Lombok Island

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For many years, Lombok was home to the Sasak people who once came here from Asia via Java and Bali. They were known to be animists – animating everything around them. When Islam came to the island (partly from Bali), part of the population accepted it, but in its own version, Vektu Telu, which retained a significant influence of animism. Now most of the island’s inhabitants are practicing Islam to some degree. Traveling around Lombok, you will notice many exotic mosques, with domes and fancy arcades, as well as quite a number of young women wearing headscarves and special cut dresses.

Bali’s first attempts at intervention began in the 18th century.After a while, most of Lombok was governed from Balinese Karangasem. Later, the Balinese province on Lombok became independent and even tried to subjugate Karangasem. The animistic-Hindu beliefs of the Balinese and the animistic-Muslim religion of the Sasak were not always in conflict, but there were many similarities between them. Nowadays, most Balinese natives live in the west of Lombok and have influenced local trade and tourism.

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In the late 19th century, the Dutch took advantage of the differences between the Balinese and the Sasakas to join the latter and then gained full control over them. After World War II, at the end of the Japanese occupation of Lombok, the Dutch briefly returned to the island, but left again as soon as Indonesia declared independence.

Lombok, named after the local variety of chili pepper, is also called the “Island of a Thousand Mosques”. Indeed, the Hindus who came here in the XVI century from Balinese Karangsem, settled only on the west coast and number only 100 thousand people. The vast majority of the population – over two million – are Sasakas, who profess Islam. They are divided into two groups: the Wetu Tulu (Wetu Tulu), almost pagans who live in the mountains and observe only some Islamic and Hindu rituals, and the Wetulima (Wetu Lima), true orthodox Sunnis.

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They all speak Sasak and Bahasa, and many understand Balinese and Sumbawan. English is only spoken in the most promoted resorts.

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Where to go in Lombok

Lombok’s leisurely, relaxed pace of life, clean beaches and natural, unspoiled beauty are what will win you over. Visitors to the island pay tribute to the peaceful country roads where water buffaloes roam with their calves, hens and chickens run around and the ocean azure suddenly opens up, speckled with dots of sails. Most tourists stay in hotels near Senggigi Beach or on the somewhat remote Gili Islands, but there are good beaches suitable for snorkeling in the south of Lombok too.

The island has several noteworthy temples, palaces and other historical sites, but its rich culture is not flashy, not on display. The coexistence of Sasak and Balinese-Hindu traditions means there are always some sort of ceremonies going on, you can get information about them from your hotel.

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Some villages specialize in certain crafts: weaving, weaving, pottery or wood carving. For a glimpse of village life, it’s best to rent a car or motorcycle and take a day trip through the charming countryside. It’s worth finding out the opening times of the markets; in many towns and villages they open in the mornings once or twice a week. Roads outside the city limits are free, and pony-drawn carts (chidomo) still predominate as means of transportation.

Ampenan, Mataram and Chakranegara

Airplanes land at Selaparanga Airport, located on the northern border of Mataram, the capital of Lombok. Slow ferries from Bali arrive at the Lembar Port dock 10 kilometers south.

Not so long ago, the old port of Ampenan, the administrative center of Mataram and the commercial district of Chakranegara were completely separate. Now they are an urban conglomerate, home to a quarter of a million people. They are united by a long, wide street that ends at Light, the city’s central transportation hub.

Ampenan’s port area is already deteriorating and barely used, the narrow streets of the old town are much busier. Most of the population are descendants of Arab traders and can be seen in the well-kept mosques, where they gather to pray to the shouts of the muezzin.

South of the center, in Jalan Banjar Tilar Negara, is the Nusa Tenggara Barat Museum (Tues-Fri 7.00-14.00, entrance fee). There you can learn about the island’s culture and nature.

Mataram, the provincial capital of Nusa Tenggara Barat, is home to a number of government offices; the tree-lined streets are lined with wealthy homes. On the way to the temple on top of Gunung Peng-song Mountain, 6 km south, you will be greeted by flocks of monkeys waiting for handouts.

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The commercial center of Lombok, Chakranegara, or simply Chakra, grew up around the palace of the Balinese Rajahs. Of all the royal buildings, only the watery Mayura Palace, which formerly housed reception and courtrooms, has survived to this day. The palace stands in the middle of the lake and can be approached by a paved road guarded by cannons. Here, in 1894, the Balinese won a brief victory over Dutch forces. A few weeks after this triumph, things changed and the Dutch continued their conquest of the island.

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Across the street stands Pura Meru, the largest temple on Lombok, built in 1720. Its three meru shrines are dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. A huge wooden drum in the outer courtyard announces to the Hindu community the start of festivities and ceremonies. To the east, the transportation hub of the Light is jammed with buses (bemo) and pony-drawn carts (chidomo). This is also where Lombok’s largest market buzzes.

Near the capital

The hillside gardens and lake in Narmada, 10 km east of Chakranegara, were laid out in the 19th century on the orders of a king to remind him of the Gunung Rinjani volcano and the lake in its crater (he could no longer visit them because of his old age). Once another rectangular pool was added, the resemblance was no longer so obvious.

