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Lombok island indonesia on the map. Indonesia, Lombok Island: in search of "white sandy beaches"

- an ideal place for secluded relaxation and exciting diving.

Lombok is called the little brother of Bali. From there, until recently, tourists came mainly on an excursion. After the opening of the international airport, getting to Lombok has become much easier and the number of tourists has increased significantly. Tourism infrastructure is gradually developing. Compared to Bali, there are much fewer tourists here, but the rest is more calm, secluded and exotic.

Lombok is located in the Malay Archipelago and administratively belongs to Indonesia. Lombok is located between two islands - from the west of it is located about. Bali, from the east - the island of Sumbawa in Indonesia. In terms of area, Lombok is slightly smaller than Bali. The population of the island is 3 million inhabitants, the capital is Mataram.

How to get there

A few years ago, it was possible to get to Lombok only from the island of Bali. After in 2011, on an island near the city of Praia, international Airport Bandara Internasional Lombok, tourists have the opportunity to use direct international flights connecting Lombok with Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Domestic flights The airport accepts from the islands of Java and Bali.

There are up to eight flights a day from Bali to Lombok, but it is extremely difficult to buy tickets online in advance. Therefore, it is better to purchase them in Bali at the airport or travel agency. The flight takes 25 minutes. Regular buses run from the new airport to the city of Mataram and the resort of Senggigi. A taxi ride is much more comfortable, but it will cost five times more. All official taxis are equipped with meters. Landing in a taxi is carried out after paying the service fee at the airport ticket office.

From Bali, the island can also be reached by ferry. Compared to air travel, the ferry option is almost 10 times cheaper. Ferries depart around the clock every hour, the journey time is about five hours. In case of bad weather, flights are cancelled. Ferries run along the route Padang Bai Pier (Bali) - Lembar Pier (Lombok). From Lembar you can take a taxi to Mataram or Senggigi.

The best way to get around the island is fixed-route taxis, which are called Bemo here. On such passenger buses, you can also make intercity trips for a small fee. It is possible to rent this transport, which is beneficial for tourists traveling in a group. An ordinary taxi will cost more and you can not find it everywhere. In tourist areas, car or motorcycle rental is practiced.

general information

The northeastern part of the island is mountainous, here is the Rinjani volcano. The south is dominated by limestone plateaus, sometimes covered with hills. It's very beautiful landscapes- desert roads run through green hills, clean beaches, quiet bays. The tourist infrastructure is developed in the western part of the island - in the area of ​​the Senggigi resort, where beach holiday, and on the south coast - in Kuta (not to be confused with the Kuta resort in Bali), a favorite place for surfers. In general, Lombok is more suitable for lovers of wild tourism. By car or on a bike, you can travel along deserted roads, visiting secluded exotic places.

Senggigi is a resort town located along the coastal route. There are all possibilities for recreation - hotels, expensive and cheap, cafes, restaurants. The main entertainment here is a relaxing holiday on the beach, massage, snorkeling.

Kuta Beach is attractive for surfing. Although there are few hotels and only a few cafes, there is a surf school and surf equipment rental. Many tourists rent a scooter to get around the resort. The largest hotel in Kuta - Novotel, has 2 restaurants, a spa, a private beach, outdoor pools.

Weather

The climate on the island of Lombok is tropical, hot throughout the year. The tourist season lasts all year round, but its peak falls on the period from March to August. The rainy season lasts from October to April. Most of the precipitation falls in December and January. The driest months are July and August. The average annual air temperature is 28-29 °C, the water temperature is 27-30 °C. In the northern mountainous regions it is noticeably colder than on the coast.

Attractions

The island of Lombok has enough attractions, both natural and man-made. Although they are quite modest, they have not yet been promoted, “untapped” by numerous tourist groups. You can get to local attractions by taxi or rented transport. The most convenient and cheapest option is to join one of the group tours. If you decide to travel on your own, an experienced guide can be ordered from a travel agency.

Mount Rinjani volcano is the most significant attraction of the island. Not many people can boast that they have visited the crater of a volcano. While on Lambock, it's hard to resist traveling up the mountain. Although it has gentle slopes, the height is quite impressive - 3726 m, so the climb takes a whole day. Every healthy person can overcome it, but it is not recommended to travel alone.

Volcano Rinjani

Trekking group trips are organized with porters and a guide for two or three days. Having paid $100–200, tourists receive accompanying persons, food, tents, and sleeping bags. In the crater of the volcano there is a huge lake where you can swim. Relaxing and admiring unique species Those who wish to climb to the highest point of the mountain.

Gili Islands - another attraction located near the coast of Lombok. Three of them - Meno, Air and Trawangan - are the most popular. Here the tourist infrastructure is quite developed: there are hotels of different price categories and several diving clubs.

Gili Islands

Holidays on the Gili Islands are a great opportunity to sunbathe on clean sandy beaches or go snorkeling and diving. The largest of them is Trawangan. , most populated by tourists, this is a party place. Lovers come here to dive among the corals.

On about. Meno , on the contrary, it is quiet and peaceful. There are hotels here, but not very many, and all entertainment is concentrated only on their territory. The beaches are beautiful and clean, but there are coral fragments in the water. Meno is the right place for people who want to be in solitude on a deserted island.

Air is the smallest and greenest of the three islands. There are many local residents there are bars and restaurants. The beach and water are clean. Perfect place for those who want to sunbathe and swim, but boring for lovers of parties.

