What you might see
Gunung Rinjani National Park lies within the major transition zone (Wallaceae) where the flora and fauna of South East Asia makes a dramatic transition into that which is typical of Australasia. The Park has a rich variety of plants and animals, although they can be hard to spot due to the terrain and rainforest cover.
Sometimes seen early in the mornings is the rare black Ebony leaf monkey, known locally as Lutung. The Long tailed grey macaque or Kera is common in Lombok and older males are seen on the crater rim. Rusa deer are forest dwellers and are occasionally seen along the Rinjani trek trail. The smaller Barking deer or Kijang has an alarm call with a distinct dog-like bark. Look for the disturbed ground where the Wild pig or Babi hutan has been foraging. Also found in the forest is the Leopard cat or Bodok alas, Palm civet or Ujat and Porcupine or Landak.
A variety of colourful birds live in the forests of the Park. Perhaps the best-known icon of the Park is the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo that is not found any further west of Lombok. Many of the forest-dwelling animals, insects, birds, civets and monkeys owe their survival to the wild fig tree or Beringin as a provider of food and shelter. The pine-like Casuarina species, Cemara, are a feature of the grassy higher slopes. Orchids or Anggrek are also a feature of the grassland areas, as is Edelweiss or Bunga Abadi growing above the tree line; it is a beautiful icon of the Park and one of our best-known sub-alpine plants.
The Peak of Rinjani
The people of Lombok believe that the peak of Mt. Rinjani is where Dewi Anjani, the Queen apirit and ruler of Mt. Rinjani live. To the south – east from the peak in a sea of dust called “Segara Muncar” is the invisible palace of the queen Dewi Anjani and her follower, They good spirits. According to a story about the queen spirit Dewi Anjani she was the daughter of a King who would not allow her to marry her boyfriend. At a spring called Mandala she disappeared and changed from the real world to the spirit world.
Mount BARU JARI
Gunung Baru is the name of the new volcano, which emerged in the center of Segara Anak Lake. People believe that gunung baru erupted it will not harm the people of lombok unless the erupted is from the peak of Mt. Rinjani.
Some people said that the 1994 gunung baru erupted was caused by spirits who were building something because the stones that erupted were arranged in an orderly and attractive way at the foot of gunung baru. (Around September 2004 gunung baru was erupted again).
Segara Anak Lake
Segara Anak Lake is so wide it appears like the sea with its blue water, the name Segara Anak means child of the Sea. Segara anak Lake holds various mysteries and invisible powers. People feel content to stay a long time in this place because of the large community of the mysterious spirits, which live around the lake. The local people believe that if the lake looks wide when seen at a distance, it is sign they will live to an old age; or if the lake seems narrow, it is a sign of a short age.
So in order not to be pessimistic, people quickly purify themselves by lifting up their spirit and calm soul and look at the lake contentedly. In the area of the lake, it forbidden to have sexual intercourse, complain or say dirty things. We mush be patient when facing problem.
Healing Hot Spring
Aiq Kalak means hot water and it is used to cure various diseases. One of the hot springs named “pengkereman jembangan” which is means a place for dipping. The water, which spurts out of the spring is very hot. Weapon such as Kris, sword, big knives, and lances are dipped in the spring to test their magic power. If the weapon become sticky, it mean that the weapon is bad and has no magical power.
However if the weapon remain unchanged it means that the weapon has supernatural power and the strength will be increased. People also used hot spring to make medicine from coconut cream. After dipping bottle of coconut cream in the hot spring if the liquid become clear and oily it can be use ad medicinal oil. Than the medicinal oil is used for good things and is called “Siu satus tunggal” which means that it can be used to cure a thousand kinds of diseases.
Cave
one of the three famous caves ( goa susu, goa payung, dan goa manik ), susu cave is a good place for self reflection and its often used as a place to meditate. the people with unclean and envious mind will have difficulty entering susu cave which has narrow entrance, but people with noble and pure mind will easily enter the cave.
Inside the cave water drips from the tip of a stone which looks like a nipple, so people say the water in goa susu tastes different. inside goa susu is hot and there is a lot of smoke which looks like cooking steam so people call this menguku (hot house ) and sometimes people call it roentgen ( X-Ray ).