The AMPENAN-MATARAM-CAKRANEGARA-SWETA conurbation comprises four towns and measures over 8km from west to east, but there's a fairly straightforward local transport system and anyway there's not much to see here. The westernmost part of the city is the old port town of Ampenan , the jumping-off point for Senggigi a few kilometres up the coast. Merging into Ampenan to the east, Mataram is the capital of West Lombok and full of offices and government buildings. East again, Cakranegara , usually known as just Cakra (pronounced "Chakra"), is the commercial capital of the island, with shops, markets, workshops and hotels all aimed at Indonesian trade but welcoming to tourists as well.

Planes land at Selaparang Airport , on Jalan Adi Sucipto at Rembiga, only a few kilometres north of Mataram and Ampenan. There is an exchange counter, open for all international arrivals and a taxi counter with fixed price fares (Mataram Rp9500, Senggigi Rp15,000, Bangsal Rp32,000, Kuta Rp62,000). To get to Bangsal on public transport, turn left on the road at the front of the airport, head 500m to the left to a set of traffic lights on a crossroads, turn left and catch a public bus marked "Tanjung" which will drop you at Pemenang.

If you're coming across the island from the east, from Lembar in the south or from the airport on an eastbound bemo, you'll arrive at Mandalika bus station in Sweta, at the western extremity of the city area. Most, but not all, of the public transport from the north arrives here as well, and if you're heading on to anywhere except Senggigi, you can pick up a connection here. Long-distance bus tickets are available from the numerous ticket counters at Mandalika bus station. From Senggigi and on some of the bemos from Pemenang you'll arrive at the Kebun Roek terminal in Ampenan . It's a good idea to have some notion of where you want to stay before you arrive, as accommodation is so widely spread out. The Ampenan places are twenty minutes' walk from the terminal there, and the Cakranegara places are not too far from the main bemo routes, but several kilometres from Sweta.

All bemo trips within the four-cities area cost Rp500, and yellow bemos constantly ply to and from Ampenan and Mandalika terminal, Sweta, from early in the morning until late in the evening. The horse-drawn carts here, unlike the ones on Bali, have small pneumatic tyres and are called cidomo . They are not allowed on the main streets, but cover instead the back routes that bemos don't work, and are generally used for carrying heavy loads. Always negotiate a price before getting in.

The Pelni office for ferry tickets from Lembar is temporarily located at Jl Sriwijaya 1A (Mon-Fri 8am-noon & 2-3pm, Sat 8.30-11am; tel 0370/637212) and due to relocate shortly to Jl Industri 1, Ampenan.

The most helpful tourist office is the Provincial Tourist Service for West Nusa Tenggara, which is in Ampenan at Jl Langko 70 (Mon-Thurs & Sat 8am-3pm, Fri 8am-1pm; tel 0370/637828); you can pick up leaflets and an excellent map of Lombok here, and get advice about travel in Lombok and Sumbawa.