Tanjung Ringgit, a bay with war history behind it

View from the cliff

             In the south east part of Lombok,at Jerowaru district,we can find an enchanted bay view from the cliff on Tanjung Ringgit,the location is only 1 kilometer eastwards from Tangsi Beach (Pink Beach),beside the cliff,in the same location we can also find the cannon gun that has been abandoned by the Japanese army.The cannon had been using by the Japanese army to fight the allied forces during the world war II,there's also a cave that they used to hide inside it.
           Local people were used to construct the railroad,the cave,(which more likely a tunnel) and emplacement the cannon gun to the top of the ridge, nearby the lighthouse.The gun originally located to prevent the Allied submarines from getting to Lombok.

The Cannon Gun That abandoned by the Japanese army

        If we had a plan to go to the location, maybe there's several things that we might have to prepared before we go.since there's no restaurant or any store that sale any food or drink,we might have to prepared for food and drink before we go,instead the weather is hot in the area,and since there's no public transport that we use to get there, we should use personal transport like rent car or our own vehicle.

View of the bay

            Although some of the railroads in southest Lombok are particularly rough,and specially to Tanjung Ringgit is not easy,it's worthed and fascinating area to explore for those who like more adventure on their trip and vacation.
           

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Sesaot,another fascinating forest in Lombok

      

Welcome Gate

             Although Lombok is wellknown for it's beautifull beaches,but it's also had a lot of fascinating forest which is mostly located in the northern side of the island,because it's nearby the Rinjani Mountain, the biggest mountain in Lombok that had many spring that fertilized the land and had genuine and fresh air.One of the forest is Sesaot forest located in Sesaot Village,in Narmada district part of West Lombok Regent.
                 If we want to get to the place from Mataram,it's only 18 Kilometres away from Mataram City (approximately) and it's only need for about 45 minutes to get to the location.Generally,the forest is divided into 3 main area,primary forestry,secondary forestry,and the agroforestry.With the 5.999,2 wide coverage area,Sesaot forest is the perfect place for people who likes outdoor activity such as outbounding,camping,fishing,and swiming along the cool water of the river.

               The forest had for about 56 spring that came directly from under Rinjani mountain flow through the river,the river called Aik nyet (Cool Water) before it channels through the dam to watered local farmers ricefield.Walking among the trees could be a fun activity during holiday or weekend for student or office worker to relieve the stress from daily routine activity,by seeing the view,get some fresh air,and a little bit playing on the water,it could refresh your mind,body and soul before you get to your normal activity in weekdays.

             
       

Sesaot Swiming Pool and Playground for family

           We can also enjoying Lombok traditional food such as Sate Bulayak, Pelecing Kangkung and the famous Taliwang chicken grill while we watch the view around us sell by local people.Unfortunately until now there is no public transportation that we can use to get to the place but don't worry,we still can use rent car or motorcycle,The price is about 600.000 IDR for 10 hours for the car,and 50.000 IDR for a day for motorcycle. If you don't want to camp in the forest and just want to stay in your hotel there's plenty of hotel in Mataram city that would provide your need. So don't forget to bring your camera to documentation the fascinating view of the forest that also known as the lung of the island get refresh.
                   There are two places that we can visit to enjoy the forrest,first is the Sesaot swiming pool that located right behind the welcome gate,in this area you can bring your kids to swim on the river or the swimming pool,there are also a flying fox to test your adrenalin.The second spot is aiknyet (cold water) bathingplace which located 2 km from the first (Sesaot swimming pool),in aiknyet the atmosphere of deep forrest is truly feel,high trees and sound of the river and also the bathing place is so refreshing.

Aiknyet bathing place

       To get to the bathingplace from the parking spot, it's also a struggle,we need to walk go deep in to the forrest,up and down the stairs.If you feel hungry or thirsty,don't worry,along the way to the bathingplace there's lot of local people selling food and drink,you also could get a rest on "berugak" (sasak's gazebo) after that you can enjoy the view,relaxing,taking the meal,or taking a bath on cold water of the river.For every spot in Sesaot forrest (Swimming pool and aiknyet bathing place) the ticket price for every person is 3000 IDR ,and the parking tariff is  2000 IDR for motorcycle and 5000 IDR for car.

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Benang Setokel,waterfall hidden inside the forest

The Waterfall that hidden inside the forest

            Lombok had many beautiful waterfall,the waterfall usually hidden deep down inside the forest,and it's mostly located in the north side of the island,one of the waterfall which located on the central Lombok region is Benang Setokel waterfall.There are several ways to get to the location of the waterfall,from Mataram, (The Capital of West Nusa Tenggara) it takes approximately 45 minutes and the distance approximately 30 km,but if we take the trip from Praya (The Capital of Central Lombok region) it would take 25 minutes heading to the North from Praya.

The stairs and forest that we have to go through before get to the waterfall

         The ticket to get in to the waterfall location is 1000 IDR for each person.For parking, it cost 1000 IDR for motorcycle and 2000 IDR for cars, before we can see the waterfall we have to walk from the parking area to the waterfall through the stunning green forest.Climbing and downing the stairs.It might a little bit exausthing, but it's all get paid after we get into the location. The Location usually get more crowded during the weekend or holiday season. Local tourist usually take all their family member.

The Local tourist enjoying playing water in the waterfall

       There are also legend and myth that locals still believe about the waterfall, they believe that in a certain moment of the year, Dewi Anjani ( A myth creature that represented by the form of beautiful princess which is believe stay in Mount Rinjani) would go down from the Mountain and take a shower under the waterfall to cleaning her hair,so local people believe that if they had a problem with their hair like hair loss or dandruff and they take shower under the waterfall,it would cure their hair problem.

