Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WESTERN LOMBOK
% 0370
Most travellers who visit Lombok spend some
time in the western part of the island, if only
because the airport (Mataram) and the main
port (Lembar) for ferries to and from Bali are
here. It's the most populous part of Lombok,
with the largest urban area centred on the
Mataram conurbation, as well as the biggest
tourist resort: the Senggigi beach strip. There
are a number of attractive villages around
Mataram, as well as some stunning coastal
areas on the southwest peninsula.
MONEY
You'll find plenty of banks with ATMs scat-
tered along Cakra's main drag, particularly
Jl Penanggik; most of them will also change
cash as well as travellers cheques. Mataram
Mall and the airport also have ATMs and
moneychangers (which open longer than the
banks).
POST
Main post office (Jl Sriwijaya 37; h 8am-5pm Mon-
Thu, 8-11am Fri, 8am-1pm Sat) Inconveniently located, but
has internet and poste-restante services.
Sub-post office (Jl Langko, Ampenan; h 8am-4.30pm
Mon-Thu, 8-11am Fri, 8am-1pm Sat) Near the Nitour Hotel.
MATARAM
pop 321,000
The capital, and main city on Lombok, is Mata-
ram, although it's actually a conglomeration of
several separate towns - Ampenan (the port);
Mataram (administrative centre); Cakranegara
(business centre), which is often shortened to
Cakra; and Bertais-Sweta to the east, home
to the bus terminal. This urban area contains
over a million people and stretches more than
10km from east to west. It's not an unattractive
place, and has some broad tree-lined avenues,
but as sights are slim on the ground, and as
there are beaches close by at Senggigi, very
few visitors choose to stay here.
Orientation
The four towns are spread along one main
road - it starts as Jl Pabean in Ampenan,
becomes Jl Yos Sudarso, then changes to Jl
Langko, Jl Pejanggik and travels from Sweta
to Bertais as Jl Selaparang. It's one-way all the
way, running west to east. A parallel one-way
road, running east to west, Jl Tumpang Sari-Jl
Panca Usaha-Jl Pancawarga-Jl Caturwarga-Jl
Pendidikan, brings traffic back to the coast.
Information
EMERGENCY
Police station ( % 631225; Jl Langko) In an emergency,
dial % 110.
Rumah Sakit Umum Mataram ( % 622254; Jl Pejanggik
6) The best hospital on Lombok; has English-speaking
doctors and a special tourist service from 8am to noon.
TELEPHONE
There are wartel (public telephone offices) on
Jl Pejanggik and at the airport.
Telkom ( % 633333; Jl Pendidikan 23, Mataram;
h 24hr) Offers phone and fax services.
TOURIST INFORMATION
West Lombok tourist office ( % 621658; Jl Suprato
20; h 7.30am-2pm Mon-Thu, 7.30-11am Fri, 8am-1pm
Sat) Has some maps and leaflets but is not a particularly
informative office.
West Nusa Tenggara tourist office ( % 634800; Jl
Singosari 2; h 8am-2pm Mon-Thu, 8-11am Fri, 8am-
12.30pm Sat) Offers limited information about Lombok but
staff are friendly enough.
Sights
MUSEUM NEGERI NUSA TENGGARA
BARAT
This modern museum ( % 632519; Jl Panji Tilar Ne-
gara 6; admission 1500Rp; h 8am-2pm Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun,
8-11am Fri) has exhibits on the geology, history
and culture of Lombok and Sumbawa. If you
intend on buying antiques or handicrafts, take
a look at the kris (traditional daggers), songket
(silver- or gold-threaded cloth), basketware
and masks for comparison.
MAYURA WATER PALACE
This palace (Jl Selaparang; admission 1000Rp if requested;
h 7am-7.30pm) was built in 1744, and was once
part of the Balinese kingdom's royal court on
Lombok. It's a pleasant retreat now, popular
with fishermen and families, but in 1894 it
was the site of bloody battles between the
 
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