Interesting Place to Visit in Lombok
Island
Interesting
place to visit in Lombok island such Batu Bolong temple,
Senggigi, Mataram city, Narmada water palace, Meru the
biggest Balinese temple in Lombok island...
Batu Bolong
Batu Bolong is located a little north along the coast, south
of the beach of Senggigi. The temple is built on a rock
which is almost into the sea. When the weather is clear you
can see Gunung Agung when the sun sets. The temple got its
name from a rock with a hole which is nearby: batu its mean
rock, and bolong its mean hole.
Senggigi
Senggigi is the most developed area for tourists on Lombok.
You can find a variety of restaurants, bars, discotheques,
travel agents, photo processors, money changers, souvenir
shop and a range of accommodations starting from budget
losmens to 5 star hotels. The town of Senggigi spreads out
along nearly 10 kilometers of coastal road. This road
continues north to Bangsal, the port for the Gili island.
Along the way be in store for winding turns, steep hills,
and a fantastic scenery of the coast. Say hello to the
friendly kids playing in the villages along the way.
Restaurants and small cafes line the colorful main beach
road. Swimming off the beach is safe. Most visitors to
Lombok usually start their stay at Senggigi, Lombok's oldest
and most famous resort area.
The Gili's : Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air
The three Gilis - Trawangan,
Meno and Air are just off the west coast of Lombok, the
beautiful little sandy islands that have become a favorite
destination for sun-bathing, Frisbee tossing and other low
impact seashore sports. Gili Trawangan is the largest and
furthest west, at 3.5 square Kilometers and the population
of 700 local peoples. Gili Trawangan is the popular gili for
the diver as many diving site here. Gili Meno is the middle
island, the home about 350 people. Gili Meno is the smallest
of the three gilis and it is the quietest. Gili Meno is the
best place for honeymoon trip. On the island of Gili Meno, a
new tourist attraction was opened this year located near the
Bounty Beach club Gili Meno,
Hundred of various tropical
birds from many different
rainforest of Indonesia.
Humidity of Gili meno is
higher than another two
Gilis (Trawangan and Air).
Sun protection is highly
recommended and mosquito
repellent. Gili Air is the
nearest Gili from Lombok
island. Gili Air is also the
most populated and more
green than other two gilis.
Gili Air inhabited by Sasak
ethnic and some sailors from
Southest Sulawesi consisting
of three main ethnicities :
Mandar, Bugis and Makassar.
It is the only island where
you can find their unique
culture that is different
from Lombok and wonderful
beaches.
Segara Temple
Pura Segara is located north of Ampenan on the beach. Turn
left on the main road Ampenan Senggigi besides Sudirman's
antique shop. Pura Segara is a typical Balinese temple, but
the biggest attraction is the background: numerous
fishermen’s boats some of them with unfolded sails like
birds dry their wings. On the beach are food stalls.
Vehicle Rental
Renting a car is a good alternative to get around Lombok,
either self-driving, or with a driver so you can relax and
enjoy the view.
Self drive cars are available in Senggigi and Mataram. You
must have a valid Tourist, Indonesian or International
Driving License. Test drive the car before paying in
advanced. Take the Insurance coverage for vehicle damages.
Book a car through reputable Car rental which includes
insurance coverage in the price.
Ampenan, Mataram and Cakra Negara
The center of population of Lombok is a city area in the
west of the island, consisting of three neighboring cities:
the old seaport Ampenan transforms into the governmental
center of Mataram, which transforms into the trade city of
Cakranegara. Just east of Cakranegara id Sweta, with the
biggest market of Lombok and the bus station of the island.
The total population of the three cities is more than a
quarter of a million and is about 10 per cent of the total
population of Lombok.
Mataram is the capital of the province Nusa Tenggara Barat (Lombok
and Sumbawa are part of it) and also the capital of the
district of West-Lombok. The other district capitals, Praya
in Central-Lombok and Selong in East-Lombok, are small and
provincial compared to Mataram.
A wide, eight km long road with one way traffic through the
three cities creates an easy flow of traffic, also because
the cidomo are forbidden in the city area. This road starts
are Jalan Langko in Ampenan, and ends as Jalan Selaparang in
Cakranegara. Near Cakranegara is becomes the main road which
crosses the island, and just past Labuhan Lombok it ends
near the small harbor for boats to Sumbawa near Kayangan, 77
km from Mataram.
