Indonesia > The Waterfalls of Lombok

I slept well last night but couldn’t escape the morning prayer. The first mosque began its call at three o’clock, followed by the others around half past four. This morning, too, the call went on and on. At six o’clock, I join breakfast—a simple meal of toasted white bread, jam, and chocolate spread. An hour later, we leave Tetebatu by bus, traveling along narrow roads around the slopes of the volcano. Many of the houses along the route could use some renovation. The damp climate takes its toll on the buildings. I imagine they have to repaint regularly here. If they don’t, moisture seeps into the concrete walls and the paint peels away. For some buildings, help clearly comes too late—half-collapsed tiled roofs, balconies overgrown with shrubs, and doors hanging so crookedly they haven’t been used in ages. Yet sometimes children pop up outside the houses, waving to us enthusiastically. We arrive at the parking lot for the Stokel and Kelambu waterfalls, located within the Rinjani Geopark. An enthusiastic guide welcomes us and immediately starts explaining everything. He leads us to the waterfalls. The walk to the Stokel waterfall takes only a few minutes; the other is about a half-hour away. The trail rises and falls, sometimes with steep stone steps. Right away, the path seems slippery. The green moss makes the stones slick, so I tread carefully. For some group members, this is reason enough to turn back. I climb a flight of steps before descending again and arrive at the Stokel waterfall, where three streams of water tumble from the rocks into a basin—a beautiful sight.

Indonesia - At the foot of Mount Rinjani lie the Stoker waterfalls

The guide takes my camera to snap a good picture. From here, a trail through the rainforest leads to the Kelambu waterfall. I climb more steep steps, passing several small huts along the way. Because it’s Ramadan, they’re empty now, but normally vendors would be selling drinks and snacks here. The final stretch down to the waterfall is a long staircase. Even from the steps, I can see the water cascading down. It forms a kind of curtain, which is why the waterfall is named “Kelambu” (“mosquito net”). At the base, there’s a small pool where you can swim. I didn’t bring my swimwear, so I just take off my shoes and walk barefoot through the shallow water. Though it’s cold, it feels wonderful to cool off. We were supposed to be back at the bus by ten, but we only start heading back at quarter to ten. Fortunately, no one minds that we arrive a bit late. The bus takes us to the harbor for the crossing to Gili Air. We pass Lombok’s capital, Mataram, and continue north along the coast. At a seaside viewpoint, we stop for lunch.

Indonesia - We sail from Lombok to Gili Air in small boats

We’d brought lunch packs this morning, and I enjoy my mie goreng by the roadside. At half past one, we reach the beach where our crossing begins. The luggage is quickly loaded into two small boats. My travel bag isn’t waterproof, and I’m not sure whether water will splash in during the trip—it’s lying unprotected. As soon as the skipper speeds up, most of the water sprays along the sides of the boat. Behind us, dark clouds loom, and it seems to be raining there. Just as we dock at Gili Air’s pier, it starts raining here too—big, heavy drops. I grab my bag and rush to the small harbor building’s shelter, not waiting for the crew to unload the luggage. Before I even reach cover, the downpour intensifies, and strong winds pick up. I place my bag safely behind a concrete pillar so the rainwater can’t reach it. Within moments, the streets are flooded. What luck we weren’t caught in this at sea.

Indonesia - A storm hits immediately upon arrival on the island

When the rain eases slightly, the luggage is loaded onto a covered horse cart. I put on my rain jacket and walk to the Gili Air Lagoon Resort. Rainwater runs off my jacket onto my shorts, soaking them in seconds. The walk only takes a few minutes. At the resort, I take off my jacket, and a staff member offers me a drink. The cottages here are arranged in a circle, with a circular swimming pool in front that passes by each one. It’s still raining as I walk to cottage 112. Inside, I quickly change into something warm. In the afternoon, I head to the restaurant and order a beer. Outside, it’s dry again. Slowly, other travel companions join. We decide not to eat at the resort and instead walk down Gili Air’s main street. At an Italian restaurant, there’s room for twelve of us. I choose the bacon pizza—I haven’t had pizza yet on this trip.