The northern part of the island is mountainous and lush with tall trees and shrubs. The south, on the other hand is arid and covered by savannas.
Large Asian mammals are absent and replaced instead by large numbers of marsupials, lizards, cockatoos and parrots.

The difference becomes more pronounced as one moves further east where dry seasons are more prolonged and the land is dry and bush-like, and so in many areas corn and sago are the staple food, instead of rice. 

At around the time Islam first came to these islands in the 1 6th century, four Hindu Kingdoms co-existed in apparent peace in what is now West Nusa Tenggara and is still the religion embraced by those in the west of Lombok, who are primarily Balinese. Lombok experienced strong Balinese influences in the past, but has still retained a unique identity. The indigenous people of Lombok, the Sasaks, are predominantly Moslem and have a strong, distinguished tradition as do the people of neighouring Sumbawa.
Soft, white sand, virgin beaches are typical in Lombok, where the motto is " You can see Bali in Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali". Famous for its ikat handwoven textiles, the island has exceptional charm and is relatively undiscovered, except for the town of Senggigi which becoming a major resort area.
Regular shuttle flights from Bali and Surabaya as well as ferries, provide excellent transportation links within the islands of the province as well as with the rest of the country.