Five Reasons to Visit Lombok, Indonesia

The Indonesian island of Lombok does not receive as much fanfare as its hugely popular neighbor Bali. Nevertheless, many Indonesians prefer vacationing in Lombok over Bali for many reasons: prices for hotel rooms, food and attractions are often a good deal cheaper, and the island's scenic spots are still unmolested by the gated villa developments, cheap cocktail bars and tawdry souvenir shops that have spread across so much of Bali. At least for now. A large international airport will be completed next year and Indonesian tourism officials will likely be marketing Lombok as Bali version 2. So don't put off your trip — or miss any of these five Lombok essentials.

1. A Homestay
If you're going to Lombok to avoid Balinese-style tourism, then why not pass up on the hotels, spas and plunge pools altogether and opt for a homestay? There are numerous options around the island, including farmhouses and homes in beachside and mountainside villages. Some are quite elaborate affairs, with self-contained accommodation and differing from standard travelers' lodges only by the presence of convivial hosts. Many offer an introduction to fishing, farming or even hunting as practiced by the local Sasak people, plus a firsthand look at the preparation of local foods and maybe a chance to sit in on some craftwork or the celebration of a festival. Your hosts will also be able to show you points of interest not found in the travel guides.

If you can't pass up on your little luxuries, Yuli's Homestay, yulishomestay.com, in south Lombok is really more of a small resort (it has three comfortable bungalows and a swimming pool), but with a personal touch and lots of local insights supplied by a host couple from New Zealand and Indonesia. H. Radiah Homestay, tel: (62-370) 22298, in Lendang Nangka is a more rustic experience, offering a location smack in the middle of a Sasak village and a great base for hiking.

2. The Lombok Chili Pepper
Since the word lombok means chili in Bahasa Indonesia, you'd expect the locals to know a thing or two about spicy food. The green and red Lombok chilies are often made into sambal — a fiery condiment — with locally grown naga jolokia peppers, garlic and shrimp paste. Sample it as an accompaniment to local dishes like ayam taliwang (grilled wild chicken) and sayur nangka (jackfruit curry).

3. Hit the Beach
Lombok's beaches are second to none and a blessed relief after Bali's busy strips. Head for the island's southwest to really escape the crowds. Surfers love the big waves at Bangko-Bangko (also known as Desert Point); if its long-walled and hollow left-hand breaks sound too taxing, then try the tiny island of Gili Nanggu, 15 minutes by boat from the town of Tawun. There, the Gili Nanggu Cottages and Bungalows resort, gilinanggu.com, offers a chance to laze on a pristine private beach that encircles the island, or to go snorkeling in the beautiful reefs.

4. Two Wheels Good
Public transport on Lombok is unreliable. Many visitors opt to hire a car and driver, which can be obtained at very reasonable rates, but if you're feeling adventurous try renting a motorcycle — available from shops all over the island. At just over 80 km at its widest point, Lombok is easily traversable and its roads are in great condition for Indonesia — the beneficiaries of recent infrastructural investment. The excellent 21-km coastal stretch from Senggigi to Pemenang winds past beautiful inlets and beaches and is an easy, exhilarating ride. Other, smaller roads meander through rugged highlands, passing secluded waterfalls and verdant rice paddies.

5. Hot, Roasted Worms
Lombok's people are an eclectic mix of religious and ethnic groups, with the majority being the indigenous Sasak Muslims. There is also a sizable Hindu Balinese population, and significant numbers of Chinese and Sasak Buddhists. All of this means a lively festival calendar. The largest and most colorful festival is the Bau Nyale or Sea Worm Festival. Every February at Kuta beach (that's Kuta beach, south Lombok, not to be confused with its famous Bali namesake), the Sasak people commemorate a mythical princess who drowned herself in these waters rather than enter a politically vexatious marriage. The festival is timed with the spawning of marine worms, which are eagerly caught and eaten — often after being wrapped in banana leaf and roasted — and the celebrations last for four days.

source:http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,2034372,00.html

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Dangers and annoyances in the Gili Islands / Lombok

Exploring the Gili Islands and Lombok myself, first solo on a motorbike, and secondly, with friends in Gili Trawangan, I experienced no dangerous or annoyoying situations. I found the people in the Gili’s / Lombok, to be reserved, respectful and the place in general to be quiet and laid back. Bali is way more in your face, and 10 times times as busy, with people hanging out,
watching what you are doing etc.

There are dangers in the Gili’s / Lombok, however and they are worth pointing out.

•Sexual harrassment - some solo female travelers have reported harrassment in the Gili’s, which on occassion can get nasty. No one approched me, but then I’m an ugly old white guy, some hopes!

•Strong currents - although there is no big surf hitting the Gili Islands, there are strong currents. It makes sense to get a group of people together and hire a boat for snorkeling, instead of heading out from the beach by yourself. There are no lifeguards in the Gili’s. Some people have tried to swim from one island to another and have drowned in the process. Don’t try this, the Lombok Strait is 1300 meters deep and has enormously strong current.

•Theft - I stayed in cheap guest houses in Senggigi, Kuta Lombok and on Gili Trawangan, and never had any problems.

Occassionally travelers report a theft. If this happens to yoy, contact the local community representative, as there are no police in the Gili’s. On the rest of Lombok the police telephone number is 110.

•Robbery - Some surfers in the Ekas area of south Lombok and trekkers, in the Rinjani area, have in the past reported getting robbed. Staying in a group helps prevent this.

•Malaria - I hear stories all the time of westerners getting malaria in Lombok, particularly surfers down at Desert Point. The reasons for this i’m not entirley sure of, but one guy said to me that maybe the geography contributes. When you have steep cliffs dropping towards the coast, water pours down them and collects at the bottom, rather than forming rivers, like in Bali. Maybe that is part of the problem. I know in Lombok very steep cliffs often occur, close to the coast. Consult your doctor before going to Lombok.

