Lombok Tour Guide in General Information| Brief in Lombok Tour Guide.

GENERAL INFORMATION

INTRODUCTION

Lombok is a beautiful virgin paradise island situated east of the celebrated island, of Bali. It is accessible both by air and sea. It takes only 25 minutes by plane and about 4 hours by regular public ferry. Alternatively, Lombok can also be accessed by sea for a shorter sailing duration by fast boat from Benoa Bali.

Lombok gained fame among visitors who are in search of a unique way of spending their lazy time. Lombok is really an ideal place to relax your body and mind; it is away from the hustle and bustle. You can simply enjoy yourself lazing around on the sleepy gorgeous beaches that Lombok is famous for. Surf among the world's best surf points on Kuta Beach or dive and snorkel to discover the undersea charms of Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air.

Lombok also offers exciting trekking adventures on Rinjani, the sacred volcano for both Sasak and Balinese, for tourists with a more adventurous spirit. It takes about. For soft trekkers, walking around the foot of the volcano and Lombok tropical forest getting splashed by the awesome waterfalls, and breathing the fresh air can be an unforgettable refreshing experience.

In addition, Lombok is not only rich in natural beauty but also rich in cultural attractions. Lombok-friendly people are happy to share their traditions, arts, and crafts with foreigners. They welcome guests with open hands and minds to their secluded traditional villages in Sade, Segmenter, and Senaru. It is based on the traditional belief that a guest is a king’. So meet and greet the Sasak while you are in Lombok and experience their ancient lifestyle.

PEOPLE and RELIGIONS

The population of Lombok has reached almost 3 million (2.950.105). The figure is shown from the 2005 census. The indigenous people of Lombok are referred to as Sasak Ethnic. Dominating the population up to 85%, Sasak people speak their own local language which is also referred to as Sasak and almost 100% of them adhere to Islam. Nevertheless, there is a minority number of Sasaks who still practice certain rituals which are associated with animism and Hinduism in addition to Islamism; a unique mixture of beliefs. They are referred to as Moslem Wetu Telu. The rest of the inhabitants are mostly Balinese who came to Lombok in the early 18th century and conquered mostly West Lombok; they remain very “Balinese” and Hindu, with minority Chinese and Arab traders and other ethnicities from the other islands.

HISTORY

The Dutch landed in Lombok for the first time in 1674 occupied the easternmost part of the Island and left the western one ruled by the Balinese tyrannical monarchy. The Sasak suffered suffering under the Balinese King and revolted in 1891 and ended in 1894 with the Dutch intervention finally annexing the whole island and hence Lombok completely part of The Netherland East Indies.