Mataram
Introduction
Mataram is the capital of West Nusa Tenggara and the largest city in the province, set on the western side of the island of Lombok. West Lombok Regency surrounds it on all its landward sides, so the city sits within a wider region known as the Greater Mataram Area, or Gumi Rinjani Metropolitan Area.
As the province's economic, cultural and educational centre, Mataram is where you'll find the main government offices, the principal airport, and all of the province's public universities. That combination of administration, transport links and student life gives the city a busy, year-round rhythm rather than a purely holiday feel.
Before you go
Before you go, it helps to understand that Mataram is not a single, tightly defined city but an agglomeration of villages that have grown together. The main ones are Ampenan, the harbour on the west coast and the site of the old airport; Mataram, in the centre; and Cakranegara, the commercial hub to the east. Knowing this shapes how you plan your time. Rather than treating the city as one destination, think of it as three distinct areas, each with its own character: the harbour and old airport area of Ampenan on the west coast, the central Mataram area, and the commercial hub of Cakranegara to the east.Getting there
Mataram is served by Lombok International Airport (LOP), which opened in 2011 near Praya in South Lombok, roughly 40 km southeast of the city. A public DAMRI shuttle bus connects the airport with Mataram and Senggigi; the air-conditioned white buses run from the Mandalika bus terminal in eastern Mataram to the airport hourly, and also link Senggigi with the airport at roughly ninety-minute intervals. Schedules are not always followed, so allow plenty of buffer time if you are catching a departing flight. Taxis are normally available at the terminal for onward travel. By sea, the port of Lembar lies 22 km south of Mataram, with ferries from Padang Bai on Bali running around the clock at intervals of about ninety minutes and taking four to five hours. Volunteer porters who carry your bags will expect a tip. Getting from Lembar into Mataram can be awkward unless you have booked an end-to-end package: Perama Tours and Travel runs shuttle connections from Lembar to Mataram and from Bali to Mataram, and a hotel pick-up should be arranged well in advance and preferably confirmed by email. Otherwise you can negotiate with a private car operator on arrival, take a bemo during daylight hours to the Ampenan-Mataram-Cakranegara-Sweta area, or look for a metered taxi at the terminal or just outside the gates, though you should not depend on one being there. A few basic warung and losmen in Lembar are available if you get stuck. Mataram can also be reached from Denpasar by car, a drive of four to five hours plus ferries, and long-distance buses mostly stop briefly at Terminal Mandalika on Jalan Sandubaya, with DAMRI services also departing from its pool nearby on Jl. TGH. Faesal.Getting around
Mataram spreads across a string of connected districts — Ampenan, Mataram, Cakranegara and Sweta — and there is no rail, metro or tram network, so you get around by road. Walking works for short distances within a single district, but the city is sprawling and multi-centre and the streets around markets can be congested, so for longer hops between districts most visitors take a taxi, a bemo or a rented vehicle.
- Taxi: Blue Bird / Lombok Taksi is the most common taxi in Mataram. Bluebird and the white-coloured Express Taksi both run radio dispatch and their cars have meters that drivers should use at all times. You can book in advance by calling yourself or through your hotel, or hail one on the street anywhere around Mataram — except the dark blue Airport Taksi, which is limited to arriving airport passengers.
- Bemo: Bemos run set routes in and around Mataram, Ampenan and Cakranegara and can be flagged down anywhere on the streets. They can be crowded and stop and start frequently to pick up and set down passengers or tout for business, so trips can get drawn out. Watch for pickpockets, especially around the Cakranegara routes; they can be persistent even if detected. For two or more people, an air-conditioned taxi may be more straightforward and possibly less expensive.
- Ojek: Local motorbike riders take you on short hops at negotiable prices; longer distances need informed negotiation.
- Cidomo: Horse carts remain a common means of transport and are often found on the congested streets near a pasar or produce market, though public bemos and metered taxis are more commonly used.
- Car hire: Renting a car is a possible alternative, with the age and condition of the vehicle affecting the price, as does high demand during the peak tourism period around June–August and local holidays. Rental periods should be for 24 hours.
- Motorbike hire: Motorbikes are available for rent around Mataram, with several rental operators in the Cakranegara area or ask at your hotel. If you ride, obtain and use a helmet.
Where to stay
Mataram's accommodation is spread across the city rather than concentrated in one quarter, so your choice depends on whether you want to be near the shops and services of the centre or within easy reach of the transport terminals. In Cilinaya, the Lombok Raya Hotel sits close to Mataram Mall, while the Grand Legi Hotel in Pagesangan Tim. offers a fuller set of facilities including a pool, spa, gym, restaurant and bar. The Hotel Santika Mataram on Jl Pejanggik is a contemporary city hotel from an established national operator. For a smaller, more personal base, the Dewi Sri Guest House in Monjok Tim. is a walk from the immigration office and the Hubbul Wathan Great Mosque, and a short drive from Terminal Mandalika; it has dorm beds and double rooms, shared bathrooms, a terrace with a swimming pool and a shared living room. The Hastina Stylish Hotel in Mataram Tim. is next to Epicentrum Mall and about ten minutes from the Damri pool, with capsule-style dorm beds in a small dorm.
