Endless Summer: Chasing The Sun at Gunung Tunak Nature Park

Lombok has long been famed as an international surfer’s paradise with its myriad world-renowned surfing breaks. Just recently, Lombok has blossomed into a tourist-friendly destination, proven by the increase of tourist investment over the past few years. As the growth of tourism continues to increase, Lombok continues to expand, many areas are being developed, this of course opens new tourist spots waiting to be explored, one of them is Gunung Tunak Nature Park.

Gunung Tunak Nature Park is located in Central Lombok, only 1,5 – 2 hours from the already well-known Kuta area. This nature park recently has been inaugurated at 6 March 2018 by the Indonesian Natural Resources Center. As a nature park, Gunung Tunak is home to various wildlife such as monkeys, the endemic Javan Rusa, Megapodius reinwardt or in other words the endangered Gosong bird.

Visitors can reach this place either by a car or a motorcycle through a mixed road condition. If you’re traveling from Kuta, most of the roads are well concrete pavements until you reach the frontline area of Gunung Tunak Nature Park. From there, pavements are exchanged with unpaved roads mixed with dirt, but the scenery is amazing as you’ll drive along a white sandy beach on your right till you reach Gunung Tunak front gate. The front gate is where visitor needs to stop and pay for retribution. The amount is written very clearly on the ticket so don’t worry you wont need to pay any other extra cost.

To reach Gunung Tunak from the front gate is another 6 km drive through unpaved road past a forest. Don’t imagine big trees and large canopies that would block the shades and creating the whole area around you turns dark, Gunung Tunak is a secondary forest which means the trees aren’t so big and there are no large canopies. Along the way you’ll encounter monkeys crossing the road, birds chirping, and plenty of sun rays, that’s why visitors are expected to use a sunscreen to avoid sunburn.

After those meet and greet with the monkeys and birds of the forest, at the end of the road you’ll see a beautiful and rather secluded beach that the local people called as Bilasayak beach. The sand is very yellow and very clean. A few meters from the beach you can see a Gili or a tiny island in local language called Gili Bungkulan, you can’t go there as it is very small but during sunset the Gili Bungkulan sure adds a dramatic look to emphasize the silhouettes of the natural beauty of Gunung Tunak Nature Park. Most of the time, or if you’re lucky, the beach is usually desolated you would think that it is your own private beach.

Walking further to the south you’ll see a hill, that’s called Gunung Tunak, you’ll need to take a short hike to reach the top, from the top of the hill you can see the whole Nature park. Also at the top of the hill there is an old tower. Visitors can climb the ladder but be extra careful, beware and enter at your own risk, as it is a very old tower with no one to supervise and no safety equipments. And you need to rethink of climbing the ladder in windy condition, as it is not recommended. But once you get to the top, the view is way much better.

If a day is not enough for you to explore Gunung Tunak Nature Park, then you can stay overnight at bungalows that are scattered over the area, or if you’re up for more challenge and adventure then building a tent option is more suitable for you. Imagine camping on the beach, sitting in front of a bonfire while looking up to the sky to see millions of stars above you, what a way to end the day and continued with a sweet dream.