NEWS

ISSUE 106

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2012!

What a wonderful start to the New Year it was in Lombok! As we said goodbye to 2011 and welcomed in 2012, thousands of people flocked to our island to celebrate the holidays, with many saying it was the busiest season ever!

This year we celebrate “Visit Lombok Sumbawa 2012” and, with the Lombok International Airport now operating, we expect to see more people than ever visiting our beautiful island.

There’s every reason to expect this will be an exceptional year for Lombok in terms of tourism and investment. Oh well… we know we can’t keep paradise a secret forever!

To find out more, pick up a copy of The Lombok Guide from the locations listed on http://www.thelombokguide.com/distribution.html or visit www.thelombokguide.com and discover the magic of Lombok for yourself… like thousands of others, you’ll be enchanted!

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LOMBOK IN 2012

As a new year begins, it is time to reflect on the changes 2011 brought to Lombok and to speculate about what the coming year may hold for our beautiful island.

The Lombok International Airport opened to mixed reactions on 1 October 2011. Local government authorities were caught unawares by the response from local people living in the small villages throughout Lombok, who flocked to the airport to witness the “modern miracle” of flight.

The first month of operations saw mild chaos as villagers set up camp in and around the airport, creating makeshift stalls and a market atmosphere which perturbed many local and international travellers.

The hoopla is now settling down and operations at the airport are assuming a more professional routine.Facilities and services should improve over the coming months, as the “teething problems” of any newly opened venue are overcome. Hopefully, drainage and landscaping will be a priority for the government in 2012!

Road works connecting the airport and the cities should be finalised in the first quarter of 2012, including the completion of the final section of dual carriageway and the installation of street lighting.

International Flights are still the subject of speculation. At present, Silk Air is the only carrier operating direct international services between Lombok and Singapore. Garuda and Merpati offer services between Lombok and Kuala Lumpur, via Java.

As is often the case in Indonesia, many in the government naively assumed that if they built an international airport, international airlines would automatically start arriving in Lombok. Of course, the development of new destinations for airlines depends on market demand and it remains to be seen whether Lombok can attract enough interest for international airlines to add the island as a direct route to their itineraries.

The process is inevitably lengthy, but it is reasonable to expect that budget airlines such as Air Asia and possibly Indonesian carrier, Garuda Airlines, will be offering direct international flights by the end of the year.

International Tourism continues to build, with international arrival figures showing steady growth over the past four years.

This year the NTB Government and the Department of Tourism kick off their “Visit Lombok & Sumbawa 2012” campaign. The campaign hopes to attract one million visitors to Lombok and Sumbawa in 2012, although that may be an optimistic target.

Around 700,000 tourism arrivals were recorded in 2011 (actual figures not yet available), and official figures for 2010 put total arrivals at 662,717 – of which 262,051 (or 39.54%) were international visitors and the remaining 400,666 travelled to Lombok from within Indonesia.

However, strong marketing to the lucrative Russian market could boost 2012 arrivals figures, with around 4000 Russians pledged to visit Lombok between November 2011 and May 2012. A Nordwind Airlines Boeing 767-200 direct from Russia, with the first delegation of 131 visitors on board, landed at Lombok International Airport on 16 November 2011.

The South Coast is rejoicing at the opening of the new airport. The airport’s location at Tanak Awu, just 15 minutes’ drive northwest of the southern resort area of Kuta, opens up the south coast to tourism and the region is slated for rapid expansion in the coming year.

At present the Novotel Lombok is the only large resort in the area and is already reaping the benefits of being in such close proximity to the airport. In a masterful stroke of foresight, the luxury resort underwent major renovations in 2011… just in time to cater for the influx of guests the airport has brought.

Small businesses have sprung up in Kuta and surrounds over the past 6 months and many more are expected to open in 2012. The increased interest in the area has already sparked an investment rush which will extend to the beautiful beaches to the east and west of Kuta. Two major projects are even planned for the more remote Ekas and Tanjung Ringgit regions.