•Medical emergencies - there is no ambulance service outside of Senggigi and Mataram. You will have to arrange your own transport. For major medical emergencies, there are hospitals in Selong and Praya, and a better one in Mataram. There are also direct flights to Singapore (flight time 2 hours 40 minutes).

Generally speaking, Lombok and the Gili’s are safe as long as you use your head and don’t do stupid things.

Source:baliblog.com

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More -Travel Tips & Useful Information

INFORMATION

Custom Regulations

You must have at least 6 (six) months validity of passport to enter Indonesia.

Visa On Arrival (VOA) can be obtain at Mataram Airport.

According to customs regulations, one adult is allowed to bring into Indonesia a maximum of one liter of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 1000 grams of tobacco, and reasonable amount of perfume.

Photographic, video and filming equipment radios, typewriters, and cars are admitted provide they are recorded in your passport on entry and taken out of the country on departure.

Narcotic, firearm and ammunition, TV set, and Chinese medicine are strictly prohibited.

Fresh fruit, plants and animals must be passed by Quarantine Office.



Travelling All Over Lombok

Visitor can explore the tiny island by using various kind of transportation such as: Chartered/Car Hire, Taxi, Bus, Bemo/Angkot (local’s public transportation) and Motorcycle.

Taxis operated from all major hotels and airport with rate varying according to destination. Taxi companies in Lombok are Lombok Taxi (627000), Lendang Express (634444) and Airport Taxi. Taxis are metered and charged accordingly to distances.

Public Transportation or known locally as "Bemo", a non-AC minivan (in yellow colour) are available in major town i.e: Mataram, Ampenan and Cakranegara, founded in every corner of the island with quite inexpensive price. They take and drop off local passenger and often load over capacity, without travel insurance coverage. For those who prefer to travel more privately, car-hire option or charter or motorbike rental may be the choice. The prices, however, do not always included insurance. And they vary depending upon the type of vehicle and the duration of hiring. Petrol pomp and service stations are available at every large town. In emergency there are always road side kiosks fuels out of drums at a bit dearer price.

If you rent a car (self drive), you may find the rental fare are much more expensive than in Bali because of limited car available on Lombok. While driving yourself, please take out most care since the traffic rules may be some what different from those observed in your country. Indonesian and any other Asian Countries uses "right side steering system".

An international drivers license is required, but one can apply for temporary permit in Lombok and go for test driver in tourist driving license office in Jalan Langko Mataram Lombok.

It is compulsory to wear a crash helmet while you ere on the road on a motorbike. Helmets are available at motorbike hire outlets. Small horse drawn carts called Cidomo serve as convenient transportation during off hours and off the beaten track.


Ramadhan (Fasting) Break.

Most tourist facilities in Lombok (Gili Islands & Senggigi) remain open during Ramadhan. Local Restaurants might close in residential area in Mataram or Cakranegara to respect the majority of Moesleem Fasting. Tourist are suggested to eat and drinks in hotel's or resort's area.



TRAVEL TIPS

1.Peel the fruit before eating; avoid raw vegetables except at reputable restaurants. Ice in restaurants is safe.

2.Drink always from bottled water and eat well done cooking food, unless when eating at recommended restaurants/cafes or hotel's outlet.

3.Street or beach vendors are often pushing too hard on selling and most visitors feel inconvenient. Never try to look at any of their item/s even they might be interesting to you, even this could be fun for those who want to learn about bargaining tactic. For most visitors this is hassling.

4.Protect yourself from the intense equatorial sun. Use sun block and hat.

5.Sexually transmitted diseases are increasing in Indonesia. Local sex workers have multiple partners from all over the world. Act responsibly and use condoms, available over the counter at pharmacies.

6.Due to the limited number of flights to Lombok, during the peak season we highly recommend you to make flight booking far in advanced. Don't forget to ask your local tour operator to re-confirm your ticket minimum 24 hours in advanced to ensure yourself to get seats.


DURING YOUR TRIP TO GILI ISLANDS

1.Do not let the local porters carry your bags for whatever reason. This guys are usually try to be gentle or act like a boatman crew. They often charge an expensive and unreasonable amount. If you have to pay, a regular porter cost is about Rp. 1000-2000/bag.

2.Do not buy any mosquitoes coil from some kids at the harbor, as they are trying to sell things at the highest they can. There are lots of shops on the Islands selling those stuffs with better prices.

3.Do not try to look at the things that they offers, and do not make any promises to say "maybe later". Those guys can recognize your face and ask for the promises.

4.When you returned from the Islands, many kids brings water to wash your foot. At first you may feel convenient, but at the end they ask some money. Give them some school needs i.e: pens, or writing book. It's better not to let them do anything to you.

5.Carry small changes to pay public buses or taxi. Call the taxi operator: 627000 (lombok taxi) if you need to be picked up. If you have to go by private car, try to fix the price first rather than argue at the end of the journey.

6.Stonefish are found on the coral reefs where they are camouflaged and almost invisible. They are poisonous if stepped on.

7.Also, be aware of strong currents while swimming or snorkeling. It is best to ask the advice of a dive master before swimming alone.

8.Jelly Fish is almost invisible on the water. It looks like a crystal/plastic, but very dangerous.Some kind of jelly fish is making your skin itchy, and some are poisoning.

9.Use a high protection of Sun Cream. The weather can be very hot on the afternoon.

10.Do not leave any valuable belongings unattended at the beach while swimming or snorkeling. Ask for a deposit box at the hotel where you stay.

