Wondering whether you should visit Lombok and the Gili Islands or Bali and the Nusa Islands? Well, we’ve got a head-to-head showdown to help you make up your mind.
It’s also interesting to note that Lombok was once touted as a “new Bali”, well one of ten new Balis, in fact, by the Indonesian government though it later withdrew this status from all ten of the places.
The two islands are both places with plenty of natural beauty, white sandy beaches, etc. but we think it’s important to compare Bali to Lombok in a methodical way that helps you understand the things that really matter to tourists seeking a relaxing holiday.
A Brief Introduction To Bali
Bali is one of the most famous islands in the world and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. It’s the most popular place for tourism in Indonesia too.
It’s famous for beach towns like Nusa Dua, Canggu and Kuta Beach as well as for cultural attractions like Ubud and Bedugul.
Whatever you need, Bali has it, from first rate accomodation to excellent shopping destinations. It’s the home of FINNS, the world’s best beach club, and countless other attractions.
A Brief Introduction To Lombok
Lombok, on the other hand, is Bali’s neighbour and to date, it’s much less explored by visitors to Indonesia. It does have an international airport but it sees far fewer travelers than Bali’s Denpasar Airport.
It’s home to Indonesia’s second-highest volcano Mount Rinjani, an active volcano, and many people say it has beautiful scenery perfect for chasing waterfalls.
It has some almost untouched beaches and there is some effort going on to develop the island and towns like Kuta Lombok are starting to offer visitors better facilities in the past.
Bali Vs Lombok: Head-To-Head Comparison
We didn’t want this to be a subjective measure, we wanted to weigh the two islands up against each other in a fair fashion and see which was the better in a range of categories that are likely to matter to visiting tourists.
So, without further ado, let’s see how Bali and Lombok measure up against each other.
Which Has The Best Accommodation?
Bali has more $1,000+ per night hotel rooms than anywhere else in the world. It’s the epitome of style and comfort.
There are also plenty of options for more modest budgets and whether you want to be in the rice paddies or near the beautiful beaches on the Bukit Peninsula, there’s a hotel for you.
Lombok, on the other hand, has far fewer hotel options and while there are accommodations to suit every budget, the emphasis in Lombok is on cheaper places to stay.
This is why Lombok has become something of a backpacker destination in recent years.
However, there’s no doubt that Bali wins this category. When you visit Bali, you’re almost guaranteed to find a great place to stay that suits your budget, near where you want to be.
The only exception to this is the Christmas to New Year period which is so busy, you want to book well in advance to secure the place of your dreams.
Which Has The Best Nightlife?
Bali has the best nightlife. Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta, Legian, and Uluwatu have world-famous nightlife and there’s something for everyone from humble beach bars to high-end beach clubs to ritzy nightclubs to pubs and bars galore.
The island has long been considered a premier party destination and there’s no doubt that as many people come for the chance to dance the night away as they do for Bali’s beaches.
Lombok, on the other hand, doesn’t have a huge amount of nightlife. Unlike Bali, the majority of people in Lombok are Muslim and most Muslims frown on drinking as it’s against their religion.
You can get a drink on Lombok but it’s not a party island. However, the Gili Islands off the coast (well, Gili Air and Gili Trawangan, at least, Gili Meno, not so much) do have plenty of nightlife.
But it’s fair to say that this, again, is aimed squarely at backpackers and there’s nothing like the diversity of Bali’s nightlife on the Gili Islands.
This category isn’t even close. Bali takes the prize unless your ideal nightlife is no nightlife.
Which Is Best For Shopping?
Bali is an amazing place for shopping. You have large malls that house international brands and local brands side-by-side, dozens of boutique stores (particularly for fashionistas) and there’s nothing you can’t buy on the island.
The art markets and local markets of Bali also allow you to source excellent made-in-Indonesia products for sensible prices.
Lombok isn’t well-known for its shopping. That’s because it’s not really a shopping destination, as yet, there’s an emphasis on local produce and not much else.
You can buy essentials in Lombok but if you were hoping to get a new dress to make you the envy of the folks back home? You’d be much happier in Bali.
While not everyone wants to shop until they drop on holiday, for those that do – there’s no contest, Bali is the best island for shopping.
Which Island Is Safer?
It’s worth noting that both places are relatively safe. However, Bali has lower incidences of petty and violent crime than Lombok does.
Lombok has some serious concerns with watercourses on the island with mercury entering the water supply thanks to the gold mining industry. Be very careful where you swim.
Bali also has some world-class private healthcare and very good local healthcare providers. Dentists in Bali are very popular with dental tourists as they represent very good value for money when compared to Western dentists.
Thus, Bali is a clear winner in this category.
Which Has The Best Dining Scene?
Bali has one of the world’s most exciting dining scenes. While there are no Michelin Stars awarded in Bali (mainly because the guide hasn’t started to assess anywhere on the island) there are plenty of chefs who’ve gained their stars elsewhere before moving to Indonesia.
From local warungs serving delicious Indonesian food, to some of the swankiest places to eat on the planet serving Western food and international dishes, Bali has it all.
You’ll also find that if you like a drink to accompany your meal, you’re going to find it much easier to enjoy a bottle of wine or a pint of beer in Bali than in Lombok too.
That’s not to say the food is bad in Lombok, it’s just a bit limited, you can get good local food and even some Western food but there’s nothing like the range there is in Bali and at the high-end there’s very little, indeed.
It’s also worth noting that you won’t find much pork in Lombok, pork is forbidden under Islam. So, get your babi guling in Bali before you leave.