Narmada Water Park , built at the beginning of the 19th century by one of the local kings, was used by members of the royal family for recreation. There is a Hindu temple, a swimming pool, springs with clean water, lakes. The park is beautiful and cozy, the territory is carefully cleaned.

Mayura Water Palace – witness to the history of the island. At the end of the 19th century, a fierce battle took place on the territory of the palace between the Balinese and the Dutch, as a result of which the palace was damaged. Statues, cannons, altars set up around the lake remind the locals of the distant battles for independence.

Pura Meru – Hindu temple built in 1720. Believers are invited to the ceremony by knocking on the big drums located on its territory.

Pura Lingsar – a temple complex consisting of two temples - Hindu and Islamic.

The name "Lombok" means "hot pepper" in Indonesian. It was born in connection with the shape of the island: in its outlines, it really resembles a kind of pepper with a curved tail. But in the figurative sense of the word, Lombok throughout its history was very "sharp" for both the rulers of the island and for the European colonizer of this region - Holland.

History of the island

As anthropologists suggest, the Sasaks, who make up the majority of the population of Lombok, migrated from the island. It is also assumed that from India and Burma in the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. But this is in theory, according to some indirect signs and information, archaeological sites did not take place on the island. The first fragmentary information about life on the island dates back to the 9th century. According to this historically very vague picture, it turns out that the Sasak principalities from the very beginning fell under the influence of the Balinese. This already looks like the truth. The islands are adjacent in the Malay Archipelago, and although they are almost equal in area, Bali, more developed both economically and culturally, has always been a powerful "big brother" in relation to Lombok, but most importantly - more influential. According to more reliable, albeit scattered, information from Bali, the local Lombok principalities from the 11th century. came to the Balinese in complete submission. The same sources testify that the Lombok principalities were at enmity with each other. Independence from the Balinese was achieved in the 13th century. only one local principality - Selaparang, and he managed to subjugate not only Lombok, but also part of the island of Sumbawa. In 1357, Selaparang was attacked by the Javanese principality of Majapahit, which also had colonies on the island of Sumbawa, used as a bridgehead. However, soon the Lomboks managed to drive the invaders out of their territories.
More accurate data on life on Lombok date back to the 17th century. By this time, relations between the Lomboks (Sasaks) and the Balinese had taken a friendly form: marriages were made, and not only dynastic ones. And then the colonizers appeared on the historical stage. These were the Dutch who sought to gain a foothold in the Lesser Sunda Islands. In 1667-1668. there were serious clashes between the Dutch detachments and the Lomboks. As a result, the Dutch were forced to leave Lombok, but the possessions of the principality of Selaparang on Sumbawa were seized. However, in 1674, the Dutch East India Company managed to conclude an agreement with the princess of the principality, in the form of a trade, in fact a political one, which, of course, did not please the Balinese. The Bali Principality of Karangasem had long had plans for Lombok, and in 1740 he managed to carry out his plans of conquest. No one remembered the recent idyll between the Balinese and the Lomboks during this period.
About 150 years later, relations between them became so aggravated that the Lomboks began to seek protection from the Dutch. They responded with weapons in their hands and in 1894 expelled the Balinese from the island, not failing, of course, to establish their power over it. The island became part of the Netherlands East Indies (and then almost all of present-day Indonesia was it) and from now on had to pay exorbitantly high taxes to the mother country. Realizing that they were trapped, the Lomboks now rebelled against their recent protectors, but suffered a series of defeats. As a result, the island was devastated. During the Second World War in 1942-1945. The Dutch East Indies, including Lombok, were occupied by Japan. The Dutch resisted but were defeated.
On August 17, 1945, the independence of Indonesia was proclaimed, but literally on the same day, the Dutch restored colonial control in Lombok. Three more years of protracted negotiations and armed skirmishes followed, before an agreement was concluded between the Netherlands and Indonesia on Lombok in 1949: it became Indonesian.
The island of Lombok competes with Bali to this day, now - in the field of tourism.
Someone likes the brighter, ceremonial and comfortable Bali, someone likes the more provincial and less pretentious Lombok. Surfing and diving on both islands are almost equal, the service is the same, and the climate in Lombok is somewhat drier than in Bali: a relaxing holiday in a quiet "paradise", as tourists who prefer hot countries like to say, is guaranteed. For the inhabitants of the island themselves, life on it has not always been, and is, paradise. During the period 1957-1965, under President Sukarno, the communists, including those on Lombok, received support, and the poor islanders really liked the communist ideology. Under the next president, Suharto, in 1965-1998, the communists, on the contrary, began to be severely oppressed and imprisoned. Despite this and the severe droughts of 1966 and 1973, on the whole, this period is now regarded by the Lomboks as favorable. It is not easy to understand them, because it was under Suharto that they massively, due to hunger and repression, left their native island. In their assessment, if you delve into the essence of this contradiction, the main role was played by the important circumstance that in the 1980s. mass construction of hotels and other tourist infrastructure began. As soon as everything built was working, they slowly began to return to Lombok. And then a new shock struck: in 2000, in the capital of the island, the city of Mataram, violent clashes with the enterprising Chinese began, provoked by the Balinese (but not local, but who had come specially from Bali, as the Sasaks believe). Those on the island, though nothing at all about both the Sasaks and the Balinese, but they somehow managed to quickly take over the tourism business. And he, this business, which had just begun to fledge as a competitor to Bali, naturally collapsed. Only by the end of the 2010s, the warring parties somehow managed to agree to act for mutual benefit, and now tourism is the main economic pillar of the island.
The main problem of Lombok is the lack of fresh water. The main reasons for this are the reduction in the area of ​​forests due to their uncontrolled deforestation and regular droughts. The most recent catastrophic drought occurred in 2010, when all districts of the island were declared a natural disaster zone. It is not such a rare case when a person has to walk several kilometers to bring home a bucket of water. So far, the island is talking about seawater desalination plants only as plans for the future: they, these plants, require too much electricity, and the energy on the island is also not good. And again, with a living reproach, the same Bali, where fresh water of acceptable quality flows not only from the tap, but also in the pools.
Islam began its victorious march on the Indonesian islands in the 13th-15th centuries, it was brought by Arab seafarers from the Middle East and Indian Muslim merchants, whose retinue certainly included preachers of a new faith for the islanders. Today, most of the inhabitants of Lombok are Muslims, and Islam here, although of a distinctly pronounced Sunni persuasion, has a significant difference from all other varieties of this religion, it is customary to pray in Lombok not five times a day, but only three times. This Islam is called: “Islam of vetu body”, that is, if translated literally, “three times a day Islam”, it is especially widespread in the north of the island. What is the reason for such a deviation from orthodox norms, it is difficult to say, the rest of the Islamic world considers the Lomboks on this basis to be “fake” devout Muslims, but they are completely indifferent to this assessment. Maybe because they adhere simultaneously with Islam to the ancient beliefs of their ancestors in pagan gods, good and evil spirits, and they do not order to worry about such trifles as duties and canons.

