01Tourism
Beach at Selong Belanak, central south coast of Lombok
The natural assets of Central Lombok include rice paddies, tobacco growing areas and some established nature reserves. The south of Lombok features white sandy beaches, some of it quite isolated, remote and with limited access.
Notable beaches are Pantai Gerupuk, Pantai Awang, Tanjung A'nn, Pantai Seger, Kuta Beach, Selong Belanak, Mawi Beach, Pantai Tomang, Are Guling Beach, Pantai Pengatap, Rowok, Torok Aik Belek, and Pantai Mawun. Other attractions lie in the hills of central lombok rising toward Mount Rinjani. Surfing is very popular with local and international visitors and the south coast has some popular destinations for international surfers and travellers. Fishing villages, grouper fish cultivation, pearl cultivation, the traditional fish market and coral reefs also attract visitors to this part of Lombok. The area also supports traditional weaving and handicraft production. Individual tourists or tour guides often arrange small personalised tours or private visits to see traditional weaving and religious ceremonies.
Mount Rinjani is at the northern flank of Central Lombok. It is popular tourist attraction and activities include trekking, study of rare tropical flora and local fauna. The customary hamlet of Sade Objects of cultural heritage in this part of the island include Sade kampung adat (customary hamlet), Hamlet NDE, a location of a traditional housing, traditional villages, local arts and traditional ceremonies. Mosque Mount Pujut is a historic local mosque. Other historic attractions are the tomb of King Pejanggik, the tomb of Nyatok, and Clack Tomb and Mausoleum, the tomb of Serewe Islamic religious figures.
In 2010 the region supported 25 hotels of mixed classes across the general area of Central Lombok Regency with 16 of these properties situated in the Kuta area.
On 21 October 2011 President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Mandalika Resort Development Project. Six Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) on the development of the site were signed in conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony.
The Mandalika Resort Development Project is planned to be undertaken on an about 1,200 hectares site in Kuta, Pujut subdistrict and has a projected value of US$3 billion. Plans have been detailed for hotel, villa and a high end resort projects. A Formula One circuit, a plenary room for concert events, a seaport for excursions and other ships, and an integrated Disneyland styled theme park, an underwater park and a technical park have also been proposed. US$250 million or about Rp2.2 trillion is projected to come from state-owned firms (BUMN).
The Mandalika project is also expected to be included as one of the country's special economic zones presenting potential fiscal and non-fiscal arrangements to investors to engage in development of the provinces tourism sector. The proposal to grant special economic zone status to Mandalika resort area was based upon Law No. 30/2011 of the regulations covering Special Economic Zones and included in Government Regulation Number 2 / 2011 (on the Implementation of the Special Economic Zones).
Bali Tourism Development Corporation (BTDC) will manage Mandalika Tourism Area which has 5 beaches in Southern Lombok Island: Kuta Beach, Serenting Beach, Aan Cape, Keliuw Beach and Gerupuk Beach. The area is 1,179 hectares will be divided in 3 zonas: luxury residentials in the west part hotels, villas and public utilities in the central part exclusive hotels and villas in the east part The project is planned for 20 to 30 years and for the first time will be developed in Kuta Beach Area since June 2012 which the land acquisitions have been finished.