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General Info
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Our Service
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Special Tour Packages
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Airport & Flight Information
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International : Rp. 100,000
per person
Domestic : Rp. 20,000 per person
Please
make sure that you reconfirm your flight at least
3 days prior to departure. A&T Holidays will reconfirm
your flights for you if you show your ticket to your guide.
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If your departure transfer
from your hotel to Airport has been booked with A&T
Holidays, confirmation of the pick-up time from your hotel
will be placed in your hotel key box or with the reception
one day prior to your departure. Pick-up time is approximately
2 to 3 hours prior to your flight departure time
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Standard checkout time at hotels
is 12 noon. If your pick-up time for departure is in the
late afternoon, please check with your hotel reception to
see if you can keep your room
for an extra hour or two. (Note that hotels may charge you
extra for this service).
Please
make sure that you have settled your HOTEL "EXTRAS"
BILL (drinks, meals, telephone, laundry, etc) in plenty
of time so that you are ready when the guide comes to pick
you up.
Please
check that your LUGGAGE IS CLEARLY LABELLED with your name
and address (inside and outside) and that it is locked.
Contact your hotel's Bell Captain at least 15 minutes before
leaving the hotel so that he has plenty of time to collect
your luggage from your room. Your luggage will be transferred
to the airport. Please note that you will personally have
to take it through the security check. Luggage trolleys
are not allowed through security but porters are available
and they charge Rp. 5,000 per piece of luggage. Just to remind
you - keep your passport and tickets in your hand luggage.
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Travelers
coming from infected areas are advised to obtain International
health certificates of vaccination against smallpox, cholera,
yellow fever, typhoid and paratyphoid. For those who intend
to stay for a long period of time in Lombok, it is recommended
to have a gamma globulin injection.
To avoid
Malaria, visitors should consult their doctor for a supply
of malaria-repressent tablets. Chloroquine is available
widely in Bali or Lombok and much cheaper here than abroad.
Drinking; it is best to drink bottled mineral water. Be
cautious when out in the sun, as it can become very intense
in the afternoon especially in the dry season.
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| Light cotton
and casual is the norm. When visiting temples mini skirts,
shorts and revealing tops are frowned upon - you can hire
"cover up" sarongs at most temples. Comfortable
walking shoes are recommended fro all tours, and a light sweater
for tours to mountain areas. |
| Leave you
passport, money and other valuables in the hotel safety deposit
boxes. Do not leave them in your room or take them to the
beach. |
| Indonesia uses the metric
system of measurement. 1 kilometer is equal to 0.6214 miles;
one meter is equal to 3.2808 feet; one liter is equal to 0.2642
U.S. gallons or 0.22 imperial gallons. To convert Celsius
to Fahrenheit, multiply by 1.8 and add 32; to convert Fahrenheit
to Celsius, subtract 32 and multiply by .55. |
| In most places it is
220 volts, 50 cycles, but check first as 110 volts is still
used in some areas. The plug is two pronged and round. In
most good hotels, a voltage converter is usually available
upon request. |
| Business Hours
and Holidays |
| The
government office hours usually start at 08.00 am and end
at 05.00 pm, except for Saturdays when office hours are usually
shorter and some government offices may be closed. This is
also applies to banks and private offices. The labor rules
suggest 8 working hours per day plus 1 hour for meal time
and 40 hours per week. Religion is way of life for Indonesia
and especially in Lombok, where there are no days without
ceremonies and offerings. There are five major religions in
Indonesia: Islam (90% of total population), Catholicism, Protestantism,
Hinduism, and Buddhism, and each of these has their own official
holidays during the year. |
| Money Matters
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You can exchange
most major world currencies (cash or travelers checks) easily
into the local currency, the Indonesian Rupiah. All hotels
offer currency exchange but at less favorable exchange rates.
Or - and this our choice - go to a branch office of one of
the local banks. Also, it is better to change your money first,
if you plan on visiting the central or eastern Lombok for
the day.
However that being said, there are a several "authorized"
money changers available. If you choose to deal with a money
changer - here are a couple of points worth remembering. First,
the rate posted on the door usually is for amounts in notes
of US $100. - lesser denominated notes (i.e. $50.00) will
be given a less favorable rate. Next verify the exchange calculation
(ask to use the calculator or bring your own) and count your
change before you leave the window. Lastly, be prepared, if
you are cashing travelers checks you will need to present
your passport for identification and many money changers do
not accept cash notes that have been defaced - or are in less
than near mint condition. The official exchange rate posted
is daily in all major newspapers. Also, rates that are too
good to be true generally - watch out for.
