Geography: Lombok is an island in the West Nusa Tenggara province (Nusa Tenggara means the ‘southeast islands’). It is one of the Lesser Sundas Islands separated from Bali by the Lombok Strait and from Sumbawa by the Alas Strait. It is 70 mi (115 km) long and 50 mi (80 km) wide.
Currency: Rupiah (Rp) - currently the exchange rate is approximately Rp10.000 for $1 American
National Symbols: Garuda - mythical bird
National Anthem: "Indonesia Raya"
Language: Bahasa Indonesia
Area Comparison: Lombok geographically is almost the same size as Bali
Distance from Pittsburgh: 16,147 km or 10,033 miles
Terrain: Central Lombok, to the south of Rinjani is similar to Bali, has rich alluvial plains and fields irrigated by water flowing from the mountains. In the far south and east it is drier, with scrubby, barren hills. This area gets little rain and often has droughts which can last for months.
Highest Point: Gunung Rinjani, which soars to 3726m, is the second highest mountain in Indonesia
Weather You Should Expect: Lombok has basically two seasons - wet and dry. The wet season generally occurs from November through to February, with heavy monsoon rainfall and cloud. During this time it can be quite humid but still hot. The dry season from March to October can still experience rain but is generally fine, clear and hot with average temperatures around 28"C. Around August and September it can also be quite breezy. The best months for good surf are June, July and August.
What You Must See: Pura Lingsar is a large temple complex, built in 1714, is the holiest place on Lombok. The temple combines the Balinese Hindu and Wektu Telu religions in one complex. The Hindu temple in the northern section is higher than the Wektu Telu temple in the southern section. The Wektu Telu temple is noted for its small enclosed pond devoted to Lord Vishnu, and the holy eels which can be enticed from their hiding places with hard-boiled eggs (available at stalls outside). You will be expected to rent a sash and/or sarong to enter the temple.
Pura Meru, is the largest temple in Lombok. Built in 1720 by Balinese prince Anak Agung Made Karang of the Singosari kingdom in an attempt to unite Lombok, it's dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.The outer courtyard has a hall housing the wooden drums that are beaten to call believers to ceremonies (the June full moon is the most important of these). The inner court has one large and 33 small shrines, as well as three meru (multi-roofed shrines), which are in a line: the central meru, with 11 tiers, is Shiva's house; the meru to the north, with nine tiers, is Vishnu's; and the seven-tiered meru to the south is Brahma's.
The Mayura Water Palace was built in 1744, and was once part of the Balinese kingdom's royal court in Lombok. It's a pleasant retreat now, popular with fishermen and families, but in 1894 it was the site of bloody battles between the Dutch and Balinese. The complex contains a large artificial lake, with a modest replica of a bale kambang (floating pavilion) in its centre, connected to the shoreline by a raised footpath.
How to Get Around: The cheapest and the most fun way to travel short distances in Lombok is by cidomo , a locally designed horse-drawn cart. These can be found everywhere , even on the small Gili Islands.
Places to Try: The Papaya Café is invitingly decorated with rattan sofas and exposed stone walls, this enjoyable place has a tempting menu of Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese dishes and some of the best cocktails in town. The English Tea Room is a delightful place, located in a shopping plaza, offers a wide choice of salads and sandwiches as well as terrific cakes. The teas include Ceylon and Indonesian green and you'll find some interesting coffees too.
Historical Fact: Lombok was ruled by the sultan of Makasar in 1640. The Balinese later seized control and established four kingdoms there; the Dutch ruled the kingdom of Mataram from 1843 and gained control of the entire island by the late 19th century. Following World War II, it became part of Indonesia.
National Anthem: "Indonesia Raya"
Language: Bahasa Indonesia
Area Comparison: Lombok geographically is almost the same size as Bali
Distance from Pittsburgh: 16,147 km or 10,033 miles
Terrain: Central Lombok, to the south of Rinjani is similar to Bali, has rich alluvial plains and fields irrigated by water flowing from the mountains. In the far south and east it is drier, with scrubby, barren hills. This area gets little rain and often has droughts which can last for months.
