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Bali Island

2008-05-28T23:58:00.000-07:00

Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. Bali offers not just various customs but also various "adrenalin pump" parks. Many exciting amusements are available in Bali, with something new opening all the time. The number of offshore and inland attraction are on the rise because many tourists want them. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. After white water rafting that has gained popularity in Bali, comes offshore rafting or ocean rafting. The more adventurous sort of amusement has now become an alternative sport for tourists. Meanwhile white water rafting is still a popular activity with trips on Ayung, Telaga Waja, Unda Rivers, etc. The tourists can refresh their mind by watching beautiful scenery along the route. Those are not enough, some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.

Bali is small island, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.

The culture of Bali is unique. People say that the Balinese people have reached self-content. The Balinese people are proud of having preserved their unique Hindu culture against the advance of Islam, the dominant religion throughout Indonesia. This is still reflected in days to day life and can be seen in the numerous ceremonies, Balinese festivals and magnificent temples and palaces. The Balinese are skilled artisans, particularly in woodcarving and in fashioning objects of tortoiseshell and of gold, silver and other metals. The Balinese are noted for their traditional dance, the distinctive music of the gamelan and for their skills in weaving cloth of gold and silver threads, Songket, as well as for embroidering silk and cotton clothing. Stone and woodcarvings, traditional and modern paintings and intricately designed jewelry in gold and silver are readily available in shops and galleries throughout the island.

As for recreation, there is no shortage of options. Nature walks, horseback riding, diving, surfing - even bungy jumping and white water rafting - await the adventurous here.

Geographically
Bali is volcanically active and extravagantly fertile. Bali has an area of 5620 sq km, measures approximately 140 km by 80 km and is just 8 degrees south of the equator. Mount Agung known as the 'mother mountain' is over 3000 meters. South and north of the central mountains are Bali's fertile agricultural lands. The southern region is a wide, gently sloping area where most of Bali's abundant rice crop is grown. The south-central area is the true rice basket of the Island. The northern coastal strip is narrower, rising more rapidly into the foothills of the central range, but the main export crops, coffee, copra and rice, are grown here. Cattle are also raised in this area.

Climate
Bali has a climate that is tropical all year. The average temperature hovers around 30 degrees Celsius year-round. There are dry and wet seasons -dry from April to September and wet from October to March- but it can rain at any time of year and even during the wet season rain is likely to pass quickly. In general May to August are the best months in Bali. At that time of year the climate is likely to be cooler and the rains lightest. Around the coast, sea breezes temper the heat and as we move inland we also move up so the altitude works to keep things cool. It can get very cool up in the highlands and a warm sweater can be a good idea in mountain villages like Kintamani or Bedugul.

Population
With 2.5 million people, Bali is a very densely populated island. The population is almost all Indonesian, with the usual small Chinese contingent in the big towns, a sprinkling of Indian merchants, plus a number of more or less permanent visitors amongst the Westerners in Bali.

Culture
Each stage of Balinese life is marked by a series of ceremonies and rituals known as Manusa Yadnya. They contribute to the rich, varied and active life the average Balinese leads. There are ceremonies for every stage of Balinese life but often the last cremation ceremony is the biggest. A Balinese cremation can be an amazing, spectacular, colorful, noisy and exciting event. In fact it often takes so long to organize a cremation that years have passed since the death. During that time the body is temporarily buried. Of course an auspicious day must be chosen for the cremation and since a big cremation can be very expensive business many less wealthy people may take the opportunity of joining in at a larger cremation and sending their own dead on their way at the same time. Brahmans, however, must be cremated immediately. Apart from being yet another occasion for Balinese noise and confusion it's a fine opportunity to observe the incredible energy the Balinese put into creating real works of art which are totally ephemeral. There are a lot more than a body gets burnt at the cremation. The body is carried from the burial ground (or from the deceased's home if it's an 'immediate' cremation) to the cremation ground in a high, multi-tiered tower made of bamboo, paper, string, tinsel, silk, cloth, mirrors, flowers and anything else bright and colorful we can think of. The tower is carried on the shoulders of a group of men, the size of the group depending on the importance of the deceased and hence the size of the tower. The funeral of a former rajah high priest may require hundreds of men to tote the tower.

YOGYAKARTA - JOGJAKARTA

2008-05-28T23:46:00.001-07:00

Yogyakarta Special Region (Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, DIY) is officially one of Indonesia's 32 provinces. Yogyakarta is one of the foremost cultural centers of Java. This region is located at the foot of the active Merapi volcano, Yogyakarta was in the 16th and 17th centuries the seat of the mighty Javanese empire of Mataram from which present day Yogyakarta has the best inherited of traditions. The city itself has a special charm, which seldom fails to captivate the visitor.

This province is one of the most densely populated areas of Indonesia. The city came into being in 1755, after the Mataram division into the Sultanates of Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo). Gamelan, classical and contemporary Javanese dances, wayang kulit (leather puppet), theater and other expressions of traditional art will keep the visitor spellbound. Local craftsmen excel in arts such batiks, silver and leather works. Next to the traditional, contemporary art has found fertile soil in Yogya's culture oriented society. ASRI, the Academy of Fine Arts is the center of arts and Yogyakarta itself has given its name to an important school of modern painting in Indonesia, perhaps best personified by the famed Indonesian impressionist, the late Affandi.

Yogyakarta is often called the main gateway to the Central Java as where it is geographically located. It stretches from Mount Merapi to the Indian Ocean. There is daily air service to Yogya from Jakarta, Surabaya and Bali as well as regular train service and easy accessibility by road. Yogyakarta is commonly considered as the modern cultural of Central Java. Although some may prefer Solo as a good runner up, Yogyakarta remains the clear front-runner for traditional dance, Wayang (traditional puppetry) and music.

Yogyakarta has more than just culture though. It is a very lively city and a shopper's delight. The main road, Malioboro Street, is always crowded and famous for its night street food-culture and street vendors. Many tourist shops and cheap hotels are concentrated along this street or in the adjoining tourist area such Sosrowijayan Street.

The key attraction of Yogyakarta is 'Kraton' (the Sultan's Palace). The Sultan's palace is the centre of Yogya's traditional life and despite the advance of modernity; it still emanates the spirit of refinement, which has been the hallmark of Yogya's art for centuries. This vast complex of decaying buildings was built in the 18th century, and is actually a walled city within the city with luxurious pavilions and in which the current Sultan still resides. Yogyakarta is also the only major city, which still has traditional 'Becak' (rickshaw-style) transport.

Geographically
Yogyakarta Special Region is geographically located almost equidistant from Indonesia's two most important international gateways, about 600 km from Jakarta and 1000 km from Bali. Yogyakarta also has excellent transport connections by bus, train or plane to the rest of Java, Sumatra, Bali and Lombok. Yogyakarta's Adisucipto Airport is in the process of changing its status in order to receive not only domestics' flights from Bali and Jakarta, but also direct charter and scheduled flights from other countries.

Geographically, Yogyakarta Special Province is situated in the Southern part of Central Java and lies between 7 degree 33' and 8 degree 12', South altitude between 110 degree and 50' East longitude. Some regencies of central Java Province surround the administrative boundaries of this region:
Southern East: Wonogiri Regency
Eastern: Klaten Regency
Northwestern: Magelang Regency
Western: Purworejo Regency
The Indonesian Ocean borders the Southern part of Yogyakarta. The borderline of the seashore stretches from West to East of which the length is around 100 km, started from Congot Beach in Kulon Progo Regency and ended at Sadeng Beach in Gunung Kidul Regency.

Because of its location, Yogyakarta is strategically positioned for the economic activity network in Java as well as for the tourist destination area. The special region of Yogyakarta lies midway on the axis of several main tourist destination areas, Jakarta and West Java westward, Central Java northward, East Java and Bali eastward. It is linked by regular rail, road and air services to other parts of Indonesian archipelago.

Climate and Weather in Yogyakarta
The average daily temperature range between 26 degree and 28 degree Celsius with its minimum 18 degree C and maximum 35 degree C respectively. Average humidity is 74% with its minimum of 65% and maximum 84% respectively. The Yogyakarta Special Region lays approximately 7 South of the equator line and is bathed in tropical; sunshine along the year. This region has a tropic climate the daily atmosphere feels a little bit hot and humid. These are only two seasons along the year, the wet or rainy seasons and dry monsoon. Usually the wet seasons begin at September and lasts about August. Generally there is no rainfalls from may to August and there fore the atmosphere feels hot and humid on the day and cool in the night and early morning. The monthly rain falling Yogyakarta varies between 3mm and 496mm in which those above 300mm take place during the month of January up to April. The heaviest rainfall usually occurs in February while the lowest commonly happens between May and October Average annually rainfall is about 1,900mm.

Populations of Yogyakarta
Based on 2000, the total population of Yogyakarta special Region amounted to 3.311.812. Yogyakarta Municipality that has 461,800 inhabitants spread over 32,50 kilometers or the average population density is thus over 14,200 persons per square kilometer. The least densely populated districts is in Gunung Kidul regency which has 720.643 inhabitants and cover 1,485 square kilometers or the density rate is 485 persons per square kilometer. Since a very long time ago the Provincial territory of Yogyakarta Special Region and its surrounding has been decently populated.
The majority residents of Yogyakarta Special Region are Javanese whose language derives from ancient Sanskrit. However, as Yogyakarta is considered to be "Indonesia's academic city" due to the numerous centers for higher learning, many of the inhabitants are student who come from all over Indonesia to study.

