West Nusa Tenggara
The Wallace Line, named after 19th century naturalist, Alfred Russell Wallace, marks a point of transition between the flora and fauna of Western and Eastern Indonesia and acts as the Western boundary of West Nusa Tenggara, which includes the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa. The northern part of the island is mountainous and lush with tall trees and shrubs. The south, on the other hand is arid and covered by savannas. Large Asian mammals are absent and replaced instead by marsupials, lizards, cockatoos and parrots. The difference becomes more pronounced as one move further east, where dry seasons are more prolonged and corn and sago are the staple food, instead of rice. At around the time Islam first came to these islands in the 16th century; four Hindu Kingdoms co-existed in apparent peace in what is now West Nusa Tenggara. Lombok experienced strong Balinese influences, but has retained a unique identity. The indigenous people of Lombok, the Sasaks, are predominantly Moslem and have a strong, distinguished tradition, as do the people of neighbouring Sumbawa. Soft, white sand, virgin beaches are typical in Lombok. Famous for its ikat handwoven textiles, the island has exceptional charm and is relatively undiscovered, except for the town of Senggigi, which is becoming a major resort area.
Tourist Office:
Jl. Singosari No. 2 Mataram 83127
Phone. (0370) 631730, 633886, 6358474, 6387828-9 Fax. (0370) 637233, 635874 Website : http://entebe.com
E-Mail : disbudpar@wasantara.net.id
Getting there:
Regular shuttle flights from Bali and Surabaya as well as ferries, provide excellent transportation links between the islands of the province as well as the rest of the country.
Tourism Events=]
- Bau Nyale Putri Mandalika is an event which held once a year during a full-moon Feb at Kuta beach on Lombok Island is full of co¬lorful sea worms, called “Nyale”. People flock to the beach to catch the Nyale and indulge in a night of merry-making. It is linked to a popular folktale of a beautiful princess, Putri Mandalika, who willingly sacrificed herself by jumping into the sea and promi¬sing to return in the form of the Nyale once in a year.
- International Surfing Competition. An international competition held on July 2008 at Hu’u Beach, Dompu which is considered as one of the best surfing areas in the world. This event is continuation of the one held in Nias and Includes a Variety of Traditional art performances.
Places of Interest
Mataram and Cakranegara
Mataram and Cakranegara. 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 the beginning of the 18th century, Mataram was the residence of the crown prince of Karang Asem, a kingdom in southern Bali. The ruler had his seat in Cakranegara. Lombok’s biggest Balinese temple is the Pura Meru in Cakranegara; it was built in 1720 by Anak Agung Made Karang. Dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, it 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 one 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.
Pura Lingsar.
Pura Lingsar. This may be the only Hindu shrine in the world were both Hindus and Moslems come to worship. About 7 kilometers west of Narmada, it was built 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 of the compound. In the lower yard is a spring near which pilgrims stage a mock battle between Hindus and Moslems, hurling rice cakes at each other.
Sukarare.
Sukarare. This is a traditional weaving center village is located in the south of Cakrane¬gara. Lombok is known for its brightly patterned songket cloth. The techniques, patterns and motifs have been handed down through the generations.
Sengkol,
Sengkol, Pujut and Rambitan. Time seems to have frozen in these three villages in southern Lombok on the road from the capital to Kuta Beach. All the houses and barns are built in the age-old traditional style, and life continues daily here as it has for centuries.
Batu Bolong Beach.
Batu Bolong Beach. Located 9 km from downtown Mataram, this beach has a huge rock with a hole in it. A Hindu temple lies on top overlooking the Lombok Straits to majestic Mount Agung of Bali. After sunbathing, relaxing and and frolicking on this beautiful beachfront, stay till the end of the day to watch one of the most stunning sunsets you have ever seen when the sun slowly begins to dissapear behind Mount Agung.
Taman Mayura.
Taman Mayura. The Mayura Park is all that remains of the Karang Asam kingdom of Bali, who’s King A.A. Ngurah, structure called Balai Kambang, which once functioned as a legal court of Justice and a hall for important meetings. Curiously, its architecture shows both Hindu and Islamic influences, adorned with stone statues in the form of a Moslem hajji.
Kuta Beach
Kuta Beach. Also known as Putri Nyale Beach. On the south coast of central Lombok, it is one of the most scenic mid unspoilt. From Kuta to Tanjung Aan (Cape Aan) is five km away, stretches an unbroken expanse of clean white sand lapped by waves of the Indian Ocean. Kuta is safe for bathing and swimming. Further to the west are the surfer’s and windsurfer’s beaches. Each year, on the 19th day of the 10th month of the Sasak lunar calendar, Kuta Beach is the site of great festivals. Fishermen sail out to sea while young men and women gather along the bach to join in the merrymaking, tease each other and perhaps meet to build a more lasting relationship.
Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. Gili, in Sasak Language means “island”.
Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. Gili, in Sasak Language means “island”. These three islands are clustered together just off the northwest coast of Lombok. Coral gardens abound in clear waters around the islands. Gili Air, the nearest island, can be reached in 10 to 15 minutes by outrigger boat from Bangsal harbour.
Mount Rinjani
Mount Rinjani a 3,726 meter active volcano, is one of the tallest mountains of Indonesia. In the basin of the volcano’s huge caldera lies the sickleshaped Crater Lake, Segara Anakan, surrounded by steep walls. The mountain is popular with hikers. Sembalun Bumbung and Sembalun Lawang are two traditional Sasak villages on the slopes of Rinjani.
Mount Tambora,
Mount Tambora, Sumbawa. Not active at present, the 2,820 meter Tambora is noto¬rious for its savage eruption on April 5 - July 15, 1815. Falling debris, hot gases and lava streams killed more than 12,000 people. Some 44,000 more perished of hunger in the aftermath of the explosion. The top, now an immense caldera, has two distinctly co¬lored lakes. From the rim of the crater, the breathtaking view over the rest of the island includes Mt. Rinjani and the island of Lombok rising out of the sea.
Sape, Sumbawa
Sape, Sumbawa. Shipwrights still make sailboats the traditional way in this port town on Sumbawa’s east coast. Sape is a convenient point of departure for trips to Komodo Island across the strait, home of the prehistoric Komodo lizard.
Hu ‘u Beach,
Hu ‘u Beach, Dompu Regency. This gorgeous white sand beach is one of Indonesia’s surfing meccas and located at 37 km from Dompu. An International competition held July in here, considered as one of the best surfing areas in the world.
Pura Agung Gunung Sari.
Pura Agung Gunung Sari. This great temple on a hill at Gunung Sari, about four kilometers from Mataram, was the site of the infamous Puputan battle, fought on November 22, 1894, between Lombok’s last Balinese ruler, Anak Agung Nengah and followers, and the Dutch troops under General Van der Vetter’s command.
Narmada Park
Narmada Park 11 kilometers from the east of Mataram, was built in 1727 by King Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Karang Asem as both 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 king became too old to make the pilgrimage up the 3,726 meter high mountain, he had Narmada constructed 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.
Senggigi Beach
Senggigi Beach. In north of Bangsal, this beach is one of the most scenic and popular beaches on the island of Lombok. Snorkeling and good accommodation are available.
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Friday, July 31, 2009
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