Belitung Island



Belitung is an Island in South East Asia, a part of Nation archipelago. Belitung is ruled by Indonesia since 1950 and became a district of South Sumatra province. On November 21st, 2000, Belitung and Bangka Island has been approved to become the 31st province of Indonesia separated from South Sumatra. This new province is called ‘Kepulauan Bangka Belitung’ province.



The length of the diameter from East to West is about 79 km and North to South about 77 km. The total land is 480.060 hectares with 189 small islands surround Belitung. Some of them are quite big with a couple of villages. They are Mendanau Island, Seliu Island, Nadu Island and Batu Dinding Island.



The capital of Belitung is Tanjungpandan, which stay at North West of this Island. The other large towns are Manggar, Gantung, Kelapa Kampit and Sijuk.



If seen from its tourism sector, Belitung is an island with beautiful beaches, the unique landscape with its purely white sand, and the crystal clear seawater.





Belitung is also popular with its granite boulder white stones beach in Tanjung Tinggi, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Binga dan Lengkuas Island. This beautiful nature is also accompanied by hundreds of small islands, which add the beautiful tourism area in Belitung Island. Belitung Island is one of the best and unique beaches own in Indonesia.

Asmat Woodcarving



Asmat is probably the most well known tribe in Papua (formerly called Irian Jaya). They become famous not only through their head-hunting practices in the past, but also because of their unique ideas and wonderful designs in woodcarving.



The name most probably comes from the Asmat words As Akat, which according to Asmat people means “the right man”. Moreover, it’s also said that Asmat comes from the word Osamat that means “man from tree”. The Asmat’s neighbors to the west, the Mimika, however, claim the name is derived from their word for the tribe- “manue”, meaning “man eater”.



Natives of the region are divided into two main groups; those living along the coasts, and those in the interior. They differ in dialect, way of life, social structure, and ceremonies. The coastal rivers are further divided into two groups, the Bisman people between the Sinesty and Nin Rivers, and the Simai people.



Around 70,000 Asmat, the area’s largest tribe, are scattered in 100 villages in a territory of roughly 27,000 square km live in a huge tidal swamp land. The tribe was untouched by civilization until recent times. Dutch outpost, missionary settlements, and foreign expeditions finally made in road on this isolated culture during the 1950 and 60’s.



Formerly, the families of the entire tribe resided together in houses up to 28 meters long called yeus. Yeus still used, but not only by men, as clubhouse where bachelors sleep. Upriver Asmat still live in longhouses, some even construct houses in treetops. The Asmat live on sago, their staple, as well as mussels, snails, and fat insect larvae collected from decaying stumps of sago palms. These last are eaten to the accompaniment of throbbing drums and ritual dances; larvae feast can sometimes last up to two weeks. The Asmat also gather forest products such as rattan, catch fish and shrimp in large hoop nets.

Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park



Bukit Barisan Selatan (BBS) National Park is the third largest protected area (3,568 km2) in Sumatra. The park is the main watershed for southwestern Sumatra, providing water and ecological services to local communities.



Its elongated shape makes it difficult to protect, because the ratio of boundary-to-interior is so high. The eastern boundary tends to follow the watershed, while the western boundary is located close to the foot of the mountains, and, in some areas, follows the coastline. A series of protected forest areas were created to form a buffer zone on the eastern side of the Park, but all of these have swallowed up by human encroachment.



Bukit Barisan Selatan is one of the highest priority areas for Sumatran megafauna, and in particular, for the Sumatran rhino, the Sumatran tiger, and the Sumatran elephant. It is home to the second largest population of Sumatran rhinos (Dicerorhinos sumatrensis sumatrensis), estimated between 60 and 85 animals. Sumatran rhinos have declined at a rate of 50% over the past 10 years, largely from deforestation and habitat fragmentation. There are now about 250 surviving, most on the island of Sumatra, with a remnant population on the island of Borneo.



