WORLD CHAMPIONS DANCE IN LOMBOK

Lombok was treated to a magnificent evening of world class ballroom and Latin American dance performances at the first ever Lombok International Dance Championships on Sunday, 29 June 2008.

The spellbinding event was held in the conference centre at Santosa Villas and Resort, with hundreds of separators attending to witness the finals of the Championships held in the evening, starting at 6.00 pm.

Performances by Latin American dance masters, Evgency Ryupin and Yana Povrovskaya from Moscow, as well as 2008 World Championship Finalists, Roberto Villa and Morena Colagrego from Italy, were highlights of the event; although it was impossible to choose favourites from the many talented dancers present.

The conference centre at Santosa Villas and Resort was converted into a ballroom for te Championships, with a specially constructed wooden dance floor installed for the event. Professional lighting and sound systems were also installed, to ensure a top class presentation. Mr Marcel de Rijk, world-renowned ballroom dancer, Vice president of the World Dance Council and international adjudicator, who also owns the delightful Purim as Boutique Resorts in Lombok, was responsible for organizing the Lombok International Dance Championships and his popularity in dance circles was evident, with top international dance couples from more than 15 countries and an international panel of judges and adjudicators made up coming to Lombok for the event. The lombok International Championships was a spectacular event, unlike anything usually seen in Indonesia, and promises to be an important date on the Lombok calendar for the future.

HATTEN WINES MEET LOMBOK SCENE

Gigi van Kuijk, Director of Sales & Marketing for Hatten Wines and Two Islands Wines, has a busy time when she was in Lombok recently for a long weekend.

On the morning of Saturday, 28 June Gigi held two training courses for around 80 employees of Lombok's hotels and restaurants. The training sessions, held at Marina Cafe in Senggigi, foccused on the Two Islands range of Wines and included product knowledge, sales technique, as well as correct handling and storage of the wines.

Late in the evening, Gigi, together with Pak Alfi of Marina Cafe and Square Restaurant fame, hosted a special wine tasting evening at Square Restaurant. The event was attended by around 80 of Lombok's Leading hotel and restaurant owners and managers, as well as invited guests, who enjoyed a generous sampling of the Two Islands Shiraz and Chardonnary wines. Guests were served canapes prepared by Square's new Executive Chef, Wayan Budiana, recently transplanted to Lombok from Mozaic Restaurant in Bali.

On Sunday, 29 June, Gigi joined a select crowd of guests at the newly-opened Qunci by the Sea Restaurant at the stylish new Qunci Pool Villas in Mangsit. Lucky guests were treated to free flow champagne and a special tasting menu prepared by Edy and the kitchen team at Qunci Villas. Each table was given a different selection of five courses and asked to rate the food in terms of presentation and taste...a mammoth task for the chefs and the most enjoyable afternoon for the guests! Later in the afternoon, Gigi manned the Hatten Wines booth at the Indonesian Chef association "Food, Wine & Cooking Demo" held at the Sheraton Senggigi Beach Resort. Hatten Wines was one of the major sponsors at the event, along with Mamas, Bali Moon, Sukanda Jaya and others.

G.E.C

RINJANI COUNTRY CLUB

GOLF COURSE & RESORT

Fast Fact

18-hole international standart championship course

Club-house with restaurant, pro shop, art shop, locker room

Three on-course rest-room and refreshment facilities

Well-trained English and Japanese-speaking women caddies

Tifdorf bermuda/ Himekorai grass greens

Club and shoe rental

Swimming pool, tennis court and rental villas

Air-conditioned transport provided on request

Longer

Drivers, easier swings. finer putts and more accurate chips when you play strees-free in the cool, fresh, mountain air of the RINJANI COUNTY CLUB

Ideally

Located 500 metres above see level in the Mt Rinjani foothills, golfers find that the natural surroundings of the 18-hole course, contribute towards enhanching the total golf experience. Why not? It's in sight of a spectacular mountain range and a mountain the same height as Mt Fuji.

No matter what skill level you're at, Rinjani Country Club, with its colourful fish-ponds, mini lakes and white sandy bunkers, offers you the challenge of a great game.

But

Remember this Country Club. Rental villas are available with a swimming pool and tennis courts. A club house and restaurant serve up local and international cuisine.

