Lombok Travel Guide

Lombok, through only 70 miles to the east of Bali, feels as if it is another country in another time. Lombok's beautiful landscapes are some of the finest in the Indonesian archipelago with only a fraction of the hustle and bustle of its neighbors, Bali and Java.

Villagers commute unhurriedly via cidomo (horse drawn carts) alongside small family farms from town to town.

Lombok is often compared to Bali as it was before the invasion of the tourists. Well this might be somehow true considering Lombok has got a lesser developed tourism industry and the lower life standards of its inhabitants.

A smaller amount of people are leaving on Lombok than in Bali so it leaves more space to unspoiled nature. But, even though they are some Balinese people living for ages in Lombok, Lombok and Bali are fairly different in terms of beliefs, ethno psychology and general ambiance. Lombok is definitely not a "second Bali" though the size of the island and the natural beauty compares a lot to it.

Lombok’s people are mixture of Islamic Sasak (80%) and Hindu Balinese (10%). The Sasak Tribes live in the eastern part of the island, while the Balinese live mainly in the towns and villages of the western central plain.

The Balinese believe that Rinjani Mountain and Agung mountain at Bali are man and wife, and Semeru mountain on java completes the trinity of peaks on which all the Gods live.

If you want a Bali without the all–pervading intense culture, religion, and arts, goes straight to lombok. Yet here are found Balinese food, customs, and traditional walled villages with kulkul, towers, and banjar irrigation systems, even all the Balinese festivals such as Galungan are celebrated at full throttle.

The Origin
An Islamic hill tribe of a typical racial stock with dark skin, long heads, wavy hair, and more Caucasian facial feature. These attributes are a result of migration streams at an earlier time than most Indonesian ethnic groups. The Sasaks are thought to have come overland from north west India or Burma to Java. Then great across the Lombok straight to Lombok.

The Wetu Telu
The moslem Sasaks are divided into 2 groups, the secular Wektu Telu (Three Time Islam Prayer) and the more orthodox Wektu Lime (Five Time Islam Prayer).

The Wektu Telu comprising about 30% of Sasaks, celebrate only 3 different occasions: the Prophet’s Birthday, The Holy day of Friday, and Lebaran. Instead of praying 5 times a day like conservative muslims, they pray only 3 times daily. Reminiscent of the worship of Lingga by the Hindu Balinese, the Wektu Telu also reveres monoliths set in the ground. Only a few still eat fork and drink alcohol.

The Population
Lombok has a population of 2.4 million (1990 census), with the majority living and around the principal centers of Mataram, Praya and Selong. Almost 90% of the people are Sasak, about 10% are Balinese, and there are minority population of Chinese, Javanese and Arabs.