Lombok is the next island to the east from Bali. The mountains of each island can be seen from the other,  Mount Rinjani in Lombok and Agung in Bali. The dividing Lombok Strait is perhaps 25-30 Km wide and quite deep. It also marks a divide (known as the Wallace Line after the scientist who first proposed the divide) between the fauna types of the Asian area and the Australasian areas.

The island of Lombok is about 60 Km east to west and about 80 north to south. The greatest tourist developments have occurred on the central west coast not far from the capital of Mataram. Communication with Bali is via the fascinating sea port of Lembar to the south or by air to the sort of quaint airport of Selaparang just north of Mataram. Further north, past the tourist focus of Sengigi, are the Gilles, three small sand and coral islands just off-shore.

The history of Lombok is closely interwoven with that of Bali (and there are many Balinese living on Lombok) yet there are significant differences not always obvious to the casual visitor. Lombok is often described as Bali of 20 years ago. This statement will cause an argument with anyone who has deeper insights into the peoples, culture and religions (mainly Muslim in Lombok but Hindu in Bali) of Lombok and Bali, but it is the impression that the first time visitor will get - and immediately warm to.
The island is undergoing development, and there are enough 5* lodgings and eateries to sate the pleasures of the world wide traveller, but the ease with which local customs and the daily lives of the local Sasaks can be observed in Lombok is only the beginning of it's charms and wonders.

These are photos from our week in Lombok in 1997.
Our first visit to Bali was over 20 years ago and, although I know some people will scoff, Lombok did remind me of that Bali I first began to know many years ago.
Perhaps the answer to any argument is in the 'did begin to know'. Maybe if I'd known Bali better then, I would not see similarities in the Lombok of today. But such is not the case and part of my great enjoyment of Lombok may well be based on the incomplete and probably fuzzy memories of Paradise Island many years ago.

Languid Lombok! I will always remember it with great fondness.  

There is a shopping, seeing, accommodation summary at the end of the pictures.

Our visit to Lombok began very early at Benoa Harbour in Bali.
We arrived to catch the Mabua Express fast ferry just at dawn as the sun began to rise over the southern tip of Palau Sarangan - the infamous Turtle Island - where many of these serene beasts are captured, caged and killed. Thankfully the Indonesian Government has recently (mid 2001) begun to enforce it's own laws against this practise. 

Jukungs or Prahus anchored in Benoa Harbour are working boats used for fishing, diving tours and inter-island freighting if large enough.
Most are powered with outboard motors these days although some are still sailed in the areas that are more remote from the tourist dollar, including many in Lombok as we were to discover.
The seamen, even the sailors of these small craft, seem proud to fly the red and white ensign of Indonesia on the foremast along with the blue and white 'diver under' flag.

The Mabua Express takes a bit over 2 hours to get to Lombok. About one hour out, in the middle of the Lombok Strait, with no land in sight anywhere, we began to pass small (15-16 foot; 5-6 metres) sailing jukungs from Lombok.
These are working fishing boats, trolling under sail for tuna, mackerel, billfish such as marlin and anything else that might come along.
It reminded me very much of "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway.

Lembar Port, our destination on Lombok, is on the south west tip of the island. The inlet which leads to the port is long and winding with many navigational beacons to pass on the correct side.
The port itself is quite cramped and crowded.
It is an education to watch pilots or captains taking large ships into and out of the confines of the port, dodging other ships as they follow the channel between headlands, reefs and mud banks.

From our first floor room at 'The Inn' we could look through the ever present palm trees and past part of the pool to the beach.

A small courtyard and fountain gurgling into a shallow pond in the path which leads through lush gardens from the lobby to the pool at the Holiday Inn, Lombok.

The coconut palms may have crossed the flora divide of the Lombok Strait from Bali, but this striking orange flower, part of a large arrangement which awaited us in our room at the Holiday Inn, has evidently not crossed the divide. I have not seen it on Bali although it was fairly common in the gardens of Lombok.

Beautiful, polished, local-timber walkways link the first floor suites at Lombok's Holiday Inn.
As the senior members of our travel group we were allocated a larger studio suite, and in other ways also we revelled in the Indonesian's cultural deference to the older and wiser.

Tropical gardens surround the pool and Pool Bar at the Holiday Inn.

This small, gushing fountain bounces water down the steps and into a pond near the entrance to Lombok's Holiday Inn.

There seem to be more sails and fewer outboard motors in the fishing villages of Lombok, the exception being the larger tourist dive boats in the foreground which are also used to take visitors to the Gillis ('islands') just offshore.
Many hands make light work and the boats are simply pulled up the beach at the end of the days (or nights) fishing.

 Not being enthusiastic about the  energy needed to hike up the mountain we took a day tour to Kuta Bay on the southern coast of Lombok, not to be confused with Kuta Beach on Bali.
Kuta Bay has the most brilliant blue water I have ever seen.
In 1997 it was not a nice ride over the last few kilometres through the scrub and sand flats to the secluded beach, but well worth it on arrival.

We were surprised that on such a secluded beach as Kuta there were sellers.
The children were much more agile over the deep sand and reach you before the adults have gone very far at all.
They are also much quicker to accept the bribe of sweets from a candy bag to sit down and talk - even when the flow of sweets slowed down.

