Indonesia

The Best SPA Destination in The World

2009-03-23T20:36:00.001-07:00

Bali "The Best Spa Destination in The World"

Friday, March 13, 2009

Indonesian through Bali has been selected as “The Best Destination Spa in the World.” by InternationalBourse Berlin, Jerman and gets International Wellness Awards.

“Why Indonesia? Because Indonesia is able to maintain the ancestral cultural heritage combined with the results of the latest research,” said the chairman of Selected Hotel Promotion Inc (renowned international organization of tourism), Frank Pfaller, in a press release on Wednesday (18 / 2).

Awards will be submitted in order to organize the annual exhibition prestigious tourism, the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Berlin, Germany, early March 2009.

“The ceremony will be attended by the leading tourism leaders from around the world,” he said.
This is because the ITB exhibition is the largest involving thousands of actors in the business world’s international tourism. Awards are planned to be received directly by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, who will attend the event at the ITB in Berlin.
Balinese votes spa tourism is the best area because it is able to maintain the original ancestor of culture, heritage, including ancient kings. Moreover, terminology Balinese in relation to the spa, such as security and lulur has been recognized internationally.
On the same occasion, the King, Ida Tjokorda IX Denpasar Ngurah Jambe Pamecutan also be awarded prizes Senses Wellness Award 2009 from the same organization.

King Denpasar IX will also receive The Five-star-Diamond Lifetime Achievement Award will be given by the President of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Joe Cinque up and contrib pengabdiannya in the exchange relationship and the development of international culture. “We represent people who have a spa in Bali will leave the event in addition to this year because Bali was selected to become the world’s best destination spa,” said King Ida Tjokorda IX Denpasar Ngurah Jambe Pamecutan.

Most of Bali spa centres offer 100% natural material. The basic ingredient of Spa original massage oils are imported from France. Bali spas have well-trained therapist. You will enjoy a fragrance while you are staying at spa treatment room. Some of Bali spa centres also have service of hair treatment, herbal milk bath, volcanic mud body treatment, lavender body treatment, and many other high quality services. Sometimes Bali Spas also give a free transport for a visitor from Nusa Dua, Jimbaran, Kuta and Sanur beach area.

Beginning with foot bath and body wash, and traditional Balinese massage, lets the mud prevent wrinkles, enlighten your skin and clean the pores while giving nutrients and mineral back to your skin, end by relaxing into warm aromatic flower bath. For other choice, you may choose Aroma Therapy Massage, Balinese Traditional Massage, Swedish Massage or other kind of massage. Improve your blood circulation, reduces tension and stress, relieve muscles, rejuvenate tired muscles and relax your mind. The prices are relative cheap, around US$ 68-78 per package. So lets enjoyed your vacation on Bali Paradise.

The National Monument ( Monas )

2009-03-16T23:37:00.000-07:00

The National Monument:
The National Monument, or "Monas" as it is popularly called, is one of the monuments built during the Sukarno era of fierce nationalism. It stands for the people's determination to achieve freedom and the crowning of their efforts in the Proclamation of Independence in August 1945. The 137-metre tall marble obelisk is topped with a flame coated with 35 kg of gold. The base houses a historical museum and a hall for meditations. The monument is open to the public and upon request the lift can carry visitors to the top, which offers a bird's eye view of the city and the sea. Istiqlal Mosque: It is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and the second largest in the world. The mosque took 17 long years to build and the grandeur of its walls and dome is visible from quite far away. Orchid Gardens: Indonesia has some of the most exotic orchid gardens. Several commercial orchid gardens are open to public. Some of the best known of them are located at Slipi and Taman Mini. Condet: This village in southern Jakarta is a protected area where the old rural life style of Jakarta is preserved. Condet is also famous for its fruit orchards. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature): Situated just outside Jakarta, the park has miniatures of all the 27 provinces of the country reproduced in its Central Lake. This is a wonderful place to know about the entire archipelago in just one day. Regular cultural programmes and ceremonies are held in the park representing different regions. Pulau Seribu: This group of islands in the Jakarta Bay offers a haven away from the bustle of city life. There are golden beaches fringed with coconut palms. The surrounding waters are a paradise for scuba divers. The islands can be reached from Tanjung Priok or Pasar Ikan (Sunda Kelapa) by ferry or by chartered boat. Some of the islands in this group developed for tourism are Pulau Bidadari, Pulau Ayer, Pulau Laki and Pulau Putri. Museum Gadjah: The National Museum of Indonesia is situated at Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat. It contains around 85,000 items, the largest in the world of Indonesian artefacts. There is one of the largest and rare collections of Oriental ceramics in this museum.

Bukittinggi Indonesia

2009-03-15T02:32:00.000-07:00

Bukittinggi, Indonesia, meaning “High Mountain” in Malay, is a small town in the middle of the Minangkabau area, in West Sumatra. High up in the mountains, this little town in Indonesia, is a major tourist attraction, and people from all over the world come here to vacation. There are many wonderful and interesting things to see in the town of Bukittinggi, Indonesia, and AsiaRooms.com has made a comprehensive list of all of these.

Fort De Kock and the Museum, at Bukittinggi, Indonesia # From Fort De Kock a footbridge takes one over the main street of Bukittinggi to the Museum and the Zoo. The museum has a wonderful collection of Minangkabau art and culture put on display for tourists. The Zoo is also a place one can visit, though it is not really well-kept.

Sianok Canyon, in Bukittinggi, Indonesia # The Sianok Canyon or Ngarai Canyon covers an area of bout four kilometers southwest of the town of Bukittinggi, Indonesia. One can walk trough the canyon and climb up a small steep trial. It is quite a heavy climb, but leads to a flat green ricefield, that will lead to Kota Gadang, which is at about two hours walking distance from Bukittinggi, Indonesia.

Kota Gadang, lying about eight kilometers from Bukittinggi, Indonesia, is famous for it crafts, such as silwerware, and shawls. One can get to see the silversmiths at work with filigree or see the weaving of shawls.

Batu Sangkar, about 40 km from Bukittinggi, Indonesia, is the traditional Minangkabau village, with traditional Minangkabau buildings, structures, and architecture. The major attraction here is the palace known as Balai Janggo.

Ngalau Kamang and Ngalau Indah, two caves that lie north east of Bukittinggi, Indonesia with many stalagmites and stalactites.

Rafflesia Arnoldy Sanctuary, 16 km away from Bukittinggi, Indonesia, is a place where one can get to see the Rafflesia, which is the largest flower on earth, and is renowned for its foul smell.

Harau valley/Lembah arau, is about 45 km from Bukittinggi, Indonesia, to the north east and is a land of waterfalls, and many steep cliffs. The highest waterfall here is 110 meters high.

Lake Maninjau, about 40 km from Bukittinggi, Indonesia, is one most beautiful spots in west Sumatra. The path to the Lake is impressive in itself, with 44 hairpin bends that afford spectacular views over the lake.

Apart from these, there are a few more attractions in and around the town of Bukittinggi, Indonesia, such as –

Lobang Jepang, or the Japanese Caves - a network of underground bunkers & tunnels built by the Japanese during World War II

Jam Gadang - a large clock tower built by the Dutch in 1926.

Taman Bundo Kanduang park, has a replica of a Rumah Gadang, literally a big house, with the distinctive Minangkabau roof architecture, which is used as a museum of Minangkabau culture.

Ethnic Groups In Indonesia

2009-03-15T00:23:00.000-07:00

Ethnic groups in Indonesia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are over 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia.

The largest ethnic group in Indonesia is the Javanese who make up 41% of the total population. The Javanese are concentrated on the island of Java but millions have migrated to other islands throughout the archipelago.The Sundanese, Malay, and Madurese are the next largest groups in the country. Many ethnic groups, particularly in Kalimantan and Papua, have only hundreds of members. Most of the local languages belong to Austronesian linguistic family, although a significant number, particularly in Papua, speak Papuan languages. The Chinese Indonesian population makes up a little less then 1% of the total Indonesian population according to the 2000 census.Some estimates, however, put the number of ethnic Chinese at roughly 8 million, claiming a large undercount due to widespread reluctance to self-identify as Chinese}. Some of these Indonesians of Chinese descent speak various Chinese dialects, most notably Hokkien and Hakka.

The proportional populations of Indonesian ethnic groups according to the (2000 census) is as follows:

Asmat:

Balinese:

Batak:

Betawi:

Dayak:

Minahasa:

Minangkabau:

Toraja:

Ethnic groups	Popul ation (millions)	Percentage	Ma in Regions
Javanese	86.012	41.7	East Java, Central Java, Lampung
Sundanese	31.765	15.4	West Java
Malay	7.013	3.4	Sumatra eastern coast, West Kalimantan
Madurese	6.807	3.3	Madura island
Batak	6.188	3.0	North Sumatra
Minangkabau	5.569	2.7	Central Sumatra
Betawi	5.157	2.5	Jakarta
Buginese	5.157	2.5	South Sulawesi
Bantenese	4.331	2.1	Banten
Banjarese	3.506	1.7	South Kalimantan
Balinese	3.094	1.5	Bali island
Sasak	2.681	1.3	Lombok island
Makassarese	2.063	1.0	South Sulawesi
Cirebon	1.856	0.9	West Java
Chinese	1.850	0.9	Jakarta, West Kalimantan, North Sumatra

Smaller groups

The regions of Indonesia have some of their indigenous ethnic groups. Due to migration within Indonesia (as part of government transmigration programs or otherwise), there are significant populations of ethic groups who reside outside of their traditional regions.

Java: Javanese, Sundanese, Bantenese, Betawi, Tengger, Osing, Badui
Madura: Madurese
Sumatra: Malays, Batak, Minangkabau, Acehnese, Lampung, Kubu
Kalimantan: Dayak, Banjar
Sulawesi: Makassarese, Buginese, Mandar, Minahasa, Gorontalo, Toraja, Bajau
Lesser Sunda Islands: Balinese, Sasak
The Moluccas: Nuaulu, Manusela
Papua: Dani, Bauzi, Asmat

Colonial era groups

Additionally, there are other smaller groups reminiscent of Indonesian demographic dynamics from colonial era, such as Arab Indonesian, Indian Indonesian, and Eurasian Indonesian.

The latter group diminished as an ethnic group since major emigration from Indonesia after the World War II.

Indonesian Food

2009-03-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

Rice is the basis of nearly all Indonesian dishes, and usually is served with fish, chicken, or vegetables. Depending on the region, food can run the gamut from mild to fiery hot. Two common dishes, nasi goreng and mie goreng (fried rice and fried noodles, similar to their Chinese or Japanese counterparts) can be found everywhere and are an easy introduction to the Indonesian diet. Every town has at least one market, providing the traveler with an incredible range of fruits, vegetables, and snacks (see "Shopping," below).

Warungs, or food stalls, offer the tastiest and cheapest food (US$.50 for a meal), but not necessarily the most sanitary. If you choose to eat from warungs, check to see if locals are eating there. Better yet, ask your students where they go. Because of the lack of refrigeration in most areas, dairy products are rare. Indonesians drink hot coffee and tea, but bottled soft drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi are readily available. Most dishes are eaten with the hands; be sure to use the right hand to eat. (Indonesians use the left hand later in the digestive process. Never offer your left hand to anyone, as it is considered very rude.) Bottled water is a must and is widely available.

Popular Dishes

The following are the most popular and tasty dishes found in Indonesia, all of them cheap. Be sure to try the local specialties, as they vary greatly.

Bakso. Meatball soup
Bolang-baling. Fried doughnuts
Ikan bakar. Grilled fish
Gago-gado. Cold steamed vegetables, tofu, and tempe with peanut sauce
Lalapan. A selection of raw vegetables served with freshly made chili sauce (sambel) on the side. It is very popular in west Java.
Martabak. Stuffed Indian pancake in one of two flavors: martabak manis, which are sweet, or martabak telor, which are egg pancakes filled with meat. The sweet version may contain condensed milk, cheese, chocolate, sesame seeds, or sticky black rice.
Mie goreng. Fried noodles
Nasi gudeg. Jackfruit cooked in coconut milk (a specialty of Yogyakarta)
Nasi goreng. Fried rice (nasi means rice, goreng means fried)
Nasi uduk. Rice cooked in coconut milk and fragrant pandan leaves topped with fried shallots. This is a traditional Betawi (native Jakartan) dish, but can be found throughout Indonesia.
Opor ayam. Chicken cooked in coconut milk (ayam means chicken)
Pisang goreng. Fried banana
Tahu goreng. Fried tofu
Sate. Beef, chicken, or goat meat skewered on bamboo sticks and roasted over a small grill. It is accompanied by peanut sauce or a sweet soy sauce with hot green peppers and shallots. Be sure to ask for all meat or you may end up with fat or chicken livers.
Soto ayam. Chicken soup

Musi River

2009-03-03T19:03:00.001-08:00

Musi River

Musi River is both very broad as well as long, comparable to those found on the big island of Kalimantan, formerly Borneo. The river flows right through the city, cutting it in two halves called the Ulu bank and the Ilir bank and linked by a bridge of considerable size and length, called Ampera Bridge. If the visitors do not care to make an interesting or unique boat trip down the river, they could still take a walk halfway over the bridge to see the vast panorama surrounding them, rare at any other place in Indonesia. Down below they will see unbelievable traffic of boats, big and small, crisscrossing water lines without accidents as if steered by the most able navigators. From the same spot both halves of the city are clearly visible as well. And if the times were right, sunrises and sunsets as witnessed from the bridge would be an unforgettable sight of beauty. Worthwhile noticing are the floating restaurants and shops on both sides of the river, and other curious scenes of daily habits of the city's inhabitants.

There is an annual event, which is held around the Independence Day, each 17th of August, and is known as Bidar Race in which boats measuring 24.5 m long and only 0,75 m wide compete. Each boat carries as many as 50 oarsmen.

