West Nusa Tenggara: Volcanoes, Beaches and Sasak Culture

West Nusa Tenggara offers a wide range of themes for your trip: white-sand beaches and surfing in Mandalika, hikes through volcanic landscapes, and insights into Sasak culture. The underwater world around Gili Trawangan and regional specialties also shape the picture. When searching for a vacation rental, it’s worth first considering which experiences you want to define your stay.

Volcanic Landscapes and Hiking Trails

On Lombok, Mount Rinjani rises to 3,726 meters, making it a volcano and Indonesia’s second-highest volcano. Gunung Rinjani National Park has been open for nature tourism with restrictions since September 1, 2026. If you plan to include hikes in your trip, this status is an important point of reference. The national park administration is maintaining and improving infrastructure on several hiking trails to make hikes safer and more comfortable.

Merese Hill offers a different hiking experience, with spectacular sunsets to enjoy from there. Penimbungan Waterfall, up to 100 meters high, lies along the Torean hiking trail. These places offer different highlights: sunset views here, a tall waterfall along a hiking trail there. The Tambora Mountains are also among the region’s natural attractions and have tourism potential.

Beaches, Surfing and Island Experiences

The Mandalika tourism region is known for its white-sand beaches and clear blue waters. These include Kuta Mandalika Beach and Tanjung Aan Beach, which are also suitable for surfing. If you want to focus your vacation mainly on the sea, you can consider these beach and surfing options as a starting point when searching for a vacation rental.

Snorkeling and diving are the main attractions on Gili Trawangan. Well-known spots include Turtle Point, Coral Garden and Shark Point. The island’s distinctive traffic situation is also worth noting: cars and motorcycles are not used as modes of transport on the island. This gives the island a different focus from Mandalika’s beaches. Mandalika is also home to the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, a venue for MotoGP and World Superbike events.

Sasak Culture, Crafts and Regional Cuisine

At Sade village, you can learn about the traditional culture and way of life of the Sasak people. Crafts are also part of Lombok’s cultural heritage: Sukarara in Central Lombok is one of the centers of Sasak weaving. Pottery is widespread in Banyumulek in West Lombok. Items made there include jugs, cooking pots, vessels and household utensils crafted from ceramic. These examples bring culture to life not only through places but also through specific textile and ceramic crafts.

Lombok’s specialties include Ayam Taliwang, a spicy grilled chicken dish. Seaweed Dodol, a snack, comes from Sumbawa. Those who want to focus on regional cuisine and local traditions can take a different approach to their trip than by spending their days at the beach or hiking.

The nature of the Saleh-Moyo-Tambora Biosphere Reserve (SAMOTA) is also diverse: the reserve covers 724,631.52 hectares and includes five major ecosystems—small islands, mangrove coasts, other coastal areas, lowland and mountain forests, and savannas. The range of landscapes adds a perspective on different ecosystems to the region’s volcano and beach themes.

Explore Regional Pages

If you’d like to explore vacation rentals and other destinations in more detail by region, find the relevant pages here: Mataram, Lombok Timur, Sumbawa Besar, Bima, Bayan, East Lombok, Batu Layar, Pemenang, West Sakra, Tanjung, Lembar, West Lombok Regency, Pujut, Sekongkang, Selong Belanak, Terara, Jonggat, Taliwang, Sakra, Masbagik, Hu'u, Dompu and Sekotong Tengah.

For the broader travel overview: Indonesia.