Located

Dusun Golong bear by Mataram City, the course it just 25 minutes from the airport or 45 minute from the Senggigi resort area.

Head Office:

Jl. Sriwijaya #396 Mataram - Lombok - Indonesia

Telp. +62(0) 370 637316, Fax: +62 (0) 370 627396

Golf Course:

Golong-Desa Peresak, Narmada - Lombok - Indonesia

Telp. +62 (0) 370 633488, 6604170 Fax: +62 (0) 370 633839

E-mail: kaorilombok@yahoo.co.jp

Exotic Lombok A Truly Vacation “Visit Indonesia 2008”

Enjoy the natural beauty and the diverse culture of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, with Merpati Nusantara Airlines

Exotic lombok indulges you with accommodation in star rated hotels, visits to special tourism destinations, and an international standard 18 hole golf course with many facilities, set in the cool mountain range

Book now for this special package!

For further information please call

Kuala Lumpur: 603 21411411, Dili: 670 390 321880, Jakarta: 021 6546789,

Bandung: 022 4222488, Surabaya: 031 5688111, Denpasar: 0361 235358/ 222101,

Mataram: 0370 632226/ 241439, Toll Free: 08000 10 12345

Places To Visit

West Lombok

Pura Lingsar, ist sacred not only to Lombok's Hindu Community, but also for local Moslem and Wektu Telu followers.

Built around 1714, Pura Lingsar was originally based on the prevailing animist beliefs of the time, and some of the original animist statues remain today. This temple has two holy shrines and is the only place on Lombok where all the religions-Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Orthodox Moslems-come together to pray for prosperity, fertility, rain, health and general success. The temple is traditionally associated with fertility, irrigation and rice. Perang Topat, is an annual festival held at Lingsar and features a ritualised war with rice cakes, which also serve as an offering to the Gods.

Lingsar has spring-fed pools within the temple grounds and is home to large freshwater eels. Visitors are welcome to accompany a temlpe priest who will feed them hard-boiled eggs, purchased at nearby stands. Open during the day. Admission and ell feeding by donation.

Pura Narmada (or Narmada Temple), around 10 km east of Cakranegara in Narmada, was created circa 1805 as a reflica of Gunung Rinjani and Segara Anak, the lake within Rinjani’s crater. The gardens at Narmada are beautifully maintained and surround the pools and lake. Check for performances of Gandrung, Gendang Belek and other traditional dances on special occasions. Some of the other pools at Narmada are available for swimming (modest attire, please) and are popular with local people.

Pura Suranadi, a complex of there temples located a few kilometers north of Narmada in Suranadi, is the oldest and holiest of the Balinese temples in Lombok, founded by 16^th-century Javanese priest, Danghyang Nirartha. Underground streams bubble up into restored baths, used for ritual bathing. Locally, Suranadi is regarded as the place to obtain the proper holy water for Hindu cremations. Huge sacred eels live in the pools and streams here, and can sometimes be lured out with an offering of boiled eggs (purchased at a nearby stall). To see a sacred eel is considered very lucky! The eels are considered holy and it is taboo to eat them or to contaminate their water.

East Lombok

Masbagik, close to Pringgasela, is a small pottery village. Wander the streets and see the pottery being made in the small yards behind the simple homes here and purchase the wares of amazingly cheap prices.

Central Lombok

Pringgasela in central Lombok is easily reached from the main road heading east across the island. A turnoff at lenek leads to the small village which is steeped in tradition and is a major centre for weaving ikat. Visit the small houses and shops here to purchase traditionally woven, colourful fabrics.

Tetebatu, on the southern slopes of Gunung Rinjani, is a cool mountain retreat with beautiful reice terraces, forests and bright green fileds of crops and tobacco on the surrounding slopes. It’s wet and misty during rainy season, cool and lush during the dry, and is a lovely place for walking or a day trip with lunch at one of the nearby restaurants or lesehan.

Jeruk Manis is a lovely waterfall to the north of Tetebatu, reached in about an hour’s trekking through a monkey-filled forest. It’s best to take a local guide with you.

South Lombok

Sukarara is 5 km to the west of Praya, heading south towards Kuta. This is a weaving village where quality ikat and traditional cloth is displayed and sold.

