It was built in 1744 and was part of the royal court of the Balinese kingdom on Lombok. There are other shrines and fountains dotted around the surrounding park. Pura Meru , which is the largest Balinese temple on the island, is directly opposite the water palace. These small coral-fringed islands have become enormously popular with visitors who come for the very simple pleasures of sun, snorkelling and socialising. It's cheap, thereare no cars or motorbikes.
Rooms can be hard to find in busy times.
Most accommodation is in basic bungalows, and there are shuttle boats between the islands so you can sleep on one and swim from another. Kuta Lombok's Kuta is still quiet outside of the main tourist season in August, but there are plans to develop a large stretch of the south coast with luxury hotels. There's good surfing, especially at Gerupak , about 7km east of town, and you can get there by local boat. A beautiful sandy bay, Selong Blanak , lies to the west, and the road is sealed. Surfing is good in the right conditions, as well as at Mawan, Tampa and Mawi along the way.