Nyale is not just the sea worms. Nyale is a special dish for the people of Lombok. They often make pepes nyale which is grilled with banana leaves.
Also read: Central Lombok In Preparations For Bau Nyale Festivals
Batu Payung Beach
This one attraction is still very natural and well-kept. Because these beaches are still rarely visited by tourists. Recommended for those who like a quiet atmosphere, especially on weekdays. The tranquil atmosphere around Batu Payung is perfect for de-stressing. So those who want to avoid crowded tourist areas will have no problem visiting this place.
There are many very beautiful coral reefs in this area. Batu Payung beaches area is perfect for those who like unique rock formations. There are many rocks, so please wear safety shoes. Because the rocks here are sometimes sharp. Its sharpness will certainly hurt your feet. Also, bring a first aid kit when you come here as a precaution in case you get hurt.
Batu Payung is a very good place to take pictures. There are even famous cigarette brands using this location as a commercial filming location. For that reason, many people may be interested in this umbrella stone.
Mandalika beach
Mandalika beach or also known as Kuta Beach is a beautiful beach with crystal-clear water. The weather is great and you can enjoy the view of green hills and the blue sea.
On Mandalika beach you can also watch the boats passing by while relaxing in this area.
Here you can choose to do a lot of activities like snorkeling, surfing, or just tanning on the beach while you unwind on Mandalika beach. From Mandalika Beach you can see the hill turn its color depending on the conditions, while it’s in wet conditions, you can see the hills turned into green and brown if it’s a dry season.
Sasak Cultural Villages
For centuries, the Sasak people of Lombok have maintained a traditional lifestyle and avoided modern necessities such as electricity and technology.
Upon first entering Sade Village, visitors are immediately greeted by a local guide who helps them get all the information they need as they wander around and enjoy the cultural beauty of the village. All the houses in Sade Village are residences, and the total population living here is about 750, and still belong to the same lineage or family.
When you first step into the houses of Sade Village, there is a certain uniqueness. Unlike the usual ones found in your home, in Sade Village, the floors of the houses are sometimes covered with buffalo/cow dung. The goal is to keep floors dust-free, strengthen floors, and keep bugs out of your home.
If you want to explore further, Ende Tourism Village is about a 3-minute drive north of Sade Village. The Sasak people also live in this village, but their traditions are slightly different from those of Sade.
One of the unique things about this village is that the doors of the houses are smaller than usual. According to local beliefs, the door is purposefully made short, so guests entering must bow their heads and bodies to show respect to the owner of the house.
Mandalika International Circuit
Lombok Mandalika has so much to offer. Now, there’s the MotoGP race also makes it super cool. the Circuit called the ‘Street Circuit’, actually bears little resemblance to a street race.
The Mandalika International Street Circuit is located on the island of Lombok, 35 kilometers east of Bali. Eleven hotels with about 2,000 rooms will be built in the immediate vicinity of the racecourse, with more properties expected to open in the future.
This circuit is also a magnet to the tourist island of Lombok and is a unique product in a very important market for motorcycle manufacturers. It is also important for local governments that want to help recover from the earthquake.
Lombok Mandalika also held some events not only for Indonesia but for International. Like the Asia Talent cup, the World superbike event, and more soon.