Culture of Yogyakarta
The culture Yogyakarta province with its status as a special region lies in the Southern part of Central Java, in the heartland of Javanese culture. As the former capital and the center of several kingdoms in the past, this region and its people are very rich in a variety of cultures. It is widely known from to historical records that the civilization, art and culture had developed well in the center of those kingdoms respectively in the Ancient Mataram Kingdom (8th - 10th Century) era, the second Mataram Kingdom (17th - 18th Century) and Sultanate Ngayogyokarto from the mid of 18th Century up today.

It should be noted that the cultural heritage from the past includes the magnificent temples, the ruins of palaces and monasteries, the various kind of traditions, cultural events, traditional folk and performing arts, architecture and other traditional activities. It is important to note that this is all part of the living culture of Yogyakarta, color of daily activities of live and the local inhabitants behavior, particularly the Javanese community with its traditional way of life and customs. Therefore, because of its culture richness and heritage, Yogyakarta has long been known as the cradle of Javanese culture.

The other legendary name for Yogyakarta City, among the elders as well as the youth generation that is the City of Art and Culture. Traditional and modern exhibition are held almost every day and night about the art of theater, pantomime, music, classic and contemporary dances, poems, etc. Those are flow in the heart of the city. Even more, there are abundant of cultural ceremony, such as Sekaten, Gunungan, Labuhan, Malioboro Fair, etc, which make the city has high value of tradition, art, and culture.

History Of South Kalimantan

2008-05-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

South Kalimantan is full of colourful and distinctive traditional arts and cultures which can be seen in its people's ways of life, art, dance, music, ancestral dress, games and ceremonies. Exquisite traditional and commercial handicrafts are all made from local raw materials which include a variety of precious and semiprecious stones, gold, silver, brass, iron and a wide variety of wood including bamboo and rattan. South Kalimantan, is one of the largest wood producers in Indonesia. Extensive forests with a wide variety of trees such as iron wood, meranti, pinus and rubber have helped to make the province a unique and rich natural resource.

The southern section of the province, however, is much flatter and is characterized by large and powerful rivers, meandering through lowlands and depositing enormous of silt, at vast mangrove swamps all along the coast helping to make South Kalimantan an exceptionally fertile land. Many villages and settlements hove been built along these rivers, particularly the Barito river, by the indigenous majority, the Banjar.

The Meratus mountains stride through the center of the province, effectively dividing South Kalimantan into two distinct regions. the eastern part of the province is mountainous and lush with dense tropical rain forests and is home to the "Orang Gunung" or Mountain People. Collectively called Dayak, they form the minority of the region's population.

Art shop & souvenir Yogyakarta

2008-05-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

YOGYAKARTA

Sabda Art Shop
Achmad Jazuli Street
Phone: (0274) 561775

Nartis Silver
Tegal Gendu Street 22
Phone: (0274) 374890

Men Galery
Cendana Street 13
Phone: (0274) 517996

Mahadewa Art Shop
Laksda Adisucipto Street Km 8,5
Phone: (0274) 488360

Koong Gallery
Nyai A Dahlan Street 12
Phone: (0274) 376271

Kendedes Furniture Art & Curio
Kusumanegara Street 115
Phone: (0274) 586090

Jedok Stone Works
Imogiri Barat Jl 124
Phone: (0274) 411648

Java Dan Madura Art Antique
Monumen Yogya Kembali Street 7
Phone: (0274) 582088

Irtani Asri Collection
Solo Karangploso Street
Phone: (0274) 517793

Imam Gallery
Dagen Street 70
Phone: (0274) 515037

Dirix Art Gallery
Laksda Adisucipto Street Km 8
Phone: (0274) 563526

Yuni Tom Leather
Gedongkuning Street IX
Phone: (0274) 383362

Tulus Warsito Gallery
Jogokaryan Street 69-B
Phone: (0274) 386204

Tritama Gallery
Jend Sudirman Street
Phone: (0274) 547479

Tiffa Art Shop
Sosrowijayan Wetan Street Block GT-1/122 RT 014/02
Phone: (0274) 512841

Sibayak Art Shop
Tirtodipuran Street 47
Phone: (0274) 372749

Sanggar Sawo Puppet
Alley Suripto Mantrijeron Block MJ-3/911
Phone: (0274) 386168

Sanggar Mataram
Pramuka Street
Phone: (0274) 389728

ASH Gallery
Imogiri Street 19-A
Phone: (0274) 384404

Art Gallery Sapto Hudoyo
Solo Street Km 9
Phone: (0274) 488443

Amri Gallery
Gampingan Street 4
Phone: (0274) 564525

The Gaza Style
Tanjung Street
Phone: (0274) 367028

History of West Java

2008-05-25T23:33:00.000-07:00

The earliest written records of Javanese history make mention of the land of Sunda, that is, West Java. Somewhere on the banks of a river east of Jakarta was the capital of the kingdom called Tarumanagara, and in the 5th century A.D. King Purnawarman was its ruler. He apparently initiated the construction of an irrigation canal for rice fields and left stone inscriptions for later generations. One of these inscriptions was discovered on a boulder in a riverbed near Bogor; a replica of it is on display in the West Java Provincial Museum in Bandung. Chinese and Indian sources indicate that there were commercial relations between Tarumanagara and China at that time.

Evidence of this is in records about Java and its kingdoms compiled by the Buddhist monk Fa Xian, who traveled from Sri Lanka to China in 413 A.D. Also, a number of envoys traveled between China and a Javanese kingdom called He Luo Dan, which may have been identical with Tarumanagara. Like many other Southeast Asian kingdoms of that era, Tarumanagara drew heavily upon Indian elements of culture, literature, and philosophy, blending them with local elements into a unique synthesis. We do not know what finally happened to Tarumanagara kingdom, only that within the next three centuries it disappeared, perhaps because of the rise of Sriwijaya Empire in south Sumatra. Among the smaller kingdoms that succeeded it were those of Kuningan, northeast of Bandung; Galuh, whose capital was southeast of Bandung near Ciamis; and Pajajaran, whose capital was near Bogor. These kingdoms eventually united under the banner of Pajajaran.

Two stone inscriptions found near Cibadak, near Sukabumi (west of Bandung), mention the name of King Jaya Bhupati as the king of Sunda. He reigned from 1030 A.D. to 1108 A.D. and resided in Pakuan Pajajaran, near Bogor. The only building left from that apparently glorious era is the small stone of Cangkuang temple in north of Garut.

The 16th century brought two great turning points in the history of Java, including the land of Sunda: the rapid spread of Islam starting from the port cities on the north coast, and the arrival of the Dutch just before 1600, following the earlier voyages of the Portuguese and Spanish. The arrival of the Dutch was likewise to change irrevocably Java face, though in quite a different way. Following Vasco da Gama's discovery of a sea route from Europe around Africa to India and Magellan's voyage across the Pacific Ocean to the Spice Islands from the east, in 1596 four Dutch vessels arrived in Banten after a stormy voyage around Cape of Good Hope, thus ushering in 350 years of Dutch hegemony. Six years after their arrival, the East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, or VOC) was founded in order to create a spice monopoly, which benefited Dutch traders to the detriment of local producers. The VOC established itself at Banten and developed the Sunda Kelapa port, which became Batavia. .
In the First Javanese War of Succession in the early 18th century, the VOC helped Pakubuwana to ascend to the throne, and he in turn ceded the whole Parahyangan region to the VOC. This was the first major territorial acquisition of the Dutch in Indonesia. In 1799, the VOC shamefully collapsed due to mismanagement and corruption, was declared bankrupt and dissolved. The Dutch government took over the administration of the East Indies, whereupon one of its first major undertakings was the construction of a trunk road through the whole length of Java from 1808 to 1810. Its incredible 1,000-km route took it from Anyer at its westernmost point to Pamanukan in the east. Tragically, an estimated 30.000 Javanese coolies died in forced labor during its construction. Though it was called the Groote Postweg (Great Post Road), its primary significance was military. The Dutchman who managed the project was Governor General Marshal Daendels, who overcame considerable physical and political obstacles to complete the project. A particularly memorable stretch of road is just northeast of Bandung where a dramatic historical confrontation took place between Daendels and the local ruler, Prince Kornel.

Prior to 1810 the local Sundanese ruler of Tatar Ukur (the Bandung area) resided just south of the city in Karapyak, now Dayeuh Kolot, a small settlement on the banks of the Citarum River, (All traces of the former residence there have vanished). General Daendels, however, persuaded the ruler to relocate to the Groote Postweg between Cikapundung and Cibadak Rivers, a spot that today is Bandung 's city square, or Alun-alun. Thus, Bandung owes its birth on 25 May 1810 to the Groote Postweg. The main streets of present-day Bandung Sudirman Street, Asia Afrika Street, and A. Yani Street were aligned with the Groote Postweg. In a short intermezzo from 1811 to 1815, while the French under Napoleon dominated the Netherlands, the British ruled Java under Governor Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. This is the man also known for having brought Borobudur to the attention of the Western world and for founding the city of Singapore. The Dutch, however, came back after Napoleon's defeat, and in this second colonial period the city of Bandung was to rise and flourish to an unprecedented degree.

