Off the Beaten Track - In Pursuit of a Hidden Indonesian Gem

“Where’s that?” was the most common response I got when people found out that I was heading to Lombok. Situated next to Bali, Lombok was (and is) still unknown to most. I chanced upon Tanjung Ringgit, a secluded cape in the South-eastern Jerowaru province of Lombok, after randomly browsing through Instagram. It was love at first sight, and I had to visit that place. After relentless hunting, I managed to secure a driver that was willing to head to Tanjung Ringgit.
The day we set off for Tanjung Ringgit was bright and sunny, and our hired driver turned friend, Lan, stood waiting for us in our hotel lobby with a big grin on his face. After conversing with him in broken Indonesian and a smattering of English, we found of that it was his first time going there too, and embarked on what would be a long, 3 hour, 80km journey from Senggigi, on the west, to a fairly remote location, conversation light and Indonesian rock songs blasting from the car speakers. The landscape constantly changed throughout the journey, with worn, concrete buildings being replaced with lush, green paddy fields and later on, dirt roads. After stopping by to purchase packed lunches, we continued on our adventure, and shortly, the roads started getting less developed, and bumpier. Undeterred, we decided to brave the journey ahead, and we happily bumped down the last 15km in our Toyota Avanza a-la rollercoaster style, our bones rattling like pennies in a tin can as we slowly ventured the pebbled, rocky terrain fenced by dry forest towards our destination.
The magnificent sight in front of us was so breathtakingly beautiful that it made us forget about the scorching afternoon sun. The landscape was dotted with stunning rock cliffs with steep drops into the Indian Ocean. Crystal clear turquoise waters glimmered as the sunlight danced above it. We sat on the grass, eating our lunch with our hands while staring in awe at this picture perfect masterpiece in front of us, pointing out the two points of the cape that resembled a crocodile and tortoise, respectively (imagination was definitely involved!). Tanjung Ringgit also houses a cannon left by the Japanese Occupation during World War II, and a cave filled with bats, known to the locals as Gua Raksasa (Monster Cave).
This was a unique experience itself – from taking an unconventional route of travelling by car, to the bumpy ride there, and getting to know the locals – proves that the destination, and the journey itself, is always worth it