 There is none of the Balinese pretence at covering their open drains with concrete slabs of dubious quality in this Lombok village on a main road to the islands south.
Village life is still very serene even here, just on the outskirts of the capital, Mataram.

 The tools may be few and simple but they are used by amazing craftsmen to produce complex individual joints and complete buildings with skill and artistry.

Lombok pottery is commonly found on Bali, but it is always called 'Balinese pottery'.
Here the potter incises a pattern, or sometimes a simple picture, in the soft fired salt glaze of a bowl.
Pieces of luminous shell are often glued into the incisions.

While the potter works, mother, grandmother and children eat and play behind the work-shop.
Quality bamboo furniture is also made on Lombok, as is the world renown Ikat and Double Ikat weaving.

A spice seller in a Lombok market is happy to chat with friends and passers-by instead of trying to sell her wares to strangers. Colourful spices are a feature of the local Lombok markets.

Baskets of fruits, eggs  and vegetables in the Mataram market.

The 'local's only' (I hope) meat stall at a local market.
Perhaps this is why their chillies are so strong and used in such quantity.

If you are lucky enough to go to Lombok beware of the local chillies -not only in the markets but especially in your food.

A traditional Sasak village in the south of Lombok.
The houses are small and dark with dirt floors packed down to a rock hardness. The bedroom is an elevated enclosure, screened with frond curtains, against the back wall. The building at the end of the path is for rice storage.
Chickens and ducks of all sizes and ages (but I guess not too old) have the run of the enclosed village area.

A weaving family at work in a street-side shop.
Grandmother (far left) spins thread while supervising the others engaged in the more laborious weaving.
Mother (distant end of the row) keeps an eye on the daughters, eldest closer to her and the youngest in the foreground.
The intricate patterns are handed down the matriarchal line and memorised by each generation.

The highly tactile and colourful 'ikat' cloth with it's golden threads, intricate and stylised patterns (each with a story attached) has an attraction which crosses cultural boundaries.

Like Bali, Lombok has unbelievable tropical sunsets.

The following extract is the Lombok section of our Bali Travel Forum Recommendations. There is a link to the full document at the end of the extract. The complete file covers nine districts of Bali and also has a general information section for the Bali Traveller.

LOMBOK.

Lombok is the languid island to the east of Bali.
It is similar to Bali in many ways, but so different in many others, including the majority religious base of the inhabitants which makes it more susceptible to political/religious disturbances.
Life does not have the frenetic pace of the Kutas, Legians or Nusa Duas but proceeds at a pace more reminiscent of Bali a generation or two ago.
To the regret of some travellers it is developing in the same way that Bali has.

Merpati and Air Mark fly shuttles to Lombok. Twin turbo prop engined 22 – 40 seaters with good views. Several flights each day to a fairly reliable timetable, except perhaps for last flight of the day which can be cancelled at times. The airport is near Mataram, the capital, much closer to the tourist areas than the sea port of Lembar. Airfares from Bali Rp233,000 one way. Cheaper than the high speed sea ferry from Benoa port?. 20 minutes. Rp432,000 return. Remarkable views from some wind directions. Can the pilots be bribed to fly a double, wide circuit?

SHOPPING.
1. Similar to Bali but on a much smaller scale and not as frenetic.
2. Classical weaving, basket ware and pottery are common items. Also quality bamboo furniture.
3. Big covered market at Sweta is not to be missed.

EATING.
Watch the chillies!!! I'm told that the word for 'chilli' is 'lomboc'.
1. Asmara, Sengiggi. Steaks! 3 course including drinks (Australian Chardonnay) Aus$12/head.
2. Taman. Circular rest on first floor. More $$$ than Asmara for atmosphere & outlook. Food as good.

VISITING.
1. Banumulek village – pottery.
2. Sukarare village – weaving & wood carving.
3. Sasak village –traditional.
4. Gilli Nanggu – south west. PARADISE is not lost. Uninhabited except for owner and visitors. Restaurant and back packer grade accommodation. Super fine sand. Amazing snorkelling.

DOING.
1. Overnight tours by Wali Bali good value. A$200. By Malibu Express Fast ferry. O/night at Jayakarta Hotel near Sengiggi Beach. Possible to extend stay if you like it.
2. Big market at Mataram, the capital. Incredible sights!
3. Visit pottery village, cane furniture makers, weaving village, and Sasak (native) village.
4. Go diving/snorkelling at the Gillis (islands just offshore).

ACCOMMODATION. (Standard)
1. Sheraton Sengiggi 5*
2. Holiday Inn Lombok 4* - excellent.
3. Novotel – Kuta Bay (beautiful scenery). Good but isolated

ACCOMMODATION. (Cheap)
1. Hotel Nusa Bunga. Small & peaceful. 5 Km past Sengiggi. Bungalows – pool – nice gardens. 20 paces to the ocean. Cheapish.

LINKS -  

Here is the full Bali Travel Forum Recommendations file. This is a big file and takes some time to load - but it's worth it if you're travelling there. The Lombok information above is regularly added to and updated in this file.

Our Home Page. Here you'll find other Bali links and stories.

Picture file of the Holiday Inn at Tuban, Bali so that you can compare the two if you want to.

If you're really interested in finding out more about Lombok try this link to Ed Vos' site.