Tete Batu, Sikur, Lombok Timur
Tetebatu adalah sebuah desa di wilayah Kecamatan Sikur, Kabupaten Lombok Timur, Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia.
Do you want to see something different on Lombok than always beaches and the small Gili Islands? Would you like to spend some quiet days amidst lush green nature, rice terraces and paddies as well as a breathtaking mountain panorama with a view at the Rinjani Volcano? Get to know the real Lombok and the life of the Sasak? Then you should definitely visit Tetebatu!
The small village Tetebatu is located quite in the middle of Lombok, about 15 kilometers in linear distance south from the summit of the Mount Rinjani. Here the world is still in order. There are slowly coming more visitors to Tetebatu, but compared to other places on Lombok still a very few tourists.
Tetebatu and the surrounding areas are mainly known for its many rice terraces and paddies. These will most probably remind you of Ubud on Bali and they can almost keep up. Almost. However, the bonus is the view at the Rinjani, the second highest volcano in Indonesia.
Because of that, Tetebatu is also known as "the Ubud of Lombok"- but I can only partly agree. Sure, the rice terraces, the peaceful and green surrounding areas as well as the friendly people remind of Ubud. However, it is MUCH quieter and the towns are hardly to compare. Ubud is compared to Tetebatu a destination for mass tourism. In contrast to Ubud, art, crafts and traditional dances don't play a role in Tetebatu but rather agriculture. But let's stop those comparisons, after all we on Lombok right now.
Besides rice, the people of Tetebatu also grow tobacco, many exotic fruits, cocoa, coffee, chili, macadamia nuts, vanilla and much more. If you want you can buy those products directly from the locals. It's hardly possible to get it fresher and more natural.
You can also visit the so-called Monkey Forest, which is located about 4 kilometers north of Tetebatu. You can also see the grey macaques (often referred to as ugly), which are pretty common on Bali and Lombok. But also the rarer and "more beautiful" black monkeys can be seen around Tetebatu.
You can also explore beautiful waterfalls in the surrounding area. Namely, the Jeruk Manis, Jukut or Otak Kokok/Joben waterfall. However, you need to hike or drive to reach those waterfalls.
That's still not all you can do on site! You always wanted to know how the Sasak live, far away from the Senggigi or Kuta tourism? In Tetebatu and vicinity you can see the real Sasak life. If you want, you can also help with the rice harvest.
Have you ever heard of "Presean", the so-called Stick Fight of the Sasak? It's really popular on Lombok and a part of the Sasak culture. There are two men fighting each other with a stick and shield, which is sometimes pretty violent. Of course this is only a popular sport and everything is easy and friendly at the end. In the small town of Kotaraja south of Tetebatu, you can watch one of the best Presean fights on Lombok.
Usually, a day trip is enough. You can travel there on your own, hire a taxi or driver. The drive on your own with a scooter is long, but otherwise really easy. The journey with public transport is too much to ask of you since it takes really long and is troublesome. I recommend you to hire a driver, which is the easiest way. In addition, the driver will bring you home afterwards, compared to the taxi.
Alternatively, you can stay in Tetebatu. There are some accommodations (from IDR 120.000) and restaurants with delicious local food and traditional Sasak dishes. Of course this is ideal if you like nature or just want to spend some days in a calm and seclusive area. Furthermore, you can enjoy the most beautiful view at the Mount Rinjani in the early morning as clouds often show up later.
And you will get a nice cool down because the climate in Tetebatu is much different to the rest of Lombok: it is much cooler and therefore more pleasant. At night the temperatures can even drop below 20 °C during this season.
I definitely recommend you to get a guide for a day trip. It will cost you about IDR 150.000. That's the best way to visit and see the beautiful rice terraces and panoramas. After all, you don't want to run around private property on your own. If you need a guide, I can recommend 'JONNY' to you. He's a very nice guy and even invited me to a dinner at his home afterwards. Unfortunately, you can only reach him by phone (call or text), but he very nice guide, And Very Funny. You can get his E-mail: jonytourguide@gmail.com Or Phone/Whatsaps: +6285337415142