If you think Sembalun is all about hiking Mount Rinjani, then yes, you’re correct. But it’s also so much more than just this trailhead.

At 1,156 metres above sea level, it is the perfect spot to slow down and linger around in cute warungs and cafes with best views of Rinjani without actually climbing it.

I visited Sembalun in July which also a great time to hike Mount Rinjani but even if you’re not doing that, renting a motorbike or attempting to hike or camp on one of their hiking trails is something you should do.

I stayed here for two days and loved it because of the verdant rolling green hills, strawberries and coffee farms.

The coffee was pretty amazing here in some of the cafes I went to, and if you really want to see a less touristed site of Lombok, Sembalun should not be sleeped on.

Here are some of the best things I did in Sembalun, Indonesia, Indonesia.

Also read: Things To Do in Tetebatu, Lombok: Waterfalls, Cafes & Rice Fields

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How to get to Sembalun, Lombok?

some of the gorgeous things to do in sembalun, lombok is hike hills like this!

If you’re coming from Tetebatu, it’s not that long of a journey — about 2 to 3 hours by car or motorbike.

The road climbs steadily as you get closer and the air is way cooler.

From Lombok’s main towns like Mataram or Senggigi near the beach, you’re looking at roughly 3 to 4 hours.

The easiest way is to hire a private driver or rent a scooter if you’re comfortable with mountain roads.

Where To Stay in Sembalun

my stay at bobocabin, look at the views of mount rinjani

BoboCabin (I stayed here and highly recommend staying here for gorgeous views of Rinjani)
Rautani Sembalun (equally amazing cottages and views of Rinjani)
Edelweiss Sembalun village (a bit further in but a cosy place to stay)

Should You Climb Mt Rinjani?

climbing mount rinjani, among some of the best experiences in sembalun!

With the recent incident of the Brazilian hiker, Mount Rinjani should only be attempted if you’ve done hard hikes before.

I have climbed Mount Rinjani (read it here), and loved the challenge especially the views. But it was super hard and a total body challenge, towards the end.

Should you decide to climb Mount Rinjani, you can book your guide here. This option gives you 3 days 2 nights and a chance to chill in the hot springs!

⛰️ But if you’re going to Sembalun on a day trip? You can book this day tour here!

My Recommended Things To Do in Sembalun

1. Staying in Bobo Cabin

gorgeous sunset views at bobo cabin in sembalun

Staying in Bobo cabin was an experience on its own, it is the best views that you can get of Mount Rinjani. The entire cabin has smart windows where you can control the light, ambient sounds and temperature.

You also have the option to cook food around a camp fire if you’re in a bigger group but even if you don’t do that, the morning views are worth waking up to.

I loved reading here and doing a whole lot of nothing while enjoying the cool morning sun.

Make sure to book your room here at BoboCabin, Sembalun because it gets sold out pretty fast!

2. Pergasingan Hill Hike

pergasingan hill hike, one of the best day hikes in sembalun

The second popular activity to do here is hiking. If you’re not a fan of going to the summit of Mount Rinjani, you can get pretty stunning views without all the huffing and puffing.

Just above the rice fields of Sembalun, Pergasingan Hill sits at 1806m above sea level. The best way to start is to begin hiking just before sunrise at around 4.00am. It’ll take you 2.5 to 3 hours to summit the hill.

But if you don’t want to go that early, going around 6am is perfectly fine as well because you’ll still see epic views of the mountain.

If you don’t want to go alone for the sunrise, you can book a guide here.

3. Strawberry picking with epic views at Kedai Sawah Sembalun

strawberries with latte facing anak dara mountain in sembalun

I am going to let the pictures do the talking but on a serious note, we spend time picking strawberries and having coffee in this beautiful field facing Anak Dara mountain.

You should start by getting a coffee at Tepi Sawah Sembalun — their strawberry drink combos are amazing.

The local picks the strawberrries from his farm and makes the drink on the spot for you. You should also buy his coffee beans as they were super cheap and good!

After your drink, head towards the field to enjoy strawberry picking but even if you don’t want to, the walk here among these fields were amazing.

We ended up walking to another cafe in the middle of the fields called Kedai Sawah Sembalun. It was such a nice spot to take in the views.

4. Hike Bukit Selong for sunset

It is only a 15 minute hike to the top — Bukit Selong was one of the best places to see the rice fields of Sembalun.

There are a lot of pesky monkeys so watch out for them. The road here isn’t the best and it costs around 25,000 rupiah for two people to get in.

I came just before sunset and was completely blown away by the views.

5. Hike Anak Dara

This was such a nice hike that’s almost 2,000 metres. I did want to hike the mountain but was a bit exhausted from all the other activities.

If you have more time, Anak Dara is a long ridge hike with a steep climb towards the end. On a rainy day, this hike should absolutely not be done.

But from June to September, the views here are splendidly gorgeous. It takes 3 hours to hike and 2 hours to come down.

The entrance fee is 25k if you’re coming here with a car and 10k for a motorbike.

6. Day Trip to Tiu Kelep Waterfall

If you want to see an epic waterfal that’s worth the drive and detour from Sembalun, you’ve to go to Tiu Kelep waterfall.

It is about an hour from Sembalun. If you’re exhausted from all that riding and hiking and want to leave it to a tour guide, a pretty good guide does a day trip to these waterfalls. You can book it here.

The waterfalls are majestic and there are huge drops from about 30 meters until it flows into a natural pool.

Reaching the site requires a 30 minute trek from the first waterfall, through jungle paths and small rivers.

7. Take in the views of Mount Rinjani upclose at KopiKey Sembalun

kopikey sembalun, one of the nice cafes to get strong coffee!

This gorgeous green spot facing coffee fields and homegrown chillis was worth the stop at KopiKey Sembalun.

I also enjoyed riding a bike here simply because of how gorgeous the views were along the way.

The coffee here is super strong but you should try it with banana fritters.

The best thing was reading a book and chilling here. I have never seen Mount Rinjani this upfront!

8. For the best food, these two warungs were the best: D'BEBEK TUANS & Sembalun Clasiq cafe

eating at d’bebek tuans for the best meals!

I had lunch always (almost everyday) at Sembalun Clasiq Cafe.

Their interiors may be simple but the Ayam suir (a popular Indonesian dish consisting of shredded chicken, often cooked with a variety of spices like lemongrass, chilli & onion).

For dinner, I would recommend stopping by at D’Bebek Tuans, if you love duck or chicken. The food is incredible: the crispy duck is a must-try, full of flavor and cooked to perfection!

The views were also great as they face Anak Dara hills!

Also read: Trekking Mount Rinjani The Green Way: How I Hiked The Second Highest Volcano in Indonesia

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