| Sumbawa
Sumbawa is the vastest Goverment
Regency in the West Nusa Tenggara Province. It's 8,493 Km2 and incorporates 38
small islands. The population is about half a million. The main island of Sumbawa
is larger than Bali and Lombok combined. Its divided into three administrative
districts or regencies that correspond roughly to the former sulatnates, Bima
in the east, Sumbawa in the west and Dompu in the middle.
The general topography
is hilly and mountainous although low level plains are to be found near the northern
beaches. The main sights beside the beaches are the towns of Sumbawa Besar City
and Labuhan Sumbawa a sleepy old port, now only used by the ferries departing
for Moyo island . They are about 1 Hour by boat from there and have a good wild
reserve.
The best beaches of the islands are found at Kencana Beach , Saliper
Ate Beach and Saleh Bay , Poto Batu Beach and Maluk Beach Bungin Island
is the most densely populated island in the world, it is built from coral and
sand and there is almost no vacant land. The island in habited by the bajo people.
And it's area is becoming larger as the inhabitans extend the island as the population
increases. Kaung Island is a small island, with a community of sailors, is located
close to Bungin island, about 70 Kms from Sumbawa Besar. Kaung island produces
various artefacts from oyster shell which are of interest
WEST NUSA
TENGGARA
The two major islands in this province are Lombok and Sumbawa.
Lombok is where the transition from the western to the eastern Indonesian fauna
and flora begins. The northern part of the island is mountainous and verdant with
tall trees and shrubs covering the land. The south is arid and covered by savannas.
Large Asian mammals are absent. The shift gets more pronounced as one moves further
east. Dry seasons are more prolonged, so in many areas corn and sago instead of
rice is the staple food.
Lombok island has white virgin beaches, an age-old
culture, separated by merely a narrow strait from Bali, it is only now being discovered
as a tourist destination of exceptional charm. Here the motto is "you can
see Bali in Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali". It is an existing reality, formed
by the superimposition of strong Balinese influences in the past, upon a base
that is entirely Lombok's own. At around the time Islam first came to these islands
in the 16th century, four Hindu Kingdoms coexisted in apparent peace in what is
now West Nusa Tenggara. PLACES OF INTEREST
Mataram
and Cakranegara
Mataram is the capital of the province which has in the
past decades joined with Ampenan, the port, and Cakranegara to become the province's
biggest urban complex.
At around the beginning of the 18th century, Mataram
was the residence of the crown prince of Karang Asem, a kingdom in southern Bali.
The ruler himself had his seat in Cakranegara. The royal palace no longer exists,
but many of the old temples and pleasure gardens are still there.
Lombok's
biggest Balinese temple is the Pura Meru in Cakranegara. Dedicated to the Hindu
trinity of Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, it was built in 1720 by Anak Agung Made Karang,
which has three courtyards. Three pagoda-like places of worship stand in a line
from north to south in the innermost courtyard. The one on the north is dedicated
to Vishnu and has a roof with nine tiers. The central one is dedicated to Shiva
with II tiers on its roof and the southernmost one is for Brahma with a roof of
seven tiers.
Narmada
Taman Narmada, 11 kilometers 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, the crater lake on the volcano Rinjani where they used to make
offerings by throwing valuables into the water. As he became too old to make the
pilgrimage up the 3,726 meter high mountain, he had Narmada made to represent
the mountains and the lake. Near the pond is a place of worship and a spring whose
water is believed to give dedicated pilgrims eternal youth.
Pura
Agung Gunung Sari
This great temple on a hill at Gunung Sari, about four
kilometres from Mataram, was witness to the Puputan battle to the last man, 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.
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 facing the Lombok Strait
and beyond is the contour of majestic Mount Agung of Bali. After sunbathing, relaxing
and frolicking on this beautiful beach-front, try to 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 with incredibly flaming colors.
Kuta Beach
Also known as Putri Nyale Beach, Kuta on the south coast
of central Lombok is one of the most scenic and unspoiled beaches in this part
of Indonesia. From Kuta to Tanjung Aan five km away, it is an unbroken stretch
of clean white sand on the Indian Ocean. It is safe for bathing and swimming.
Further to the west are the surfers and wind surfer's beaches. Each year, on the
19th day of the tenth month of the Sasak lunar calendar on February or March when
the Nyale fish come to the sea's surface, Kuta Beach is the site of great festivities.
Fishermen sail out to sea while young men and women gather along the beach to
join in the merrymaking, tease each other and perhaps meet to build a more lasting
relationship.
Senggigi and Northern Beaches
Senggigi is
the main tourist haven of Lombok with a range of hotels catering to all t types
of travelers. From backpacker losmens (simple accommodation or inns) to the deluxe
resort style hotels such as the newly opened Oberoi Lombok in the Northern Beaches
Senggigi consists of a number of small black sand bays and has a reputation for
stunning sunsets. Being the oldest of Lombok's tourist areas Senggigi has a good
range of restaurants, shops and local markets, but while Senggigi is the main
tourist destination it is by no means crowded
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