Reog Ponorogo

2009-03-03T18:48:00.000-08:00

The dance known as Reog is a very spectacular dance with several dancers wearing bright colorful costumes accompanied by merry gamelan music.

It is always played in the open terrain, such as in a square, street etc. This dance which always draws a lot of spectators is a traditional art dance combined with magical show or a trance dance.

The reog dates back during the Hindu period in East Java. The story is related with the legend in Ponorogo Kingdom (+/- 70 km South East of Solo). Nowadays reog dance groups can be found also in other regions of Solo, Yogya, Other Towns in East Java, Kalimantan, Jakarta, even in Suriname. One of the famous group is Reog Prambanan in the border of Yogyakarta – Solo.

The Story

The powerful King Kelono Sewandono of Ponorogo Kingdom was famous with his fighting skills and magical power, accompanied by his Patih (Prime Minister) Bujanganom & his strong soldiers were attacked by King Singabarong, The King of Lions of Kediri Jungle, supported by his army, consisted of Lions and Peacocks.

At that time the Ponorogo's group were on the way to The Kingdom of Kediri guarding King Sewandono to marry Dewi Ragil Kuning, a princess of Kediri Kingdom.

There was a big fight between mighty warriors having magical power. The peacocks flew up and down flapping their wings to support The Lions – Singa Barong.

Bujanganom with his magic whip, supported by some Waroks in black traditional dress defeated The King Lion with all his followers.

The King of Ponorogo and his soldiers merrily continued their way to Kediri on horse back. Singa Barong joint the procession The Peacocks kept close to Singa Barong opened their tail feathers which looked like beautiful fan. (Warok of Ponorogo is a man with strong magical power, always dresses in black costumes)

The Performance

The central figure of this dance is The Lion King Singa Barong represented by a dancer wearing a mask of a Lion carrying a large peacock feather fan on top of the mask (this mask is locally called : Topeng Dadak Merak). It weight around 50 kg. The dancer has to use his teeth to hold the mask from inside.

He must have a very strong set of teeth and neck to move around the mask Dadak Merak. On top of this, he has also to carry a lady representing Princess Ragil Kuning. Or sometimes, he has to demonstrate his skill and strength by carrying another mask dancer on top of him, and still he could dance with vigorous and fantastic movements.

King Kelono Sewandono wearing a mask and a crown is a stylish dancer, Bujanganom also wearing a mask is an acrobatic dancer.

The Waroks in black costumes,

Jatilan - good looking young soldiers riding flat bamboo horses (Kuda Kepang).

Caplokan - Wears a dragon mask to lure Singa Barong to dance more livelly.

It is important to note that a reog dance group must have at least one "Wong Tuwo" (Old Man) or "Wong Pinter" (Clever Man) dealing with magical matters.

In a certain celebration several reog groups could perform together, sometimes until 100 groups.

Nowadays there is a reog groups with all dancers are woman, the only one is from Wonogiri regency, district of Slogohimo (50 km South of Solo).

Wayang

2009-03-03T18:37:00.000-08:00

Wayang kulit is performed the whole night commencing at about 09.00 PM to 05.00 AM. It needs around eight hours to perform a plot of stories from Ramayana or Mahabrata epoch.

From Ramayana, for instance could be performed the story (lakon) of Anoman Duta for the whole night. Duta means envoy, ambassador. This plot tells the episode when Anoman was assigned by Rama to visit Alengka Kingdom to negotiate with Rahwana to release Sinta peacefully.

The performance could start with the birth of Anoman, his experiences while he was young showing how he learned his knowledge, got supernatural power, etc, until he met Rama and entrusted to act as his envoy to Alengka.

In Alengka he tried to accomplish his job in the best possible manner, but jailed due to rejection of Rahwana. He escaped from death penalty by burning the city. He could see Sinta in her custody, found out that she was safe and still loyal to her husband. Anoman finally could left Alengka and reported result of his mission to Rama. The performance of this story should end at 05.00 o'clock in the morning just before the sunrise.

Other plot (lakon) Rama Tambak (tambak means dam). It tells the story when Rama with the help of the monkey king Sugriwa and his soldiers were making a bridge across the sea to access to Alengka.

From Mahabharata there are several plots could be performed for example, Gatotkaca Winisuda (winisuda from the word wisuda means to graduate or graduation ceremony), tells the story when Gatotkaca was assigned as Senopati (Chief Warrior) of Pandawa in Bharatayuda. It could start with his days as youngster, showing his supernatural power and knowledge since his infant, his unreserved love to Pandawa, his marriage until his appointment as Senopati in Bharatayuda.

Other plot showing more religious aspect is for example, the story of Bima Suci (suci : holy), telling how Bima overcome a lot of obstacles when he searched the holy water of life. Until finally he met with Dewa Ruci, a very small god by build who told Bima the secret of life.

It is important to select the plot of story before performance, usually in accordance with the aim of a ceremony. For instance, someone is assigned to be a new rector of a university, to celebrate this occasion the university is performing wayang kulit. The plot of story considered as relevant is Lahire Wisanggeni (the birth of Wisanggeni). Wisanggeni is one of the Arjuna's sons, he has a very strong natural power and clever since his birth. Above all, he is honest, he would tell the truth to everybody and he is very obedient to Pandawa and Dewa.

Upon their instruction, he would carry it, even if he has to lose his life.

DALANG (The Puppet Master or The Story Teller)

After deciding the title of wayang story, a dalang (puppet master), a dalang to perform the show must be appointed. Dalang position is very important, as he is the leader of the performance. Sometimes dalang could be chosen first, afterwards a consultation with him could be held to choose an appropriate title.

Dalang comes from the words juru udalan (juru : an expert, a skillful man - udalan abbreviated to dalan, then becomes dalang means to tell stories), so dalang is a story teller.

Dalang is an overall artist. He must have a broad knowledge of several disciplines of arts, such as :

1.	Mastering deeply the stories of wayang Ramayana as well as Mahabharata, knows the characters of wayang figures.
2.	Having a thorough knowledge of Javanese philosophy and moral ethics, as Javanese philosophy and moral ethics are inter-connected, or might be almost similar.
3.	Having an accurate information in many aspects of life in the country (or even internationally in this era of information and globalization).
4.	Having a good and clear voice, as he has to imitate about 50 (fifty) wayang figures with different voices. He has to explain every occasion, which has or should happened. And he has also to perfectly master the language 'high' and 'ordinary' used in dialogue, song and narration. He has to be a good singer, as he has to sing a lot during a performance.
5.	Having the ability of preparing the scenario, so that plot of stories should flow smoothly, in accordance with standard patterns.
6.	He has to know gamelan (Javanese musical instruments) used to accompany the show. He has also the capacity of a conductor as he should command the gamelan music; when it should begin and stop, and he should ask the gamelan crew what kind of music or song to be played.
7.	He has to lead the chorus of pesinden (women singers), usually consists of three to five singers and wira swara (male singers).
8.	He has to be skillful to move the puppets attractively.
9.	He has to know how to make good jokes, at the sametime advising the audience unnoticeably.

This part of play occurred at midnight at the Goro-goro episode, which last about one hour. During that time the Ponokawan appears. At most occasion the dalang plays a role as mouthpiece of the sponsors. In a performance organized by Agency of Family Planning, he should arise the topics of Family Planning. In front of the arm forces or police forces, he should speak of leadership and discipline. Before an audience in university he should speak of knowledge, good conduct and the goals of life.

In the village, he should speak about the spirit of cooperation, development and any topics, which should give optimism to the villagers. The topics might be different, but here are similarities; he should tell it jokingly, interrupted by many songs, sung by the pesinden - women singers, accompanied by gamelan music. He should insert some advises on morality, hard working and every deed must be conducted properly not hurting other's feeling, not breaking the laws, especially the highest law such as the law of God.

Generally the Goro-goro time is full of laughters and musics, which make the audience happy and entertained.

Last but not least a dalang must be a healthy man or woman (nowadays, there are some women dalang), with a good physical endurance because dalang has to sit cross legged for eight hours on a mat to perform wayang.

The STAGE

It is needed to accommodate the performance, sometimes it is an elevated stage around 0,5 to 1 meter higher than audience's chairs.

On stage there is a white cotton screen illuminated by blencong (an oil lamp, hangs above the dalang), nowadays, a spotlight is used. From behind the scene, some audience watch the performance. They see the shadow of the puppets. Shadow in Javanese is wayang, from here the words of wayang kulit come. The mass of the audience sits in front of the screen to watch the wayang played by dalang.

On the right and left side of dalang, the wayang figures were arranged stuck to a banana tree poles. And at the left and right ends of the screen, banquets of bananas and leaves tree are decorated. Behind dalang the gamelan music instruments are arranged and played by the wiyogo (gamelan players).

The chorus of some pesinden (woman singers) as well as male singers are sitting there too. Next to the left side of dalang, there is a wooden box used by dalang to beat his instruments. The 'keprak', several pieces of small size iron plates hit by dalang by using right foot. From time to time, dalang during narration hit the wooden box with his hand by a 'cempolo' (wooden mallet).

The SHOW

The gunungan (from gunung : mountain) or kekayon, a mountain like leather puppet has an important part in wayang performance. Symbolizing the power of life of the creator, gunungan is used to begin the play, change one scene to other or imagine wind, obstacles, mountain, clouds or seas.

Before commencing wayang performance, a set of traditional offerings have been prepared with incense burning, a prayer to God Almighty is said in the hope the wayang performance should be conducted safely and the message should be accepted by the audience.

The pattern of wayang show begins with court audience, followed by a battle between a ksatria and giants (buto) lead by Buto Cakil. The ksatria wins the battle by killing Buto Cakil, it's symbolizing that every good efforts should end successfully after eliminating the obstacles.

Then, the appearance of the famous Ponokawan, which is very comical and full of laughter, songs and music. Nowadays, some guest stars such as local famous singers and jokers might take part in the interlude made the show livelier.

Followed by some meeting and decisive battles until morning. At the end a wooden puppet (in javanese Golek) is played by dalang. The word golek means to search, in that case the audience is requested to search, the meaning of the story which has been performed the whole night. Gunungan is stuck in the middle of the screen.

Lessons from Wayang Kulit Performance

1.	On the top, it's a lesson of morality, honesty, truth should win against evil.
2.	One has to choose what to do in accordance with his own belief. Kumbakarna has to choose to fight despite Rahwana's sinful deeds, not to defend his brother but to defend his country. "Right or wrong is my country". Wibisana, he chooses to defend the absolute truth. A sin committed by his own brother - the king, must be condemned. He decides to join Rama, the right side.
3.	It is reflecting events in life. One must work hard decently before attaining his goals. Lust of material wealth should bring disaster to other people and at the end should ruin his own life. Love affaires exist since ancient time. But do not follow the wrong examples, such as the one between Begawan Wisrawa and Sukesi, Rahwana's parents.
4.	Life Purification. A king gives up his own crown, goes to solitude and lives as a Begawan to meditate, purifying his soul to reach a true holiness.
5.	Everyone is longing to live in a just (adil) and prosperous (makmur) society, in the safe, peaceful and secured situation with the blessing of God Almighty.

Tana Toraja – A journey into the Celebes Highlands

2009-03-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

My journey into South Sulawesi started one-hour North of Makassar (Ujung Pandang) with a visit to the Valley of Butterflies. It was a Sunday, which meant I would be sharing this place with many families. At 10.00 am there were already hoards of people picnicking and playing loud music from speakers.

Luckily they didn’t carry their loud music along the trail and I was able to enjoy a quiet nature walk alongside the river, and find some of those elusive giant butterflies, which are attracted to this valley. The trail ended at a series of dark caves and with the aide of a lantern I went on a bit of a hunt for bats and other treasures. The reprieve from the hot sun was a welcome relief.

I continued my journey on the long highway leading north out of Makassar. This road takes you on a timeless journey into Tana Toraja.

Toraja has fascinated people for centuries with their elaborate sacrificial funeral ceremonies and sacred burial cave sites guarded by effigies. The colorful hand painted houses called Tongkonans are beautifully decorated in tribal motifs and buffalo horns from past sacrifices. The origins of Torajan culture dates back in celestial time as the Torajan people believe they descended from the stars and arrived in starships. It is thought that the shapes of their houses resemble these very starships.

That night I stopped in the township of Parepare and slept the night overlooking the Straights of Makassar from a hotel perched on the top of a hill with fantastic views.

The next morning I continued north into the mountains. About 5 hours later I arrived in Rantepao – the heartland of Toraja country. The road winds higher and higher into the mountains and at the summit you reach a place called Butu Kabobong, which means Erotic Mountain. There before you lay two erotic geological landmarks, which introduce you to the gateway of Torajaland. To the local people they are known as ‘Most Holy Penis’ and ‘Most Sacred Vagina’.

This is the point where the Torajan people claim their first ancestors descended from Pleiades in starships. Another belief is that the Tongkonan houses resemble a boat-shaped design to allow for the soul of a dead person to be launched back to the stars.

The tongkonans are built without nails and are simply slotted together with precise accuracy and are built with lifetime strength. Their houses and rice barns stand on stilts allowing for free flow circulation from below and also double as a shelter for the family owned water buffalo. The slatted floors allow for animal droppings to be collected and reused for crop fertilizer.

The next day my local Indonesian (English speaking) guide called into an internet café to check his email. He appeared 5 minutes later with a big smile on his face “We are lucky, Miss, even though the funeral season is usually June and July, there is a funeral in progress only 30 kms from here. It is day 3 of the funeral and will be the most interesting day – The day of the animal sacrificing”.

Torajan funerals are held only when the families have saved enough money to host the elaborate event. It is necessary to build a complete village to house literally hundreds of guests over a 5-day period. The temporary village is then dismantled afterwards. The other major cost involves buying animals for sacrifice.

One healthy buffalo can cost up to 40 million rupiah (US$3,300) and a pig can cost up to 3million rupiah (US$250). It is not uncommon to have over 50 pigs and several buffaloes sacrificed. For this reason, the dead body may end up staying in the house for up to five years or more to await the accumulation of finances.

