From Trawangan Island to Lombok the public ferry was the cheapest being 15,000 rp, and the the bus which really is a shared van cost me another 150,000 rp but another fellow that did the exact same trip as me only paid 150,000 altogether, saving that 15,000 rp that was extra for me. The van ride from Bangsal near the 3 Gili’s where the ferry drops off passengers was a long haul to get to Kuta Beach where “Zury Homestay” was being the cheapest dormitory I could find at 140,000 rp a night. The free wifi is poor, sometimes no connection at all. ‘Zury’ is beautiful and cooks up a fine breakfast with always being so polite and helpful, greeting everyone with “hello boss”. Renting a motorbike I have been told you can get one for 50k a day but Zury rents to me at 70k day, as I find out with other guests she rents to them for 60K, and also with renting a bed in dormitory another guest only paid 130K. So you really have to bargain with her and be firm. This is not the best place to stay at either, again poor wifi, noisy at night and into the early morning hours with chanting or praying going on over a loud speaker from a nearby Mosque, and with all the new construction and upgrading going on around here, the power is shut off for many hours during the day.

I came here to Lombok because of the white sandy beaches I have been told of and hoping to get off the touristy path, not a chance this place is busy with tourists and as far as the white sandy beaches, not as white as I expected and I found Kuta Beach having litter washed up or simply left on the beach. There is much construction going on at the beach waterfront with sideways and roadways being upgraded, I was told this work should be completed next month.

So now for these better beaches with the white sand I’m looking for and I was told of a beach with pink sand, one needs to rent a motorcycle and travel to these locations and this is what I did, I visited many beaches including this ‘Pink Sand Beach’, well again I suppose I have this expectation that I create in my mind and when I get to these places it is not what I was expected and I am a little disappointed, I am working on not having any expectations at all and simply enjoying what I see. For me though the Pink Sand Beach did not have pink sand, and the other beaches, well close to white but still not white as far as I am concerned. I suppose what I expected was what I see in the travel magazines, white sandy beaches with clear shades of blue water tones with palm and coconut trees along the beach and of course no litter. What I did find with all these beaches I visited all seem to have a completely different view or theme, as one beach has many fishing boats, another beach has many, many floats, then another beach is scattered with boats to transport tourists, it was very cool getting a complete different beach look.

Now with the many restaurants or eateries here most food prices are jacked right up, pizza which is usually a small size 60-80,000 rp, cup of coffee 30,000 rp, to me this is Canadian prices, in fact more than, same with the meals. So I do the best to look for the cheap prices or what the prices should be for these developing countries and I found a place where I could get a vegetarian meal that is a good portion for only 15,000 rp plus coffee for another 5,000 rp, I pay 20,000 rp in total where others pay 30-40,000 just for the coffee and then another 60,000 rp for their meal, what tourists pay for one meal i can eat four delicious healthy meals. Anyways the husband wife team serve up Sushi, vegetarian and local meals and I was told they are the only ones that are open into the wee hours of the night when the party goers get hungry, check out this small family restaurant called “Keisha Sushi Japanese Food”.

For those thinking of coming here to Kuta Lombok, Indonesia for the white sandy tropical beaches with crystal clear blue waters, I suggest your best bet is at Gili’s Trawangan Island and if you do not like the hustle and bustle of the party goers then one of the other’s being Meno or Air. I have a few beach scenes including the ‘Pink Sand Beach” you decide how you like the looks of these beaches and if the sand is white or pink enough for you.