zaterdag 30 juli 2011
Prambanan temple near of Yogyakarta mid.Java, Indonesia
Prambanan is the largest Hindu Temple in whole Indonesia. It has become one of Indonesia's key tourist attractions and a major landmark in the area.
Leia Mais…
Borobodur, the Lost Temple of Java part 2 of 2
Watch the stories behind one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Borobudur Temple, Java Indonesia
Leia Mais…
Borobodur, The Lost Temple of Java part 1 of 2
Watch the stories behind one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Borobudur temple, lies in Mid Java. Indonesia Leia Mais…
From Bandung to Yogyakarta by train
Some impressions from the train-trip from Bandung to Yogyakarta and some scenes from Malioboro Road in Yogya
Train journey from Jakarta to Bandung
A journey from Gambir to Bandung station, 150km apart. Took 2 hr 50 min to reach destination by Argo Gede express train. Passed by rice field, valley and slums
Leia Mais…
vrijdag 29 juli 2011
donderdag 28 juli 2011
Golek Lambangsari Dance Royal Court Kraton Yogyakarta
Golek Lambangsari Dance was choreographed by KRT Purbaningrat in Royal Court Kraton Yogyakarta Hadiningrat
Performed by PB Tarunaningrat ( classical dance school ) at Bangsal Sri Manganti Royal Court Kraton Yogyakarta, directed & kendhang played by W.Ragamulya, dancer : W.Suryajatmika..
Leia Mais…
Performed by PB Tarunaningrat ( classical dance school ) at Bangsal Sri Manganti Royal Court Kraton Yogyakarta, directed & kendhang played by W.Ragamulya, dancer : W.Suryajatmika..
Legong, Bali Dances
Legong is a form of Balinese dance. It is a refined dance form characterized by intricate finger movements, complicated footwork, and expressive gestures and facial expressions.
Legong probably originated in the 19th century as royal entertainment. Legend has it that a prince of Sukwati fell ill and had a vivid dream in which two maidens danced to gamelan music. When he recovered, he arranged for such dances to be performed in reality. Others believe that the Legong originated with the sanghyang dedari, a ceremony involving voluntary possession of two little girls by beneficent spirits. Legong is also danced at public festivals
Legong Kraton performance in Ubud depicting The king and the princess bid farewell to each other.
Legong dancers are always girls who have not yet reached puberty. They begin rigorous training at about the age of five. These dancers are regarded highly in the society and usually become wives of royal personages or wealthy merchants.
Classical Legong enacts several traditional stories. The most common is the tale of the King of Lasem from the Malat, a collection of heroic romances. He is at war with another king, the father (or brother) of Princess Ranjasari. Lasem wants to marry the girl, but she detests him and tries to run away. Becoming lost in the forest, she is captured by Lasem, who imprisons her and goes out for a final assault against her family. He is attacked by a monstrous raven, which foretells his death.
The dramatics are enacted in elaborate and stylized pantomime. The two little actresses are accompanied by a third dancer called a tjondong or attendant. She sets the scene, presents the dancers with their fans and later plays the part of the raven.
BALI exotic Kecak Cult Monkey Dance Ritual
Kecak (pronounced [ˈketʃaʔ], alternate spellings: Ketjak and Ketjack) is a form of Balinese dance and music drama, and is performed primarily by men, although a few women's kecak groups exist
Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, the piece, performed by a circle of 150 or more performers wearing checked cloth around their waists, percussively chanting "cak" and throwing up their arms, depicts a battle from the Ramayana where the monkey-like Vanara helped Prince Rama fight the evil King Ravana. However, Kecak has roots in sanghyang, a trance-inducing exorcism dance
In its pure form, the ketjak dance is a religious ceremony performed—sometimes for several hours on successive nights, for three to four months—to exorcise evil during times of peril and pestilence. The gamelan orchestra that accompanies most Balinese dance performances is generally absent during a ketjak performance, replaced by the sounds of a male chorus similar to the rhythms of the gamelan. While audiences and photography are not welcome during religious performances of ketjak, recently the "tourist ketjak" has emerged—an abbreviated version of the dance, performed for entertainment.
