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It's a great
place for Lombok-made clothing and
artifacts. And it
is also the base for exploring Lombok's
southern beaches and the many points of
interest in the region.
An easy 90-minute drive from Senggigi, Kuta
makes for a wonderful day trip from other
points in Lombok, or indeed an alternative
holiday destination for sun lovers.
The
four-star Novotel Lombok is there to
provide a definitive range of creature
comforts. Kuta and
the
 surrounding
region also has an international reputation
for some of the best surfing destinations
in South-East Asia and it is here that the
Indian Ocean's regular big swells form
great surf breaks and offer fantastic
vistas of cliffs, headlands and beaches
carved out of the southern coastline.
It very small development with far fewer
tourist than in famous Kuta Beach on Bali,
but there are big plans to develop a whole
stretch of the superb south coast with
luxury hotels.
Surfing
Most of Lombok's south coasts offer
surf-seekers challenging waves of various
grades. Particularly there are four
surf-points, which are highly recommended
for surf lovers. Within the Lombok's Kuta
Beach there are two points, namely Gerupuk
that provides neutral waves, and Aik Guling
offering waves mostly for the left-handed.
Several kilometers to the West of Kuta
Beach there is Pengantap desert point that
provides various grades of attractions, but
it is ideal only during the periods of
June, July, August, December and January.
The next break is at Ekas Beach that
reserves challenging waves and
reef-break-points, reachable by boat or by
land from Kuta Beach on an approximately
one and half hour cruise.
Nyale
Fishing Festival
Every February the
Sasak people of Lombok have a very
interesting ceremony, held on the beautiful
Indian Ocean south coast of the island.
Thousands of people go to the single beach
near Kute (Kuta) where, for one day only,
the Nyale sea worms appear.
They seek to harvest the worms,
which appear only between midday and about
3.30pm on the one day in February.
Special traditional art performances take
place, including Betandak, a recitation by
two or more performers singing quatrains,
and Bejambik, the giving of gifts to
lovers.
The next day, people join in the ceremony
of Belancaran, basically a recreational sea
trip.
Bau Nyale celebrates the legend of a
beautiful princess, Putri Mandalika, who
many centuries ago lived in the royal house
of the Tonjang Beru kingdom.
She was so beautiful that many princes from
all over Lombok were interested in her.
On one particular day, and at the same
time, six princes came to propose marriage.
This led to much confusion. Putri
Mandalika's father, the king, did not know
who to choose from among the six suitors,
because whatever he did it would inevitably
lead to jealousy and eventually warfare
among the kingdoms.
Greatly perturbed, he decided to leave the
decision to Putri Mandalika, but she too
was confused and uncertain what to do
because whatever her decision, her choice
of a prince to marry would create a
situation in which her people would be
drawn into conflict and personal sacrifice.
According to the legend, Putri Mandalika
decided to resolve the situation by ending
her life, and jumped into the Indian Ocean
from what is now Mandalika Hill.
It is said that the Nyale worms are
actually the princess's hair, with her
people for ever. |