Each of the tree cities has its own character. Ampenan, with
its maze of small streets, old buildings, Chinese and Arabic
quarters and the sluggish harbour has most character and is
most lively as well. Mataram, the governmental ity, is
branded by modern governmental buildings and has little to
offer for the tourist. Cakranegara offers lots of art
stored, weaveries and interesting things to see from the
time of the Balinese rule.
Mataram City
Mataram is the capital of the province which has in the past
decades joined with Ampenan, the port, and Cakranegara to
become the province's biggest urban complex. At around the
beginning of the 18th century, Mataram was the residence of
the crown prince of Karang Asem, a kingdom in southern
Bali.Meru temple
The ruler himself had his seat in Cakranegara.The royal
palace no longer exists, but many of the old temples and
pleasure gardens are still there. Lombok's biggest Balinese
temple is the Pura Meru in Cakranegara.
Dedicated to the Hindu trinity, Brahma and Vishnu, it was
built in 1720 by Anak Agung Made Karang, which has three
courtyards. Three pagoda like places of worship stand in a
line from north to south in the innermost courtyard. The one
on the north is dedicated to Vishnu and has a roof with nine
tiers. The central is dedicated to Shiva with 11 tiers on
its roof and the southernmost one is for Brahma with a roof
of seven tiers. Nearby is Taman Mayura. once part of the
royal palace, it has an artificial lake set in the middle of
a park. A raised path leads from the side of the pond to a
pavilion built in the middle of the lake. In former, days,
justice was meted out and religious rituals were performed
in this open-sided pavilion.
Narmada Park
Taman Narmada, 11 kilometers east of Mataram, was built in
1727 by King Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Karang Asem as both a
pleasure garden and place to worship Shiva. Its big pool is
said to represent Segara Anakan, the Crater Lake on the
volcano Rinjani where they used to make offerings by
throwing valuables into the water. As the became too old to
make the pilgrimage up
the 3,726 meter high
mountain, he had Narmada
made to represent the
mountains and the lake. Near
the pond is A place of
worship and a spring whose
water is believed to give
dedicated pilgrims eternal
youth.
Pura Lingsar / Lingsar Temple
This may be the only Hindu shrine in the world where both
Hindus and Moslem come to worship
About 7 kilometers west of Narmada, it was built in 1714 and
rebuilt in 1878 to symbolize harmony and unity between the
Hindu Balinese and Moslem Sasak population of the area,
especially those who adhere to Lombok's unique Wektu Telu
school of Islam.
The Balinese temple is built on higher ground, behind the
Moslem section in the compound. In the lower yard is a
spring in which pilgrims in the temple yard stage a mock
battle between Hindus and Moslems in which troth parties
hurl rice cakes at each other.
Gunung Pengsong
Gunung Pengsong, about six km south of Mataram offers one of
the most spectacular views on entire Lombok on clear days:
in the morning Gunung Rinjani looks very nice, and in the
late afternoon you can also see Gunung Agung on Bali from
here.
The entire day you have a very nice view over the rice
fields. On the top of a steep hill is a small temple, which
can be reached over several stairs. Visitors are guided by
monkeys, which are hoping for something nice. One of the
altars contains a big egg-shaped stone.
In March or April there is a very important harvest
festival. People say that during this ritual, a water
buffalo is brought to the top to act as main sacrifice. The
most important ceremony, Anggara Keliwon Prang Bakat, takes
place every second cycle of the pawukon, the 210 day
Balinese ceremonial calendar.
Mayura Water Palace
The Mayura Water palace is
located in the center of
Cakranegara. As the name
suspects, it's a palace,
built in 1744 for the
Balinese royal court, and
placed around a big square
bassin. Mayura was the
location of an important
battle between the Dutch and
Balinese, which were
supported by the Sasak.
After the Dutch invasion of
Lombok in 1894, the Dutch
army had made a camp near
Mayura, which proved to be a
strategic disaster. The
Balinese - which had guns -
went to the fence and shot
the defenders one by one.
