Lombok
Island
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Mount
Rinjani |
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Gili
Island |
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Komodo
Island |
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About
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There is motto in
vogue among tourism official and operator in Lombok: " Bali
can be seen in Lombok, but Lombok cannot be seen in Bali " |
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 Historical Of
Lombok |
Such is the cliché in a brochure advertising Lombok as
a tourist destination. That is not without reason. In the
western part of the island, Hinduism is heavily present
alongside Islam. The island was Javanese prior to the Islamisation of Java, and as such subjected to the powerful
influence of the Shiva Buddhist tradition from Java.
In the 17th century, the King of Karangasem invaded Lombok,
turning into an important center of Hindu - Baliness power and
culture. Such influences inter - wine history of Bali and
Lombok. |
The
Balinese still makes up an important minority in the
western part of the island. The city of Cakranegara is a
mainly Balinese city. The Pura Meru Temple, built by
Anak Agung Karang in 1720, is dedicated to the Hindu
trinity of Brahma, Wisnu, and Shiwa.
Another
sign of the effect of Karangasem is the famed Taman
Namada, built 1727 by Anak Agung Gde Ngurah Karangasem
as both a recreational garden and a place to
Shiwa.
But despite the Hindu influence, Lombok is
essentially a Muslim island. Islam come first from Java,
and then from Sulawesi, whose sea - faring Bugis set up
the eastern Kingdom of Selaparang in the 17th century.
So the religious mix is remarkably complex.
Most
of the Sasak people of Lombok follow a brand of Islamic
orthodoxy professed by traditional teacher, which is
known as "Tuan Guru". Other follow the syncretism
tradition of ' Watu Telu". Instead of praying five times
a day as Moslem usually do, they prey only three times a
days, and have a cosmology influenced by Hinduism. There
is even a temple in Lingsar where people from Hindu and
Islamic traditional meet for common prayer. Besides the
Balinese and Sasak, there are also Bugis in Lombok
Island.
The Lesser Sunda is lands region, of
which Lombok but apart, cover and area as wide as Java.
It has great variety of ethnic groups, with an increased
Melanesia influence the further one goes east. There is
at least 33 main language. Some islands are highly
Islamic (like Lombok and Sumbawa), while other mostly
catholic (Flores) and still other are Protestant,
(Sumba, Rote, and western Timor).
The area is no
less varied geographically. The Nusa Tenggara islands
are the most varied in Indonesia: their landscape ranges
from Lombok's volcanoes to Sumba's and Flores' dry
Savannah. There are also colorful atolls in many part of
the region.. |
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Lombok is where the transition towards eastern Indonesia
begins, both naturally and culturally. The northern part of
Lombok is mountainous and verdant with tall trees and shrubs
covering the land. One finds none of the large Asian mammals.
The western part of the island is the greenest and most humid.
As one moves east, the dry season become more pronounced, and
in many areas corn and sago instead of rice, are the staple
foods.
Lombok Principal Mountain is the 3726-m
Rinjani Mountain, third highest in Indonesia. Still
active, it lasts erupted in 1901, 1994 and 2004.
Mountains play an important role in sasak tradition.
Both the Sasak and Balinese people have a yearly
pilgrimage to Rinjani's summit, which has several
sulfuric lakes with curative virtues. Mountain Rinjani
also offers trekking through the rain
forests.
Mataram the capital of west Nusa
Tenggara, altogether with Ampenan, the old port, and
Cakranegara, the old Balinese capital, make up the
largest urban area in the province. Nearby Sweta has the
largest tradition market including birds. Very different
from the atmosphere of urban Lombok is a traditional
village such as Sukarara; famous of the weaving, and
Penujak, Banyu Mulek; famous for its
pottery.
Lombok has large array of beautiful
beach. Kuta beach (also known as Putri nyale beach), it
on the south coast of Central Lombok. The answer to
Bali's Kuta, albeit much less developed, kuta in one of
the most scenic and unspoiled beaches on the island.
From Kuta to Tanjung A'An, five kilometer away, there is
an unbroken stretch of clean white sand. The Sea is safe
for bathing and swimming.
