Lombok Packing List | What to Bring, What to Buy, and What to Wear

As of August 2026 · based on official information

This information is as of August 2026. Prices, rules and flight operations change, so please check the official pages for the latest information before you travel. US$ figures in this article are approximate conversions at US$1 ≈ Rp17,800 (September 2026).

The short answer: what is “enough” to bring to Lombok

Lombok (in West Nusa Tenggara province) is an island where Muslims, mainly the Sasak people, make up most of the population. Tourism is centred on Kuta Lombok and Senggigi, but in outlying areas such as Sekotong, where we are based, you cannot expect to find everything as easily as at a convenience store. As the short answer, here is what you should definitely bring from home.

Essentials to definitely bring from home

• Passport (at least 6 months of remaining validity from your date of entry; as of August 2026)
• A screenshot or printout of your completed e-VOA (visa on arrival) screen, or a credit card, or cash of Rp500,000 (about US$28, approximate) to pay for the VOA
• The arrival card QR code from the electronic entry registration “All Indonesia” (register online and save it before you travel)
• A credit card (Visa or Mastercard recommended) plus a small amount of cash in rupiah
• Proof of travel insurance (check before you sign up whether mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue are covered)
• Your usual medicines and prescription medicines from home (with a margin to spare)
• Sunscreen (SPF50 or higher, PA++++ recommended)
• Insect repellent (containing DEET or icaridin)
• Plug adapter (Type C)
• Power bank (mind the carry-on rules, described below)
• Clothes that keep your skin covered (rash guard, thin long-sleeved top, shawl)

On the other hand, T-shirts, sandals, refills of insect-repellent spray and many everyday goods can generally be bought at minimarts, supermarkets and large shopping centres (Lombok EPICENTRUM Mall, Transmart and others) in Mataram and Kuta Lombok. However, opening hours and trading status of each place change, so if there is a particular shop you are counting on, please check the latest information locally. The right approach is not to “bring everything from home” but to give priority to packing “what you cannot buy after you reach the island.”

Essentials checklist: what to definitely bring from home

Passport and entry documents

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality, so please check the official eVisa site for your own passport. For visitors who need one, a visa on arrival (VOA), or the e-VOA that can be obtained online in advance, is required even for tourism. The fee is Rp500,000 for 30 days (about US$28, approximate) and Rp250,000 for 7 days (about US$14, approximate) (as of August 2026, per the guidance of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia). You can also get the VOA at the VOA counter after you arrive at the airport, but if you want to avoid queues, applying for the e-VOA online before you travel makes the procedures after arrival quicker.

Figure: cost of the visa on arrival (e-VOA)

Per guidance from the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia (as of August 2026)

Your passport needs at least 6 months of remaining validity from your date of entry (as of August 2026). If yours is close to expiry, we strongly recommend renewing it before you travel. Visa types and requirements can change, so before you apply please check the latest guidance on the official eVisa site of Indonesian Immigration.

Online procedures before entry (All Indonesia registration)

The electronic entry registration “All Indonesia,” which combines the customs declaration, health declaration and arrival card, has been introduced. It started first on 1 September 2025 at Jakarta (Soekarno-Hatta), Surabaya (Juanda) and Denpasar (Ngurah Rai), and from 1 October 2025 was extended to all international airports and seaports in Indonesia (as of August 2026).

You can register at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id, and entries can be made from 3 days before arrival. Save the QR code of the arrival card that appears after you register as a screenshot or printout, and show it to the airport officer on arrival. Registration itself is free and requires no credit card details. Conversely, be careful of any site that asks for a fee or card details, because it is quite likely not official.

Many travellers fly to Lombok via Bali. Foreign tourists visiting Bali must pay a levy (tourist tax) of Rp150,000 per person (about US$8.40, approximate) once, before they leave Indonesia (as of August 2026, per the guidance of the Consulate General of Japan in Denpasar). Online payment through the Love Bali system is strongly recommended, and you can pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB), bank transfer, virtual account or QRIS. The voucher sent by email after payment serves as proof.

