About Lombok

Only a short flight from Bali, the island of Lombok offers plenty of options for the adventurous traveller.  The awesome  presence of  Gunung Rinjani  towers over this natural playground that boasts remote beaches, glorious coastlines and uninhabited islands .

Senggigi Beach, the main tourist area, lies on a stretch of sweeping bays overlooking Bali to the west. Its the perfect place to base yourself to explore the island and has a great range of accommodation, bars and restaurants to suit any budget.

The palm fringed Gili Islands on the north east coast,offer fantastic snorkelling and diving, each of the 3 islands offering its own unique characteristics and charm.

The southern coast of the island is a surfing mecca. Its rugged bays and headlands drawing in surfers and beach lovers from around the globe.

The administrative capital and largest city on the island is called Mataram on the central east coast. The people of Lombok enjoy a rich culture dating back centuries and over 3 million Indonesians call the island home.

Lombok History

The indigenous Sasak culture has been the predominant influence on Lombok and its people for all of the islands recorded history. Not much is known about Lombok before the 17th century, at which time it was split into numerous, frequently squabbling states each presided over by a Sasak "prince" - a disunity exploited by the neighboring Balinese.

The Dutch first visited Lombok in 1674 and settled the eastern most part of the island, leaving the western half to be ruled by Hindu dynasty from Bali. The Sasak were not all that keen on Balinese rule, and a revolt in 1891 ended in 1894 with the annexation of the entire island to the Netherlands East Indies.

But the Dutch did not have it all their own way! The next colonizers were the Japanese who landed in Bali in 1942 and quickly replaced the Dutch as the new rulers. With the end of WW2, the Dutch returned only to find that Bali and Lombok were not so welcoming. After battles with the Dutch in 1945, the whole of Indonesia finally gained independence in 1949.

Geography and climate.

Lombok marks the biological division between the Indonesian archeapol and Australasia. Many of the flora and fauna found in Lombok can be found on the islands and Australia to the east but not so for the bulk of Indonesia whick lies to the west. This division is known as the Wallace Line and distinguishes Lombok geographically from the rest of Indonesia.

Lombok is generally hot all the year round. The wet season (October to January) is particularly humid and fewer travellers visit the island. The dry season is from June to September with the peak tourist season occurring around August.

The island's topography is dominated by the towering Mount Rinjani, which rises 3,726 m, making it the second highest mount in Indonesia. The mountain dramatically influences the islands weather patterns with the southern part of Lombok being noticeably drier than the rest of the Island. In the wet season, the streams and rivers cascading down the mountains slopes nourish the islands main crops: rice, soya beans, coffee and tobacco.

There is no recorded history of Mt Rinjani’s first eruption however the most recent eruption of Rinjani - Mount Baru (Rinjani Baby) was in June - July 1994. The volcano, and its sacred crater lake Segara Anak (child of the sea), are protected by a National Park established in 1997.  

 People & Religion

The local Sasak culture dominates Lombok. The Sasak people were agriculturalists and animists who practiced ancestor and spirit worship. The original Sasak are descendants of a hill tribe believed to have come overland from north-west India or Myanmar (Burma) in waves of migration that predated most Indonesian ethnic groups. Few relics remain from the old animist kingdoms, and the majority of Sasak today are Muslim, although animism has left its mark on the culture.

 From the 16th century onwards many people and religions have reached the shores of Lombok. The Balinese and Dutch had the greatest influences on the Island and have added to Lomboks rich culture in their own way. Lomboks people are made up of approximately 85% Sasak, 10 - 15% Balinese, with the reminder being Chinese, Arab, Javanese and Sumbawanese. 90% are followers of the Muslim faith. The people of Lombok are culturally conservative so care should be taken to always show respect to the locals. Although the areas around Sengiggi Beach and the Gili Islands are more accustomed to western culture, extra care should be given when travelling to other parts of Lombok. Public displays of affection are frowned upon, so to being scantily clad. Topless or nude bathing is a definite no-no. Drinking away from the bars or public drunkenness will not win you any brownie points either.

Health & Medical Info

Medical insurance is a must for travellers to Lombok. Consult your local Doctor for recommended vaccinations before you leave home.

Mosquito born viruses such as Malaria and Dengue fever are relatively rare but are not a recommended souvenir to take home! The best way to prevent picking up one of these particularly nasty diseases is to avoid mosquito bites. Always sleep under a mosquito net where possible, use a DEET based repellent, cover your skin up with clothing as much as you can and spray your room for mosquitoes often.

Most minor ailments are caused by bacterial infection from uncooked foods or tap water. Prevention is always better than cure so be sure to drink only bottled water and make sure you eat predominantly freshly cooked foods. If you are eating fruit, make sure it is from a reputable restaurant and/or that it is peeled. Use common sense precautions like always washing your hands before meals and after going to the toilet.  If you do get an upset tummy or what is known locally as “Bali Belly” take Lomitil and Immodium to relieve symptoms. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid spicy foods. For more serious cases consult a Doctor. Most of the hotels will have a doctor on call.
Medical Insurance should be arranged before you visit Bali or Lombok. Accidents do happen. Medical evacuations are notoriously expensive. Although there is a hospital in Mataram, serious injuries should be treated at home where possible. Most serious injuries are motor vehicle related, especially those involving rented motorbikes. If you do hire a motor bike drive extremely conservatively. Always wear a helmet and protective clothing.

Protect yourself from the intense equatorial sun. Use sun block and hat. Drink plenty of bottled water.

And for after dark adventures-always where a condom so the only thing you will take home is happy memorys and some great camera snaps! Condoms are readily available in Lombok.

Cell Phone

The cellular phone network in Indonesia is GSM. If you have brought your cell phone, you can purchase prepaid calling SIM cards to make outgoing calls at lower cost than calling on your home SIM. Shops which sell these cards are prolific. Major service providers are: Telkomsel, Satelindo and XL Ritel. Look for signs and banners with those markings.