Wednesday, October 12, 2011

DIRECTORY

Long overshadowed by its world-famousneighbour Bali, relatively undiscoveredLombok is primed for take-off asIndonesia’s second tourism destination.This comes with the launch on October 1of the new Lombok international airport,Bandara International Lombok (BIL).

Along with a “Visit Lombok andSumbawa 2012” promotion, BIL is adirect move by the Indonesiangovernment to boost Lombok’s tourism,aiming for 1million visitors within twoyears for Lombok and an eastern island,Sumbawa.

Impressive BIL will be able to handlelarger aircraft – such as the Boeing 747and Airbus 320 – and up to 3 millionpassengers annually, replacing smallerSelaparang Airport, which handledmainly domestic flights. Budget carrierAir Asia will start flights early next yearand more international airlines areexpected to follow.

Just 35km to Bali’s east, Lombokoffers a more natural, untamed beauty,

uncrowded with traffic-free roads andunhurried pace, home to the indigenousMuslim Sasaks. The island’s pristinewhite sand beaches, turquoisetransparent seas, tropical virginrainforests and mystical volcanoes

constitute a natural playground foractivities such as jungle trekking, world-class surfing and diving at some ofIndonesia’s finest reefs. A shortspeedboat ride from Lombok’snorthwest are the Gili Meno, Gili Air and

Gili Trawangan – three coral-fringed,dazzlingly beautiful islands, long-popular for diving.

Lombok’s main tourism developmentis along the lush west coastline,particularly around Senggigi, with long-

established luxury resorts such as HotelTugu Lombok and Oberoi Lombok.Recent increased tourism developmenthas seen a rise in international-standardaccommodation, especially chicboutique resorts and pool villacomplexes. On the west coast thisincludes Lombok Lodge and Jeeva KluiResort, and on the Gilis, themselvesexperiencing a sharp up-rise in upscaledevelopment, Hotel Ombak Sunset on“party island” Gili Trawangan and thefirst hip, luxury resort for idyllic GiliMeno – Mahamaya.

This new trend is also spreading outto the mainland’s awakening new areas.Huge expanses of Lombok’s shores andbeaches are deserted and “undis-covered”, such as the spectacular,remote southwest but, even here,swanky new resorts are springing-up,such as Cocotinos Sekotong. Lombok’ssouthern shores boast some ofIndonesia’s most pristine coastal sceneryand Southeast Asia’s best surfing.

With BIL opening just 19km away, thesouth and tourist centre, Kuta, isearmarked for luxury hotels. At present,the sole upmarket resort is NovotelLombok, relaunched with a multimilliondollar refurbishment, but more hotelsare expected to open soon.

Primed for take-offLombok hopesnew airport willboost tourism

Lombok’s maintourismdevelopment isalong the westcoastline, withlong-establishedluxury resortssuch as OberoiLombok.