Lombok barely competes in this category. Bali is hands-down the winner.
Which Has The Best Beaches?
There are stunning beaches on both islands and Bali has some of the world’s best-known beaches in the form of Kuta Beach, Seminyak Beach, Canggu Beach, Nusa Dua Beach, etc.
However, if you’ve visited Lombok then you will know that it has more white sandy beaches than Bali and many of them are completely unspoiled.
Because Lombok doesn’t get the number of tourists that Bali does, you’re much more likely to get a strip of beach all to yourself on that island.
And while Bali’s East Coast is very much worth a visit, most of the beaches there are black sand which most people consider to be less appealing than white sandy beaches.
Lombok wins this category, but it’s not by a huge margin.
Which Has The Best Neighbouring Islands?
Bali has the Nusa Islands (Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Nusa Ceningan) just off the coast. These are popular diving spots and places where you can explore waterfalls and lovely natural scenery.
There is a good range of restaurants and hotels on these islands and some basic nightlife too.
Perhaps, the biggest attraction on the Nusa Islands is the chance to swim with Manta Rays, something you can do in very few places on Earth.
Lombok, as we said before, has the Gili Islands. Gili Trawangan is famous as a party island. Gili Air is following in its footsteps and Gili Meno was considered a romantic getaway.
Sadly, in the last few months, tourists visiting these islands have not been impressed. Prices have gone shooting up. There’s nowhere to escape the nightlife even on Gili Meno and the quality of everything has gone down.
The big novelty on these islands is the lack of motorized transport which is banned and they are so small that it’s easy to walk around the outside of each of them in an hour or two.
This might have been a Bali Vs Lombok tie until recently, but for now, Bali takes the victory as people very much enjoy visiting the Nusa Islands.
Which Is The Most Aesthetically Pleasing?
In the natural world, Bali has some of the world’s finest rice paddies, two active volcanoes (Mount Batur and Mount Agung), beautiful jungle, amazing coral reefs, turquoise waters, white and black sand beaches, and much more.
Not every town in Bali is conventionally beautiful but Ubud is considered a lovely place as is Sidemen Village and Munduk.
Lombok has some hidden gems, an active volcano, some nice jungle and coral reefs, it too has access to turquoise waters.
However, where Bali is covered in interesting temples, there are a thousand mosques in every corner of Lombok (actually, it’s more than 8,000 but who’s counting?) and if you don’t notice them before you go to bed, you’ll certainly notice them when they wake you up before dawn.
It’s also worth noting that from Kuta Lombok to Sengigi to Bangsal Port, the towns of Lombok just aren’t very attractive. Bangsal Port, in particular, is quite dreadful.
So, while this category of Bali Vs Lombok is closer than some of the others, Bali wins again.
Which Has The Most Things To Do?
This isn’t even close. We made a list of over 100 things to do in Bali and it’s not an exhaustive list. Bali is full of things to do, it’s one of the reasons that it’s one of the world’s premier tourism destinations.
There are waterparks, zoos and safari parks, acquariums, gyms, museums, waterfalls, trekking, ATV rides, temples, white water rafting, and so much more.
Lombok, on the other hand, has beaches, surf, a volcano trek, Moto GP and… well, not much more than that, really. Check back in a few years time and we’re sure that Lombok will be better developed and have more to do, but for now, there’s just not a lot happening on this island.
Overall, Bali has so many more things to do than Lombok that it wins this category without breaking a sweat.
Where Would Expats Be Happiest?
Bali has become something of a digital nomad Mecca in recent years. It has excellent coworking and coliving facilities and decent internet and electricity supplies.
Lombok has slower, less reliable internet and almost no coworking spaces to speak of. It’s the kind of place digital nomads go when they have to get away from everyone else. So, don’t expect much in the way of a nomad community.
Bali is, without a doubt, the most popular choice for digital nomads and is second only to Chiang Mai, Thailand in Southeast Asia.
So, Bali or Lombok? Which Is The Best Island To Visit
Bali won every category of our assessment except for the best beaches. In most cases, Bali won these categories by a mile or more.
There’s simply no doubt that most people are going to have a better holiday in Bali than they would in Lombok.
That’s why Lombok is a somewhat obscure backpacker’s destination and Bali is a popular choice of paradise island throughout the world.
FAQs
Is It Worth Going To Lombok From Bali?
Yes, it’s worth going to see Lombok from Bali. It’s a pleasant place. However, things like the call to prayer in the early hours of the morning, can make it somewhat more challenging to spend time in Lombok than Bali.
How Many Days In Lombok Is Enough?
For most people 3-4 days is going to be enough to hike Mount Rinjani and sit on a beach or two. There’s probably not enough of interest in Lombok to justify a much longer stay unless you’re a surfer.
Is Lombok A Party Island?
No. In fact, as a majority Muslim island, there are comparatively few parties in Lombok.
Is Lombok Bigger Than Bali?
Lombok is slightly smaller than Bali in size.
Final Thoughts On Bali Vs Lombok
So, there you have it. Bali is the best holiday destination of Bali and Lombok in 2024. Will Lombok ever compete with Bali? We doubt it.
The Indonesian government has been quite clear about where it sees future tourism developing and has named places across the archipelago for investment and focus, Lombok isn’t on that list.
That doesn’t mean that it’s a waste of your time to visit Lombok, particularly if you love heavy trekking on volcanoes and being the only person on the beach (and don’t mind not having a beer while you’re there) but it does mean that for most people Bali is the better destination and objectively so.
