Rinjani National Park
There over 20 villages surround Mt. Rinjani and there are many routes up the mountain, but the main access is from Senaru in the north and Sembalun Lawang to the east. The challenging three-day Rinjani Trek route from Senaru to the crater rim (Plawangan), down to the stunning crater lake then on to Sembalun Lawang, is considered one of the best treks in South East Asia. Those heading for the summit usually prefer to start in Sembalun Lawang.
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Lombok Island
Lombok is fastly becoming one of the popular places of Indonesia. The half a million people which visit Lombok every year is only a very small amount compared with Bali, by their numberr will certainly increase, since hotels have been built over the recent years.
Gili Islands
The three Gili Islands are a small-scale backpacker mecca and Lombok's most popular tourist destination. The islands are very relaxed and laid-back, with countless little beachside cafes playing reggae and serving up banana pancakes, and no cars or motorbikes to disturb the peace. The beaches are without a doubt better than anywhere on Bali or Lombok.
The flip side of the coin is that as they exist solely to cater for travellers, they're also rather anonymous (you might as well be at anywhere) and, aside from snorkeling and diving, there's little if anything to do. Note that there are no ATMs on the islands, so bring plenty of cash with you. From west to east, the islands are:
- Gili Trawangan, or "Gili T" is by far the most developed with plenty of backpacker options and one swanky resort. There are no dogs on the island but according to one local, there are more cats here than people. The local population is around 800. There is no police on the island and all problems are usually settled by the local "council".
- Gili Meno, the smallest and quietest, low-key with some simple places to stay.
- Gili Air, closest to the mainland and with the largest local population.
Strictly speaking, the name "Gili Islands" is rather redundant as gili simply means "small island" in Sasak, but the name has stuck and is universally used and understood in Lombok.