Barong Ket,Bali
A.A. Anom Putra dances the Balinese lion dance, Barong Ket, with Semara Ratih on gamelan. Pak Anom adheres to an older, more stately, less frenetic style of Barong dance that he learned from an old master in a mountain village
Leia Mais…
Sape dayak dance of Kalimatan
The sape (sampet, sampeh, sapeh) is a traditional lute of many of the Orang Ulu or "upriver people", who live in the longhouses that line the rivers of Central Borneo. Sapes are carved from a single bole of wood, with many modern instruments reaching over a metre in length.
Initially the sape was a fairly limited instrument with two strings and only three frets. Its use was restricted to a form of ritualistic music to induce trance. In the last century, the sape gradually became a social instrument to accompany dances or as a form of entertainment. Today, three, four or five-string instruments are used, with a range of more than three octaves.
Technically, the sape is a relatively simple instrument, with one string carrying the melody and the accompanying strings as rhythmic drones. In practice, the music is quite complex, with many ornamentations and thematic variations. There are two common modes, one for the men's longhouse dance and the other for the woman's longhouse dance. There also is a third rarely used mode. Sape music is usually inspired by dreams and there are over 35 traditional pieces with many variations. The overall repertoire is slowly increasing.
Dani tribe Irian Jaya 1
The Dani were only discovered in the summer of 1938. They did not come in contact with other people on account of the fact that the highlands had 150 miles of virtually unpassable territory and there was no available food for explorers to eat on the way. They were discovered only after the advent of flight.
They are one of the most populous tribes in the highlands, and are found spread out through the highlands. The Dani are one of the most well-known ethnic groups in Papua, due to the small numbers of tourists who visit the Baliem Valley area where they predominate Leia Mais…
Cakalele dance in Ceram,Maluku
Nalahia villages of Nusa-Lau and Waraka of Ceram Cakalele dancing together during Panas Pela in December 2007 in Nalahia
Leia Mais…
Lenso dance Centrale Maluku
Lenso Dance
Lenso dance describes about the happiness of Maluku society especially Central Maluku society.
This dance uses lenso (handkerchiefs) on both hands of the dancers. Lenso is danced by women and used as the greeting dance on traditional ceremonies or formal occasion.
This dance is interesting to see because it is accompanied by Tifa Totobuang music instrument and a dynamic movement.
Leia Mais…
Lenso dance describes about the happiness of Maluku society especially Central Maluku society.
This dance uses lenso (handkerchiefs) on both hands of the dancers. Lenso is danced by women and used as the greeting dance on traditional ceremonies or formal occasion.
This dance is interesting to see because it is accompanied by Tifa Totobuang music instrument and a dynamic movement.
Soya Soya Dance Ternate
Soya-Soya Dance
This dance came from the North Maluku region which at that time was famous with the Ternate sultanate. This dance at first was a kind of a war dance, functioned to rise and to keep the patriotism feeling, but now it is become the greeting dance to entertain and it has been inherited as the traditional culture for a thousand islands or the archipelago
Leia Mais…
This dance came from the North Maluku region which at that time was famous with the Ternate sultanate. This dance at first was a kind of a war dance, functioned to rise and to keep the patriotism feeling, but now it is become the greeting dance to entertain and it has been inherited as the traditional culture for a thousand islands or the archipelago
woensdag 27 juli 2011
Mentawai, Sumatra
The Mentawai Islands are a chain of about seventy islands and islets off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. Siberut (4,030 km²) is the largest of the islands. The other major islands are Sipura, North Pagai (Pagai Utara) and South Pagai (Pagai Selatan). The islands lie approximately 150 km off the Sumatran coast, across the Mentawai Strait. The indigenous inhabitants of the islands are known as the Mentawai people
Leia Mais…
Rayuan Pulau Kelapa
Tanah airku Indonesia
Negeri elok amat kucinta
Tanah tumpah darahku yang mulia
Yang kupuja sepanjang masa
Negeri elok amat kucinta
Tanah tumpah darahku yang mulia
Yang kupuja sepanjang masa
Tanah airku aman dan makmur
Pulau kelapa yang amat subur
Pulau melati pujaan bangsa
Sejak dulu kala
Pulau kelapa yang amat subur
Pulau melati pujaan bangsa
Sejak dulu kala
Reff:
Melambai lambai
Nyiur di pantai
Berbisik bisik
Raja Kelana
Nyiur di pantai
Berbisik bisik
Raja Kelana
Rayuan Pulau Kelapa (Solace On Coconut Island) is an Indonesian song written by Ismail Marzuki (1914-1958), who wrote a number of popular tunes in the country's early post-independence period. The lyrics praise Indonesia's natural beauty, such as its flora, islands and beaches, and profess undying love for the country.
