Lombok International Airport (Praya Airport) Arrival Guide

Information as of August 2026

Lombok International Airport (Praya Airport, airport code LOP) is the compact gateway to the island of Lombok. This article covers the facilities inside the airport, such as currency exchange, ATMs and SIM cards, what happens after you land, and how to get to areas such as Mataram and Sekotong, from the point of view of us at Semelar Beach Village, who are based in Sekotong.

Lombok International Airport (Praya Airport): the basics

Lombok International Airport opened on 1 October 2011. Its official name is Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport, but among travellers it is almost always called “Praya Airport” after the local district, or simply Lombok International Airport. Its airport code is LOP.

It is in the Praya area in central Lombok (about a 10-minute drive from Praya town), a little under 30km south of the provincial capital, Mataram. Before it opened, Selaparang Airport, close to the centre of the island, was used. The current airport was built on a new site, with its location less affected by volcanic ash and its room to expand taken into account.

Around 2021–2022 the runway and terminal were expanded, and the runway is said to have been extended to about 3,300m. The terminal handles domestic and international flights in a single building, and in terms of check-in counters and boarding gates it is not a large airport. The route from arrival to the exit is easy to follow, and it is small enough that even first-time visitors to Lombok are unlikely to get lost.

Because the airport is in a volcanically active region, eruptions nearby can occasionally cause temporary closures or cancelled flights. Depending on when you travel, it is reassuring to check flight status beforehand.

Facilities inside the airport: what you can do after landing

Around the arrivals hall you’ll find the essentials most travellers need first.

• Currency exchange and ATMs: Near the arrivals hall there is a currency exchange counter and several ATMs, including BRI, BNI and Bank Mandiri. ATMs are often said to offer a better rate than the exchange counters, though withdrawal fees apply. Outlying areas such as Sekotong have few ATMs, so it is reassuring to get enough cash for the time being at the airport
• SIM card counters: Several carriers, including Telkomsel, XL Axiata and Indosat, have counters. Many travellers choose Telkomsel, which is said to get signal relatively well even in rural areas. Staff will often set the SIM up on your phone on the spot, so if you’re worried about coverage, we recommend buying at the airport
• Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is available inside the terminal. It is also said to become unstable when the terminal is crowded, so if you want to use a map or ride-hailing app straight away, it is reassuring to have a SIM card as well
• Smoking areas: There are smoking spaces in the departures area (airside, after immigration). It’s best to assume there is basically no indoor smoking area on the arrivals side.
• Duty free and shops: The departures area has a small duty-free shop, and inside the terminal there are cafes, a food court and convenience stores (Alfamart, Indomaret and others). Most of the shops don’t stay open late, and many are said to close around 11pm, so if you’re on a late-night arrival or early-morning departure, keep an eye on when you eat
• Other: There are also nursing rooms, simple medical facilities, accessibility facilities and paid lounges. The airport itself is a relatively new, air-conditioned building and is kept clean

Figure: Five facilities inside the airport

What happens after you land

The basic sequence after arrival is much the same as at most Southeast Asian airports.

Figure: What happens after you land at Lombok International Airport

1

Immigration

Many nationalities are eligible for a visa on arrival (VOA) or an electronic visa on arrival (e-VOA). Fees, required documents and eligible countries are prone to change, so this article doesn’t state amounts. Always check the latest information with your nearest Indonesian embassy or consulate, or on the official website, just before you travel.

2

Collect your checked baggage

Pick up your bags at the carousel.

3

Customs

If you have nothing to declare, go through the lane for passengers with nothing to declare.

4

Into the arrivals hall

Buying a SIM card, withdrawing cash and arranging a ride-hailing car here will make the rest of your journey smoother.

Just outside the hall, counters for the various forms of transport and touting drivers gather. Before you get into a car whose driver has called out to you in a hurry, we recommend calmly comparing the options introduced in the next section.

Getting from the airport to each area

Prepaid taxis and licensed taxis

Near the arrivals hall there are prepaid taxi counters with fixed fares by destination. Sometimes there are also stands for licensed metered taxi companies such as Blue Bird next to them, and the benefit is that you can get a good idea of the fare beforehand. Fare tables are revised from time to time, so it is most reliable to check the amount posted on the spot.

