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It is indeed surprising that the beautiful world of Lombok was hidden from the people for such a long time when it is just 45 km from another popular destination in Far-East, Bali. Bali for long with endless beaches and unique local culture has attracted millions from all over the world through the decades, but till recently Lombok was shrouded in a veil, the island being home to some fishermen and boatmen. But with the gradual opening up of Lombok as a tourist destination, the multitude of attractions in the island make one spell bound. Lombok’s history is not very happy, as her decades as a Dutch colony all but destroyed her, but much earlier when it was the Balinese domination on Lombok, several Hindu temples and other marvelous structures were built. The ruins of such structures make posterity decipher what was Lombok then and what is now. One interesting place that gives insight in the history of the island is Taman Mayura Palace, Lombok. Balinese conquest of Lombok resulted in bringing strong Hindu influences on the lives of the indigenous people of Lombok. Temples were built dedicated to Hindu pantheons and some of them till this day are revered and visited. Lombok can be described as paradise in miniature, the calm sea, diverse flora and fauna and a tranquil way of life made this paradise favorite of Balinese kings too. They built palaces where much of fun, frolic and work was done, the ruins of such palaces still allow one to get a glimpse of royal life. Before Lombok was colonized by the Dutch the island was part of Karangasem Kingdom of Eastern Bali. It was the most powerful Balinese kingdom in the eighteenth century. The kingdom’s last raja was very fond of water and has several fountains, moats and pools created. In Lombok, Taman Mayura Palace is one such remnant of the Balinese royal palace. Today it is a large artificial pool full of blooming lotus. Bale Kembang is in the center of the pool, this is a floating pavilion. This pavilion is somewhat reminiscent of the one in Klungkung, Bali but is much smaller in size and not as ornate. However, this place is very peaceful and ideal to spend some hours admiring the splendor of the gone by days.
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