The Mandalika tourism development area, comprising around 1200 hectares of pristine south coast property, will almost inevitably be finalised this year. Originally slated as a world-class resort project to be developed by UAE company, Emaar, and the Bali Tourism Development Corporation through a joint-venture company, PT Emaar Lombok, the development was side-lined in 2010. The local government, backed by the President and VP of Indonesia, are determined that the project will go ahead… expect a ground-breaking ceremony this year.

Senggigi tourism operators showed some anxiety in the lead up to the opening of the international airport. The central Lombok location of the airport has resulted in a transfer time of more than one hour to the west coast resort town, as opposed to a 20 minute transfer time from the old Selaparang Airport near Mataram.

Fast boat operators between Bali, the Gilis and Lombok were quick to see the potential and some are now offering free transfers from Senggigi to Teluk Nara as part of their fares to and from Bali.

Those who feared the longer distance from the airport and the surge of investment in the south would draw tourism and investment away from Senggigi now realise they have nothing to fear. While the airport certainly makes tourism in the south more accessible, it will take some time to develop the necessary infrastructure to support mass tourism, whereas Senggigi already has a strong infrastructure in place.

The range of accommodation available, together with facilities such as restaurants, bars, banks, ATM’s, tour and travel agencies – plus Senggigi’s convenient location for exploring other areas of the island – assures the future viability of the tourism resort.

Investment along the west coast continues to be strong, with very little land available in a 10 kilometre strip both north and south of Senggigi. Development stretches as far north as Lendang Luar and the beaches at Malimbu, Nipah and further north are already seeing strong investment.

The trend continues to be boutique resort and villa development, with highly successful boutique resorts such as Qunci Villas, Jeeva Klui and Puri Mas all reporting high occupancies year-round. Qunci Villas are currently extending their two separate properties to create one unified resort along the Mangsit beachfront, while Living Asia opened their Chandi resort in Batu Layar last month and are due to complete their Lendang Luar resort by mid-2012.

Southwest Lombok is also experiencing an upsurge in investment, particularly around Sekotong and on several of the gorgeous islands just off the coast.

The long-delayed Sundancer Resort project in Sekotong is on the move again now that the airport has opened and is expected to be operating by the end of 2012… which will be a major boost to an area lacking in quality accommodation but with huge tourism potential.

Gili Nanggu, Gili Gede and Gili Asahan already have some accommodation on the islands, with the large island of Gili Gede tipped to see major developments over the next year. Land sales on the other islands are also attracting a lot of attention.

The Gili Islands, off the northwest coast, continue to be the biggest asset to tourism in Lombok and attract tens of thousands of visitors to Lombok every year.

Now under the umbrella of the North Lombok regional government, changes to authority and infrastructure started in 2011 and are expected to be ratified in 2012. This includes the power struggle between traditional island heads and the government, and the confusion over land rights and buildings on all three islands, particularly Gili Trawangan.

The opening of the international airport has impacted on transport services, with fast boat operators reaping the benefits! Very few people travelling to the Gilis use the airport anymore, as fast boats link the islands to Bali in around 1 and 1/2 hours.

Demand for sea transfers is sure to increase, particularly during the July and August “High Season”, so it is likely that we will see more fast boat services open this year, while established operators such as Gili Cat, Blue Water Express and Island Getaway will increase services.

Gili Trawangan has come a long way from the thatched huts and beach bars that drew crowds of backpackers during the 80’s and 90’s. Whether you love it or hate it, the new and sophisticated Gili T continues to evolve.

Land prices have soared on the island and development has now extended to the previously quiet south and west coasts. With new construction continuing monthly and the demand for accommodation ever on the rise, there is no doubt Gili T will remain the most popular of the Gilis in 2012.

We expect more upmarket villa style accommodation and a stronger trend toward environmentally and ecologically “green” projects in the coming year.

Gili Meno has always been known as the quiet island, between Gili Trawangan and Gili Air, but the island has quietly been doing quite a lot of growing over the past year as astute investors recognize the appeal of this island’s lovely deserted beaches and close proximity to the other two Gilis.

