Hotels Lombok

Unlike the western coasts of Lombok, Selong Belanak and Lombok's other southern coasts are still unexplored. That is just one of the many reasons to go there.

Kuta beach of Lombok offers white sand and fewer tourists.

When my friend Anin suggested we visit our friend Ana in Selong Belanak, I did not take it seriously and responded immediately because I thought that Lombok was just Senggigi and the famous Gili Islands.

But when she said that the area we would visit was remote (there is no cell phone signal), I quickly said yes.

Holiday without technology intrusion is heaven on earth.

It was luck knowing that Ana's schedule and mine aligned. To make things short, we finally met in Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport to fly to Lombok together. While the Bali-Lombok flight was only about 20 minutes, it took about two hours to reach Selong Belanak from Selaparang airport, Ampenan.

The April sun scorched on the road, but it was cool inside the car. The ride passed along paddy fields and hills that flanked the road. At certain areas, the road was bumpy and steep.

When the car was climbing another hill, Ana turned her head to me and said, "Hey girl, get ready for the view."

As the car reached the peak, we were stunned by the blue azure water that sends waves to a pocket-shaped white sandy beach enveloped by lush green hills. A small island was popping out in the middle of the bay, just like a beauty spot.

The area is still relatively untouched by tourists. The only accommodation in the beach's vicinity was Villa Sempiak, Ana's workplace. After getting our bags into Ana's room, we headed to the beach. The white sand was smooth carpet on our feet and the water pleasant.

At night, the ocean sounded a special kind of music with waves hitting the shores. Sounds of nocturnal bugs were amplified in the peaceful atmosphere. The area was free of pollution, including noise and light pollution and a good place to become more familiar with the map of astronomy.

Sitting there at two o'clock in the morning, I tried to find Crux constellation of the southern sky and one that I'm most familiar with, but to no avail. With so many stars in the night sky, they flickered as if they were in a blinking competition.

In the morning, I took a walk on the beach with my friends. There is a fishermen's village just near the beach and it is was teeming with activities at five o'clock that morning. A group of men pushed boats to sea.

A couple of black storks flew around, trying to catch small crabs or fish, oblivious to the stray dogs that ran around barking. The sun rose from the hills, a sign for us to start our exploration on Lombok's southern area.

For the journey, Ana asked her friends Amak Susi and Amak Kasturi to accompany Anin and I. Amak is the local word for common men. For men of noble birth, the word is Lalu. Public transportation in Lombok is rare and tourists usually rent a motorcycle or a car in Mataram to get around.

Our first stop was Sade, a traditional village of the Sasak tribe. The village has 150 houses and is inhabited by  about 700 residents. Our guide said that usually residents intermarried among their cousins because there was a fine of three buffaloes if the men married with women of other villages.

Selong Belanak beach seen from a hill nearby reveals a refreshing azure water and greeneries.

There are three types of buildings in the village: houses, rice barns and beruga (Lombok traditional gazebo).

According to our guides, only women are allowed to enter the rice barns. Legend has it that the men would become ill if they entered them.

The houses have low roofs so that guests honor the house owners by bowing before entering, the guide said. The house has two floors. The first floor is for parents and the sons, while the second is allocated for the daughters' room and the kitchen.

From Sade village, we headed to Kuta beach of Lombok, which was quite deserted. There were only three teenagers who approached us to sell us bracelets.

As we walked along the beach, our feet stumbled on the shells washed ashore. We gathered them and it did not take a long time to find a handful of beautiful shells.

While we were at Kuta beach, several boats were coming in. A group of men and women were closing in on a boat that had just touched the beach. While men were pulling the boat ashore, the women were handling the catch of the day. The women hauled baskets of fish out of the boat and carried them on top of their heads. A basket of fish were left on the sand, tempting the children to play with them.  

Another deserted beach to visit is Mawun Beach, which also haspocket-shaped terrain. Unlike Kuta Lombok, a free beach, there is parking fee at Mawun Beach.

It was noon when we got there and the sun was scorching mercilessly. Fortunately, there is a big tree just a stone's throw away on the shoreline. We sat there, sharing the shade with a group of foreign tourists with surfboards.