- Lombok Raya Hotel — Cilinaya, near Mataram Mall
- Grand Legi Hotel — Pagesangan Tim., with pool, spa, gym, restaurant and bar
- Hotel Santika Mataram — Jl Pejanggik, contemporary city hotel
- Dewi Sri Guest House — Monjok Tim., dorms and doubles, shared bathrooms, pool terrace, walkable to the immigration office and the Hubbul Wathan Great Mosque
- Hastina Stylish Hotel — Mataram Tim., next to Epicentrum Mall, capsule-style dorm beds
Food & drink
Mataram is one of the best places in Lombok to try local food. Look for ayam taliwang, small grilled chicken with a hot chilli and spice paste; plecing kangkung, water spinach with spicy tomato-chilli sambal; beberuk terong, eggplant with fresh chilli and tomato; sate rembiga, spicy beef skewers; sate bulayak, grilled meat served with rice cakes and spicy sauce; and nasi balap puyung, a spicy rice dish topped with shredded chicken and accompaniments. Most local restaurants are inexpensive and cater primarily to local diners, and you will also find Chinese-Indonesian, seafood and modern restaurants around the city. Among the local spots, Dua Em Bersaudara is famed for its ayam taliwang, while bubur ayam 43 and a warung sate muslim in Monjok are popular with local diners. For drinks, some restaurants serve cold beer, as do the hotels, but do not expect a wine list outside a large and substantial hotel. Public drinking of alcohol or drunkenness is not condoned anywhere in Lombok, including Mataram. Instead, many restaurants and eating houses offer an excellent range of local fruit juices, teas including ginger tea, and local coffee — kopi biasa or kopi lombok — at very moderate prices.What to see and do
Mataram's historic sites reflect the city's layered past, from Balinese Hindu rule to Dutch colonial trade. At Mayura Park, an 18th-century garden and water palace, you can walk among lawns and mature trees around a large rectangular pool and see Balinese Hindu shrines including Pura Jagatnatha. Narmada Park, a royal garden and retreat east of the city, was designed to evoke Mount Rinjani and holds gardens, pools, a Hindu temple and a sacred spring traditionally linked to youth and longevity; it draws local families for picnics and swimming, especially on weekends. Meru Temple in Cakranegara is the island's largest Hindu temple, built in 1720 and dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, with three thatched meru towers of 11, 9 and 9 tiers. Lingsar Temple is a Hindu complex built beside Kemaliq, a sacred site of the Sasak Wetu Telu tradition, and hosts Perang Topat, a rice-cake-throwing ceremony symbolising harmony. For the region's cultures, the Museum Negeri Nusa Tenggara Barat covers archaeology, textiles, weapons and manuscripts, and Masjid Raya Hubbul Wathan, the city's most recognisable landmark, is especially impressive from outside and illuminated after dark. Ampenan Old Town, the former colonial port, is best explored on foot in the late afternoon, when its shop houses and the nearby beach suit a sunset stroll, with cafés and food stalls along the way. In the evening, Jalan Udayana near the airport is lined with warungs and snack stalls and is popular with couples for its low lighting and roadside parks, while Jalan Pejanggik, west of Mataram mall, fills at dusk with street food vendors and tenda eating venues. Cycling events are common on weekends, especially Sundays, often closing some streets.Three days in Mataram
Day one: Start in Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara on Lombok, and get your bearings in the Greater Mataram Area. Rather than rushing out, spend the morning walking the streets of Cakranegara, the commercial heart of the city, before heading west to Ampenan, the old port quarter, where the character changes to something quieter and more historic. Knowing how the city fits together helps you plan the rest of your stay.
Day two: Use Mataram as your base for the wider Gumi Rinjani Metropolitan Area. Head north to Senggigi for the coast, or south towards Mandalika and the beaches of South Lombok. If you are arriving or leaving, Lombok International Airport (LOP) sits near Praya in South Lombok, and DAMRI and taxis connect it to the city. Schedules vary, so check before you travel. Otherwise, a day trip to Lembar for the Padang Bai crossing to Bali is possible, and Perama Tours can help with travel arrangements.
Day three: Stay closer to the city and fill your last day with the places you missed. Volunteer at a local project if you have time, or wander through Sweta and along Jalan Sandubaya and Jl. TGH. Faesal. Terminal Mandalika is useful if you are continuing to Denpasar or elsewhere. Before you leave, take one more walk through Cakranegara and Ampenan to see how the two sides of Mataram sit together.