Tropical Hideaways, which opened in 2011, lifted the standard of accommodation on the island and other projects are already underway, including a large investment villa development to the north.

The island lends itself to “green” development and private villas, rather than large scale commercialism, and we expect more private villas and small boutique hotels to spring up on the island in 2012.

Gili Air was once overshadowed by Gili Trawangan, but has steadily attracted its own fan-base over the years and is now coming into its own.

Easily accessed from mainland Lombok and with stunning white sand beaches and turquoise waters, Gili Air is now the laid-back alternative to the more fast-paced Gili T and has much of that island’s charm of ten years ago.

The opening of Scallywags Organic Beach Resort in 2010 seemed to pave the way for a more upmarket beach experience and the island now boasts some excellent dining options, particularly Italian cafes.

Accommodation has increased quickly over the past year, with a good selection of mid-range places and upmarket rooms and villas now available, supplementing the simple backpacker accommodation that previously dominated the island. Scallywags built their Mango Retreat on the island and popular Senggigi operators, The Beach Club, are currently developing villas on the island and expect to open in the first quarter of 2012.

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PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 2012

With a new year beginning, we bring you the official list of Indonesian and Bali Public Holidays for 2012:

1 January 2012:New Year 2012 – Tahun Baru Masehi
23 January 2012: Chinese New Year – Imlek 2563
1 February 2012: Galungan (Bali Holiday only)
11 February 2012: Hari Raya Kuningan (Bali Holiday only)
04/5 February 2012: Maulid Nabi – Birthday of the Prophet Mohammad SAW
23 March 2012: Nyepi – Hari Nyepi Cakra 1934 (Bali Day of Silence)
06 April 2012: Good Friday – Wafat Yesus Kristus (start of Easter)
06 May 2012: Buddha’s Birthday – Hari Raya Waisak 2556
17 May 2012: Ascension Day of Jesus Christ – Kenaikan Yesus Kristus
18 May 2012: Shared Holiday by Government Decree
17 June 2012: Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad – Isra Mi'raj
20 July 2012: Start of Ramadan (Note: information only, not a holiday)
17 August 2012: Indonesian Independence Day
19-20 August 2012: Idul Fitri (Eid) – Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1433 H
21-22 August 2012: Shared Holiday by Government Decree
29 August 2012: Galungan (Bali holiday only)
08 September 2012: Hari Raya Kuningan (Bali Holiday only)
26 October 2012: Feast of the Sacrifice – Idul Adha 1433 H 
15 November 2012: Islamic New Year – Tahun Baru Hijriah 1434 H
16 November 2012: Shared Holiday by Government Decree
24 December 2012: Shared Holiday by Government Decree
25 December 2012: Christmas Day – Hari Natal

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• January is a busy time of the year for The Lombok Guide as we begin preparing our 2012 Annual International Magazine. Each year we publish 5000 copies of The Lombok Guide 2012 Magazine – a 120-page full colour, glossy magazine – which is mailed to travel agents and industry partners around the world, as well as being used throughout the year at international travel fairs and expo’s to promote Lombok.

This month we kick off our preparations with an exciting photography competition. The Lombok Guide 2012 Photography Competition invites all photographers in Lombok to submit their photographs in three categories: Lombok Culture, Lombok Landscapes and Lombok People.

In addition to attractive cash prizes, local photographers will have their work featured in our publications with their photo credits.

The competition is open to everyone living in Lombok and is an excellent opportunity to promote the talent of Lombok’s photographers, while showing the rest of the world the beauty of our island and its people. Email us at: kitadesign@hotmail.com for registration details.

• Anyone visiting Kuta Beach on the south coast – and particularly business owners and residents in Kuta – would be alarmed at the number of illegal shops, kiosks and makeshift homes that have sprung up along the beachfront in the past six months.

The “temporary buildings” have been thrown up by enterprising locals keen to cash in on the popularity of the south coast, prompted by the opening of Lombok international airport. Several that we spoke to acknowledged that their buildings were illegally built on public land and said that they didn’t care – the buildings were constructed at very low cost and, “by the time the government eventually demolished them, they would have made their money”.

