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| LOMBOK - THE ISLAND OF FASCINATION |
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How many times have you thought of disappearing to a tropical paradise? Getting away to you place in the sun .Lombok is far more than that. Where is Lombok? You may ask, some may have never heard of Lombok.
The island of Lombok is situated just 35 kilometers from the island of Bali across the Lombok straight in the Indonesian archipelago, sitting 8 degrees south of the Equator with the most beautiful climate all year round . Many have compared Lombok as Bali’s little sister island and behind Bali by 30 years in development . Lombok is an island rich in its own cultures and traditions, not spoilt by commercialism and yet growing all the time. Developing a great tourism industry in its own way, without loosing the essence of the environmental features so intrinsic to Lombok.Noted for its beautiful unspoilt coastal areas and lush green mountain regions filled with wildlife Lombok offers you an experience seen., no where else in the world.
Lombok the island itself is about a 200 km drive round trip. For a small island it has definite regions so significantly different to each other. Like the Gilli Islands. Three small islands just of the coast of Lombok- very easily reached by small boat. There you will relax and swim in the warmest azure blue water imaginable - the Gillis is a favorite destination for diver world wide because of the magnificent coral reefs surrounding them. If you don’t dive you can be pampered in luxury. Accommodation, or if you wish, just ride around the island s on a pushbike. The choice is yours. [ Accommodation on Gilis ]
The indigenous people of Lombok are warm and friendly the majority being ‘Sasak’, with Sasak being the spoken language of Lombok. But generally many local people speak Bahasa Indonesia so there is never a problem getting understood or communicating. Lombok also has a big Hindu population stemming from centuries past. There is also the ‘Waktu Telu’ which is the as they say, the real people of Lombok very small in numbers to the north of Lombok around Bayan. Because of this cultural diversity with its people, it entwines you into a fascinating array of different ceremonies and cultural events that will mesmerize any person from other countries , with spectacular and sometimes musically emotional ceremonies that will display the rich heritage that is only seen in Lombok as compared to the rest of Indonesia.
Associated with these ceremonies are the sacred sites from ancient Hindu temples and historically significant landmarks; to remote villages that time has never changed. Lombok people will never let these places be spoilt with the wrong type of development! Even traditional foods of Lombok have an essence of their own, with beautiful flavors and aromas to tempt the taste buds. From hot and spicy [the name Lombok means chilli in English] through to fruits that are so delicious, you crave to eat more. When you visit Lombok, if you are not careful you could put on a few kilos. But there is so much to do that you would soon wear it off again each day. [ How they earn living ]
Lombok has the Rinjani Volcano region. Rinjani being the second highest volcano in Indonesia being a capped volcano you can trek to its summit with guides to experience the sunrise, beautiful beyond belief for those that make the journey. The mountains regions of Lombok are lush and green so spectacular with villages separated by lush green ridge so different to the coastal regions and in easy reach by car.
To the south, Lombok has magnificent bays, white sandy beaches so magical you would think you would only see such views on postcards. South Lombok offers many attractions, surfing and fishing being the most popular. Further along toward the west coast lays Desert Point arguably one of the best surfing waves in the world. All this lies just under one hour from Mataram the capital of Lombok .
Continuing up the west coast the topography changes yet again as the coast faces across the Lombok straights. Here lies Senggigi; a scenic coastal town considered the night spot of Lombok with great dining restaurants and five star accommodations, Lombok is an investors dream with the potential only going to increase with the completion of the International Airport soon. This will bring international tourism to Lombok in a way not realized as yet.
It does not matter if you travel north, south, east, or west in Lombok is an island so captivating you won’t want to leave. Stay awhile and the charm of the people entwined with the natural beauty will remain in your memory forever. These things all cumulated mean one of the most beautiful places on the planet, but you have to be careful, the charm of Lombok will always draw you back. |
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