LOMBOK’s prime tourist strip stretches along 10 kilometres of scenic coastline from central Senggigi Bay, offering a full range of accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, services and stunning sunset views across the Lombok Strait to Bali’s sacred volcano, Mount Agung.The most developed of Lombok’s townships, Senggigi is the preferred base of many visitors from around the world who set out to explore West Nusa Tenggara’s (NTB’s) distinctive cultures and breath-taking natural attractions including islands and rich marine life, lakes, forests, waterfalls and mountains such as the iconic Rinjani volcano.
While Senggigi town can look a little sleepy by day, when guests trip off to discover more of Lombok and even Sumbawa, or make the most of its clean beach and ocean, at night the township sparkles with life. A good mix of live music spills from crowded bars, restaurants and nightclubs. People throng the art and souvenir shops and engage in bargaining with friendly locals who nightly bring their age-old traditional crafts in from their villages in the hope of a sale on the street.
Lombok is famous for cultivating high-quality pearls, and by night the casual pearl traders take their trays of highly-coveted marine gems off the beaches and islands and onto Jalan Raya Senggigi, the town’s main street, onto which colourful cidomo (pony carts) and courtesy cars deliver guests from outlying coastal resorts.
Recently, Senggigi has undergone a range of improvements and beautification programs to make it more attractive and convenient to its growing numbers of visitors. There’s a fine beachfront walkway and better beach access.
The town’s art market (pasar seni) has been cleaned up and painted and every weekend is the venue for vibrant exhibitions of ritual arts in which costumed performers enact highlights of the region’s rich culture and history. The market has a choice of waterfront cafes and bars for refreshments after the show.
In and around central Senggigi, a range of new hotels and villas including boutique resorts has sprung up to meet tourist demand. Others have been substantially refurbished. Lombok’s landmark Senggigi Beach Hotel, the island’s pioneer four-star resort and a perennial favourite for its prime Senggigi Peninsula position, recently completed phase one of a multi-billion-rupiah renovation to heighten the property’s ongoing appeal.
Throughout the hotel, a minimalist tropical design is enhanced by decorations and other features such as distinctive roofing that are typical of the indigenous Sasak people of Lombok. In the airy lobby, orange and terracotta tones reflect the resort’s reputation for warmth and hospitality.
The six-month upgrade makes it easier for Senggigi Beach Hotel to accommodate large group check-ins in the calming “open water” themed environment of the lobby which opens to beautiful gardens and fish ponds. Blue water peeks from behind shady green trees and splashes gently to create a symphony to sooth the eyes and ears of arriving guests. The concept brings the resort’s lobby closer to nature.
At the 150-room hotel, a further Rp20 million upgrade will involve restaurants, swimming pool and the Mayura conference centre. The project will extend to beach bungalows and construction of a lagoon pool.
The improvements have moved the property into operating company PT Aerowisata’s category of high-quality hotels which offer superior facilities and services at affordable prices. It has therefore been rebranded as Aerowisata Senggigi Beach Hotel.
On a white sand beach and with a full range of resort faciltiies and services, and only a short walk to upbeat central Senggigi, the upgrade has secured the popular resort’s future as NTB grows its tourism industry.
Senggigi itself is developing a reputation as a destination for national and international conventions and exhibitions. It also is the scene of many striking local events such as the annual Sengiggi Festival, this year in mid-July, whose highlight Parade of Culture attracts participants from around Indonesia.
Senggigi itself is developing a reputation as a destination for national and international conventions and exhibitions. It also is the scene of many striking local events such as the annual Sengiggi Festival, this year in mid-July, whose highlight Parade of Culture attracts participants from around Indonesia.
source:enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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