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One of the glorious spots of nature in Far East Asia is Lombok Island. This island though Bali’s neighbor was hidden from the public for ages, it is only recently that the tourism world globally has sat up and taken notice of this Indonesian treasure. Reaching Lombok is easy, one can take a ferry from Bali or take a local flight from Java, Jakarta via Surabaya or Bali. Lombok is still on her way to being developed as one of the ideal islands for holiday, like Bali, but her endless beaches, turquoise waters and unspoilt natural beauty is enough to mesmerize and beguile one forever. Though Lombok has many areas which need exploration, one of the most well developed tourist area on the island is Sengggigi. Senggigi, Lombok’s claim to fame are many fold. This area has some bays with clear water and is entirely safe for swimming in the sea. The beach is where you can laze around from sunrise to sunset. If you do then soak in Nature’s vagaries, see how the hues with the rising sun and dying sun change. The color spectrum will reflect all the moods, a human being undergoes in the course of his life. You will be able to recognize the various shades of blue, the sky or the sea will never be the same. For a quiet relaxed holiday, you can do no better than see life passing by, local fisher folks busy in their daily routine, casting of the fishing net, their struggles with having a good catch or just gaze at their unusual, but brightly colored fishing boats. Local people will walk up to you with souvenirs try to bring a smile to their face. Innumerable luxury hotels and upmarket restaurants are in and around Senggigi, so there will no problem with food or accommodation. You can choose a place to stay as per your budget, but of course, more sophisticated places will have more frills.
It is quite common to see groups of men and women engaged in diving, swimming or snorkeling. In fact the vast wide expanse of the sea is a divers’ and swimmers’ paradise, Lombok has innumerable exotic diving spots. A visit to the Batu Bolong Temple about a kilometer south of Senggigi is a must. The temple is situated on a rocky point which juts in to the sea, this very fact has given the temple its name for batu bolong means rock with a hole. It is a Balinese temple (Balinese are practicing Hindus) and oriented towards Gunung Agung, which is the holiest temple of the Balinese just across Lombok Strait. The view of sunrise and sunset from this point is enough to take your breath away. Surfing is one sport that is wildly popular in Lombok and Senggigi. In fact this area has some of the best surfing spots in Far East. The most famous is Desert Point which will give the surfer a high to remember for long. In Senggigi surfing can be indulged at the front of Senggigi Beach Hotel where there is always a conglomeration of naïve and mature surfers. From Senggigi you can visit the Gili Islands which will further enrich you with the islanders’ way of life and their dreams.
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