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Geography & Climate
The island of Lombok is located just 20 miles away
east of Bali. Tourism is not quite as developed yet
as Bali and it is that reason which makes Lombok the
perfect getaway. Escape to picturesque mountainside
landscapes to white sand beaches of the Gili
Islands. A place to relax and unwind from the daily
life back home.
Lombok also has the third largest volcano in all of
Indonesia, Mount Rinjani, which extends 3726 meters
high with a crater lake called Segara Anak.For
trekking, Please write to us at
info@orisatours.com
The main season here are wet season which starts
from October to April and dry season start from
April-October. The best time to come is in the month
of March when the weather is just perfect with
bright daylight and green scenery.
People & Religion
The local inhabitants of Lombok are called Sasak.
They speak Indonesian as well as their local Sasak
language. The other main ethnicity’s include
Balinese, Chinese, Arabian, and Javanese. Lombok has
three main districts with three capital cities:
Mataram in the west, Praya in central and Selong in
east Lombok. The majority of commerce is in the
capital city of Mataram in west Lombok.
The majority of the population on Lombok are
Muslims. Every Friday around 12.30 noon, Muslims go
to the mosques just like Christians go to church on
Sunday. Therefore, on that day most businesses and
government offices are closed half day and then
re-open again after praying (not including Senggigi).
If you are planning on traveling around the island
and visiting small villages it is more respectable
to wear slacks or knee length shorts, a shirt with
sleeves or a sarong. If you happened to be here
during Ramadhan, which is the Muslim month of
fasting from sunrise to sunset, please do not to
eat, drink or smoke out in the open public during
this month long fast. Even though the people don’t
seem bothered in the common tourist areas like,
Senggigi and the Gili islands, it is better to
respect the people and not eat or smoke openly.
Wetu Telu
Wetu telu is an unique religion that that blends
Islam - Animism and is only found in north Lombok.
It roots stem from the village of Bayan in the
north.
The people who practice this still consider
themselves Muslims but they have their own rituals
in addition to the normal Muslim ones. One such
ceremony is Nyiu, that takes place 1000 days after
someone dies. The relatives of the deceased offer
material things like clothing, toothbrushes, food,
dishes, mattresses, etc. so the deceased will be
pleased in heaven.
MONEY & LOCAL CURRENCIES
When changing money there are many money changers in
Lombok. The best rates are usually in Senggigi.
Money changers prefer new, clean large bills and
will accept smaller denominations at a lower rate.
If you have traveler’s checks the rate will be less
than bank notes.
Be sure to count your money before you leave money
changers. You can also check local banks but the
rate is slightly lower than outside. Re-count the
money in front of the money changer reception is a
must, as usually there's a quick tricky way how they
can steal your money.
A suggestion when changing money. If you plan on
making small purchases be sure to carry small
denominations with you because many sellers do not
have change. The Rupiah come in denominations of
100.000, 50.000, 10.000, 5.000, 1.000, 500, and 100.
Health and Medical Info
Most hotels have on call doctors. For what it is
known by Australian as "Bali Belly", Lomotil and
Imodium eliminate Symptoms, but not infections. A
fever along with the symptoms requires doctor
prescribed antibiotics. Drink as much as liquid as
possible. For discomfort, diarrhea, and cramping,
drink strong, hot tea; avoid fruits and spicy food.
Drink only bottled water or boiled water (air putih).
Peel the fruit before eating; avoid raw vegetables
except at reputable restaurants. Ice in restaurants
is safe. Protect yourself from the intense
equatorial sun. Use sun block and hat. Sexually
transmitted diseases are increasing in Indonesia.
Local sex workers have multiple partners from all
over the world. Act responsibly and use condoms,
available over the counter at pharmacies.
VISAS, EMBASSIES & CONSULATES IN INDONESIA
Based on new regulation effective February 1st,
2004, all visitors to Indonesia automatically get a
30 day tourist visa as long as your passport is
valid for six months from the time you enter.
You also need to show proof of onward ticket upon
arrival. Many people who want to stay longer go on
"visa runs" to Singapore. There are direct flights
from Lombok to Singapore on Silk Air.
Foreign Embassy's website in Indonesia:
USA:
www.usaembassyjakarta.com
Canada:
www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/jakarta/
France:
www.ambafrance-indonesie.org
Finland:
www.finembjak.com
British:
www.britian-in-indonesia.or.id
Denmark:
www.emb-denmark.or.id
German:
www.germanembjak.or.id
Japan:
www.embjapan.or.id
Netherlands:
www.neth-embassy-jakarta.org
Sweden:
www.swedemb-jakarta.com
South Africa:
www.saembassy-jakarta.or.id |
