pack these before you go

A few things are worth bringing from home rather than sorting out on the island:

• Rashguard / UV shirt — the equatorial sun is brutal; lets you surf and snorkel for hours without frying your back.

• Reef-safe sunscreen (high SPF) — pricey and hard to find locally, and the reef-safe kind protects Lombok's coral.

• Your own snorkel & mask — hygiene and fit; rental gear is shared, often poor quality, and a leaky mask ruins the swim.

• Water shoes / reef booties — for slippery waterfall rocks (Benang, Tiu Kelep) and the sharp reef at spots like Mawi and Seger.

• Dry bag — keeps your camera and phone safe on boat transfers, river crossings and rainy scooter rides.

• Quick-dry travel towel — packs small and actually dries in the humidity.

• Power bank — long boat and scooter days, plus unreliable power in remote spots like Sembalun and the secret Gilis.

• Light layer — highland evenings in Tetebatu and Sembalun get genuinely cool, and it doubles for wet-season showers.

• Sarong — temple/village cover-up, beach mat, towel and sun shade in one.