True to form, it has taken a while but the Central Lombok government is finally addressing the issue. The Vice-Regent, Suzana, held a closed meeting recently, attended by the Head of the Department of Public Works, Central Lombok Head of Culture and Tourism, the village chief of Kuta, and other concerned parties to discuss the problem.

The meeting concluded that the buildings were illegal and furthermore damaged the beauty of the beach panorama.

“Because of the buildings, the beauty of Kuta Beach cannot be enjoyed from the roadside,” they said, “The building also makes Kuta Beach rundown.”

It was agreed that the buildings would be demolished and that those of value would be relocated to a new area put aside for an “art market” type development. This would be located on land reserved for the Mandalika Resort development and would include an art display area, a musholla (small building for praying), and public toilets.

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LOMBOK CHARACTER

Introducing the people who make our island great!

My name is Dewi. I live in Sade village in the south of Lombok. I am 17 years old and I have 2 younger sisters and 2 older brothers.

My parents are both farmers who work in the rice fields, which takes a lot of their time and is very tiring work. I started working in the rice fields to help my parents when I was 10 years old. I went to school in the mornings and then went to help my parents in the fields afterwards, which was very hard for me but it had to be done, as our lives depend on agriculture. 

When I was 12 years old, I finished elementary school and I wanted to carry on and attend junior school, but my parents couldn’t afford it.

I stopped school and started to think of how I could continue. I have a friend who comes from the same village as me and she told me how she worked at the beach selling, and she asked me to go along and sell with her. So I started out by selling pineapples.

At that time I couldn’t speak English at all. It was very hard for me to offer my pineapples to the Westerners but I kept trying hard to practise my English with them. I thought: I have to “start from zero to hero”! 

Slowly I learnt to speak English and now I can earn money from selling at the beach because I can communicate with the tourists. I have also made many friends because I can speak English.

After a while I stopped selling pineapples because too many other people were selling them. I realised I needed to sell something different, so I started to sell bracelets, and the money that I earned from the beach I saved for my schooling. I was then able to go back to school again!!!!! 

Being able to do this makes me feel that I need to work really hard at school and do my best. I also feel lucky because so many children from my village can't find a way to go back to school.

I carried on working at the beach in the afternoons and weekends while I was going to school and now I have one more year of senior high school until I finish.

I have begun to take my sisters to the beach and I am teaching them how to speak with the Westerners. I teach them to be friendly and honest with them. We practice English together so they can earn more money and be ready to attend high school and college too.

I have so many plans for my future. Maybe I could be an English translator or teach English to children. I also really want to help my sisters and brothers get jobs. But first I have to go and study. I would like to be able to study English at college in Jakarta so my life can be very different from someone who doesn't speak English. But what chance is there for me to go to university?

University is very expensive and it costs a lot for things like books and transport. The average cost is about five million rupiah per year. My family is not wealthy and there are five children, so do I have to hope some tourists will help me? Is my government so poor and corrupt that I need to look for a hand out from a benevolent person?

Thinking about the future, I see more people investing in land in south Lombok and more development of businesses. I think this will mean more competition for jobs, which will make it more difficult for people who don't have an education.

Lombok could be an even bigger and more popular tourist destination than Bali because of the new International Airport. Maybe Lombok will become a lot different from what it is like now.

It's possible that the opportunities I hope to have after I graduate from college will allow me more than Lombok provides and I may need to take a job somewhere else.

If I went outside of Lombok sometime in the future, for sure I would love to share my experiences and knowledge with the children in Lombok, especially the children in my village, Sade.

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THE LIGHTS ARE OUT…

After a fairly lengthy period of consistent electricity supply, Lombok is again experiencing power cuts and blackouts. Senggigi businesses and residents were particularly annoyed when the lights went out on Christmas Eve, with the blackout lasting most of the day and again into the night. With hotels at high capacity and forced to run expensive generators during the high season, we are left asking: “When are the PLN going to get it right?”

