Indonesia is a land of white-sand beaches, coral reefs, mangrove swamps, steep ridges, montane cloud forests, and volcanoes. We will be visiting during the cooler dry season, during which rain is rare. Lombok Island is immediately east of Bali, across a deep ocean channel that forms part of the Wallace Line, a biogeographical division between Asian and Austronesian flora and fauna. The Balinese colonized Lombok Island several centuries ago, with princely kingdoms ruling over native Sasak populations prior to the arrival of Dutch colonists. The field expedition will focus on rural Balinese and Sasak communities located on the northwest slopes of Mt. Rinjani within a mosaic of rice terraces, smallholder tree plantations, secondary forest patches and perennial mountain streams.
Some villages have electricity.
Participants will travel in vans to field sites located along the mountainside and coast. Laundry and towel service is available. Field Conditions Participants will often be engaged in moderate hiking under hot and humid conditions through rice fields, upland agricultural plats, and dry forests. In villages, participants will usually be subject to constant scrutiny and friendly overtures by local villagers. Toilet facilities in villages can be difficult to access, unhygienic or non-existent, so participants are advised to plan accordingly.