Art shop & souvenir West Java

2008-05-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

BANDUNG

BOGOR

TASIKMALAYA

GARUT

The Summit Boutique Outlet
Riau Street 61 Bandung
Phone: (022) 4221001

Parijs Van Java Gallery
Braga Street 48-V
Phone: (022) 4212525

Pigura Modern Galeria
Ir H Juanda Street 62
Phone: (022) 4205195

Risera Gallery Souvenir
Lengkong Besar Street 64-B

Wisma Taruna
Phone: (022) 4237343
Tassel Gallery

Rereng Wulung Street 29
Phone: (022) 2508600

TS 90 Galeri
Taman Sari Street 90
Phone: (022) 2513434

Yayasan Bhakti Budaya
Papanggungan Street 72
Phone: (022) 7310992

Batu Gading
Baru Street
Phone: (0251) 242972

Boneka Kain
A.Yani II Street 12
Phone: (0251) 378585

Frame Wayang
Paledang Bogor Street

Gong Home
Pancasan Street 17

Kenari Pulo
Empang Street
Phone: (0251) 316129

Perak dan Kuningan
Bondongan Street

Produk Bordir
Raya Tajur Street
Phone: (0251) 240235

Sepatu Sandal
Raya Ciapus Street

Tas Imitasi/Kulit
Raya Tajur Street

Arda Kelom & Craft
Galunggung Street
Phone: (0265) 310533

Meka Handicraft
Kb Tiwu III Street 28
Phone: (0265) 334655

Kadoku Gift Shop & Accesories
KHZ Mustofa Street 345 Tasik Indah Plaza 10
Phone: (0265) 345037

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BEKASI

Galish Art
Ruko Dukuh Zamrud Block S-2/63
Phone: (021) 82602521

Wafina
Jend A Yani Street 371
Phone: (0262) 243569

Wumels Leather Jacket
Lebak Agung Village
Phone: (0262) 241531

Zocha Graha Kriya
Jend A Yani Street 85
Phone: (0262) 232695

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DEPOK

Hanafi Studio
Raya Cinere Street
Phone: (021) 77882771

Reza Art Shop
Tole Iskandar Street 7
Phone: (021) 7716347

Anya Design
Tebu Street 179
Phone: (021) 77210569

Lili Toko
Arif Rahman Hakim Street 54
Phone: (021) 7761649

History of Bali

2008-05-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

Bali has been inhabited for a long time. Sembiran, a village in northern Bali, was believed to have been home to the people of the Ice Age, proven by the discovery of stone axes and adzes. Further discoveries of more sophisticated stone tools, agricultural techniques and basic pottery at Cekik in Bali's far west, point to the people of the Neolithic era. At Cekik, there is evidence of a settlement together with burial sites of around a hundred people thought to be from the Neolithic through to the Bronze Age. The massive drums of the Bronze Age, together with their stone moulds have been discovered throughout the Indonesian archipelago, including the most famous and largest drum in Southeast Asia, the Moon of Pejeng, nearly two meters wide, now housed in a temple in east Ubud. In East Java and Bali, there has also been a concentration of carved stone sarcophagi, which we can see in the Bali Museum in Denpasar and Purbakala Museum in Pejeng.

Bali was busy with trade from as early as 200 BC. The prasasti, or metal inscriptions, Bali's earliest written records from the ninth century AD, show a significant Buddhist and Hindu influence; especially in the statues, bronzes and rock-cut caves around Mount Kawi and Gajah Cave. Balinese society was pretty sophisticated by about 900 AD. Their marriage portrait of the Balinese King Udayana to East Java's Princess Mahendratta is captured in a stone carving in the Pura Korah Tegipan in the Batur area. Their son, Erlangga, born around 991 AD, later succeeded to the throne of the Javanese kingdom and brought Java and Bali together until his death in 1049.

In 1284, Bali was conquered by Kertanegara, the ruler of the Singasari; until the turn of the century, saw Bali under its own rule under the hands of King Bedaulu of Pejeng, east of Ubud. 1343 AD, is an important date in Bali's history. It was then that the whole island was conquered by East Java under the mighty Hindu Majapahit kingdom. This resulted in massive changes in Balinese society, including the introduction of the caste system.

Balinese who did not embrace the changes fled to the isolated and remote mountainous areas and hill areas. Their descendants are known today as Bali Aga or Bali Mula that means the "original Balinese". They still live separately in villages like Tenganan near Dasa Temple and Trunyan on the shores of Batur Lake, and maintain their ancient laws and traditional ways. When Majapahit in East Java fell in 1515, the many small Islamic kingdoms in the island merged into the Islamic Mataram empire, Majapahit's most dedicated Hindu priests, craftsmen, soldiers, nobles and artists fled east to Bali, and flooded the island with Javanese culture and Hindu practices. Considering the huge influence and power of Islam at the time, it is worth pondering why and how Bali still remained strongly Hindu and Buddhist.

Batu Renggong, also known as Dewa Agung, means great god, became king in 1550, and this title became hereditary through the succeeding generations of the kingdom of Gelgel, and later Klungkung, until the twentieth century. Bali reached the pinnacle of its Golden Era under the reign of the Batu Renggong, the great god ruler. Bali's decline started when Batu Renggong's grandson, Di Made Bekung, lost Blambangan, Lombok and Sumbawa. DI Made Bekung's chief minister, Gusti Agung Maruti, eventually rebelled and reigned from 1650 till 1686, when he in turn was killed by DI Made Bekung's son, Dewa Agung Jambe, who then moved the court to Klungkung, and named his new palace the Semarapura, Abode of the God of Love.

Artshop in South Kalimantan

2008-05-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

Mitra Plaza
Pangeran Antasari Street

Junjung Buih
Pangeran Samudera Street

Cempaka Indah
Niaga Street

Siolatama Supermarket
Jend. A. Yani Street

Hero Supermarket
Kol. Soegiono Street

Sarikaya Prima
Pasar Baru Street

Lima Cahaya
Pangeran Samudera Street

Arjuna Plaza
Lambung Mangkurat Street

Art shop & souvenir Bali

2008-05-22T23:25:00.000-07:00

DENPASAR
Wayans Art Shop Raya Celuk Street Phone: (0361) 298012 Versace Art Legian Street 133 C Phone: (0361) 761065 Maroon Gift Shop Dewi Sartika Street 69 Phone: (0361) 751565 Legong Art Shop WR Supratman Street 14 Phone: (0361) 461547 Krisanti Gallery D Tamblingan Street 186 Phone: (0361) 288262 Keraton Bagus Handicraft & Furniture Danau Poso Street 89 Phone: (0361) 282669 Handayani House Of Art Gianyar Street Phone: (0361) 226662 Bali Shop Sahadewa Street 8-G Phone: (0361) 759919 Bali Island Art Legian Street 27 Phone: (0361) 761392 Bali Bunga Art Shop Tunjung Mekar Street 50-X Phone: (0361) 755448	Putri Bali Art Shop Kertanegara Peguyangan Street Phone: (0361) 421056 Pusat Antik By Pass Ngurah Rai Street 5 Phone: (0361) 701471 Puri Agung Meregepati Palace Raya Batubulan Street Phone: (0361) 298051 Pasar Seni Merthanadi Melasti Pasar Seni Street Phone: (0361) 761161 Mutiara Art Bali P Ambon Street 18 Phone: (0361) 249411 Mentari Karya Dewata Shop Raya Legian Kuta Street Phone: (0361) 767266 MC 2 Art Shop Arjuna Street 70 Phone: (0361) 732501 Craft Plus Art Shop Raya Ketewel Street Phone: (0361) 288343 Balibo Art Legian Street 295 Phone: (0361) 758424 Bali & Co Art Shop Melasti Street 18 Phone: (0361) 756249	Srimpi Collection Raya Kuta Street Phone: (0361) 750719 Sonia Art Shop Legian Street 204 Phone: (0361) 751519 Simon Gift Shop Pantai Kuta Street 42 A Phone: (0361) 765076 Seni Bali Art Shop Pratama Tanjung Benoa Nusa Dua Street 89 Phone: (0361) 773520 Sasak Art Raya Celuk Street Phone: (0361) 295124 Samarkanda Gallery Legian Street 363 Phone: (0361) 767362 Putu Art Shop Cemara Street 24 Phone: (0361) 285030 Emi Arts & Souvenirs Sultan Hasanuddin Street 53 Phone: (0361) 483215 Duyung Art shop Denpasar Street Phone: (0361) 281211 Dharma Semadi Art Shop Banjar Celuk Street Phone: (0361) 298031	Trigunt Art Shop Legian Kuta Street Phone: (0361) 767347 Tiquz Lamp Shade & Leather Handicraft Raya Kuta Street 115 Phone: (0361) 762658' Teko Art Shop Taman Mertanadi Street 17 E Phone: (0361) 739354 Swin Art Shop Danau Tamblingan Street 72 Phone: (0361) 289272 Sukaya Art Shop Banjar Celuk Street Phone: (0361) 298090 Sukaya Art Shop Banjar Celuk Street Phone: (0361) 298090 Sriwijaya Art Shop Tangkuban Perahu Street Phone: (0361) 734971 Grace Art Shop Legian Tengah Street 435 Phone: (0361) 750826 Ganni Art Shop Lebak Bene Street 6-X Phone: (0361) 750731 Ganesa Art Sriwijaya Street Phone: (0361) 764855
TABANAN
Taman Nirwana Gallery Phone: (0362) 810840	Candra Mangu Dwijendra Street 2 Phone: (0362) 880484	Baliyoni Art shop Tanah Lot Street Phone: (0362) 880373	Tanah Lot Gallery Baru Tanah Lot Phone: (0362) 880383
GIANYAR
Balinas Art Gallery Raya Mas Street Phone: (0366) 977457 Asia Style Gallery Raya Sayan Street Phone: (0366) 970056 Prada Milano Art Monkey Forest Ubud Street Phone: (0366) 973247 Patung Art Shop Goa Gajah Street Phone: (0366) 978314 Excellent Ceking Tegallalang Street Phone: (0366) 981052	Pandawa Art Monkey Forest Street Phone: (0366) 971060 Orient Art Shop Raya Mas Baru Batanancak Street Phone: (0366) 974589 Monalisa Art Monkey Forest Street Phone: (0366) 973244 Merta Art Shop Raya Goa Gajah Teges Street Phone: (0366) 974267 Jegeg Art Shop Hanoman Street 20 Phone: (0366) 978385	Smiley Art shop Raya Tegallalang Ubud Street Phone: (0366) 980995 Shini Art Gallery Sanggingan Ubud Street Phone: (0366) 974239 Puri Mas Art Gallery Raya Mas Street Phone: (0366) 975274 Puisari Art Shop Pujung Tampak Siring Street Phone: (0366) 901135 Buddhas & Silk Raya Pengosekan Street Phone: (0366) 973336	Wintara Bali Art Shop Raya Andong Street Phone: (0366) 978784 Vanessa Fine Art Gallery Raya Sanggingan Street Phone: (0366) 976744 Ubud Ayu Gallery Raya Peliatan Street Phone: (0366) 96194 Treasures Gallery Raya Ubud Street Phone: (0366) 976697 Tegun Folk Art Gallery Hanoman Street 44 Phone: (0366) 970581
AMLAPURA	BANGLI	NEGARA	SINGARAJA
Suasti Art Shop Tenganan Pegringsingan Village Phone: (0363) 41170 Putri Duyung Art Shop Beach BungalowCandidasa II Street Phone: (0363) 41261 Mia Shop Tenganan Dauh Tukad Village Phone: (0363) 41017	Kanaka Art Shop Sekardadi Kintamani Street Phone: (0366) 51720 Jepun Papat Putrayudha Street 999 X Phone: (0366) 91999 Dewi Kembar Merdeka Street 45-A Phone: (0366) 92795 Buah Bali Art Shop Raya Kayuambua Street Phone: (0366) 51390 Ardana Art Shop Kayuambua Street Phone: (0366) 51497	Waru Kembang Shop I Gusti Ngurah Rai Street 134 Phone: (0365) 41572	Rio Silver Art Shop Lovina Street Phone: (0368) 41103 Miranda Art Shop Jend A Yani Street 31 Phone: (0368) 21938 Kioski Gallery Banjar Village Phone: (0368) 93169 Kecak Shop Seririt-Singaraja Street Phone: (0368) 41206 Biyu Nasak Gallery Raya Lovina Kaliasem Street Phone: (0368) 41176

