For those of you planning to visit West Nusa Tenggara, make sure to #SayHelloToTheVillage in Bayan District, North Lombok Regency, specifically the Senaru Tourism Village. The first thing you'll notice when entering the gates of Senaru Tourism Village is its traditional atmosphere.
Here, you can experience the warmth of the locals, watch children playing traditional games like gangsing (spinning tops), and see women weaving in the yards of their homes. What's more unique is that the local people in Senaru still wear traditional woven clothing from the village.
Not only that, but Senaru Tourism Village offers both nature tourism and cultural arts that will surely make you even more eager to visit. Here are three attractions of Senaru Tourism Village that you need to know!
1 | As a Trail for Descending from Mount Rinjani
For those of you who love hiking, especially Mount Rinjani, you are probably already familiar with Senaru Tourism Village. As one of the descent routes from Mount Rinjani, Senaru offers extraordinary natural views. The beautiful Segara Anak Lake is one of the reasons why hikers choose this route.
Senaru Tourism Village is also famous for its beautiful waterfalls, like Sindanggile Waterfall and Tiu Kelep Waterfall. Both waterfalls have clear, cool water that comes from the springs of Mount Rinjani. The route to Sindanggile Waterfall is easy to access, only about a 15-minute walk down stairs or you can take an ojek (motorcycle taxi) in the area. To get to Tiu Kelep Waterfall, just continue for another 30-45 minutes from Sindanggile.
2 | Rich in Arts and Culture
Senaru Tourism Village is not only known for its stunning nature but also for its rich arts and culture. One of the cultural highlights is the Bisoq Menik Dance, which is known as the rice-washing dance.
This dance is inspired by the tradition of the local community who perform the bisog menik (rice washing) ritual during the Bayan customary ceremony. In this ritual, women walk together in traditional attire to a river where the water is used exclusively for the ritual.
In addition to the Bisoq Menik dance, there’s also the Cupak Gerantang dance, which describes human traits symbolized by two dancers. The character of Cupak represents all the negative traits within a person, depicted by a mask with an ugly face. Meanwhile, Gerantang characterizes positive traits in people. This dance teaches that good traits always triumph.
3 | The Oldest Traditional Houses in Lombok
Another attraction in Senaru is the traditional village of Senaru, where you can find some of the oldest traditional houses in Lombok. The houses here typically have four or six pillars, with foundations made of stone or clay. The walls, doors, and pillars are made of bamboo and the roofs are covered with alang-alang (thatch).
Lombok traditional houses also feature a beruzaq (a small gazebo) used for receiving guests. You can also find the old mosque in Senaru, which dates back to the 16th century. This mosque, Masjid Kuno Bayan, is the oldest mosque in Lombok and is still used by the locals for Idul Fitri and Idul Adha prayers.
If you want to experience the daily life of the people in Senaru Tourism Village, you can stay at one of the homestays in the village. During a recent visit, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, paid special attention to the homestay facilities in Senaru to add value for tourists. He also provided essential items for the homestays, such as six sets of bedding and linens.
So, what are you waiting for? Plan your trip to #SayHelloToSenaru Village! Be sure you’ve gotten your COVID-19 vaccine and continue following the health protocols by applying the 6M, including wearing masks properly, washing hands with soap, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds, reducing mobility, and avoiding eating together so your travel experience remains safe and comfortable.
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