Travel Tips to Lombok Indonesia

TRAVEL TIPS

Make your self convenience to visit Indonesia on your holiday. Indonesia is Tropical paradise island, located in tropical area that give warm all year around (Sun sunny country). Indonesia has lots to offer in tourism sector.

The simple pleasure of sunshine, white sandy beaches in quiter setting, unique culture, friendly people, echo adventure tours, surfing, historical places, world heritage, cheap holiday destination and amazing landscape makes Indonesia are perfect gateway for individual travellers, families, honeymooners, sun seekers or thoose who seek for a total relaxing holiday. In other words what ever your holiday type we have something for you!! Need travel assistant ? please feel free to contact us, we will be happy on help.
Entering Indonesia
Passport
Passport is valid at least 6 months from date of entry is required.
Document and Visa
In February 2004 Indonesia has to offered wide ranging changes in national visa free and Visa on arrival system.
Only 11 countries and territories are eligible for visa free facility entering Indonesia, there are: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam, Philippine, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, Chile, Morocco, Peru, and Vietnam. These country and territories will issued 30 days permit to stay free of charge upon presentation of a valid passport remaining of six months validity.
Nationals of 52 countries can obtain "VISA ON ARRIVAL" processing on the gate upon arrival at the airport following payment of official fee. The following is the 52 two countries: Canada, Australia, Austria, Argentina, United state of America, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, People's Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Suriname, Taiwan, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. therefore Visa on arrival fee for eligible countries is US$ 25 for 30 days visa and US$ 10 for 7 days visa.
Citizen of countries does not include in free visa and Visa on arrival list must apply an overseas visa before entering Indonesia.

NOTE: Please check for the latest information at Indonesia embassy or consulate in your country or click www.lombok-tourism/visas_documentation.htm.
LOMBOK INDONEISA WEATHER
Indonesia is tropical country and the climate is fairly even all year around. There is no such thing as an autumn or winter, the year being roughly divided into two distinct season, Wet and Dry. To check weather in now day and 10 days further please click http://weather.msn.com/local.aspx?wealocations=wc:IDXX0080&q=Lombok%2v
The East Monsoon, from June to September brings dry weather while the West Monsoon, from December to March, brings rain. The transitional period between these two seasons alternates between gorgeous sun-filled days and occasional thunderstorms.
Even in the midst of the wet season temperatures range from 21 degrees Celsius (70½F) to 33 degrees Celsius (90½F), except at higher altitudes which can be much cooler. The heaviest rainfalls are usually recorded in December and January. Average humidity is generally between 75% and 100%.
AIRPORT TAX
When leaving Indonesia you must to pay airport taxes IDR 75.000 - IDR 150.000 for international flight and IDR 30.000 - IDR 50.000 for domestic flight.

Electricity & Water
Indonesia runs 127V AC/50Hz but is in the process of converting to a 230V AC/50Hz. This conversion is complete in principal cities. Indonesia uses a type C, F, and G plug so North Americans traveling with electronics will need adapters.
It is not advisable to drink tap water in Indonesia, but bottled mineral water is safe and available everywhere. Ice in drinks is generally OK in good standard hotels and restaurants but it is best to avoid it on street stalls or in country areas.

Clothing
With temperatures ranging between 20-35½oC, light, casual clothes are the most practical. Natural fibers like cotton or linen are the most comfortable in Indonesia's often humid conditions. Casual clothes are acceptable in most places and a lightweight suit and tie are usual for business or formal meetings. Light cotton dresses are generally acceptable in most situations. Batik is popular for both men's shirts and women's dresses.
COMMUNICATION

Telephone
I.D.D. is available to main cities. Country code: 62 (followed by 22 for Bandung, 21 for Jakarta, 61 for Medan and 31 for Surabaya). Outgoing international code: 00. Many hotel lobbies have public phones which take credit cards and phone cards. State-operated phone booths (WARTEL), which work on a pay-as-you-leave basis, can be found throughout the country. For emergencies, dial 110 (police) or 118 (ambulance for traffic accidents) or 119 (ambulance for general health) or 113 (fire department).

Mobile Telephone
GSM 900 and 1800 networks. Coverage may be limited to main towns and cities.

Fax
Faxes can be sent and received from WARTEL shops.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in all major cities and tourist destinations.

Telegram
These can be sent from any telegraphic office; in Jakarta facilities are available 24 hours a day, but services outside Jakarta are less efficient.