Figure: the flow of online procedures before you travel

1

Get your e-VOA (electronic visa)

Apply online in advance, or get it at the VOA counter after you arrive at the airport.

2

Register on “All Indonesia”

From 3 days before arrival, register your customs declaration, health declaration and arrival card together at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id.

3

Save the arrival card QR code

Save the QR code that appears after registration as a screenshot or printout.

4

Show it to the airport officer on arrival

Show the saved QR code and proceed with immigration.

Getting online (eSIM and SIM)

So that you can get online as soon as you arrive, a way to get connected is a must. There are two main ways.

← The table scrolls sideways

Method	Advantages	Points to note
eSIM (arranged in advance)	You can start using it before you leave, with no procedures at the airport	You must check in advance that your device is compatible. The price per unit of data tends to be a little higher than a local SIM
Local SIM (bought at an airport counter)	Activated immediately after arrival on showing your passport, at local prices	You spend time queuing in the arrivals hall. Your passport number must be registered

* A guide as of August 2026. For the latest prices and conditions, please check each company’s official website.

The three main carriers are Telkomsel, XL Axiata and Indosat. Of these, Telkomsel’s “Tourist Prepaid Card” for travellers comes with 25GB of data and 25 minutes of calls for Rp150,000 (about US$8.40, approximate) (as of August 2026, per the description on Telkomsel’s official website). Other companies’ plans, and prices and data volumes during campaigns, differ from this.

Signal strength by area differs between carriers. If you plan to stay in a rural area or on an outer island, please check the coverage map on each company’s official website for your destination before you sign up. For more, please also see our separate article, “SIM, Wi-Fi and workation in Lombok.”

Plug adapters and voltage

Indonesia’s voltage is generally 220V at 50Hz, and the socket is generally Type C (two round pins). If your own plugs are not Type C, a plug adapter that supports Type C is a must. Some places, however, use other socket shapes such as Type F, so the surest way is to ask each accommodation directly beforehand what it has.

If you bring a hair dryer or other high-power appliance, always check the supported voltage (whether it says 100-240V). Plugging equipment that does not support it straight into 220V risks breakdown and smoke.

Sunscreen and insect repellent

The sun on Lombok, close to the equator, feels very strong. We recommend bringing SPF50, PA++++ class sunscreen from home and reapplying it often.

Insect repellent is a must as protection against dengue fever. According to the Consulate General of Japan in Denpasar, dengue is spread by the bites of mosquitoes that are active in the daytime, there is no specific cure, and in many cases hospital treatment is needed (as of August 2026). Choose one containing DEET or icaridin. Both sunscreen and repellent can be bought at local supermarkets and minimarts, but if you have a product you are used to from home, it is safer to bring it.

Also, aerosol-can insect repellents and sunscreens are subject to quantity limits as dangerous goods (per container and per person in total), separate from the 100 ml liquids rule described below. The limit is set by each airline, so if you plan to carry them, please check the quantity limits on the official page of the airline you will fly with.

Dress manners on an island with a Muslim majority

Lombok is also called “the island of a thousand mosques,” and most residents are Muslim. It lies next to Bali (where Hindus are the majority), but you need to keep in mind that the cultural assumptions are different. The basic approach to dress manners is to “vary it by place.”

Dress manners: the basics by scene

• Visiting a mosque: the basic rule is to cover shoulders and knees. Women wear a scarf covering the hair. Please avoid entering the worship area in revealing clothes
• Walking through villages and settlements: a T-shirt plus trousers or a skirt reaching the knee or longer is safer than sleeveless tops or shorts. Around the Friday prayer time (about noon) people gather around mosques, so choosing clothes that keep your skin covered at that time and place is reassuring
• At the beach and inside resorts: swimsuits and bikinis are fine in most places, but when you walk through a settlement from the beach, it is realistic to “cover up only while moving,” for example by putting on a rash guard or sarong

You do not need to be overly timid, but showing an attitude of “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” makes it more likely that people will return your greeting and gladly let you take their photo.

