I must admit I’ve been very blessed to see a handful of amazing places around the world, but this recent getaway has made me redefine the meaning of paradise.

I was itching for a getaway where I could have peace and tranquility and do lots of reading. Luckily I had to look no further than the island of Lombok.  Nestled just to the East of Bali, Lombok is a fairly large island that still has a slow, slightly undeveloped feel. This was great for me. Huge crowds are really not my style, so having the main conveniences available and being able to enjoy them solo was simply divine.

After a short 2-hour flight, I hopped onto the local bus for about 1.5 hours that took me to the city of Senggigi. The drive was filled with lush views of rice patty’s and glimpses of azure ocean around every hill.

On the main road, I was dropped off in front of Hotel Graha. Just to the left of the entrance I saw the sign for my homestay. I had to follow the signs for a while before Indah Homestay appeared before me, and what a slice of heaven it was. A simple room, lovely open-air bathroom, breakfast included and free wifi for $20 a night!

After a shower and a nap I headed out to the main road for dinner. I walked slow to take notice of all my options. It was hard to decide where to go because I actually had a handful of choices and every location was empty. Since I was on vacation I decided to eat the foods I don’t have very often, so I picked a place where I could get spring rolls and a vanilla milkshake. Delicious.

I was pretty tired from traveling that day, so I headed back to my homestay for a relaxing evening of reading…something I never get to do enough of.

The next morning I made sure I got up to eat my complimentary breakfast before heading out to find a beach. I was offered a ride to a beautiful beach about a 10-15 minute drive up the road. The view continued to be impressive and majestic as the motorbike climbed and crested each new hill, providing peeks of the tantalizing water.

Finally, the beach was before me and I took advantage of the cool water. After a dip I walked along the sand and took countless photos of the cliffs, the water and landscape.

On the ride back, I took the opportunity to stop and admire the rocky coast at one of the lookouts. I have nothing but respect and awe for what the power and force of water are able to do to solid rock.

I elected to be dropped off at Pura Batu Bolong, a Hindu temple that was built into the rock face on the beach just a 20-minute walk from my homestay. It was a small temple, so it only took a few minutes to see all the statues and platforms, but I could have stayed there for hours, just admiring the view and breeze on that extremely hot day.

After another afternoon of showering and napping, I again headed out to hunt for a delicious dinner in view of the ocean and earshot of the live (and good!) music at the neighborhood tavern.

I chose Lina Restaurant and quickly decided on a crab omelet and fresh pineapple juice to devour as I listened to the crashing waves and a beautiful rendition of ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door” filled the air.

By the time I heard Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry” I knew I had to stay a little longer. That song reminds me of my time in North Carolina…another magical experience in my repertoire. So naturally, I took that as a sign that I was supposed to order dessert! There were only a few choices, but it only took me a second to pick a thick banana pancake and a cup of traditional coffee. I savored that strong cup (with the grinds mixed in) for another hour as I read my Kindle in the glow of the restaurant’s outdoor pavilion. A beautiful day and a beautiful evening.

For my last full day in Lombok, I wanted to take a tour of the Gili’s, which are 3 small islands just off the coast of Lombok, near the area where I was staying.

Gili Trawangan (or simply “Gili T”) is the biggest, and most developed, with a definite “beach town community” feel. It takes about 4 hours to walk the perimeter of the entire island, so you can imagine the “town” is pretty small. But since my stop was only about one hour, it was easy to fill my time with shopping, and inspecting every beach-side café while trying not to get run over by the horse-drawn carriages that roam the cobblestone streets…I love islands that don’t permit cars!

Next up was Gili Meno, the center and smallest island.  This beauty is known for its great snorkeling spots and its camping opportunities.

My boat captain moored our boat and I hopped in the water to try this new adventure. For someone like me who can’t really swim very well, this experience made me a little nervous. I had never attempted a water activity like this before, I had no life jacket, no flippers and basically no instruction. Despite all of these factors, I still got in the water and stuck my face into the beautiful blue sea in an attempt to take a look at what lay beneath. Needless to say this new experience did not last long, as I was paranoid I would hyperventilate from constantly breathing through the mouth piece. But I did enjoy myself and I was able to see some beautiful coral formations an schools of fish in the area near my boat. I’m sure my next attempt will be even more fruitful and last a little longer.

After we beached our boat I had about an hour to enjoy the pristine coast to work on my tan.

Gili Air is the last island in the bunch. I was going to stop here as well, but I had spent so much time in the sun that I didn’t think I had the energy to swim or sunbathe any more that day. So we circumnavigated the island and headed back to the Senggigi port.

After yet another (now ritualistic and necessary) shower and nap, I headed out for my evening prowl, to hunt for dinner. I wanted to try the restaurant in Hotel Graha. They have a restaurant on either side of the street, directly across from each other, which offered different types of cuisine. I crossed the street to enjoy the ocean front and the European selection of food. I started my amazing meal with an iced lime tea and spaghetti carbonara and finished with pineapple and cherry crepes with vanilla ice cream. So delicious!

That evening I reveled in peace and tranquility, for I knew the journey back to East Jakarta was going to be crowded, loud and tiring the next morning.

Although I only experienced a small part of Lombok, I would eagerly return to and highly recommend this island. Couples or singles alike will find anything they’d want or need. And even though amazing values can be had, the peacefulness ad comfortability are priceless.