Post
Airmail to Western Europe takes up to 10 days. Internal mail is fast and generally reliable by the express service (Pos KILAT), but mail to the outer islands can be subject to considerable delays.
Holiday Tips: Sustainable Tourism
John Daniels, editor of Bali's award-winning. offers some practical suggestions making your island visit more environmentally sustainable:
Include the environment on your itinerary! While in Bali's see the endangered Bali Starling, dive local waters in search of Mola-Mola and other marine species; take a nature hike; raft down one of the Island's rivers; visit a botanical garden; take a bike tour, visit a museum, go kayaking, paddle a canoe or go sailing. Such activities are loads of fun and also a lower environmental impact. What's more, when you purchase "green travel products" you help an important segment of the sustainable tourism sector grow and prosper.
Think before you consume! Carry a refillable drinking bottle; carry a cloth bag for your shopping purchases; buy locally made products whenever possible; and beware of wasteful packaging practices. When you leave Bali, don't leave a pile of trash behind. Bio-degradable products and packaging are definitely the sustainable way to travel.
Think before you buy! How "green" are your purchases? Deal with hotels and tour operators who have an active conservation program. Laundry reduction, water conservation and energy conservation programs all add up to make an important difference. Spend your money with companies who share your concern for nature.
No go zones! Do not buy items made from coral, sea shells, turtle shells and the dead remains of endangered species. Never give money directly to children, but consider instead a donation to one of Bali's outstanding philanthropic organizations.
Conserve our precious fossil fuels and reduce your carbon footprint! Join a seat-in-coach tour of Bali; private cars burn more gas. Turn off your room air conditioner and enjoy the sea breeze. Use rechargeable batteries, Bali's landfills don't need your unused batteries. When possible use the waste bin, not your toilet for disposal. Reduce energy, water and detergent use by asking your hotel not to change linen on a daily basis. Take a walk and enjoy our tropical climate - after all, its one of the reasons you came here. The best way to meet the Balinese is on foot.
Gifts for Balinese friends? Give items of lasting value and, when possible, purchase items produced by the local community.
Eat more vegetables. While it may not be practical for you to become "meatless"- it's worth remembering that 100 vegetarians can dine on the grains it takes to produce the meat requirements of a single non¬ vegetarian.
Most importantly, be sure to have fun in Bali. You're visiting one of the word's richest cultures. By visiting the Island you're paying the Balinese a high compliment and helping to sustain its number one industry.
"Take only digital pictures leave only footprints."
LOMBOK TRAVELING TIPS

1.	Peel the fruit before eating, avoid raw vegetables except at reputable restaurants.
2.	Drink always from bottled water and eat well done cooked food.
3.	Street or beach vendor often hard pushing on selling and most visitors feel inconvenient, just ignore them, unless you are interesting to see just have a look and not give any promise to them, just say Thank you [TIDAK TERIMA KASIH].
4 .	Protect your self from Sun burn by Sun cream or Sun block.
5.	Sexually transmitted diseases are increasing in Indonesia. Local sex workers have multiple partners from all over the world. Act responsibly and use Condom.
6.	During peak Season in Lombok, we recommended that you book your flight in advance, due to the limited number of flights, and reconfirm your flight ticket minimum one day before departure.
7.	Do not let the local porter carry your back for what ever reason, mostly at the Harbor, their act is like boat crew. If you need their service, negotiate with them normally cost per bag is Rp. 2000 / 3000.
8.	Do not buy a mosquitoes coil from the Kid at the harbor, they will sell as expensive as they want, especially if you make trip to Gili Islands. On the Island is lots of shops selling that stuff with reasonable price.
9.	Do not make any promises to vendor or to say may be later those guys will recognize your face and ask for the promise.
10.	Do not leave any valuable thing on the beach while you are swimming or snorkeling, ask safe deposit box at the Hotel where you are stay.
11.	Use proper dress when you are visiting a village or Temple.

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Go To Lombok Indonesia

GETTING TO LOMBOK

Go Holiday To Lombok Island Indonesia

It's easy to get to Lombok island from Bali, flight time is only 25 minutes and fares start from around IDR 300.000 (approx USD 33) one way. Buy tickets direct from the airline counters at the domestic airports or contact www.lombok-tourism.com for your convenience.
Lombok International Airport is the only airport on Lombok. The airport is approximately 40 km south of Mataram city, and around 1 hour 30 minutes drive from Senggigi and 25 minutes from Kuta (Mandalika Resort).
Airport departure tax is IDR 30.000 for Domestic departures and and IDR 100.000 for International departures.

