Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
brought the desired tourism boom yet, though the number of international flights is certainly
on the rise.
Praya and around
The market town of
PRAYA
, 22km southeast of Mataram and 26km north of Kuta, is a trans-
port hub for the south, though with the new airport highway, buses from Mataram to the new
airport and the shuttle buses to Kuta bypass the town completely.
Sukarara
The village of
SUKARARA
, about 8km west of Praya, produces the widest range of textiles
on Lombok, weaving highly coloured
songket
cloth on backstrap looms and
ikat
cloth on foot
looms. A sarong-and-scarf set can take up to five months to weave and designs are so numer-
ous and complex that girls and boys start learning at the age of seven; young women must be
skilled weavers in order to be considered marriageable. There are a number of textile shops
in Sukarara and in neighbouring Puyung.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: PRAYA AND AROUND
By bemo or bus
Buses and bemos from Mataram's Mandalika terminal drop off at the bus
terminal, 3km northwest of the centre, where there are onward buses to Sengkol and Kuta.
Destinations
Kuta (1hr); Mataram (Mandalika; 30min).
Banks and exchange
There are several ATMs on Jl Jend Sudirman in the town centre.
EATING
Lesehan Asr
Jl Basuki Rachmad.
A good restaurant near the police and fire stations.
Very popular with office workers, it serves delicious local food, including grilled fish and
kangkung pelecing
for Rp30,000.
Daily 8am-11pm.
SHOPPING
Patuh Art Shop
Sukarara.
A local weaving cooperative with an enormous range of textiles;
on request they will show you the weavers at work. It's 2km south of the junction with the
main Praya road.
Daily 9am-6pm.
