LOMBOK ISLAND INFORMATION
Lombok
(1990 pop. 2,403,025) is an island in West Nusa Tenggara
province, Indonesia. It is part of the chain of the
Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating
it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it
and Sumbawa to the east. It is roughly circular, with a
"tail" to the southwest, about 70 km across and a total
area of about 4,725 km˛ (1,825 sq mi). The
administrative capital and largest city on the island is
Mataram.
History
The Dutch first visited Lombok in 1674 and settled the
eastern part of the island, leaving the western half to
be ruled by a Hindu dynasty from Bali. The Sasaks chafed
under Balinese rule, and a revolt in 1891 ended in 1894
with the annexation of the entire island to the
Netherlands East Indies.
Geography and
demographics
The
Lombok Strait marks the passage of the biogeographical
division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone
and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia that
is known as the Wallace Line, for Alfred Russel Wallace,
who first remarked upon the distinction between these
two major biomes.
The island's topography is dominated by the
centrally-located stratovolcano Mount Rinjani, which
rises to 3,726 m (12,224 ft), making it the
third-highest in Indonesia. The most recent eruption of
Rinjani was in June-July, 1994. The volcano, and its
sacred crater lake, Lake Segara Anak, are protected by a
National Park established in 1997. The southern part of
the island is a fertile plain where corn, rice, coffee,
tobacco, and cotton are grown.
The island's inhabitants are 85% Sasak (a people,
closely related to the Balinese, but mostly practising
Islam), 10-15% Balinese, with the small remainder being
Chinese, Arab, Javanese, and Sumbawanese.
Economy and politics
Lombok
has much in common with nearby Bali, but less well-known
and less-visited by foreigners. It has been working to
increase its visibility to tourists in recent years,
promoting itself as an "unspoiled Bali". The
most-developed center of tourism is Senggigi, spread in
a 10-kilometer strip along the coastal road north of
Mataram, while backpackers congregate in the Gili
Islands off the west coast. Other popular tourist
destinations include Kuta (distinctly different from
Kuta, Bali) where surfing is considered some of the best
in the world by leading surfing magazines. The Kuta area
is also famous for its beautiful, untouched beaches.
While the area may be considered economically depressed
by First World standards, the island is fertile, has
sufficient rainfall in most areas for agriculture, and
possesses a variety of climate zones. Consequently, food
in abundant quantity and variety is available
inexpensively at local farmer's markets. A family of 4
can eat rice, vegetables, and fruit for as little as
US$0.50. Even though a family income may be as small as
US$1.00 per day from fishing or farming, many families
are able to live a happy and productive live on
astonishingly small incomes.
In
early 2000 thousands fled from religious and ethnic
violence that swept over the island, and tensions
remain. Some travel websites warn that tourists
sometimes provoke anger in this economically depressed
region. This warning lacks credibility, since all of
Lombok has had a long history of welcoming visitors to
the island. Both the government and many of the
residents recognize that tourism and the services
required by tourists is Lombok's highest source of
income. Further proof of the island's hospitality is
show by the fact that tourists are virtually never
seriously injured by any interaction with the local
population. There is also a refugee camp on the island,
costs paid for by Australia, which holds mostly Hazara
Afghans who have tried to enter Australia by boat.
Cities
* Bangsal - little harbor servicing the Gili Islands
* Kuta - a surfing mecca like its Bali namesake, but
that's where the similarities end
* Lembar - for boats to Bali
* Mataram - the largest city by far
* Senggigi - the main tourist strip, including the
neighboring beach of Mangsit
Understand
Located just east of Bali, Lombok has been promoted as
"an unspoiled Bali" for quite some time, with beautiful
beaches and the large, looming volcano of Mount Rinjani.
The more Islamic culture in Lombok compared than Bali
may explain the reason why Lombok is quieter than Bali
in terms of parties and nightlife, which can be either a
positive or a negative depending on your point of view.
Lombok is also becoming increasingly popular for
honeymooners.
Culture
Lombok's people are 85% Sasak, culturally and
linguistically closely related to the Balinese, but
unlike Bali's Hindu they are Muslims. A notable
non-orthodox Islamic group found only on Lombok are the
Wektu Telu ("Three Prayers"), who as the name suggests
pray only three times daily, instead of the five times
required in the Quran.
