 | | Beach at Novotel Lombok hotel |
|  | | Novotel Lombok hotel |
|  | | Horse and buggy on the beach for rides |
|  | | Bill and Kimberly in hut |
|  | | Beautiful Lombok beach |
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 Our Christmas Trip to Lombok |
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| We spent our 2nd Christmas in Indonesia on the island of Lombok. Lombok is immediately to the 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. Lombok has the third highest volcano in all of Indonesia, Mount Rinjani, which extends 3,726 meters high with a crater lack called Segara Anak. Consistent with much of Indonesia there are basically two seasons in Lombok, the wet season goes from November to May and the dry season is from May to October. |
|  | | Map of Lombok |
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Where we stayed |  We stayed at the Novotel Lombok which had just recently opened prior to our visit. The hotel is located on the south coast (near Gerupak, see map to right) of the island on a blue lagoon facing the Indian Ocean. The hotel architecture is built in the style of a traditional Sasak village (see picture to the right). Since the hotel had only recently opened up and was on the opposite side of the island where most of the existing tourist infrastructure had developed it was very quiet during our stay. Although we enjoyed the peace and quiet and basically having the entire beach to ourselves, having to eat all our meals at the hotel restaurant got a little tiring. We would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting to visit Lombok. Just be forewarned about its remoteness and the need to travel outside the hotel to visit markets, restaurants, etc. |
| Traditional Lombok Culture |  Traditional law (adat) is still fundamental to the way of life on Lombok today, particularly customs relating to courting and marriage rituals and circumcision ceremonies. In western Lombok you can see Balinese ceremonies and temples with colorful processions and decorative offerings. Sasak ceremonies are often less visible, although you may see colorful procession as well. By asking around you can sometimes find when and where festivals and celebrations are being held. |
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What we did |  Aside from relaxing at the beach and pool at the hotel, we took an island tour where we visited several local villages. During the island tour we visited a ceramic/pottery shop where they made clay pots, dishes and other items. We also visited a shop where they made ikats (traditional weaved textiles). Bill also had an opportunity to scuba dive around the Gili islands (small sister islands off the northwest tip of Lombok). The diving was fairly good but subsequent to this trip much of the Gili island reefs were destroyed by coral bleaching. |
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Trip Video |  Watch a short 15 minute video (approx. 16 megabytes) of our trip to Lombok. The video includes scenes from around the hotel, Kimberly opening her Christmas presents and an Island tour. During the Island tour we visited places where they were making pottery and ikats (traditional weaved textiles). You'll also see some of the landscapes including lush green rice paddies and monkeys we fed while at a roadside stop.
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 | | Local lady making clay pots |
|  | | Novotel Lombok hotel |
|  | | Kimberly on the beach |
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