Bukit Barisan’s elephant population was estimated to be about 500 a few years ago – now comprising about one-fourth of Sumatra’s elephant population. However, because of the Park’s configuration and associated difficulties in protection, combined with a paucity of substantial tracts of lowland forest and burgeoning encroachment into the Park for agriculture, human-elephant conflict is high. Crop raiding remains a threat – and killing of crop-raiding elephants, using guns or poison, is still occurring. Nevertheless, elephants are still common in
most of BBS and their spoor can be seen in many places.



Other species also are present in significant numbers in Bukit Barisan Selatan (including the clouded leopard, tapir, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, siamang, gibbon, and Sumatran hare) and also are at risk. Deer and pig are the main prey of Sumatran tigers, and also attract hunters. Poaching of wildlife is increasing, both from “traditional” hunters using snares and other older methods, as well as from “sportsmen”, using firearms. Firearms are widely available in the area, and sometimes are provided by the army or police. With subtle support from these groups, poachers are becoming more aggressive.

Gamelan Orchestra



Gamelan is a term for various types of orchestra played in Indonesia. It is the main element of the Indonesian traditional music. Each gamelan is slightly different from the other; however, they all have the same organization, which based on different instrumental groups with specific orchestral functions.



The instruments in a gamelan are composed of sets of tuned bronze gongs, gong-chimes, metallophones, drums, one or more flute, bowed and plucked string instruments, and sometimes singers. In some village gamelan, bronze is sometimes replaced by iron, wood, or bamboo. The most popular gamelan can be found in Java, and Bali.



In Indonesian traditional thinking, the gamelan is sacred and is believed to have supernatural power. Both musician and non-musicians are humble and respectful to the gamelan. Incense and flowers are often offered to the gamelan. It is believed that each instrument in the gamelan is guided by spirits. Thus, the musician have to take off their shoes when they play the gamelan. It is also forbidden to step over any instrument in a gamelan, because it might offend the spirit by doing so.



Some gamelan are believed to have so much powers that playing them may exert power over nature. Others may be touched only by persons who are ritually qualified. In Javanese gamelan, the most important instrument is the Gong Ageng. The Javanese musicians believe that Gong Ageng is the main spirit of the entire gamelan.



Gamelan is a way of linking individuals in social groups. Gamelan music is performed as a group effort, and so there is no place for an individual showoff. Traditionally, gamelan is only played at certain occasions such as ritual ceremonies, special community celebrations, shadow puppet shows, and for the royal family. Gamelan is also used to accompany dances in court, temple, and village rituals. Besides providing music for social functional ceremonies, gamelan also provides a livelihood for many professional musicians, and for specialized craftsmen who manufacture gamelan.

Gili Trawangan



Gili Trawangan, the most popular among the three Gili’s. Just kick back and enjoy the sun, nightly beach parties and sea. The main stripe is full of accommodations, restaurants, and dive shops. If you are seeking a quieter place to stay there are bungalows in the north.



This Island is also known as "Party Island", where mostly young European find themselves "Lost In Paradise". If you come during the Peak Season (July-August, December-January), most places are full and prices are doubled. An advanced reservation is a must.



With spectacular sunrises over Lombok's Mount Rinjani volcano and breathtaking sunsets that illuminate Bali's towering Mount Agung volcano, together with warm hospitality of the Gili Trawangan residents, it's not surprising that most visitors end up staying longer than originally plan. Most of the accommodation centrally located on south east of Gili Trawangan. A few new establishments of bungalows with a better facilities are now available.



Places in the front (beach line) are more expensive. The upmarket accommodation is no longer dominated by Villa Ombak and Villa Almarik. There are many new quality boutique resorts are now available (see places to stay, updated recently). Gili Trawangan is more developed than other Gilis for the last few years. There are also a few places to stay around the north and south west coast in more quiet atmosphere.

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Nias Culture



Situated 125 km off Sumatra mainland, lies Nias island which famous of its' megalith altars, spectacular traditional architecture, and complex religious sites. This isolate island posses rolling mountainous terrain, ravines, gorges and rivers. The northern part of this island is sparsely populated.



