Sembalun Travel Guide: 6 Epic Things to Do in Sembalun, North Lombok

Sembalun Travel Guide: 6 Epic Things to Do in Sembalun, North Lombok

A complete travel guide for visiting Sembalun Lombok. Contains up-to-date information on the best things to do in this sleepy mountainous region of northern Lombok.

Sembalun Village Lombok is a quiet mountain town in the northern mountainous regions of Lombok Island, Indonesia. Although not many tourists visit Sembalun, it is surprisingly one of the best adventure destinations in Lombok.

From epic waterfall missions to incredible day hikes, here's a list of things to do in Sembalun that will convince you to skip the crowds of Kuta.

How to get to Sembalun Village Lombok?

There is no public transport system in Lombok that goes to Sembalun. As a result, you will have to organize your own transport or drive here yourself.

If you're traveling from the airport, your best bet is to book a private car transfer from Lombok International Airport for less than $34.

Another popular option for those wanting to hike Rinjani is to arrange your transportation with your tour company. If you hike from Senaru, it should only take about 40 minutes to reach Sembalun, which costs no more than IDR 100,000 per car.

alt=“MOTORCYCLE IN SEMBALUN VILLAGE LOMBOK”>

READ MORE ABOUT THE REST OF LOMBOK – COMPLETE LOMBOK TRAVEL GUIDE

Epic Things to Do in Sembalun Village Lombok

With that out of the way, let’s move on to the list of the best things to do in Sembalun and the surrounding North Lombok region.

1. Pergasingan hill hike

When it's not a Rinjani peak hike, by far the most popular activity in Sembalun is the hike up Pergasingan Hill.

Pergasingan Hill is a large hill that lies above the rice field valleys of Sembalun. Its highest point is around 1750 meters, which means you will climb around 600 meters in altitude. It takes approximately 1.5 hours to reach the summit, where you will be rewarded with some of the best views in Lombok.

If you decide to climb Pergasingan Hill, I would recommend doing a sunrise hike or alternatively booking a combined trekking and camping trip to spend a night at the peak.
alt=“DRONE VIEW FROM PERGASINGAN HILL SEMBALUN, LOMBOK HIKE”>

READ MORE: PERGASINGAN HILL HIKE WITHOUT GUIDE – SEMBALUN LOMBOK

2. Mangku Sakti Waterfall (Air Terjun Mangku Sakti)

Looking for a real waterfall adventure off the beaten path? Mangku Sakti waterfall is one of my favorite falls in Lombok and flows strongly even in the dry season.

To get here it takes about 20 minutes by motorbike until you reach a dirt road. From here it's a 30-minute off-road adventure over some dirt roads through dense jungle, followed by a 15-minute walk.

If you don't have your own bike, you can still book a tour to Mangku Sakti Waterfall that includes lunch and transportation. Click here to check updated price.

Mangku Sakti Waterfall is a large 20 meter waterfall with strong flowing rapids downstream. My favorite part about this waterfall is that you can climb in and watch the mighty river behind the waterfall!
alt=“MANGKU SAKTI WATERFALL NEAR SEMBALUN, LOMBOK, SEMBALUN VILLAGE”>

FULL BLOG: MANGKU SAKTI WATERFALL, COMPLETE GUIDE – SEMBALUN

3. Bukit Selong Ricefield Viewpoint

Sembalun Village Lombok even has some pretty epic sunset and sunrise viewpoints. One of the best you'll find is Bukit Selong, located behind a river on the edge of the village.

This one doesn't require a long hike to reach, but still rewards you with incredible views of the patchwork of Sembalun rice fields. On the other side, get another view of Sembalun village as you listen to the mosque's prayers echoing in the mountainous landscape.

There has been extensive damage in this part of the village, so the owners of the property charge an entrance fee of 5,000 rupiah to visit the Bukit Selong rice paddy viewing point. This goes a long way to helping the local community rebuild after the earthquakes.
alt="BUKIT SELONG VIEWPOINT">

FULL GUIDE: VIEWPOINT BUKIT SELONG RICE FIELD (SELONG HILL) – SEMBALUN, LOMBOK

4. Taman Wisata Pusuk Viewpoint

Taman Wisata Pusuk Viewpoint is another incredible mountain viewpoint located at the top of Sembalun. Unlike Pergasingan Hill, you don't need to hike to the top as the viewpoint is actually located on the side of the road at the top of the pass.

