27/07/2019
Somebody wrote this a while ago, but I have lost the name of the writer.... However, this is still interesting...
"This part of Lombok is close to Mt Rinjani and is a cool and friendly part of the island. There are some interesting areas to visit and some beautiful trekking around here.
Kotaraja is located 5km south of Tetebatu. Kotaraja means ‘City of Kings’ and the history of the village dates back to when Balinese invaders forced the royal family of the Langko kingdom to take refuge at Kotaraja. Attractions include the local form of stick fighting called peresehan. At special time events will be held where the young men of the village will ceremonially fight each other with a single rattan stick and a shield made of tough buffalo skin. The East Bali villages of Tenganan and Seraya has a similar tradition, replacing the rattan cane with the sharp edged leaf in a ritual pandanus. Locals will let you know if one of these events is coming up.
The village of Loyok, 5km south of Kotaraja is famous for bamboo basketware. You will see a variety of items made in this fashion.
East of Loyok about 1.5km, is the village of Rungkang, famous for its pottery. Locals use a flat stick to mold the clay over a large stone, which then becomes a pot. Mornings are good time to come and observe the process. You might find some cool items for gifts.
There are also waterfalls and monkey forests to visit - always more interesting with a friendly, local guide.
