Your Private Beaches at Gili Islands Filed under ( adventure, Explore, Indonesia, leisure, Mataram ) by Aena

Indonesia is best known for its cultural diversity and beautiful landscape. You may say Bali is a touristic place offering both. However if you would like to have a tranquil place yet white beaches, beautiful scenery and friendly people, you may come to Gili islands in Lombok.

There are three Gilis (Gili means small islands) close to each others in between Bali and west of Lombok Island. Those are called Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan.

Each Gili island has different specialty. private beach of your own, friendly people, nice seafood, clear and blue sky, sea paradise with snorkeling and diving. Quietness is guaranteed as no cars and motorcycle is allowed. Gili Air provides tropical paradise with its clear water and clean white beaches. You can enjoy swimming, sun bathing or joining a boat for a day to visit other islands. Diving, snorkeling and fishing are not bad options either.

Gili Meno, the smallest and the quietest island, provides rural tropical paradise as you have the beaches on your own. You can spend time swimming and sun bathing in clear sea water and white clean beach.

If you consider yourself as a party animal, try to spend your time in Gili Trawangan. Combining party and beaches is one of the options. Gili Trawangan is the most active island and Gili Meno is the calmest one.

The suggested itinerary is you can combine Bali with Gilis. Other option is that spending some days in one Gili island to move to others. Going from Mataram, Lombok to Gilis is an exciting option as Lombok also has various interesting touristic destinations.

You can go there from Benoa Harbour, Bali with a ferry for about 2 hours. There are several flights per week from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to Mataram, Lombok. From Mataram, you continue by car and small boat for about 2 hours. You will pass mountainous area, national park, villages and paddy field. The view of mountain, villages, paddy field and Monkeys are just marvelous! Ask the driver to stop by where you find monkeys. You can stop to feed and take pictures of them. The best time for you who seek for quiet time is November to April. Try to avoid the high season, May to September, to have your private beaches.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Luluk_Suhada

10 Destinations to Visit in Nusa Tenggara Barat Filed under ( adventure, Explore, Indonesia, leisure, Mataram, Tips ) by Aena

Most of you surely have known about Bali. Bali is a small island with a huge destination. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerizing dance performances and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish. Mainly, a visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia.

Besides Bali, you can also enjoy your best holiday in Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB). This island also has been a tourist area for a long time. You will regret if you overlook this island when you visit Bali. The special thing from this island is visiting tiga gili that is located near Senggigi beach; Gili Trawangan, Meno, and Air.

However, you still have many destinations to visit in Nusa Tenggara Barat. The followings are 10 tourist areas of this island that can be your option to spent your holiday.

1. Mataram Metro is the area that is orientated as a tourist place for culinary and cultural purpose.
2. Senggigi with tiga gili (Gili Trawangan, Meno, and Air) are tourist areas for maritime and convention purpose
3. Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani (TNGR) is natural tourism.
4. Koridor Tano, Empang, Gili Kramat, Alas Utan, and Agrotamase are tourist places that are suitable for maritime, culinary, and cultural purpose.
   
5. Moyo island and the area of Saleh Gulf are maritime tourism.
6. The area of Tambora mount is natural and cultural tourism.
7. The main corridor of Dompu-Sape is also orientated with maritime, cultural, and culinary tourism.
   
8. The south corridor of Lombok island, that is Sekotong-Kuta is a maritime, culinary, cultural, and convention tourism.
9. The corridor of Mataram-Lombok international airport is a natural and cultural tourism.
   
10. Selalu Legini is a tourist area that is suitable for natural purpose.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stewart_B_Johnston