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.