International Flights
Lombok International airport has full Visa on arrival facilities, with efficient and fast processing.

Silk Air
a Subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, flies direct between Lombok and Singapore, three times per week. Phone: +62 370 628254 / 62855 - for detail www.silkair.com

Garuda Airlines
Flies between Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and Lombok every day, with short stop over in Jakarta. Call center: 08041807807 for details: www.garuda-indonesia.com

Air Asia
Flies between Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and Lombok Three time per week. for detail www.airasia.com

Domestic Flights
European connections are easy via Jakarta or Bali. Direct flights from Jakarta to Lombok are available every day and are usually timed to connect with European flights.
Lombok is easily to accessible from Jakarta, Bali, Jogjakarta, and Surabaya and is and important connection for travel to the Eastern islands Indonesia in particular Sumbawa, BIma, Komodo and
Flores.

Garuda Indonesia
Hasdirect flights between Lombok, Bali, Surabaya, Makasar and Jakarta every day for details: www.garuda-indonesia.com

Lion Air
has daily flights between Lombok, Bali, Jakarta, and Surabaya for detail: www.lionair.co.id

Merpati Airlines
has flights available between Lombok, Bali, Bima, Dili, Bandung, Flores, and Kupang. for details: www.merpati.co.id

Trans Nusa Air
flies between Lombok, Sumbawa and Bima once a day. www.transnusa.co.id

Batavia Air
has flights between Lombok, Jakarta, every day. - www.batavia-air.co.id

Sky Aviaation
offers flight to remote and difficult to get to destinations, including Labuhan Bajo on Flores, Batam, Pekan Baru, Jambi and more. www.sky-aviation.co.id

Bali To Lombok by Air
In Lombok, flights depart and arrive at Lombok International airport. In Bali, flight arrive and depart at Ngurah Rai (Denpasar) domestic airport.

Garuda Airlines
has direct flight between Lombok, Bali and Jakarta every day. www.garuda-indonesia.com

Merpati Airlines
flies direct between Bali and Lombok four times a day. www.merpati.co.id

Trans Nusa Air
operates two flights between Bali and Lombok daily. www.transnusa.co.id

Lion Air
flies between Bali and Lombok with three flights daily. The company shared codes with wings air, so you may purchase a Lion air ticket and find your self on Wings air flight. www.lionair.co.id
Sky Aviation, operates morning and afternoon flights between Bali and Lombok every day. The company also offer private charters flights between the islands as well other Indonesia destinations. www.sky-aviation.co.id

Bali To Lombok By Sea
Padang Bai harbour (Bali) provides the sea link between mainland Bali and Lombok. Lembar harbour (Lombok) is aprrox 1 hour south of Senggigi, Lombok.
Arrange your own transport and buy tickets direct from the harbours, or use a reputable tour company to provide a transfer service.

Public Ferries depart every hour for the sea voyage between Padang Bai harbour (Bali)and Lembar harbour (Lombok).
The crossing between the islands cost IDR 36.000 per person and takes approx 4 to 5 hours. Lembar harbour phone: +62 370 681209 Padang Bai harbour phone: +62 363 41849

Fast Boat / Express Boat
There are now numerous express boat services operating between Bali and Lombok. Most serve for Gili Trawangan, but several also call at Teluk Nare on mainland Lombok, making fast boats from Lombok to Bali vice versa an option to flying.

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About Lombok Indonesia

Lombok General Information.

Lombok is an island in the West Nusa Tenggara Province (Nusa Tenggara Barat) and its located between Bali and Sumbawa island in the eastern part of Indonesia. Mataram is the administrative capital and its the larger city on the island and has about 2.500.000 in habitants. The Population in Lombok is about 3,5 million, and majority 91% are Moslem. Hindus make up about 6% while Christians and Buddhist about 3%.

