For those not coming to Lombok via ferry from Bali, Mataram's airport is the natural entry point, however most serious divers quickly move on to theGili islands where there is some seriously good diving to be found.

Mataram is the largest city on Lombok, and is in fact an agglomeration of a number of villages that have grown together. The main ones are Ampenan, the port and the site of the airport; Mataram itself, in the center; and Cakranegara, the commercial hub to the east.