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Visa and Documentation Information

Tourist visas are only intended for tourists who are visiting Indonesia, NOT for expatriates intending to work and live for an extended period of time.

Tourist visas will be needed by friends or family coming to visit you during your stay in Indonesia.

The Indonesian Government has a tourist visa system with three different categories:

Pay-for-visa-on-arrival (VOA) system for citizens of 52 nations:

Argentina,Australia,Austria,Bahrain,Belgium,Brazil,Bulgaria,Cambodia,Canada,Cyprus,Denmark,Egypt,Estonia,
Finland,France,Germany,Greece,Hungary,Iceland,India,Iran,Ireland,Italy,Japan,Kuwait,Laos, Liechtenstein,Luxembourg,Maldives,Malta,Mexico,Monaco,The Netherlands,New Zealand,Norway,Oman,People's Republic of China,Poland,Portugal,Qatar,Russia,Saudi Arabia,South Africa,South Korea,Spain,Switzerland,Sweden,Suriname,Taiwan,United Arab Emirates,United Kingdom,United States of America.


The cost of the 30-day (only) tourist visa is US$25/person for a 30-day visa and US$10/person for a 3-day visa.

Visitors from countries with visa-on-arrival facility will have to go to a special counter to have their passports stamped with the on-arrival visa before going to the immigration clearance desk. The VOA visa is NOT EXTENDABLE OR RENEWABLE. A visa issued on arrival can be extended only in extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters, accident, or illness. If you want to stay in Indonesia longer than the 30 days you must exit and re-enter the country on a new tourist visa.

Visa purchasing takes 15-30 minutes per applicant, depending on the number of persons applying. Payment counters, a bank counter, and a money changer have been set up to process payments. Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival. Payment must be made on arrival. An onward or return trip ticket must be shown on arrival.



PASSPORT
Passports for your family members are issued by a passport office from your own country. While your government may allow children to follow on their mother's passports, it is better to have separate passports for every family member, just in case separate travel is required.

In order to apply for any visa to Indonesia, your passport must be valid for at least six months. If your passport is nearing expiration, we recommend you renew it to the maximum time allowable before you begin procedures to apply for an Indonesian entry visa.

The visa on arrival facility is only available at the following international gateways:

Airports:

1.Medan
2.Pekanbaru
3.Padang
4.Jakarta
5.Surabaya
6.Bali
7.Manado
8.Halim Perdana Kusuma in Jakarta
9.Adisucipto in Yogyakarta
10.Adisumarmo in Solo
11.Selaparang in Mataram Lombok
12.Sepinggan in Balikpapan Kalimantan
13.Hasanudddin in Makasar
14.Sulawesi
15.Eltari in Kupang, Timor.

Seaports:

1.Batam
2.Tanjung Uban (Bintan)
3.Belawan (Medan)
4.Sibolga (Sumatra)
5.Dumai
6.Teluk Bayur (Padang, Sumatra)
7.Padang Bai (Bali)
8.Jayapura (Papua)
9.Teluk Bayar in (Padang, Sumatra)
10.Bitung, Tanjung Balaikarimun, Tanjung Mas (Semarang)
11.Tenau (Kupang)
12.Pare Pare (Sulawesi)
13.Bintang Pura (Tanjung Pinang)
14.Soekarno-Hatta (Makassar, Sulawesi).

Visa-free facility is granted to the citizens of 11 countries whose governments extend visa free facility to Indonesian nationals would continue to enjoy short visa-free stays. Included in the 11 countries and administrative districts that are granted the 30-day visa-free facility are:

1.Brunei Darussalam
2.Chile
3.Hongkong Special Administrative Region
4.Macau Special Administrative Region
5.Malaysia
6.Morocco
7.Peru
8.Philippines
9.Singapore
10.Thailand
11.Vietnam.

Visitors with the visa-free facility will be able to proceed directly to the immigration clearance counter after deplaning. Passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the date of arrival. Onward or return tickets must be shown on arrival.

Citizens of other countries not on the visa on arrival or visa free lists will be required to apply for a visa overseas (in their home country) before entering Indonesia. Citizens of any country wishing to stay more than 30 days must also apply for an appropriate visa (cultural visit or business) at their nearest Indonesian Embassy or Consulate before traveling to Indonesia.

Tour Agents are able to arrange express handling for groups at no additional charge by presenting the completed immigration cards, passports and applicable visa fee. Passengers who overstay their visa period for a short period of time can be processed immediately at the airport by paying US$ 20 for every day they overstayed their 30-day visa. Airlines that experience technical difficulties or delayed flights can apply for their passengers to be exempted from paying any overstay penalties.

The current tourist visa policy cuts the length of stay for tourist visas from the previous 60 days to 30 days. It is NO LONGER possible to stay in Indonesia more than 30 days on a tourist visa.

According to Indonesia's bureaucracy, arriving tourists may be asked to produce the following documents:

1. Fill up the Visa Application Form

2. Attach the passport (must be valid for a minimum of six months from the date of arrival)

3. Recent Photograph (4 x 6 CM) at least 2 months old.

4. Roundtrip air ticket


Beware ... of the 30-day counting trap! The way they immigration officials count the 30-day period is: you arrive on the 1st day with, for instance, a 30-day visa, and you must leave on the 30th day (not the 31st or the first of the next month, as you might think).

If you want to stay in Indonesia LONGER than 30 days, you must leave the country and re-enter on a new tourist visa. People commonly fly to Singapore or Timor for this. There is no stipulation on the time you must stay outside Indonesia, in fact, you can return the same day if you want and be issued a new visa upon your arrival in Indonesia.

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5 things travelers aren’t grateful for

Air travel is affordable. The nation’s roads have never been safer. And hotels offer more amenities than ever.