The Rupiah
comes in paper and coins. Paper denominations are 100, 500,
1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000 and 100,0000 ; coin denominations
are 50, 100, 500, and 1,000.
Personal
cheques are almost never accepted. Travellers cheques can
be changed at banks / money changers and some shops will
accept them. The major credit card (American Express, Dinners
Club, Visa and Master Card) are generally accepted by hotels,
restaurants and large shops and they may ask you
to pay a 3-5% surcharge.
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| Tipping
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Most hotels
and restaurants add 10% service charge-additional tipping
is not always expected but is
usually accepted. Other tipping is entirely optional but
if you are happy with services provided, the following guidelines
may useful :
Porter : Rp.
1,000 to 5,000 per piece of luggage
Driver : Rp. 25,000 for day tour
Guide : Rp. 25,000 to 50,000 for day tour |
| Phone
& Internet |
| All
telephone numbers listed herein are local numbers. To reach
any number in Lombok dial: International access code + 62
+ 370+ (local number). Wherein "62" is Indonesia
country code and "370" is the area code for Lombok.
Be advised most Lombok telephone numbers are 6 digits.
Telecommunication
capabilities have improved greatly over the last few years
but patience is the keyword when trying to dial overseas
from Indonesia - especially during office hours. Most good
hotels offer International Direct Dialing (IDD) and Home
Country Direct (HCD) services. Overseas calls can also be
made at state-run telephone offices known as a wartel (warung
telephone).
Need
to get online ? Lombok has many cybercafes - especially
in Senggigi. If you plan to be on Lombok for a while and
need to get online to check your Yahoo! email you can use
the local telephone company. Access telephone number is
080 989 999 (no area code). Username: telkomnet@instan password:
telkom. AOL has a local access number on Bali. From Lombok
dial 0361-289-652. But you need Globalnet in your bag of
AOL connection options (no problem with newer versions).
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| Bargaining |
| It is way of life
in Lombok and beyond, except in "supermarket" where
prices are fixed. Your first offer should be about half of
the asking price and negotiate up to what you are happy to
pay. |
| Street Wise |
| Lombok's reputation
has been sullied as of late since the economic crises hit
Indonesia (staying only in the tourist enclaves you may not
see the hardship this economic crises has caused the people)
and crime has been on the rise - especially in Southern Lombok
and at Mount Rinjani. Nonetheless that said Lombok is still
far, far safer than most large cities in this world.
Pickpockets,
car break ins and the like seem to be the most common complaints.
To reduce your risk, use plain common sense and take the
same basic precautions you would if you were visiting any
big city. Keep a tight grip on your purse or camera, Never
leave any bags (whether valuable or not) in your car, use
the hotel safety deposit box, don't go down dark deserted
alleys and don't count money in the open etc, etc....
On the
other hand don't even think of committing a crime in Indonesia.
You are a long way from home with far fewer rights than
you think. Behave yourself and be a gracious guest.
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| Outward Bound |
| On the way out of the hotel, keep
a little extra money handy. All tourists leaving Indonesia
from Mataram International Airport are required to pay an
airport tax of Rp.100,000. That said be advised that it is
against the law to leave Indonesia with more than Rp. 10,000,000.
Departure for domestic travel is also taxed (Rp.8,000) though
most of the time this has already been included in the ticket
price - but every once and awhile you are surprised.
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Traveling
in Lombok is much more relaxed than Bali but the roads tend
to be narrower (2 lane with passing in both directions)
and once you get out of the main tourist section, not as
well maintained. Whilst we wouldn't recommend anyone rent
a self drive car in Bali - In Lombok you can, if you're
a bit adventurous, get around on your own quite nicely.
Still
the byword is Caution. Traffic moves quite slowly and you
can come up on a cidomo (horse drawn cart) quite quickly
without realizing it. Also, when you put cidomos together
with pedestrians, bicycles, tour buses, trucks, livestock
and assorted immovable objects in the middle of roads that
are not well marked with traffic controls that are often
ignored and little - if any - enforcement of rules that
may exist - you have to pay attention - especially at night
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Metered
taxis are now available in Lombok. Easily recognizable by
their blue color they are surprisingly inexpensive compared
to other private transport options.
Also
be advised that if you have an accident and there is an
injury to a local person you will not be able to leave until
the matter is cleared up. In the long run it is usually
better to hire a car with a driver, enjoy the scenery and
arrive at your destination relaxed. It usually costs only
about US$ 10.00 more per day to hire a driver with your
rental vehicle than without - so you be the judge.
