Sukarara is a village in central Lombok, about 25 km southeast of Mataram and a short drive from Praya and the airport. It is the island's main centre for traditional Sasak handloom weaving — almost every household has a backstrap loom under the eaves, and visitors can watch women at work and buy directly from the weavers. Together with the pottery village of Banyumulek, it makes the standard craft circuit for travellers based in Mataram or stopping over en route to Kuta Lombok.
The weaving here is not a tourist performance. Sukarara has produced cloth for centuries, and the patterns — geometric, intricate, sometimes incorporating gold or silver thread — carry real cultural weight in Sasak society. A serious songket can take months to weave and is priced accordingly; simpler cotton cloths and modern interpretations are available for under a few hundred thousand rupiah and make better souvenirs for travellers without a wall to fill.
Sukarara is not a place to stay. Come for a couple of hours, watch the looms in action, browse a few cooperatives, and move on. Combined with Banyumulek and a stop at one of the traditional Sasak villages such as Sade or Rambitan, it makes a satisfying full day out of Mataram or a useful stretch of the legs on the way south.