TETE BATU VILLAGE INFORMATION

•Tetebatu Lombok and surrounding
areas:
Tetebatu is located on the south
slope of Gunung Rinjani, 11km north of the main road that runs
east-west across the center of the island. Tetebatu’s elevation is
400m, about half that of Sanda / Pupuan. Views are wonderful and
Tetebatu’s local scene very peaceful with rice and tobacco being
farmed. Temperatures are cool and cloud will often cover the sky
providing relief from the intense tropical sun.

•Tetebatu climate:
Tetebatu is located on the
south slope of Gunung Rinjani, 11km north of the
main road that runs east-west across the center of the island.
Tetebatu’s elevation is 400m, about half that of
Sanda / Pupuan. Views are wonderful and the local scene very
peaceful with rice and tobacco being farmed. Temperatures are cool
and cloud will often cover the sky providing relief from the intense
tropical sun.
The best way to get to Tetebatu and for
that matter, explore the rest of Lombok is to get your own
transport. You can bring cars and bikes over from Bali on the ferry,
or hire cars at the airport. Also
no doubt Mataram and Senggigi have
motorbike rental places. If you insist on using
buses, the local bemo bus stops at Pomotong
on the main road, to the south. You can catch another bemo
up to Kotaraja and a motorbike taxi
(ojek) to Tetebatu, or ride a motorbike taxi all the way to
Tetebatu. The Perama bus charges 60,000rp
from Tetebatu to Senggigi.

•Getting around in Tetebatu:
Exploring the quiet mountain
setting around Tetebatu is much easier with your own transport.
traffic is light and there are guest houses that rent
motorbikes, including Pondok Tetebatu and
Green Orry for around 40,000rp-50,000rp
a day. Cars are also for rent at around
150,000-200,000rp with fuel and driver.
The model / age of the car / bike will affect the price, so
negotiate. There may be limited options and other people wanting the
bikes, so you’ll have to see how it goes. For a slower, more
traditional way to get around, hire a cidomo (horse drawn
cart and driver for 60,000rp per
day. Charter trips can always be arranged in
Indonesia and are totally open for negotiation. You might pay
someone with a car 160,000rp to take you from
Tetebatu to Senggigi, or 190,000rp to
Bangsal, the port of access for the Gili Islands.
Prices fluctuate and your leverage will depend on how badly the
driver needs a customer.
•Facilities in Tetebatu:
There is a wartel (phone office) at the Salabuse
restaurant, but no banks, moneychangers or internet. To
change money / visit an ATM, you have to
go to Praya to the SW or Mataram
to the west.
•Waterfalls
at Jukut and Joben:
V isiting a tropical waterfall is a vision of paradise. You can do
that in Tetebatu by driving towards the village of Kembang
Kuning to the east. You then drive another 6km
to the Jukut waterfall. Entry is 2,000rp
and parking 1,000rp. A steep path
takes you the last 2 kms to the waterfall, so bring
water and a sun-hat. Once there you can sit in the cool water and
admire the 20m falls. This is a good are for a
picnic as the cliffs surround the site and the river bank is shady.
Joben waterfall, to the
NW of Tetebatu is sometimes referred to as
Otak Kokok Gading. This waterfall is a sacred place but is
less impressive than the falls at Jukut. Access is via a drive back
south to Kotaraja, then west taking the first road
north again, terminating at the falls.
•Villages
close to Tetebatu:
Kotaraja is located 5km south of Tetebatu,
is transport terminus. Kotaraja means ‘City of Kings’
and the history of the village dates back to when Balinese invaders
forced the royal family of the Langko kingdom to
take refuge at Kotaraja. Attractions include the local form of
stick fighting called peresehan. At
special time events will be held where the young men of the village
will ceremonially fight each other with a single rattan stick and a
shield made of tough buffalo skin. The East Bali villages of
Tenganan and Seraya has a similar tradition, replacing the rattan
cane with the sharp edged leaf in a ritual pandanus. Locals
will let you know if one of these events is coming up.

The village of Loyok,
5km south of Kotaraja is famous for bamboo
basketware. You will see a variety of items made in this
fashion.
East of Loyok about
1.5km, is the village of Rungkang,
famous for its pottery. Locals use a flat stick to
mold the clay over a large stone, which then becomes a pot. Mornings
are good time to come and observe the process. You might find some
cool items for gifts.
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