One of the traditional villages I visited actually had a five-year-old mummified body laying in the lounge. The dead person was an elderly female, whose husband had died previously and the family were still unable to pay for a second funeral even five years later.

Some of the mummified bodies are stored in ornately decorated sarcophaguses. If you are from royal descent, then a royal widow must stay in the same room as the dead spouse until the burial time. It is not uncommon for a widow to stay up to five years or more. The widow must stay with the disintegrating corpse and sympathically “rot” herself, living on a special diet for the entire period, excluding rice products. She must become symbolically dead. She is not permitted to leave her husband’s side. Lesser widows and slaves tend to her needs. To make sure the soul is not neglected, a bowl of food is replenished daily and palm wine poured plus an offering of betel nut or chewing tobacco is made at regular intervals. The Torajans believe it is only through this rich ritual that they will always be a ‘free soul’ and become richer in their next life.

It was around 35 degrees and hot at 10.00am when I arrived at the funeral. Sada, my guide, escorted me along the 1 km rocky trail to reach the temporary bamboo village, which had been erected, for the sole purpose of this burial. I was made to feel very welcome and was told I could take as many pictures as I liked. If foreigners come to a traditional Torajan funeral it is seen as a sign of good luck and in the hierarchical order of status, a foreigner is seen as a dignitary, and thus you are treated as an honored guest. I had many offers of coffee (home grown Torajan coffee, which is famous to the area), cakes and other sweets. The people were very friendly and I was made to feel very welcome and invited to sit in the "family room".

The Torajan society is a highly structured one, with 4 classes of people, from nobility down to peasant class. Depending on your ranking in the village, you must offer a certain amount of pigs or buffalo, which is then slaughtered, and the meat distributed evenly amongst the guests, depending on their ranking in the village society.

An official from the Government, who writes in triplicate, records every animal given for slaughter and a tax is imposed accordingly. I sat in amazement, taking all this in, from the cool shade of the family platform, talking with the locals about their life, their work in the city, their travels etc. Family members come from all corners of Indonesia when a funeral is in procession, and many of the local guests spoke fluent English. In fact, a nobleman’s son or daughter will have an assistant assigned to him from birth to accompany him in his life. This includes attending school in Makassar or further a field to Jakarta or even overseas in some cases.

The animal sacrificing had already begun when I arrived. It took place in a specially designed area where pigs and other animals where hauled in to the “circle of death” and killed with great speed and efficiency. Blood flowed through the middle of the common area and huge chunks of meat were weighed and divided out throughout the day according to ranking and status. A few bamboo pipes went past me, full with animal blood, but I didn’t dare ask what they were for, or where they were going. I checked my tea was actually tea.

I felt very privileged to attend this funeral and in the afternoon returned to the luxury of the Heritage Hotel (previously Novotel). A magnificent 160-room 4 star property, including villas designed in the shape of Tongkonan houses. The hotel had all the finishing touches including a wonderful meet and greet service, on arrival with cold towels and a relaxing head and shoulders massage.

Due to a current downtown in tourism, as in many Indonesian destinations, I was able to visit the villages and interesting sights in virtual solitude. Hotel occupancy at the Heritage was only 10%. Next on the agenda was a visit to a few death cliffs. This is another fascinating aspect of the culture. The Torajans bury their dead in chiseled out coffin slots in cliffs, or on rocks or hillsides. Some have effigies placed in the open doorways to guard the spirit of the dead body. Some are just left open, exposing the bones for all to see.

On day 5 I decided to take a 2-hour drive to a distant village. I arranged, through my guide, to stay in a traditional Tongkonan longhouse in a small village perched high in the mountains.

It was late afternoon when I reached the high road that would lead me to this village. The light was beautiful and I decided to get out of the car and walk the last 4 kms. This gave me the opportunity to meet and talk with the local mountain folk who were out walking along the roadside. Sada, explained the procession of people out walking were on their way back to their villages after a funeral. It was also a school day, so there were many children as well, out walking on the road. It is not unusual for children to walk 8 -12 kms to and from school each day! The children were fantastic, smiling and laughing and having fun posing for the camera.

The mountain people of Toraja have very distinct features. They look different to any other tribal indigenous people I have seen in Sulawesi. They resemble Siamese or Cambodians more so than Malay Indonesians. I noticed that even though these rural people live in basic houses, with very poor conditions they are always happy, smiling and relaxed, seemingly without a care in the world. In terms of materialistic acquisition, which many of us in the West aspire to, the Torajans seem happy to live in a very simple way, not wanting for much. Their most important asset is a large healthy buffalo. When I arrived at the Tongkonan house for the night, I had a choice of which attic I wanted to sleep in. I was told the room rate would be a grand total of USD$4.00 including a pancake breakfast!!

The owners of the home stay cooked a beautiful dinner, and I dined that night overlooking the beautiful mountains of Toraja with a view of the full moon. It was more than enough to make up for the slight discomfort of sleeping on simple mattress on the floor and taking a traditional stand-up cold mandi (bath).

The next morning I awoke to find I was above the clouds. I descended down into the misty valley where the next adventure awaited me - white water rafting.

I had to walk about 1 hour through a series of rice fields and some forested areas to the “put-in” on the riverbank. The mountains views were simply stunning in all directions, and in the distance on the far side of the river was a series of large waterfalls.

The rafting trip down the river was an adrenaline boost and a wildlife extravaganza. I saw several male iguanas sunning themselves on rocks, cruised into a bat cave and spotted around 30 bats, observed several species of bird life, including eagles and passed several towering waterfalls that cascaded down from the steep mountainous terrain. After a pretty exhausting day I slept well in the luxury of the Heritage Hotel.

It was a 7-day trip in total and for anyone who wants to experience a fascinating culture, set in a beautiful mountain environment then Tana Toraja and its riches lay waiting for you.

Text Stephanie Brookes
Photos David Metcalf

PRACTICALITIES

Getting There:
Garuda Airways Tel: (04110 317350, 322 705
Daily flights from Jakarta to Makassar Intl Airport
Information: Government Tourist Information: Tel (0411) 443355
Hotels: Panti Gapura – Makassar Tel (0411) 325 791
Heritage Hotel (formerly Novotel) Rantepoa Tel (0423) 27000, 21192
Tongkonan Homestay – arranged by Pak Sada (private tour guide)
Tour Guide – Pak Sada (0411) 458 322, Handphone: 0812 4222800
Rafting – Sobek Rafting Company Tel: (0423) 23010, 21336

Kampung Sampireun A Natural Beauty Hideaway

2009-03-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

Imagine yourself in the mountains with 7 volcanoes surrounding you. You are sitting on a private balcony overlooking a lake. There is a quiet stillness around you. You are at peace with everything and in the distance the sound of Sundanese Gamelan music lulls you into a relaxed state of mind. This enchanting experience awaits you every day at Kampung Sampireun. It is a total hideaway in nature and offers you resort living with a real difference.

The journey to get to Kampung Sampireun, if you are coming from Jakarta, starts with a train journey – “one of the most spectacular train journeys in all of Asia”, according to Lonely Planet.

I can highly recommend the train. Of course, you can easily drive from Jakarta to the resort if you wish, but the train journey is an interesting way of getting there. After you arrive at Bandung train station it is a 2 hour drive to your final destination – a small town just out of Garut.

Train Journey Jakarta to Bandung

The executive train, called the Argogede, departs promptly from Jakarta at 10.00am. The train is clean, with modern facilities, (even a western style toilet) and a good food selection on board served by very friendly railway staff.

The first one hour is mainly flat as you make your way through the outer suburbs of Jakarta. About 1 ½ hours into the journey the mountains come into view and the Argogede begins its ascent. The vegetation changes and becomes more lush and green. You catch glimpses of banana plantations, cassava crops and beautifully sculptured rice terraces as the train curves and winds around the mountain. The most spectacular part of the journey is where it crosses a series of railway bridges with stunning views as you pass over gorges and valleys. As the train clatters over the high railway bridges you look down on the thundering river hundreds of meters below.

You can enjoy all this for the very reasonable price of 75,000 rph (US$9). What a bargain!

Hotel Tirtagangga

Once you have arrived at Bandung Train Station the next part of the journey is a drive of 2 ½ hrs to Cipanas township. Cipanas is one of the small towns around the Garut area, which was a popular place for the Dutch colonists last century. Seeking escape from the heat they would come up to this mountain area for the cool weather, the dramatic volcanic setting and the natural hot springs.

A very worthwhile stop is the very popular Hotel Tirtagangga, which pipes pure (hot) water from its own natural spring into the swimming pool for hotel guests and day visitors alike. You can take a rest and enjoy a soak in the natural healing waters in the hotel’s aqua medi pool which is surrounded by beautiful tropical plants and flowers.

This hotel has an interesting history in itself. It has been a family owned hotel since 1964. Mr Arief’s family purchased the natural spring when the Dutch left Indonesia in 1945. The family then began to work on their dream to build a natural spring hotel. Hotel Tirtagangga was fully renovated 2 years ago and now has 40 rooms, all with natural (hot) spring water piped directly into each bathroom.

Mr. Arief told me they get “many clients from the embassies and oil companies”. Their foreign guests tend to come from the Netherlands and Germany, “Most of them come here on business, stay on afterwards and somehow get to hear about our hotel. They usually stay a couple of days”.

The other appeal of this Garut area is the opportunity to trek or bike in the mountains, take a 4wd adventure into the back country or for the real adventurous, take advantage of the local river rafting trip which , according to Mr Arief , “is the cleanest water in all of Java”.

Kampung Sampireun

After our hot springs stop, we continued on another 11 kms to our final destination – Kampung Sampireun. It is here that nature meets and blends with this unique idyllic natural retreat.

If you can plan to arrive at night, you will be in for a magical experience. First, you enter through a kampung and on arrival at reception, you are graciously greeted by the staff in traditional sundanese dress and given a special welcome drink called “bandrek”, made from a traditional recipe. The lobby opens out onto a small wooden jetty. When you step onto the jetty you are treated to a spectacle of color and lights which surround the lake edge and adjoining forest. Dotted around the lake are cottages which sit on stilts in the water. All 13 cottages are softly lit up to create a charming atmosphere. On the other side of the lake a small fairy lit path leads to the restaurant. Your bags are quietly whisked away and you are then taken by canoe to your cottage.

From now on everything is by water. Room service is by canoe. A restaurant booking involves a canoe arriving at your waterfront cottage to take you across the lake to dine.

For honeymooners, a dinner by candlelight can be organized on a floating bamboo raft, which sits out in the middle of the lake. Even if you are not on honeymoon, and you fancy a unique dining experience, Pak Rudi, the manager will organize this for you. You can even order your dinner in advance, so when you are rowed out into the middle of the lake, your food awaits you. You are then served discreetly and left alone floating on your candlelit raft for what can only be described as an unforgettable dining experience.

Around sunset, a traditional sundanese orchestra, called a ‘Calung’, floats around the lake serenading those who are relaxing on their balcony. Dressed in traditional style, wearing the ‘barangbang semplak’, it is quite a sight to behold, and no matter where you are at sunset, the music carries softly across the water and can be heard from any area of the resort. The orchestra appears later in the restaurant and entertains you for the entire evening. It is a delightful, subtle kind of music that is very soothing and really adds to the ambience of the resort.

For a treat in total luxury, you can try one of the treatments on offer at the Taman Sari Royal Heritage Spa. This is set in the tropical landscaped gardens of the resort and features a never ending pool for those who like to unwind at the poolside.

The resort was designed by Mr Djembar Nugrah, a local Garut architect. He was inspired by a photograph of the 1940 Hotel Radium, which no longer exists. Together with Mr Arief, they have created a beautiful resort, which they have blended with tradition, culture and kampung life.

All the materials used at the resort are sourced locally. The cottages are made out of bamboo with coconut roofs. The interior décor is also natural and beautifully furnished, with a nice touch of fresh flower petals spread across the 4 poster canopy bed.

Mr. Arief has owned this private lake for some time and developed it into a resort in 1999. The lake is surrounded by a naturally wooded forest. It also happens to be located in the middle of a kampung, hence the name.

Kampung life and life at the resort blend into one allowing for a totally cultural experience when you visit. The kampung rice fields are right behind the back fence, water buffalo can be seen ploughing the fields, and standing as a backdrop to this is a magnificent volcano. Kampung trekking is offered to guests who wish to gain some insight into local village life and other activities, including a kids fun program.

What is special about the resort is the unique blend of local traditional Sundanese culture and the beautiful idyllic setting. Discover a new experience and take a trip to this relaxing, tranquil place and allow yourself to unwind in a beautiful Javanese setting.

Fact File

Jakarta to Cipanas (by car) – 5 hours
Jakarta to Bandung (by express train) – 2 ½ hrs then another 2 ½ hrs to Cipanas
Hotel Tirtagangga – Jl Raya Cipanas No 130, Garut, West Java
Phone: (0262) 232549, 233700
www.hoteltirtagangga.gitamaya.com

Kampung Sampireun – Jl Raya Samarang – Kamojang, Ciparay Garut, West Java
Phone: (0262) 542393
www.kampungsampireun.com

Puncak

2009-02-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

Between Bandung and Bogor in the mountains lays Puncak, a cool area, which is very popular. People from Jakarta spend their weekend and on public holidays from the heat and busy streets of the capitol of Indonesia to Puncak. Bandung to Puncak takes about 3 hours drive. Puncak Pass area has long been the foremost weekend retreat for Indonesians capital city residents. The cool, fresh air, and the magnificent view offer a calm, fresh and peaceful feeling. In the afternoon, sunsets from the top of the pass can be quite spectacular.

