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Place to
Visit in Lombok island
Gunung
Rinjani National Park
Gunung
Rinjani National Park lies within the major
transition zone (Wallacea) where the flora and fauna
of South East Asia makes a dramatic transition into
that which is typical of Australasia. The Park has a
rich variety of plants and animals, although they
can be hard to spot due to the terrain and
rainforest cover.
Sometimes seen early in the mornings is the rare
black Ebony leaf monkey, known locally as Lutung.
The Long tailed grey macaque or Kera is common in
Lombok and older males are seen on the crater rim.
Rusa deer are forest dwellers and are occasionally
seen along the Rinjani trek trail.
The smaller Barking deer or Kijang has an alarm call
with a distinct dog-like bark. Look for the
disturbed ground where the Wild pig or Babi hutan
has been foraging. Also found in the forest is the
Leopard cat or Bodok alas, Palm civet or Ujat and
Porcupine or Landak.
A variety of colourful birds live in the forests of
the Park. Perhaps the best-known icon of the Park is
the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo that is not found any
further west of Lombok.
Many of the forest-dwelling animals, insects, birds,
civets and monkeys owe their survival to the wild
fig tree or Beringin as a provider of food and
shelter.
The pine-like Casuarina species, Cemara, are a
feature of the grassy higher slopes.
Orchids or Anggrek are also a feature of the
grassland areas, as is Edelweiss or Bunga Abadi
growing above the tree line; it is a beautiful icon
of the Park and one of our best-known sub-alpine
plants.
image gallery
Gili Nangu Lombok
Gili Nanggu, situated just off west Lombok, is a
small island of 12.5 hectares. Yet the island feels
a lot bigger than this, with its undisturbed
corners
of natural beauty and numerous swimming spots.
The underwater world is also stunning with lots of
brightly colored fish swimming close to the beach in
the warm tropical water.
Traveling to the island is relatively easy — it’s a
45-minute boat ride from Lembar Harbor in Lombok, or
a 15-minute boat ride from Taun Harbor, also in
Lombok.
Those who are interested in maritime recreation,
snorkeling, sunbathing at the beach, or relaxing at
a place of natural beauty choose Gili Nanggu.
The island of 12,5 Ha area in Western Lombok is
managed with Forest/Virgin Island concepts of
unexploited nature. The serenity and beauty of this
island makes Gili Nanggu a routine destination for
many foreign tourists. They call Gili Nanggu: “The
Paradise Island”
Water Fall Sendang gile
Sendang
Gila waterfall (Sendang Gile), which attracts many
thousands of Indonesian and foreign visitors
annually, is Mount Rinjani national park’s best
known attraction. Located at about 600m above sea
level, the waterfall is an easy 20 minute walk down
a graded trail and steps from Senaru Village, which
is the main access to Mt. Rinjani National Park. A
pleasant alternative return route winds along the
edge of the steep valley, following the irrigation
canal. For the more adventurous, the “second
waterfall” Tiu Kelep, is another hour’s walk upriver
from Sendang Gila. The scramble over rocks through
the tropical forest is rewarded by the beauty of the
waterfall and a swim in its deep pool. It is said
locally that every time you swim behind the main
waterfall of Tiu Kelep you become a year younger!
With access from the main road, the “third
waterfall” Betara Lenjang is a true rainforest
adventure strictly for rock climbers with local
guide and equipment.
Sendang Gile waterfall located at Nort of Lombok. It
take about 2 hours from Mataram. Sendang Gila
waterfall is a waterfall on the northern slope of
Rinjani, near the village of Senaru , beautiful and
stunning with the natural surrounding. The local
believe the water from the waterfall has curative
qualities. While it may be unclear just what kind of
illness this water, can cure, the site, which sits
hundreds meters above sea level offer more than just
recreation The air is clean and cool, and far from
the hustle and bustle and pollution. This trip will
give you the chance to stop at places such as
Lendang Bajur local market, Pusuk Monkey forest,
Malimbu hill for photo taking. Lunch is served in
box lunch or at local restaurant.
Benang Stokel Water Fall
Benang Stokel in the village of Aik Berik in Central
Lombok is about 27km east of Mataram, a little less
than an hour’s drive. Locally Benang Stokel is
well-known for its 2 waterfalls, the Benang Kelambu
waterfall and the likewise named Benang Stokel
waterfall from which the trekking up to Rinjani
starts.
The waterfall and starting point for this track can
be reached in about 30 minutes by jeep. Trekking
through dense forest, the ascent up to the crater
rim takes around 6 hours. From here, the descent to
the crater lake is about 3 hours. This track offers
lots of variety, with the famed Tiara Dewi Anjani
waterfall as one of its highlights, and with some
luck one might encounter a herd of deer.
On this waterfall we can go to Benang Kelambu Water
Fall it’s about 2 km tracking to the west in About 1
hours tracking to it.
Ekas Beach Lombok
Ekas Beach Lombok located at South East Lombok. Its
about 2 hours from Selong the capital city of Lombok
Timur (East Lombok). At Ekas Beach Lombok we can
find traditional and unique boat which fisherman
used to find and catch some fish.White sand beach,
cleany water, great place to take some rest and
refreshing our mind.
Something good news is, Ekas is far from city. So we
can’t hear any noise that distrube our ear. Some bad
news is no electricity. Yeah this beach located 2
hours from Kuta. So it’s kind of advantage to stay
at Ekas Beach Lombok. We can find friendly people at
Ekas Beach Lombok. If you ask something maybe they
will intruduce you with what you ask for. But it’s
the best way if upu have any guide to guiding you to
Ekas Beach Lombok.
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 hol
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.
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.
Maun
Beach Lombok
Approximately 7 km to the west of Kuta Beach, Lombok
(not Kuta in Bali), there is one beautiful little
bay called Mawun Beach. A beach with calm waves and
still quiet, mawun beach at wedge by two hills and
has clear and calm water with occasional small
ripples of waves came. You can relax under the big
trees in the shady side beach with views that are
truly extraordinary. For you who want to sunbathe,
beach Mawun well suited because it’s not too
crowded, swimming or just relaxing with a float in
the water also would be nice.
The beach is very quiet and almost no waves, so very
comfortable for swimming.
Mawun beach shaped like a bow with a deep arch. The
hills around the beach always change the colors as
the seasons. In the rainy season, the hills will be
dominated by green vegetation that thrives, while in
the dry season will look brownish. These colors
blend with blue and white Ocean waves breaking in
the distance when hit the reef.
In the middle of the bay, you will find the sand
with small grain size. But more to the south, you
will find the sand grain size becomes larger. In the
southern part of this bay, lots of black rocks
spread out, blended with white sand beaches.
For tourists who are interested in adventure, there
is high hill have been waiting for a steep climb. At
the top of the hill, stunning scenery from the shore
line the winding, hilly and extent of the sea are
waiting for anyone who is tempted to enjoy them.
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.
T ete 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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