Given all that, you would think travelers would be a grateful lot.

They aren’t.

Check out the latest customer surveys, and it’s clear that people are profoundly ungrateful when it comes to their travels. They give the airline industry worse grades than the Internal Revenue Service, they complain about traffic, and they gripe about high room rates.

So at a time of the year when everyone else seems to be giving thanks, the contrarian in me wonders: What are we not thankful about?


Inconsiderate travelers
They cut in line. They talk loudly on their cell phones. They travel with bratty children in tow. Where do these rude passengers come from? “They shout into their cell phones and talk loudly and are demanding to in-flight crews with gimmees ,” says Leonard Hansen, a writer from Bellingham, Wash. His theory is that airline deregulation, which made air travel more affordable, precipitated the “onslaught of the great unwashed,” which led to a sharp decline in civility among travelers. I think he’s right. These inconsiderate travelers are also likelier to complain for no good reason, says Gail Richardson, a nurse practitioner from Atlanta. “They feel that travel rules do not apply to them. They show up at the airport late, complain if they miss their flight, grumble about long security lines,” she says. “I am not thankful for them.”


Avaricious airlines
While it’s true that on average, airline ticket prices are remarkably affordable, it isn’t always the case. Airlines still price their tickets according to demand, and when a lot of people are flying, fares can really take off. “Even supposedly low-cost JetBlue is charging over $600 from Los Angeles to New York for the holidays,” gripes Steve Surjaputra, a technical support representative for an automobile software company in Los Angeles. “I found a cheaper fare — about $360 — on Delta.”

But wait, it gets worse. Business travelers who have to buy their tickets at the last minute or who don’t stay over a Saturday night sometimes get charged double or triple what everyone else pays. All that, for the same seat. Those kinds of pricing games make airline passengers like Surjaputra cringe. There ought to be a law ...


Resorts and their silly, silly, silly fees
Just as airlines can be shifty with their ticket prices, so, too, can hotels with their rates. And at times, even shiftier. Consider the experience of James Salter, an analyst for the state of Minnesota in Minneapolis. A year ago, he stayed at the Radisson Hotel and Suites Sydney, where high-speed Internet access was included in his room rate. He liked the resort so much, he booked a room for next year. But wait! “Now there’s a $24.95 per day charge for Internet access,” he says. “I've contacted corporate Radisson to find out why, and they say they’ve opened a file.”

Maybe instead of opening files, they should buy a clue. Internet access is widely considered a utility, like running water or power. Guests expect it. Charging for items like Internet access, the use of the exercise rooms, mandatory gratuities, and the like, are something no one is grateful for. Can I hear another “silly” please?


The Transportation Security Administration ...
Forget, for a moment, that there is no proof this $4.7-billion agency has protected us from terrorists, hijackers and bombs any better than the rent-a-cops that preceded them. And never mind that more than half a decade after 9/11, the agency can’t seem to detect explosives at its own airports. No, what troubles most airline passengers is that the TSA can’t seem to be consistent. “TSA screening is different no matter what airport you go through,” complains Kathleen Vigil, a human resources manager for a telecommunications company in Aurora, Colo. “Do TSA screeners want shoes on, shoes off, or they don’t care ... you choose! When you go through the metal detector, do you hold your boarding pass and identification in your hand where they have a visual, put your boarding pass in your pocket, or do they not care?” The answers are on the TSA Web site. Thanks, screeners, for taking the time to read it. Or not ...

And what it’s turned us into
You can’t really blame the TSA for this next one, at least not entirely. No, we probably did this to ourselves. “We’ve been reduced to quaking, shamed, fearful, cowardly sheep while traveling,” says Carole Jonas, a retired consultant from Whidbey Island, Wash. “Because if you even look cross or angry and you’re confronted by our esteemed TSA or airline employees, you could be branded as a troublemaker or purported terrorist, hauled away from your flight, questioned, harassed, tormented, perhaps handcuffed, arrested, or worse.” She makes a valid point. Travel — and air travel, in particular — used to be fun. It isn’t anymore. In fact, people dread traveling for a variety of reasons. The intrusive screenings. The airline crewmembers who are often on a power trip. The lack of basic amenities. Jonas traces a lot of it back to 9/11. “We’ve all become terrorized while traveling,” she says. “Thanks, terrorists, you’ve done your job well — mission accomplished.”

It doesn’t have to stay this way. I can remember a time not so long ago, when travel was a pleasure. If you’re having trouble remembering, or are just too young, check out the Northwestern University library collection of transportation menus which features 400 menus from 54 national and international airline carriers, cruise ships and railroad companies, from 1929 to the present. Ah, foie gras economy class. Meals served on real china. It illustrates how far we’ve fallen in such a short amount of time.

There’s hope, though. I think travelers can be grateful once again — if they have something to be grateful for. All they want is to travel with a little dignity. They don’t want to be afraid of their crewmembers or TSA screeners or fellow passengers. They don’t want to be hit with extra fees when they check out of their hotel. Is that asking too much?

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5 worst things that can happen to a traveler

What’s the worst thing that can happen when you’re traveling?

A traffic accident? Terrorist hijacking? Hotel fire?

Travel is risky, of course. But there’s just no way of knowing when your number will be up, and your plane will go down.

There are other worst-case scenarios that aren’t as random. I’m talking about preventable incidents that might — and probably will — happen to you on your next trip. Things you can anticipate. Things you should anticipate.

Here are the five worst, along with my suggestions for sidestepping them:


1. In the air: a creeping delay
Have you ever sat in a terminal — or worse, on a plane — and been assured by a bored voice on the public address system that your flight will leave “any minute”? Then, half an hour later, there’s another announcement promising “just ten more minutes” until wheels-up. Followed by an update half an hour later that you’ll depart in a few moments?

