Friday 14 March 2014

Bau Nyale Festival 2014




The amusing  Bau Nyale festival pulls so many tourists to Lombok. The traditional hunting of marine worms ceremony is celebrated on the eve of harvest season in order to protect the crop from damages which shows their practical implementation of the ancestral beliefs.

Sunday 2 March 2014

The Several Options for Gili Trawangan Accommodation

Are you looking for Gili Trawangan accommodation? You are probably one of the tourists who love to explore exotic and less known destinations. For you, Lombok off the coast of Bali will be a more exciting prospect than Bali itself. And what would be even more exotic would be the little known Gili Trawangan destination. On the Gili islands, this location is little known but exotic in terms of its natural and scenic surroundings. If you are looking for a little known exotic holiday destination in the far east, why not consider Trawangan?

There is a large range of accommodation to choose from in this region. Located at the Gili islands off Lombok, this place attracts lesser tourists as compared to the populated Bali island. If you are inquisitive about the accommodation options here, you will find many online resources to research upon. It is best to find an updated holiday guide when you are looking to book a holiday in this region this year. The hotels which offer Gili Trawangan accommodation have a fixed price the whole year round. Some hotels vary their prices here as per season. Some give discounts on taxes during off seasons while others include breakfast options in their pricing. If you wish to know the options you have for accommodation here, you need to fill out the inquiry form to be found in many travel sites. At Trawangan the low season is between January and February as well as between September and October. High season is between July and September and between December and January. The holiday seasons here coincide with the international summer break and the period around Christmas and New Year.

One can opt for exclusive or budget accommodations o this island. There are refurbished hotels here which have high reputation. Some hotels offer bungalows and villas here which have all luxurious amenities. While hotels are numerous here, you will find mid range bungalows here as well exclusive ones which include deluxe pools, mini bar, barn style air-conditioned bungalows and other unique features and amenities. If you want to enjoy the quiet beaches, there are several accommodation options available. You could opt for a hotel with restaurant, private beach, swimming pool and activities like kayaking, diving and others. There are beach house styled resorts which are set amidst tropical gardens. Here one can enjoy the sparking blue waters of the Lombok straits as well as enjoy boutique accommodations. There are modern facilities offered such as international cuisine restaurants, beach front bars, swimming pool and others for the international travelers to feel pampered here. It is possible to make reservations online and land up at one’s hotel of choice for a splendid vacation.

The Lombok Beach Offers a Quieter Holiday Than Bali

If you wish to explore a less populated and less traveled island, you could try Lombok. This place is reached by traveling for twenty minutes from Bali. However, this island is quite different from the overdeveloped Bali island which most people visit. There are beautiful beach front hotels that one can choose from. The favorite destinations in Lombok are many. You could opt for many hotels by the Lombok beach. When you visit Lombok near the end of the rainy season, you will find the air still laden with moisture. The air is heavy and it is hot and humid. The breeze is thick and sticky here. One can see horses and carts rattle past or mopeds being driven by chicken farmers. This island has a volcanic origin and the tourism here is slowly increasing in popularity.

If you wish to reach Lombok, you can get here within twenty minutes by air. There are millions of foreign visitors who come to this tiny island every year. During peak tourist season the visitors are so many in Bali that the narrow streets are blocked, hotel complexes are overflowing and there is pollution to complain of as well. However, if you were to visit a Lombok beach at such a time, you will find it nearly untouched at such a time. The infusion of foreign wealth is being evident in this region these days. It is being primed for tourism which is evident by the number of budget hotels, luxury resorts and villas being built and prepped with luxurious amenities in this region.

The island has many unexplored beaches and there are hotel properties that are coming up in many coasts of the region. The Sekaong Bay is one preferred place for hotels and travelers here. Mataram is the capital of the island which is the only town here. The rest of the region is dotted with villages and picturesque countryside with surrounding volcanic mountains. Senggigi is known to house luxurious holiday resorts here for which it is one of the popular destination for the leisure seekers. A favorite drive from this place is to Mount Rinjani. This is an active volcano where tourists come over to photograph the scenic sunrise. Paddy field with workers in conical hats and women working in the fields with babies is a common sight here. There are drying fishes by the beach while the towns have karaoke bars to provide entertainment to the tourists. The unique local culture, the food, the pristine beaches and natural surroundings make the place authentic. If you wish to get away from the bustle of Bali, you can find respite and calm in Lombok.

The Attractive Gili Island is a Must Visit

If you have heard of the Gili island, you have heard of Gili Lombok which is an island near Bali. Lombok is a less famous destination in Indonesia though it is slowly gaining in popularity. One of the reasons is the place offering many empty and isolated beaches. In contrast to Bali, the beaches are less explored and more natural. The dream beaches offer wondrous views of the ocean and the volcanic mountain in the horizon. One of the many tourist destinations in Lombok is Gili island. Lombok is known to have interesting and friendly people. The food is tasty here and prime attraction here is the natural and scenic surroundings. Most people who have traveled to Lombok talk about Gili Lombok, referring to the Gili island as one of other favorite destinations here.

