LOMBOK, Indonesia – Lying east of Bali, the island of Lombok is often referred to as “Bali’s little sister”. Quieter and less developed, tourism has long taken a back seat to Bali’s international appeal.

However, in recent years, Lombok has come into its own. The Mandalika area in the south of Lombok was chosen as one of the “five New Balis”, an initiative by the Indonesian government to diversify tourism destinations. The area has seen rapid growth in the last five years, with frequent openings of villas, boutique hotels and restaurants catering to an international crowd.

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