However, the problem may not just be with the PLN (state electricity company) as recent reports show:

NEW POWER STATIONS
In a saga at least as frustrating as the long drawn-out construction of the international airport, the two new power plants that have been under construction in West Lombok for years now have missed yet another deadline for completion.

On 30 April 2009, the government started construction on two power plants at Dusun Taman and Dusun Jeranjang, in Kebon Ayu, near Gerung.

PLTU 1 (Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Uap) at Dusun Taman has a capacity of 25 megawatts and was supposed to be completed by the second quarter of 2010.

PLTU 2 has a capacity of 2 x 25 MW and was targeted to be operational by the end of 2010.

The construction of these coal steam power plants was supposed to put an end to the electricity shortages in Lombok and, indeed, generate an excess power supply for the island’s future.

However, both power plants have been dogged with problems from the start with Plant Manager, M Dahlan Djamaludin, saying that delayed material deliveries from China had caused problems, and that the contractors responsible for the construction of PLTU 1 lacked experience and work on the project was “sluggish”.

The construction of the plants is funded by the state budget. PLTU 1 is being constructed by a consortium consisting of PT Wasa Mitra Engineering, PT Twink Indonesia and PT Putra Ciria Synergy at an estimated cost of Rp 296,300 billion (around US $32 million).

PLTU 2 is being constructed by PT Barata Indonesia (Persero), a state-owned enterprise, at an estimated cost of Rp 354.3 billion (approx. US $39 million).

As early as May, 2010, President Director of PT PLN, Dahlan Iskan, publicly expressed his disappointment with the performance of the contractors and threatened to sack them.

He later retracted his threat after contractors promised to complete the project within a later deadline.

In recent press reports Dahlan has accused the contractors of PLTU 1 of incompetency after observing their work in the field, saying that of the three, only PT Wasa Mitra Enginering had any experience in building a power plant.

This, of course, begs the question of how these companies won the contracts in the first place.

The power plants were again due to be completed by October 2011 and were scheduled to be officially opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono when he visited Lombok for the inauguration of the international airport, from 19 – 21 October.

Experts now say the projects are expected to be operational by mid-2012, at the earliest.

WEST LOMBOK GOVERNMENT HASN’T PAID POWER BILL!
In perhaps the most shocking news related to electricity, at the end of December local newspapers were reporting that the PLN was threatening to cut off all street lighting in Senggigi for the New Year weekend, because the West Lombok government had failed to pay the power bill.

PLN Manager (Cakranegara Rayon), Harun Al Rashid, told reporters on Wednesday, 28 December, that street lighting in Senggigi would be disconnected on Thursday, 29 December – thereby leaving Senggigi in the dark for New Year’s Eve – because the West Lombok government had unpaid power bills totalling Rp 1.2 billion (approx. US $132 000).

The West Lombok debt is made up of Rp 400 million to PLN Ampenan and Rp 800 million to PLN Cakranegara.

Harun told reporters that the West Lombok Regency (Lobar) had electricity arrears for street lighting (PJU) for two consecutive months (November-December), which they had promised to pay in either January or February 2012.

However, Ampenan PLN Manager, Damayanti Indah Sari, said this was unacceptable, as electricity bills must be paid by the 21st of each month.

Furthermore, he said the West Lombok regency government should pay off their bills as PLN customers paid a percentage towards street lighting every month when paying their electricity bills.

Since the early 2000’s, all residences and businesses have paid a surcharge of 10% which is added to their electricity bills to cover the costs of public street lighting.

Damayanti said that PJU funds had already been paid by the public and then deposited by PT PLN Mataram Branch to the West Lombok local treasury as revenue reports. Therefore these funds should have been returned to PLN when the regency paid their electricity bill.

At a last minute meeting on 29 December, the West Lombok regency asked PLN to give them time to pay off the arrears, saying that the government was experiencing fiscal problems.

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LOCAL SCENE

CHRISTMAS @ ASMARA

Asmara is a favourite for Senggigi residents celebrating Christmas with family and friends. This year Sakinah and the Asmara team created a magical day with a traditional Roast Turkey lunch accompanied by the lovely Florentia children's choir singing Christmas carols.