Highest Point: Gunung Rinjani, which soars to 3726m, is the second highest mountain in Indonesia
Weather You Should Expect: Lombok has basically two seasons - wet and dry. The wet season generally occurs from November through to February, with heavy monsoon rainfall and cloud. During this time it can be quite humid but still hot. The dry season from March to October can still experience rain but is generally fine, clear and hot with average temperatures around 28"C. Around August and September it can also be quite breezy. The best months for good surf are June, July and August.
What You Must See: Pura Lingsar is a large temple complex, built in 1714, is the holiest place on Lombok. The temple combines the Balinese Hindu and Wektu Telu religions in one complex. The Hindu temple in the northern section is higher than the Wektu Telu temple in the southern section. The Wektu Telu temple is noted for its small enclosed pond devoted to Lord Vishnu, and the holy eels which can be enticed from their hiding places with hard-boiled eggs (available at stalls outside). You will be expected to rent a sash and/or sarong to enter the temple.
Pura Meru, is the largest temple in Lombok. Built in 1720 by Balinese prince Anak Agung Made Karang of the Singosari kingdom in an attempt to unite Lombok, it's dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.The outer courtyard has a hall housing the wooden drums that are beaten to call believers to ceremonies (the June full moon is the most important of these). The inner court has one large and 33 small shrines, as well as three meru (multi-roofed shrines), which are in a line: the central meru, with 11 tiers, is Shiva's house; the meru to the north, with nine tiers, is Vishnu's; and the seven-tiered meru to the south is Brahma's.
The Mayura Water Palace was built in 1744, and was once part of the Balinese kingdom's royal court in Lombok. It's a pleasant retreat now, popular with fishermen and families, but in 1894 it was the site of bloody battles between the Dutch and Balinese. The complex contains a large artificial lake, with a modest replica of a bale kambang (floating pavilion) in its centre, connected to the shoreline by a raised footpath.
How to Get Around: The cheapest and the most fun way to travel short distances in Lombok is by cidomo , a locally designed horse-drawn cart. These can be found everywhere , even on the small Gili Islands.
Places to Try: The Papaya Café is invitingly decorated with rattan sofas and exposed stone walls, this enjoyable place has a tempting menu of Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese dishes and some of the best cocktails in town. The English Tea Room is a delightful place, located in a shopping plaza, offers a wide choice of salads and sandwiches as well as terrific cakes. The teas include Ceylon and Indonesian green and you'll find some interesting coffees too.
Historical Fact: Lombok was ruled by the sultan of Makasar in 1640. The Balinese later seized control and established four kingdoms there; the Dutch ruled the kingdom of Mataram from 1843 and gained control of the entire island by the late 19th century. Following World War II, it became part of Indonesia.
Science Fact: Lombok Strait, which has depths exceeding 3,600 feet (1,100 metres), has been called the edge of the Asian continental shelf. Also Gunung Rinjani has a large caldera with a crater lake, Segara Anak, 600m below the rim, and a new volcanic cone which has formed in the center. Rinjani last erupted in 1994, and evidence of this can be seen in the fresh lava and yellow sulphur around the inner cone.
Interesting Fact: The local inhabitants of Lombok are called Sasaks who make up 70% of the population are the predominant group with Balinese, Chinese, Arabian, and Javanese and other ethnics groups making up the rest.
Fun Fact: Lombok has great woven textiles like songkets and ikats that can be used as a sarong, wall hanging, table cloth and more. The design woven is special to each weaver and it is passed down through the generations before. There is a traditional hand weaving village in Puyung, central Lombok. Also, Banyumulek (West Lombok), Penujak (Central Lombok) and Masbagik (East Lombok) are famous villages in Lombok for making pottery.
Everything You Need to Know About the Flag:
The flag consists of two equal horizontal bands of red and white. The colors derive from the banner of the Majapahit Empire of the 13th-15th centuries - red symbolizes courage and white represents purity.
The flag is similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter and it is also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white on top and red.
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