The song is a nostalgic favourite among Indonesian expatriates, particularly those who left the country for the Netherlands in the 1940s and 1950s, after independence. In the pre-democracy era under President Suharto, the national TVRI television network plays the song as its closedown tune every evening Leia Mais…
Traditional music Bengawan Solo
Solo River
The mighty river Solo, your legend this,
From ages past, you captivated the goddess Sari,
In seasons dry, your water is low,
In rainy seasons, the water overflows into the horizon.
Chorus:
The spring of Solo
Locked in thousands of mountains.
Its water flows intot he distance,
At last to the sea.
That boat, legend of the past,
of traders, always going
by that boat.
Leia Mais…
dinsdag 26 juli 2011
Saint Loco - Time To Rock 'n Roll
New Single from Saint Loco.
Year: 2011.
Song: Time To Rock 'n Roll.
Language: Indonesian / English.
Record label: Nagaswara.
Genre: Rock / Rap.
Hitz - YES3x (Yes Yes Yes)
HITZ a brandnew boy band from Indonesia their first single YES 3x.
(Members: from left to right Irwan Chandra, Lee Jeong Hoon, Ferdinand Kartiko)
Year: 2011.
Record label: Nagaswara.
Language: Indonesian / Korean.
Genre: Pop / Dance.
Lirik / Lyric.
2011 (Korean: I cheon ship il nyeon)This is HiTZ
Here we Go!!!
Yes2x…..
Yes……
Yes6x…..
Verse 1:
Dari pertama kujumpa jumpa dirimu
hatiku sudah tak tahan lihat cantik dan senyummu (Yeah….)
Dari pertama kutatap tatap matamu
kau buat ku terpaku terpesona lihat dirimu (Ye.. Yeah…)
Pre Chorus:
Apa kamu rasa apa yang ku rasa tolong jawab aku (Huu…uuu..uu)
(Korean: Daedabeul hae jwo)
Apa kamu juga punya rasa yang sama tolong jawab aku…
Chorus:
If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
Ow~ If you love me say yes…. If you love me say yes…..
Verse 2 (Korean):
neoreul cheoeum bonsunganbuteo naema-eum-eun…
neoui mimowa misoleul gamdanghalsu eobs-eo~~
neoui nun-eul balaboneun geu sungan-eneun
nareul michige pajyeodeulge mandeul-eoss-eo
(That’s Right…..)
Pre Chorus:
Oww~~ Apa kamu rasa apa yang kurasa tolong jawab aku (Huu…uuu..uu)
Apa kamu juga punya rasa yang sama ow~~ tolong jawab aku…..
Chorus:
If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say yes…. If you love me say yes…..
(yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
Ow~~ If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say yes…. If you love me say yes…..
Rap & Bridge:
Yes girl you’d better say yes and never say no
Jelita kini pandang mata saat ku bicara
Hati ini miliki satu rasa
Aku kamu tahu bisa jadi satu dengan cinta
Isi indahnya hari bersama aku kamu bernyanyi melodi di hati
It’s the L . O . V . E . (2x)
Baby you and me now if you love me yes girl
You’d better say yes (Korean: Naegeruo wa)
Chorus:
If you love me say yes… yes… yes…
If you love me say yes… yes… yes…
If you love me say yes… yes….
Ow~ if you love me say yes… yes…
If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
Ow~ If you love me say yes…. If you love me say yes…..
(yes5x)
Ow~I f you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
Hey if you wanna say yes…. If you love me say yes…..
(yes5x)
(Huu..uu uu…) If you love me say (yes5x)
If you love me say (yes5x)
Ow~ If you love me say yes…. If you love me say yes…..
Yes..
Yes..
-------------------------------------------------------------------
~-dowmload-~
Kebaja
History of the Kebaya
There is much speculation as to where the kebaya could have originated from. There are some who say that the kebaya originated in the Middle East, while others argue that it may have come from nearby China. Derived from the Arabic word kaba meaning “clothing” and introduced to Indonesia via the Portuguese language, the term kebaya has come to refer to a garment whose origins appear to be a blouse. It was first worn in Indonesia at some time during the 15th and 16th centuries. This garment is similar to what is described as a “long, fitted, flared kebaya known as kebaya panjang6, worn in the 16th century by Portuguese women arriving on the south-western coast of Malaysia, situated across the Malacca Straits from Sumatra, in northwestern Indonesia.
