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LOMBOK ISLAND

The Week Business magazine ( USA) wrote , “ Indonesia will be the greatest tourism destination in the world “.

It is a new paradise island called Lombok, which means “chili pepper” in Indonesia. But in the local language the native say, it also means “straight as a road” and, therefore, ”honest”.

It is 1.774 square miles and 2.3 million lie some 50 miles east of the Indonesian archipelago’s most famous island, supremely beautiful yet sadly overdeveloped bali.

The island was first described in English by Alfred Russel Wallace, the great naturalist who shaped the theory of evolution with Charles Darwin. On Lombok you know how it was in the old days-not just the early 20th Century, but the 19th.

The beauty of the landscape is relatively unspoilt – ideal countryside for trekking and those with an adventurous spirit. Lombok has Mt.Rinjani, an awe inspiring volcano which soars to the height of 3.726 meters.

Rice ,is the main commodity on Lombok instead of coconut ,Coffee, kapok, tobacco , cotton and any other plantations.

There are many temples ,royal park, traditional sasak villages ,beautiful white sandy beaches ,as well as many wonderful small islands around Lombok that suitable for having fun of scuba diving ,snorkeling , smimming or just relaxing on the beautiful shiny beach.

The island has thankfully not yet leapt into our present day reality of traffic jams and smog. Traditional carts pulled by small ponies still seem to be the preferred method of transport. Even in streams beside the main street of Mataram, the provincial capital, you can find drivers washing their steeds in sparkling mountain streams.

Today it’s possible to fly to the Island. At least 14 flights a day make the trip from Bali to Lombok and there are daily flights from Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya by Garuda, while Silk Air files direct from Singapore and Merpati from Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia.

The Weather

The climate of the region has a perfect climate with annual temperatures ranging between 21 and 33 degrees. It has only two seasons, the dry from May to October and the wet from November to April.

People, Religion, Arts & Culture

Two thirds of the 2.6 million population live of Lombok which is home to sasak people a group of indigenous people who inhabit various parts of the islands, some of who still live a traditional lifestyle. In western Lombok, descendants of Balinese who sailed over the Lombok strait centuries ago, still reside. They retain their Hindu beliefs and intricate ceremonies, while their Sasak neighbors are predominantly Moslem.

The diversity of people provide the region with a rich tapestry of dialect and divers range languages, traditional dance, music and ritual. In addition, beautiful pottery making, cloth weaving, and painting are done using skill passed down through the generations.

On Lombok the influence of Javanese, Hindu and Islamic cultures can clearly be noted in a traditions of the society.

Government

As a province, the autonomous region of West Nusa Tenggara is governed by a governor who has first been elected by the regional parliament and then appointed by the president for a five years term, Mataram is the capital of the provincial government.


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