general information

Island of the Malay Archipelago.
State affiliation: Indonesia.

Administrative affiliation: Western Province.
Administrative division : 4 districts (kabupatena), the Matarama agglomeration with its surroundings is separated into a special administrative unit - the municipality (kota), equal in status to the district.

Administrative center: Mataram.
Languages: Indonesian, Sasak, Balinese, Sasak-Balinese.
Ethnic composition: Sasaks - about 85%, Balinese - about 10%, others (peoples of Indonesia, mestizos of these peoples, as well as Chinese, Javanese, Indians, Arabs) - about 5%.
Religions: Islam - 96%, Hinduism - 3%, Buddhism - 1%. There is also a small number of Christians, mostly among the Chinese (Catholics and Protestants).

Currency unit: Indonesian rupiah.

Largest cities: Mataram - 402,296 people (2010), Selong, Pringabaya, Sugian.

Main ports: Lembar, Labukan-Lombok.

Major airport: Lombok International Airport (Mataram).

Numbers

Area: about 5435 km2.

Population: 3,166,685 (2010).

Population density: about 582.6 people / km 2.

The most high point : Rinjani (3726 m).

Climate and weather

Equatorial monsoon.

Average annual air temperature: from +26 to +35°С.
Average annual water temperature: from +26 to +27°С.
Average annual rainfall: 1600 mm.
Rainy season: November to March.

Economy

Minerals: deposits of tin, lead, iron, manganese, zinc, silver and gold have been explored.

The main source of income is tourism.

Industry: extremely insignificant - several small textile and food processing enterprises, ship repair docks.

Agriculture: cultivation of rice, corn, cotton, vegetables, coffee, breeding of goats, poultry.

Fishing.
Cultivation of artificial pearls.

Traditional crafts: pottery, weaving, beekeeping, beekeeping.

Attractions

■ Volcanic mountain Rinjani, alpine lake Segara Anak in its caldera, hot springs on the slopes (Rinjani Volcano National Park).
■ Gili islands of coral origin, a popular diving spot.
■ waterfalls: Otakokok, Sindang-Jila, Thiu-Kelep, Betara Penyang.
■ Hindu Temple Pura Meru(1720, the largest religious building on the island).
■ Pura Lingsar Temple(1714), dedicated to the so-called three-time Islam and the Hindu god Shiva.
■ Narmada Water Park(built for the royal family in the 19th century), on its territory there is a Hindu temple Pura-Kalasa, a swimming pool, a "fountain of youth", a chain of small lakes and springs.
■ Mayura Water Palace(1744).
■ Traditional artisan villages: sukarare (silk weaving according to ancient technologies), pringasela (making national clothes), suradadi (weaving from palm leaves), penuyak (pottery).
■ Gili beaches, Sinjane, Sinjiji.

Curious facts

■ The most common type of transport on the island is the two-wheeled chomboko carts, which are used in the everyday life of the islanders for their intended purpose, in tourist clusters - for unhurried walks of the guests of Lombok.
■ According to Lombok etiquette, when entering a house (and even some offices, which is usually warned in advance), it is supposed to take off your shoes. It is categorically impossible to pass anything with your left hand, and even more so to extend it to another person - this is the height of indecency, if not defiant behavior.
■ The Mayura Water Palace, unlike the “rest house” of Narmada Park, was built not for pleasant pastime and entertainment among the water so valued in Lombok, but as a place of royal justice. In 1894, the palace was badly damaged as a result of the battle between the Dutch and the Balinese, and now this name is understood rather as a simple park, decorated, however, not only with garden sculptures and altars, but also with cannon vents.
■ Between the islands of Bali and Lombok passes - the western biogeographic border of the transition zone between the Asian and Australian flora and fauna of our planet.
■ One of the main actors during the confrontation between the Lomboks and the Dutch in 1894, there was our compatriot Vasily Panteleymonovich Malygin, a native of Moldova, a mining engineer by profession. The Dutch considered him a Russian spy, but they did not understand one thing - what does Russia need in these parts? Malygin is indeed a mysterious figure in many respects. It is not clear, first of all, what prompted him to plunge headlong into this story. This is if you think from a rational point of view. And if we assume that Maligan, as he was called on the island, is the one in whom "the spirit of adventurism has not died away", then everything is lined up. One of his "ignition of water" is worth something. To win over the local raja, Maligan said that he could perform a miracle - ignite the water. Making complex passes with his hands over a vat of water, reciting incantations, he imperceptibly threw a piece of sodium into the vat. An outbreak followed, and Maligan became the Raja's first adviser. Then he obtained weapons for the Lomboks, for which he bought a ship, raised them with incendiary speeches to revolt, sat in an Indonesian prison, disappeared and appeared either in Odessa or Singapore, escaped from police surveillance in his homeland. There are also stories about an extraordinary romantic love story associated with him. But no one knows when he died and where he is buried.