Several cannons - besides
Balinese statues - are
witnesses of the end. In the
middle of the basin is a big
and open pavilion, which can
be reached over a
raised path. The court of
law with meeting room is a
quiet place besides the
crowded main street of
Cakranegara. The youth from
the city goes here for a
swim and some fishing.
One of the shrines east of
the basin overlooks the
water and is surrounded by
West Indian jasmine and
colorful croutons. The full
moon of Prunama Keempat, the
fourth month of the Balinese
calendar, is the date of the
most important ceremony of
Mayura. When you want to
visit the shrines, you need
to wear a sarung.
Meru
Temple
Pura Meru ( Meru Temple ), the biggest Balinese temple on Lombok, lies
across the Mayura across the main road. The complex, built
in 1720 under the order of Anak Agung Made Karang of
Sungosari, has three inner squares and over thirty shrines.
The tree main meru-shrines - dedicated to Siwa, Wisnu and
Brahma - are slender and have eleven, nine and seven roofs.
The temple is the location for one of the biggest Balinese
rituals.
Sukarara Village
The tourist route first takes you towards the southeast to
Praya (markets are held on Saturdays). Just before this
district capital a right turn brings you to the weaving
village of Sukarara. Along the main road are five weaving
factories. These centrums consist
of traditional wooden floss,
protected by a roof. Each
center has a shop which
sells the local fabrics,
without being pressured by
smart tricks. Negotiating is
normal.
Rambitan / Sade Village
More south you will arrive in the village old Sade, after
you have passed the little town of Sengkol. There are many
traditional houses and rice sheds here. The building permit
doesn't allow the construction of modern houses with red
paned roofs here. Small boys, which sometimes speak some
English, guide the tourist through the village and explain
everything of which they think it's interesting. The
government constructed a concrete path through the village
in the late 1980's, probably because too many tourists fell
here.
Along the path you can now buy ikat-fabrics. The ladies who
are selling, have much experience and will trick you if you
don't see through it. The traditional houses have a platform
inside which is built one meter above the ground, and is
made of a mixture of clay, droppings and straw, which is
polished into a shining floor. The roof is made from natural
products, the walls are made from bamboo or palm leafs. Sade,
a village with just more than 150 farmers families, has a
big number of had-shaped rice sheds on pillars (lumbung),
which have become the symbol of Lombok.
Kuta Beach Lombok
From Sade it's just a small jump to the southern
coast near the village of Kuta (markets on Sundays).
The area is used for the construction of hotels, but
still is a reasonably quiet place. You can also find
losmen there, as well as restaurants. The nature
along the eight-kilometer coastal road from Kuta to
Tanjung Aan and Grupuk, which runs close to the
beach of the bay, is just splendid.
The beach of Kuta is home to one of the most
remarkable annual rituals of Lombok, the Bau Nyale.
Every year, five to seven days after the second full
moon (usually in February, sometimes in March) a sea
worm living under the limestone rocks, starts it's
reproduction cycle by sending eggs and seamen to the
surface of the sea. This same event also takes place
elsewhere in Indonesia, for example on Sumba, where
it is the start of the Pasola ritual.
The
population of Lombok believes - just like the
Sumbanese - that the number of these nyale, as well
as several aspects of their behaviour, has a direct
influence on the coming harvests of rice. There is a
legend about a beautiful princess which was
desperate because of the many fighting candidates
for marriage and threw herself into the sea. From
her hair, the nyale were born. A legend of the same
kind is used on Sumba.
Just
before the appearance of the nyale, thousands of
people spend their nights on the beach of Kuta. When
the worms are seen, the ritual is opened by the
mangku, the leader of the traditions. The fertility
aspect of the ritual is shaped into a form which
unique to Lombok, a conservative community in which
young men of marry able age have little
possibilities of contact. During the
nyale-festivities, parents are less strict for their
daughters, and young people can have contact with
each other without control, but only in groups.
Courtesy is only allowed in public; not everything
is possible.
Young men and women, dressed to their best, form
separate groups and walk around to see what is
available. Flirting is done by poetic songs and
subtitle word games; the opposite of macho
behaviors. There is a good, happy atmosphere.