History Of South Sulawesi

2008-05-21T23:22:00.000-07:00

Before the Republic of Indonesia has it proclamation, South Sulawesi is include of a number of independent kingdoms and dwelt by four etnic, that is: Bugis, Makassar, Mandar and Torajans. There three big empires that have big influence, those are Luwu, Gowa, and Bone, which at XVI century and XVII century reach their glorious, and has trade relation with Europeans, India, China, Malay, and Arab.

After the independence, there is the constitution number 21 in 1950, which stated that South Sulawesi become an autonomous Sulawesi Province. In 1960 become an autonomous South Sulawesi and Southeast based on the constitution number 13 in 1960. The separation of South Sulawesi from the autonomous area of South Sulawesi and Southeast was declared by the constitution number 13 in 1964, so that it become the South Sulawesi Autonomous area of South Sulawesi.

Ujung Pandang is the main city on Sulawesi, originally known as Makassar. The court of the kings of Gowa was nearby. The people here are called Makassarese. The Bugis people are famous as sailors, and founded trade empires of their own. The most famous Bugis leaders were kings of Bone, which is called Watampone today. Bugis settlements have scattered as far as Kalimantan and Riau. The kings of Gowa and Bone did much to spread Islam through the area. The island of Butung or Buton did not submit to the Dutch until 1908. The Toraja people are the original inhabitants of the central part of Sulawesi. They are known for their unusual customs; today most are Christians. The Toraja also resisted the Dutch until the first decade of the 20th Century.

THE SYMBOL MEANING
The arms were adopted in 1972. The arms consist of seven parts with each senses described as below:

Five pointed star and its reflection: as a light to create the symbol for The One Supreme God.
The circle of "unhealed rice and cottons". It consists of 17 unhooked rice-ears, 8 cottons with 4 toots on calyxes and 5 toots on cotton, which describes the 17th of August 1945 as proclamation day of Indonesia's independence.
The vision of fort of Somba Opu from the air. The fort symbolizes the heroism of the South Sulawesi people. There are three halls of the fort and each load of:
• A Phinisi boat symbolizing the spirit of seaman tenacity, full-militancy and capable to popularize the aim of the 17th of August 1945 struggle. The boat is directing western appropriated the capital of Indonesia.
• The hoe symbolizes the agrarian community as basis and machine tooth symbolizes industries as principal supports.
• The coconut symbolizes the natural wealth of South Sulawesi.
An unsheathed small dagger between rice and cotton with pattern inherent five curves, which symbolizes spirit of heroism and alert in protecting the nation. The five curves are sacred numerals of each principle in philosophy of Pancasila
Mountain, village, and pieces of rice-field for fertility, strive for justice and welfare community. The 23 pieces of rice-field is appropriate total of regencies in South Sulawesi as one of the rice-barns in Indonesia
The motto in Lontara local characters means "Toddo'puli", which means firm in conviction.
A ribbon inscribes Sulawesi Selatan "South Sulawesi as a province of Indonesia. The ribbon is in silk designed, which describes special characteristic and precious of culture since long time ago.

The Beaches Of Bali

2008-05-21T02:40:00.001-07:00

The island of Bali is blessed with the line of beaches surrounding it.

Sanur.
On the southeastern side of Bali, Sanur beach is easily reachable from Denpasar, about a 5 to 10 minute drive. Sanur is an excellent site to watch the sun rises, as you jog along the white sandy beach. Being one of the first resort developed in Bali, Sanur maintains its traditions. Only a stone thrown away from the beach, ancient temples stand as solemn as they have been in centuries past.

Kuta and Legian
Practically on the opposite side of Sanur, the beaches of Kuta and Legian stretch on the southwestern side of Bali, again only about 5 to 10 minute drive from Denpasar or the airport. Surfing is a major activity in these beaches. Shops, Kecak dance performances, pubs, and other facilities make Kuta a tourist mecca.

Jimbaran
Jimbaran is directly south of the airport, on the way from Denpasar towards Nusa Dua. The village of Jimbaran is the narrow neck of the island of Bali, and thus it has two remarkably different beaches. On the west, Jimbaran Beach faces the Jimbaran Bay, recently lined by new luxurious resorts. On the east, the beach faces the body of water sheltered by Benoa Harbor.

Nusa Dua
Nusa Dua is a new luxurious resort area where the world's most sumptuous hotels gracefully integrate into the beautiful white beaches. Crystal clear water provides excellent snorkeling and diving site, and the waves on the northern and the southern part of Nusa Dua allow for great surfing opportunity.

Soka Beach
Further northwest from Denpasar, on the way to Gilimanuk, the ferry port town that connects Bali and Java, there is a small quiet beach called Soka Beach.

Medewi Beach
Continuing along the path towards Gilimanuk, near the village of Pulukan, the beach of Medewi is another beautiful beach.

Lovina Beach
Near the northern tip of the island of Bali lies a stretch of villages by the Bali Sea. Lovina Beach is the name. It is well known as an excellent site for sunset watching, snorkeling, and diving. Night life activities are also abound, as well as chartered boats to go out into the sea. If you like what Kuta offers but do not like the crowd, Lovina Beach is for you.

INDONESIA Street Food Try it

2008-05-17T08:55:00.001-07:00

Living in a country that has endless variety of food and drinks, Indonesians do eat out, but the majority does not go to restaurants. The local food scene relies heavily on street food. Indonesians savour the delicious meals offered by ubiquitous street vendors day and night for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Living in a country that has endless variety of food and drinks, Indonesians do eat out, but the majority do not go to restaurants. The local food scene relies heavily on street food. Indonesians savour the delicious meals offered by ubiquitous street vendors day and night for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Street food is a quick meal sold by a vendor with a push cart, basket, at a stall, or possibly at a store where customers can see the preparation of food clearly. It provides a close connection between the customer and the street food, unlike having a plate of food in a restaurant.

The types of food offered vary from a simple fried tofu to a much more complicated dish like gudeg (raw jackfruit cooked in a Javanese traditional way that originated from Yogyakarta). In big cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang and Medan, the street vendors offer many a traditional food from various regions in the archipelago. But in smaller cities, they are usually of the local cuisine.

The most commonly found street food is bakso or meatballs that are usually served in a bowl, like soup, with noodles, bean curds (tofu), eggs, and/or fried meat.

Another popular soup-like street food is soto. It is mainly comprised of broth and vegetables. The meats most commonly used are beef and chicken, but there are also sotos with mutton and pork. It is usually accompanied by rice or compressed rice. Sotos are differentiated by the ingredients in them, such as soto ayam (chicken) and soto kambing (mutton).

There are many sotos in Indonesia, as different regions and ethnicities have their own ways of preparing the cuisine, such as soto Madura (from East Java), soto Betawi (from Jakarta), soto Padang (from West Sumatra), so to Bandung (from West Java), soto Banjar (from South Kalimantan), and coto Makassar (from South Sulawesi).