Further to the west are
several surfing and windsurfing beaches. Each year, on
the 19th day of the tenth month of the sasak lunar
calendar, when the Nyale fish come to the sea surface,
Kuta beach host the famous Nyale festivel (Normally on
February).
But Lombok's chief resort is Senggigi
beach, offering range of accommodation, with the best
Hotel on the island situated here. Coral can be seen in
abundance just offshore.
Gili in the Sasak language
means island. The three gili island, gili Air gili Meno
and gili Trawangan, are idyllic islets just off the
northern coast.
A favorite with back packers,
the island abounds with coral garden. Gili air the
nearest island can be reached in 15 to 20 minute by boat
from the main land and 1,5 hours from Senggigi. One of
the best way to enjoy the splendor and beauty of the
Gili island is to go on cruise by Traditional boat from
Senggigi. The blue tinted stag horn corals are one of
the attractions here.
On Lombok, nature and you
enter new geographical zone, the intermediate zone
between Asia and Australia. The staple food is sago,
corn, or cassava. There is little paddy, as cattle
replace agriculture as the main activities of the local
people. The other important economic activity is the
making of pottery, which is gaining worldwide fame.
Pottery is produced mainly in the village of
Banyumulek, Masbagik Timur and Penujak. Here, women have
been involved in this craft since the decline of the
Hindu Kingdom of Majapahit in the early 16th century.
Technically, there are few differences in processes used
in the three villages except that the designs of the
pots are different.
Since 1988, the Lombok craft
project, jointly run by the Government of the Republic
Indonesia and of New Zealand, has been provided
technical and marketing assistance to these women
potters. It has assisted them to process their clays in
way which produce a stronger product.
The
earthenware clay used is grayish brown in its natural
state but becomes a beautiful rich brown when fired.
Finished pots are coated with a slip made from the same
clay, sieved to produce a fine surface which is later
burnished with stone. The clay used to produce Sasak
pottery has been approved for food safety by the New
Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research. Such pottery items, ranging from food storage
containers to cooking utensils and water jars. Totally
hand - crafted, Sasak pottery is intrinsically fragile
but if handled with care will last many
years.
Another island in the Nusa Tenggara chain
is Sumbawa, whose 2200-m Mount Tambora, erupted in the
18th century, killing most of the local population
(about 30.000 people). The biggest town is Sumbawa
Besar. The island is predominantly Moslem, with some
Christian communities. The palace belonging to the
ancient Bugis Sultan of Sumbawa, Dalam Loka can be
visited. As can Bima and Sape two other interesting
places.
Flores means "Flower" in Portuguese, and
the island which take this name is one of the main island in
East Nusa Tenggara. It was a Portuguese colony for long time
before the dutch took over. Many of the local people are of
Portuguese descent and still retain Portuguese names.
Catholicism is the main feature in the many villages of the
flores and of same of the small islands nearby. Every year the
Paso Easter procession in held in Larantuka, the town house of
the black Madonna of Flores.
This westernized island has many untouched beaches and
pristine underwater coral garden. There are shark hunter
villages in Lamalera and Small Island of Lambata.
The mainland is famous for its tricolor Caldera Lake on Mt.
Kalimutu, whose combinate of colors change according to the
volcanic activity. The women made ikat weaving from flores are
well known amongst collectors. It has many styles as there are
dialect: about 15 altogether.
Between Sumbawa and Flores is Komodo and Rinca Island, a
Jurassic Park of an Island, home to the Giant four meters long
Komodo dragon lizard, which cam weigh up to 150 kilogram. June
till September is the best months to observe this endangered
prehistoric monster up close. When watching this living
dinosaurs, visitor offer goats as bait to make the monster
demonstrate their "beastliness". But be careful! ( There are
stories of European tourists whose cameras were the only
things which returned home. Unusually, the sand on this
island's beach has pink hue.
On each island of Nusa Tenggara, the traditional are
particularly beautiful and the traditional markets unique.
Apart from the larger islands of Nusa Tenggara, there are many
smaller island ready to uncover their beauty and richness.
They represent future challenges for the Indonesia tourism
industry. |
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For
further Information, please be feeling free to contact
Us |
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