This is a great vantage point to get sweeping views of the Sembalun Valley and the massive volcanic hills. You will also see the small porcelain houses that rest beneath the Pergasinghan Hill and Rinjani Crater.

There's a small bamboo viewing platform that extends over the edge and makes for some cool, if somewhat cheesy, photos.
alt=“TAMAN WISATA PUSUK VIEWPOINT SEMBALUN LOMBOK”>TAMAN WISATA PUSUK VIEWPOINT – SEMBALUN
To help you find Taman Wisata Pusuk Viewpoint, I have pinned it on the Google map below. However, you can't really go wrong with it. Just follow the road all the way up the mountain road until you reach the peak where you will find the Taman Wisata Pusuk viewpoint.

Looking for more adventures off the beaten path in Lombok? Don't Miss: Top 5 Things to Do in Sekotong LOMBOK.

5. Mountain Rinjani Trekking

Mount Rinjani is the highest point in Lombok and the second highest volcano in Indonesia! Rinjani trekking is the reason many people visit North Lombok and I don't blame them! Trekking and camping on the crater rim was one of my favorite experiences in Lombok.
alt=“MOUNT RINJANI CRATER RIM AND ANAK LAKE”>
Did you know that all Rinjani peak hikes start from Sembalun? Although peak trekking is mostly closed, it is still possible to arrange a Rinjani crater rim hike from Sembalun.

Officials are currently reassessing and rebuilding Mount Rinjani's summit trails. This means that large-scale summit expeditions should be in full swing soon! Another reason to visit Sembalun Village Lombok!
alt=“VOLCAN MOUNT RINJANI”>

RINJANI GUIDE: MOUNT RINJANI CRATER RIM HIKE 2019 – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

6. Ride through the strawberry fields

Another unexpected thing to do in Sembalun was exploring the strawberry fields. If you have a motorbike and a bit of time, you can take the same road that leads through some spectacular strawberry farms to the Taman Wisata Pusuk viewpoint.

You will notice villagers selling their freshly grown mountain strawberries on the side of the road. Many also allow you to pick fresh strawberries on their farm for just a donation of 20,000 rupiah!
alt=“SEMBALUN VILLAGE LOMBOK STRAWBERRY FIELDS”>

Staying at Sembalun Village Lombok – Accommodation Guide

Accommodation in Sembalun

Sembalun Village is not exactly the most touristy place in Lombok. However, that doesn't mean there aren't great guesthouses or hotels.

ACCOMMODATION IN MY SEMBALUN: Radiyah Guesthouse This is one of the most affordable accommodation options in Sembalun. I would definitely recommend her. The rooms are small but very clean and have everything you need. There is unlimited free coffee and tea, as well as free breakfast. The owner is extremely helpful and will arrange a motorbike for you for 50,000 IDR per day.
alt="GUESTHOUSE RADIYAH IN LOMBOK INDONESIA">
BEST INN-STYLE ACCOMMODATION: Sembalun Kita Cottage This is probably the place I would have booked if I hadn't stayed at Radiyah. They have great reviews, reasonably priced rooms, and large beds. It includes free breakfast, which is rated “very good” on Booking.com.

alt=“SEMBALUN KITA HUT IN LOMBOK INDONESIA”>

Over to you

This concludes this Sembalun travel guide. If you enjoyed this list of the best things to do in Sembalun, be sure to check out my other articles that cover all the other popular regions in Lombok.

Do you have any other epic adventures that I missed on my trip to Sembalun? Let me know below!
alt=“TAMAN WISATA PUSUK VIEWPOINT SEMBALUN LOMBOK”>
old=““>
old=““>
alt=“DRONE VIEW FROM PERGASINGAN HILL SENARU, LOMBOK HIKE”>
alt="SENARU RICE FIELDS AND PERGASINGAN HILLS, LOMBOK">
alt=“DRONE VIEW FROM PERGASINGAN HILL SEMBULAN, LOMBOK HIKE”>

alt=“6 EPIC THINGS IN SEMBALUN – NORTH LOMBOK
“>
.