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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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Arriving
on the island, you will be heading to Banyu Mulek area,
home of handmade traditional clay pottery. Then on to
Sukarara to see the weaving of the famous Songket and
Ikat cloth. The inland of Lombok will reveal its magic
when you visit the Rambitan traditional village while
our last destination of the day, Tanjung A’an, will
pamper you with lots and lots of fun beach activities
and luxurious sun bath. 