As sunrise the youngsters get to sea in boats to
collect the worms. Later on these animals are
consumed in different ways: raw, mixed with coconut,
grilled, salted and fermented partially. They are
also kept in bamboo it is said that eating
nyale-worms stimulates sexual behaviors.
The government, which is looking for ways to make
the ritual more attractive for tourists. For years,
actors were hired to act as the princess from the
legend. This is kind of useless, since the tradition
is attractive enough. The 'play' belongs to the
tourist hotels, but not on the beach of Kuta during
the local rituals.
Tanjung A'an Bay
From Kuta, the coastal road goes towards the east to Tanjung
Aan, a bay which is a kilometer wide. Big waves break on
several rocky islands in the mouth of the bay. The wide sand
beach catches the blue-green seawater, where seaweed is
grown on bamboo rafts. There is a hotel, which was closed
even before it was opened, probably because it was built too
close to the water.
After Tanjung Aan, the road continues for a couple of
kilometers to the village of Grupuk, where the recent
introduction of seaweed cultures, for agar-agar, has brought
in the much
needed rupiah. Close to
here, it seems to be a very
good surfing spot; it is
named 'Desert Point' by the
Australians.
Just before Tanjung Aan a 13 km long unpaved road leads to
the village of Awang, located along the shore of a big bay
where the settlements are still very traditional. Only a few
people take this road. From a hill just before Awang you
have a good view over the bay.
Batu Nampar
From Kuta you can go to Batu Nampar via Sengkol, Mujur and
Ganti. Shortly after the turn of Ganti to Batu Nampar you
will find the big village of Batu Rintang. Here are only
traditional houses and rice sheds. Only few tourists come
here; the residents are very interested in the habits of
foreigners.
The village across the road has the little friendly name
Mata Maling, 'thief’s eye'. In several parts of Central- and
South-Lombok thieves are admired as long as they steal from
other villages (often cattle) and share the profit. Stealing
dates back from the time that there often was hunger. Smart
cattle thieves were proud of their title 'master thief'.
Outside Batu Nampar are big salt planes and in the bay are
the familiar seaweed platforms. Buginese and Mandarese
migrants, who rather use the pillar-houses from their
homeland, are more usual than the traditional Sasak housing.
Some of these houses have beautiful colored, geometrical
motives on the walls. In Batu Nampar you can rend a boat to
the other side of the bay, to the village of Ekas. The trip
takes about one hour.
Tanjung Luar : Buginesse Settlement
From Batu Nampar the journey continues to the north and near
Ganti to the east, to two coastal settlements: Ekas and
Tanjung Luar. To reach Ekas, you turn south, pass Jerowaru
(markets on Thursdays) and follow a good, unpaved road until
the village at the eastern shore of the Awang bay. The road
runs through a nice landscape along salt panes and low
coastal hills. You can probably find a motorized canoe in
Ekas for the way back to Batu Nampar of Awang. To reach
Tanjung Luar you have to go to the east from Ganti, through
Keruak and further to the coast.
Tanjung Luar is inhabited by Buginese migrants groom South-Sulawesi.
Most residents are fishermen; they mainly catch squid,
especially in the period October to April. On the long,
curvy black sand beach are hundreds of small boats, and
rights of the pier are several bigger boats.
At low tide the village people go on the flat reef to look
for shells, but who wants to see that has to accept the loud
screams: Turis! Turis!. Also be carefull at the beach, it is
often used as public toilet as well.
In Tanjung Luar you can rent
boats for a daytrip to
Tanjung Ringgit on the
southeastern most tip of the
peninsula. There is not much
else to see northeast of
Tanjung Luar. On the way
back you should stop near
Keruak, to see the
traditional canoe building.
Craftsmen work along the
southern side of the road,
just before the crossing in
the center of the town
Beleke : Art
and Tobacco
From Batu Nampar you can also return to the east-west main
road via the art-village Beleka (market on Wednesday). In
the center of Gadin Mas, ratten and bamboo baskets are made,
objects with pottery with decorations and shells. You can
buy lots of things. A big part of the production is shipped
to Bali, where people pay much more.
The arid soil around Beleka is brand for South- and Eastern-Lombok.