Climate and nature

Climatic conditions vary by region. In December-February, the maximum precipitation falls here, their average annual amount is 1600 mm. In general, the climate here is assessed as equatorial-monsoonal. But the temperature fluctuates slightly and averages + 26 ° C.

The relief of the island is quite complex - it rises sharply from south to north, where a high volcano rises. An interesting fact is that in the western part of the island the Wallace line passes - a conditional border between the flora and fauna of Asia and. Thanks to this, on Lombok you can see plants and animals typical of the Australian nature.


Population

The island is inhabited by more than 3 million people. These are the Sasaki people (80%), Balinese (10%), Javanese and Chinese. The vast majority of the population is Muslim, thanks to which about 1,000 mosques have been built on the territory of Lombok.

The largest city, the capital of the island is Mataram. It is also considered the administrative center of the entire province of Western Lesser Sunda, or Nusa Tenggara Barat, to which Lombok belongs. The territory of the island itself is divided into 4 kabupatena - districts: Western, Central, Eastern and Northern. At the same time, the south and east of the island are more densely populated. The most touristic cities are Kuta (not to be confused with the Balinese of the same name) and.


Lombok - what to see?

The main islands of Lombok in Indonesia include:

  1. - the third highest point in the country. In its crater is a beautiful lake with blue waters, Segara Anak. This area has been since 1997.
  2. Narmada Park- a large landscape and architectural complex with a water park.
  3. Turtle Sanctuary on the Gili Islands.
  4. Mayura Water Palace(Mayura Water Palace).
  5. Hindu Pura Meru and Pura Kalasa.

Vacation on the island

Arriving in Lombok, you do not have to puzzle over what to do here. Although the island is not the most touristy, vacationers are offered a fairly wide range of entertainment:

  1. Beach holidays on the beaches of Lombok. The most popular in Lombok are Sengjiji and Kuta. This area is considered the most developed in terms of tourism: all the cafes, shops, entertainment of the island are concentrated here. To the north of Senggiji there are several more good secluded bays. Among other good beaches of the island, travelers call:
    • Pantai Putri Nyale;
    • Seger Beach;
    • Tanjung A'an;
    • AirGuling;
    • mawi;
    • mawun;
    • Pink Beach (the famous pink beach of Lombok).
  2. The best in Lombok- on the coast of Kuta. Here, nature itself has created excellent conditions for surfers of medium and high skill levels, there are many different interesting spots. But for those who have never “caught the wave” it will be difficult to study in Kut.
  3. on Lombok can be ordered from local travel agencies. Among the guests of the island, the most popular are climbing the Rinjani volcano and visiting Narmada Park. If you wish, you can travel around Lombok on your own by renting a transport and looking into all the interesting corners of the island.
  4. Study in local settlements. These are not ethnic villages where ostentatious shows are organized for tourists, but the most ordinary ones, where life has been going on as usual for hundreds of years. Here you can get acquainted with the local population, walk through the rice fields and tobacco plantations, see the beautiful waterfalls of Lombok Sindang Gila and Tiu Kelep, look into the jungle where black monkeys live. And, of course, buy souvenirs.
  5. Nightlife. There are clubs and discos on the island, but only in the resort of Senggigi.

Where to stay?

Mostly active lovers, backpackers and unpretentious tourists who are not looking for comfort go to Lombok. However, if you wish, you can find good hotels. Among Lombok with good reviews vacationers worth noting:

  • Kila Senggigi Beach Hotel 4*;
  • Katamaran Resort 5*;
  • Pool Villa Club Lombok 5*;
  • Kaleydo Villas 4*;
  • Living Asia Resort and Spa 4*.

In addition to them, the island has many guesthouses and inexpensive hotels. The most budget options are:

  • Sonya Home Stay;
  • Puri Rinjani Bungalows;
  • Indah Homestay;
  • Mina Tanjung Hotel.

Where to eat?

Traveling around the island, you can only eat. You can only find establishments serving Western food in Sengjiji and Kuta. Since Lombok is mostly Muslim, alcohol is not welcome here.


Shopping Features

Tourists bring many interesting things from the island of Lombok:

  • pearls and products from it;
  • figurines made of rattan, bamboo, teak;
  • wicker baskets;
  • clay figurines and dishes;
  • wooden masks and boxes;
  • sarongs;
  • designer clothes and accessories.

Most popular places shopping is great shopping center Mataram Mall (the only one of its kind on the island) in Mataram, traditional Asian markets in the cities, the villages of Sukarara, Penujak and Banumelek, where you can buy handicrafts.


Transport

On the island of Lombok in Indonesia, there is the only one that has international status. There are also two seaports here: Lembar in the west and Labuan-Lombok in the east. They have ferry connections to Sumbawa and Bali.