What to change between the dry and wet seasons

Figure: Lombok’s dry and wet seasons, and the Rinjani closure period

Jan–Mar
Wet season (Rinjani closed)

Apr–Oct
Dry season

Nov–Dec
Wet season

* In 2026, all Rinjani trekking routes were closed during this period (reopened 1 April). It varies by year. As of August 2026.

Lombok is broadly divided into a dry season (roughly April to October) and a wet season (roughly November to March). In its 2026 dry-season forecast, BMKG (the Indonesian meteorological agency) announced that the 2026 dry season would start earlier than usual across Indonesia, with the most areas reaching their peak in August (June 2026 update). However, the start of the dry and wet seasons shifts by year and area, so please check the latest forecast on the official BMKG website before you travel.

Monthly rainfall and temperature tendencies are explained in detail in “The best season and weather in Lombok,” so here we stick to the differences in what to pack.

Add in the dry season (April to October)

• ✅ Spare sunscreen (you use it up faster)
• ✅ Hat and sunglasses (against the sun and dust)
• ✅ Moisturiser (there are dry periods)

Add in the wet season (November to March)

• ✅ A folding umbrella or a raincoat (heavy showers often fall in a short time, and quick-drying rainwear is more practical than an umbrella)
• ✅ A spare pair of shoes (sandals become slippery on wet roads)
• ✅ Zip-lock waterproof bags (to keep your phone and passport dry)
• ✅ Quick-drying towels and clothes (humidity is high and things are slow to dry)

The wet season is also a time when the risk of boat cancellations during transfers goes up. If you plan day trips to the Gili Islands or other outer islands, we recommend leaving some slack in your schedule.

What to wear is not decided by season alone or by place alone. If you combine the “season” (dry or wet) with the “scene” (town or village, mosque, beach, Rinjani trek), what extra to pack becomes clear.

Figure: season × scene dress matrix (dry / wet × town and village / mosque / beach / Rinjani)

* The seasons are a guide. The Rinjani closure period is based on the actual 2026 closure (TNGR notice) and changes by year. As of August 2026.

What to add for Rinjani treks and island day trips

Trekking Mount Rinjani

Mount Rinjani, at 3,726 m, has a very large temperature difference between its foot and its summit. The area near the summit gets very cold before dawn, so sightseeing gear for the flatlands is not enough. The temperature on the day changes with season and weather, so before you set out, check the forecast with your guide company and on the official BMKG website before deciding on your cold-weather gear. Routes and the number of days needed are explained in detail in the “Mount Rinjani trekking guide.” Below is what you need in addition to ordinary sightseeing gear.

What to add for a Rinjani trek

• Warm clothing (fleece, down and so on, prepared separately from what you use at the foot)
• Headlamp (night climbs aiming for the sunrise are the norm)
• Trekking shoes (a type that supports the ankle)
• Gloves and a beanie that covers the ears
• A portable water bottle and trail snacks
• Passport (needed for park registration) and a health certificate

To enter, you must reserve a ticket through “e-Rinjani,” the online reservation system of the Mount Rinjani National Park Office (TNGR). The entrance fee for foreigners is Rp150,000 per day (about US$8.40, approximate), and at registration you are asked to show your passport (or KITAS) and a document proving your health condition (as of August 2026, per the guidance on the official TNGR website).

The trekking routes have a closure period every year. In 2026, all routes were closed from 1 January to 31 March and reopened on 1 April (TNGR notice PG.8/T.39/TU/KSA.04.01/B/12/2025). The closure period is used for ecosystem recovery and facility maintenance. The period changes by year, so before you plan your schedule always check the opening status with TNGR or your guide company.