It’s called a creeping delay. Airlines used to do their best to prevent them because they drove passengers quietly mad. But this year, strangely, creeping delays have been re-imagined as a tool to deflect the anger of air travelers and divert attention from the incompetence of air carriers. With each update, another party is blamed for the delay: air traffic controllers, the weather, lack of available gates. By the time the flight actually departs, passengers are so confused that they don’t know where to direct their wrath. Mission accomplished!

No one tracks creeping delays, but there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence that they’re being used with greater frequency. In extreme cases, customers can be strung along for many hours.

You can avoid a creeping delay by refusing to play along. If you’re waiting for a flight to board, be aware of the rules about delays — which is to say, at some point during a mechanical delay, the airline owes you a meal and hotel — and don’t be shy about calling an airline’s bluff. The airline rules, also known as the contract of carriage, can be found on your carrier’s Web site.

2. At the hotel: a bad room at a bogus price
Imagine the worst possible room at a hotel. You know, the one between the elevator and ice machine, under the disco and above the kitchen. Who gets the keys to these coveted quarters? Why, you do — if you booked the room from the wrong site. Even the best properties routinely send guests who made reservations through a discount Web site to these hotel rooms from hell. The practice has been around for years, but with soaring hotel occupancy levels, anyone stuck in these undesirable accommodations are being given two choices: either accept the room or check out — and lose the money you prepaid for the room.

Worse than that — as if that isn’t bad enough — is that the rate you thought you were going to pay isn’t the real price. No, there are lodging taxes that are added to your bill, and they’re used to fund everything from new basketball arenas to wildlife museums. Add to that resort fees and plenty of unexpected little extras, such as surcharges for the delivery of faxes and parcels to your room.

If you’re booking your hotel room through a site called toogoodtobetruerooms.com and found a steal for $19 a night, then you should expect to get the worst room in the house.

Is there a way around it? Yes. Call ahead and tell them you’re a light sleeper or have mobility issues or have a pathological fear of ice machines. Anything to get you away from the worst room in the house. And while you’re at it, ask for a total price for your accommodations, so that you won’t be surprised when the bill is slipped under your door the morning before you check out.

3. On the road: a fake damage claim on your rental
Surprise surcharges are as common in the car rental business as they are at hotels. But you don’t find hotel staff combing through your room after you check out, to make sure you didn’t put a nick in your furniture or crack the toilet seat. But in a perverted effort to squeeze more money from their customers, that’s exactly what car rental companies are doing. They send an associate to look for any dings or dents and then mail you a bill, regardless of what they find.

There are at least two reasons why car rental companies send you fraudulent or inflated bills for damage to your car after you’ve returned a vehicle. First, they don’t care if you ever come back. They believe you will always make a purchasing decision based on price alone, so as long as they offer the lowest rate, they’ll get your business anyway. And second, and maybe more significantly, car rental companies just don’t know how to make money. Their margins are razor-thin, their fleets are difficult to manage, their employees are impossible to retain. The only way to make their numbers is go after you for a quick buck.

Fortunately, fighting back is relatively easy. A polite written response to a bill that you think isn’t legit, asking for additional proof, is often all it takes for the company to make a metaphorical U-turn. These types of car rental claims are often poorly documented. Just to show you mean business, CC the attorney general and the insurance commissioner for the state you rented the car in.


4. In a restaurant: a vindictive server
Look, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the best tipper. Think you’re any better? Then take this quiz. My score was a miserable 5 out of 15. I think the reason I’m bad at this is that no one ever tells us how much to tip. They leave it to our discretion, which is not a smart thing.

But that’s no excuse for the way in which some servers have been behaving lately. And I’m not just talking about the blog war over a 10 percent tip that recently broke out in Seattle. Stanley Roberts, who runs a terrific restaurant site called We8there says even fast food eateries have been hitting up their patrons for tips. “Oh give me a break,” he says.

Yes, give us a break.

Nothing ruins a restaurant meal like a server who is steamed at the last guest who didn’t tip enough. And if that doesn’t leave you with a bad taste in your mouth, imagine how you’ll feel when you’re outed on a site like Bitter Waitress or Lousy Tippers. I don’t think anyone can argue that the way in which service-industry employees are compensated in the United States is in desperate need of reform. Until then, those of use who don’t want to tip have the option of enjoying a home-cooked meal. Those of us who do, and aren’t sure how much to tip — there’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking.

5. At sea: a norovirus outbreak
When you put a lot of people into the same place, like a hospital, school or cruise ship, you’re going to have the inevitable outbreak of a gastrointestinal virus or two. But cruise ships seem to have more than their fair share, if media reports are to be believed. No vessel, not even the famed Queen Elizabeth 2, has been spared. To get an idea of how infection-prone your cruise ship is, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cruise line inspection reports. (Hint: click on “85 or lower” to get the names of the flunkies.)

The cruise industry insists it is doing its best to keep ships clean, and I want to believe it. But the reality is that during late winter, at the peak of the outbreak season, dozens of ships are ravaged by norovirus, and thousands of passengers are infected. Many guests are quarantined in their cabins and become virtual prisoners at sea. Short of the ship sinking, a gastrointestinal illness is probably the worst thing that can happen to you on a cruise. Believe me, I know. It’s happened to me.

How do you avoid an infection? Pick the cleanest ship (see the CDC scores), wash your hands frequently while you’re onboard and avoid the worst time of the year for outbreaks, which seems to be January through March.

In an earlier column, I talked about five rules that the industry should do away with. To which many of you responded, “You found just five?” Actually, there were many more. And I suspect you have a similar list of the worst things that can happen to you while you’re on the road. Send me an e-mail and let’s compare notes.