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In Lingsar, in northern Narmada, stands the ecumenical Pura Lingsar temple, designed to unite people of different religions. Its upper structure is reserved for Hindus. The temple’s Vektu Telu pool is home to big old sacred eels, which must be fed with sacrificial boiled eggs that vendors will sell you at the gate. In another building lies a stone brought from Gunung Rinjani, wrapped in white cloth and tied with a yellow girdle. It is said to represent the spirits of the clan. Chinese Taoists take a mirror with them to reflect evil spirits.

At Suranadi Gardens, east of Lingsar, you will also be offered eggs meant for the pond dwellers at the Sacred Eel Temple. You’ll also get to swim in a pool fed by natural springs and stay for lunch at the old, Dutch-built Suranadi Hotel.”

Senggigi Beach and the Gili Islands

Heading along the coast north of Ampenan, visit the Pura Setara water temple near a bright, colorful Chinese cemetery. Nearby, villagers gather to pull fishing boats ashore and sort their catch. Just in front of Senggigi, the vaulted Pura Batu Bolong stands on a cliff. The ancient Hindu shrine protrudes into the sea, providing a beautiful platform from which to enjoy the sunset over the Lombok Strait.

The place to stop first is near Senggigi Beach, just north of Batubolong. Sometimes the beach slopes down steeply and there may be rocks or a coral reef just below the surface of the water, so it’s best to walk along in rubber shoes rather than barefoot. The road north of Senggigi runs along some of the most charming coastline in the Indonesian archipelago. Sometimes it climbs to the tops of cliffs and then rushes down to the water itself. Tiny villages hide among the palm trees, and brightly colored patches of sails flicker in the ocean distance.

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Sometimes tours from Senggigi and transport from Mataram head not to the coast, but inland along the windswept Pusuk Pass road. Two roads meet in Pemenang, one of which, a country road, leads to the small port of Bangsala, from where you can travel to the three distant Gili Islands (the word Gili means “island”). The closest of these, Gili Air, lies about 3 km away, followed by Gili Meno and then Gili Trawangan – it is not only the furthest, but also the largest of these, although it is only 2.5 km long.

White sand beaches and coral reefs have made Gili extremely popular with divers, tourists and those who don’t mind having fun. The quietest of the islands is Gili Meno; here you can relax in the many beach cafes and bamboo bungalows without fear of the noise of cars, motorcycles and barking dogs disturbing the peace. Gili Trawangan, on the other hand, is famous for loud parties, and generally has more entertainment, including dive centers.

Boats traveling from Bangsal to the islands usually leave only when they are filled with passengers (usually one boat can accommodate 15-20 people). In July and August you don’t have to wait long, but off-season it’s better to pay for empty seats or hire a round-trip carrier (for a fairly low flat fee). Buy tickets in the main building, not from traveling salesmen or makeshift stalls: you can easily run into scammers there. Some of the larger hotels in the Gili Islands provide speedboat transfers.

Mountain trekking

Gunung Rinjani, 3726 meters high, is revered by both Sasak and Balinese who make pilgrimages to the lake and hot springs in its crater. Many mountain hikers also visit the area every year, starting from one of the villages at the foot of the volcano, south of Bayan (we recommend hiking in the dry season, from June to November).

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A narrow road climbs quickly from the center of Bayan to Batu Kok, leads to the nearby village of Senaru and there breaks off. Along the road are guesthouses, some with a restaurant or cafe (warung) attached, and from the restaurant overlooking the valley you can see the glare of the Sendang Gile waterfall. A guide can be hired at Rinjani, either for a day or for a longer climb. The awe-inspiring crater with a beautiful crescent-shaped lake is the main destination for tourists. To reach it, you will need a full day of strenuous trekking. The crater is 600 meters deep and the descent down its steep, slippery slope will take several more hours. Plan on the expedition lasting three or even four days, especially if you want to climb to the top of Rinjani. Those who don’t have that much time or energy can enjoy a half-hour walk around the valley and lunch at Senaru, near the magnificent Sendang and Tin Kelep waterfalls.

South and East of Lombok

Once you get off the road leading through Lombok and head east of Narmada, you’ll come across a cluster of handicraft villages. Loiok, for example, is famous throughout Indonesia for its bamboo baskets and mats. In neighboring Rungkang, black tar pots of all sizes are made and then braided with thin, flexible rattan.

On the southern slope of Gunung Rinjani is Tetebatu, a favorite vacation spot for locals, with an old hotel and a couple of apartments overlooking the green valleys. Here you can walk to a forest waterfall accompanied by black monkeys who will chatter, squeal and jump from branch to branch.

Labuhan Lombok on the east coast is the local “backwater”; it’s hot and sweltering, an impression only smoothed out by the picturesque pillared houses. Cargo and passenger ferries depart from Kayangan Terminal, 3 km from this village, bound for Sumbawa Island.

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In Sukarara, south of Mataram, almost every house has an ancient loom for producing the magnificent Songket fabrics, in which gold and silver threads are mixed with cotton threads. A little farther south is Penujak, where world-famous ceramics are made for export.

Beleka, east of the market town of Praia, specializes in intricate weaving: just one large table mat takes about a week to make. To the south, near Kuta, lies Rambitan, a traditional Sasak settlement with bamboo-covered houses and tall barns for storing rice. Tourists and souvenir sellers are always crowding there. Sade is similar to it, but not as big. Note the bamboo-roofed mosques in both villages.