Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Penujak
Penujak is well known for its traditional
gera-
bah
pottery made from a local clay with the
simplest of techniques. The pots range in size
up to 1m high, and there are also various
kitchen vessels and decorative figurines. The
traditional pottery is a rich terracotta colour
and is hand-burnished.
Penujak is on the main road from Praya to
the south coast; any bemo to Sengkol or Kuta
will drop you off.
Rembitan & Sade
The area from Sengkol down to Kuta is a
centre for traditional Sasak culture. Regular
bemo cover this route.
Rembitan is on a hill just west of the main
road. It's a slightly sanitised 'traditional' Sasak
village, but still boasts an authentic cluster of
thatched houses and
lumbung
. On top of the
hill is
Masjid Kuno
, an ancient thatched-roof
mosque, a place of pilgrimage for Lombok's
Muslims as one of the founding fathers of
Islam in Indonesia is said to be buried here.
On the road between Rembitan and Sade
are stores selling Javanese-style batik paintings
(albeit painted by locals).
A little further south is Sade, another tra-
ditional, picturesque village that has been ex-
tensively renovated. It has informative guides
who'll tell you about Sasak houses and village
life. Donations are 'requested' by guides at
both villages - 3000Rp to 7000Rp is enough,
but expect to have to pay for photos too.
KUTA
Lombok's Kuta beach is a magnificent stretch
of white sand and turquoise sea with rugged
hills rising around it. Surfers are drawn here
by the world-class waves, but the village has
a languid charm of its own with some de-
lightful hotels and a succession of dramatic
bite-shaped bays nearby.
Long-slated plans for a succession of five-
star resorts have failed to materialise, and this
superb coast is still all but undeveloped, with
far, far fewer facilities than the (in)famous
Kuta Beach in Bali. Kuta comes alive during
the annual Nyale fishing festival (in February
or March; see the boxed text p324) and during
the main tourist season (August), but for the
visitors very welcome and will explain all
about Sasak traditions and local agriculture.
Everyone knows their house in the village.
Pringgasela
is a centre for traditional weav-
ing on simple looms; the local textiles pro-
duced here feature coloured stripes. You can
watch the weavers in action and buy sarongs
and throws.
It's best to rent or charter private transport
from Tetebatu to visit the craft villages in
this area.
SOUTH LOMBOK
%
0370
South Lombok is blessed with the island's best
beaches, from dramatic cliff-backed coves
to oceanic expanses that catch world-class
waves. The region is noticeably drier than the
rest of Lombok and more sparsely populated,
with limited roads and public transport. Most
visitors head for Kuta - the antithesis of its
Balinese namesake - a tranquil, relaxed base
for exploring the terrific southern coastline.
PRAYA
pop 35,000
Praya is the south's main town. It's a very
spread out place, with tree-lined streets and
a few old
Dutch buildings
. There's nothing of
much interest to visitors right now however,
except perhaps a couple of ATMs on Jl Jend
Sudirman, but by 2009 Lombok's new inter-
national
airport
should open close by, boost-
ing the local economy. Meanwhile, the bemo
terminal, on the northwest side of town, is the
transport hub for the region.
Just up from the market,
Dienda Hayu Hotel
(
%
654319; Jl Untung Surapati 28; r 50,000-80,000Rp;
a
)
has rooms that are in fair shape, all with cold-
water bathrooms.
AROUND PRAYA
Sukarara
The main street here is given over to touristy,
commercial craft shops, but you may want to
put up with the sales speak in order to see the
various styles of weaving and watch the weavers
at work.
Darnia Setia Artshop
(
h
7am-6pm)
has the
widest range of textiles, including ikat, some
KUTA
0
1 km
0
0.5 miles
To Sengkol (11.5km);
Praya (24.5km)
A
B
C
D
INFORMATION
SLEEPING
Kuta Corner.............................
1
B2
G'day Inn.................................
6
B2
Market.....................................
2
B2
Ketapang Bungalows................
7
B2
1
Perama................................(see 15)
Kuta Indah Hotel.....................
8
A2
Wartel......................................
3
B2
Lamancha................................
9
B2
Matahari Inn..........................
10
B2
12
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
Melon Homestay....................
11
B2
Kimen Surf...............................
4
B2
Mimpi Manis..........................
12
B1
Kuta Reef Surf Shop.................
5
C3
Novotel Lombok....................
13
D3
Rinjani Bungalows..................
14
C3
Segare Anak Cottages............
15
C3
Surfers Inn.............................
16
C3
To Astari (500m);
Tastura Beach Resort.............
17
C2
Mawan (8km);
To Awang (14km)
Selong Blanak (18km)
EATING
Cafe Lombok Lounge.............
18
B2
Empat Ikan..........................(see 13)
2
8
Family Cafe............................
19
B2
6
3
1
Ilalang....................................
20
C3
19
4
Rinjani.................................(see 14)
10
18
9
DRINKING
Kuta
11
21
Mascot Pub............................
21
B2
17
7
2
16
15
5
14
To Tanjung Aan (5km);
Gerupak (7km)
20
3
Teluk Kuta
13
Pantai Segar
Information & Orientation
Several places change money, including the
Kuta Indah Hotel and Segare Anak Cottages,
which is also a postal agency.
There's a wartel in town and
Kuta Corner
(
h
9am-7pm)
has slow internet access and buys,
sells or rents second-hand books. The
market
fires up on Sunday and Wednesday.
Perama
(
%
654846)
, based at Segare Anak Cottages runs
tourist buses to Mataram (75,000Rp) with
connections to Senggigi and elsewhere.
Virtually everything in Kuta is on a single
road that parallels the beach, either east or
west of the junction where the road from
Praya hits town.
Danger & Annoyances
If you decide to rent a bicycle or motorbike
take care who you deal with - arrangements
are informal and no rental contracts are ex-
changed. We have received reports of some
visitors having motorbikes stolen, and then
having to pay substantial sums of money as
compensation to the owner (who may or may
not have arranged the 'theft' himself ). One
recommended place that organises motor-
bike hire is the guesthouse Mimpi Manis (see
p324).
See the security alert about Mawi beach in
the boxed text left.
Activities
SURFING
Plenty of good waves break on the reefs, in-
cluding lefts and rights, in the bay in front
of Kuta, and some more on the reefs east of
Tanjung Aan. As the waves break a long way
from shore, use local boatmen to tow you out
SOUTH LOMBOK SECURITY
WARNING
Tourists have been threatened and robbed
at knifepoint on the back roads of South
Lombok, in particular around Mawi. Ask
