Main attraction of Lombok

Economical
Cost of living is a fraction of that in Europe, America or Australia as well as investment in residential properties which will be at least 5 times cheaper
.
The beauty of Lombok's nature : white sandy beaches, pristine blue ocean, tropical forests, tropical island waterfalls, amazing swimming, snorkeling and diving facilities, making it a very potential tourist destination for Westerners as well as for the fast growing Asian market, supported by the Government as they has recently declared (Jakarta Post 14 May 2005) that Lombok is appointed as prime tourist destination for Indonesia after island Bali.

Construction cost for developing a boutique resort or hotel and operational cost are a fraction of that compared to Europe, America or Australia while sales is set on international tourist level making your long-term investment commercial very interesting.

Land prices are going up quickly in Lombok making your land investment secured and safe with a high return on investment as well.

Because of very low purchase prices of magnificent white sandy beachfronts and the fact that Government has appointed Lombok as prime tourist destination of Indonesia after Bali (with the coming of the new international airport as cornerstone of this policy) makes an investment in Lombok commercial property will be very interesting and give great opportunities to make a high net return on your investment. 

Still you have a lot of freedom for investment, it is not as regulated as in Europe, America or Australia.


Location
Living in Lombok combines the peace and tranquility of Lombok with the modern life style of Kuta Bali with its shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, busy nightlife and other attractions only a 15 minutes flight away (for just 60 US Dollars you have already a return ticket ). 

Direct flights available to the big cities of Java, like Jakarta and Surabaya (8 million people), and the metropolis Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, which will be extended with the upcoming new international airport of Lombok.

The good healthy sea climate with nice clean air makes Lombok a good place for elderly to retire and enjoy their well deserved rest.


White sandy beaches
The south coast of Lombok is a coastline of majestic beauty that rivals any in the world. Beaches stretching kilometers along the coast with white sandy beaches with in the background pristine turquoise waters for safe swimming and snorkeling. Magnificent bays surrounded by hilly mountains, completely secluded from the rest of the world, thinking you are in paradise, that is the feeling of Lombok. Places to see : Pengantap, Tampah Bolek, Kuta, Sekotong, Ekas.

Coral reefs
Another big attraction lies beneath the water : the beautiful coral reefs of Lombok. Lombok knows many places to have a unforgettable diving or snorkeling experience. Most known however are the coral islands Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. Dive centers with all the high tech equipment and professional instructors ensures that visiting divers at all levels of experience and ability can dive in waters that have more varieties of fish than anywhere in the world - and that includes The Great Barries Reef and Red Sea.

Mountain Rinjani
This is another hallmark of Lombok : mountain Rinjani with its 3.726 meters the second largest mountain of Indonesia, majestically rising above the ground and determining the landscape of Lombok. In 2004 The Rinjani Trekking has won the World award for Eco Tourism. The award was handed over by queen Noor of Jordan to the president of the Rinjani Trekking.

Waterfalls
Lombok has some nice waterfalls of which the Senaru waterfall is most worth while visiting. Senaru, dotted with quaint guest houses occupies the high ground across a deep valley on the slopes of Mt. Rinjani. Invigorating mountain air provides the stimulus to explore an area rich in natural beauty. Two towering water falls, Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep, steam off the mountain into Senaru's valleys. Senaru is used as the most popular take-off point for Rinjani treks.

Senggigi (west coast of Lombok)
Until now still the hot spot of Lombok with his many restaurants and hotels and increasing numbers of disco's. In the future this can change as the south is getting more and more developed with new hotels and villa resorts.

Indonesia

Geographical
Located in Southeast Asia Indonesia is world's biggest archipelago with over more than 17,000 islands, of which only 1000 are really habitat. Total size of Indonesia is 1,826,440 square kilometers. Administratively the country is divided in 30 provinces. The capital of Indonesia is Jakarta (9.3 million inhabitants). Total population is over 224 million people. 

Political
Indonesia is a republic. The government, lead by the President (the just recently elected Mr. Susilo), takes care of country's daily administration. The legal power is given to the House of Representatives and highest judicial power to High Supreme Court. The law system is based on Dutch-Roman law.