Nothing needs to be said when nature exercises its charm.  The waves move back and forth, the wind blows an airy breeze and leaves rustle. Time seems to stop. But when the sun tilts to the west, it is a sign for us to get on our feet and head back home.

— Photos by Tifa Asrianti

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, Lombok

Mount Baru, also known as Child of Rinjani, in West Nusa Tenggara erupted again last week, forcing authorities to continue the ban on climbing activities on the Rinjani peak and Segara Anak Lake.

On Friday, the 2,376-meter-high mountain erupted four times, spewing gases up to 1,600 meters to the north.

On Sunday, there was an earthquake near the mountain, kompas.com reported.

Authorities are still allowing climbing activities near Pelawangan.

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Mount Rinjani on Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara, may soon be classed as a geopark, a nationally protected area containing a number of geological heritage sites of importance, rarity or aesthetic appeal.

An official at the province's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Heriyadi Rahmat, said UNESCO had accepted nominations to include Mount Rinjani in the global geopark network.

The UN body has also accepted similar nominations for Mount Batur in Bangli regency, Bali; and Mount Sewu in Pacitan, East Java.

Heriyadi, who is also the coordinator of the team that proposed Rinjani's inclusion into the network, said they are currently preparing to complete the application form.

He said the form includes information that identifies Rinjani's region, geological description, economic situation (from population, infrastructure and manpower), natural landscape (climate, biology and habitat) as well as human activities (archeological and cultural heritage).

"The form includes management plans and structure, policy strategy, sustainable development and action plans," said Heriyadi, who is a member of the Indonesian Geologists Association.

JP/IRMA

"Rinjani meets physical requirements to become a geopark."

His team has recently met with Director General of Tourism Destination at the Culture and Tourism Ministry to discuss the proposal.

UNESCO's assessment team, comprising members from China, France, Italy and Malaysia, is expected to arrive and verify the Rinjani proposal in April.

The UNESCO team will also verify two other sites, Mount Batur and Mount Sewu.
The world heritage sites are part of an integrated concept of protection, education and sustainable development.

As of August 2009, 64 national geoparks in 19 states are members of the Global Network of National Geoparks assisted by UNESCO.

Southeast Asia only has one, on Langkawi Island in Malaysia.

Once included in the network, Rinjani's management responsibility will be shared and UNESCO will assist in its promotion.

Heriyadi said the proposal to include Mount Rinjadi as one of the geoparks under UNESCO was put forth in mid-2008.

The process is ongoing, including with the team's presentation at the 11th Geo Southeast Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in June last year.

"Rinjani meets physical requirements to become a geopark," Heriyadi said.

The 3,726-meter mountain is a unique site, with the presence of crescent-shaped Segara Anak lake on its crater and active volcano Baru Jari nearby.

Mount Rinjani is the second-highest volcano in the country after the 3,800-meter Mount Kerinci in Sumatra. Its peak is located on the eastern park of the caldera, where a new active volcano has emerged.

Based on research, the mountain had several major eruptions, which formed extraordinary natural stone morphology within the Mount Rinjani National Park area.

The mountain, as part of the national park, is currently managed by Rinjani Trek Management Board, a body comprising members of the government, NGOs, the community and tourism businesspeople.

Since managed by the board, the mountain has received several awards, locally and internationally, including the 2004 World Legacy Award and was finalist of the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards in 2005 and 2008.

Apart from its extraordinary scenery and unique flora and fauna, the region is also home to rich traditional customs, traditions and communities.

Last year along, the park was visited by 4,800 foreign tourists and 3,500 domestic ones.

"As a volcano, Rinjani has great geotourism potential with its scenic caldera, lake, crater, waterfall, hot water spring, its eruption history and many more," he said.

However, he noted low support from the provincial administration on the proposal, saying it was maybe because the idea being put forward by the professional organization,   not the geologists association.

Other proposals, both in Bali and East Java, came from the local administrations.
Head of Tourism and Culture Office Lalu Gita Aryadi, was hopeful the proposal could be realized.

"If it was named the world's geopark, more tourists would come."

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, Mataram

AS MALAYSIA enters an era of transformation in line with the New Economic Model (NEM), the time is now ripe for some sectors like tourism to go more into niche tourism products and services.