The Gili island is one of the three paradise islands here. These look tiny when compared to Lombok. They are located about twenty minutes by boat. If you are looking for adventure and travel by the pristine waters, you will surely love to go to Gili Trawangan. Here the main island is Gili along with Meno and Gili Air. At these islands there are many tourist activities. One can indulge in scuba diving and snorkeling. You could relax around on the beaches, party or swim around in the calm waters. Those who like to backpack like to visit Gili Trawangan. There is reggae music here as well as wild parties by the beach.

Many tourists wonder how to get to the Gili islands. There are several ways to get there. The most popular option is by speed boat. There are many local providers with speed boat service. If you wish to get to these islands fast and easy, speed boat is the best bet. The journey will take two hours. The waters might be turbulent. However, for amazing views from the water and an adventurous ride, you need to get the speedboat experience. The airplane is the next option. You could take a flight from Denpasar in Bali. You will arrive in Lombok from where you need to opt for ferry or speed boat to get to Gili. The low cost airlines which ply here make it possible for tourists to frequent Lombok from Bali.

The low budget way to get to the Gili islands is by ferry. The public ferry service is availed by the locals. It takes four and a half hours exclusive of loading and unloading. You will be able to rent a private cabin on the public ferry services. If you can afford it, you can book a seat in a helicopter. The flight takes only forty five minutes and is a great experience. The Gili islands are nothing short of paradise and it is worth a visit when you are at Lombok.

Getting to Know the Lombok Island

If you want to know about Lombok island, it is located in West Nusa Tenggara province. This is located in Indonesia. It is part of the chain of Lesser Sunda Islands. The Lombok Strait separates it from Bali in the west. The Alas Strait also lies in between as well as Sumbawa which is to the east of the island. The region is circular in shape and there is a tail which is the Sekotong Peninsula. Mataram is known to be the largest city on the island and the provincial capital of the region. It is known to be similar in population density and size as Bali. There are smaller islands in the locality called Gili. The island has over three million Indonesians residing here.

Lombok island is known to house many a Lombok hotel. The island is divided into four regencies. There is one city here. The history of Lombok island is interesting. It is known that the Sasak chiefs in Lombok had allied with the Dutch. They resisted the Balinese occupation in alliance with the Dutch. The relation between Bali and Lombok has always been a tumultuous one. The relations between the Sasak and the Balinese population in western Lombok are known to be harmonious. Here intermarriages are common as well. In the east of the island relations are less cordial. Here the Balinese maintained control from forts and garrisons.

If you look at the Lombok Strait it lies at the immediate west of the island. This marks the passage or the division between the fauna found in the Indomalayan zone and the fauna found in the ecozone of Australasia. This biogeographical division is known as the Wallace Line. Alfred Russel Wallace was the first person to discover the division between these two regions and the boundary that exists between these two biomes. The topography of the place is based around the strato volcano Mount Rinjani. This is known to be the second highest volcano in Indonesia. This rises to a height of 3726 meters. The ash rises to two kilometers in the atmosphere when the volcano erupts as it was last reported in May 2010. The volcano has a crater lake called Segara Anak which means child of the sea.

There are many a Lombok hotel to be found in several locations on Lombok island. The highlands of Lombok island are clad with forests and undeveloped mostly. The lowlands are cultivated with rice, coffee, soybeans, cotton, cinnamon, cloves, corn, coconut, vanilla and bananas being some of the many crops grown in these fertile soils. If you wish to enjoy the natural surroundings here, especially the pristine beaches, you could make a booking at a Lombok hotel here. You will find several choices and convenient options to book such a hotel online.

An Unforgettable Holiday Destination at Hotel di Lombok

You might have never head of Lombok and it is likely that you will miss out in having an unforgettable holiday here. However, thanks to the prolific information channels, no place, however, small, remains undiscovered for long. When it comes to Bali, it is a place that is becoming preferred by tourists and travelers the world over. Lombok is an island located in a province in Indonesia. It is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali. It is a circular region with the Sekotong Peninsula forming a tail in the southwest. Mataram is known as the provincial capital as well as the largest city on the island. The size, density and cultural heritage of this island is similar to Bali. It is administratively distinct and is surrounded by smaller islands called the Gili collectively.

Those who wish to enjoy a holiday here would be on the lookout for a hotel di Lombok or a villa di Lombok. This region has a blend of an ancient culture which is preserved in its many parts coupled with modern amenities and the natural richness of the place which is well preserved. Regarding the history of the place, it is known that the indigenous Sasak tribes resisted the Balinese occupation. The history of the region is little known prior to the seventeenth century. The Dutch had visited Lombok around 1674. The Dutch East India company formed a treaty with the Sasak princess of Lombok. Even though it was taken over by the Balinese in 1750, the Mataram kingdom brought the rivals under control around 1838.

Today the place presents an idyllic destination for leisure seekers. There are several hotel di Lombok or villa di Lombok that one may find. There are many tourism portals which cater to the hotels and resorts located here. One can easily book a resort or a villa here as per their preference. There are options to book a hotel or villa online. You could get sea facing or beach front villas or hotels as per your liking. The pristine blue waters and the white, natural beaches are the main attractions of this region. If you are unable to make a choice, look at the well known hotel brands that have their properties in this region. You can check their ratings online, the room rates and amenities that they offer. There are different locations to choose from and hotels and villas as per the budget you have in mind. You could also seek the services of a tourist agency who will make the bookings on your behalf and arrange for travel and sightseeing activities as well.