Puncak Pass is one of interesting destination in the West Java Province. It is located in the south of Jakarta and can be reached by an hour journey. Puncak is an ideal place for weekend, as well as a good location to find a fresh mountain air. Besides, many attractions can be found nearby, such as the Bogor and Cobodas Botanical Gardens; the Gede Pangrango National Park; the Plantations and the Safari Park.

Puncak Indah consists of three districts: Ciawi, Megamendung, Cisarua. The area is familiar with its fresh air and beautiful panorama. From Ciawi to Cipanas, there are many bungalows, hotels, motels, restaurants, and other tourism facilities. Tourisms object in Puncak is Lido Park, which is located in Cigombong village/Wates Jaya (km. 21) Rd. Ciawi-Sukabumi, Cijeruk. Facilities that are provided in Lido Park ara restaurant, cottages, swimming pools, camping grounds, and other facilities for lake recreations. Gunung Mas XII Plantation, which is located in Rd. Puncak, Cisarua district. It offers panorama with hilly panorama, which could only be found in Puncak. Activities that could be done are tea walk and seeing the making of the tea from the picking of tea until the tea is ready to serve.

Jakarta

2009-02-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

JAKARTA

Jakarta is the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia, a country composed of more than 13,000 islands with a population of over 180 million. Comprising more than 300 ethnic groups speaking 200 different languages, the Indonesia population exhibits marked diversity in its linguistic, culture, and religious traditions. As the Capital City, Jakarta is a melting pot of representatives from each of these ethnic groups. Jakarta is a special territory enjoying the status of a province, consisting of Greater Jakarta, covering of 637.44 square km area. Located on the northern coast of West Java, it is the center of government, commerce and industry and has an extensive communications network with the rest of the country and the outside world. Strategically positioned in the archipelago, the city is also the principal gateway to the rest of Indonesia. From the Capital City, sophisticated land, air, and sea transport is available to the rest of the country and beyond.

Jakarta is one of Indonesia's designated tourist areas. It is a gateway to other tourist destinations in Indonesia and is equipped with all the means of modern transportation by air, sea, rail, or by land. It has the largest and most modern airport in the country, the most important harbor in Indonesia and is well connected by rail of good roads to other destinations in Java, Sumatra, and Bali. As Indonesia's main gateway, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport serves a growing number of international airlines and domestic flights. Jakarta is a city of contrasts; the traditional and the modern, the rich and the poor, the sacral and the worldly, often stand side by side in this bustling metropolis. Even its population gathered from all those diverse ethnic and cultural groups, which compose Indonesia, are constantly juxtaposed present reminder of the national motto; Unity in Diversity.

Finding its origin in the small early 16th century harbor town of Sunda Kelapa, Jakarta's founding is thought to have taken place on June 22, 1527, when it was re-named Jayakarta, meaning Glorious Victory by the conquering Prince Fatahillah from neighboring Cirebon. The Dutch East Indies Company, which captured the town and destroyed it in 1619, changed its name into Batavia and made it the center for the expansion of their power in the East Indies. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, Batavia fell into the hands of the invading Japanese forces that changed the name of the city into 'Jakarta' as a gesture aimed at winning the sympathy of the Indonesians. The name was retained after Indonesia achieved national independence after the war's end.
The ethnic of Jakarta called "Orang Betawi" speaks Betawi Malay, spoken as well in the surrounding towns such as Bekasi and Tangerang. Their language, Betawi Malay, has two variations: conventional Betawi Malay, spoken by elder people and bred in Jakarta, and modern Jakarta Malay, a slang form spoken by the younger generation and migrants.

Jakarta's

architecture reflects to a large extent the influx of outside influences, which came and has remained in this vital seaport city. Taman Fatahillah Restoration Project, begun in the early 1970s has restored one of the oldest sections of Jakarta also known as Old Batavia to approximately its original state. The Old Portuguese Church and warehouse have been rehabilitated into living museums. The old Supreme Court building is now a museum of fine arts, which also houses part of the excellent Chinese porcelain collection of former Vice President Adam Malik. The old Town Hall has become the Jakarta Museum, displaying such rare items as Indonesia's old historical documents and Dutch period furniture. Its tower clock was once returned to England to be repaired under its lifetime guarantee, which up to now has already

lasted hundreds of years.

In recent years, Jakarta has expanded its facilities for visitors with luxury hotels, fine restaurants, exciting nightlife and modern shopping centers. It contains many tourist attractions such as Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful "Indonesia in Miniature" Park), restored colonial period buildings, island resorts in the Pula Seribu (Thousand Island), and an extensive beach recreation complex called Ancol. "Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park" popularly called TMII "Taman Mini Indonesia Indah", built to portray the variety of cultures found within the many islands contained in the Republic of Indonesia, this open-air museum comprises the many architectural forms of arts and traditions of all Indonesia provinces. It is proof of the country's motto of Unity in Diversity as well as Freedom of Religion depicted in the houses of worship built on the grounds.

Jakarta has preserved its past and is developing for the future. Skyscrapers in the center of the city are part of a new look. Modern luxury hotels today cater to the discriminating visitors. Transport within the city is plentiful. Jakarta is the center of the nation's industrial, political and cultural life. It is home to many of the country's finest research institutes, educational facilities, and cultural organizations. Jakarta is uniquely the seat of both the national as well as the regional government.

Over the last several decades, Jakarta has proudly developed into one of Asia's most prominent metropolitan centers. Today, Jakarta's skyline is covered by modern high rises. The many state-of-the-art shopping centers, recreation complexes and toll-roads have become hallmarks of the city. The quality of life and the general welfare of its inhabitants have improved considerably with the city's fast pace of development. Jakarta's cultural richness and dynamic growth contribute significantly to its growing importance as one of the world's leading capital cities.

Geographically
The Province is geographically located on 6012' South Latitude and 106048'- East Longitude. The government administration is set into 5 regions South Jakarta, Central Jakarta, East Jakarta, West Jakarta, North Jakarta and 1 regency/ administrative city, namely Thousand Island regency. The largest city is East Jakarta (187.73 sq km) and the smallest is Thousand Island regency (11.81 sq km). The average rainfall is 1,916.8- 924.50 mm/year. The temperature is between of 22 C - 33 C.

People
Indonesians are known as friendliest people in the world towards foreigners and most tolerant towards their manners. But there are few things, which are not done among Indonesia. They consider the head as something sacred that must be respected. Patting on the head is not done among adults. Calling someone by crooking the index finger is considered impolite and giving or receiving things with the left hand is no - where acceptable. The handshake accompanied with a smile is common among men and women greeting or welcoming somebody.

Not less 9 million people live in Jakarta representing nearly all the ethnic groups in the archipelago. The major groups are Sundanese, Javanese, Chinese, and the native community is Orang Betawi (people of Betawi). The other large groups are the Minangkabau people, the Bataks, the Manadonase, and the other people from Sulawesi and the Ambonase. Orang Betawi emerged in the 19th century from a melting pot of races, ethnic groups and cultures. They have their own culture distinct from other ethnics' cultures. In 1923 they founded an organization called Kaum Betawi, which was in fact a statement about the existence of the Betawi ethnic group. The majority professes is Islam. But it does not mean that Indonesia is an Islamic state. It is a Pancasila state. And one of the principles of Pancasila, the state ideology, is "belief in the one Supreme God". This means that the various belief systems must be respected and respect each other. This explains the ubiquitous Moslem prayer houses in the city beside many churches and a few temples.

In Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park), the prince Diponegoro Mosque is juxtaposition with the saint Catherine Church, the Hallelujah Church, the Pura Penataran Agung Kertabumi Temple, the Aria Dwipa Arama Monastery and the Indonesian Mystic Convention Hall, symbolizing the motto: Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity In Diversity) in matters of religions and belief - systems.

Betawi
Indonesia's cultural diversity is celebrated in the national motto, Bhineka Tunggal Ika, meaning "Unity in Diversity." One manifestation of this tenet of Indonesian national identity is the government's efforts to give equal precedence to the development of traditional art forms from each ethnic group. In Jakarta, Orang Betawi, the natives of the city, are considered to be the hosts of these cultures, having emerged from the melting pot of races, ethnic groups and cultures of Indonesia in the 19th century. Today they constitute one of the city's main ethnic groups along side the Javanese (from Central and Eastern Java), Sundanese (from West Java) and Chinese.

Culture
To see for themselves what and now those Betawi art forms are, we can go to any travel agent and ask for tour to a " Betawi Cultural Institution "to catch a glimpse of the real thing". Or we can visit the Jakarta pavilion at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Beautiful Indonesia in Miniature Park) which has long been showing Betawi ceremonies such as the Betawi wedding ceremony, the circumcision procession, the baby head - shaving ceremony etc. As mentioned before, the Betawi group emerged in the 19th century from the melting pot of races, ethnic groups and cultures. Today the Betawi culture has a distinct personality of its own, but one can discern the various influences of other cultures by looking or listening to its art form.

The Tanjidor orchestra is certainly inherited from Dutch land - owners and the Gambang Kromong and Cokek dance originated in the residence of wealthy Chinese traders and merchants. The Betawi Cokek dance shows Balinese influence in the movement of the dancers and the style of playing the gamelan. This style of playing the gamelan can also be observed in the gamelan orchestra accompanying the Wayang Kulit Betawi show. The Portuguese speaking community has also left its inheritance, the Kroncong Tugu with its popular songs Nina Bobo, Kaparinyo and Kroncong moritsko is said to be the origin of the popular Kroncong orchestra of to day.

The Javanese presence since the 17th century has left its mark too on the Betawi music, dance and theatre; Wayang Kulit Betawi and Lenong are examples of this influence. A major influence on the Betawi culture is Islam, the religion of the majority of the people. The Rebana orchestra, the Gambus orchestra, the Zapin or Japin dance are Islam inspired art forms. The Betawi traditional art is developed and accepted well. Not only Betawi people, but also other ethnic groups are fond of this art. For example, the traditional drama-Lenong and Topeng Blantik (Blantik mask), the traditional dance - Tari Topeng (Mask Dance), Ondel-ondel, Ronggeng Topeng, etc, the traditional art of music - Sambrah, Rebana, Gambang Kromong, Tanjidor, Puppet - Betawi puppet using the Malay-Betawi dialect

Basically the marriage system used by Betawi people is the Islamic law. To whom they are allowed or have not allowed to get married with. The young people are also free to choose their partners. In spite of this, the parents` role either from the man's or woman's side are very important to approve the marriage, for the parents are involved in holding the marriage party. Before getting marriage the man and the woman are introduced to each other and when they both have agreement, the man's parents will propose the girl. After the two parties reach an agreement, they decide the time to hold the dowry delivery ceremony which is usually represented by another party, such as the relatives of the man's and the woman's sides. The marriage ceremony is held on the agreed day. After the marriage contract ceremony both the man and the woman go back to each their parents (their home). A few days later a ceremony of parents-in-law relationship is held and the bridegroom goes in procession to the bride's house. Before entering the bride's house, the bridegroom's side holds the question-answer ceremony by using the traditional poetry rhythm and it is accompanied by tambourine/rabana music with the welcome / marhaban songs. Then, the bridegroom is allowed to enter the house to meet the bride. They sit side by side for a moment. After that the bridegroom joins his parents and companions who escort him to the bride` house. When the ceremony is finished the bride may come with his husband to his house.

Language
The official language is Bahasa Indonesia and English is the most spoken and understood foreign language. In convention hotels they have translators for English, France, Dutch, German, Japanese, Mandarin, and even Spanish. The native Betawi people speak Betawi Malay, which is different from standard Malay. There are variations in the language according to region, the Betawi Malay of the centre and that of the periphery. There are also socio - cultural variations. The older people born and bred in Jakarta speak the traditional Betawi Malay, while the younger people and migrants speak the modern version of the language. In the language, various influences from other cultures are apparent, Balinese, Sundanese, and Javanese influences are there and words derived from Arabic, Dutch, Chinese and Portuguese are easily recognizable. Betawi Malay is spoken not only in Jakarta, but also in parts of Bekasi, Tangerang and Bogor, which belong to the province of West Java.

Toba Lake

2009-02-27T18:37:00.000-08:00

Toba Lake

World famous is the crater Toba Lake in the Batak highlands; approximately five hours drive from Medan. Toba Lake is the largest lake in South East Asia and also one of the most spectacular, surrounded by tall mountains and with the large island of Samosir in the middle. If we descend from the mountain we see the lake glittering in all its beauty. The Dutch writer Rudy Kousbroek even called Toba Lake, 'the most beautiful place on earth'. Most visitors stay on the peninsula of Tuk Tuk on Samosir, named after the linguist Herman Neubronner van der Tuuk. In general people stay several days on Samosir to discover the island, to visit traditional Batak villages, to swim in the lake and go to the hot springs in Pangururan.

The centerpiece of North Sumatra, Lake Toba's bracing climate and magnificent panoramas clear the mind and soothe the soul. For decades a magnet from regional and foreign visitors alike, Toba has developed into a full-featured highland resort while retaining the rustic charm and relaxed ambiance that define Toba's attraction. Formed by a stupendous prehistoric volcanic explosion, the 100 km long lake is the largest in Southeast Asia and one of the deepest and the highest in the world. The drama of that cataclysmic birth persist in 500 meter cliffs dropping into the blue-green waters, surrounded by steep, pine covered sloped, the climate is fresh and pleasant, with just enough rain to support the lush vegetation.

Toba Lake is a 100kms x 30kms volcanic lake in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Toba Lake has become one of the main tourist attractions for a long time in North Sumatra apart from Bukit Lawang and Nias, visited by both domestic and foreign tourist.

Surf in Bali

2009-02-27T18:32:00.001-08:00

Bali, Indonesia : Overview

The beautiful island of Bali has all the elements of a true exotic vacation. Not only does it have world class waves at your finger tips, it has the cultural activities and a beautiful atmosphere with great local people to make a great overall experience. Every type of traveler can have a trip of a life-time in Bali, from single travelers meeting people in the town of Kuta Beach or on the cliffs of Uluwatu in the hillside eateries, to the couples and honeymooners taking in the market places, colorful parades, relaxing on the beaches and experiencing some of the greatest sunsets in the world.