Economical
As for natural resources Indonesia is one of the richest countries in the world : oil, gas, bauxite, tin, copper and nickel. Besides exporting these products Indonesia has taken also the step towards high-tech industries. Begin nineties export was already consisting 50% industrial products (textile, nutrition products, electronics and cars). According to a recent study of World bank Indonesia can grow to the 5th economic power of the world around year 2020.

Climate
Indonesia has a tropical climate. Average temperature is whole through the same, namely 29 degrees Celcius. The change in seasons (summer and winter) is marked by the amount of sunshine. Summer season, March/October, has the most hours of sunshine. Winter season is characterized by less sunshine alternate with heavy but short showers.

Landscape
Indonesia's scenery is of incomparable beauty. Indonesia is geological and biological one of the most diversified and fascinating areas of the world : from the luxuriant rain forests of Sumatra, savanna's of Nusa Tenggara, snow covered mountain tops of Irian jaya to the pearl white beaches of Lombok.

Tourism
The beautiful landscape, the hospitality of its people and its climate attracts tourists from all over the world. Normally 5 million tourist per year are visiting Indonesia. The tourist industry has become an important source of income for Indonesia amount to billions of US Dollars.

Because of the liberalization and the increasing prosperity in most Asian countries like China, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, the numbers of tourist from these countries will increase significantly, as they want more and more spend their holidays abroad in country like Indonesia and especially to Bali and Lombok

Infrastructure
The central government takes great concern in developing and improving the tourist industry by giving incentives to foreign investors (the amount of international standard hotels has doubled in past 10 years), improving infrastructure in tourist centers, providing adequate information about Indonesia as tourist destination and so on.

Recently government has presented his list of 91 infrastructure projects worth US $ 22,5 billion. Quoting Jakarta Post (20 January 2005) : "The government has guaranteed that the projects being offered at the Infrastructure Summit here are free from any kind of legal disputes." and "The government would never offer projects that still have (legal) problems.", Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa told The Jakarta Post. 

Of the total infrastructure projects for the next 5 years (worth US$ 150 billion), one-third will be funded by domestic sources including the state budget, while multilateral lenders are expected to contribute some US$ 10 billion, leaving global private investors to kick in for the US$ 90 billion that remains.

"The US$ 22,5 billion worth of projects on offer at the summit are the first batch of the US$ 90 billion. We'll offer other projects, which will be worth US$ 57,5 billion, in the second batch scheduled for November", Aburizal said.

Lombok 


Geographical
Lombok is situated in the province Nusa Tenggara Barat. Together with the Sumbawa Islands it formats the Island group east of Bali, only 50 kilometers distant from Lombok. From the west coast of Lombok you can see the magnificent sunset view of Bali's mountain Agung.

Lombok's total size is 4.680 km2 and the population 2,5 million habitants. The capital is Mataram together with adjoining municipalities Chakranegara and Ampenan, having a population of 340.266 persons.

Political
Indonesia is in principal central governed from Jakarta, but more and more decentralization is taking place. Lombok has its own local parliament and every 5 years elections are held for choosing the members of Parliament. Parliament appoints the Governor. Lombok's government get more freedom to handle important issues by themselves.

Economical
The 4 pillars of Lombok's Gross Regional Domestic Product are agriculture (25%), mining & quarrying (30%), trade, hotels & restaurants (12,5%) and services (11,75%).

Climate
The climate on Lombok is the same as said for Indonesia in general. An average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius. Characterized by 2 seasons : summer and winter season. Summer season with more sunshine than winter season. But also the winter seasons on Lombok do have a lot of sunshine and sometimes alternate by some heavy but short showers. 

Landscape
Lombok is world wide known for her pearl white sandy beaches, but it offers more than that : beautiful mountains, rice fields, luxuriant valleys, water falls, tropical islands like Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air and naturally the hallmark of Lombok : the Rinjani, second highest mountain of Indonesia, determine the landscape and view of Lombok.