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MR FIXER (Tongue-in-cheek answers to your personal and building problems)

QUESTION: My husband and I have recently bought a small retirement villa with valley views in a quiet area of Lombok. We have always been animal lovers, so we were delighted when a stray cat just walked in one day and never moved out. She is called Claude. Well why not? She has clawed the carpet and clawed the curtains – so the name seemed to suit! 

As responsible pet owners we decided to give Claude some worming tablets, so I cradled her in my arms like a baby and gently applied pressure on her cheeks so she would open her little mouth to pop in the pill. After I had retrieved the pill from behind the sofa, I tried the same procedure. I threw the soggy pill away and retrieved the cat from the bedroom and cradled the cat in my left arm while holding her rear paws tightly with my left hand. I then forced her jaws open and pushed the pill in with my right forefinger and held her mouth closed for a count of 10.

I retrieved the pill from the goldfish bowl and the cat from the top of the wardrobe and called my husband in from the garden.

We knelt on the floor with the cat wedged firmly between our knees, holding her front and rear paws while ignoring the low growls, and held the cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing a wooden ruler into her mouth. We then dropped the pill down the ruler and rubbed the cat's throat vigorously.

After we had retrieved Miss Hissy Fit from the curtain rail, I got another pill from the foil wrap. I made a note to buy a new ruler and repair the curtains. 

This time, we decided to wrap her in a large towel and hold the cat with its head just visible from below my husband’s armpit. I put the pill in the end of a drinking straw and forced the cat's mouth open with pencil and then blew down the drinking straw.

After checking the label to make sure the pill was not harmful to humans, I drank a glass of water to take the taste away. I applied a Band-Aid to my husband's forearm and removed the blood from the carpet with cold water and soap.

We retrieved the cat from the neighbour's shed and got another pill. Undeterred, I placed the cat in cupboard and closed the door onto her neck to leave her head showing. Having forced her mouth open with a dessert spoon, I flicked the pill down her vicious throat with an elastic band.

My husband fetched a screwdriver from the garage and put the door back on its hinges. I applied a cold compress to my husband’s cheek and checked his records for the date of his last tetanus shot. I threw the T-shirt away and fetched a new one from the bedroom.

A kind neighbour helped us to retrieve cat from a tree across the road and I apologised to the neighbour who crashed into his fence while swerving to avoid the cat.

I took the last pill from the foil wrap. We tied the cat's front paws to its rear paws with garden twine and bound the cat tightly to the leg of the dining table. My husband found some heavy duty pruning gloves from the shed and forced the cat's mouth open with a small spanner. We then pushed the pill into her hissing mouth, followed by a large piece of fillet steak while holding her head vertically, and poured 1/2 pint of water down her throat to wash the pill down. 

The stitches in my forearm are being removed next week and we have ordered a new table. Is there a better way to administer pills to pets?

MR FIXER: You have failed to observe the laws of cat physics. The Feline Law of Energy Conservation says: All cats know that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and will, therefore, use as little energy as possible until the fridge door opens or a mouse appears. 

The Feline Law of Obedience Resistance says: A cat's resistance varies in proportion to a human's desire for her to do something.

The Feline Law of Pill Rejection says: Any pill given to a cat has the potential energy to reach escape velocity. 

The Feline Law of Furniture Replacement says: A cat's desire to scratch furniture is directly proportional to the cost of the furniture. 

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SHAGS BOXING DAY TOURNAMENT

The Sengiggi Hackers Amateur Golf Society (SHAGS) played their annual Boxing Day 4 Ball Tournament on 26 December, 2011 at Kosaido Country Club in North Lombok.

12 players competed in the Tournament, which was down on previous years’ attendance, but a good time was had by all.

The winning team consisted of Canadian captain, Gary Kreps, Barry Lyon, Max Heitmann, and a guest from Los Angeles who was staying at the Oberoi: Adam Beatty.