That
said, The more adventurous visitor may want to explore Lombok
by motorcycle. If you do choose to do so be advised that
you will need a motorcycle driver's license - if you don't
have one you may get one at the Police station and you need
to wear a helmet.
Another
interesting way to discover Lombok is by Bemo (the small
covered carry vans careening about). No better way to mix
with the locals - Very cheap but there's no airconditioning
and the bemos can get crowded. That said, make sure you
understand the price before you get in - locals seem to
have one price, tourists another - you might find taxis
cheaper.
Last
but not least are cidomos (2 wheeled horse drawn buggies).
More a tourist thing in Senggigi at night but a staple of
transportation for locals in Mataram and elsewhere during
the day.
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| Car
hire is easy on Lombok. Large international rental companies
may offer good deals but local companies are very competitive
also. The most popular rental vehicle is the Jimny - a small,
Suzuki Katana jeep with ample ground clearance. The Jimny
has a tiny 800 cc engine, two seats in the front, and two
or four bench seats in the back. The larger Toyota Kijang
seats six, and is very economical and lightweight. The majority
of hire-cars have manual 'stick-shift' gears as opposed to
automatic transmissions. A Jimny costs from Rp 100,000 to
150,000 per day (normally twelve hours) including insurance
and unlimited kilometers but excluding petrol. A Toyota Kijang
costs from Rp 150,000 to Rp. 250,000 per day with unlimited
kilometers, but excluding insurance and petrol. If you rent
a Jimny by the week or longer, expect to pay around Rp 70,000
per day.
TIP - Shop around for a good rental deal. Check out the internet, Lombok's local papers or magazines for the
best prices.
TIP
- Carefully check the condition of the car before accepting
terms (especially the horn, as this is used to warn other
road users of your presence).
TIP
- All rental cars should have registration documents and
registration plates prefixed with the letters: RC (for 'Rental
Car'). These are legal requirements for renting and without
them the police could stop you and impose fines. Registration
plates should also include both Bali and Lombok licensing
for use on both islands. Inform the rental company if you
intend to use the vehicle on both islands and request the
appropriate documentation.
TIP
- During the major holiday periods, hire vehicles are in
great demand from Lombok people locals going home for the
festivities, so it is advisable to book your vehicle in
advance of these periods. Car Hire with Driver (known in
Lombok as 'chartered transport'): Although prices vary,
depending on the places you wish to visit (and the distance
covered), a car with a driver will run about Rp 200,000
- 300,000 per day (8 hours). Negotiate with the driver before
agreeing to a deal and check what extra costs will have
to be paid such as petrol, meals, etc. Insurance Requirements:
Some rental companies offer insurance for an added fee.
Check the small print as the conditions of policies vary
considerably.
TIP - Maximum write-off damage will require an approximate payment
of US $25 variable according to the individual policy, but
minor damage such as a smashed wing or headlight could result
in the hirer paying the full cost of repairs, which can
be very expensive. License Requirements: An International
Driving Permit is required in addition to your own national
Driving License. These are obtainable from motoring organizations
in your country.
WARNING
- Driving in Lombok without a license can result in a fine
of Rp 2,000,000. Seat Belts: Seat belts are fitted to some
vehicles but there are no legal requirements to use them.
Helmets: If you intend to rent a motorcycle helmets will
be supplied by the hire company for the rider and passenger.
It is a legal requirement to wear one and it has to be in
good condition. Which Side of the Road: Traffic drives on
the left. Priority: It is your responsibility as driver
to avoid all other road users. Any vehicle has the right
of way to pull out in front of you at any time. Drivers
in Lombok rely on audible warnings, so use the horn regularly
to let them know of your presence and in particular when
overtaking. Likewise, other drivers will use their horns
to let you know of their presence.
WARNING
- Be extra vigilant when driving at dusk or at night in
rural areas. Many bicycles and carts do not have lights,
and street lighting is to be found only in the larger towns.
Routes: Indonesia's main roads are generally excellent surfaced
highways, though overland travel may be hampered by the
IMF's insistence that the government remove price subsidies
on petrol. In Badung regency especially, there are certain
roads that change priority from two-way to one-way during
the course of the day. Be extremely careful as road priorities
can change without warning and the police will fine anybody
driving in contravention of altered road priorities. Speed
Limits: There is a maximum speed limit of 70 kph. Petrol:
Expect to pay over Rp 4.500 per liter. |
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