Tobacco is the most important crop, which needs little
water. There are several dams which don't seem to have more
to do than offering people a place for bathing and washing.
Late in the afternoon the road is not very fast, because
water buffalo's are taken home. After Besun (market on
Thursdays) you will arrive in Kopang. Both villages, as well
as Ganti in the south, are good starting points for a visit
to East-Lombok.
Tete Batu, Rice Field Terrace
The main road from Mataram to Labuhan Lombok passes the
border with the district East-Lombok shortly after Kopang.
Just past the city of Sikut (markets on Fridays) a paved
road runs to the north, to Kotaraja. This area is mainly
known for its many decorated cidomo, handicrafts, black
works and black factories. Kotaraja has a market on Mondays
and Wednesdays.
The environment of Kotaraja is conservative. The children
are on Islamic schools and most men wear sarung. Boys wear
sarung and the black peci; girls wear long skirts and the
kerudung, a cloth which covers the head and upper part of
the body and only leaves open the face.
Traditional ironworkers in Kotaraja make a diversity of
agricultural tools. The nearby village of Loyok is
specialized in art products which are made from bamboo and
palm leaves.
In the neighborhood you can find a 'monkey forest', just pas
the settlement or Orang Gerisak. A shor trip brings you to
the small Joben fall. A big 50-meter-high fall Jeruk Manis
or Air Temer, is 12 km ahead.
Labuhan Haji
The small city is home to many Buginese; their colorful
canoes color up the black beach, where there is a natural
barrier 100 meters off the beach. Until 1965, the town knew
a booming Chinese community, but during the bloodbath that
followed on the failed coup, about 40 Chinese were killed
and their houses were burned. Survivors fled to West-Lombok.
The Chinese exodus meant the end of Labuhan Haji as trade
seaport.
The arid rural area west of Selong has several Islamic
graveyards, marked by the characteristic, West Indian
jasmine trees. The area produces long, hot red chili's (Lomboks)
and sweet potatoes, which are grown on raised rectangular
fields. The edible leaves are mixed into gado-gado.
Lenek
About two kilometers east of Masbagik is a pottery-center,
founded by the New Zealand government. More to the east is
the village of Lenek, which has a very good music- and dance
ensemble. The company performs on local events. The group
can perform if you want, but they need to know several days
in advance, and you have to pay them off course. You can
contact the group leader.
This old man is said to have had more women than he can
remember. He fell in love with his own granddaughter, but
was completely healed when she told who she really was. His
daughters and granddaughters are of the most beautiful of
Lombok.
Pak Rahil, an expert in the history of Lombok like its
written inn the lontars, is seen as the most powerful
mystical person of Lombok. This is even recognized by the
Wetu Telu supporters, which are not the least on this
subject themselves. He is the chairman of the local
Kebatinan-movement, a kind of mystical sect which originates
from Jawa.
Aaikmel
Aikmel (markets on Wednesdays) is located northeast of
Masbagik along the main road to Labuhan Lombok. The rice
terraces form a picturesque image with in the background
Gunung Rinjani. From Aikmel a road runs towards the north to
Pesugulan, where you can find the starting point of a 16 km
foot trip to Sembalun Bumbung through a beautiful landscape.
Before you see the Runjani, you will first enjoy the hilly
meadows. Past Aikmel the main road continues through a
beautiful tunnel of big trees and high bamboo. Past
Pringgabaya the landscape changes: wet rice fields are
replaced by dry, abandonee’s plains with only a few trees
and steep mountains on the background.
Labuhan Lombok Harbour
From Mataram you can reach Labuhan Lombok in about 1, 5
hours (74 km). The city is built around the start of a two
km road which connects the market with the pier of the ferry
Sumbawa - Lombok. The road which runs from Labuhan Lombok to
the north follows the coast through a dry and rough
landscape, with every once in a while an oasis. On the dry
places are some kapok-trees, of which the fruits. They are
used to fill mattresses and pillows. From Labuhan Pandan,
where the road turns to the left, a short path leads to the
sea. Fishing boats float in a carpet of green leaves which
covers the hot, black sand. You can rent a canoe for a nice
price for a visit to the islands off the coast. The islands
have white beaches. You have to bring your own drinking
water.
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