Lombok may be lesser known than its big-hitting neighbor Bali, but it’s no less compelling. The island is a treasure trove of tradition, where daily life carries on much as it has for centuries. Head south from the harbor through tobacco fields and rice terraces to Sukarara, and find a women’s weaving community that continues the tradition of threading vibrant songket patterns by hand. A trip inland brings you to Sade, a heritage village that has been inhabited by the same community for 15 generations, as well as Ende, a Sasak village where homes are built from clay and bamboo. If you're lucky, you might even witness a peresean, a ceremonial stick fight accompanied by drums and flute.
Lombok may be lesser known than its big-hitting neighbor Bali, but it’s no less compelling. The island is a treasure trove of tradition, where daily life carries on much as it has for centuries. Head south from the harbor through tobacco fields and rice terraces to Sukarara, and find a women’s weaving community that continues the tradition of threading vibrant songket patterns by hand. A trip inland brings you to Sade, a heritage village that has been inhabited by the same community for 15 generations, as well as Ende, a Sasak village where homes are built from clay and bamboo. If you're lucky, you might even witness a peresean, a ceremonial stick fight accompanied by drums and flute.