Some trekking companies offer gear rental (sleeping bags, warm jackets and so on), but what is offered and its quality differ by company. If you plan to cut your luggage by renting, it is reassuring to check in advance with the company you book with what you can borrow.

Island day trips (Gili Islands, South Gili and others)

What to add for an island day trip

• A waterproof case or waterproof bag (small boats may throw spray)
• A set of clothes that can get wet
• Cash in small notes (ATMs and card payments on the islands are limited)

What you can and cannot get locally

If you feel completely safe because “I can buy it there,” you may be surprisingly stuck in rural areas. Here is a guide in table form.

← The table scrolls sideways

Category	Available locally	Notes
T-shirts, sandals, swimwear	◎ Yes	Available in the towns of Mataram and Kuta Lombok
Sunscreen, insect repellent	◯ Yes	Range differs by shop, and products you are used to from home may be hard to find
Your usual medicines (headache, stomach medicine and so on)	△ Partly	Ingredients differ, so always bring the medicines you need from home
Contact lens supplies (solution, prescription lenses)	× Basically no	Lenses in your prescription and care products are hard to find outside towns. Bringing disposables is safer
Plug adapters, power banks	△ Partly	Available at the airport and large malls, but choice is limited
Sanitary products	◯ Yes	Available at minimarts in cities. Range may be limited outside towns

* A guide as of August 2026. Range changes by shop and time.

If you plan a long stay in a rural area (such as Sekotong), assume that products from home are almost impossible to get, and bring what you need with a margin.

It is easier to decide if you sort what you bring from home into three boxes by “whether you can buy it locally.”

Figure: sort into three boxes (must bring from home / can buy locally / not available locally)

* The ◎◯△× marks are a guide to the local-availability table in the text. Range changes by shop and time. As of August 2026.

Checklist for things you use in the sea

If you plan to snorkel or dive, do not forget the following. How to choose equipment and recommended spots are also explained in the “Lombok snorkelling and diving guide.”

Checklist for things you use in the sea

• Rash guard (sun protection and protection from jellyfish)
• Water shoes (a must to prevent injuries from stepping on coral or sea urchins. Especially important around Lombok and the Gili Islands, where many spots are entered from the beach)
• Waterproof case (for phone and camera. Small boats may throw spray)
• Seasickness medicine (useful on routes with a lot of boat travel)

Figure: checklist for things you use in the sea

Points to note for carry-on and checked baggage

Lithium batteries

Restrictions also apply on Indonesian domestic flights. Official guidance from Lion Group (Lion Air / Wings Air / Batik Air) says that up to 100 Wh (about 20,000 mAh) needs no declaration, more than 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh is limited to 2 per person, and more than 160 Wh is prohibited. In addition, power banks may not be stored in checked baggage, overhead bins or seat pockets; they must be worn or carried in a small bag under the seat in front, and passengers are asked not to charge them in the cabin (as of August 2026).

Other airlines (Garuda Indonesia, Super Air Jet, AirAsia, Scoot, TransNusa and others) have their own rules, so if you have a connection, be sure to check the rules for your flights on each airline’s official page.

Liquids

On international flights, the basic rule is to carry liquids in containers of 100 ml or less, gathered in a clear zip-lock bag of 1 litre or less. Alcohol and cosmetics bought at a duty-free shop after immigration control are outside this limit, but if you have a connection, the condition is that they are sealed in a security tamper-evident bag (STEB) with the receipt enclosed.

If you connect through Bali, Jakarta or elsewhere on your way to Lombok, we recommend buying duty-free goods at the airport closest to your final destination where possible. If you carry sunscreen or insect-repellent spray in your cabin bag, it also easily falls foul of this 100 ml rule, so we recommend packing it in checked baggage or switching to a plan of buying it after you arrive.

For power banks and liquids, what goes in carry-on and what goes in checked baggage is exactly the reverse. Before you pack, it is safer to sort just these three items.