Many sources also cite Chinese influences on clothing of the time, one source comparing the kebaya to an open-fronted long-sleeved tunic worn by women of the Ming Dynasty. The introduction of this kind of dress were accredited to two major occurrences of this time; the emerging influence of Islam and the arrival of the Europeans to the archipelago. Whether it was Arabia or China that brought us the wonderful kebaya, there is no denying how quick the use of this garment was made uniquely Indonesian and spread from one island and ethnic group to another which its own regional variations. This quick diffusion of the use of the kebaya was also linked to the spice trade that was happening during this time in history.
Origins of the Kebaya
After Dutch colonization, the kebaya took on a new role as the formal dress for the European women in the country. During this time, the kebaya was made mostly from mori fabric. Modifications made to this traditional costume later introduced the use of silk and embroidery to add design and color. The most dominant form of kebaya worn on the islands of Java and Bali today, can be visibly traced to the kebaya worn in Java and Sunda from the late 19th - early 20th century onwards.
Many of the easily recognizable features of today’s kebaya – a tight fitting blouse that enhances the torso of the woman; the fold-back collarless neck and front opening; long sleeves; and the type of semi-transparent fabric – are evident in the kebaya of the past century. Traditional kebaya required the torso of the women to be wrapped with a long piece of cloth called a stagen. Women of higher social status would have help in wrapping their torso with the stagen however women who were not so fortunate to have help could dress themselves by tying the end of the stagen to a post and literally wrapping themselves into it.
The semi-transparent kebaya blouse was then worn overtop of the stagen. This blouse was fastened with a brooch rather than buttons and buttonholes. It was customary to combine the kebaya with kain – a length of unstitched cloth worn on the lower part of the body, often (and incorrectly) referred to in the English language as sarong. This kain was wrapped around the body with the pleats being placed at the front of the body. Traditinally this kain was dipped in a cornstach solution and then carefully folded by hand into pleats and pressed to produced the crisp look that was desired.
Indigenous Dress in the Making of a Nation
Considering the enormous historical – political and social – shifts that have occurred in Indonesia during the last century, the form of the kebaya, has remained relatively unchanged. Its function and meaning however, in contrast to its form, has seen major changes in colonial and post-colonial Indonesia, operating to meet different groups’ political agendas, social needs and aspirations. The kebaya has come to symbolize the emancipation of women in Indonesia through a representation linking the kebaya to the 19th century “proto-feminist” figure of Raden A. Kartini.
During the 19th century, and prior to the Nationalist movement of the early 20th century, the kebaya had enjoyed a period of being worn by Indonesian, Eurasian, and European women alike, with slight style variations. During this time distinguishing class and status was important and produced variants of the basic costume. The kebaya of Javanese royalty were constructed of silk, velvet and brocade; Javanese women belonging to the commoner class wore figured cottons; the kebaya worn by Eurasian women was of white cotton trimmed with handmade European lace during the day, and of black silk in the evening; while the Dutch women preferred a shorter white kebaya. It was even possible for Dutch women planning to travel to the Dutch East Indies to purchase their kebaya in the Netherlands prior to leaving.
Bali’s Kebaya
In Bali, the kebaya has a much more recent history. The Dutch, whose occupation of Bali began as late as 1849 in the north of the island, and whose direct rule did not begin until 1882, are believed to have enforced the wearing of the kebaya. At the time Balinese women’s breasts were uncovered, except for formal and ceremonial occasions, during which a sabuk might be wound tightly around the upper torso, covering the breasts but leaving the shoulders and arms exposed. The women of Buleleng, the regency of northern Bali, therefore would have been some of the first to adopt the kebaya.
Other sources however, do not locate the kebaya being in use until the early 1920s by which time it was in full use in other areas of Indonesia. It is via the royalty and the palaces that the kebaya appears to have been disseminated out into the community. New dress codes adopted by members of the royalty returning to Bali from Java were passed down through the caste system. Yet despite the fact that clothing is often used to separate class, there seems to be no evidence of the time to indicate that there were any rules delineating styles of kebaya according to caste. Differences in kebaya cloth were more likely to be an outcome of differences in wealth.
