LOMBOK, Indonesia – As the tropical monsoon clouds roll in, obscuring the towering volcanoes along the Bali coastline, the pristine neighboring island of Lombok seems a world away from Indonesia's premier tourist destination.

In fact, it almost is.

This isle lies east of one of the sharpest fissures in nature, the Wallace Line that cuts through the Indonesian archipelago and divides the flora and fauna of Asia and that of Australia, Papua, New Zealand and other Pacific islands.

Long overshadowed by Bali, an Asian tourist mecca, Lombok is about 670 miles east of Jakarta. Its 2 million inhabitants hope its exceptional combination of spectacular unspoiled scenery, wonderful beaches and exotic mosaic of Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Christian cultures will provide an adequate lure to tourists seeking a less-developed tropical escape.

"Bali has been an internationally well-known brand since the first Hollywood film stars began arriving in the 1920s, while Lombok has usually been overlooked as 'that place near Bali,' " said Kemal K. Kaul, director of the exclusive Oberoi Hotel on Lombok's west coast. "But we see that attitude changing gradually, and last year was our best so far."

Bali accounts for nearly three-quarters of Indonesia's earnings from tourism, expected to exceed $6 billion this year. But tourist arrivals plunged after the terrorist bombings in 2002 and last year.

Surprisingly, the downturn in Bali didn't echo much in next-door Lombok, which had a very good year in 2005. It now ranks among Indonesia's top earners from tourism, although still behind Bali, the island of Batam opposite Singapore, and Java, Indonesia's dominant region.

Although Lombok residents know their island is a real gem for those seeking a true tropical escape where they can experience authentic island life, they believe that plans to improve the island's infrastructure and accessibility, including a new international airport, will bring them out of Bali's shadow.

Recent developments on the island have seen an increase in accommodations of an international standard such as the Oberoi, the Sheraton Sengiggi, the Holiday Inn and the Novotel hotels.

In contrast to Bali's tourist hustle and bustle, Lombok offers a view of the old Indonesia, with its dense forests, traditional thatched villages, empty beaches and bygone transport, the ubiquitous dokar carts pulled by sturdy Sumbawan ponies.

A massive volcano, the 12,000-foot Mount Rinjani, is Indonesia's second-highest peak. Visitors should be prepared for a two-day trek to get to the crater and the lake that lies in its center.

"There are more cultural things to see in Bali, but Lombok is cheaper and much more natural," said Christy Oliver, a Canadian visiting with her family. "You get a village feel here. It's still untouched by mass tourism."

While not up to Bali's level in terms of goods and services, Lombok offers adventure and ecotourism, as well as handicrafts such as pottery, weaving and pearl jewelry. The coral gardens fringing the three tiny and unspoiled Gili islands off its northwest corner are a draw for snorkelers and divers and include the second-largest patch of blue coral in the world. Surfers and backpackers congregate at the Kuta beach area, which faces the Indian Ocean.

One of the Lesser Sunda Islands, Lombok lies across a deep 25-mile-wide waterway used by hundreds of merchant ships.

Indonesia tourism: 011-62-21-383-8167; www.my-indonesia. info/indexpromo.php.