Figure: sorting carry-on and checked baggage (lithium batteries, liquids, aerosol cans)

* As of August 2026. Power bank figures are from the official guidance of Lion Group. Rules differ by airline.

Cautions and downsides

It is not all good news. We tell you honestly the points where people tend to regret their packing choices.

• The risk of mosquitoes and dengue: the Consulate General of Japan in Denpasar states that dengue occurs in various parts of Indonesia. It is spread by mosquitoes that are active in the daytime, and there is no specific cure. Think of long sleeves and repellent not as “just in case” but as essential equipment. More safety information is also explained in “Is Lombok safe?“
• The strength of the sun: even SPF50 washes off with sweat and water, and loses effect as time passes. A small refill bottle for reapplying gives peace of mind
• Your luggage may get wet on boats: on trips to the Gili Islands and South Gili, spray can wet your luggage on small boats. There is a risk that cameras and phones break if not waterproofed, so it is reassuring to be prepared
• Products from home are not available in rural areas: in outlying areas such as Sekotong you cannot top up daily necessities or medicines like at a convenience store. Think of the assumption “if I run short I’ll buy it locally” as applying only to towns

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

For Lombok, you can prepare without waste by thinking separately about the “essentials you cannot leave out from home: passport, entry procedures, connectivity, power, sunscreen and insect repellent” and “things you can get locally, like T-shirts and sandals.” If you also keep in mind dress manners suited to an island with a Muslim majority, the waterproofing that suits the wet season, and the extra gear for Rinjani treks and island day trips, you should be able to prepare with nothing too much and nothing too little, even on your first trip to Lombok.

Basic information on the whole island is in the “Lombok complete guide,” and a guide to costs is in “Lombok travel costs and prices.”

This article is based on the official sources above. The list of what we referred to is below.

Sources this article is based on

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Overseas Safety website: 危険情報一覧 (list of hazard information)https://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/kiken_list.html
• Embassy of Japan in Indonesia: ビザ取得、入国時手続き、入国後の手続きについて (visa, entry and post-entry procedures)https://www.id.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/visaj_10_01.html
• Embassy of Japan in Indonesia: インドネシア入国時における手続きの変更（「All Indonesia」の導入） (change in entry procedures: introduction of “All Indonesia”)https://www.id.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/oshirase25_44.html
• Indonesian Immigration official eVisa sitehttps://evisa.imigrasi.go.id/
• All Indonesia electronic entry registration (Indonesian Immigration)https://allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id/
• Consulate General of Japan in Denpasar: 観光税 (Bali foreign tourist levy) informationhttps://www.denpasar.id.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/11_000001_00869.html
• Consulate General of Japan in Denpasar: 安全情報 (safety information: dengue, rabies and others)https://www.denpasar.id.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/04_02safe.html
• Telkomsel official support: price and data allowance of the Tourist Prepaid Cardhttps://www.telkomsel.com/en/support/faq/what-price-tourist-prepaid-card-and-how-much-data-quota-do-i-get
• BMKG (Indonesian meteorological agency): 2026 dry-season forecast (June 2026 update)https://www.bmkg.go.id/iklim/prediksi-musim/prediksi-musim-kemarau-tahun-2026-di-indonesia-pemutakhiran-juni-2026
• Mount Rinjani National Park Office (TNGR) official website, FAQhttps://www.rinjaninationalpark.id/frequently-asked-questions
• RRI (Indonesian state radio): TNGR announcement that Rinjani trekking reopens on 1 April 2026https://rri.co.id/mataram/regional/2215406/pendakian-gunung-rinjani-dibuka-1-april-2026
• Lion Air Group: rules for carrying power banks in the aircraft cabinhttps://www.lionair.co.id/en/about-us/newsroom/2025/04/08/must-know!-rules-for-carrying-power-banks-in-aircraft-cabins-for-flight-safety