It is built for backpackers who want beaches, surf and a social night out without spending the whole trip in Bali's traffic. Every night is at a Mad Monkey hostel, three of them with a pool and one facing the sunset.
Most Indonesia trips never leave Bali. Of the 128,306 Indonesia trips planned with Stippl, the great majority stay on the one island, so the Gilis and Lombok still feel like a step off the main route.
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Download the appWhy this route works
It goes in one direction, east, so every boat ride takes you somewhere new instead of back to Bali. Uluwatu gives you Bali's best coast without the crowds of the south, Lembongan is a slower island in between, and the route ends on Lombok's quiet beaches rather than in the airport queue.
The route at a glance
4 stops, 12 nights, one Mad Monkey at every stop.
| Stop | Nights | Sleep | How you get there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uluwatu | 3 | Mad Monkey Uluwatu | Your arrival flight |
| Nusa Lembongan | 3 | Mad Monkey Nusa Lembongan | Transfer to Sanur, then a fast boat of about 30 minutes |
| Gili Trawangan | 3 | Mad Monkey Gili Trawangan | Fast boat, about 2 hours |
| Kuta Lombok | 3 | Mad Monkey Kuta Lombok | Boat to Lombok, then about 2 hours by road |
Best time: April to October, the dry season, when the sea crossings are calmer and the south coast surf is at its best.
Uluwatu
Uluwatu is Bali's cliff coast: surf beaches at the bottom of limestone walls and the most dramatic sunset on the island.
Day 1Arrive on the Bukit
Arrive and spend the evening at Pura Luhur Uluwatu, an eleventh century sea temple on a 70 metre cliff, for Bali's most dramatic sunset.
Day 2Padang Padang and Suluban
Go down through the gap in the rock to Padang Padang, the Bukit's most forgiving surf, then through the cave passage onto the sand at Suluban, below Bali's most famous break.
Day 3Bingin and Melasti
Walk down the cliff village at Bingin to the reef break, then ride to Melasti, where a road is cut straight through the limestone to white sand and turquoise water.
Sleep: Mad Monkey Uluwatu is in Pecatu, with a big pool near the Bukit's surf beaches and cliff sunsets. Book a bed at Mad Monkey Uluwatu.
Read more: things to do in Uluwatu
Nusa Lembongan
Nusa Lembongan is a small island off Bali's east coast, close enough to see Bali from and slow enough to feel far away.
Getting there: Transfer to Sanur, then a fast boat of about 30 minutes.
Day 4Fast boat from Sanur
Transfer to Sanur and take the fast boat across. Spend the evening above Jungut Batu, looking back across the water at Bali.
Day 5Devil's Tear and Dream Beach
See the waves explode through the cliffs at Devil's Tear, best at high tide, and swim at Dream Beach, the island's most photogenic cove.
Day 6Across the yellow bridge to Ceningan
Cross the narrow yellow suspension bridge to Nusa Ceningan for the turquoise Blue Lagoon and a quiet swim at Secret Beach.
Sleep: Mad Monkey Nusa Lembongan has an infinity pool above Jungut Batu, looking across the water to Bali. Book a bed at Mad Monkey Nusa Lembongan.
Gili Trawangan
Gili Trawangan has no cars and no scooters, just bicycles, horse carts and a white beach ringing the whole island.
Getting there: Fast boat, about 2 hours.
Day 7Fast boat to the Gilis
Take the fast boat from Lembongan. In the evening, eat at the night market by the harbour, the most local hour of the island's day.
Day 8Snorkel with the turtles
Swim out at Turtle Point off the east beach, where green turtles feed in the shallows, and stop by the turtle hatchery on the beach.
Day 9Cycle round, sunset in the west
Cycle round the island and end at the west corner for sunset, facing Bali across the strait with Mount Agung on the skyline.
Sleep: Mad Monkey Gili Trawangan is on the quiet sunset side of the island, with a pool facing the sea. Book a bed at Mad Monkey Gili Trawangan.
Read more: things to do in Gili Trawangan
Kuta Lombok
Kuta Lombok is the south coast of Lombok: surf, empty bays and green hills, before everyone else finds it.
Getting there: Boat to Lombok, then about 2 hours by road.
Day 10Boat to Lombok, road south
Take the boat to Lombok and the road south to Kuta. Watch the sunset from Bukit Merese, the grassy hill beside Tanjung Aan.
Day 11Surf at Selong Belanak
Take a beginner surf lesson at Selong Belanak, a long curving bay with slow, gentle waves, or a boat from Gerupuk to its five reef breaks if you already surf.
Day 12Mawun and Bukit Seger
Spend the day at Mawun, a calm semicircular bay between green headlands, and end on Bukit Seger above Seger Beach for one last sunset.
Sleep: Mad Monkey Kuta Lombok throws its pool parties on Kuta's main road, near south Lombok's surf. Book a bed at Mad Monkey Kuta Lombok.
Getting between stops
| From | To | How |
|---|---|---|
| Uluwatu | Nusa Lembongan | Transfer to Sanur, then a fast boat of about 30 minutes |
| Nusa Lembongan | Gili Trawangan | Fast boat, about 2 hours |
| Gili Trawangan | Kuta Lombok | Boat to Lombok, then about 2 hours by road |
Times are a guide. Check the day before you travel, because boat and minivan times change with the season and the weather.
Turn these stops into a route
Pick your favourites and Stippl orders them, adds travel times and builds the day-by-day.
Frequently asked questions about Indonesia
By fast boat. This route goes via Nusa Lembongan, with a fast boat from Sanur to Lembongan and another from Lembongan to Gili Trawangan.
No. There are no cars or scooters on the island, just bicycles, horse carts and walking.
No. Kuta Lombok is a small surf town on Lombok's south coast, much quieter than Kuta in Bali.
Yes. Padang Padang near Uluwatu and Selong Belanak on Lombok both have gentler waves for lessons.
Want this route with the nights already filled in? Open it in Stippl, change the nights, add a stop or swap the order, and keep the whole trip in one place. Or build your own Mad Monkey route on our Mad Monkey page.