Public buses run from the airport to Mataram and Senggiji Beach. For tourists there are taxis and minivans (quite expensive).

An unusual vehicle is the chimodo, a horse-drawn two-wheeled cart that is used as a means for tourist walks.

And the most popular among tourists is renting a bike, on which you can comfortably explore the entire island and visit the most interesting places without reference to the public schedule. Rent costs from $3 to $3.5 per day.


How to get to the island?

There are no direct flights to Lombok from the CIS countries, you can fly here from or from the capital, ($ 30-50). But, as practice shows, it is easier for many tourists to get to Lombok from Bali. This can be done by air ($20.45 minutes) or by Bali-Lombok ferry ($4.5 hours).


... In the morning I had a quick breakfast with a cup of coffee and a pancake, scanned the documents at the hotel reception (two airlines canceled a couple of my flights in the Philippines in April and offered extremely clumsy replacements - as a result, I had to cancel the paid reservations and return the money to the card. And for a refund, they demanded a copy of the passport and the card used for payment) and uploaded Balinese music to a USB flash drive - I have a hobby of collecting music from the peoples of the world and their national instruments. Then there was a checkout, a road on a bike with a suitcase to the center of Seminyak to hand over the bike - this is where I once again mentioned the fact that my suitcase has not only wheels, but also backpack straps. The office where I bought combined tour to the city of Senggigi on the island of Lombok, is located next to the bike rental and I got to it in a few minutes. For some time the bike owner complained me plaintively, saying that I didn’t buy tickets to Senggigi from him, he’s like me with all my heart. and this transfer would have cost me 300 thousand local money without a ticket for a boat or ferry .. Still, they were spoiled a lot with free money here.

I didn’t have time to settle down to continue breakfast with pre-purchased yogurts, when the transfer minibus arrived - 40 minutes earlier than I expected. I was his first passenger, then we went to some pretentious hotel, where we waited another half hour for a couple of leisurely Germans to leave. At some point, I got tired of waiting and I went to the all-inclusive restaurant of this hotel for a coffee. Then I caught a local girl dressed in bright folk Balinese clothes (she is there at the reception like a live attraction for tourists) and took a picture with her on the iPad as a keepsake. I drove a bus, having learned that I was from Russia, the first thing I said was that “Russia is waging war against Ukraine in the Crimea” - he was told so on TV ...

At one o'clock in the afternoon, the speedboat set sail from Padang Bay in the direction of the Gili Islands and further to the island of Lombok. For some reason, Canadians dominated among the passengers, judging by the maple leaf patches on the bags. I wonder what is the reason that there are so many of them here? It is clear why there are a lot of them, for example, in Cuba - they are relatively close, the best beaches in the world (IMHO), inexpensive by their standards, Americans have not been allowed to go there for half a century (like now the situation has begun to change ..) - Canadians stand out there numerically. Or why there are a lot of Australians in Bali is also understandable - on a fine day and with some luck from Australia to Bali, you can sail by boat .. But the Canadian phenomenon is still unclear to me, especially when you consider that Canada has a sparse population (all of Canada is like two extra Moscow).

This fastboat sails really fast - but in my case, the advantages in speed were leveled by the route: first we sailed to Gili Travanan, one of the three heavenly islands of Gili, located almost off the coast of Lombok, and lost half an hour there to unload and load passengers and luggage; then history repeated itself on Gili Air, and at the very last turn the boat sailed to the island of Lombok, losing about an hour on these Gili. As a result, the sea part of the journey was about 3 hours on a “fastboat” against the declared 5 hours on the ferry - the gain in time is not as significant as it is painted by traders in travel agencies, motivating their desire to have a price from you of more than half a million local money. At least, in two different places they swore to me that it would take about an hour and a half to sail to Senggigi on a fastboat. Nae..t really didn’t..li, but they didn’t tell the truth in advance - I went to the shore of Lombok at 16:15, the total travel time was 3 hours and 15 minutes.

As usual, I was surrounded by taxi drivers on the pier, tormented by a burning desire to take me somewhere. The price they advertised for my Ressa Homestay hotel sounded like 120 thousand at first, but after a couple of minutes of bargaining, it dropped to 50 thousand. By the way, by local standards, I had to drive quite a bit - 6-7 kilometers towards the city of Mataram.

After checking into the hotel, I asked about renting a bike - they didn’t have bikes. I went on foot to the nearest cafe - after a diet breakfast in the morning in Bali, I really wanted to eat something. In a cafe, in addition to dinner, I agreed with a local lad that, after I sing, he would give me a lift on his bike to Senggigi for a symbolic 10 thousand (less than a dollar). In Senggigi, I rented a bike for 50 thousand a day without any problems and swam a couple of times near the pier.

The beaches of Lombok

I woke up at 8 am, had breakfast at the hotel with a cup of coffee and a sandwich and went for a drive around the island of Lombok. First, swimming and taking pictures in suitable places on the coast:

I drove in this way to the town of Bangsal and specified the price and time of departure of the boats to the Gili Islands - this information will come in handy for me tomorrow. Then from Bangsala I went inland through the Pusuk pass to Mataram.

Now impressions from Lombok:

firstly, the pros: firstly, the roads (at least the road along the coast from Mataram to the northern tip of the island) are simply of perfect quality, I would envy such a road.

Secondly, this road is very picturesque - the relief resembles a rollercoaster and almost every climb offers wonderful views of the surrounding beauty. Thirdly, the crystal clear sea. Fourthly, very welcoming and friendly people

Adults smile at you and willingly try to help if you turn to them, children along the roads wave their hands to you. On the Pusuk pass, a huge number of monkeys sit along the road, if you wish, you can apparently feed them.