Take your report, "Love is in the air for newlyweds," (Sunday Star, April 18) as a lead, we are now beginning to go for various modes and means to fulfil the lifestyle needs of our tourists.

We have heard a lot about people who are willing to fly to the romantic island of Bali just to have a wedding "made-in-heaven". But what is so great about Bali that we don't have on our many paradise islands of Langkawi, Penang, Redang, Tioman, Pangkor Laut, Mabul, etc?

To sum it up, I can simply say that the two winning points of Bali are the culture and arts scene. The whole island has an air of festivity day in and day out. Ours on the other hand, is a seasonal affair while some are just put together for the benefit of tourists. Bali also has all the trappings in terms of niche tourism products and services, which we sorely lack.

Talking about weddings in Bali, tour operators walk the extra mile by providing things like air tours in which one can arrive in style, or a lovers' tour of the island and beyond.

Surely, we are not short of all these trappings and the icing-on-the cake stuff. Our tour operators should be more creative and come up with itineraries that can attract this particular segment of people.

For example, we can offer a helicopter ride for a bridal shoot to nearby Fraser's Hill, our Little England, or to Bukit Tinggi, our "Petit France", or to honeymoon retreats like Pangkor Laut and Langkawi, just to name a few.

We can save a lot in foreign exchange if Malaysians holiday at home instead of going to places like Bali, Bandung, Koh Samui, Ho Chi Minh City or Hong Kong like these places were their second home.

According to Tourism Malaysia, our tourist arrival figures have already surpassed the 20 million targeted mark. But then what is the quality of these visitors? Are they mere sightseeing tourists on packaged holidays or are they long-stayers with money to burn?

I suppose we must not be contented with the multiplying numbers achieved every year. If we want to raise our standard of living, we should also explore the top-notch tourist market.

I have just come back from an anniversary holiday in Lombok, Indonesia. With our strong ringgit, we were able to stay in a five-star hotel there. On the whole, Lombok is poor in terms of income and infrastructure but they are simply rich in tourism products.

By comparison, we were there for only four days and three nights while a middle-aged British couple whom we met were able to stay there for almost 20 days. Imagine, they were spending the pounds by the thousands to the benefit of the local community.

These are the visitors we should pursue. Tourism Malaysia and the local players should take the cue and lead the way in ensuring that in-bound visitors are not just day-trippers but are in the real sense of the word tourists with much disposable income to part with.

ZARI MALAYSIANA,
Petaling Jaya.

thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/4/22/focus/6094665&sec=focus

Cidomo - horse drawn carriages - drivers have been urged to keep the region free from dung, or face suspension.

The West Lombok regency administration has been enforcing a regulation requiring cidomo drivers to install bags to hold horse droppings.

"We have started inspecting cidomo in Gerung and Kediri, two of the 10 districts in West Lombok. We are pushing for public awareness about cleanliness, and unruly drivers will face sanctions," West Lombok Transportation Office head M. Djunaedi told The Jakarta Post recently.

Cidomo is a local mode of transportation in Lombok, one of Indonesia's most popular tourist destinations. It resembles delman, or dokar, in Java. The transportation office records at least 1,200 cidomo carriages operate in West Lombok.

Cidomo is regarded to be very effective to meet the transportation needs of the local community, especially those living in rural areas where the carriages usually provide transport services to markets. Besides relatively cheap fares, a cidomo holds more passengers than public vans or ojek motorcycle taxis.

However, their commuting causes concerns, with the horse droppings often dirtying the roads, leading to bad odors, because a large number have not installed bags to contain the dung.

At a market in the regency capital of Gerung, cidomo line up on the roadside, unperturbed by their droppings below them. Passers-by often pinch their noses to avoid the smell.

"Some have installed their cidomo carriages with used rice sacks but they are not effective because the droppings quickly pile up and spill over," Djunaedi said, adding that during the campaign in the past week in Gerung and Kediri, the local administration distributed 100 dung containers to the drivers.

In the near future, he said, they will distribute more than 1,000 containers made of plastic tarpaulin, designed specifically by the transportation office. The West Lombok regency administration will also distribute shovels, coconut leaf-rib brooms and buckets to the cidomo drivers.

