When I first arrived in Lombok it was late in the afternoon and subsequently headed straight to our accommodation in Senggigi. However, I did get a brief look at the multi-town centre known as Cakranegara. To be honest, I expected something along the lines of Jalan Legian in Kuta, Bali. What a refreshing surprise it was to see this was not the case.
Mataram is the capital of Lombok. The town actually consists of four different towns Ampenan, Mataram, Cakranegara (Cakra) and Sweta. Here you will find a lot of Balinese influence as it was the place where King of Karangasem from Bali took rule in the past centuries. This is evident in places such as Pura Mayura, Mayura High Court and Water Castle. Another is Taman Narmada which is a miniature of the sacred mountain on Lombok, Gunung Rinjani.
Of particular interest to me was the area of Ampenan. Being the oldest, it once was the main port of Lombok. Old buildings, the port itself as well as the population mix of Chinese, Arabic, and Malay have all left their influences in this area.
