Page 51 - Diving Indonesia 21 November 2019

Nusa Tenggara Overview

Nusa Tenggara has the driest of all The Gili islands just off the North of variety of local languages and Bahasa
climates found in Indonesia – the islands Lombok are a major tourist attraction Indonesian are spoken throughout the
closest to Australia have the longest of and welcome many visitors each year, region and Basic English is understood in
dry seasons and the least annual rainfall. and whilst some travel on to Lombok to the major towns, cities and tourist areas.
The wettest months are December climb the mighty volcano Rinjani, it is only
through March and the driest are from a relatively small percentage of travelers Travel around Nusa Tenggara is by either
May to October. It is because of these who make it any further east than this. plane or boat when moving from island to
climatic conditions that the original and The people of the more eastern islands island. The major airports are on Lombok,
predominant vegetation in the south of survive mainly by subsistence farming Kupang and Labuan Bajo. Boat travel is
he formation of the Nusa Tenggara the region is dry forest as opposed to and fishing as there is little industry in generally reliable but crossings can be
island chain began approximately rainforest. the area. The climate here can be harsh – delayed or cancelled in the wet season
T15 million years ago when the particularly on the islands of the southern when sea conditions can be more difficult.
Asian and Australian tectonic plates Nusa Tenggara literally translates from arc where the long dry seasons mean that
collided resulting in the birth of one of Indonesian into ‘South Eastern Islands’. It drought is not unusual. In the North the Traditional food from Nusa Tenggara
the most active and geologically complex was in 1958, after gaining independence climate is kinder and there is a healthy features less rice than other cuisines
regions on Earth. The Nusa Tenggara that Indonesia established three provinces period of rainfall during the wet season. found in Indonesia and more sago, corn
region is characterized by numerous small in the Lesser Sunda Islands – Bali, West The northern islands are able to grow and cassava is used – largely due to the
islands which are often divided by deep Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. rice but in the south, corn or lontar palm, difficult growing conditions. Fish is a
ocean trenches – such trenches limit West Nusa Tenggara covers Lombok, The which can survive with little water, is more staple protein here and the local people
the ability of species’ to cross from one Gili Islands and Sumbawa whereas East common. rely heavily on the surrounding waters
island to the next resulting in numerous Nusa Tenggara covers Flores and Komodo, for food. ‘Sepat’ is a widely available dish
endemic species, the most famous being the Solar Archipelago (between Flores The two main cities in Nusa Tenggara of shredded fish in coconut and young
the Komodo Dragon which is the largest and Alor), the Alor Archipelago, West are Mataram in Lombok which is the mango sauce. ‘Jus Poket’ (avocado juice)
living species of lizard reaching up to 3 Timor, the Sawu Islands and Sumba – in administrative capital of the west is also a regional favorite – a “must try”
meters in length. Other notable endemic total 566 islands fall under the umbrella and Kupang in Timor which is the when you are visiting!
species of Nusa Tenggara include the of East Nusa Tenggara. Collectively East administrative capital of the east. A wide
Lombok Flying Fox, the Flores Shrew and and West Nusa Tenggara cover a total
numerous species’ of birds. land area of around 70,000 square
kilometers and are home to just under
10 million people. The people here are How to Get There
as diverse as the landscape itself with
Lombok and Sumba being predominantly AIRPORT
Muslim whilst moving East towards Timor
the majority religion is Christian, most of The main entry point for international
whom are Roman Catholic together with a visitors to Indonesia are Bali (Denpasar
large percentage of Protestants. This is a vast region and there Airport) and Jakarta. From both of these
are several airports located in central hubs, domestic services operate
Nusa Tenggara, each servicing its frequently to smaller local airports
surrounding area (for more detailed around the archipelago. Lombok Airport
travel information, please refer also receives international flights direct
to the region you are intending from Perth, Australia.
to visit). The main airports are:
Labuan Bajo (for Komodo), Lombok As you travel further East in Indonesia,
International (for Lombok and and when visiting smaller islands, visitors
the Gili Islands), Kupang and Alor should anticipate that the final stages of
Airports for diving around Timor). their journey will often be by boat.

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