Lombok stay safe · Lombok travel safety advice
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Lombok travel safety advice
Lombok travel safety advice
Although Lombok is a safe and stable place, these tips may help you along the way:
Because Lombok is not engulfed with tourists, is always prudent to travel in groups of two or more. This is especially true for women and visitors who cannot speak Bahasa Indonesia. Even a minor incident can be difficult to resolve when there is a language barrier especially in the rural areas of Lombok where many people are not fluent in Bahasa Indonesian and only speak Bahasa Sasak.
Most tourist areas and many villages are busy with activity at night. Often street vendors sell food until 9PM at night or later in some areas. Tourists and locals will often walk the streets when the bars and restaurants are open. However when traveling in rural villages or non-tourist areas after dark there may be very few people found on the streets. In these situations it is generally more prudent to stay indoors after dark. People in rural Lombok and many of the quieter Kampung areas are often in bed by 8PM, rising again at 5AM.
Always have locks on the zips of your bags. Not only do they keep enquiring hands out they also prevent people slipping prohibited substances in. Be prepared to quickly lock and unlock when passing though customs.
Try not to display conspicuous wealth such as large amounts of cash or expensive cameras, cellphones and other items as it may temp thieves including children and may also encourage requests for financial assistance in some circumstances.
Dress modestly in rural villages, religious sites and government buildings; long pants for men and a shirt, a modest skirt, full or calf length pants, dress or sarongs are suggested and a conservative blouse is recommended for women. This may save you or onlookers from embarrassment. If more revealing clothing is worn it is good to have a sarong handy as it can effect a quick and easy adaptation to prevailing circumstances. Naked or semi-naked bathing and very skimpy swimwear on the beach will most likely create considerable controversy and possibly some alarm amongst the local people even in the areas of concentrated tourism activity in front of the hotels. This may not be immediately apparent to the visitor at the time. Carry a sarong if you only have revealing swimwear available and wear it especially when you are nearby or talking with local people as it will place everyone more at ease and create considerably less controversy. Take along a sarong when traveling about as they are a good all purpose item that can come in handy to keep off the sun or wind and can be called into service to avoid any awkward moments.
Footwear must always be removed when entering a person's home and occasionally even some business premises. This is the case in even the most primitive and basic living structures.
In Lombok it is normally considered to be quite rude or disrespectful to offer or hand something to someone with your left hand unless they are a very close and intimate friend or family member, and even then it is best avoided if possible.
Caution should be exercised when consuming locally made alcoholic drinks such as Arak as poisoning has occurred in parts of Indonesia including, Bali, Lombok and the nearby Gilli islands. During 2009, 2010 and 2011 a number of Indonesians and visiting tourists in Java, Bali and Lombok/Gilli Islands were poisoned by consuming drinks containing methyl alcohol resulting in fatalities. Methyl alcohol (wood alcohol) and other contaminants are highly dangerous and have been found in some locally produced alcoholic drinks. The initial symptoms of Methyl alcohol / methanol intoxication include central nervous system depression, headache, dizziness, nausea, lack of co-ordination and confusion. If methyl alcohol poisoning is suspected seek medical assistance immediately.
Dengue fever and the more serious complication of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is present in Lombok. During 2009-early 2011 there was an outbreak effecting the island including the nearby Gili islands. If symptoms of Dengue or DHF appear medical assistance should be sought without delay from one of Lombok's major hospitals. Both Dengue and DHF is readily treated by competent medical professionals in Lombok and intervention should not be delayed or postponed for any reason if symptoms are present or suspected. Dengue outbreaks are a common seasonal occurrence throughout the tropics and during the Wet Season sensible precautions should always be taken by visitors to avoid exposure to mosquito borne illnesses such as Malaria and Dengue Fever. This applies to Lombok, including the Gili Islands, and to other similar areas throughout SE Asia. Two fifths of the world's population are now at risk from dengue and it is estimated that there may be 50 million cases of dengue infection worldwide every year. The disease is now endemic in more than 100 countries. Dengue is transmitted by the Aedes species of mosquitoe. They are typical small and usually have black and white stripe markings on their body and legs. They are typically active between dawn and dusk (daytime).
Malaria has also been present in areas nearby to the tourism precincts of Lombok. Malaria infections have been occurring in the local population in 2010 and early 2011. The outbreaks are more common amongst those local people who live or work nearby the lushly vegetated forest areas and who are living in primitive conditions. If spending the majority of your visit in the built up tourism areas where mosquito control measures such as 'fogging' are in place and if personal awareness and sensible precautions are practised the risk of contracting malaria remains minimal. Malaria is readily treated by competent medical professionals in Lombok and as with Dengue Fever intervention should not be delayed or postponed for any reason if symptoms are present or suspected. Parts of Lombok are susceptible to at different times, some areas are seasonal and some other areas do not provide evidence of seasonal transmission peaks. Malarial transmission peaks may occur in the dryer months in some areas or Lombok. The Anopheles mosquito is responsible for transmission, it is active from dusk to dawn (night time).
The use of mosquito nets and repellants is advisable especially when sleeping and when spending time in lushly vegetated areas during the wet season or at any time when mosquitos are breeding. If a suitable insect repellent cannot be obtained locally supplied Minyak Sereh (Sitronela) contains citronella and is derived from the lemongrass (sereh) plant. Minyak Tawon also has some (lesser) insect repellent properties and is also not considered poisonous. Indeed it is used medicinally and for treating cuts, abrasions and insect bites. It has a Citronella type aroma. Minyak Sereh is also good for use on stings and bites. With either of these products do not expose to mucous membranes or use near the eyes and please skin test prior to use to ensure there is no adverse reaction.
If concerned about the risks of Mosquito borne diseases please seek the advice of a suitable qualified Medical Practitioner or Travellers Health Centre prior to your departure to any destination in the tropics.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Lombok
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Lombok - updated Apr 2024
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Lombok Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.