Every Monday, my column takes a close look at what makes the travel business tick. Your comments are always welcome, and if you can’t get enough of my column, drop by my blog for daily insights into the world of travel.

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12 lessons learned from a life on the road

Traveling is hard work. Here's how to make the best of it
Rule No. 1: Travel is no fun
Really. If you think it’s all about smiling stewardesses attending to your every whim, friendly hotels offering fawning service, and romantic sunsets on the beach, it’s time for a reality check.javascript:void(0)
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Your stewardess will probably stop smiling when you refer to her as one, because no one calls a flight attendant a stewardess and gets away with it today. Your hotel? They’ll be pleasant until you check out. The moment you complain about that surprise $20-a-day resort fee or the $5 charge for receiving a fax, then the grin on the manager’s face will tighten into a grimace of icy resolve. You’ll hear insincere apologies, but you will probably still pay.

And the sunsets on the beach? Last time I went to the beach, there was a hurricane.

Point is, travel can be hard work. Travel can be hard, period.

But when you do it for a living — when you’re a true blue, card-carrying, sleep-deprived business traveler — you learn the ropes quickly. By the time you’re a million-miler, and maybe sooner, you know travel isn’t always fun but you also know travel can be tolerable.

What lessons can you learn from these veterans of the road? I asked some of the most experienced travelers I knew to tell me what traveling has taught them. Here are a dozen of them, in their own words:

Expect nothing
That way, you won’t be disappointed. “Lower your expectations when you travel,” says Steve Powell, an Internet consultant in Orlando. It’s great advice, considering a recent Travelocity survey that found a near total disconnect between what air travelers expect and what they get. As a result, nearly two-thirds of the respondents said they would avoid using an airline altogether if they had a comparable choice. Ouch.

Be nice
Lisa Wiser, a computer consultant from Indianapolis, learned about the power of nice when her flight to Pittsburgh was delayed by weather. The gate agents looked stressed, so she bought them a $7 box of chocolates. “They looked up at me and said ‘What’s this for?’” she remembers. “I said, ‘Because it isn’t your fault, there’s nothing you can do ... but you will be catching hell for this all evening.” No only did she receive two food vouchers, but she also got an unexpected upgrade to first class. It’s true — nice pays.

Never pay cash
Wendy Margules, a real-estate agent from Newtown, Conn., lost $6,000 when she reserved a villa in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. “The owner asked us to wire transfer the money and fax the contracts back to him right away, and we did,” she says. “Ten weeks later, there was no villa — and he was gone.” Putting your travel purchases on a credit card offers you some protection. Margules could have disputed the charge and received a refund.

Travel light
“The single most important lesson I’ve learned is, pack light,” says Michael Hollander, a manager of a marketing company in Torrance, Calif. “Ask yourself: ‘Can I live without this?’ If the answer is yes, leave it home.” This is particularly important, given that airlines are losing checked luggage at an epidemic rate, while some are beginning to charge their customers a fee for all checked luggage. The less you take, the less you pay for. And the less you can lose.

Have a Plan B
No matter how simple your itinerary, no matter how many times you’ve traveled the same road, no matter how sure you are that nothing will go wrong, don’t go anywhere without a backup plan. “You need a Plan B,” says Alan Brill, an information security consultant from New York. Sometimes, a backup plan can be as simple as looking for another way out. Case in point: a recent flight from Minneapolis to New York, which was canceled for mechanical reasons. It was the last flight of the day. “Long line of yelling passengers,” he remembers. Brill went to another counter, explained his predicament, and was immediately handed hotel vouchers, meal vouchers, and a ticket on the next day’s flight.

Be skeptical
“Don’t believe everything you read,” says Timothy O’Neil-Dunne, a managing partner for a technology consultancy in Claymont, Del. That applies to pretty much anything, from airline schedules to guide books to travel columns. “Do not put your ultimate faith in them. You will be disappointed,” he adds. Which isn’t to say they are totally untrue. O’Neil-Dunne says you should use them as a guide, instead. (As someone who writes a travel column, and has gotten it wrong a time or two, I completely agree.)

Don't trust a reservation
Inga Smith, a photographer from Columbus, Ohio, learned that lesson a few years ago, when her flight was delayed and she tried to check in to a Holiday Inn. “My room was given away to someone who arrived earlier than I did,” she says. “I was sent to another hotel, which was a real dump.” Getting something in writing helps, but always call to confirm. That’s particularly true for an airline reservation.

Visualize first class
Most of us are stuck in economy class, but not all of us stay there. How do people snag upgrades? Well, one of the secrets of frequent travelers is to look the part. “I wear a sport jacket,” says Jason Hupe, a project manager from Long Beach, N.Y. “If they are doing upgrades, then you have a better chance of getting one.” This is true. I’ve spoken with several airline folks who have admitted they’ll pick someone who looks like he belongs in the forward cabin.

Join the club
Even if you don’t plan to collect frequent flier miles (and my advice is to avoid becoming a collector, because points are as addictive as they are useless) you should still become a member of a loyalty program. Rick Damiani did, and it made his trips go a lot smoother. “Before signing up, I was getting selected for additional screening by the TSA,” says Damiani, an applications engineer for and educational computing company in Los Angeles. “But since I became a member, I’ve only been selected twice.”

Keep a photocopy of your passport
It will help you get a replacement much faster when you’ve lost it. Candice Sabatini lost her passport in Paris recently, but was able to secure a replacement within hours because she had a photocopy. “Now I’m always telling others to make sure they have a photocopy of their passport — just in case,” says Sabatini, a publishing consultant in New York.