The tourist enjoying the view of the waterfall

           With two ways of water falling from 30 meters heights the Benang Setokel waterfall would give an asthonishing wiew among the freshness of a green forest and it would refresh your mind,body and soul before you came back to your home,so if you a kind of person who like a little bit adventure,the trip to the waterfall would suits you.






               

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Nipah Beach,beautiful beach view from the hill

        Not too far from Senggigi beach,iconic beach tourism destination in Lombok, still in Senggigi resort area,there is Nipah beach if we go a little bit further to the north,before we reach to bangsal harbor,the harbor that provides boats that take us to three gili's (small islands) we would past through Nipah beach that has beautiful view from the hill.
            It is a bay-shaped beach that in the north and the south it's bounded by cape Serambanan and cape Serombong.

           The North Lombok regency provides place for the tourist if they want to enjoy the view of the hill and rocks and coconut tree that surrounded the beach, beside enjoying the view and taking picture and surely breath of the freas air of the sea,there are also lots of the locals that selling souvenirs like hat,keychain,snack,corn grill and many others.To get to the beach it's not hard because the roadway is already good so we don't have to worry to brought our car.

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Pink Beach,coloured sand beach under the sun

Photograph by : Wahid Kurniadi

            One of many beautiful beaches that shouldn't be miss to visit when you came to Lombok is pink beach,actuall name of the beach is Tangsi,Tangsi itself mean barrack,because during the world war II, this location becoming barrack for Japanese soldiers, they're build caves for defense,as a proof we can fine the cannons and caves as their herritance.People called pink because the colour of the sand on the beach.It coloured pink from the colour from the coral flake that mix with the sand,it would be more clearly to see if we see it on a bright daylight under the sun. Located on the east side of the island,on Sekaroh village,Jerowaru district,on East Lombok Regency, it takes 2 hours trip by land from Mataram city ( capital of West Nusa Tenggara Province ).
              There are two ways to get to the beach,first, we can get there by land, but unfortunately the infastructure isn't very good,after we get to the cliff up on the beach,we have to walk for about 25 meters down the cliff to get to the beach,all the hard way down is payed when we see the view on the beach.

The boat from local fisherman that ready to take you to the beach and back

              Second way to the beach is by using boat from local fisherman from Tanjung Luar village, it's only take fifteen minutes (approxmately) we can rent them and they will wait for us until we finished playing on the beach,cause the wave is too calm, the beach isn't suitable for surfing,but it's ok for swimming,diving and snorkling, unfortunately in the beach we can't find much people sailing for food,so it would be better if we bring our own food if we want to go to the beach.

Children playing on the beach

       In the world, there are seven places that had same characteristics with pink beach in Lombok,two of them were in Indonesia, beside the one in West Nusa Tenggara,there are also another beach in Komodo island in East Nusa Tenggara province that had same characteristic.

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Pusuk forest,home for the monkeys

The gate to the North Lombok Regency before entering the forrest

       Beside had many beatiful beaches Lombok also had wide area of forest, mostly in the north side of the island,located in North Lombok Regency,pusuk is one of the forest that might attractive for the tourist to came by.

      From Mataram city, the location is only 30 kilometers away ( approximately),we already can feel the atmosphre of coolnes from a forest since we entering the North Lombok Regent,if we going further, take the roadway deeper in to the forrest we're gonna find groups of monkeys along the way.

a group of monkeys in Pusuk

   These monkeys make group according to the bloodline,one group usually had a family connection to the other member of the group. Even the monkeys look tame and you can feed them,but it would be better not try to touch them because we never know that they might be angry and might be bites and scratch you. The local people who stays in the forest never bother them,they just let the monkeys proliferate naturally. Beside the monkeys, you can also enjoy the wiew of wide forest that covered the hill.

wide forest covered the hill

The monkeys try to find the food

          If you take the road along the way, it will lead you to Tanjung, the capital of North Lombok Regent, the forrest wouldn't be along the way because pusuk to Tanjung is still far and it take for about 45 minutes to get there,but don't worry, along the way you still can see the beautiful view of forest and wide ricefield. If you're kind of people who kind a like this kind of tourism beside going to the beach,this could be one option that you can choose on your vacation.

Enjoying the wiew of the forest

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Labuhan Haji,watching sunrise on the east of Lombok

a park for people to have a morning coffe and breakfast

                Located in east side of the island,Labuhan haji is the most wellknown beach for the local,on Sunday morning,people with their family,or the youth with their couple came to the beach to watch sunrise as a recreation after long weekdays.The beach called "Labuhan Haji" (Hajj Harbor) because based on it's history, Lombok moeslim people using this beach as a harbour to go to Mecca doing their Hajj ritual,not like these days that people already using an airplane.

"berugaq" ( sasak's gazebo) to enjoy eat and drink while watch sunrise

                 In the old days,this area use to be a trade area,not just as a harbor,but also for the fishermen to sell their fish, but after the chaos in 60's, this place is no longer as a trade a area and become more quiet,we also still can see the old buildings and houses among the fishermen's village,so the East Lombok regency goverment regent try to rebuild  it again so the beach could be as good as it was,and also for recreation area to the people during the weekend. It is not hard to get to the beach,it's only 7  kilometers (approximately) from Selong, the capital of East Lombok Regent,and it's only take fifteen minutes (approximately).

Sunrise on Labuhan Haji beach

we also can see the island of Sumbawa from the beach

People try to capture the sunrise moment while they playing on the beach

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