"The funds will be derived from the local budget and we expect to have distributed the items in a month's time, so when the dung drops on the street, the driver can go down and scope it."

Amaq Ripah, 45, complained about the dung bags, saying the dung container bothered his horse's hind legs.

"It's harder to steer the horse if it uses the bag, especially when the material is thicker than a normal sack."

He added the dung held in the bag would also make passengers uncomfortable due to the smell.

Ripah hopes the government would also provide a place to dump the droppings.

"It's impossible for us to bring it home or dump it in the dumpster, so we need a place that is easily accessible."

Cidomo is a source of livelihood for Ripah and other residents. Ripah said his brother-in-law took turns to operate the cidomo.

"The income is quite reasonable. We can take home Rp 35,000 *US$3.50* from a half day's work," Ripah said.

With the recently implemented regulations, the administration seems to have refrained from stern sanctions, restricting themselves to reprimanding or having the drivers pick up the droppings.

"But in the future, when everything has been in place, authorities will confiscate the driver's seat and suspend them from operating for a few days," Djunaedi said.

The transportation office is currently filing data on cidomo drivers for administrative regularities. Besides the driving licenses, places of origins are also scrutinized to avoid trespassing in operations.

The case of those from Mataram city operating in West Lombok, for instance, should not happen again, Djunaedi said.

"The inspection and registration is aimed at maintaining cleanliness and road safety in the area."

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, West Lombok

A trekking event involving over 2,800 participants planted at least 3,000 seedlings in Pusuk forest, West Lombok, to improve people's awareness on the importance of preserving the environment.

Participants included high-school students, civil servants, police and military personnel, tourism businesspeople, NGO activists and the general public. Six environmental activists from Japan also took part in the event.

Speaking after officially opening the event at the Pusuk Pass tourist resort on Wednesday, West Lombok Regent Zaini Arony said the annual event was held as parts of the regency's 52nd-anniversary celebrations.
"People everywhere should take part [in forest preservation] and start planting trees," Zaini told The Jakarta Post.

From a tourism point of view, he said forest trekking could also become an activity to promote the lush Pusuk Pass as a tourist attraction.

The trek covered an 8-kilometer route starting at Pusuk Pass in Gunungsari district, passing through Pusuk Forest and ending at Batu Bolong resort near Senggigi, Batulayar. It took about two hours all up.

Participants were grouped in a teams of five and were obliged to carry seedlings to plant along the way.

West Lombok Forestry and Plantation Agency head Lalu Syaiful Arufin said the seedlings were of productive trees such as durian and jackfruit. They were supposed to be planted under Pusuk's endemic trees.

"That way local communities can also enjoy harvests," he said.

Lalu said West Lombok has some 37,000 hectares of forest, 16,000 hectares of which are in a critical condition.

Pusuk, a resort area known for its green views, is among those areas still well preserved.

He said the tree planting event held by the trekking participants would be effective in helping reforestation in the region.

The regency administration would not be able to handle the critical regions alone, he added.

"We have a limited budget. We're only capable of reforesting some 2,000 hectares of forest a year. Programs like this help accelerate reforestation efforts," he said.

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, West Lombok

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: Lack of road access may delay the opening of the new Lombok International Airport in Central Lombok, an official has said.

Head of management at PT Angkasa Pura I Selaparang International Airport in Mataram, I Ketut Erdy Nuka, said construction had not been completed on a new road linking the airport to provincial capital Mataram.

"*Lack of* a main access road will certainly hamper the new airport's operation," he told The Jakarta Post.

The airport is 95 percent complete and is expected to be completed in June and begin operating in July. - JP

A trekking event involving over 2,800 participants planted at least 3,000 seedlings in Pusuk forest, West Lombok, to improve people's awareness on the importance of preserving the environment.

Participants included high-school students, civil servants, police and military personnel, tourism businesspeople, NGO activists and the general public. Six environmental activists from Japan also took part in the event.

