International circuit mandalika is a new circuit in Indonesia that was recently functional and was hosting the biggest international event in the country. The hype around it is massive and they even erected the statue of the president riding a customized motorbike. The event is being watched by a lot of Indonesian fans who are enthusiastic about the race. Even when some of them don’t really know much about it, they were stoked about the biggest event in Indonesia. A few months prior, there were plenty of giveaways that people could get in the form of tickets and accommodation. It is hoped that the event would bring impact to lombok’s tourism and hospitality industry. But the first motogp held was, according to me,quite decent, the circuit offers a breathtaking view of the hills and the beach. The staff were friendly and very accommodating. The only downside was the unpredictable weather and the transportation that was scarce.
I planned the trip for a very long time. Even so, we had some unfortunate events that were not only causing financial loss but also left a bit of a bad impression about the place. So, these are my stories about attending the events and some tips to keep in mind so that you will not experience what I experienced. For those who are into motogp and are planning to watch motogp in Indonesia, you really have to read my post. There are many things to prepare and consider if you want to watch the event next year. So, stay tuned for the tips that I am about to show you.
Lombok & Where to stay
My accommodation story wasn’t great. I got scammed and ended up camping. If you don’t mind camping, there will be plenty of options that you can choose either from traveloka or tiket.com. Always double check about your accommodation and in fact, call them. Be up front asking about extra costs that may arise. We got to a camp organized by bobobox. When we asked the locals, the price we got from the camp was steep. But again, it’s hard to expect getting under 40$ nearby the circuit. I ended up spending a lot even in accommodation. I initially wanted to travel really cheap but couldn’t due to those accidental expenses. We could spend really low on food but couldn’t when it comes to water and also accomodation. Some of my previous stories are here Take off : A Lombok Adventure.
Be prepare to walk a lot
During the first race day, we woke up too late and thought we couldn’t even watch the race. I was very sulky because I wanted to catch the beginning of the race. But Ray was still asleep. It was around 8pm when we finally settled, we didn't have breakfast yet and we were confused about how to go to the events. There’s no means of transportation in Lombok. If you come from java/the capital and accustomed to such transportation, be prepared to be disappointed. In order to redeem our ticket, we had to walk about 1km and we were in the wrong zone. The police told us to take the shuttle bus to go to the place to redeem the ticket. From the police to the bus shuttle that was another km to walk on. We didn’t bring bottled water with us and I was miserable. But that wasn’t the ending of the walk.
Redeem your ticket early & check out social media
As soon as we got into the bus that would take us to the site, the staff inside the bus asked us. She pitied us for walking a lot and told us to rest. The bus was clean and air conditioned. It’s also the only means of transportation to get to the circuit. So even if you bring a car , you would still need to use the shuttle bus. Unless you have a deluxe ticket which would cost about 1.500$/person, you can not bring your car inside. The place where we redeemed the ticket was also another 2km walk. It was not a long queue but if you really want to watch the race from the beginning, I’d suggest redeeming early and follow the motogp official media to be updated. On my way redeeming the ticket, I met some Thais who were also watching the GP with a group. Then, we also met an Indonesian guy who watched it alone. Unfortunately, our zone is different, so we bid goodbye.
After redeeming the ticket, we still had to walk another 1km to the shuttle bus. And after walking that much, another walk awaits. There are about 3 layers and each is about 1km before reaching the main gate. We had some interesting conversations with the staff. The first time, we got to zone C on the right side, nearby the turn where riders would slow down. It’s a prime location but without any roofs. If you want to get a prime location, get the zone C or any zone with turns. Zone C is also close to the start and the paddock.
Wear something light and don't bring too much things
What we know that day was the heat has no mercy on us. There was talk about weather changing technology that they were using because lombok is in the rainy season. That day was hot and generally, do not use dark color but something breezy and light colored. Otherwise you would feel suffocated. Back home, I thought we couldn’t bring a backpack but apparently, it’s allowed. I didn’t bring a backpack that time though and was struggling to keep my things in a very tiny bag. But again, it’s advised to not bring anything other than necessary, otherwise you will suffer with all the walking, that’s an extra weight. Walking that day itself was a kind of adventure but we enjoyed it. When we got to our seats, it was still empty and only a few people were watching. A lot of Indonesians are watching the race on the 2nd and the 3rd day. They didn’t really care about the free practice. For me personally, as long as I can watch the race, it’s been an amazing experience and a childhood dream came true. Maybe in the future, I will watch it alone and just stick to the final race and buy a deluxe ticket. Hopefully!
Enjoy The Race And Have Fun !
The seat is first come first serve. One tip from me, always pick the highest one so that you get the full viewing of the rides. Zone C is really amazing and the highest seat provides a breathtaking view of the rider. If you like photographing them, I really recommend getting zone C but if you have enough money, you could always go with the paddock. There are some races and not just the motogp. There are moto2 and moto3 filled with bright riders who also tried to conquer the mandalika circuit for the first time.
After the first session was over, we went down to find a huge fan to hide. It was extremely hot and loud. Inside the information tent, we met another traveler who also got scammed with accomodation and also the staff. We chatted with them and they offered us water to drink. We also met a medic who traveled around when he was young. He visited many places in yogyakarta and malang east java. Told us about his life experiences as well. It was very pleasant meeting the people from around the circuit who were friendly. For them, we came all the way from a small town in east java just to watch the race. I don’t really see them being friendly with others but maybe it was me and ray who were overly friendly to everyone.
The Food & How Ray Got A Signature From Barry Baltus
You never have to worry about food inside the circuit. They have some booths serving Indonesian food. I even had my first coffee inside the circuit, a proper coffee that’s not an instant coffee. It was so refreshing drinking a mocha under the heat. We tried to keep our expenses very low, so whe shared a bowl of noodle that was costing us 25.000idr. Surprisingly, it was filling and really delicious. We continued watching the track and by the end of it, we saw Marquez falling down from the motorbike. And also, when we were about to leave, we saw there was a meet up with moto2 rider, barry baltus. Ray rushed to the place and he got his signature and poster of him. We joked about making that nft and actually selling them for a higher price. Who knows, right? Maybe there are Baltus fans out there who wanted the poster and his signature. On our way back, we took the shuttle bus and walked again for another 6km to the camping ground.
Upon reaching the place, I can’t feel my leg anymore and so was Ray. The next day was another story and another adventure. But things got somewhat better when I landed in Bali.
See you in next motogp Indonesia!
Mac's Pinmapple Travel List
 | Mac is a jack of all trades. A typical introvert in love with literature, books, technology and philosophy. She is also so into nootropics, productivity, minimalist lifestyle, cybersecurity, and languages. Other than that, she is passionate about cooking and traveling. In her free time, she enjoys learning various things. If you like her content, don't hesitate to upvote, leave a comment or a feedback. A re-blog is also appreciated. |