Emerging as National Dress
By the 1920s however, and with the full emergence of the nationalist struggle in Indonesia, European women stopped wearing the kebaya because it was identified with typical Indonesian attire. For the European colonizers the Kebaya had become associated with Indonesian nationalism.
During the period of the Japanese occupation of Indonesia (1942-1945), educated Indonesian women prisoners-of-war chose to wear kain-kebaya rather than the western dress allocated to them as prison dress. A different set of political conditions produced a reversal of meaning. In this situation the women employed a cultural code (of traditional dress) to assert their political position, differentiating themselves from their European women that were also prisoners-of-war.
During the Proclamation of Independence by President Sukarno on August 17, 1945, the only woman in attendance, Ibu Trimutri was wearing kain kebaya. This image helped transform the kebaya from mere traditional dress, elevating it to the status of national dress for Indonesia women.
From the Palace to the Street - Popular and Traditional Images
While the kebaya is worn by a wide range of women from the former President Megawati to the jamu street vendor, the kebaya could never be claimed to operate as a social leveller. Women who sell jamu (traditional herbal medicine), from young to old, and right across the islands of Java and Bali are wearing kebaya. Today, in Indonesia the image of a woman wearing kebaya sells a variety of products from traditional herbs to Betadine to fried chicken. As an icon the women in her traditional clothing - kebaya - sells tradition and all the purity and goodness belonging to Indonesian cultural traditions. Perhaps she also evokes an element of nostalgia for urban consumers. Traditional as a way of life, is often less about the differences between rural and urban settings, than about socio-economic and class distinctions. For women 50 years and older, whose occupations and way of life come to distinguish them as traditional, traditional clothing of kain-kebaya is their choice of daily dress. These women, the majority of whom belong to the lower socio-economic group, often work in traditional settings such as markets, are employed as house servants or work in the agricultural sector.
Today’s Kebaya
If we try to define what a kebaya is, it may prove to be difficult as it is constantly changing to reflect the changing times and fashions that Indonesia is experiencing. Nonetheless, it is possible to make some generalizations about the kebaya. Most Kebaya are made from a lace brocade. Most kebaya fabric uses a floral motif either printed or woven into the textile and its length can fall somewhere from above the waist to below the knee. It usually, but not always, has long sleeves. It is usually fastened at the front, and if not, then gives a semblance of doing so. Some variations of the kebaya will use a batik sash, which is coordinated with the kain, draped over the shoulder as an added accessory.
Although women in the market can be seen wearing kebaya, we can also see exquisite variations of them in government gatherings and parties and high society social functions. The beauty of this national dress is undeniable. Some of the most influential women in Indonesia are married in kebaya that can be described as “works of art” with their hand embroidered detailing and beading. Designers such as Ami Amianto have helped to promote the kebaya not only as a important part of Indonesian clothing history but as a very beautiful item of clothing that Indonesian women are proud to wear.
So the next time you see a women wearing a kebaya you will understand that she is not just wearing a functional piece of clothing but she is also wearing a symbol of Indoneia’s cultural history which represents national symbolism and high fashion too!
Sarong
Sarong
In strict usage, sarong (Malay, "sheath") denotes the lower garment worn by the Malay (and other Maritime Southeast Asian) people, both men and women. This consists of length of fabric about a yard wide and two-and-a-half yards long. In the center of this sheet, across the narrower width, a panel of contrasting color or pattern about one foot wide is woven or dyed into the fabric, which is known as the kepala or "head" of the sarong. This sheet is stitched at the narrower edges to form a tube. One steps into this tube, brings the upper edge above the level of the navel (the hem should be level with the ankles), positions the kepala at the center of the back, and folds in the excess fabric from both sides to the front center, where they overlap and secures the sarong by rolling the upper hem down over itself. Malay men wear sarongs woven in a check pattern; women wear sarongs dyed in the batik method, with, for example, flower motifs, and in brighter colors.