Ride-hailing apps (Grab and Gojek)

Both Grab and Gojek operate on Lombok, and it is reassuring that you can check the destination and fare in the app before you book. On the other hand, as at many airports in Indonesia, and because of arrangements with the local taxi industry, it is commonly reported that a specific pickup spot is designated within the airport grounds, or that ride-hailing cars can’t come right up to the arrivals hall. The driver may message you to ask you to walk a little way, so one approach is to use a ride-hailing app if you are travelling light and the taxi counter inside the terminal if you have a large suitcase.

The airport bus (DAMRI)

DAMRI, a state-run bus company, runs airport shuttle buses to central Mataram and towards Senggigi. Fares are lower than taxis or ride-hailing, but services are infrequent and, being shared, you may have to wait between arriving and departing. It is an option for people with a lot of luggage, or those who put saving money ahead of time.

Rental cars and motorbikes

You can arrange a rental car or motorbike at the airport or in the surrounding area. Road conditions and traffic rules on Lombok vary by area and may be very different from what you’re used to, and off the main roads there are unlit night roads and unpaved stretches. If you aren’t used to driving there, or it’s your first visit, chartering a car with a driver, or using the transfer service described below, is the safer choice.

Transfers arranged through your accommodation

Many hotels and villas offer an airport transfer service if you book in advance. If you’re heading to an area far from Mataram or Kuta Lombok, such as Sekotong, it’s more reliable to check with your accommodation beforehand by WhatsApp or similar about whether a transfer is possible and what it costs, rather than negotiating on the day. At Semelar Beach Village too, you’re welcome to ask us about getting from the airport when you book a stay.

Rough travel times to the main areas

The table below summarises the general pattern of travel times and transport from the airport to the main areas. To repeat, actual times and fares vary with traffic and route, so please treat them only as a guide.

← Scroll the table sideways

Area	Distance from the airport	Main ways to get there	Rough travel time
Mataram (provincial capital)	A little under 30km north of the airport	Taxi, ride-hailing app, DAMRI bus	About 45 minutes to 1 hour
Senggigi	Further west, beyond Mataram	Taxi, ride-hailing app, DAMRI bus	About 1 to 1.5 hours
Kuta Lombok (Mandalika)	A southern area relatively close to the airport	Taxi, ride-hailing app	About 30 minutes to 1 hour
Sekotong	Southwest of the airport; the route via Mataram is the usual one	Taxi, transfer arranged by your accommodation	About 1 hour 10 minutes to our village (varies with where in Sekotong you are going)

* A guide based on general travel information (as of August 2026). It varies with traffic and route.

Figure: Rough travel times from the airport to the main areas

Varies with traffic and route (as of August 2026)

As the table shows, Kuta Lombok is relatively close to the airport, while Senggigi and Sekotong are a little further away. For Sekotong, our guide is about 1 hour 10 minutes by car to our village; it can change with route, time of day and which part of Sekotong you are heading to.

Things to know on arrival, and the downsides

It isn’t all good news, and there are things we want to tell you honestly.

None of these is so serious that it is “impossible to avoid”, but it is true that compared with Bali’s airport there are differences in the airport’s scale and level of infrastructure. There is no need to worry excessively, but knowing in advance means you won’t be flustered on the day.

Summary: for those considering a stay in Sekotong

Lombok International Airport is compact in size, but it has the essentials for travel, including currency exchange, SIM cards and ATMs. After you land, you can choose from several options — prepaid taxi, ride-hailing app, airport bus, rental car and a transfer arranged by your accommodation — according to how much luggage you have, your budget and your destination. Mataram and Kuta Lombok are relatively easy to reach, but if you’re heading to an area far from the airport, such as Senggigi or Sekotong, asking your accommodation about a transfer in advance will make things smoother on the day.

We at Semelar Beach Village run a stay programme rooted in local life in Sekotong, in southwest Lombok, reached overland from this airport. If you’re looking for time by a quiet stretch of coast that, unlike Bali, has not yet become a tourist destination, please feel free to ask us about a stay, including how to get there from the airport. We also explain the specific transfer arrangements after you land when you book.

Sources for this article

• Indonesian embassies and consulates, and official websites (where to check entry and visa rules)
• General travel information (as of August 2026)