Things to do in Nusa Tenggara
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Papaya Café
Invitingly decorated with rattan sofas and exposed stone walls, this enjoyable place has a tempting menu of Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese dishes and some of the best cocktails in town. The Papaya also has live music of the muzak variety and is fine for a relaxed drink. Happy hour is 16:00 to 20:00.
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English Tea Room
A civilised air-con retreat, this delightful place, located in a shopping plaza, offers a wide choice of salads and sandwiches as well as terrific cakes. The teas include Ceylon and Indonesian green and you'll find some interesting coffees too. There's a terrace table upstairs.
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Pura Lingsar
This large temple complex, built in 1714, is the holiest place on Lombok. The temple combines the Balinese Hindu and Wektu Telu religions in one complex. The Hindu temple in the northern section is higher than the Wektu Telu temple in the southern section. It's an especially fascinating place for those interested in Wektu Telu, Lombok's indigenous religion.
The Wektu Telu temple is noted for its small enclosed pond devoted to Lord Vishnu, and the holy eels which can be enticed from their hiding places with hard-boiled eggs (available at stalls outside). You will be expected to rent a sash and/or sarong (or bring your own) to enter the temple, but not to enter the outer bu…
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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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Pura Batu Bolong
The small pagodas of the modest Balinese temple Pura Batu Bolong cling to a rocky volcanic outcrop that juts into the sea about 2km south of central Senggigi. Crabs scuttle over statues and families come here to snack and cool off at the beach directly below. The temple is orientated towards Gunung Agung, Bali's holiest mountain, and is a favoured spot to watch the sunset. The rock underneath the temple has a natural hole that gives it its name - batu bolong (literally, 'rock with hole').
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Pae Nope Guide
Timor has many fascinating traditional villages, pockets of rainforest, and remote regions. But Bahasa Indonesia - let alone English - is often not spoken, so a local guide is very advisable. Pae Nope Guide is a highly recommended English-speaking guide who organises superb ethnological, trekking and bird-watching trips around the island (and to East Timor). A two-day tour costs around Rp1,100, per person (minimum of two people), including all accommodation and meals.
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Quali Restaurant
This terrific, hip hotel-restaurant has a well-selected modern menu of Asian and European dishes. Book ahead and bag a table right on the shore; it's an incredibly romantic setting.
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Pasar Inpres
The main market is the rambling Pasar Inpres off Jl Soeharto in the south of the city. It's mostly fruit and vegetables, but some ikat and handicrafts can be found in stores near the Terminal. Bizarre ti'i langga (conical hats) from Rote make a fun purchase, but try fitting one in your backpack.
To get there, take bemo 1 or 2 and follow the crowd when you get off.
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Asmara
Consistently recommended by expats, this is a comfortable, spacious and airy two-storey thatched restaurant offering fine European cuisine - try the frikadellen (meatballs with mustard gravy and sautéed potatoes) - plus Indonesian and international favourites. Children are well catered for from a special menu, and there's a small pool and play area too.
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Café Alberto
Occupying a large beachfront plot well away from the road, feast on Italian (pizza and pasta) or Indonesian (the usual suspects in generous portions) cuisine at this enjoyable restaurant. Lunch at a table on the sand and then snooze it off on one of their loungers. There's also a small kids' playground here with slides and a sandpit.
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Giri Loka Spa
For a really indulgent experience, visit one the many spas in the Senggigi area, most are hotel-based. Giri Loka Spa offers fabulous warm hour-long stone massages. First rosemary and orange oils are applied to your body then a masseur rubs the heated stones over your 'chakra' points, stimulating the lymph nodes, blood and muscles.
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Taman Narmada
Laid out as a miniature replica of the summit of Gunung Rinjani and its crater lake, Taman Narmada takes its name from a sacred Indian river. Its temple, Pura Kalasa, is still used and the Balinese Pujawali celebration is held here annually. This is a beautiful place to spend a few hours, but it tends to get crowded on weekends.
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Museum Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat
This modern museum has exhibits on the geology, history and culture of Lombok and Sumbawa, and is worth a look if you have a free hour or so. If you intend buying any antiques or handicrafts, have a look at the kris (daggers), songket (silver or gold-threaded cloth), basketware and masks for a starting point.
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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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Dive Indonesia
Diving trips from Senggigi normally visit the Gili Islands, so you may want to consider basing yourself there. Snorkelling is reasonable off the point in Senggigi, in the sheltered bay around the headland, and in front of Windy Cottages, a few kilometres north of the town.
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Rinjani Climb
10 days (Mataram)
Climb spectacular Mount Rinjani then enjoy the cultural highlights of Lombok and the Gili Islands.
Not LP reviewed
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Blue Marlin
Diving trips from Senggigi normally visit the Gili Islands, so you may want to consider basing yourself there. Snorkelling is reasonable off the point in Senggigi, in the sheltered bay around the headland, and in front of Windy Cottages, a few kilometres north of the town.
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East Nusa Tenggara Museum
The East Nusa Tenggara Museum, near the tourist office, houses a collection of arts, crafts and artefacts from all over the province. Aurora Arby is an anthropologist who will be happy to show you around. To get there, take bemo 10 from the Kota Kupang Terminal.
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Sugar Café
Perhaps the most modern place in town, this chic little lounge bar-restaurant is highly atmospheric, with candlelit tables and creative, beautifully presented Indonesian and Asian fusion cuisine. Eat in the air-conditioned interior or outside on the terrace.
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Dive Alor
Kupang-based Dive Alor, run by Australians Graeme and Donovan Whitford, is a highly experienced scuba outfit that arranges trips to Alor. It also has a huge selection of high-quality carvings and weavings from around Nusa Tenggara and some Chinese ceramics.
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L'Avalon
A rickety-looking shack above the 'beach' that was looking a spent force when we last called in. But, as the owner, Edwin, is quite a character and the best source of info in town, it may be worth stopping by to see if it's open.
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Bumbu
Deservedly popular little restaurant on the main strip, come here for inexpensive Thai curries and Indo cooking served up on a slim streetside terrace. Some Western dishes are also served, and there's always a daily special.
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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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Sasando Hotel
Kupang's nightspots are uniformly seedy; most are little more than sleazy karaoke bars. Surya, 6km east of town on the beach, and the bar at the Sasando Hotel are dark places fitting this bill.
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