The other popular delicacy often sold by street vendors is satay. It is a dish consisting of chunks or slices of dice-sized meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef, pork, or fish) on bamboo skewers, which are grilled over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings, mostly made of ground nuts. Satay may have originated in Java or Sumatra, but is very popular outside Indonesia too. Similar to soto bakso and soto, there are many types of satay from sate Madura to Padang, sate Iilit, sate susu, kulit, sate Ponorogo and many more.

Nasi goreng (steamed rice stir-fried with eggs, meatballs, chicken/beef/shrimp, assorted vegetables and often with sweet soy sauce seasoning) is also very popular along with nasi rawon (rice served with dark beef soup) originally from East Java. The dark colour comes from the meaty seeds of kluwak nuts. Usually served with uncooked mung bean sprouts and salty duck eggs, pecel (a mixture of vegetables and traditional crackers with spicy peanut paste). Madiun and Blitar in East Java are popular for their pecel and gado-gado (a mixture of vegetables, crackers and rice with peanut flavoured sauce). The taste is sweet in Eastern Java and salty in Western Java.

Visit Borneo

2008-05-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

VisitBorneo.com is a global Borneo portal, providing information, news and travel and holiday information on Sabah and Sarawak on Malaysian Borneo, Kalimantan on the Indonesian part of Borneo, and Brunei Darussalam.

Borneo is famous for its wildlife and jungles, in particular Orang Utans, its diverse colourful cultures, marine life, national parks, as well as Sabah's famous Mount Kinabalu.



	Wildlife and Nature Borneo is also the home of many national parks and an abundance of tropical wildlife and nature. Two of the most popular parks are Mulu National Park in Sarawak and Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei

	Culture Sabah and Sarawak are multi-cultural states. Brunei Darussalam is an independent country. Kalimantan, which is part of the Republic of Indonesia forms the largest part of Borneo. Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan are inhabited by several different ethnic groups. Many interesting cultural festivals and celebrations are taking place throughout the year. Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei

	Travel Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan are easily reachable by plane from abroad. More distant travel within Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, or Brunei mostly takes place by plane or boat. Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei

	The Sea Borneo's coasts offer some great diving opportunities, particularly off East Sarawak and off the islands of Sabah, with some unique marine life, corals and turtles species. Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei

	Borneo Protected Areas Borneo has several protected areas, which are extremely difficult to reach and where exciting new wildlife has been discovered recently. Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei

	Sports Borneo offers great opportunities for diving, mountain climbing, golf, fishing, and rafting. Most tour operators may be able to help in arranging a trip or adventure trek of your choice. Sabah, Sarawak, Kalimantan, Brunei

	Jobs, Internships, Work Placements, Volunteer Work Find Jobs, and Education and Training Opportunities in Borneo or dealing with Borneo.

	Borneo Travel Resources and Travel Offers Hotels, Resorts, Books, Diving, Orang Utan, Turtles, Photography Borneo is also very popular destination for Christmas or Easter Holidays.

Sanur Bali Beach

2008-05-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

Sanur Beach Bali beutiful Beach ever seen

Bali: Tourist magnet unused to violence

The unspoilt beaches of Bali prove a lure for millions

Every year millions of tourists flock to the Indonesian island of Bali, lured by its lush green forests and unspoilt white sandy beaches.

Known as The Island of the Gods, it sits off the most easterly point of Java island and is home to a predominantly Hindu culture that has flourished in what is the world's most populous Muslim nation.

The Sari Club has long been one of the popular places in Kuta

Tourism is the backbone of the island's economy, with Kuta, where the blast occurred, a holidaymaker's playground crammed with bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

Until now the island has been a peaceful haven that has been spared the bloody inter-ethnic and religious conflict that has wracked other provinces in the archipelago since the downfall of former President Suharto in 1998.

'Safe place'

Government officials have always insisted that Bali is a safe place to visit and in 2001 about 1.5 million tourists entered Indonesia at Bali's international airport, with many more travelling to the island from other parts of the country.

Bali

Indonesia's number one tourist spot

Population of 3m

95% Hindu

About 1.4m tourists visited in 2001

The majority of overseas visitors come from nearby Australia, with Kuta itself, home to the island's largest public beach, a popular haunt for surfers.

The Sari Club, which was at the centre of the blast is one of the most frequented clubs on the town's main street and is jam-packed with partying tourists on any given night.

Indonesia is 85% Muslim and while the vast majority of the population are moderates the country is home to a number of Muslim extremist groups.

In the past Indonesian officials have insisted that Bali was immune to attack by such Muslim radicals, citing the Hindu culture there.

But whoever is to blame for Saturday's devastating blast the fear that it will engender seems certain to spark a tourist exodus from what had been a holiday paradise.

Visit - Central Java

2008-05-16T07:19:00.000-07:00

CANDIREJO – BOROBUDUR : A World Heritage Site
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. more

Sampit
Sampit. Sampit is the biggest timber port in Kalimantan. The Orchid Park of Pembuangan Hulu is home to a number of rare and beatiful orchid varieties. Hunters can engage in their favorite pastime in hunting park of West Kotawaringin.

Tlogo Plantation
Tlogo Plantation has cool air and beautiful view with various plantation such as coffee, rubber, nutmeg and cloves. It is located 6 kms or only 10 minutes drive from The Ambarawa Railway Museum. (www.tlogoagro.net)

Baturraden
Baturraden. Central Java’s most outstanding resort, approximately 14 kms north of Purwokerto, an administrative town in the southern of Java island. It is occupies a fine site on the slopes of Mount Slamet, 650 m above sea level, feel the coolness air, nice gardens, pines forest, hot springs, ponds and bungalow-style hotels.

Tawangmangu
Tawangmangu. Located 40 kms east of Solo, this recreational resort offers fresh weather, scenic views, swimming pools, bungalow style hotels and restaurants. It lies on the slopes of Mt. Lawu, at an elevation of 1,300 m above sea level. Other features include nearby temples, a national park and the 40 m high waterfall of Grojogan Sewu.

Kemuning Tea Plantation
Kemuning Tea Plantation. Between Sukuh and Ceto Temple, there is a 300 hectares rug of green tea plantation.

Gong Cave Gong Cave
Gong Cave Gong Cave, has incredible ornament which is about 256 m underground with 12 rooms 7 spring and one natural both, located about 7 km from Punung Market, on the way to Pacitan (70 km southern of Solo city). The people believed that on the certain day of Friday there is a sound o traditional drum instrument called “Gong” come from this cave until now.

Bangka-Belitung

2008-05-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Belitung Island
Belitung Island has stayed natural and unspoilt. Coming here is a bit of an adventure where the tourist has to be more self-sufficient and adaptable. Visitors have to come prepared, bring things like swimwear, diving equipment, medicines, cosmetics, sunglasses and sun cream.

Manggar
Manggar is about 90 km from Tanjungpandan. The main economy activity in Manggar was tin mining. There are many nice places that can be visited like: Serdang beach, Burung Mandi beach, Malang Lepau beach, Pengepangan beach, Tirta Surya natural swimming pool, Payak Lake, Kwan In Chinese temple.

Matras and Parai Tenggiri Beaches
Matras and Parai Tenggiri Beaches in the northeast of Bangka, 48 km. from Pangkal Pinang and 12 km from Sungai Liat. The beach is about 3 kilometers long and its width is almost 30 metres. Parai, a beach set between rocky capes is an ideal location for relaxing and swimming. Local fishermen moor their vessels here after a day of fishing, giving the beach the picturesque feel of a fishing village.

Mount Menumbung
Mount Menumbung (355 m) a rather high hill in the neighbourhood of Mentok (North West Bangka) stands as a memorial to the history of the Indonesian nation. A guest house which was built here by the Dutch in 1932 was used to house the former President Soe¬karno and Vice-President Hatta during their imprisonment from February to July 1949.

Remodong Beach
Remodong Beach in North Bangka is a favourite place to enjoy the sunset as the beach faces the west. Tourist facilities are also available on this beach.

West Sulawesi

2008-05-16T07:14:00.000-07:00

Karampuang Island
Karampuang Island in Mamuju Regency. Karampuang Island is a white sanded marine tourism objects with its complete facilities. There are untouched natural coral reefs found surrounding the island.

Tamasapi Waterfall
Tamasapi Waterfall, Mamuju Regency. In this 70 meter high waterfall, tourists may enjoy refreshing weather of the mountain with its clear and natural water.

Majene
Majene 302 Kms from Makassar in the Western port of Sulawesi has a long beach line. The view in the coastal area is mostly covered with white sand. This town is famous for its silk “Sarong Mandor Weaving”

Limboro Natural Hot Water Bathing Place
Limboro Natural Hot Water Bathing Place. It is located at the top of Limboro Mountains with its cool weather, beautiful natural scenery of cocoa and nutmeg plantation area.

Palippis Beach
Palippis Beach. This is a marine tourism object in Polewali Mandar regency with a beautiful and attractive natural panorama comprising a blend white sand, hills, and natural caves.

Gusung Toraya Island.
Gusung Toraya Island. This 1.5 Ha island in Polewali Mandar has beautiful beach panorama as there are vast array of clean white sands, a suitable place for sun bathing, swimming, fishing and having recrea¬tion.

Kunyi Natural Tourism
Kunyi Natural Tourism. It is a tourism object of a three storey 30 meter high waterfall with its clear, clean and cool water, surrounded by plantation of lansium fruit, durian, rambutan, and coffee and serves as a place for agro tourism.

Liawan Waterfall
Liawan Waterfall. This waterfall is located in the forest, Mamasa regency where the place is also accomplished with camping ground. In this area, a number of facilities to have rest, to cook, and to roast fish.