Cons: firstly, almost all the beaches are densely littered with the local population (there are still not a lot of tourists on the island of Lombok, you should not sin on them). That is, on almost every beach, if it is located near some village or town, along the edge of the surf lies an even strip of empty bottles, papers, cigarette butts, etc.

Secondly, the sand on all beaches is either gray or almost black (volcanic). The color of the sand varies from this:

In itself, this is not so hot, what a minus - nature is nature, but I would like to ask the authors of Thomas Cook's guide "Bali and Lombok", who in their book repeatedly use the phrase "snow-white beaches" in relation to the island of Lombok - were they even on it? Or they wrote on the ball, like, and so it will do? I repeat, this is not a complaint against Lombok, this is a question for the authors of this guide. I was not particularly embarrassed by the black sand, I would have gone to Lombok anyway. Thirdly, the exchange rate of dollars for rupees on Lombok is worse than on: 11300 for 1 dollar against 11400 in Bali. So it makes sense to change money either before Lombok or after it, depending on the route.

Lombok Island is a place with a predominantly Muslim population, and after Hindu Bali, this immediately catches the eye: firstly, there are many women in hijabs, mosques often come across along the roads, in the morning the muezzin woke me up .. As a result, the architecture in Lombok is noticeably more boring than on Bali is just houses with no frills and just functional mosques (and many of them give the impression of being unfinished) - white walls without any special decorations, a green dome, a couple of minarets with megaphones, and that's it. In this sense, the architecture of Bali is cooler than Lombok, about the same as big theater cooler than any regional philharmonic society.

Lombok photo:

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In the northern part of Lombok rises the huge Gunung Rinjani volcano, the second largest in Indonesia. Most people live here on a fertile plain at the foot of mountain range. The south of the island is hilly and arid, with low, rough vegetation, and its eroded valleys reminiscent of some of the scenery in Australia.

Having studied the plants and animals of Indonesia, the naturalist of the XIX century. Alfred Wallace divided it into two parts: the western, belonging to Southeast Asia, and the eastern, which geographically adjoins Australia and Oceania. He drew the dividing line just across the Lombok Strait, showing that Bali and Lombok belong to different geographical areas. Although this division is not indisputable, its basis - the "Wallace line" - is still recognized.

For many years, Lombok served as a home for the Sasaks, who once came here from Asia through Java and Bali. It is known that they were animists - they animated everything that surrounded them. When Islam entered the island (partially from Bali), part of the population accepted it, but in its own version, Vektu Telu, which retained a significant influence of animism. Now the majority of the inhabitants of the island, to one degree or another, profess Islam. Traveling around Lombok, you will notice many exotic mosques, with domes and bizarre arcades, as well as a considerable number of young women in headscarves and dresses of special cut.

Bali's first intervention attempts began in the 18th century. After a while, most of Lombok was administered from Bali's 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 Sasaks were not always in conflict, there was much in common between them. Now most people from Bali live in the west of Lombok and influence the development of local trade and tourism.

At the end of the XIX century. the Dutch, taking advantage of the differences between the Balinese and the Sasaks, joined the latter and then established full control over them. After the Second World War, at the end of the Japanese occupation of Lombok, the Dutch returned to the island for a short time, but as soon as Indonesia declared independence, they left it again.

People

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 16th century from the Bali Karangsem settled only on the west coast and number only 100 thousand people. The vast majority of the population - more than two million - Sasaks who profess Islam. They are divided into two groups: vetu tulu (wetu tulu)- almost pagans living in the mountains and observing only some Islamic and Hindu rites, and vetulima (Wetu Lima)- real orthodox Sunnis.

All of them speak Sasak and Bahasa, many understand Balinese and Sumbawa. English is in use only in the most popular resorts.

Where to go on Lombok

In Lombok, you will first of all be conquered by a leisurely, relaxing pace of life, clean beaches and natural, unspoiled beauty. Visitors to the island pay tribute to the peaceful country roads where water buffaloes roam with their calves, hens run with their chickens, and suddenly the blue of the ocean, dotted with sail points, opens up. Most tourists stay in hotels near Senggigi Beach or on the few outlying Gili Islands, but there are also good beaches in the south of Lombok suitable for snorkeling.

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

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 motorbike and take a day trip through the charming countryside. It is worth knowing the opening hours of the markets; in many towns and villages they open in the morning once or twice a week. Roads outside the city limits are free, and pony-drawn carts still predominate as vehicles. (chidomo).

Ampenan, Mataram and Chakranegara

Planes land at Selaparanga Airport, located on northern border the capital of Lombok is the city of Mataram. Slow ferries from Bali arrive at the Lembar port dock 10 km south.

Not so long ago, the old port of Ampenan, the administrative center of Mataram and the shopping area of ​​Chakranegara were completely separated from each other. Now it is an urban conglomerate with a quarter of a million people. They are united by a long, wide street that ends in Sveta, the central transport hub of the city.

The port area of ​​Ampenan is already crumbling and almost unused, the narrow streets of the old city are much busier. Most of the population are the descendants of Arab traders, they can be seen in well-kept mosques, where they gather to pray to the cries of muezzins.

South of the center, in Jalan Banjar Tilar Negara, is the Nusa Tenggara Barat Museum (Tue-Sun 7.00-14.00, entrance fee). There you can get acquainted with the culture of the island and its nature.

