The Small Village where the Old meets the New

Kuta Lombok is perhaps a unique place on earth.  Here, you can experience the peace and serenity of a the tropical island such as those made famous by in books by James Michener's "South Pacific" and Daniel Defoe's, "Robinson Cruoso". For that special traveler who is seeking to live and feel in an atmosphere made famous in those early visions of the tropics, Kuta offers you a rare opportunity to experience the past. Yet, unlike travelers of the past, modern accommodations are available so it is possible to spend the days exploring secluded beaches and jungle villages, but sleep in a comfortable room at night.

Kuta is split into two sections: East and West - they both have high class and budget level accommodations. The Western half has a better selection of stores for basic necessities, while the Eastern half has more art shops. The quality and style of both the hotels and restaurants vary tremendously in all parts of town. The prudent traveler will carefully examine a hotel room before making a commitment to rent. If you are not satisfied with the first room you see then ask to see another. Remember, a more suitable hotel room can alsways be found just down the street.

Located on the South Coast of Lombok, the small town of Kuta offers visitors a unique opportunity. A wide selection of hotels are available in all price ranges. Restaurants offer a diverse cuisine - from Western food to traditional local dishes. Internet rentals are widely available, but slow and unreliable

Yet, at heart, Kuta is still a traditional fishing village were the people live the same way they have lived for hundreds of years. Unlike most tourist areas, Kuta is still looks and feels like a tropical Indonesian village - not like a tourist resort. Both the men and women wear the native sarongs, and the children play on the beach with homemade toys. Most of the houses are made of bamboo and grass roof.

Where Surfing turns Serious

When surfing turns from a hobby and becomes an obsession, serious surfers turn to Kuta. The rugged headland peninsulas in combination with offshore reefs produce the long, rolling waves that are spectacular to watch and a challenging to surf.

Many of the local hotels make special accommodations for surfers including hearty meals and early morning coffee. Motor bikes can be rented with special racks for transporting surfboards. Kimen Surf Shop is the center of surfing activity in Kuta. This well-supplied shop provides almost everything a surfer needs - from local guides, ding repair, and of course all the local information on surfing conditions.

Scenic Vistas and Secluded Beaches

The views from the hilltops surrounding Kuta are some of the most spectacular in Lombok. Traveling east, climbing the road to Ashtari Restaurant it is possible to more than 30 kilometers of stunning coastline.

Further east the views change to long, deep valleys where rice fields climb stair-step up the mountainside. The numerous enclosed bays along the shoreline offer hidden, white-sand beaches against a backdrop of dense jungle vegetation. The beaches look like a photo from the travel posters and are a relaxing retreat for the traveler who wants to swim and sunbathe in total privacy and seclusion.

Accommodations: From Luxury to Truly Tropical

Kuta boasts of one 5 star hotel. Located near a semi-private beach, the Novotel Lombok (Mandalika Resort) features luxurious accommodations which carry over the much of the local style architecture. Three hotels other hotels (Kuta Inda, Matahari, and Testura) are less luxurious, but still have a full range of amenities.

Most of the accommodations in the Kuta area cater to the surfer crowd, with lots of budget hotels and a few low to mid-range hotels running along the main beach road.

Kuta also has a few specialty accommodations, such as Mimpi Manis Homestay and Melon Homestay which offer rooms and meals for a family. The Hideaway Bungalow is a few meters from the beach. One small house on a large piece of property, the Hideaway was built both for maximum privacy and maximum service. The super king-sized bed makes it ideal as a Honeymoon suite or just an alternative from the usual hotel environment.

And Diving turns Serious as Well

Until recently, proper diving facilities were not generally available to explore the waters off South Lombok. The DiveZone operates two stores out of Kuta and provides surfers the opportunity to dive some locations which were not available to most divers.

Off-shore Kuta, the rock and coral formations are a good places to see, blue spotted stingrays, batfish, parrotfish, and trumpet fish. You also may be able to spot eagle rays and reef sharks.A bit further to the east, Belongas Bay offers experienced divers an opportunity to see some much larger species of sea life.

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