Mambulilling Mountain
Mambulilling Mountain. This 2,741 m high mountain is the ideal destination for those who loves mountain climbing. The mountain has an attractive mountain panorama, suitable for trekking.

Panorama of Mussa Ballepeu
Panorama of Mussa Ballepeu. Along the way to this 1600 m above sea level tourism object, tourists can enjoy beautiful mountain views, historical tourism objects, and traditional kampongs of Mamasa.

Visit - West Kalimantan

2008-05-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

Equator Monument
Equator Monument. A five kilometers north of Pontianak city is the precise spot at which the equator bisects the earth. Explore an astronomi cal experiences of the phenomena for a period of only 5-10 minutes twice a year.

Pasir Panjang
Pasir Panjang. 17 km from Singkawang in the Sambas regency, is the beach resort of Pasir Panjang, ideal for swimming and tennis. Comfortable cottages are available. In the vicinity of Singkawang, the Gunung Poteng Hill Resort is a good place for nature lovers.

Selimpah Beach
Selimpah Beach is a camping area on the beach where among February until May, many turtles lay their eggs there. It is 305 Km from Pontianak city or 80 Km from Sambas.

Palung National Park
Palung National Park. The Gunung Palung National Park, located in the Ketapang regency covers over 90,000 sq km, is home to an incredible array of flora and fauna. Hot springs, lakes and caves are among the many special features here. The park can be reached by plane or express boat from Pontianak to Ketapang or to Telok Melano and proceed by minibus for 2 hours drive or by kandong (traditional boat) for 6 hours.

Karimata Island
Karimata Island. A spectacular marine nature reserve 100 kilometers east of Ketapang and covering an area of 77,000 square kilometers, the island is home to many species of turtlrs and dugongs. The Regional airport Rahadi Usman and sea port make it an important link to the rest of Kalimantan. Accommodation ranging from moderate hotels including restaurants is available.

Kapuas Hulu
Kapuas Hulu, a mega diversity eco-tourism with its huge lagoon amongst the regions in entire Borneo. Covers numerous sites of interest in Betung Kerihun National Park such as botanical inclined, animal lovers, ritual ceremonies by the Dayaks, local music and art, handicraft in the making, Daily life of local communities, Trekking into the jungle, Braving the Rapids, Exploring the caves, adventure – Journey into the Heart of Borneo West. more

Kendawangan Nature Reserve
Kendawangan Nature Reserve is enriched with an ecosystem comprising lowland fo¬rest, coastal forest, mangrove forest, swamp forest and peat forest. Covering an area of 150,000 square kilometers, this reserve is also home to sea turtle.

Menager Multi-Level Waterfall
Menager Multi-Level Waterfall, cascade down in seven stages over a vast area, surrounded by pristine rainforest, caves Barema – Dayak worship site, rapid stream calm pools of water invite young and old alike to soak in their tranquil depths, this unique waterfall to create a breathtaking spectacle for all to enjoy. Complementing this natural wonder are the ringing calls of birds as they echo from the trees. more

Baning Nature Reserve
Baning Nature Reserve. This nature reserve provides a beauty panorama for locals alike as its location is right in the heart of Sintang city. Baning National Park is easily accessible for visitors and residents alike. With its unique ecosystem, virgin tropical rainforest and breathtaking panoramic view a quiet oasis. Many varieties of orchids and Kantong Semar flowers create the setting for a beautiful nature walk. For those who love adventure, Nokanayan and Jegonoi waterfalls with its crisscross canal of the river Nokanayan making a perfect apot for visitors world wide. Detail information for the adventurous lovers are kindly advised to meet the Unit office in Sintang.

The Hidden Paradise in The Heart of Borneo
The Hidden Paradise in The Heart of Borneo. The beauty of nature, a tropical ca¬nyon, lush jungle, fill with rapids and various flora and fauna. With a view of the Schwaner mountains. Come to NOKAN NAYAN where hidden paradise is waiting for you, in the heart of Borneo. There two amazing waterfalls, Nokanayan and Nokan Jengonoi both have a heigh of more than 200 meters hight with more than 50 meter width. With cantons and beauty virgin surrounding.

Visit - South Sulawesi

2008-05-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Tasik Ria
Tasik Ria. Tasik Ria is situated about 20 km southwest of Manado and has a beautiful sandy beach fringed with coconut trees. Ideal for sunbathing, swimming, fishing, diving and snorkeling, Tasik Ria seashores resort hosts the four-star Manado Beach Hotel, with 250 rooms, a swimming pool, bar & discotique. It is easily reached by public bus or taxi from Manado.

Tangkoko Batuangus
Tangkoko Batuangus. An open grassland nature reserve covering the slopes of Mt. Dua Saudara, the park is compossed of impressive green hills and valleys with wondrous scenic views of natural beauty. Black apes, maleo birds, snakes, wild pigs, hornbills and rusa deer live in the 3,196 hectare reserve. There are several cottages and small restaurants nearby. It is only reachable by four-wheel drive jeep from Girian village over a rough road.

Dumoga Bone National Park
Dumoga Bone National Park. Located on the border between two districts, approxiamately 260 km from Manado, this park straddles Dumoga in Bolaang Mongondow and Bone in Gorontalo. Its mountains and hills are blanketed in dense forests, making it an ideal habitat for rare species like maleo birds, anoas, hornbills and Tarsius spectrums (the smallest primate in the world).

Lake Tondano-Remboken
Lake Tondano-Remboken. About 36 km southwest of Manado is Lake Tondano, 600 m above sea level. The drive to Tondano passes through charming villages and sprawling clove plantations. Situated right on the edge of the lake is the Remboken Tourist site, an ideal place for after skiing, fishing, and natural boating. Bungalows, a natural hot water swimming pool and restaurants are available.

Lake Moat
Lake Moat. Situated in the highlands about 900 m above the sea level the lake is surrounded by a dense forest abounding with birds.

Ranopaso
Ranopaso. Sparkling clean natural hotsprings set in a gorgeous setting of terraced rice fields make this a popular tourist destination. Bungalows are available at Koya village, about 3 km from Tondano.

Bunaken
Bunaken. About half an hour by a motorized outrigger canoe from Manado, Bunaken Island is a veritable paradise for snorkelers and scuba enthusiasts. The coral reef off Bunaken Island is particularly noted for the drop-off at Liang Cove. It is described by international divers as being among the most spectacular anywhere in the world, with caves, gullies, and caverns harbouring an immense wealth of marine life. The water averages a balmy 28 degrees C and visibility is over than 30 m.

Saronde Island
Saronde Island This tiny but exquisite island with white-sand beaches for swimming, boating, snorkeling, diving, and water skiing is located in the district of Gorontalo.

Bissapu Waterfall
Bissapu Waterfall at the Bonto Salluang Village, about 5 Kms from Bantaeng or 15 minutes drive through an asphaltroad with some winding slopes, feel the fresh & cool air with its natural scene.

Clara Bundt Orchid Garden
Clara Bundt Orchid Garden. Mr. Bundt, a Dutchman, has his private residence at No. 15 Jalan Mochtar Lutfi. His spacious garden is filled with rare Indonesian orchids and hybrids. He also has an enormous collection of seashells and coral. A visit is worthwhile and several of the collections are on sale. Mr. Bundt is registered in the Sander’s List of London as an expert in orchid cultivation.

Malino
Malino is a pleasant and fresh resorts on the slopes of Mount Bawakaraeng which is famous for its “Markisa “ Passion Fruits. The scattered pine woods grows on the height of 1,050 meters above sea level.

Bambapuang
Bambapuang on a high land, hence the climate is cold, a stop point to Tanatoraja with beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers.

Sa’adang River
Sa’adang River is the largest river in south Sulawesi which is famous for rafting adventure start from Tana Toraja.

Kapoposan Island
Kapoposan Island is a great diving area that has an abundant of natural coral reefs an can be reached only hours from Makassar by boat.

Barru Regency
Barru Regency, 134 km from Makassar has beauty offshore. Pannikiang island is home for thousands of flamingo, puteangin island has beautiful coastal beach, Bakki Island coastal is sloping and white sand.

Losari Beach
Losari Beach Sunsets in the Makassar Strait can be viewed from a promenade at Losari Beach, Jalan Penghibur or the Paotere anchorage in the north end of the city where the Bugis schooners are berthed. Across the harbour is Kayangan Island which can be reached in 15 minutes by ferry. A popular escape from the city, there is entertainment in the evenings and on Sundays.

Bira beach Cape and Bira in Bulukumba
Bira beach Cape and Bira in Bulukumba is a beautiful pristine white sand beaches, 178 kms Makassar to the south. Traditional ship building is still practiced in this area. This is also the jumping off point for the island of Selayar.

Visit - Riau Islands

2008-05-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

Bintan Island
Bintan Island. International investors have developed many new hotels, integrated world-class resorts, international golf courses on the island of Bintan. Other deve¬lopments include industrial parks, medical, commercial and banking facilities that are readily available to any visitors. During your visit to Riau Archipelago will not be bored or uninspired because there are many other interesting places like Pasar Ikan (Fish Market) where fresh, cheap seafood and ve¬getables are sold. There are also the Akau (Night Market), Pelantar (Water Villages) and shops selling local handicraft, natural attraction like watching the turtles laying their eggs or fishing on the Kelong.

Trikora Beach
Trikora Beach is about 40 kilometers south of Tanjung Pinang on the eastern side of the island. Good beaches are also found on the islands of Terkulai and Soreh, about an hour away by boat.

