Lombok is famous for its pearls and the island is often referred to as “Pearl Island”, attracting buyers from all over Indonesia and the rest of the world to purchase these beautiful and precious “gems of the sea”.

Lombok is fortunate to have one internationally renowned pearl trader based on the island. The AUTORE Group is one of the largest South Sea pearl companies in the world and has pearl farms in Lombok, Sumbawa (the island to the east of Lombok) and West Java, in addition to their main operations in Australia.

AUTORE operate a unique visitors’ centre and showroom at their pearl farm located in the calm bay of Teluk Nara on Lombok’s west coast.

Perched over the waters of the bay, the AUTORE showroom has views of the dramatic Rinjani mountain range on the mainland, and to the east, over the buoys of the pearl farm to the three Gili Islands floating in the sparkling sea just minutes away.

Guests visiting the AUTORE Pearl Farm have the opportunity to discover how the rare and beautiful South Sea pearls are produced in Lombok, with knowledgeable guides explaining the intricate processes of modern cultured pearl farming – from how the oysters are seeded, the growing process, harvesting and grading the pearls, through to the end result – the stunning pearls on display in their showroom.

The Pearl Farm Tour consistently receives excellent reviews on TripAdvisor and is a fascinating and highly recommended tour for visitors to Lombok.

The visitor’s centre is just offshore at Teluk Nara harbour, only 25 minutes north of Senggigi, and can be easily reached by car or taxi from Senggigi, or by boat from any of the Gilis.

*** Getting around Lombok is easy by car or motorbike and you can hire these in all the main tourism areas, with an International Driver’s License. The roads are generally in good condition and traffic is light.

Alternatively, hire a car and driver for exploring.Or take part in the tours and day trips by the many tour agencies on the island offering these tours; just do an internet search for the title (e.g. “surfing Lombok”, “dirt bikes Lombok”, “rafting Lombok”, etc.)