Tourism
Lombok is also called the "New Bali" and has become Indonesia's new "in" destination. Comparisons with neighboring Bali are inevitable. Lombok's area and population are just slightly smaller. Climate and landscape are similar. Even there is a great number of Balinese people living and working on Lombok.

The almost 400.000 foreign tourists who yearly visit the island is not as much as the number landing in Bali, but this figure is sure to rise as the many new hotels being constructed open for business. Also the development of the new international airport in 2005 (see Infrastructure) will boost the number of tourist coming to Lombok from all over the world.

Not only the central government but also Lombok's local government takes great concern in developing and improving the tourist industry by giving incentives to foreign investors, improving infrastructure in tourist centers, providing adequate information about Lombok as tourist destination and so on. 

For commercial investors on Lombok it is important to know that local government appointed only specific areas as tourism areas, the Tourism Development Areas (click here for see the Map). Only in these areas it is possible to develop tourist projects like hotels, boutique and villa resorts and so on. 

Infrastructure 
Lombok has a good network of roads. One good maintained orbital road around Lombok which connects the different tourism and commercial areas. Off the main roads the asphalt roads are not so smooth anymore and need constantly repaired.

Taxi service in Lombok is excellent (Bluebird Group) : honest, good service, very reasonable prices. If for a short stay and for not too long trips the ideal transportation. 

There are 2 main harbors in Lombok : most known is Lembar, where the ferry to and from Bali arrives, as well as Mabua express. 

Selaparang Airport in Lombok's capital city Mataram is the only airport at this moment on Lombok. However this is going to change with the development of the new international airport projected near Praya (central Lombok).

Legal

Property Law

Land matters expect mining and forestry are under the jurisdiction of the National Land Agency (Badan Pertanahan Nasional) formed to administer all maters relating to the Basic Agrarian Law of 1960 such as the registration of land rights and the grating of right and various permits to use the land. There are currently only to categories of land rights:   

Adat land (customary land) where the land is not registered with the relevant land office. There are 2 individual rights of 6 community rights in this category. All rights held under the Agrarian Low This are :

Right of Ownership (Hak Milik)

This refers to absolute ownership of land and corresponds to a fee simple or freehold title in common law jurisdictions. This right can only be hold by an Indonesian citizen, not a corporate entity whether local of foreign. Certain legal entities designated by the government, such as State Bank, agricultural cooperatives, religious bodies, and social foundation may hold this right subject to certain restrictions. This right of ownership is held in perpetuity. It can be sold, transferred, bequeathed, and hypothecated (mortgaged).

Right to Build (Hak Guna Bangunan – HGB)

This is the right to construct a building on land for a period of 20 or 30 years (renewable for another term of 20 years). This right can be sold, exchanged, transferred and mortgaged, and can be held directly by any corporate entity whether it is a local company of a government approved PMA company.

Right to Rent (Hak Sewa Bangunan)

This is the right to use land owned by another private party (the lesson) for building purposes. The right can not be registered at the land office and therefore does not exist in certificate form. The law does not stipulate a period for such lease agreements and whether this can be transferred or not depends on the original agreements between the parties.

A foreigner permanently domiciled in Indonesia or a foreign legal entity having a representative office in Indonesia may hold this right. It can not be mortgaged.

Right of Use (Hak Pakai)

This is the right to use State – owned or other land by public or private persons or entities for a specific purpose for definite period or occasionally for an indefinite period. This land right can not be sold, exchanged or transferred unless explicitly provided in this grant or agreement and normally for a period not exceeding 10 years.

This right may be held by an Indonesian individual or entity or foreigner permanently domiciled in Indonesian, or a foreign legal entity with a representative office in Indonesia such as foreign banks, embassies, etc.

Right of Exploitation (Hak Guna Usaha)

This is the right to exploit State-owned land for agriculture, fishery, or husbandry purposes for a period of up to 35 years with a possible 25 years extension.

This is can be hold by Indonesian individual / entities as well as government approved PMA companies. The certificate can be mortgaged.