Natuna Archipelago
Natuna Archipelago is a part of the vast province, which embraces all of the islands off the Riau mainland. The main island clusters of the Natuna archipelago are: Anambas, Natuna, South Natuna and Tambelan. Matak Island at present serves as a base for offshore oil exploration. Colourful corals and reef fish are found in the waters surrounding these islands. South Natuna comprises the islands Serasan, Panjang and Subi. The surf is strong on these islands and the scenery impressive. The Tambelan Islands are accessed by boat in 6 hours from Pontianak in West Kalimantan or from Tanjung Pinang in 16 hours. Turtles habitually come to some of the beaches to deposit their eggs in the warm sand. There are probably more turtles than people on these islands. Natuna is located in area of South China Sea with the geographical location passed by international shipping and coast lines. Natuna’s Ranai airport has length of 2,550 metres and Matak airport with length basis of 1,700 metres. Natuna’s seaport are Lampa (100 x 10 sqm) and Penagih (50 x 8 sqm).

Karimun Island
Karimun Island is one of the most important islands in the Riau Archipelago, due to its thriving economy and proximity to Singa¬pore. Tanjungbalai Karimun is a medium-sized town, with a large Chinese community and shops selling a large variety of imported items. Lies in a shipping line in Malacca Strait and Singapore, Karimun gateway can be passed by international ferry from and to Malaysia and Singapore.

Sea Gardens
Sea Gardens with beautiful corals and fish are found in the waters around the islands of Mapor, Abang, Pompong, Balang and Tanjung Berkait.

Batam Island
Batam Island is a very strategic island designated as a center of industry, tourism and trade. It lies close to Singapore. The Nongsa recreational region has international hotels, four golf courses, a marina sports facility and a forest reserve. Batam can be reached in two hours from Tanjung Pinang by ferry and in about half an hour from Singapore.

Pulau Penyengat
Pulau Penyengat (Stinging Island) When people found on the first time, Penyengat Island was an island with many stinging bees it is six kilometers from Tanjung Pinang, can be reached in 15 minutes by boat. The seat of the powerful Bugis viceroys of Riau during the 18th century, Penyengat still bears the traces of its illustrious past. Ruins, abandoned for almost 70 years, were recently restored. The old ruler’s palace and royal tombs are among the legacies left by the Riau sultanate. Still in use is the old viceroyal mosque, the Mesjid Raya, there is also a newly built cultural center for stage performances of Malay music and dances.

Visit - North Sumatra

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Bukit Lawang, the Parish of the Orang Utan
Have you ever imagine, that there is creature who can smile, a real smile with decent facial expression, having their morning breakfast with hands and obviously they act like human being? Well, they all are hairy all over the body. People call it the Orang Utan (forest man) and the Orang Utan lover call them "Our Brother" more

Enchanting Toba Lake in Parapat
Viewing this vast lake might make you believe that you're actually visiting an ocean instead of a lake. The atmosphere is so cool and refreshing, the view magnificent and breath-taking, for you can see mountains circling this area. Samosir Island is located proudly in the middle of the lake. Another lake inside Samosir Island makes this place more unique and interesting. more

Sipiso-piso Waterfall
Sipiso-piso Waterfall is located on the north side of Lake Toba, 24 Km from Kabanjahe, the 120 m waterfall is visible from gazebo near the food and souvenir stands.

Crocodile Farm at Asam Kumbang
Crocodile Farm at Asam Kumbang is 10 km from the heart of the city, with nearly 2,000 crocodiles of different sizes and species. It is open from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Tangkahan’s
Tangkahan’s combination of vegetation and topography makes it a marvelous tourist spot rarely found elsewhere. The Batang Serangan and Buluh rivers, converging exactly in this zone, are typical of rainforest streams, with diverse varieties of vegetation and colorful rocks and Sumatran elephants on their banks. The clear, bluish green river water against the panoramic view creates a mystical atmosphere. Fly to Medan the capi¬tal of North Sumatra Province and proceed with cars or public transport from Pinang Baris Bus Terminal in Medan to Tangkahan, located three hours from the province’ capital. The Best Season to Visit is June to October every year.

Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam

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Activities » Nature » Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Sorted by : ---All Province---Nanggroe Aceh DarussalamNorth SumatraWest SumatraRiauRiau IslandsJambiBengkuluSouth SumatraBangka-BelitungLampungJakartaBantenWest JavaCentral JavaYogyakartaEast JavaBaliWest Nusa TenggaraEast Nusa TenggaraWest KalimantanCentral KalimantanSouth KalimantanEast KalimantanNorth SulawesiGorontaloCentral SulawesiSouth East SulawesiSouth SulawesiWest SulawesiMalukuNorth MalukuPapuaWest Papua

GUNUNG RINJANI NATIONAL PARK : One of the Best Treks in Southeast Asia
Gunung Rinjani National Park covers an area of 41,330 hectares on the northern part of Lombok. The peak of Gunung Rinjani reaching up to 3,726m dominates the landscape. more

Gunung Leuser National Park
Gunung Leuser National Park is one of the biggest and the most diversed national parks in Indonesia (950,000 hectare), covering 7,927 km² in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The national park, named after 3,381 m height of Mount Leuser, protects a wide range of ecosystems. more

Weh Island
Weh Island often referred to by the name of its capital, Sabang, is the western most island of the Indonesian archipelago. It is situated at the mouth of the Malacca Strait a sea passage for many yachts and cruise ships only 18 miles away, one hour by ferry, from Ulee-Lheue harbor in Banda Aceh. Diving in Pulau Weh is a well-established recreational activity with dive masters and dive instructors ready to offer a variety of dives to sites like the fabled Sea Garden in Pulau Rubiah.

Alas River
Alas River flows into the Indian Ocean; this river has exceptional rapids that attract whitewater rafting enthusiasts for all over the world. Alas River, 165 km southeast from Takengon, cuts through Mount Leuser National Park. This area is especially popular among the young and adventurous. The sharp bends and many rapids are challenging to white-water rafters.

visit Jambi

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Lake Kerinci
Lake Kerinci is located 20 km from Su¬ngai Penuh, the capital of the Kerinci regency. This is a popular tourist spot with beautiful panoramas. Accommodation is available on the side of the lake.

Kerinci Seblat National Park
Kerinci Seblat National Park is located in the Bukit Barisan Mountains; it occupies a total area of 1,484,650 hectares. The park is home to a great variety of animals species, such as elephants, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran rhino, tapirs, panthers, deer, wild goats, primates, crocodiles, birds and reptiles.

Mount Kerinci
Mount Kerinci is the highest mountain on the island of Sumatra and it is popular with mountain climbers. The nearest village and climber’s base is Kersik Tuo, near Kayu Aro, Kerinci. The route is marked by signs, posted at half kilometer intervals. The best season to visit is January to October.Fly to Padang the capital of West Sumatra Province and then go to the town of Sungai Penuh, District of Kerinci in Jambi Province which is 7 - 8 hours drive from Padang or 278 km. Otherwise, you can go to the village of Kersik Tuo with a distance of 211 km from Padang or approximately 5 - 6 hours drive.

Bukit Duabelas Nature Reserve
Bukit Duabelas Nature Reserve is located in the Pauh subdistrict, 60 km from Bangko in the Sarolangun Bangko regency. It covers 28,703 hectares and home to deer, monkeys, bears, wild pigs, elephants, snakes, iguanas and many species of birds. Small lakes are found in its surroundings and many small streams discharge into the Batanghari River. This nature reserve is also home to 1,000 people of the Kubu (Anak Dalam) tribe.

East Nusa Tenggara

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Maumere
Maumere. A port town on the northeastern coast of Flores is a good place to stopover on the way to Ende or to Larantuka. It is well connected by air with Kupang, Denpasar and Ujung Pandang, and is noted for its good beaches. The bay of Maumere is considered the best diving spot in Flores, a paradise for divers, underwater photo¬graphers, and anyone interested in marine biology. Ledalero museum on the outskirts of Maumere has an interesting collection of ethnological objects from the region. Visitors are welcome but advance arrangements should be made. Ledalero is also home to a major Catholic Seminary where many Florinese priests are trained.

Semau Island
Semau Island. Thirty minutes by boat from Kupang, this untainted island paradise is well worth a stopover. The surrounding crystal-clear waters offer exceptional snorkeling and swimming. Bamboo bungalows are available on the white sandy beach, and you can barbeque your freshly-caught dinner while enjoying a spectacular sunset.

Mt. Kelimutu
Mt. Kelimutu. East Nusa Tenggara’s most-visited natural wonder and one of Indonesia’a most mysterious and dramatic sights, is found on top of this mountain, some 66 km from Ende, or 83 km from Maumere. The spectacular view of its three crater lakes, each with a distinct color, is not only a major tourist attraction, but the stuff of myth and legends. The lakes have continuously changed their colors over the years: today the largest is light turquoise, the next olive green and the third black. The local people believe that the souls of young people go to the first when they die, the old to the second, and the black lake is reserved for thieves and murderers.

Komodo Island
Komodo Island. A small island of 280 square km, Komodo is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. It is famous for its giant pre-historic lizards, considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. Called “ora” by the local people, Komodo “dragon” (Varanus Komodoensis) is actually a giant monitor lizard. Growing up to 3 to 4 meters in length, its ancestors roamed the earth up to about half a million years ago. The only human population on the island is at the fishing village called Komodo who suppiment their income breeding goats which are used to feed the li¬zards. The Komodo is protected by law and although they are considered harmless, it is advisable to keep them at a distance. Komodo Island is now a nature reserve, home to a number of rare bird species, deer, and wild pigs, which are prey to the lizards as well. This island can be reached by boat from Labuan Bajo.

