The Steep Climbs of Bali and Lombok
Indonesian hotspots offer quiet and challenging roads
Experiencing road riding in Bali was an unexpected eye-opener for me. During the past couple of years, the Indoesian tropical island has been added to my annual migratory schedule. The scenery and greenery here is only surpassed by its vibrant and welcoming culture and exotic food.
Bali’s reputation as a party destination is often enough to deter riders from ever considering it a viable cycling destination. Yet, roughly 30 km north of the beaches and nightclubs of Kuta or Seminyak, you start to see the island’s warm and wild heart. There’s natural beauty with rugged mountain roads to ride – quite possibly the best in the region. As for Lombok, an island that neighbours Bali, many have never even heard of it. When combined with Bali, the pair team up for a formidable and contrasting double-act of riding.
As a base for riding on Bali, I usually choose the outskirts of Ubud, the cultural heart of the island. The town is very busy and has great amenities. You can find a sweet, peaceful place on the quieter outskirts of town for less than the cost of a Starbucks coffee and a cake.
The roads vary from rolling to gruesomely steep. The climbs increase in length the farther inland you go. Most roads from here head north-south; there are hundreds of miles worth of them. You can ride all day on these scenic, narrow and twisty roads, passing through villages and lush rice fields without ever going more than an hour from town. Even if you get lost (which you will), you’re always close to a shortcut back to base.
The central area, around Mount Batur, and the roads leading up and down to the high plateau around it are among the steepest in the region, tougher than almost anything you’ll find in Europe. Be sure to tackle them with respect.
Lombok is similar in size but has a fraction of Bali’s population, infrastructure and reputation as a tourist destination. It’s a short ferry hop away from its more famous neighbour. My visit to Lombok was a dedicated one, not tagged on to Bali. In some ways, I’m glad there was a gap between the two visits. The islands are close cousins, but light-years apart. Lombok is how Bali was probably 30-yearsago, although tourism is starting to really take a grip, for good and for bad.
I based myself in Kuta, which is situated on the southern coast of the island. It’s a low-rise and low-budget surf resort. Google Maps confuses it with its illustrious neighbour on Bali with the same name. Keep that in mind if you’re navigating by cellphone. There wasn’t much traffic around Lombok’s Kuta, which made the riding great, but damn steep and relentless.
Soon after I left the town, I came to a dejected halt in the middle of the road. As I stared at the ground, I heard a car on the road below me. For ego’s sake, I started to push on until the car had passed. I hoped the climb would ease up, but it just got steeper. The car pulled over just ahead of me so the driver could take a bunch of selfies, all trimmed with the cracking coastal view as a backdrop. Two minutes later, I came to another stop.
Out of the town are a couple of rough-cut, dead-end coastal trails. They make for a nice introduction to the riding and pass by some of the most deserted and pristine beaches in all of Southeast Asia. It’s quite possible to have an entire beach to yourself.
To the west, once you’re over a crushing climb almost straight out of town, it’s a lush, green roller-coaster of a ride for some time. It really is hard to imagine how such a pristine coastal strip could be as quiet as it is. Tiny fishing villages and farming communities are about all you see along this road. It’s amazing.
My aim was to see most of the island by car-hopping to prime ride locations with my bike in tow. I soon realized that, despite Lombok’s small stature, getting around was no small time task.
The deep southwest featured a cruise along the near-deserted coast road on the northern side of the peninsula that was truly magical. Apart from the odd truck and horse and cart, I had the place all to myself. The fast-trotting equestrian taxi, which is everywhere i n Lombok, is called a cidomo. It looks like an
“The roads leading up and down to the high plateau are among the steepest in the region, tougher than almost anything you’ll find in Europe. Be sure to tackle them with respect.”
antiquated form of transportation, but it’s very much still the way to go here, most definitely are not laid on just for tourists. With the rows of near perfect palm trees and old wooden fishing boats, part of Lombok really could be from another era – perhaps the one we search for when riding into clouded dreams of such places.
Glancing over my shoulder, I could see the rumpled outline of Mount Rinjani across the bay, a towering volcano that dominates the landscape. A few days later, I found myself at the foot of this more-than-3,700-m tall beast. From the coastal road at the north end of the island, you can ride south with the volcano on your right. In roughly 40 km, you’ll gain about 1,800 m and lose 1,600 m. Most of the descending comes in the final 15 km of that stretch. The climb I would not attempt again in a hurry. As for the narrow road that descends back to the beautiful south of the island along a tree-shrouded twister of a road, I wouldn’t mind taking it on again, one day.
Getting to Bali from Canada will require at least one stopover depending on where your trip begins. Be sure to check an airline’s policy for transporting bikes before booking.
There are very few direct international flights to Lombok, although there are several daily flights from Bali. The best option is to take the short ferry ride between the two islands, which is a journey offered by nearly every travel agency and guesthouse in the region.
You can ride in Bali and Lombok at any time. The conditions vary dramatically throughout the year, and also between the islands and even between districts. From April to September is the driest time, while the rainy season runs from October to March, which is also when the islands look their best.
Bali
The coastal roads and inland roads in the south are very busy and narrow, although they are also safe – once you get used to the traffic. Ride them if logistics mean you need to.
North from Ubud, there is really great riding, and a lot of it, too. The farther inland you go, the climbs get longer and steeper. If you look closely at the maps, you can find very quiet roads winding up toward Batur.
The climbs from the busy island outer ring road toward the volcanoes are amazing, but damn tough. Be sure to have support for such rides.
The trails and roads down from the central Jatiluwih rice terraces are stunning. They make for a perfect gravelbike outing.
Lombok
The coastal road west from Kuta is tough, quiet and makes for great riding. There are also a few flat, rolling roads and dirt trails north and east of town.
Senggigi, on the west coast, i s one of the most popular tourist spots on the island. It offers access to the Gili Islands and Bali. It’s also very busy. The coastal road north is very scenic, but ride it at dawn to avoid the traffic.
Tetebatu is the region on the southern slopes of Rinjani. It’s where you’ll find the best rice fields, loads of dirt trails and small surfaced roads. It’s great for a couple of days of exploration.
Tackle Mount Rinjani from the south or from the north for an epic challenge. It’s best to stay in a small hostel or hotel on the plateau overnight or have some support. Low gears are essential.
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