The sarong is common wear for women, in formal settings with a kebaya blouse. Malay men wear sarongs in public only when attending Friday prayers at the mosque, but sarongs remain very common casual wear at home for men and women of all races and religions in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Northeast Part of India, in which Sarong is known as Phanek in Manipuri and most parts of Southern India where it is called mundu or lungi in Myanmar. Leia Mais…
Kelindan Sumbay Dance South Sumatra
Origin: Palembang
Province: South Sumatra
Description:
Dance from southern Sumatra is accompanied by a game of musical instruments like fiddle, drums, a kind bonang. Played by a group of dancers. Hand movements in rhythm with the music, in this case the drums and fiddle, is the dominant movement in this dance. beautiful and harmonious formation of the dancers, adding to the beauty of the dance. The combination of delicate hand movements, but sometimes pounding as well as the formation of the dancers is an attraction of the Dance Kelindan Sumbay Leia Mais…
Komodo Islands
Komodo and Rinca
Komodo and Rinca are hilly and desolate yet beautiful islands, sandwiched between Flores and Sumbawa, that are home to gargantuan reptiles – the legendary Komodo dragon. The world’s largest lizard, known locally as ora, it can reach over 3m in length, weigh up to 100kg and feed on animals as large as deer and buffalo.
These isolated islands are surrounded by some of the most tempestuous waters in Indonesia, fraught with riptides and whirlpools. From the sea they look a far more fitting habitat for monstrous reptiles than for the few hundred fishermen and their families who eke out a living in these parched lands.
Rinca receives just as many visitors as Komodo because it’s nearest to the port of Labuanbajo in Flores – the main jumping-off point for trips to the Komodo National Park. A steady stream of visitors make their way here these days, but to understand how far off the beaten track it used to be, read Zoo Quest for a Dragon by naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough, who filmed the dragons in 1956. Dragons also inhabit Pulau Padar and coastal areas of northwestern Flores.
Though there are hiking trails, it’s not permitted to walk them without a guide as dragons have very occasionally attacked (and killed) humans – two villagers have died in the last twenty years. Dragons are a docile bunch for the most part, but they could snap your leg as fast as they’ll cut a goat’s throat.
You’re pretty much guaranteed to see dragons whichever island you visit, as they have an extremely keen sense of smell and there’s usually one or two sniffing around the kitchens at the visitor camps.
Leia Mais…
Maluku,Irian and Nusa Tenggara
Maluku
Formerly known as ‘the Moluccas’, these petite little morsels of paradise are a dream-come-true for seekers of superb snorkelling and picture-perfect white-sand beaches. Protected from mass tourism by distance and a (now outdated) reputation for civil unrest, this is one corner of the world where dreamy desert islands remain remarkably hospitable and inexpensive. In Maluku everything still moves delightfully slowly, except perhaps the lilting sound of Poco Poco, the home-grown answer to line dancing. With rustic but acceptable facilities and not another tourist for miles, this is somewhere to wind down a few gears, to learn Bahasa Indonesia and to revel in a tropical discovery that seems almost too good to be true. Maluku also offers a thrill for history buffs. The Moluccas were the original ‘Spice Islands’. Indian, Chinese, Arab and, later, European adventurers all came here in search of cloves and nutmeg. Until the 16th century such spices were worth their weight in gold and grew nowhere else. Thus in Maluku money literally ‘grew on trees’. Today it’s incredible to reflect that the search for this wealth began the whole process of European colonialism.
Maluku is remote and timetables aren’t always convenient. Nonetheless, with regular flights into the region, and some flexibility and planning once here, it’s possible to snorkel thebrilliant Bandas, explore the beach strewn Kei Islands, survey North Maluku’s mesmerising volcano-islands and explore ruined Dutch fortresses
Irian
Papua’s mystique piques the imagination of the explorer, naturalist, anthropologist, politician and traveller in you. What about Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya) would not intrigue? The diversity in lifestyle and culture of the indigenous people, who speak more than 250 languages, is matched only by Papua’s biodiversity and geography. The terrain covering half of New Guinea, the planet’s second-largest island, ranges from the misty peak of Puncak Jaya (5050m) – which features permanent snowfields and small glaciers – to the steamy island groups of Biak and Raja Ampat, just shy of the equator. Endemic wildlife gracing this vast expanse of jungle, mountain, swamp and sea include such weird and wonderful creatures as cassowaries, dugongs, showy cenderawasih (birds of paradise), egg-laying echidnas and tree-dwelling monitor lizards.
Though much of the region is covered by impenetrable jungle, most inhabitants live in and around coastal towns. Almost all visitors head to the Baliem Valley, home to some of the most remarkable traditional cultures on earth, while others are drawn to the art of the Asmat region, or the bird life and coral reefs of the northern coast and islands.
