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OTAK
KOKO WATERFALL
 IN
the Sasak language of Lombok,
Otak Kokok means 'the source of a river'. This waterfall
is at Lunggub, part of Montong Betook village in the
Montong Gading sub-district. Local tradition holds that
the water has medicinal effects in treating various
diseases. This alone makes Otak Kokok a popular place
for local people and tourists alike.
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GERUPUK BAY
 JUST over an hour by road from Lombok's
international airport at Mataram, you will find a magic
little spot to surf: Gerupuk Bay. It's near Tanjung A'an
and the tempting comfort and sophistication of the
Novotel Lombok at nearby Kuta. Gerupuk itself is a little place that caters mainly for the
international surfing community. It's out of the way –
but not so isolated as to be inaccessible to all but the
hardiest of travellers – and offers some truly great waves and inexpensive accommodation.
The surfing community there is diverse. Japanese, British and
Australian board riders predominate. But you'll also
find surfers from countries that don't even have a
coastline of their own, far less an endless succession
of guaranteed-perfect big-ocean swells: Austria,
Switzerland and Hungary, to name just three.
At Gerupuk (pronounced more like 'Gruppuk', and remember the
trilled 'r') the waves are reef breaks. They generally
suit long-board surfing better than short boards.
There are several breaks, all accessible by sampan, a boat
business that provides the local community with an
income. Sampans will take you to the waves and then wait
to bring you back.
The boat journey itself is very rewarding. You motor past
seaweed farms (a major local industry) while you take in
the majestic beauty of the bay. There are two main breaks, both unusual for Lombok
in that they are right-breaking. Most of Lombok's
surfing waves break to the left. They are Feregi – better known locally as 'inside' – and Gili
Gorong, 'outside', on the reef that rims the bay. Both
suit hot-dog style type of surfing. Gili Gorong has some very large waves in a big swell. They
break from deep water, some are very thick, and they
eventually end in deep water. The breaks are situated in
front of the spectacular headland that is a feature of
the area.
Inside the bay itself is Peregi, which offers a
not-too-demanding wave and a lot of fun. There is also a
good left break further out into the bay, called
Teratask, and another A-Frame peak closer to the western
side of the bay called Dundun, or Turtle Point. These
two breaks are generally much better on days with a
larger swell.
Gerupuk
Bay seems to pick up the swell even on days when other
surf breaks in Lombok are flat. It's hard to beat as an enjoyable place to stay
that offers fun waves and spectacular surroundings.
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GILI
SULAT
LITERALLY a desert island – it and others in the area are
uninhabited – Gili Sulat is ringed by a deep mangrove
forest. It is at Tekalok near Sembalia, about 85
kilometres from Mataram (a long way in Lombok).
To reach it, you take a 10-minute speedboat ride from
Tekalok. As well as Gili Sulat, there are five other
islands in the area: Gili Lawang, Gili Petangon, Gili
Bidara and Gili Konto. The islands are a natural
paradise with beautiful scenery, monkeys, many species
of birds, and plentiful fish.
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TETEBATU, LOANG GALI, TIMBENUH AND LEMOR
 These
mountain resorts are situated in East
Lombok featuring greenery and breathtaking views.
Tetebatu provides walking paths through sawah (paddy
fields) and ladang (dry fields) heading to preserved
forests where communities of black-monkeys and rare
species of birds can be seen. The art performance at
Loanggali will impress you throughout the whole set of
traditional dances acted by the locals. Timbenuh
highland, with its panoramic views, offers a vantage
point from which half of Lombok can be observed, as well
as some views across the Alas Strait
to Sumbawa Island.
On the way to Lemor you will pass the grave of 'Rajah
Selaparang' the King of the first Moslem Kingdom of
Lombok, and, it is believed, one of his daughters
'Princess Dewi Anjani', the Empress of all refined
creatures inhabiting Mt. Rinjani, Lemor, awaits your
discovery.
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