LOMBOK, ACROSS THE STRAITS FROM BALI

LOMBOK, ACROSS THE STRAITS FROM BALI
Lombok may not be well known as its next door neighbor Bali, but this might actually be an advantage- it gives you the chance to enjoy its splendors up close and personally.
Beaches
Starting from south, we arrive at Pantai Seger, Kuta, around 70 km from Mataram, right in front of the Hotel Novotel Coralia Lombok, Pantai Seger is the chief venue of the Nyale festival which takes place in February and March. Nyale are sea worms that appear in the sea for two days each year, believed by the people of Lombok to be a manifestation of Putri Mandalika, a Lombok princess who jumped into the sea to avoid the strife between several princes who all sought her hand. The local people hunt the Nyale and cook them up for a major feast.
In the afternoon we could see a group of seaweed farmers returning from their harvest. They gather the seaweed during Lombok’s dry season (July-December). Every morning and afternoon at low tide they collect the seaweed and bring it to shore on two large inner tubes tied together. Once ashore, they use a cidomo, a traditional wooden horse-drawn cart, to carry the seaweed home to be dried. Kuta is Lombok’s biggest seaweed producing area; the product is exported to Hongkong, where it is used to make cosmetics.
From Pantai Seger, follow the coast to Tanjung Aan, around 4 km from Kuta. The sea displays various shades of green and blue; pure white sands and a cluster of stony outcrops. One side of Tanjung Aan has fine white sand, and the other side large black grains like peppercorns.
Most of the residence of Tanjung Aan are quite poor. The area is very dry; they only get one rice crop per year, relying solely on the scant rainfall. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself followed by a mob of small children trying to sell you souvenirs to raise money for their school fees.
From the weast of Lombok, we turn to Pantai Senggigi, which is to Lombok as Pantai Kuta is to Bali-the most popular beach. Along the beach fronting the Senggigi Beach Hotel, while waiting for the sun to set we can see children chasing one another, foreign tourists in bikinis sunning themselves, several surfer and of course the inevitable vendors, we also enjoy the watching the sun set with silhouette of Bali’s Gunung Agung in the distance. Senggigi also has a lively night life, with dozens of cafes and pubs along Jalan Raya Senggigi and Senggigi Plaza.
Travelling further north, we find three gili (small islands in the Lombok language), which must not be missed. These island-Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air-can be reach by motorboat from the port of Bangsai in about half an hour. Here you can enjoy snorkeling and diving, or travel around each island by cidomo.
If you like a lot of action, Gili Trawangan is the place. The largest and furthest of the three gili, Trawangan has the most complete range of accommodation, restaurants and pubs. It also has a larger proportion of domestic tourists. Foreign tourists, who tend to prefer a bit more privacy, usually visit Gili Meno or Gili Air.
Gili Meno, the one in the middle, is the most serene. You can engage in water sports, or simply laze in a hammock on the beach, caressed by cool sea breezes, or walk in the fine white sand that surrounds the island.
Gili Air is full of young foreign couples, chatting or reading while working on their tans. You can view the underwater wonders of Gili Air without getting wet by taking a cruise in a glass bottom boat, but we choose to go snorkeling. Along the shore at depths from one to six meters you can feast your eyes on blue and yellow kima (clams) of various sizes, blue coral the size of a small table, tiger fish, moon fish, and many other colourful species of tropical fish. Schools of tiny glittering green fish swarm in and out of their nests among the coral.
Tour at Gili Air by cidomo, only takes 45 minutes to circumnavigate the dry, 175 hectare island on the narrow, dusty footpaths. We see cattle and goats grazing, and vast expanses of sea in many shades.
Traditional villages
Eighty percent of Lombok’s residents belong to the Sasak ethnic group. Sade Hamlet, in the Rambitan area, is the oldest Sasak village in south Lombok. Around 700 residents inhabit 150 traditional houses.The population has outgrown the original village and expanded it with nine newer hamlets outside Sade. It’s not surprising that the original village become overcrowded, as it has been inhabited for over fifteen generations.
Local people are still mostly traditional in style, with high peaked thatched roofs. The houses are on two levels. The men sleep below, three steps up and you are in the kitchen and women’s and children’s bedroom. The three stairs symbolize the teachings of the local religion, Wektu Telu, a syncretistic blend of Islam, Hiduism and animism. The floor of the house is made of mixture of earth and rice stalks, which is freshened up once a month with ox dung to keep the dust down.
Another traditional Sasak village lies in North Lombok, at Senaru, around 80 km from Mataram. This village is the last stopover for those who plan to climb Gunung Rinjani from the Senaru route. The roofs of the house are thatched, but without high peaks. The interior are only one level, with one wide space divided into sleeping and kitchen area. Between the houses are several berugak-open platforms that serve as community meeting places. At Senaru fifty families here follow the Wektu Telu belief, a variety of Islam that mandates only three types of prayers: the weekly Friday prayers and the annual festivals of Idul Adha and Idul Fitri.
Culture
Lingsar temple is the largest and oldest in Lombok. Built in 1714, this temple symbolizes harmony among religions; it is used as place of worship both by Hindus and by the Sasak followers of Wektu Telu. The building for the Hindus is called Gaduh, while the Sasak section is called Kemaliq, meaning “holy place”. In front of these two buildings are two houses, one used by pemangku (Hindu religious leader) and one by the amangku (Sasak traditional chief), who are chosen based on ancestry.
The Perang Topat or Pujawali festival in November or December (using the Sasak calendar) is the largest festival celebrated here. This festival was first held to venerate the wali who brought Islam to Lombok, but nowadays people from all ethnic and religious groups from throughout Lombok take part. Ketupat (cooked rice in woven packets) are brought to be blessed by the amangku, and then thrown from Gaduh and Kemaliq. Everyone tries to catch the ketupat, as they are believed to bring good fortune. The ketupat are usually placed on the farm land to bring a successful harvest.

Natural Greenery
Lombok is also blessed with dozens of waterfalls in the cool mountain areas. The best known is Sendang Gile in North Lombok, just before Senaru.
Lying at 600 meters above sea level, this waterfall is said to be able to cure many ailments. It takes some effort to bathe in the waterfall; you have to go down 315 steps to reach the falls. Yet the gorgeous greenery and the chili of the water on your feet will wash away your fatigue from the climb. Legend has it that the name Sendang Gile comes from the experience of local people who discovered the waterfall quite by accident while hunting a crazed lion that terrorized their village and then ran back into the forest.
Above Sendang Gile is another waterfall, Tiu Kelep, with natural ponds in which tourists often bathe-a welcome treat after the one hour hike to go there.
Souvenirs
From Lombok you can choose weaving from Sukarara, around 45 minutes from Mataram, or pottery ware, the specialty of Banyumulek, not far from Sukarara. In the main cities of Mataram and Cakranegara are many shops selling traditional Lombok snacks such as jackfruit taffy, candied seaweed, salted duck eggs, and Lombok’s famous honey. And don’t miss out on Ayam taliwang, Lombok’s specialty chicken dish, found at restaurants everywhere on the island.