Mataram, the provincial capital of Nusa Tenggara Barat, houses a number of government offices; the tree-lined streets are full of wealthy houses. On the way to the temple, located on top of Mount Gunung Peng Song, which is 6 km to the south, you will be met by flocks of monkeys waiting for handouts.

The commercial center of Lombok, Chakranegara, or simply Chakra, grew up around the palace of the Balinese rajas. Of all the royal buildings, only the Mayura water palace has survived to this day, which previously had halls for receptions and court hearings. The palace stands in the middle of the lake; You can approach it along a paved road guarded by cannons. Here in 1894 the Balinese won a short-term victory over the Dutch troops. A few weeks after this triumph, everything changed and the Dutch continued to conquer the island.

On the opposite side of the street stands Pura Meru, the largest temple in Lombok, built in 1720. Its three meru shrines are dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. A huge wooden drum in the outer courtyard announces the beginning of the festivities and ceremonies to the Hindu community. In the east, the transport hub of Light is crowded with buses (bemo) and pony carts (chidomo). Lombok's largest market is also noisy here.

Near the capital

Hillside gardens and a lake at Narmada, 10 km east of Chakranegara, were laid out in the 19th century. by order of one of the kings: they were supposed to remind him of the Gunung Rinjani volcano and the lake located in its crater (due to old age, he could no longer visit them). Once another rectangular pool was added, the resemblance was no longer so obvious.

In Lingsar, in the north of the Narmada, there is an ecumenical temple Pura Lingsar, designed to unite people of different religions. Its upper structure is reserved for Hindus. Large old sacred eels live in the pool of the Vektu Telu temple, they must be fed with sacrificial boiled eggs, which merchants will sell to you at the gate. In another building lies a stone brought from Gunung-Rinjani, wrapped in white cloth and tied with a yellow sash. It is said that he represents the spirits of the family. Chinese Taoists carry a mirror with them to ward off evil spirits.

In Suranadi Gardens, east of Lingsar, you will also be offered eggs meant for the inhabitants of the pond in the Temple of the Sacred Eels. You can also take a dip in a pool fed by natural springs and stay for lunch at the old Dutch-built Suranadi Inn.

Senggigi beach and Gili Islands

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

The place where you need to stop first of all is near the Senggigi beach, north of Batubolong. Sometimes the beach slopes down steeply, and there may be rocks or a coral reef right under the surface of the water, so it is better to walk along it in rubber shoes rather than barefoot. The road north of Senggigi follows one of the most charming coastlines in the Indonesian archipelago. Sometimes she climbs to the top of the cliffs, and then rushes down to the very water. Tiny villages hide among the palm trees, and bright spots of sails flicker in the ocean distance.

Sometimes tours from Senggigi and transport from Mataram do not go to the coast, but inland, along the windy Pusuk Pass road. Two roads meet in Pemenang, one of them, a country road, leads to the small port of Bangsala, from where you can go to the three Gili Islands located in the distance (the word gili means "island"). The nearest of them, Gili Air, lies about 3 km, followed by Gili Meno, and then Gili Trawangan - it is not only the farthest, but also the largest of them, although its length is only 2.5 km.

White sand beaches and coral reefs have made the Gili extremely popular with divers, hikers and those looking to have fun. The quietest of the islands is Gili Meno; here you can relax in the numerous beach cafes and bamboo bungalows, without fear that the noise of cars, motorcycles and barking dogs will disturb the peace. But Gili Trawangan is famous for noisy parties, and in general here more fun, including diving centers.

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

Mountain hikes

Gunung-Rinjani with a height of 3726 m is revered by both the Sasaks and the Balinese, who organize pilgrimages to the lake and hot springs located in its crater. Every year, many lovers of mountain tourism come to this area; they start their route from one of the villages at the foot of the volcano, south of Bayan (we recommend hiking during the dry season, from June to November).

The narrow road climbs rapidly from the center of Bayan to Batu Kok, leads to the nearby village of Senara, and ends there. Along the road there are guest houses, some of them adjoin a restaurant or cafe (warung), and from the restaurant overlooking the valley, you can see the glare of the Sendang Gile waterfall. In Rinjani you can hire a guide - both for one day and for a longer ascent. The main goal of tourists is an awe-inspiring crater with a beautiful crescent-shaped lake. To reach it, you will need a whole day of tedious hiking. The depth of the crater is 600 m, the descent along its steep, slippery slope will take several more hours. Plan on three or even four days of expedition, 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 through the valley and lunch at Senara, next to the magnificent Sendang and Tin Kelep waterfalls.

South and East of Lombok

As you leave the Lombok road and head east of Narmada, you will come across a cluster of craft villages. Loyok, for example, is famous throughout Indonesia for bamboo baskets and mats. In nearby Rungkang, jet-black pots of all sizes are made and then braided with thin, flexible rattan.

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

Labuhan Lombok on east coast- this is a local "outback"; it is hot and stuffy here, the impression is smoothed out only by picturesque pile houses. From the Kayangan terminal, which is 3 km from this village, cargo and passenger ferries leave for Sumbawa Island.

In Sukarara, just south of Mataram, almost every household has an antique loom for the production of magnificent songket fabrics, in which gold and silver threads are mixed with cotton threads. A little further south is Penujak, where world famous pottery is made for export.

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

To the south, dry, low scrub-covered hills take you slowly through the semi-desert before revealing one of Indonesia's most stunning coastlines. Kuta Beach with its white coral sand is one of the most convenient places for surfing, however, unlike its Balinese namesake, it is mostly empty. You can stay here in modest cottages; some of them have restaurants.