Weavers work outside many of the shops, using antiquated “back strap looms” to painstakingly produce works of art. Some of the larger pieces can take several months to weave, and collectors from around the world visit this village to purchase the blankets, sarongs and cloth produced here.

Rembitan and Sade 2, on the main road before Kuta, are two traditional Sasak villages sitting between the roadside and the rice fields. There are authentic lumbung (traditional houses) here and the villages are laid out in old-style compounds.

Kuta, on the south coast, is famous for its beaches and great surfing. There is a good variety of accommodation and restaurants in the area, including the architecturally spectacular and luxurious Novotel Coralia Resort located on one of the most picturesque beaches in the area. Kuta is popular with surfers and holiday-makers seeking sun and sea. Located about 45 km (28 miles) south of Cakranegara, or one and a half hour’s drive from Senggigi, Kuta has an expansively beautiful white sand beach and is a good base for exploring the stunningly beautiful southern coastline.

GETTING TO LOMBOK

BALI TO LOMBOK BY AIR

It's easy to get to Lombok from Bali - flight time is only 25 minutes. Buy tickets direct from the airline counters at the domestic airports, or contact local travel agents, in both Bali and Lombok.

Merpati Airlines flies direct between Bali and Lombok, with four flights daily. Lombok, ph: 0370 62111, Airport: 0370 633637. Bali, ph: 0361 235358. or www.merpati.co.id

Indonesia Air flies direct between Bali and Lombok with two flights daily, morning and afternoon. Lombok, ph: 0370 6625565, 639589. Bali, ph: 0361 257662. or www.iat.co.id

Trigana Air operates two flights between Bali and Lombok daily. Lombok, ph; 0370 646839. Bali, ph: 0361 760218

or www.trigana-air.com

Trans Nusa Air flies between Bali and Lombok every day. Lombok, ph: 0370 6162428, 616433. Bali, ph: 0361 760218

or www.transnusa.com

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

Selaparang Airport in Lombok currently handles international arrivals and has full Visa on Arrival facilities, with efficient and fast visa processing.

Silk Air (a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines) flies direct between Lombok and Singapore, three times per week. Lombok, ph: 0370 628255. Airport, ph: 0370 622987. or www.silkair.com

Merpati Airlines has flights every day between Lombok and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (via Surabaya). Lombok, ph: 0360 621111. or www.merpati.co.id

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

European connections are easy via Jakarta in Java. Direct flight from Jakarta to Lombok are available every day and are usually timed to connect with European flights. Lombok is easily accessible from Jakarta, Bali, Jogyakarta and Surabaya and is an important connection for travel to the eastern islands, in particular Sumbawa, Komodo and Flores.

Garuda Indonesia has direct flights between Lombok and Jakarta two times every day. Call centre: 080 418 07807. Airport: 0370 646846. or www.garuda-indonesia.com

Lion Air has daily flights between lombok, Jakarta and Surabaya. Ph: 0370 663444. or www.lionair.com

Merpati Airlines has flights available between Lombok, Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Sumbawa, Flores, Kupang and many other Indonesian destinations. Lombok, ph: 0370 621111. or www.merpati.co.id

Trans Nusa Air flies between Lombok and Sumbawa four times per week. Lombok, ph: 0370 616428, 616433. or www.transnusa.co.id

Batavia Air has flights between Lombok, Surabaya and Jakarta every day. Lombok, ph: 0370 648998. or www.batavia-air.co.id

BALI TO LOMBOK BY SEA

Padangbai Harbour (Bali) is approx. 2.5 hours by car from kuta and south Bali. Lembar Harbour (Lombok) is approx. 1 hour south of Senggigi, Lombok. Arrange your own transfers and buy tickets direct from the harbours, or use a reputable tour company to provide a through service.

Public Ferries depart every two hours for the sea voyage between Padangbai Harbour (Bali) and Lembar harbour (Lombok). The crossing between the islands takes approx. 4 to 5 hours.