Bali can be overwhelming, even for the more experienced traveler, but with our surf guide and hotel packages, we will have someone to greet you at the airport, whisk you away to your hotel or resort without haggling with the local taxis (which can definitly give a bad taste in your mouth at the start of your trip). Once at the hotel, having a surf/tour guide at your beckon call 8 hours a day makes you feel safe on the busy roads of the city and gives you the key insight to be at the right surf break at the right time with local knowledge about the area, hazards, paddle out spots and to keep your valuables safe if you choose to have him stay next to the car.

Wavehunters Bali program is based on full packages for the traveler that wants a no-hassle dream trip with competitive prices w/ Singapore Airlines or other air carrier, hotel, private surf/tour guide and transport.

We have five hotel options in the Bali area :

Blue Point Villas, Uluwatu : 5 star
This resort option is great for couples and other travelers that want to be out of the town of Kuta in a plush resort on the cliffs of Uluwatu, just a short walk down the trail to all the premium waves of the Bukit Peninsula. You will need a driver to get you down to Kuta Beach for dinner, clubs, the maket place, etc. But if you want an accommodation away from it all, this is a great choice.

Uluwatu Resort, Uluwatu : 4 star
Another resort on the cliffs of Uluwatu at the top of the trail, only a five minute walk to the top of the point with access to the premier waves of the Bukit Peninsula. Uluwatu Resort is more of a traditional Balinese style accommodation with villas and boutique type feel.

Patra Bali, Kuta : 4 star
This resort option is a great choice for the traveler that wants to be right at the beach in Kuta, walking distance to the entire downtown scene, but still wants to be in a safe and private compound. Petra Bali is only 4 blocks away from the middle of downtown Kuta Beach, but far enough away that you don't hear the hussle and bustle of the region.

Bounty Hotel, Kuta : 3 star
This hotel option is more for the younger traveler, it is right in the heart of Kuta Beach, but still has the qualities of a solid 3 star hotel. There is a higher level of noise compared to the other resorts from the surrounding area and from the pool bar that is known for partying. There are a lot of shady hotel options that can be less expensive, but theft has been reported in the past.

Nikko Bali, Nusa Du : 4 star
The Nusa Dua side of the island has constant offshore wind in DEC-MAR. This is a great option for this time of year with 4 perfect right points in front or a short drive from the resort. The beaches on the Nusa Dua side are known for having white silky sand like no other destination on earth.

Also, close by is the island of Nusa Dua :

Lembognan Beach Villas : 5 star
A short speedboat ride from Bali is this beautiful island. During peak season, this location can have fewer crowds, eliminating the budget travelers. With the same swell window, this is a great option for less crowds and a mellow small island lifestyle.

SURFGUIDE SERVICE:
Our top notch surf/tour guides are a great way to get the most out of your visit. The personal guides are at your disposal 8 hours a day with private SUV transportation, fruit and water. They will bring you to the best breaks for your ability level, knowing where the best spot on the island is before getting to your hotel with all the local knowledge and research of the tides and swell for that day. They will bring you down to the lineup, paddle out with you to show you hazards, line up location and give you the best local insight. Once you have a place pretty much dialed, they will stay and surf with you or you can ask them to watch your stuff on the beach or in the car. Just like any place, there can be petty theft and other disruptions, so this takes that burden out of your mind so you can focus 100% on your dream trip. The guides can get rental boards and set up surf lessons with certified English speaking teachers. There are numerous surf shops with all types of rental boards, but if you ride high-performance shortboards, we always recommend bringing your own.

SURF
Bali offers over 20 top-quality breaks on the southwest and southeast coasts of the island and around the Bukit Peninsula. Some of these breaks like Padang Padang & Uluwatu are world class barreling reefbreaks. Others range from good fun like the beachbreaks around Kuta and Sanur to serious heavy sucking bowls. Our guides can take the guesswork out of where to go, they have current swell and wind details before they show up each morning at your hotel and have in-depth local knowledge to get you into waves for your ability level.

The peak surf season for Bali is April-October when solid swells come out of the roaring 40's and hit the reefs around Kuta, Uluwatu, and Nusa Dua. Bali, unlike other areas of Indonesia where it is all heavy reef breaks, Bali actually has a lot of beachbreaks to offer where one won't crack their head open and quite a few mellower spots to cater to surfers of novice to intermediate ability.

The opposite season of November-March is not as big but still offersconsistent fun surf in the 3-5 ft+ range and typically has opposite winds which are ideal for the Nusa Dua (East facing) coast which features a variety of lesser known righthand waves.

Sumatra Tiger

2009-02-26T01:24:00.000-08:00

Berani

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of the tiger subspecies as compared to the Siberian tiger which is the largest.

Sumatran male tigers average 8 feet in length (2.4 meters) from head to tail and weigh about 265 pounds (120 kilograms). Females average 7 feet in length (2.2 meters) and weigh about 200 pounds (90 kilograms).

The smaller size of the Sumatran tiger makes it easier to move quickly through the jungle. Also, their stripes are narrower than other tiger species. The tiger's patterned coloring is an adaptation for camouflage in their natural habitat, which is often tall grass. The males, especially, have a more bearded and maned appearance — neck and cheek hair are well developed.

Webbing between their toes, when spread, enables the Sumatran tiger to be very fast swimmer. They will, if given the chance, run hoofed prey into the water who are much slower swimmers.

What do they sound like?

Chrissie

The white spots on the back of tiger's ears are called "eye spots" or "predator spots". These spots are believed to function as false eyes as well as to make it look larger to any predator approaching from behind. This is particularly helpful in keeping cubs safe.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

The Sumatran tiger is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in habitat that ranges from lowland forest to sub mountain and mountain forest including some peat moss forests. According the the Tiger Information Center and the World Wildlife Fund there are no more than 500 of these tigers left in the wild with some estimates considerably lower.

Sumatra has undergone much agricultural growth and as a result, tiger habitat has become fragmented with about 400 tigers inhabiting five National Parks and two Game Reserves. The largest population of about 110 tigers lives in Gunung Leuser National Park. Another 100 live in unprotected areas that will soon be lost to agriculture. The tigers that live in unprotected areas are very vulnerable to poaching as well as the killing of problem animals that come in contact with villagers encroaching upon the animal's habitat.

The continuing loss of habitat is intensifying the crises to save this tiger.

BEHAVIOR AND DIET:

The extent of a tiger's range varies according to habitat and availability of prey. Its sight and hearing are very acute, accounting for the tiger being such an efficient predator. The tiger lives alone for the most part, and there is only occasional cooperation between different individuals. A male will not tolerate other males staying in his territory, but will permit other transient males to move through his area.

A female uses her territory only for hunting, while the territory of a single male can overlap with those held by several females. The tiger emerges to hunt at dusk, and may travel more than 20 miles in a night.

The hunting method is slow and patient, stalking through often dense cover until close enough to spring. Tigers in general tend to attack prey from the side or rear at close range and when the prey weighs more than half that of the tiger, a throat bite is used and death is caused by suffocation. They will kill whatever they can catch, including fish, crocodiles and fowl, with the most common larger prey being wild pigs and deer.

Interestingly, is has been learned that one of the main reasons orangutans spend a minimal amount of time on the ground is from fear of tiger attack.

Djelita

The tiger is one of only two cats that enjoys being in water (the other is South America's jaguar). The Sumatran tiger may often be found in a pool or stream, or standing in water to keep cool.

Male and female tigers mark their ranges by spraying scent on trees or bushes.

ZOO DIET:

In the Zoo the tigers are fed an assortment of fish, meat and poultry parts.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Tigers can breed at any time of the year, but they typically mate in winter or spring. Tigers appear to reach maturity at about 4 years of age, although earlier maturity has been recorded. Gestation is normally 103 days. The usual number of cubs is two or three, though there may be as many as six.

The cubs are blind and helpless at birth weighing about 3 pounds each. Their eyes usually open by the tenth day, although some zoo-born cubs have their eyes open as soon as they are born. During the first 8 weeks the cubs consume only their mother's milk. They are suckled for 5 or 6 months.

The cubs leave the den for the first time when they are 2 months old. They are wholly dependent until they are about 6 months old when they learn how to kill. They can hunt for themselves by the time they are about 18 months old and are fully independent at two years of age. Longevity in the wild is 15 years and 20 years in captivity.

ENDANGERED STATUS:

Sumatran tigers are critically endangered. The Indonesian Sumatran Tiger Conservation Strategy has been established by the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and it outlines management strategies for both wild and captive tiger populations.

Even without any further losses of these magnificent animals,, the present populations are so small that they are vulnerable to severe environmental catastrophes, as well as genetic problems typical of small populations.

Front foot (photo taken during surgery)

Indonesia has 65 captive Sumatran tigers living in zoos, 85 in European zoos and 20 in Australian zoos. There are 70 tigers managed by North American zoos of which the Honolulu Zoo has three. Our younger male and female pair have had cubs at another zoo and we expect them to breed again starting in 2007. The entire captive population is descended from 37 wild-caught founders. To find out more about captive management of Sumatran tigers check out this site: Tiger Global Conservation Strategy.

It is now illegal to hunt tigers, however, this has not stopped the poaching of these animals for tiger products. China, by virtue of its large population, is the largest consumer and producer of manufactured products containing tiger parts.

Outside tiger range countries, large numbers of bones ands other tiger products have been found in Taiwan and South Korea, many of which were from Indonesia. A great number of these medicinal tiger products are also consumed by Asian-Americans in North American cities, who can afford the expensive prices. The World Wildlife Fund has recently made progress working with the Schools of Chinese Medicine in North America to change attitudes toward the use tiger products.

At the turn of the century, there were probably over 100,000 tigers roaming the forests of central and southern Asia. There are now only about 6,000. Three of the eight sub-species of tiger are already extinct.

Tiger Subspecies	Minimum	Maximum
Bengal Tiger Panthera tigris tigris	3159	4715
Caspian Tiger Panthera tigris virgata	Extinct since 1970's
Siberian/Amur Tiger Panthera tigris altaica	360	406
Javan Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica	Extinct since 1980's
South China/Amoy Tiger Panthera tigris amoyensis	20	30
Bali Tiger Panthera tigris balica	Extinct since 1940's
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae	400	500
IndoChinese Tiger Panthera tigris corbetti	1227	1785
Rounded Totals	5000	7500
Adapted from a table compiled by Peter Jackson, Chairman, Cat Specialist Group, IUCN Species Survival Commission. Most estimates are educated guesses.

ALL TIGERS NEED OUR HELP...PLEASE JOIN THE FIGHT TO SAVE THEM!

HONOLULU ZOO

Scientific Name: Felidae Panthera Tigris sumatrae

Name	Pandji (Deceased)	Djelita	Berani	Chrissie
Sex	male	female	male	female
Born	07-23-90 (died 2005) Henry Doorly Zoo	03-26-91 San Diego Zoo	09-04-99 Phoenix Zoo	06-24-99 National Zoo
Weight	225 lbs.	220 lbs.	218 lbs.	175 lbs.
Likes	Being with Djelita and soaking in his pool.	Eating meat and attacking her meat cube.	Eating meat, chewing on spices and meatball treats	Eating meat, playing with pumpkins and pulling apart coconuts.
Fun Facts	Pandji was hand raised and very friendly. His name means "guardian protector".	Likes the perfume her keeper sprays in the exhibit. Her name means "beauty" in Indonesian.	He likes to run around with his keepers. His name means "brave" in Indonesian.	Shes a jumper and likes things she can throw around.
History	Was sick for several years and benefited from extraordinary medical care. Pandji's care Pandji's Passing	Spayed due to a medical condition and never had cubs.	A donation from the Phoenix Zoo, via the Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo in Indiana.	Came from Fort Wayne Childrens Zoo in Indiana on indefinite loan.

Name	Malosi	Keahi	Tondi
Sex	male	male	male
Born	09-15-2008 Honolulu Zoo	09-15-2008 Honolulu Zoo	09-15-2008 Honolulu Zoo
Weight	30 lbs.	30 lbs.	30 lbs.
Fun Facts	Malosi is a Samoan name meaning "strong, powerful"	Keahi is a Hawaiian name meaning "fire"	Tondi is an Indonesian name meaning "spiritual one"

Banggai Cardinal

2009-02-26T01:15:00.000-08:00

The Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni) is a small tropical cardinalfish (family Apogonidae). This attractive fish is popular in the aquarium trade.This species is restricted to the Banggai Islands of Indonesia.This species has an extremely limited geographic range (5,500 km²) and small total population size (estimated at 2.4 million). The Banggai cardinalfish is composed of isolated populations concentrated around the shallows of 17 large and 10 small islands within the Banggai Archipelago. A small population also occurs off Central Sulawesi, within Luwuk harbor. One additional population has become established in the Lembeh Strait (North Sulawesi), 400 km north of the natural area of the species distribution, following introduction by aquarium fish traders in 2000.

The Banggai cardinalfish is a popular aquarium fish in the fishkeeping hobby.

The species is collected by local fishers and traded as an aquarium species at unusually high levels. The species first appeared in the international trade in 1995–1996. By 2001, 600,000–700,000 fish were exported annually; trade estimates for 2001–2004 are 700,000–900,000 fish/yr with collection occurring throughout the archipelago. Surveys identified significant (>90%) declines in two populations that were fished from 2001 to 2004, including extinction of a population off Limbo Island.

These fish have been successfully bred in captivity. The male broods the eggs and later the fry in his mouth cavity. The male does not eat at this time and will hold the brood of around 25 fry for 4–5 weeks. Fry can then be raised on brine shrimp nauplii enriched with marine lipid supplements.^{[citation needed]} Captive-breeding presents an alternative to wild caught fish. However, the relatively high cost–benefit of its production combined with the large number of less expensive wild-harvested fish has prevented expansion of aquaculture efforts. In addition, a newly emerging threat (a viral disease) has been documented in wild-harvested individuals maintained in captivity.