Get plenty of rest
Travelers tend to be sleep-deprived. And worse, they’re often unaware of how tired and cranky they’ve become. Peter DeForest, a risk management consultant based in San Rafael, Calif., says the importance of a good night’s sleep can’t be understated. “Get some rest,” he advises. “In the morning, you’ll find that what set you off was maybe pretty minor and can be overlooked.”

Enjoy the perks
Despite all the recent cutbacks, travel still has a few things going for it. And even a few freebies. Don’t look the other way when they’re offered. “I steal the soap,” admits Jim Daniel, a traveling salesman based in Stockton, Calif. “I carry a preferred bath soap and shampoo, so I always throw the hotel amenities into the bag with dirty laundry. When I get home, I put them aside to donate to a local homeless teen outreach program.” Again, I’ve spoken with hotel people and they don’t mind their guests taking the soap. That’s who the soap is for, after all.

So there you have it — 12 tips from the people who are in the know. Take their advice with you on your next trip, and you never know. You might actually have ... fun.

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How To Get There (Lombok)?

Lombok is very easily accessible both by air and sea. Since Lombok gain its popularity, many airlines recently start flying to and/or from Mataram in addition to the already existing state owned airlines, Merpati and Garuda. Lombok is mostly reached by visitor from Bali as there are so many connections from many countries. In spite of the connections available in Bali, Lombok can also be reached from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore served by Merpati Airlines and Silk Air respectively.


BALI TO LOMBOK BY AIR
It’s easy to get to Lombok from Bali!. Buy tickets direct from the airlines counter at the domestic airport or contact us.. in both Bali and Lombok


Merpati Airlines

Flies direct between Bali and Lombok, with four flights daily.
Price : US$ 43/Ticket/Way.


Trigana Air and Trans Nusa Air Service

Flies direct between Bali and Lombok with two flights daily, morning and Afternoon.
Price : US$ 40/Ticket/Way
Starting July 15, 2007 Trigana Air and Trans Nusa Air Service flies direct between Bima (Sumbawa Island) and Denpasar (Bali) with three times a week.
Price : US$ 42/Ticket/Way
Mataram – Sumbawa – Mataram three times a week.
Price : US$ 33/Ticket/Way
Sumbawa – Denpasar three times a week.
Price : US$ 43/Ticket/Way.


Wings Air operates three flights between Bali and Lombok daily.


BALI TO LOMBOK BY SEA
Traveling by bus can be an unforgettable experience despite the time and energy consuming. Air-conditioned executive buses are available at Ubung Bus Station in Bali, some of which starts at around 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Taking a regular shuttle bus is also a possible alternative to travel by bus to Lombok. Just inquire at any shuttle ticket sales counter in places of interests like Kuta, Ubud, or Sanur. However, traveling by public buses for such a long distance is not recommended as the public buses constantly stop either to drop off or pick up passengers along the way. Even if the bus is not yet full, it might keep looping around the station or town looking for more passengers. Taking a public bus in this case also will make your time and schedule very unpredictable. Instead, self drive a hired car from Bali and cross to Lombok by ferry is worthwhile considering.


Public ferries depart every two hours for the sea voyage between Padang Bai Harbor (Bali) and Lembar Harbor (Lombok). The crossing between the island takes approximately 4 to 5 hours. One Way ticket cost is US$ 3 per person. The cost for transporting motorbike is US$ 9 including biker, and for a car is US$ 53.


Padang Bai harbor is approx. 1.5 hours by car from Kuta and South Bali.Lembar Harbor is approx. 1 hour south of Senggigi, Lombok. Arrange your own transfers and buy tickets direct from the harbor, or use a reputable tour company to provide through service.


INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT
Selaparang Airport in Lombok currently handles international arrivals and has full visa on arrival facilities, with efficient and fast visa processing.


Silk Air (a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines) flies direct between Lombok and Singapore, three times per week.


Merpati Airline has flight to Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia (via Surabaya) everyday.
Garuda Indonesia has international flight to all major Indonesian capital cities, with connecting flight to Lombok.


DOMESTIC FLIGHT
Lombok is easily accessible from BALI, JAKARTA, SURABAYA and JOGJAKARTA and is important connection for travel to the eastern islands, in particular Sumbawa, Komodo and Flores.


Garuda Indonesia has direct flights between Lombok and Jakarta everyday.


Lion Air has regular flights between Lombok, Jakarta and Surabaya.


Wing Air flies direct between Lombok and Jakarta.


Merpati Airlines has flight available between Lombok, Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Sumbawa, Flores, Kupang and many other Indonesian destination.

LOMBOK TO SUMBAWA ISLAND BY SEA.
Lombok is also accessible by sea as ferries sail from Padang Bai Bali to Lembar Lombok, and v.v, regularly, if often less comfortable, round-the clock. From the east sea entrance, ferry service is also available from Poto Tano Sumbawa to Kayangan Lombok, quite regular. Ferries from both Padang Bai Harbor Bali in the west and from Poto Tano Harbor Sumbawa in the east can take cars and passengers.

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Lombok Travel Tips

MANNER

When traveling in any foreign country it helps to know a few of the more basic local custom, mainly to avoid offending anyone unintentionally. Handshaking is customary as a greeting in Lombok or Indonesia, but do not use your left hand. Avoid also using your left hand to give or receive anything. Using your index finger to summon someone is impolite. And climbing over places of worship or local monuments is disrespectful.



CUSTOM

Custom alloy on entry a maximum of 1 liter of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and reasonable amount of perfume per adult. Cameras, Video Cameras, portable radios, cassette recorders, binoculars and sport equipment are admitted provided they are taken out on departure. The must be declared to custom.



