One island to the east of Bali, Lombok has yet to be discovered
by the package tourist - the beaches and coastal villages are
comparatively undeveloped and the locals are relatively indifferent
to tourists. Although it is inevitably compared with its
better-known neighbour the island differs in many respects -
physically, culturally, linguistically and historically. The
indigenous Islamic Sasak people make up 90 percent of the
population, and although they appear to live amicably with the
Balinese minority there is some animosity, not surprising given
that a lot of the economic advantages of increased tourism have
eluded the native Sasak.
The mountainous north of the island is dominated by a
spectacular volcano of Mt Rinjani, at 12,221ft (3,726m) the third
highest peak in Indonesia and a popular four-day trek for locals
and tourists alike. To the south are the central plains which
contain the most productive agricultural areas as well the major
conurbation on the west coast, an amalgamation of the towns of
Ampenan, Mataram, Cakranegara and Sweta. Further south again,
beyond a range of low inland hills, are the sweeping bays and pure
white sands of the southern beaches, all of which can be explored
from Kuta (not to be confused with Bali's Kuta), the main resort
town of southern Lombok and surfing Mecca of the island. Several
groups of islands lie off the Lombok northwest coast, the best
known are the three Gili Islands - Trawangan, Meno and Air - which
have been popular with backpackers for many years seeking a simple
lifestyle of sea, sun and sand, although, as with much of the
island, they are now becoming more widely discovered and as a
result more expensive.