At sandy beach Mandalika is a resort hotel "Novotel Coralia Resort", stylized as traditional village Sasak. This is the most best hotel in District. At the request of the guests, drivers can deliver them to one of the most beautiful secluded beaches nearby.

It is worth visiting the Sunday morning market in the village of Kuta: it is very crowded and interesting here. Once a year, in February or March, for a few days after the second full moon, people gather on the beach near the Novotel to hold the Bau Nyale festival. The festival has a very ancient origin and takes place on the night when millions of sea worms crawl out of the water to mate.

Traveling around Lombok

In Senggigi they settle down organized tours on the few cultural attractions of Lombok and the villages of artisans. Some of them include a visit to one of the Gili Islands for snorkeling or diving. Bemos travel from city to city, but rarely leave the densely populated central lowlands. They can be rented at a price that roughly corresponds to the cost of a daily rental of a standard vehicle. On the ubiquitous chidomo (pony with a wagon similar to a Balinese dokar) convenient for small trips. Taxis outside Senggigi must be booked in advance. You can rent a car in Senggigi and Mataram. You can also rent bicycles, they are good for traveling in the mountains during the dry season (from June to October).

Accommodation

Most visitors to this island stay in and around Senggigi. A number of hotels are located in Kuta Beach and on the south coast. The Gili Islands have comfortable middle-class hotels, losmens, as well as luxury villas and hotels, the number of which is increasing.

In villages where there are no official places to spend the night, but if you want to stay here, you need to introduce yourself to the elder: he will place you with one of the local families.

Kitchen

Lombok cuisine does not differ in anything special from its Balinese neighbor. Except for one thing: this is a Muslim island and finding pork on the menu of restaurants outside the resorts is problematic. Alcohol is ubiquitous in tourist areas, mostly in the form of Bintang beer.

crafts

Craft art in Lombok focuses on the production of household items that have natural beauty and functionality. Look for exquisite wickerwork, be it mats, boxes, plates, pouches, or today's popular rice barns. The wooden carved and painted caskets for storing spices, tobacco, and jewelry are also very attractive. Simple red earthenware is made in Penujak, while intricately woven black pots are made in Rungkang.

How to get there

Selaparang International Airport ("Selaparang") in Mataram, two ferry crossings- that's the whole poor set of communication between Lombok and the "mainland", usually meaning neighboring Bali.

Actually, air communication with other countries is limited only to flights of Singapore's Silk Air with its inhumane 300 SGD one way and 490 SGD "round trip" from Singapore (approximately $190 and 300)- and this is a couple of months before the flight. A week before the desired date, the price tag skyrockets, and it is more logical to use Air Asia flights and local airlines with a transfer in Denpasar. The Bali capital is very close - 15 minutes in the air by plane a / c "Merpati" (2-3 flights per day, $60). Those wishing to save money are offered flights on a "fokker" a / c "Trigana" for $ 30 - an unforgettable experience in the style of a "dive bomber chronicle"!

Also, if you wish, you can fly directly to Surabaya and Yogyakarta on Citilink aircraft. Tickets are sold at airport ticket offices and travel agencies. Arriving guests of the island are transported to cities and resorts by taxi. You should ignore the intrusive bombers, go through the parking lot to the road and catch blue taxis with a meter - a trip to Mataram will cost 6,000 - 7,000 Rp (3 km south).

Lombok's main western gate is at Lembar (Lembar), where ferries from the Balinese Padangbai moor every hour and a half. The ticket is inexpensive - 15,000 Rp, but for vehicle you will have to pay extra, from 40,000 Rp for a motorbike to 225,000 Rp for a car. Passengers of buses, scheduled and charter, do not need to pay anything extra. Ferry tickets are sold at the box office, cunning port scammers claim that the box office is closed, but you should not believe them. Huge Pelni ferries from other Indonesian islands also dock at the port. Because of their deadly slow speed, they are rarely used by tourists. From Lembar to Mataram can be reached by motorbike along beautiful road for 25,000 Rp or by taxi.

Those wishing to continue their journey east to the Nusa Tenggara Islands (Sumbawa - Komodo - Flores) use the eastern port of Kayangan (Kyangan) in Labuan Lombok (Labuhan Lombok) where ferries depart every hour for Sumbawa (Rp 9,000, transport surcharge). It is connected to Mataram by a good road and numerous buses departing from the Bertais city bus station. ("Bertais") (2 hours).

In general, bus service, starting from the trans-island Jakarta - Sape (sape) (Sumbawa island) and ending with daily tourist charters of the Regatta company to all Bali resorts - the cheapest and most popular means of communication with the outside world. The easiest way to get there is from Denpasar (6 - 7 hours, 90 000 Rp) and Sumbawa Besar (Sumbawa Besar) (6 hours, 65,000 Rp). The trip from Jakarta will turn into an extreme 32 hours in a smoky bus for 300,000 Rp - very cheap, but incredibly angry.

Useful information

The Tourist Office is located at Mataram, Lombok. Jalan Langka, 70, tel.: 0370-631-730. Useful cards and booklets, which, however, are not always available.

We also recommend Bidy Tour in Lombok (Tel: 0370-632-127; www.bidytour-lombok.com). Another reliable travel agency is "Perama Tours" (Tel: 0370-693-007 in Lombok, 0361-751-551 in Bali; www.peramatour.com) offers a variety of excursions, as well as transfers in Lombok and Indonesia.