Lombok Climate
The climate is perfect with annual temperatures ranging between 21° C - 33° C. it has only two seasons dry and Wet, Dry season from May to October and Wet From November to April.
Lombok Geography
Lombok lies 8 degrees south of the equator and stretches some 80km east to west and about the same distance north to south. It is dominated by the second highest mountain in Indonesia, GUNUNG RINJANI, which soars to 3726m. It has a large caldera with a Crater Lake, Segara Anak, 600m below the rim, and a new volcanic cone which has formed in the center. Rinjani last erupted in 1994, and evidence of this can be seen in the fresh lava and yellow sulfur around the inner cone. Central Lombok, to the south of Rinjani, is similar to Bali with rich alluvial plains and fields irrigated by water flowing from the mountains. In the far south and east it is drier, with scrubby, barren hills. This area gets little rain and often has droughts which can last for months. In recent years, several dams have been built, so the abundant rain-fall of the wet season can be retained for irrigation throughout the year.
Lombok People and Religion
Lombok (population 2,950,105 in 2005) is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It is part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. It is roughly circular, with a "tail" to the southwest, about 70 km across and a total area of about 4,725 km² (1,825 sq mi). The administrative capital and largest city on the island is Mataram.
Lombok History
The Dutch first visited Lombok in 1674 and settled the eastern most part of the island, leaving the western half to be ruled by a Hindu dynasty from Bali. The Sasaks chafed under Balinese rule, and a revolt in 1891 ended in 1894 with the annexation of the entire island to the Netherlands East Indies.
Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani
The Lombok Strait marks the passage of the biogeographically division between the fauna of the Indomalayan ecozone and the distinctly different fauna of Australasia that is known as the Wallace Line, for Alfred Russel Wallace, who first remarked upon the distinction between these two major biomes.
The island's topography is dominated by the centrally-located strato volcano Mount Rinjani, which rises to 3,726 m (12,224 ft), making it the third-highest in Indonesia. The most recent eruption of Rinjani was in June-July, 1994. The volcano, and its sacred crater lake, 'Segara Anak' (child of the sea), are protected by a National Park established in 1997. The southern part of the island is a fertile plain where corn, rice, coffee, tobacco, and cotton are grown.
The island's inhabitants are 85% Sasak (a people, related to the Balinese, but mostly practising Islam), 10-15% Balinese, with the small remainder being Chinese, Arab, Javanese, and Sumbawanese.
Lombok Economy and politics
Lombok has much in common with nearby Bali, but less well-known and less-visited by foreigners. It has been working to increase its visibility to tourists in recent years, promoting itself as an "unspoiled Bali". The most-developed center of tourism is Senggigi, spread in a 10-kilometer strip along the coastal road north of Mataram, while backpackers congregate in the Gili Islands off the west coast. Other popular tourist destinations include Kuta (distinctly different from Kuta, Bali) where surfing is considered some of the best in the world by leading surfing magazines. The Kuta area is also famous for its beautiful, untouched beaches.
While the area may be considered economically depressed by First World standards, the island is fertile, has sufficient rainfall in most areas for agriculture, and possesses a variety of climate zones. Consequently, food in abundant quantity and variety is available inexpensively at local farmer's markets. A family of 4 can eat rice, vegetables, and fruit for as little as US$0.50. Even though a family income may be as small as US$5.00 per day from fishing or farming, many families are able to live a happy and productive live on astonishingly small incomes.
In early 2000 thousands fled from religious and ethnic violence that swept over the island, and tensions remain. Some travel websites warn that tourists sometimes provoke anger in this economically depressed region. This warning lacks credibility, since all of Lombok has had a long history of welcoming visitors to the island. Both the government and many of the residents recognize that tourism and the services required by tourists is Lombok's highest source of income. Further proof of the island's hospitality is show by the fact that tourists are virtually never seriously injured by any interaction with the local population. While many of the local population are friendly, there is certainly an element of danger and numerous travelers have shared accounts of violence, particularly in the Kuta region where locals, displaced by hotel projects, resent foreign presence. There is also a refugee camp on the island, costs paid for by Australia, which holds mostly Hazara Afghans who have tried to enter Australia by boat.
Money and 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.
Lombok Business Hours
Indonesian work in the morning to avoid the heat of the day. If you need to visit a government office, arrive between 08 AM and 11:30 AM. This also apply to banks and private businesses. Government offices close early on Fridays and Saturdays. Generally offices are open 07:30AM - 3 PM Monday - Thursday, 07:00AM - noon on Friday, banks are closed on Saturday and Sunday. Please be advice about our time zone Lombok is GMT + 8.
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.

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