The winners took the Tournament with a gross score of 9 under par (a new club record) and a net score of 50. The score was boosted by a hole-in-one by Club President, Barry Lyon, who as usual had to buy the drinks!

SHAGS is a non-profit club which encourages visitors and tourists to join with them on golf days. The club plays at the Sire Golf Course (Kosaido); an 18-hole course with beautiful views overlooking the Gili islands. Monthly cups and regular games are played each week.

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GILI AIR

Welcome to 2012!  I hope you had an amazing start to the New Year or, if nothing else, you had so much fun that you had to lie down for a while!

2012 is an exciting year, or the date is at least. If the Hollywood interpretation of the Mayan calendar is correct, 21 December 2012 is when it all ends. Or it all begins, if you want to take the more optimistic view of something no one is entirely sure about!

Either the Mayans thought the world would end, or they decided that 2012 would be a great year to update their calendar – I’m going for the latter!

2012 is also the Chinese Year of the Dragon – exciting times – Chinese New Year is on 23 January this year and heralds the start of impressive celebrations throughout many parts of South East Asia. I am looking forward to finding out if these celebrations make it out to the Gili Islands.

After the huge firework displays, the bonfires on the beach, local feasts and traditional dances that took place at New Year, I think the locals could have a field day here with the Chinese New Year.

I believe that 2012 is going to be a great year for Gili Air. Contrary to popular belief, not all change is bad and I think some nice changes will come to this beautiful island. Two have already made it here:

First there is now a working ATM on Gili Air – you can now get cash on the island. It will be a while before guidebooks are reporting this, but take it from me there is now an unmistakable, bright red cash machine right at the start of tourist town, near the harbor. It even has its own air-conditioned room.  I think being able to access money on Gili Air will have a dramatic impact on tourism for the island, as it is often cited as a reason why people only spend a couple of days here.

The second is an excellent Italian restaurant called Biba Beach. Actually there are one or two decent Italian’s on Gili Air but the one I visited the other day was truly excellent. It had wonderful homemade food, great wine, pasta and real pesto.

Biba Beach Village (http://www.bibabeach.com) has a great setting on the beach and it’s just far enough from tourist town to ensure tranquility, without being too far away and being a hassle to reach.

There were several of us for the meal there and I got to sample the pizza and pastas. Everything served was excellent. I particularly liked their pesto pizza, which went perfectly with their Australian red house wine!

Also new to Gili Air is The Beach Club. They already have a successful venture in Senggigi and are now bringing accommodation and food to the centre of tourist town. So far the place is still very much in the building stage, but as it starts to take shape I’ll report on developments.

Still on the subject of food, Villa Karang has employed two new chefs – Kasim and Daniel. They both have extensive experience. Kasim, the Head Chef, has previously worked for the Peninsular Hotel in Singapore. They have certainly shaken up the menu and customers have already started to comment on the quality of the food.

My favourite local restaurant on the island, Warung Kampung, has added several new dishes to the menu. Warung Kampung is right in the centre of the island village and you get a much more local feel when you eat there. Plus, if you are going to eat Indonesian food, I think the local experience really adds to the flavour.

So far the spring rolls are the best new thing I have tired. They are far away from the sloppy, grease-filled mush that is often called a spring roll back in the UK (where I’m from). Most items on the menu come with white rice and the average cost of a dish is only Rp 15,000.

It was my birthday on New Year’s Eve and I finally took the chance to go and have a massage at the Natural Spa. I had a Balinese massage that was truly excellent. This place is really starting to get a great reputation, being small and friendly with a list of excellent treatments that fills an A4 page!

The rainy season has made everything lush and green very quickly and Gili Air is a different place at this time of year. There are more birds, plants are in flower and the grass is growing.

The rain messes with the visibility and currents at this time of year, but for the adventurous this makes the diving more of a treasure hunt. The fish are still there, and often bigger fish come around the islands because of the increased food in the water. If you love diving or want to learn, it doesn’t matter what time of year you arrive on this island – a dive should on the top of your ‘to do’ list!

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