Collection for the aquarium trade has threatened this species with extinction. This increases the demand for captive-bred specimens. Although the proposal to protect this species under the CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) Appendix II was initially rejected, in September 2007, the Banggai cardinalfish entered the list for the first time, assessed as Endangered under Criterion B, based on the very small area of occupancy, the severe fragmentation and the ongoing continuing decline due to exploitation for the international aquarium trade.

Indonesian Local Languages

2009-02-26T00:51:00.000-08:00

The number of languages of Indonesia is 742. Of those, 737 are living languages, 2 are second language without mother-tongue speakers, and 3 are extinct. Most belong to the Austronesian language family, with a few Papuan languages also spoken. The official language is Indonesian (locally known as Bahasa Indonesia), a modified version of Malay, which is used in commerce, administration, education and the media, but most Indonesians speak local languages, such as Javanese, as their first language.

Like most writing systems in human history, Indonesia's are not rendered in invented systems, but devised by speakers of Sanskrit, Arabic, and Latin. Malay, for example, has a long history as a written language and has been rendered in Indic, Arabic, and Roman writing systems. Javanese has been written in the Nagarai and Pallava writing systems of India, in a modified Arabic system called pegon that incorporates Javanese sounds, and in the Roman alphabet. Chinese characters have never been used to express Indonesian languages, although Indonesian place-names, personal names, and names of trade goods appear in reports and histories written for China's imperial courts.

Languages spoken in Indonesia

**Numbers of speakers of larger languages**
Language	Number (millions)	Main areas where spoken
Indonesian	240	across Indonesia
Javanese	75	Java especially Central and East Java
Sundanese	27	West Java
Madurese	9	Madura, East Java
Minangkabau	6.5	Central Sumatra
Buginese	3.6	South Sulawesi
Balinese	3	Bali and Lombok
Acehnese	2.4	Northern Sumatra
Banjarese	2.1	South Kalimantan
Sasak	2.1	Lombok
Toba Batak	2	Northern Sumatra
Makassarese	1.6	South Sulawesi
Lampung	1.5	Southern Sumatra
Torajan (Sa'dan,Luwu,etc)	1.5	South Sulawesi
Chinese (Khek/Hakka)	5.9	West Borneo, Bangka Belitung
Chinese (Teochew)	7.8	Mostly in Riau and Pontianak
Chinese (Hokkien)	8.4	Medan, Pekanbaru
Dairi Batak	1.2	Northern Sumatra
Rejang	1	Southwest Sumatra

but this does not list all the Indonesia local languages

If you need more information please visit:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Indonesia
2. http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=id

Borobudur Temple : Buddhist Legend in Stone

2009-02-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

One of the 7 wonders in the ancient world, Borobudur is located near Magelang. Borobudur, a Hindu Buddhist temple, was built in the 9th century. This temple has Gupta architecture of India's influence.

Constructed on a hill about 46 meters high, Borobudur has about 55,000 m3 or stones. Borobudur is design symbolizes the structure of the universe. This design influences temples in Angkor, Cambodia. This temple was found in 1815, under volcanic ash. About 41 kilometers northward from Jogjakarta, Borobudur offers spectacular sight in this modern world.

Borobudur temple is located in the district of Magelang, Central Java. It isconsidered one of the world’s wonders and has the largest and most complete ensemble of Buddhist relief in the world. UNESCO has listed the temple as World Heritage Site.
The village of Candirejo is located some 3 km from Borobudur Temple. A traditional Javanese village, Candirejo is being promoted for village tourism, portraying traditional Javanese culture and daily life through traditional houses, art performances, ceremonies, farming and local food.

Borobudur is design symbolizes the structure of the universe, this design influences temple in Angkor Wat Cambodia this temple was found in 1819 under volcanic ash about 41 kilometers northward from Yogyakarta, Borobudur offers spectacular sign in this modern world.

Magnificent Buddhist temple ranking as the most famous in the city of Magelang Central Java, Borobudur is also Known as one of the finest religious structures of its kind.

The temple listed among the seven wonders of the World is offers some interesting features both inside and outside notable features include a varied selection of Budha Statues of differing size, and pozes and the bar reliefs on the lower terraces.

How to Get There :
The temple of Borobudur and Candirejo Village can be reached from
Yogyakarta by public buses that start from Umbulharjo Terminal or by taxis
and rental cars. The distance is approximately 42 km from Yogyakarta.
Borobudur is only 1 hour away by car from Jogjakarta. You can either join a tour or rent a car to this spot.

The Best Season to Visit :
Almost anytime during the year, but preferably in the dry season
(April to September).

Where to Stay :
Inns and hotels in Jogjakarta.

Moving Around :
You'll explore this site on foot. Climb this magnificent temple and marvel at various carvings on the stone around you.

Dining Guide :
You can bring your own food or buy them around this site.

Souvenir Tips :
Souvenirs related to Borobudur can be bought in Jogjakarta. You can buy silver Borobudur's miniature (silver plated ones are also available), keychains, and many more. T-Shirts and postcards with an overview of Borobudur are popular as keepsakes.

Other Things to See or Do :
Marvel at the magnificent view. For better understanding of this temple, you can join a tour or hire a licensed tour guide here. Climb the temple to reach the top, where you can see an vacant space signifying emptiness as completion. There's a superstition saying that if you climb this temple with one wish deep in mind, try touching Buddha's figure inside the stupa, which is bell-like in structure. If you're able to touch the Buddha, your wish will come true. Take note of the stone carvings. There are many stories in these stones.

Travel Tips :
*Dress lightly and comfortably.
*Hire a licensed tour guide, so you'll get better information.
*Wear a hat or an umbrella. Bring along a raincoat, just in case.

Batik Originaly From Indonesia

2009-02-25T23:26:00.001-08:00

Batik is generally thought of as the most quintessentially Indonesian textile. Motifs of flowers, twinning plants, leaves buds, flowers, birds, butterflies, fish, insects and geometric forms are rich in symbolic association and variety; there are about three thousand recorded batik patterns.

The patterns to be dyed into the the clothe are drawn with a canting, a wooden 'pen' fitted with a reservoir for hot, liquid wax. In batik workshops, circles of women sit working at clothes draped over frames, and periodically replenish their supply of wax by dipping their canting into a central vat. Some draw directly on the the cloth from memory; others wax over faint charcoal lines.
This method of drawing patterns in wax on fine machine-woven cotton was practiced as a form of meditation by the female courtiers of Central Java; traditionally, batik tulis (tulis means 'write' in Indonesian) is produced by women.
In the 19th century, the application of waxed patterns with a large copper stamp orcap saved the batik industry from competition with cheap printed European cloth. The semi-industrial nature of cap work allows it to be performed by men. Batik motifs recall characters from the Hindu epics, plants, animals, sea creatures and gamalan melodies.

In Surakarta rich creams and browns are juxtaposed with tinges of yellowish gold.White, undyed cloth is left to contrast with the sombre opulence of brown and blue dyes in Yogjakarta. The palette of the north coast were influenced by lively maritime trade and the textile traditions of the Chinese and Arab mercantile communities living in port and coastal towns.

The Symbolic Meaning of Batik's Motifs

The motifs of Batik, especially with old pattern, as in other field of Javanese tradition are symbolizing something. Might be, this is one of the reasons, why people still adore batik up to present date. Some of the motifs are :

Sido Mulyo :
Sido (you should be ), mulyo (happy). Symbolizing 'you should be happy and rich man'.
Sido Dadi :
Symbolizing 'you should be a man/woman as you wish (prosperous, high ranking position, wealthy, etc)'.
Satrio Wibowo :
Symbolizing 'Man with dignity'.
Tikel Asmorodono :
Tikel (more), Asmoro (love), Dono (gift).
It is meant the one who wears this batik, should be loved more and more by others.

The Process of Batik Making

Batik, in Javanese means 'To Dot'. Basically there are two kinds of batik; Batik Tulis (hand drawn) and Batik Cap (stamped). The price of batik tulis is much more expensive than batik cap.

Doting

A canting (a pen like instrument with a small reservoir of liquid wax) is applied to the cloth of batik tulis making. The tracing of the desired design on to the prepared cloth is the first stage of making followed by the technique of applying wax and dye substances. At the final stage of the process, all the wax scraped off and the cloth boiled to remove all traces of the wax. This process of repeatedly waxing and dyeing is the batik process, used until nowadays in Java and other parts of Indonesia.

So, this kind art of batik is an indigenous to the country. The wax used in batik process is a combined product of paraffin, bees-wax, plant resins called gondorukem and mata kucing.

Batik cap, which is also using the waxing process, its process of course faster and easier. But people appreciation of batik tulis is higher, it is really a work of an artist not only a craftsman. It combines the expertise, patience, deep feeling to produce the finest product, and it may take days, weeks and even months to make only a batik tulis

The Cities of Batik

Yogyakarta and Solo are the centers of traditional of batiks, as the north coastal town of Pekalongan is the center of more modern batiks, using more floral and birds motifs. There are some well-known artists of batik design in Yogya and Solo, as well as some big batik manufacturers with famous trademarks.

The growing production of batik makes way to the establishment of mori (woven cotton fabrics) factories in Yogya and Central Java. The Batik research Institute was founded in Yogya.

When Batik is Worn

Batik dresses are worn for several purposes, such as ;

Informal Dresses
It is a free choice, usually for daily casual wear.
Formal Occasions
In some parties, as a state banquets, receptions, etc, the invitees are requested to wear batik. Long sleeves shirts for the men and 'kain batik' (long batik to cover the lower body) for the women.
Traditional Occasions
It is worn to present the traditional wedding ceremonies, special ceremonies for the Royal families, etc.

In a wedding ceremony the bride and the bridegroom wear the same motif of batik Sidomukti, symbolizing a happiness and prosperous life. Using the same motif symbolizing the togetherness. The parents of the bride and the bridegroom wear batik with motif of Truntum, symbolizing the advice of the parents to the newly weds to enter the new life with full of love and confidence.

Traditional Dress

Women's traditional dress, especially in Yogya and Solo court families, consisting of :

Jarit or Tapih or Sinjang
A 'kain panjang' (long cloth of batik) measuring around 2 m x 1 m to cover the lower body, tightened with stagen (large waist band)
Kebaya
It is a traditional long sleeved shirt (the material used is not from batik, usually from silk and other fine materials).
Selendang
It is used as attractive piece of clothing to compliment the traditional dress. The 2 m x 0,5 m selendang cloth hung over one shoulder.
Kemben or Semekan
It is special for ceremonies in Karaton (palace) or Royal family ceremonies. Instead of wearing Kebaya, to cover the upper body, a kemben is worn.

Men's Traditional Dresses

Jarit or Bebed
Men kain panjang, tightened with stagen.
Surjan
Men traditional long sleeved shirt (only for Yogya style) and the material is not batik.
Beskap
Instead of wearing surjan, the men wear a coat (beskap of Solo style or Atila of Yogya style), the materials is not batik.
Blangkon
It is a headgear made from batik.
Keris
The dagger is worn at backside of the waist, as a compliment to the dress.

Dodot

Is a very long jarit to cover the lower body. It is worn only on a very special occasion such as the king coronation by the king himself. The wearing of dodot or kampuhan is very complicated. It may take two hours to wear a dodot with the help of specialist-dressers!

Angklung Originaly From Indonesia

2009-02-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

Angklung is a renowned musical instrument made of bamboo and its originated is West Java, Indonesia. In the early days, music played an essential part of ceremonial activities, especially in the harvest times. The sound of bamboos is believed will catch the attention of the goddess Sri – who will bring fertility to the plantation, and pass the joy and happiness for mankind.

The oldest Angklung in history that still exist is called Angklung Gubrag made in Jasinga, Bogor, and has reached 400 years of age. Nowadays, some of those older Angklung remain in Sri Baduga Museum, Bandung.

As the time flown by, Angklung is not only recognized throughout Indonesia, also, spreading to other Asian countries.
In the late of 20th century, Daeng Soetigna created Angklung based on diatonic tone scale. Ever since then, Angklung has been used in entertainment business as well it is even able to play diverse genres of music. And In 1966, Udjo Ngalagena a student of Mr. Daeng Soetigna developed Angklung based on traditional Sundanese tone scale Salendro, Pelog and Madenda.

Current days, many contemporary and young musicians compose music through the brilliant sound of bamboo.

Introducing Indonesia

2009-01-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

Introducing Indonesia

Adventure looms large in this vast and steamy archipelago, where the best of Southeast Asia’s spicy melange simmers tantalisingly. Heady scents, vivid colours, dramatic vistas and diverse cultures spin and multiply to the point of exhaustion, their potent brew leaving your senses reeling.

Rippling across the equator for nearly 5000km, Indonesia encompasses more than 17,000 islands, two-thirds of which are inhabited and richly layered with character. On Sulawesi, the elaborate funeral ceremonies and timeless traditions of Tana Toraja are light years from the surfing culture of Lombok. But so too are the mighty saddle-backed Batak mansions of Danua Toba and the volcanic lakes of Sumatra from the mummies and deeply etched gorges of Papua’s Baliem Valley. The resorts and restaurants of Bali pamper precocious style cats, while at the same moment threadbare backpackers are adopted by homestays in Kalimantan.

Indonesia’s cities are in a constant state of urban evolution, where dense populations, technology and construction live in hectic symbiosis. But most of the archipelago’s territory remains unexplored, concealing a wealth of cultures and a myriad of landscapes. Oceanic rice fields and ancient sultanates in Java are humbled by haunting volcanic cones. Maluku’s alabaster beaches and desert islands remain pristine while the tourist trail heads elsewhere. The jungles of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua are zoological wonders, revealing impish monkeys, stoic sun bears, leopards, orang-utans and remarkable marsupials.

