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 GENERAL
INFORMATION
The Province of West Nusa Tenggara, also known
as part of the Lesser Sunda Islands, comprise Bali and eastward
through Timor. The two major islands in this province are Lombok
and Sumbawa. Lombok is where the transition from the western to
the eastern Indonesian fauna and flora begins. The northern part
of the island is mountainous and verdant with tall trees and shrubs
covering the land.
The south is arid and covered by savannas. Large Asian mammals
are absent. The shift gets more pronounced as one moves further
east. Dry seasons are more prolonged, so in many areas corn and
sago instead of rice is the staple food. Lombok island has white
virgin beaches, an age-old culture, separated by merely a narrow
strait from Bali, it is only now being discovered as a tourist destination
of exceptional charm. Here the motto is "you can see Bali in
Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali". It is an existing reality,
formed by the superimposition of strong Balinese influences in the
past, upon a base that is entirely Lombok's own. At around the time
Islam first came to these islands in the 16th century, four Hindu
Kingdoms coexisted in apparent peace in what is now West Nusa Tenggara.
At present, Hinduism is the religion embraced mostly by the Balinese
population of western Lombok. The indigenous people of Lombok, the
Sasaks, are predominantly Moslem. Even more so are the people of
neighboring Sumbawa. At present, West Nusa Tenggara's cultural make-up
is a composite of the four main population groups inhabiting the
two islands: the Balinese, the Sumbawanese, and the peoples of Bima
and Dompu. The region is famous for its "ikat" hand-woven
textiles. Cattle and horses are the major export commodities of
these islands.
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An
exciting one day trip to the magnificent island of Lombok awaits
you! Getting to know more of the Sasak tribe culture.