Sengkol, Pujut and Rambitan
Time seems to have frozen in these three villages in southern Lombok on the eoad from the capital to Kuta Beach. All the houses and barns are built in the age-old traditional style, and life continues daily here as it has for century.

Pura Agung Gunung Sari
This great temple on a hill at Gunung Sari, about 4 km from Mataram, was the site of the infamous Puputan battle, fought on November 22, 1894, between Lombok’s last Balinese ruler, Anak Agung Nengah and followers, and the Dutch troops under General Van der Vetter’s command.

Gili Sulat, Gili Lampu, Gili Lawang
Located just off the eastern coast of Lombok, these three islands boast beautifully white, sandy beaches. They can reach by sea in 15 minutes from the harbor at Labuhan Lombok, which is about 75 km east of Mataram. Many tourists spend the night in tents to be welcomed in the morning by an enchanting sunrise. Visiting tourists have named these islands the “Heaven Islands” because of their stunning beauty.

Taman Narmada Taman Narmada, 11 km east of Mataram, was built in 1727 by King Anak Agung Gede Ngurah Karang Asem as both a pleasure garden and place to worship Shiva. Its big pool is said to represent Segara Anakan, te crater lake on the volcano Rinjani, where they used to make offering by throwing valuables into the water. As the king become too old to make the pilgrimage up the 3,726-meter high mountain, he had Narmada constructed to represent the mountains and the lake. Near the pond is a place of worship and the spring whose water is believed to give dedicated pilgrims eternal youth.

Taman Mayura The Mayura Park is all that remains of the Karang Asam kingdom of Bali, whose King, A.A. Ngurah, built it in 1744. In the middle of a large pond is a structure called Balai Kambang, which one functioned as a legal court of justice and a hall for important meetings. Curiously, its architecture shows both Hindu and Islamic influences, adorned with stone statues in the form of a Moslem hajji.

Pura Lingsar This may be the only Hindu shrine in the world where both Hindus and Moslems come to worship. About 7 km west of Narmada, it was built in 1714 and rebuilt in 1878 to symbolize harmony and unity between the Hindu Balinese and Moslem Sasak population of the area, especially those who adhere to Lombok’s unique Wektu Telu school of Islam. The Balinese temple is built on higher ground, behind the Moslem section of the compound. In the lower yard is a spring near which pilgrims stage a mock battle between Hindus and Moslems, hurling rice cakes at the beach.

Senggigi Beach This is a popular tourist area with accommodation ranging from very inexpensive hotels to star-rated hotels. Good local transports, including a taxi service, make Senggigi Beach easy to reach from downtown Mataram, which is about 16 km away.

Hu’u Beach Located approximately 60 km south of Dompu, this is the longest beach in Nusa Tenggara Barat. Its wild and untamable ocean waves have proved a considerable challenge to even the best surfers. The area has an excellent reputation among surfing professionals and was the venue for the 1997 World Surfing Championships.

Batu Bolong Beach Located 9 km from downtown Mataram, this beach has a huge rock with a hole in it. A Hindu temple lies on top overlooking the Lombok Strait to majestic Mount Agung of Bali. After sunbathing, relaxing and frolicking on this beautiful beachfront, stay till the end of the day to watch one of the most stunning sunsets you have ever seen when the sun slowly begins to disappear behind Mount Agung.

Puteri Mandalika Beach and Tanjung A’an The calm seas around Puteri Mandalika and Tanjung A’an make these beaches ideal for swimming. Panoramic views of both beaches can be enjoyed from the hills nearby. One of the island’s better-known beaches is Puteri Nyale in the southern region of Lombok Tengah. A local ritual, know as ‘Bau Nyale’, is performed in the months of February and March as an expression of gratitude for the fertility of the soil. Nearly the entire communities gather along the beach throughout the night of the celebration. Puteri Nyale Beach is approximately 65 km from Mataram. In the area, there are a variety of restaurants and a four-star hotel, designed in Lombok’s unique architectural style, has recently opened.

Tanjung Maluk This still undeveloped area has managed to capture the interest of tourists in search of beautiful sea views, good sun bathing, and excellent wind surfing. Tanjung Maluk, or Maluk Beach, is located approximately 140 km west of Sumbawa Besar. It is fast becoming more accessible to tourists with the possibility of star-rated hotels being built in the near future.

Moyo Island This island located just off the north coast of Sumbawa is home to a variety of wildness, including buffalo, deer, and a vary rare species of bird know as Gosong. Moyo Island has within it a large hunting ground of an approximately 6,000 hectares and a beautiful waterfall popularly know as Matajitu. The late Diana, princess of Wales once spent a memorable holiday on Moyo. Visitors to the island should allow about 1 hour for travel by boat from the Tirtasari harbor in Sumbawa Besar.

Sape, Sumbawa Shipwrights still make sailboats the traditional way in this port town on Sumbawa’s east coast. Sape is a convenient point of departure for trips to Komodo Island across the strait, home of the prehistoric Komodo lizard.