Climate
While tropical, hot
and humid, Lombok is drier than neighboring Bali, which
makes it a particularly attractive option during the
October-December rainy season (it rains on Lombok too,
but rarely for more than an hour). The peak of the
tourist season, though, is May through August.
Get in
By plane
Lombok's only airport is Mataram's Selaparang
Airport (AMI), which occasionally also shows up in
flight
schedules
as "Ampenan" (hence the seemingly odd airport code).
There are frequent connections to Denpasar on Bali (30
min) and Surabaya (1 hour) on Garuda, Merpati and
Germania Trisakti ("GT Air"), but only a single flight
per day to Jakarta (on Garuda). A flight offered from
and to Yogyakarta (on Garuda) is currently not being
scheduled anymore. International flights are limited to
Kuala Lumpur daily on Merpati and Singapore thrice
weekly on Silk Air, with visas available on arrival.
Lombok Network maintains a useful, mostly-updated flight
schedule listing all flights to the island.
By boat
Slow
boats from Padang Bai on Bali leave about every hour for
the four- to five-hour trip to Lembar (Rp 35,000). The
slow ferries are a bit rusty and dusty, with minimal
restroom facilities, and are used mostly by locals, with
few tourists on board. Access to the passenger deck is
usually from the vehicle deck via steep and narrow
stairs, so maneuvering heavy luggage is a challenge.
Would-be porters wait by the docks, and will happily
carry your stuff for Rp 10,000 per item. Sometimes they
insist on doing so even when you don't ask. They can be
a bit intimidating, and sometimes try to overcharge.
Lots of Kuta travel agents offer end-to-end transport,
including a van ride from your Bali hotel to Padang Bai,
the ferry ticket, and a ride from the dock on Lombok to
your ultimate destination, for Rp 130,000 and up
depending on where you are going in Lombok.
Fast ferries run from Benoa on Bali to Lembar on Lombok
twice daily in season, one daily in the off season. The
trip takes just 2 hours but costs US$25/30 depending on
class. Perama Tour also runs daily cruises from Padang
Bai directly to Senggigi for Rp 220,000.
Get
around
By bemo
Bemos (converted passenger-carrying minivans) are
the main means of long-distance transport on Lombok.
They can be hailed down on all larger streets, and will
happily take you even short hops around Senggigi. Fares
are cheap: for example, as of November 2005 the official
fare from Mataram to Senggigi is Rp. 1500/person, but
tourists tend to get charged a bit extra and empty bemos
will expect you to charter them for a higher price yet.
Travel agents can also get you on semi-regular shuttle
services, which connect Senggigi, the airport, and the
harbors of Lembar (for Bali) and Bangsal (for the
Gilis).
By taxi
Metered taxis are a fairly new development on
Lombok, but they have become quite common in Mataram and
Senggigi. The largest operator is Blue Bird, although
there are a few other companies competing for your
custom. As of November 2005, flag fall is Rp3,850 and
the meter ticks up a few hundred rupiah for every
hundred meters past 2 km. Figure on Rp10,000 for hops
around town and around Rp30,000 from Senggigi to
Mataram.
By horse cart
Horse-pulled
carts known as cidomo are very common on Lombok, and
while a bit touristy in Senggigi, they're still a
serious method of transportation. Make sure that you
bargain the rate before the journey. In the Gilis there
are no cars or motorbikes, so cidomo or bicycle is the
only way to go.
By boat
Traditional fishing boats known as perahu ply the
waters around Lombok, and are instantly recognizable due
to their rather unusual feature of having two logs
attached by bars on both sides like a catamaran, for
greater stability in heavy swells. They can also be
chartered, either directly from owners (in which case
some knowledge of Bahasa will come in handy) or via any
travel agent, who will of course take their cut. Some
prices to aim for are Rp.200,000 from Bangsal to the
Gilis or Rp.500,000 for a full day.
By bicycle
Traffic is relatively light throughout the island so
travel by bicycle is quite possible, and provides a very
different cultural experience to other means of
transport. You should bring your own touring bike, as
local bikes are of a very basic quality although there
is one biking tour operator (Lombok Biking)that has
decent bikes and guides.