Speaking after officially opening the event at the Pusuk Pass tourist resort on Wednesday, West Lombok Regent Zaini Arony said the annual event was held as parts of the regency's 52nd-anniversary celebrations.
"People everywhere should take part [in forest preservation] and start planting trees," Zaini told The Jakarta Post.

From a tourism point of view, he said forest trekking could also become an activity to promote the lush Pusuk Pass as a tourist attraction.

The trek covered an 8-kilometer route starting at Pusuk Pass in Gunungsari district, passing through Pusuk Forest and ending at Batu Bolong resort near Senggigi, Batulayar. It took about two hours all up.

Participants were grouped in a teams of five and were obliged to carry seedlings to plant along the way.

West Lombok Forestry and Plantation Agency head Lalu Syaiful Arufin said the seedlings were of productive trees such as durian and jackfruit. They were supposed to be planted under Pusuk's endemic trees.

"That way local communities can also enjoy harvests," he said.

Lalu said West Lombok has some 37,000 hectares of forest, 16,000 hectares of which are in a critical condition. Pusuk, a resort area known for its green views, is among those areas still well preserved.

He said the tree planting event held by the trekking participants would be effective in helping reforestation in the region. The regency administration would not be able to handle the critical regions alone, he added.

"We have a limited budget. We're only capable of reforesting some 2,000 hectares of forest a year. Programs like this help accelerate reforestation efforts," he said.

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, West Lombok

For nature: Women arrange offerings during the Sad Kertih ritual at Melase Beach in West Lombok over the weekend. Participants at the ritual believe it will help maintain natural harmony. JP/Panca Nugraha

Hundreds of Hindus in Lombok Island carried out the solemn Sad Kertih ritual, which seeks blessing for natural balance and harmony.

Ritual observers flocked to Melase Beach, Batulayar district, West Lombok regency, located 2 kilometers from the regency's famous Senggigi Beach and 7 kilometers from the provincial capital Mataram.

"Through the ritual, we pray for the safety of the earth and everything in it," I Gede Renjana, chairman of the West Nusa Tenggara branch of Indonesian Hindu Dharma Association (PHDI), said.

The ritual provided the faithful an opportunity to contemplate a series of disasters including those caused by nature, disease and human conflict, experienced by Indonesia in particular and the whole world in general.

In Hinduism, Renjana said, such disastrous conditions were known as the Roga Sanggara Bumi, in which evil is believed to dominate life on earth. Rituals like Sad Kertih, he said, were held to neutralize this condition.

Held as a cleansing ritual, Sad Kertih is also believed to be able to restore relationships between humans and God, among humans and between humans and nature. "We call it the Trihita Karana," Renjana said.

The observers came from various regions in the island including North Lombok, Mataram City and West Lombok. Each family brought banten (offerings) arranged on a container called lapan and placed them along the beach, forming a line of offerings more than 200 meters long.

"As far as I know, this is the largest ritual ever held in Melase," participant Ni Nengah Sudiari from Gerung, West Lombok, said.

The ritual comprised two sessions: Segara Kertih Ngepik Nangluk Merana, held for the purity of the sea, and Jagad Kertih Bumi Sudha, held for the purity of earth. Both were conducted for the creation of balance in Indonesia.

West Lombok regent Zaini Arony said the ritual was a great time for realizing that humans contributed a great deal in damaging nature.

"Human ignorance and carelessness in maintaining nature have brought about disasters," he said, expressing hope that Hindus in the region would learn a lesson from the ritual to help maintain natural balance in the ecosystem.

The human's horizontal dimension, he added, was plural. People need others to live.

West Lombok is known for its high level of tolerance. Despite being a Muslim-majority region, the regency is also home to many temples where Hindus can freely practice their faith.

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, West Lombok

A wooden pier on Lombok's Medana beach. (JP/Prodita Sabarini)

A perfectly round sun in glaring hues of red and orange was sinking behind the horizon between the islands of Gili Air and Gili Meno in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

Cruising on a boat that was moving into the sunset, I sat dreamily, watching the sky turn from grayish-blue to purplish-pink.

The sun was reflected in the rippling water, giving it a golden glimmer.

I've always dreamed of watching the perfect sunset by the beach -- like the one so eloquently depicted in Seno Gumira Ajidarma's collection of short stories Sepotong Senja Untuk Pacarku (A piece of dusk for my love).