FOREIGN EXCHANGE

US Dollars or Euro and other major currencies in bank notes or travel cheque are easily exchangeable in bank or at authorized money changers in main tourist destination but it is advisable to carry ruphiah in sufficient amount before traveling to minor towns. Daily rates are posted in banks or star rated hotels.


LANGUAGE

Whilst in Lombok, the local language called Sasak but the national language, Bahasa Indonesia, is widely understood even at the remote are or village, so if you are traveling to the more remote areas, it will help if you know a few word Such As “ Selamat Pagi” – Good Morning “ Selamat Siang” – Good Day” Selamat Sore” – Good Afternoon and “Selamat Malam” – Good Evening.


In the more traveled areas, English is reasonably well understood, just speak slowly, be patient, and you will find the Lombokers very helpful and friendly.



COMMUNICATION

Long distance calls within Indonesia are by direct dial. International direct dial (IDD) is available from major cities and hotels to 240 countries and more.Long distance, IDD facsimile and internet services are also available at the telecommunication office or internet café in major cities and star rated hotels.



OFFICE HOURS

Government office open from 08.00 am to 4.30 pm from Monday to Friday in Jakarta and close on Saturday and Sunday. In the provinces they close at 3.00 pm and open on Saturday till 1.00 pm. Bussines office have staggered hours. Some open for 8.00 am to 5.00 pm or 9.00 am to 5.00 pm. Some stay open for half day on Saturday. Money changer in hotels stay open longer hour till the evening.



SHOPPING

The big cities have shopping complexs, supermarkets and department store where prices are fixed. The stay opens from 08.00 am to 08.00 pm everyday and some evening Sunday. At small shop bargaining might be very important.



CLOTHES

Because of the climate, light and airy casual cloths are practical and acceptable in most places. In difference to local customs, scanty clothing is not advisable in public places, short are not permitted in mosques, temple or at any a holy places and women should have their head and arms covered, waist sashes should be worn when visiting temple. Because of mosquitoes, light color trousers and long sleeved shirt are advisable.



FOOD

With such a diversity of races and cultures its not surprising that Indonesia is a gourmet’s paradise. From spicy Sambal to piquant Chinese favorites, the spread is endless. There is also a wide variety of International Cuisine including Italian, American, Japanese and Thai. You can choose to dine in the comfort and elegance of a 5 stars restaurant, and some of them cultural shows as well. A variety of beverages are available everywhere including very good Indonesian Beer.

Take a few simple commonsense precaution to void any problem.Drink only bottled water (Most hotels provide this in rooms) and avoid adding ice to your drink. Purchase only unpeeled fruit from stall and be cautious about eating salad outside restaurant or hotels. If you are not used to eating spicy food, allow your body time to adjust.



Quite often your itineraries include lunch in a local restaurant, which will give you chance to try some of the more intresting local dishes Such as “Pelecing Kangkung and Ayam Taliwang” a boiled water spinach and grill local chicken, do not despair, you will find them.



RELIGION AND FESTIVAL

Lombok is predominantly Moslem, beside Christian, Catholic and Hinduism. If you find one day the street suddenly clear of people, they have all more like gone to Mosque or Temple.

During certain time of the year, festival such as Ramadhan will means some aspect of your tour may need to be adjusted, but this means you will often be fortunate enough to witness activities that occur only during these times.

SECURITY

Any traveler anywhere in the world needs to be careful of belonging; keep your cases locked, expensive items in the hotel safety deposit box, and your passport close to your body, not in your luggage.

DO……………………!

* Trust your instinct. If you are in a situation or location in which feel
uncomfortable, LEAVE IT!.

* Always take your copy passport or others ID with you all the times.

* Inform some reliable people of your where about and where you are going.

* Check the expiry date on your visa and ensure that it is either renewed or that
you leave the country before it expires.

DO NOT……………………………!!!!!

* Place yourself in situation that may be expected to attract threats, e.g.
political rallies.
* Use drug. It is illegal and can carry the death penalty.



HEALTH

The health care approach in Lombok addresses the problem of availability, accessibility, and appropriateness of services up to village level.

There are currently 4 hospital at the district level and one public hospital in Mataram, the main for delivery of health services to the community are the Community Health Center (PUSKESMA). Over 100 health center are headed by doctors, and assisted by several trained professional staff: Midwife, Nurse, Nutritionist, and others. Community basic health program organized through integrated health services delivery post (POSYANDU) are very important for health and family planning services for young children and mothers.

Efforts are undertaken to control and prevent diseases. A hepatitis laboratory is in Mataram, along with other general laboratories. The strategy for communicable disease control emphasizes prevention of mortality from diarrhoeal dehydration, acute respiratory infection and malaria. In addition, priority has been given to improving water supply and sanitation services in Lombok – West Nusa Tenggara.


EMERGENCY ASISTANCE

Immediate medical assistant is available on 4 til 5 stars accommodation with one phone call to reception or hotel’s operator. Check the tour condition section for further information regarding health, passport, visas and insurance.



TICKET RECONFIRMATION

Please be aware of missing your flight, always reconfirm your local flight, due to some delay, cancel or even change the time while you have an international connecting flight.

Please find below listed local airlines telephone in Lombok Area.

Garuda Indinesia
Phone 62-370 - 646846


Lion Air or Wings Air
Phone 62-370 - 6627444


Merpati Airlines
Phone 62-370 – 636745



IAT
Phone 62-370 – 6625565


Trans Nusa Air
Phone 62-370 – 6162433



AIRPORT TAX

An airport tax of Rp. 75.000,- till Rp. 100.000,- levied by the airport authority for travelers on International routes and Rp. 20,000,- till Rp. 30.000,- for those on domestic routes.

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