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The
Island of Lombok. Click this Icon for Video. 
Lombok. (population 2,950,105 in 2005) is an island in West Nusa
Tenggara province, Indonesia. It is part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda
Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and
the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. It is roughly circular,
with a "tail" to the southwest, about 70 km across and a total area of
about 4,725 kmē (1,825 sq mi). The provincial capital and largest city
on the island is Mataram.
The Dutch first visited Lombok in 1674 and settled the eastern
most part of the island, leaving the western half to be ruled by a Hindu
dynasty from Bali. The Sasaks chafed under Balinese rule, and a revolt
in 1891 ended in 1894 with the annexation of the entire island to the
Netherlands East Indies.
The Lombok Strait marks the passage of the biogeographical division
between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different
fauna of Australasia that is known as the Wallace Line, for Alfred Russel
Wallace, who first remarked upon the distinction between these two major
biomes. The island's topography is dominated by the centrally-located
stratovolcano Mount Rinjani, which rises to 3,726 m (12,224 ft), making
it the third-highest in Indonesia. The most recent eruption of Rinjani
was in May-June, 2009, which was a small oozing eruption of 'Gunung Baru'
(New Mountain). The volcano, and its crater lake, 'Segara Anak' (child
of the sea), are protected by a National Park established in 1997. The
southern part of the island is a fertile plain where corn, rice, coffee,
tobacco, and cotton are grown. The island's inhabitants are 85% Sasak
whose origins are thought to have migrated from Java in the first millennium
BC. Other residents include 10-15% Balinese, with the small remainder
being Chinese, Arab, Javanese, and Sumbawanese. Since the Sasak population
typically practice Islam, the landscape is punctuated with mosques and
minarets. Islamic traditions and holidays influence the Island's daily
activities.
The most-developed center of tourism is Senggigi, spread in a 30-kilometer
strip along the coastal road north of Mataram, while backpackers congregate
in the Gili Islands off the west coast. Other popular tourist destinations
include Kuta [2](distinctly different from Kuta, Bali) where surfing is
considered some of the best in the world by leading surfing magazines.
The Kuta area is also famous for its beautiful, untouched beaches. Local
Sasak childrenWhile the area may be considered economically depressed
by First World standards, the island is fertile, has sufficient rainfall
in most areas for agriculture, and possesses a variety of climate zones.
Consequently, food in abundant quantity and variety is available inexpensively
at local farmer's markets. A family of 4 can eat rice, vegetables, and
fruit for as little as US$0.50. Even though a family income may be as
small as US$1.00 per day from fishing or farming, many families are able
to live a happy and productive live on astonishingly small incomes.
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The Legend of Princess Mandalika
Revisted annauly February 14-15
You can check the event schedule by:
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