Things to do in Mataram
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Pura Meru
Pura Meru, is the largest temple in Lombok. Built in 1720 by Balinese prince Anak Agung Made Karang of the Singosari kingdom in an attempt to unite Lombok, it's dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
The outer courtyard has a hall housing the wooden drums that are beaten to call believers to ceremonies (the June full moon is the most important of these). The inner court has one large and 33 small shrines, as well as three meru (multi-roofed shrines), which are in a line: the central meru, with 11 tiers, is Shiva's house; the meru to the north, with nine tiers, is Vishnu's; and the seven-tiered meru to the south is Brahma's. The meru are also said to r…
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Mayura Water Palace
This palace was built in 1744, and was once part of the Balinese kingdom's royal court in Lombok. It's a pleasant retreat now, popular with fishermen and families, but in 1894 it was the site of bloody battles between the Dutch and Balinese. The complex contains a large artificial lake, with a modest replica of a bale kambang (floating pavilion) in its centre, connected to the shoreline by a raised footpath. The original pavilion was a court of justice.
You'll find that the entrance to the walled enclosure of the palace is on the western side, off Jl Selaparang.
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Museum Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat
This modern museum has exhibits on the geology, history and culture of Lombok and Sumbawa. If you intend on buying antiques or handicrafts, take a look at the kris (traditional daggers), songket (silver- or gold-threaded cloth), basketware and masks for comparison.
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Rinjani Climb
10 days (Mataram)
Climb spectacular Mount Rinjani then enjoy the cultural highlights of Lombok and the Gili Islands.
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Seafood Alfa
A bright, clean welcoming place; perch yourself on one of the coloured stools and tuck into dishes like gurami asam manis (freshwater fish with sweet sauce) or the rice and noodles dishes.
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Dua M
Authentic Sasak food, including terrific ayam goreng taliwang (Sumbawa-style spicy chicken). Try to bag the low table facing the garden and pond.
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Rumah Makan Dirgahayu
Huge, popular Makassar place with long menu that takes in veggie choices like fried spinach and tofu, or delicious karper goreng (fried carp).
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Denny Bersaudra
Agreeable, airy and welcoming place that specialises in Sasak cuisine. Look for the sign near the roundabout along western Jl Pejanggik.
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Galeria Nao
Contemporary hardwood furniture and artefacts that wouldn't look out of place in WallÂpaper magazine.
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Mataram Mall
This multi-storey shopping mall contains a supermarket, electrical goods and clothes stores as well as food stalls.
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Lombok Handicraft Centre
At Sayang Sayang (2km north of Cakra), there's a wide range of crafts, including masks, textiles, and ceramics from across Nusa Tenggara.
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Selamat Riady
Offers textiles, including ikat from Lombok, Flores and Sumba, and a few other crafts.
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Lombok Pottery Centre
Classy, stylish Fair Trade pottery and ceramics. Six hundred designs are available, including fruit bowls and elegant vases, all made on Lombok.
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Rinjani Handwoven
You can see weavers in action at this workshop and buy their handiwork.
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Mie Ayam Jakarta
Just east of the Po Hwa Kong temple, this simple place scores for chicken noodle dishes.
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Royal Surf
Skate and surf wear, including genuine sunglasses and hip headgear.
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Po Hwa Kong
Reflecting the religious diversity of the island, this historic Chinese Buddhist temple (built in 1806) acts as a spiritual centre for believers of all faiths, including Hindus, Christians and Muslims. Inside the compound there's a classically Chinese combination of dragons, gods and clouds of sweet incense. Make a donation and the whippet-thin, kretek cigarette-puffing guardian will give you a personal fortune reading (in Bahasa Indonesia only). It's just east of the port in Ampenan.
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Pasar Cakranegara
Collection of quirky stalls, some of which sell good-quality ikat, as well as an interesting food market.
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Melissa Bakery
A squeaky-clean bakery-cum-deli that pumps out the full monty of Indonesian street snacks (such as smoked beef roti) and nasi kuning (yellow rice) as well as Western treats such as brownies and cheesecake.
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Aroma
Spotless, well-run and highly popular family-run Chinese restaurant around the corner from the Mataram Mall. The surrounds are functional; the emphasis is all on the freshness and flavour of the cooking here, particularly the seafood. Crab with black pepper and chilli sauce is
the signature dish, or try cumi saos tiram (squid with oyster sauce).
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