And then there are the micromoments, equally exquisite but entirely unexpected; impromptu English lessons with school children, instant friendships in crammed bemos, lending an ear to your becak rider… In Indonesia there is plenty of cause to pause, except when dodging hurtling traffic – but that’s all part of the adventure.

2009-01-27T19:07:00.000-08:00

The Togian Islands

From April to October, the cruises are located in the Togian Islands, inside the large Tomini Bay. The Togians include 3 main volcanic islands close together, and another one apart on the North that erupted last in 1984, as well as numerous islets. It is the only place in the world where barrier reefs, atolls, and fringing reefs are found together. Most of the islands is still covered by dense tropical forest, human settlements and tourism are still very limited.

The Togian islands dives specificity is certainly the beauty and the diversity of the underwater sceneries their offer, with a visibility that is generally very good.

Around the volcanic island of Una-Una, where we stay for 3 days, sponges size and shape diversity are astonishing, probably among the biggest in the world. The fish life is very dense: schools of jacks and barracudas, Bump head parrotfish's, numerous napoleon wrasses, snappers, fusiliers, etc.
Other dive sites include beautiful drop offs with crevasses and overhangs, canyons, rocks formations, pinnacles, all offering a great variety of spectacular underwater sceneries.

Pelagic life is present on some of the spots with schools of barracudas, tunas, giant trevallies, eagle rays, reef sharks and sometimes hammerhead sharks.

Click here for
large map of Togians

The development and the diversity of coral formations are also a highlight of the Togian islands. The cruise also includes a visit to an intact plane wreck B24 from the 2nd World War laying on the bottom at eighteen meters depth.

Our twelve days cruise, EXT TOG, covers the 8 days Togian cruise and ends in Luwuk, spending four more days of diving along the eastern tip of the peninsula that separates Tominy bay from Luwuk area. The dive sites of this area -we are the only dive operators there- are mostly rocky formations and pinnacles with an intense marine life and a high density of fishes including pelagic as tunas and giant jacks. Abundant gorgonians, soft corals and daisy corals make also those dives very colorful. For a more precise description of the Peninsula dive sites, please refer to the Banggai Cruise section.

Examples of diving sites we visit during the Togian cruise:

NB. Most of the dive sites that are walls or slopes can be dive at different depth according to the diver's level and wishes, and if the dive is a morning or an afternoon dive. That's why we sometime mention a depth range rather than a maximum depth.

Dominik rock; Kadidiri Isl., depth 110 feet
It is a rocky formation outside the barrier reef (the barrier reef runs along almost all the north coast of Togian islands). We leave the bottom of the reef wall at a depth of 55 feet and follow the sandy bottom in between massive rocks, where we frequently spot giant groupers. The last rock, at 100 feet depth, makes a wall on its outside part falling in the deep blue, from where are coming up tunas and schools of jacks. We then follow the top of this rock that forms a flat platform covered with colorful soft corals, sponges and splendid huge gorgonians. The dive then go back to the reef wall that we follow, getting slowly up until the lagoon where we finish the dive.

Fishomania; Una-Una Isl., depth 40 - 80 feet
Una-Una is a volcanic island in the North of the Togian group. The volcano last eruption was in 1984, and since then human settlements are theoretically forbidden on the islands. In fact, a few inhabitants stay there, taking care of the numerous coconut trees on the lower part of the island, the upper part being covered by dense tropical forest.

Fishomania is a pinnacle with a top a 12 feet deep, where aggregates high densities of fishes: we generally spend a few minutes hanging on some rocks in the current, looking at the non remitting and hypnotic ballet that forms schools of fusiliers, surgeons fishes, snappers, jack fishes and so many others. The outside part of the pinnacle forms a splendid wall covered by dense coral formations of all shapes and colors, associated with sponges of uncommon size and shape.
Turtles and Napoleons are usually spotted, as well as eagle rays and white tips sharks.

Manara 1, Una-Una Isl., 45 to 90 feet
On the Una-Una barrier reef, it is a slope offering a luxuriant hard coral coverage. Another highlight of this dive is a white gorgonian field at 90 feet depth, at the beginning of the dive. Same as on the other sites of Una-Una, you will find a dense fish life all along the dive.

Apollo reef, Una-Una isl, 90 feet
A reef formation on a sandy slope, from 25 to 35 meters depth. As on the other dives on Una-Una, there is always a lot of fishes (schools of surgeons, fusiliers, Napoleon wrasses) but the highlight of the dive is huge schools of barracudas (more than one thousand ?) that comes to check and surround the divers.

Kololio, Una-una isl, 30 feet Night dive
We mention this night dive because in addition to the critters, we generally see turtles, sleeping parrot fishes -including bump head parrot- wrasses, and many other fishes interesting for portraits.

Mimpi Ding-Ding, Pasir Tengah atoll, depth 65 to 100 feet
You dive straight down along an absolutely vertical wall that goes down to abyssal depth (but not you, even though the temptation is hard to resist!). The deep and transparent blue of the water -the visibility is generally excellent- gives to this dive a special fantasy ambient. This the archetype of the "wall", where hang huge tubes and barrel sponges , black corals, where are cruising tunas, eagle rays, ascending and descending schools of Platax and trevallies. The wall also presents beautiful overhangs and crevasses. This a also a typical dive profile of the tropics where you slowly get up along the wall and finish your tanks at the top of the reef looking at the aquarium.

Goa-goa, Pasir tengah atoll, depth 55 feet
Another wall, with a lot of overhangs and horizontal faults. A very good site for photographers, with a good coverage of soft corals. A large swim through at 40 feet deep, with walls and ceiling covered by bright yellow siphonogorgias. The wall between 6 and 3 meters, where we spend the last twenty minutes of the dive, is colonized by an amazing quantity of various nudibranches.

Batu Gila ("Crazy stone"), 100 feet
A special spot for pelagics outside the barrier reef of Kadidiri. A reef with a top at -27 mts, on a sandy bottom of about 70 mts. When the currents are strong at certain periods of the tide, the fish life is very dense: Schools of jacks, barracudas, white tips, grey reef sharks and sometime hammerheads. Due to the strong currents , this dive is only offered to experienced divers.

Gunung laut, South Togians, Depth 80 feet
Coming up from a bottom of more than 200 meters, this pinnacle that culminates at -27 meters is visited by numerous pelagic fishes: tunas, white tips and grey reef sharks, schools of jacks. Beautiful coverage of soft corals.
This area has several pinnacles that are probably all good diving sites, but we practice only two of them. Some room for exploration, mention it on board if you are interested.

B24 liberator, South Togians, depth 60 feet
The wreck, a American B24 bomber from the Second World War, lays almost intact on a 18 meters bottom. The plane was on its way back to its base on Morotai Island (North Mollucas) when an engine went on fire. The pilot managed to alight on the waters of this calm bay. All the crew was safe and went to the land where the local people rescued them.
A large school of jacks is always on the spot; shrimps, glass fishes, crocodile fishes.

For more information : http://www.wallacea-divecruise.com/togians.html

Mount Bromo

2009-01-27T19:01:00.000-08:00

Mount Bromo

Bromo isn't the highest mountain in Java — that honor goes to nearby Mount Semeru at 3,676m — but it's probably the most famous one. Bromo is in fact only one of many peaks inside the massive Tengger Caldera, but it's easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. The inside of the caldera, aptly dubbed the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) is coated with fine volcanic sand and the overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.

Orientation

The major access point is Cemoro Lawang at the northeast edge, but there are also trails from Tosari (northwest) and Ngadas (west). The village of Ngadisari, on the road from Probolinggo about 5.5 km before Cemoro Lawang, marks the entrance to the national park. Both Cemoro Lawang and Ngadisari are rather picturesque, with brightly-painted houses and flower beds outside.

See & Do

Mt. Batok and the Sand Sea in the Tengger Caldera

When timing any activities in the area, bear in mind that sunset is soon after 5 PM and sunrise is correspondingly early at around 5:30 AM. This means you'll usually need to get up by 3:30 AM or so to get there in time for dawn.

Mount Batok (2440m) is a brown volcanic cone at the north center of the caldera. Unlike the other nearby peaks it is no longer active and actually has some vegetation growing on it, mostly the local cemara tree that somehow manages to survive even on volcanic ash.

Mount Bromo, edges tinged with white sulphur and always bubbling, is the main sight. To reach it on foot, pick the left fork at Cemoro Lawang's solitary crossing, then head down the ramp into the caldera and then across the caldera to the Hindu temple at the foot of the mountain. From the temple a steep path of 250 steps leads to the edge of the crater and a precarious meter-wide ledge from where to gaze into the volcano. Beware of local jeep-hirers, who often try to persuade tourists the journey to the mountain is not walking distance (in order to hire them jeeps, or horses). The walk from the tourist centre to the top of the mountain should take no longer than 1.5 hours by foot, and is about 3km.

Mount Penanjakan (2770m), located just north of the caldera, is a mountaintop viewpoint accessible by paved road from Tosari and hence popular with jeeps and even tour buses. Most of the crowd comes to see the dawn at 5 AM, and you'll likely have the large concrete observation post to yourself if you arrive later in the day.

Viewpoint #2, along the trail from Cemoro Lawang to Mt. Penanjakan, is an excellent way to get a stunning view of the caldera (see pictures above) without the crowds. To reach it, head west from Cemoro Lawang (past Cemero Indah) for 6 km, past farms and fields. The paved road eventually turns into a twisty mountain trail that ends with a flight of stairs on the right, and the viewpoint (with concrete shelter) is at the top. Allow 1.5 hours for the climb up at a steady pace, and bring along a torch if attempting this at night.
- From here, you can continue onto Mt. Penanjakan by following the trail upward, after which the trail merges onto the paved road to the viewpoint (total time about 60 minutes one way). If planning to return the same way, mark the spot where the trail emerges onto the road (if you pass a stone lantern on the way down, you've gone too far!), and note that descending on this section can get slippery due to loose sand and rocks.

The Raja Ampat Islands

2009-01-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

The Raja Ampat Islands
In the Heart of the Coral Triangle

The Raja Ampat, or “Four Kings,” archipelago encompasses more than 9.8 million acres of land

and sea off the northwestern tip of Indonesia’s West Papua Province. Located in the Coral Triangle, the heart of the world’s coral reef biodiversity, the seas around Raja Ampat possibly hold the richest variety of species in the world.

The area’s massive coral colonies show that its reefs are resistant to threats like coral bleaching and disease —threats that now jeopardize the survival of corals around the world. In addition, Raja Ampat’s strong ocean currents sweep coral larvae across the Indian and Pacific Oceans to replenish other reef ecosystems. Raja Ampat’s coral diversity, resilience to threats, and ability to replenish reefs make it a global priority for marine protection.

Survey Confirms Highest Marine Biodiversity on Earth

In 2002, The Nature Conservancy and its partners conducted a scientific survey of the Raja Ampat Islands to collect information on its marine ecosystems, mangroves, and forests. The survey brought Raja Ampat’s total number of confirmed corals to 537 species— an incredible 75% of all known coral species. In addition, 899 fish species were recorded, raising the known total for Raja Ampat to an amazing 1,074. On land, the survey found lush forests, rare plants, limestone outcroppings, and nesting beachesfor thousands of sea turtles.

Though human impacts here are less severe than elsewhere in Indonesia, Raja Ampat’s natural resources are endangered by over fishing and destructive fishing, turtle poaching, and unsustainable logging. The Indonesian government recently established Raja Ampat as a separate administrative unit, which will give communities a greater say in managing the natural resources upon which their livelihoods depend. This structure also offers an important opportunity to include conservation in the spatial planning of the newly formed local government.

Ensuring Conservation through Partnerships

To address these issues, the Conservancy launched a new project to protect Raja Ampat, working in close partnership with the government and communities to: 1) contribute to a comprehensive conservation action plan to protect Raja Ampat’s reefs and forests; 2) help incorporate marine protected area management into long-term planning and policy; and, 3) establish a network of marine protected areas for Raja Ampat.

The Conservancy’s ultimate goal is to protect Raja Ampat’s magnificent reefs while sustaining the livelihoods of local people. Raja Ampat includes the four large islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool, plus hundreds of smaller islands. The archipelago is part of an area known as the Bird’s Head functional seascape, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia.

Bunaken Island

2009-01-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

Bunaken National Marine Park

GENERAL INFORMATION

Bunaken is one of Indonesia's most famous dive/snorkeling areas, and it draws scuba divers & snorkelers from all over the world. In addition to Bunaken itself, a rather featureless banana-shaped island, the National Park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua, a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano, Siladen, Montehagen, Nain, and Nain Kecil.The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27-29 C) and harbor some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

BUNAKEN NATIONAL PARK ENTRANCE FEE:
All visitors to the Bunaken National Park (divers and non-divers) are required to pay an entrance fee, in accordance with North Sulawesi Provincial Government Provincial Law Number 9/2002. The entrance fee for foreign visitors is Rp 50,000 per daily ticket (approximately US$6), or Rp 150,000 (approximately US$17) for a waterproof plastic entrance tag valid for the full calendar year.

Entrance tags and tickets can be purchased direct from all NSWA members, or from ticket counters on Bunaken Island and on Siladen Island. They must be carried at all times that guests' are within the park boundaries, and tags can easily be affixed to guests' diving or snorkeling gear or on backpacks. Enforcement of the entrance fee system is conducted via spot checks by park rangers on land and at sea.

The entrance fee system has been adapted from the well-known Bonaire Marine Park system, and the proceeds from the sales of the entrance tags are managed by the Bunaken National Park Management Advisory Board (BNPMAB), a multi-stakeholder board that NSWA is a member of. The system has been very successful in raising over $250,000 for conservation programs in the Bunaken Marine Park since its inception in 2001.