Desperate after several attempts at catching the perfect sunset, I was about to give up, almost ready to concede that Seno sunsets were merely fiction.

However, my trip to the island of Lombok saved me from a broken dream.

When I took up an offer to join a sunset cruise organized by five-star Oberoi's Lombok Beach Club, I got my chance to experience that perfect sunset. The Beach Club is managed by marine adventure company H20 Sportz.

The lulling movement of the boat, cool breeze on my skin and Lombok's natural beauty made it breathtaking.

Medana beach and the volcanic soil of handsome Mt. Rinjani were visible to the east.

To the west, the silhouette of Mt. Agung on Lombok's sister island, Bali, was visible.

For vacationers willing to trade the excitement of a tourist crowd for nature and tranquility, Lombok is the place.

Possessing only a fraction of Bali's tourist infrastructure, much of Lombok remains virtually unexplored. But, National Geographic Traveler magazine recently gave Lombok higher marks than Bali for sustainable tourism.

The island is slightly smaller than neighboring Bali, with a population of 2.3 million, the majority of whom are Muslim.

The indigenous Sasak people adhere to a unique blend of Hindu and Muslim beliefs found only in Lombok.

The island has a wide variety of topographical features and microclimates. North Lombok is the domain of the active Mount Rinjani while the central region is devoted to agricultural. South Lombok, while very arid, offers breathtaking vistas of a fierce sea from atop towering rock outcrops.

The coral reefs off the three Gili Islands are still in good condition, making this a good place for snorkeling and diving.

I stayed at The Oberoi, located in Tanjung, around 35 minutes northwest of Selaparang Airport. From the Medana Beach, where the resort is located, Gili Air and Gili Meno are visible.

I arose early for sunrise watching and fishing, activities organized by the Beach Club.

The new day broke as magnificently as the previous day had ended. Around 6 a.m., from the jetty at Medana Beach, we could see the first morning light give a pinkish hue to the calm waters.

We were taken to Gili islands just off Lombok and enjoyed sunrise photography on the way. We were also lucky enough to catch up with a group of dolphins and land a yellowfin tuna.

At Gili Air -- one of the three Gili islands and the nearest to Lombok -- some went sailing and some snorkeled. There, in the underwater forest of coral, I spotted white sea turtles.

We anchored off a white-sand beach and, as the day got warmer, I retreated to a shady hammock with a good book.

Gili Air is popular for its coral reefs and tranquil ambience. It's quieter and more relaxed than Gili Trawangan, which is popular as a party island for backpackers.

We took a ride on a cidomo, a local horse carriage. Thirty minutes was all it took to circle the entire island. After the ride, we were treated to the local spicy Taliwang chicken for lunch.

Unlike Bali, Lombok has only a few five-star hotels. The Oberoi was Lombok's first luxury resort; the island also has a Sheraton and a Holiday Inn. Budget lodging is available, including at popular Senggigi beach and in the Gilis.

Despite natural beauty and interesting culture, tourism in Lombok lags behind Bali. Lombok suffered from rioting in 2000 as well as the bomb attacks in Bali in 2002 and 2005.

An international airport is under construction, scheduled for completion in 2009. It is expected to bring more international airlines to the island, and more people to witness the beauty of Lombok.

Travel Notes

Getting there: Currently Lombok can be reached from Singapore with Silk Air and from Jakarta with Garuda Airlines.

Domestic carriers make the 20-minute hop from Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport to Lombok's Selaparang airport frequently.

There is also a Bali-Lombok sea alternative: public ferries departing every two hours from Padang Bai in Bali. Tour companies such as Perama tours also go to Lombok.

Accommodation: High-end resorts such as The Oberoi, The Sheraton and Holiday Inn are available. Budget places are available in Senggigi beach and the three Gilis.

Getting around: Lombok has an extensive network of roads, but public buses and bemos (minibuses) are generally restricted to main routes. You can also charter a bemo or cidomo (pony cart) or rent a small motorcycle or a car. Outrigger boats called perahu are used for short trips to snorkeling spots or surf breaks.

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, Tanjung, Lombok