The local call their land as Tano Niha or "land of the People", while the people call them selves as Ono Noha. Ethnically the Niasers are involved in to the Ptoto-Malay ethnic who once ever get with the Asian Proto-mongoloid world. Niasers speak a kind of language related to Malagasy. Because of the similarity in languages, custom, body size of the Niasers with the Bataks on Sumatera mainland, it is possible that the Niasers have derived from the Bataks.



According to their customary law, there are 3 classes of Niasers, namely aristocrats, common people and slaves. The number of salves possessed, representing the social status of a family. Peoples used to be scarified for some certain purposes. A young man should in service for the family of his would-be wife for certain length of time before the marriage.



War like dance in southern Nias is the only dance in Indonesia performing high skill of acrobatic jumps. The warrior dance is a frightening dance song with a hypnotizing sound of rattling shields, men shouting, jump frog like in to the air. Niasers also perform mock fights and armed combat. They get horned helmet, flaring shoulder plates, face's mask with protruding boar tusk, double edged sword, sharp spears, in order to struck their enemy physiologically.



One of Nias culture that still exists is the Stone jumping, or locally called fahombe. Fahombe performed in the meaning of proving the readiness of man taking wife. The man should jump over a two meters high of stone board. In the past the top of the stone board is covered with spikes and sharp pointed bamboo. Tactically, this stone jumping also mean to train young warrior to clear the wall of their enemy with a torch in one hand a sword in the other hand at night. Stone jumping still take place on South Nias villages.

Mount Krakatoa



Actually the Krakatoa / Krakatau belongs to Bandar Lampung, a province of Sumatra. But the Krakatoa is most easy to reach from Java and is part of Ujung Kulon national park in the south west of Java so Krakatoa is implemented in Java section.



Krakatoa is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes that located in the strait between Sumatra and Java. With devastating effects this volcano erupted just over a century ago in 1883, bringing its fine ashes with the wind streams as far away as over New York City, whereas the eruption's tidal waves reached the American West Coast. At that very instant, Krakatoa vanished as if devoured by the sea, causing formidable tidal waves which in turn swept off just about everything alive from the surrounding coastal areas.



However, the disappearance of the gigantic Krakatoa also meant the birth of small islands in its place, one of which is called "Anak Krakatau" or Krakatoa's Child, which is at present an extremely active young volcano. From both West Java's, West Coast, and from Sumatra's Lampung Province, this young and very active volcano is clearly visible. A boat trip to this place may be worth making



A unique location is in the middle of Sunda strait. It's a little volcano pierce from the ocean. Krakatoa could be reached from Anyer or Carita beach. Approximately 2 hours cruising on a speedboat and 3 and half hour on a slow diesel boat.



There are three islands surrounding Anak Krakatau. All of these islands seem to be parts of big Krakatoa before the big eruption in 1883. That's why there are a few lagoons caused by the eruption. These lagoons were a home for Giant Trivially, Red Snapper, Grouper and many others reef fishes. Besides fishing, the visitors are also can enjoy the scenes of Mount Krakatoa that also amazing.

Uluwatu Temple



Pura Uluwatu (temple of the stone head) or Pura Luhur Uluwatu temple is located in the edge of stone cliff in southern part of Bali. This ancient temple is dedicated to the spirits of the sea. Built in the eleventh century during the era of Empu Kuturan, the temple became a classic expression of ancient Bali in a spectacular setting, high above the crashing waves.



Here you can witness an impressive picturesque view especially on the sunset time. The three courtyards are surrounded by hard weathered white coral. The guardian gate in the middle courtyard has similar appearance of East Javanese temple architecture.



The sacred resident monkeys are smart enough to steel your belonging even from your pocket, so beware.



Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of Bali’s kahyangan jagat (directional temples), believed as a South West Balinese guardian from evil spirits, a dwelling place for a deity called Bhatara Rudra, God of the elements and cosmic force majeures.