Perama Tours offer a complete transfer package, which includes pick up from destinations throughout Bali and Lombok, bus transfer to the local harbour, ferry ticket and transfer from the harbour to your destination, on either island. www.peramatour.com

FAST BOATS

Gili Cat, an Australian-built small fast ferry, depart from Padangbai Harbour on Bali at 9.00 am every day and travels to Gili Trawangan and lombok, before making the return trip to Bali, departing Gili Trawangan at 11.30 am. Lombok mainland pick-up and departures are daily from Teluk Kodek, (just next to Teluk Nara), arriving at Teluk Kodek at 10:30 am and leaving at 12;15 pm. Their service also includes free transfers between Padangbai, Kuta and Sanur on Bali. www.gilicat.com

Bounty Cruises is a large fast catamaran, carrying up to 500 passengers between Bali and Lombok, every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Bounty depart Benoa Harbour (Bali) at. 8.00 am and stops at Gili Rengit on route to Teluk Nara (West Lombok), arriving at the local harbour at 10.30 am. This will also allow travellers to make easy connections to the Gili islands. The return trip departs Teluk Bali at 4.00pm. www.balibountycruises.com

Mahi Mahi Fast Boat Service is a motor yacht providing fast transfer between bali and Gili Trawangan every day. Mahi Mahi departs daily from the beach at Serangan Harbour, in front of the Royal Bali Yacht Club, (15 mins from Kuta) at 7.30 am, arriving at Gili Trawangan at 10 am. Departures from the harbour in Gili Tare at 11 am daily, arriving in Bali at 2 pm. www.gili-paradise.com

Blue Water Express is operated by Blue Water Safaris, providing transfers between bali and the three Gilis-Trawangan, Meno and air. The sleek speedboat departs from Benoa Harbour in Bali every day at 8 am and from Gili Trawangan at 11 am. Fares include air conditioned hotel transfer in Bali. www.bwsbali.com

LOMBOK-AUSTRALIA DIRECT FLIGHTS?

The owner of OzJet, an Australian budget airline service, visited Lombok recently to discuss the possibility of
commencing the first-ever direct flights between Perth in Western Australia and Lombok.
Mr Pathma johnson met with members of the Lombok Hotels Association and other interested parties in Senggigi on
Monday, 30 June 2008 to discuess the viability of the flights and how the hotels could work in cooperation with
the airlines to provide packages to the potentially lucrative Australian market.

The airline operates several flights a week within Australia under the OzJet banner between Perth, Broome, Port
Hedland and Karratha on the west coast. In Indonesia, the company operates under the banner of Indo Jet, which
cirrently provides three flights per week between Perth and Denpasar, Bali. The company plan to increase this to four flights per week in September this year. In Australia, OzJet operates a fleet of Boeing 737-200 aircraft and provides both charters and Regular Passenger Transport (RPT) services.

The Boeing 737-200 Advanced aircraft, with a body length of 30.53m, is capable of landing at Lombok's existing
Selaparang Airport, which means that the company could conceivably start direct international flights immediately,
rather than wait for the completion of the new Lombok International Airport, schedule for 2010.

However, in order for the long-awaited dream of Lombok's hoteliers to become a reality, OzJet need some concessions and commitments from the Lombok government and airport authorities. Mr johnson said at the meeting that the airline
would need a minimum of 70 passengers per flight to break even. He plans to propose to the government that they
subsidie any deficit in minimum passenger numbers for the first six months of operations, until the Perth-Lombok
route is estabilished.

In addition, the company requires around three months of "lead time" for marketing the new service, and Lombok as a
destination, and would require financial help from the government for the costs of marketing and promotion.
should the government agree to sponsor the new international direct flights, Mr Johnson said that the service could
start operating as soon as January 2009. Mr. Johnson said that OzJet planned to start inially with one flight per
week to and from Perth, and add extra flights as demand grew. The Perth-Bali market is colosal, with Garuda Indonesia
flying between the two destinations ten times per week. Last month the airline reported that all flights between Perth
and Bali are already fully booked untill the end of the year and that Garuda plan to increase the flight frequency
to 17 flights per week in December 2008.

"The Perth market is huge and lucrative, but it's also price-conscious and Lombokwill need to compete with Bali,
"Mr Johnson told the meeting. "However, Lombok has huge potential for the Australians. Everything you can get in Bali,
you can have in Lombok...but the beaches and the environment here is much better".