With its limited infrastructure, administrative sloth, political strife that continually keeps hot spots off-limits to foreigners, and an equatorial clime that puts siesta time in effect between 1pm and 5pm, Papua poses a few travel challenges. To those willing to accept, the rewards flow with a generosity as life-sustaining as Papua’s brown tributaries ribboning through its thick, enigmatic jungle canopy
Nusa Tenggara
Lombok and Sumbawa are the two largest islands in West Nusa Tenggara. Mataram, on Lombok, is the capital of the province. Scenery and surf are the best of what Sumbawa has to offer. Sumbawa’s rugged, scenic landscape is only enjoyed by the most hard core trekkers while surfers find their bliss at the surf camps in Sekongkang and Hu’u.
Lombok and Sumbawa are the two largest islands in West Nusa Tenggara. Mataram, on Lombok, is the capital of the province. Scenery and surf are the best of what Sumbawa has to offer. Sumbawa’s rugged, scenic landscape is only enjoyed by the most hard core trekkers while surfers find their bliss at the surf camps in Sekongkang and Hu’u.
Of the roughly 550 islands in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, Flores, Sumba, Komodo, Rinca, and West Timor have the bulk of the population and receive the lion’s share of visitors.
Flores is a jewel of vibrantly beautiful scenery, culture, ample diving, snorkeling, and white sand beaches. The three colored lakes nestled in the crater at the summit of Kelimutu volcano are easily the highlight of Flores. Now days the three lakes colors are turquoise, green, and brown, but the colors have changed over the years due to minerals from the volcano dissolving into the water.
Sumba is the place to go to experience a tribal culture that is unmatched anywhere else in Nusa Tenggara. There are many traditional villages with traditional high roofed houses, beautifully carved megalithic stone tombs, and the finest Ikat weavings to be found anywhere. February and March bring the Pasola - horsemen armed with spears charging each other in a contest to spill human blood, thus ensuring a good harvest.
Komodo and Rinca are part of the World Heritage site, Komodo National Park – home the 100kg, three meter long, Komodo dragon. Known as Ora by the locals, the Komodo dragon was once a legend in the West until explorers confirmed their existence just over 100 years ago.
Having no natural predators puts these giant lizards at the top of the food chain. They regularly dine on creatures such as water buffalo and wild pig.
West Timor shares its island with the independent nation of East Timor. The city of Kupang is the capital of East Nusa Tenggara, the center of business, and the busiest air hub in Nusa Tenggara, providing connections throughout Indonesia. West Timor has good trekking, snorkeling, and beach options, as well as traditional villages that readily welcome visitors. Lacking a well developed tourism infrastructure, it’s best suited to independent travelers who are used to making their own way.
Sulawesi
Sulawesi
some serious tectonic action in this region to produce an island so bizarre. But bizarre is beautiful and in its contortions are its character, with an incredible diversity of people, cultures and landscapes spread across its length and breadth. Great seafarers like the Minahasans and the Bugis helped to shape modern Indonesia as they took to the seas in trade and conflict, but it is the land-locked cultures of the island that are most mysterious. Tana The first thing everyone notices about Sulawesi is its strange shape. There must have been Toraja is spellbinding, home to a proud people hemmed in by magnificent mountains on all sides. The scenery of volcanoes and rice fields is stunning. However, the Toraja’s elaborate death rituals are something else. Cave graves, tau tau (carved wooden effigies of the dead), a buffalo cult, houses shaped like boats and the dead treated like the living – a visit here is out of this world. Known to the Portuguese as the Celebes, the island’s most popular overland route is Makas-sar–Tana Toraja–Danau Poso–Togean Islands–Manado–Bunaken, and there are also plenty of rewarding side trips to be made throughout the region. Sulawesi is full of natural attractions. The leading national parks see few visitors and include such diverse draws as ancient megaliths in Lore Lindu and bug-eyed tarsiers in Tangkoko. However, it is the waters of Sulawesi that harbour its real treasures. Just offshore is some of the best diving and snorkelling in Indonesia, if not the world. Pulau Bunaken and the Lembeh Strait take top billing, but for those prepared to venture off the trail, there are the beautiful beaches of the laid-back Togean Islands in Central Sulawesi and the incredible Wakatobi Marine National Park in the far southeast. Leia Mais…
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