Please read: The Bunaken Entrance Fee - Questions and Answers

Oceanic currents may explain, in part, why Bunaken National Marine Park is such a treasure trove of biodiversity. Northeasternly currents generally sweep through the park but abundant counter currents and gyros related to lunar cycles are believed to be a trap for free swimming larvae. This is particularly true on the south side of the crescent-shaped Bunaken Island, lying in the heart of the park. A snorkler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.
Biologists believe that the abundance of hard corals is crucial in maintaining the high levels of diversity in the park. Hard corals are the architects of the reefs, without them, numerous marine organisms would be homeless and hungry. Many species of fish are closely associated with particular types of corals (folious, branching, massives, etc.) for shelter and egg-laying. Others, like the enormous Bumphead Parrotfish, Balbometopon muricatum, are "coralivores" and depend on hard corals for their sustenance. Bony mouth parts fused into an impressive "beak" allow these gregarious fish to crunch corals like roasted peanuts.
Some 20,000 people live on the natural resources of Bunaken National Marine Park. Although there are inevitable conflicts between resource protection and use by people, the Indonesian government is taking a fairly unusual and pragmatic approach to park management. The idea is to promote wise resource use while preventing overexploitation. Local communities, government officials, dive resort operators, local nature groups, tourists and scientists have played an active role in developing exclusive zones for diving, wood collection, fishing and other forms of utilization. If successful, Bunaken Marine Park will stand as an important example of how Sulawesi, and the rest of Indonesia, can work to protect its natural resources.

Accommodation and Transfer
On the island you have the choice amongst a number of homestays, with rates starting at around Rp. 50 000 per day and person incl. fullboard. If you only go for the cheapest option don't complain afterwards if the water in your mandi (bathroom) doesn't get filled up regularly, or food isn't quite as nice as you had hoped for. Life in North Sulawesi in general isn't as cheap as in other regions of Indonesia, and most things on Bunaken have to be brought in from Manado. Depending on the season even fish can be pretty expensive. Better think twice before you try to bargain down prices which are already cheap; for the locals it could mean the difference between being able to eat 3 or only 2 meals a day, or buying school books for the children or not.
Some of the dive operations on Bunaken are offering more upmarket accommodation, even hot showers (Living Colours, Cha Cha Nature Resort).

Some guesthouses ("homestays") on Bunaken:
Pangalisang Beach: Lorenso's Homestay
Liang Beach: Panorama, Nelson's, Papa Boa
There are a lot more...

Bunaken's much smaller neighbour Siladen only offers few accommodations. Most popular among budget travelers seems to be Martha's Homestay.
The most upmarket resort within the boundaries of the Bunaken National Park is Siladen Resort & Spa which started operations in 2003. The eco-friendly luxury boutique resort places high emphasis on the protection of the Marine Park and the environment.

The public boats from Manado to Bunaken are leaving daily around 2 p.m (depending on tide), except Sundays, from Pasar Jengki near Manado harbour. Back from Bunaken to Manado usually early in the morning, around 7-8 a.m. Even on Sundays there might be boats, just go to the harbour and ask people there. To charter a boat is about Rp. 150,000 - 200,000 OW. If you want to go to Siladen it is better to inquire first at the harbour, but usually there are several boats as well. The fare to Siladen is also Rp. 15 000.

Bunaken - Scuba Diving

A growing number of dive centers is operating from the mainland around Manado and directly from Bunaken Island. Generally spoken you should rather pay a few dollars more and go for safe and experienced operators than just choose the cheapest option. Tank fillings can be a problem, and headaches after each dive give you a clear sign that your dive operator saves money on filters; better go somewhere else if you experience this.

In general diving standards in North Sulawesi are high, as is environmental awareness among the dive operators, at least the ones who have formed the North Sulawesi Watersports Association, NSWA. The NSWA has made significant strides in improving the management and conservation of Bunaken National Park and surrounding marine ecosystems and in conferring concrete benefits of tourism to the villagers living within the park. Many of its members have spent a lot of their money and time for various ecological and social achievements within the park. This has not gone unnoticed; recently the Bunaken National Park has received the "Tourism for Tomorrow Award" and the "UN Equator Prize" (more on www.divenorthsulawesi.com).
Unfortunately some stupid backpackers still think that they know everything better than these international organisations and refuse to pay the entrance fee to the National Park. If you are planning to do this, please stay away. You are not welcome - the National Park needs support, not ignorance!

Komodo Island (KOMODO DRAGON)

2009-01-27T18:41:00.001-08:00

“The Komodo dragon, as befits any creature evoking a mythological beast, has many names. It is also the Komodo monitor, being a member of the monitor lizard family, Varanidae, which today has one genus, Varanus. Residents of the island of Komodo call it the ora. Among some on Komodo and the islands of Rinca and Flores, it is buaya darat (land crocodile), a name that is descriptive but inaccurate; monitors are not crocodilians. Others call it biawak raksasa (giant monitor), which is quite correct; it ranks as the largest of the monitor lizards, a necessary logical consequence of its standing as the largest lizard of any kind now living on the earth…. Within the scientific community, the dragon is Varanus komodoensis. And most everyone calls it simply the Komodo.” Claudio Ciofi

The Komodo dragon is an ancient species whose ancestors date back over 100 million years. The varanid genus originated between 25 and 40 million years ago in Asia. The Komodo descended from this species and evolved to its present form over four million years ago.

The Komodo is long lived (as are most of the larger reptilian species) with an estimated life expectancy of over 50 years in the wild. In keeping with its longevity, the Komodo matures late in life, becoming sexually viable at five to seven years, and achieving maximum body density in fifteen years. Komodos are sexually dimorphous, which means males are bigger than females. The largest recorded specimen was 3.13 meters in length and was undoubtedly a male. Females rarely exceed 2.5 meters in length. What is perhaps more important, is that the characteristic bulk is achieved by older dominant males in clearly delineated territorial areas. As an adult Komodo can consume up to 80% of its body weight in one gorging, weight is a highly variable factor, and is largely dependent on the most recent feeding. A typical weight for an adult Komodo in the wild is 70 kilograms.

Komodo dragons are first and foremost opportunistic carnivores, and predators second. Although the Komodo can sprint briefly at 20 kilometers an hour, it does not chase down game as do the larger mammalian predators. The Komodo is a stealth predator, which lies motionless and camoflouged alongside game trails for the unwary, which tend to be the very young, the old and the infirm. In an attack, the Komodo lunges at its victim with blinding speed and clasps it with the serrated teeth of the jaw. Prey are rarely downed in the initial attack unless the neck is broken or caratoid artery severed. The more likely outcome is escape, followed by death a few hours or days later from septicemia introduced by the virulent strains of bacteria found in the saliva of the Komodo dragon (the Komodo survive primarily on carrion and ingest the bacteria when feeding).

The Komodo has two highly developed sensory organs – the olefactory and the Jacobson’s - which allow the dragon to detect rotting carcasses from distances as great as 10 kilometers. The yellow forked tongue isconstantly being flicked in and out of the mouth, “tasting the air”, and inserted into the Jacobson’s organ located in the roof of the mouth. The individual tips are highly sensitive and are capable of discriminating odors in the magnitude of millionths of a part. Using the information garnered, the dragon wends in a seemingly random, winding path which becomes straighter the closer it approaches to the carrion. The Komodo is typically a communal feeder and any number of dragons might arrive at the site of the carcass.

Socialization occurs during feeding at carrion sites, as does mating. The abdomen is slashed first and the intestines and stomach contents scattered. Young juveniles roll in the fecal matter to mask their scent from aggressive adults, which attack and sometimes kill juveniles during feeding. The dominant male feeds until sated, followed by other dragons in order of size. While the dominant male is gulping down hindquarters and ribcages, the braver dragons chance foraging a few scraps. Virtually the entire carcass is consumed in the process– head, fur, hooves and bones. After feeding, the Komodos become quiescent and approachable while their digestive tracts are converting the food into fat energy stored in the tail.

Between the months of May and August, mating occurs at and around feeding sites. As males outnumber females in a ratio of nearly four to one, the dominant male must fend off other suitors before mating. Males will engage in slashing, biting and bipedular rearing onto the tail, until the dominant male is acknowledged by displays of subservience and the vanquished flees. The female is forced into a prone position while the male tongue flicks her body, and in particular, the fold between the torso and the rear leg close to the cloaca. With Komodos, the male hemipenes are located here as are the female genetalia. Once prone, the male mounts onto the back of the female and inserts one of the two hemipenes into her cloaca , depending on which side he is perched. The month of September is when a clutch of 15-30 eggs is buried in a nest dug with the powerful claws of the female dragon. A typical nesting site is in the composting vegetative mounds of the maleo birds which are indigenous to Komodo.

The gestation period for the eggs is eight to nine months. Hatchlings, which average 40 centimeters in length and weigh 100 grams, emerge from the nest in April and immediately scramble up the nearest tree to avoid being eaten by the adults. There are plenty of small lizards, insects and mammals in the canopy after the brief rainy season in January and February to sustain the juveniles until they descend to the forest floor roughly a year later. This period of change between an arboreal and a terrestial habitat, when the juveniles are a meter in length, is a time fraught with danger. The juvenile Komodo is just too bulky to safely ascend many trees, and not big enough to outrun a ravenous and determined adult. Cannibalism is a fact of life for this species, and perhaps is an evolutionary response to the harsh, arid climate of Komodo.

Prey species for the dragon on Komodo island include deer, boar, wild buffalo, the maleo bird, snakes, reptiles and small mammals. On Rinca, the monkeys and wild horses found there are also constitute prey, as do the goats raised by the local people. On the odd occasion people are also attacked by the Komodo dragon. There have been eight recorded instances of attacks on humans since Komodo has become a national park, almost all of which occurred on Rinca.

Park Facilities
The Komodo National Park administrative offices are located in Labuanbajo in west Flores. An information center and travel agents where transportation to and from the Park can be arranged are also found in Labuanbajo. The majority of tourists to the Park pass through the Loh Liang ranger station nestled in the sweeping arc of Slawi Bay on Komodo island. This is the largest facility in Komodo National Park with bungalows and rooms, a restaurant and a dormatory for the park rangers. The most popular tourist activity is a hike to the Banugulung viewing area, a two-hour roundtrip level walk that originates from Loh Liang. Hikes to other areas of Komodo are also possible, and vary from one to two days: Gunung Ara, Poreng, Loh Sebita, Gunung Sata libo, Soro Masangga. On longer walks overnight accommodation can be arranged at ranger posts at Loh Sebita and Loh Genggo. For certified divers there is a compressor and diving equipment available for hire at Loh Liang as well as masks and fins for snorkellers. Handicrafts made in the nearby village of Komodo are for sale at the arrival jetty.

The entrance ticket to Komodo National Park costs Rp 20,000 and is valid for three days. It is easily renewable, so a prolonged stay in the park is possible. There are two ranger stations which provide spartan accommodation for tourists: Loh Liang on Komodo and Loh Buaya on Rinca. The charges are minimal and start at Rp 30,000 per room. Be advised that everything is basic, including beds, communal toilets and food availability. Fortunately most travellers are not deterred by the limited facilities, accepting this as a part of the Komodo experience. Advance booking for accommodation are not accepted.

The hiking on Rinca is less strenuous than that on Komodo, and has the added attraction of viewing the wild horses and monkeys which are not found on Komodo. On Rinca wild buffalo are more common and easily seen as well. On the north side of the island, behind Rinca village, is a large cave with a resident bat colony. Rangers at both Loh Liang and Loh Buaya are readily available to lead walks, and are knowledgeable about the local fauna and birdlife.

Introducing Lombok

2009-01-27T18:34:00.000-08:00

Introducing Lombok

Lombok is the most popular destination in Nusa Tenggara, with the fabled Gili Islands drawing visitors for action both in and out of the water, mighty Gunung Rinjani luring trekkers, and the big breaks on the south coast a magnet for surfers. Matram, Lombok's capital, is a good spot for day trips to the surrounding areas, and nearby Senggigi is superbly positioned along a stretch or sweeping bays. In east Lombok, the very scenic Sumbawa offers low key tourism and some good surf breaks.

The island of Lombok shapes up at about 80km from east to west and about the same from north to south, with lush evergreen landscapes and parts which are chronically dry. Droughts, particularly in the south and east, can last for months, causing crop failure and famine – though recent improvements in water management have made life in Lombok less precarious.

Rice is an important crop, though yields are lower here than on neighbouring islands. Tobacco, coconuts, coffee, kapok and cotton are also important crops, while cloves, vanilla, pineapple and pepper have also been introduced.

The indigenous Sasak (around 90% of the population) are Muslims but have a culture and language unique to Lombok. There’s also a significant Hindu Balinese minority – a legacy of the time when Bali controlled Lombok.

Introducing Bali

2009-01-27T18:08:00.000-08:00

Introducing Bali

Bali may be small in size – you can drive around the entire coast in one long day – but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so. Ask travellers what Bali means to them and you’ll get as many answers as there are flowers on a frangipani tree. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerising dance performances and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish.

Small obviously doesn’t mean limited. The manic whirl of Kuta segues into the luxury of Seminyak. The artistic swirl of Ubud is a counterpoint to misty treks amid the volcanoes. Mellow beach towns like Amed, Lovina and Pemuteran can be found right round the coast and just offshore is the laid-back idyll of Nusa Lembongan.

As you stumble upon the exquisite little offerings left all over the island that materialise as if by magic, you’ll see that the tiny tapestry of colours and textures is a metaphor for Bali itself.

And those are just some of the more obvious qualities. A visit to Bali means that you are in the most visitor-friendly island of Indonesia. There are pleasures of the body, whether a massage on the beach or a hedonistic interlude in a sybaritic spa. Shopping that will put ‘extra bag’ at the top of your list. Food and drink ranging from the freshest local cuisine bursting with the flavours of the markets to food from around the globe, often prepared by chefs and served in restaurants that are world class. From a cold Bintang at sunset to an epic night clubbing in Kuta, your social whirl is limited only by your own fortitude.