The indigenous people of Lombok, the Sasaks, are predominantly Moslem and have a strong, distinguished tradition, as do the people of neighbouring Sumbawa.
Soft, white sand, virgin beaches are typical in Lombok, where the motto is 'You can see Bali from Lombok, but not Lombok from Bali'. Famous for its ikat hand-woven textiles, the islands has exceptional charm and is relatively undiscovered, except for the town of Sengigi, which is becoming a major resort area.
Regular shuttle flights from Bali and Sumbawa as well as ferries, provide excellent transportation link between the island of the province as well as the rest of the country.
This disunity was exploited by the neighboring Balinese. Balinese princes ruled Lombok from the mid-18th century until the 1890s, when the Dutch sided with the Sasaks and defeated the Balinese in bloody battles. Under Dutch rule, the eastern islands of Indonesia were grouped together as the Lesser Sunda Islands, administered from Singaraja, Bali. When Sukarno proclaimed Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945, the Lesser Sunda Islands were formed into the single province of Nusa Tenggara. In 1958, the province was divided into three separate regions - Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara..
Though less developed than Bali, in recent years Lombok has given Bali a run for its money in the realm of tourism. Lombok has wonderful beaches, volcano and varied landscape. It is an ideal place for those looking for a private holiday away from the hustle and bustle of a normal tourist spot.
Mataram is the capital city of Lombok, and is served by an International airport. It is also possible to reach Lombok by ferry from neighbouring Bali.
Intricate palm-leaf wedding trunks and armoires with mother-of-pearl inlays is one of the favorite shopping items in Lombok. Bone, wood, and bamboo are good buys, along with ikat and songket, a fabric with silver and gold thread running through it that was traditionally used for sarongs worn by royalty.