Nemberela Beach
Nemberela Beach is the most beautiful beach and ideal for surfing. Surfers from all over the world come here to try the rough surf from June to October. It is located at the South West part of Rote Island.

Labuanbajo
Labuanbajo A little fishing town at the extreme western part of Flores, this town serves as a jumping-off point for the trip to Komodo Island. It is a beautiful area for water skiing; wind Surfing, fishing, and many other marine activities.

Dragons of The East
A komodos may reach up to 3 meters in lenght and weight 150kgs. These descendents of dinosaurs may lay up to 30 eggs at a time.

Legacy of the Prehistoric?
Indonesia is the native home of the largest lizard in the world, komodo dragon.

In Pursuit of Komodo Dragons in Komodo Island
Located between Sumbawa and Flores island, Komodo National Park was founded as a conservation for komodo dragons. Six years after the establishment in 1980, UNESCO declared that this park is a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve. more

Central sulawesi

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Lairiang River
Lairiang River. Lairiang is the longest river in Sulawesi Island running down from Napu, Besoa, Bada and Gimpu valleys ending into Makassar straits in the west. Napu, Sobek (white water rafting team) form America discovered Lariang River is one of the best rivers for rafting. It has the score IVV grade. Most of these trekkers take this area for their trekking and rafting as well. The rumbling of Lairiang river could be heard from a remote distance, nothing you can see except the huge bluish tropical rain forest as far as your eyes can see.

Togean Islands
Togean Islands. A community - based ecotourism as well as in conserving the biodiversity. A bewildering array of tropical rain forest covered six islands formed by volcanic activity. Situated in the vicinity of equator. This enchanting archipelago is one of the jewels of Central Sulawesi. Stunning reefs, small isolated white sandy beaches, traditional fishermen village of a Bajau, verdant rainforest have left many a world weary travel searching for superlatives. more

Lake Poso
Lake Poso. Poso has many specialities and uniquenesses which could not be discovered in other places. It is located in the heart of Sulawesi Island or even in Indonesia, about 657 m from the sea level. Lake Poso extends from north to south. It is about more than 32 km in lenght and 16 km in width. The deep of the Lake is 360 m in the south and 510 m in the north. The water is clean most of the time and a wonderful place for relaxing after trekking hard in the jungle of LoreLindu National Park. In dry season (October-April) the lake consists of white sandy beaches. The visitor could enjoy giant eel and gold fish from the lake.

Lore Lindu National Park.
Lore Lindu National Park. The second biggest lake in Central Sulawesi is Lake Lindu covering the area of 3,150 ha. It is located on highland about 1,200 m from the sea level. The beautiful panoramic view and it has a cool climate. Lake Lindu can be reached by car from Palu to Rahmat village then trekking through the thick tropical rainforest for about 4 hours. The visitor can stay at cottages. Barkcloth which is made in Bada, Kulawi and Napu valleys. Some megalithic statues of thousands of years at Napu, Besoa and Bada Valleys are consider to have relation with their ancestor worship. The statues with 1,5 m to 4 m height and 3000 years B.C. to 1500 years A. D.

Bukit Kaba Volcanic Crater - Bengkulu

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Bukit Kaba Volcanic Crater
Bukit Kaba Volcanic Crater is 104 km from Bengkulu and about 19 km from Curup, lies 1,937 m above sea level. There are two immense sulfuric calderas with twelve active craters. Beautiful panoramic views and cool mountain air make this a pleasant stop for a couple of days. There are popular hot springs near Curup at Suban.

Lovina Beach-Bali

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Lining up of busy losmen and hotels with the depleted shady sea makes Lovina one of the most stirring beaches in Bali. Tranquility, incredible under water world and popular attraction is the dolphin watching. A small traditional boat called, jukung, may be hired form the villagers in the morning to bring us off shore to meet these smart and cute creatures. According to the news, theres about 500 - 1000 dolphins here in Lovina Beach

Getting There=]

You can go there by private or public vehicle. From Kuta or Denpasar, it will take a time around 2-3 hours of driving.

Where to Stay=]

There's a lot of losmens and hotels that you can choose as your places to stay with varied price and facilities.

Moving Around=]

You can cheaply rent a motorbike and visit the neighbourhood.

Dining Guide=]

There are various foreign and local restaurants that offering international and local food with varied price.

Souvenir Tips=]

Sea - related products, such as items made of seashells, corals, etc
At Singsing Waterfalls, there's a string of 400 meters of souvenir shops.You can buy some souvenirs here

Other Things to See or Do=]

Beside dolphin watching, the other things that you can do or see near Lovina Beach are :

Singsing waterfall
This is quite a nice waterfall on the way to Bedugul.
Bedugul temple, this is an absolutely marvelous temple and not to miss while in, It's quite a long way to go there from Lovina by motorbike but also quite fun if you like mountainous roads.

Hot springs, quite nice springs, take your swimming suit. You can have lunch with a view of the springs.

Travel Tips=]

Dont forget to equipped yourself with sun protection.
Bring a bathing suit and extra clothing's.
Bali it's very photogenically set at the border of the lake.

Amed Beach-Bali

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Amed Beach East Bali is everything you dreamed it would be a rare and special paradise of outstanding exotic beauty, vibrant culture and friendly people. Here you can finally find peace and quiet, enjoy great food and take advantage of comfortable and inexpensive accommodation. From the beach, Amed offers an excellent site for training dives. It has a flat bottom lagoon for instruction and a coral reef only 5 minutes swim away.

This location is highly recommended for introductory dives. By boat, Amed has a nice wall dive just a few minutes away. It is a fun, easy dive for everyone. Snorkeling and diving off the black-sand beaches here is exceptional, the variety and numbers of fish on display are among the best on Bali and the water temperature is a constant 28 degrees. Schools of cardinal fish, triggerfish, black snappers, pyramid butterflies, banner fish, and damselfish can be seen on the sand slopes, while table corals, big fan gorgonians, and magnificent stag horn Acropora and Dendronephthya trees, dense growths of sponges, crinoids, and sea fans are commonly found within 20 meters of shore.

Cemuluk, on a protected bay, is an ideal place to begin snorkeling. Four kilometres further south along the coast is Banyuning, where there's a small wreck and some of the most beautiful coral gardens to be seen anywhere in the Lesser Sundas. The water is a little deeper here and sometimes there is a slight swell, so this area suits people with experience.

Getting There

Just 30min NE from Amlapura.
By public transport: From Denpasar, Batubulan Terminal, take a bus(medium size) to Amlapura, for 2 hours. Then change to a bemo to Amed, for 30min. The bemo will stops at the village, but the driver may take you to Jemeluk Beach.

Where to Stay

Amed is actually the name of just one village and not the place to base yourself; the villages to the south are more attractive. There are dozens of places to stay along this coast, from non-star hotel to star hotel.

Moving Around

You're free to explore Amed beach on foot.

Dining Guide

You can find food stalls (warung) whose sell snacks and nasi campur. The best restaurant in the area is the Baliku, approximately one kilometer south of the Blue Moon. And in the Lipah area serves good Indonesian food.

Souvenir Tips

Sea-related products, such as items made of seashells, corals, etc.

Other Things to See or Do

You can visit the fish market early in the morning when the tuna come in, And you can also enjoy the views surroundings Amed village.

Travel Tips

Most hotel staff can also arrange sailing or fishing trips so you can catch your own dinner. Your hotel will most probably have snorkeling gear for hire.
If you're on the Amed coast and want to dive, steer clear of the dive operators and check the prices at the other operators. Just make sure you take a look at the dive operator's equipment to make sure it's up to snuff before you decide to dive with them.

The volcanic caldera with its deep crater lake, Mount & Lake Batur- Kintamani,Bali

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Kintamani, centering on the spectacular volcanic caldera of Mt Batur with its deep crater lake and bubbling hot springs, is rugged with a high and wild beauty.

Wonderful mountain air and dizzying views in all directions, as well as several important temples, are what makes Kintamani one of the most memorable stops on the Bali tourist itinerary.

Mount Batur is actually just a small volcano, but its setting is in the heart of a huge crater 14km in diameter. Adjacent to the volcano is the large crescent-shaped Batur Lake, all surrounded by the high walls of the crater rim. The sheer size of the crater conjures up images of the massive eruption of the original Mount Batur that occurred tens of thousands years ago.

The volcano is still active today as Balinese all over the island who still remember the great eruption of 1917 will testify. It claimed thousands of lives and destroyed hundreds of temples. Old people might tell you this was "the year when the world shook" Other eruptions have taken place since, forcing the local population to be relocated, along with

Photo:www.blog.baliwww.com/

several of their temples including one of the main Bali temples, Pura Ulun Danu. Initially inside the huge crater, this temple has been relocated to the top of the ridge overlooking it. Here it now offers an impressive view of Mount Batur.

Getting There=]

You can go there by taxi or just rent a car. You can also join a tour to visit Mount Batur and Lake Batur. Tourist shuttle buses between southern Bali and Lovina stop off at Kintamani.

Where to Stay=]

There are several accommodations ranges from star hotels to Home stays in Kintamani. You may choose one of them to stay.

Moving Around=]

To move around Batur area, you just need to take a walk or you can rent a bike also.

Dining Guide=]

At Penelokan (translated as 'viewing spot') there are several restaurants from where to repose and get a well-deserved bite.

Souvenir Tips=]

Up the road going north is a market, busy every three days on Hari Paseh in the Balinese calendar. This is interesting to visit to see the variety of produce from surrounding mountain farms - oranges, corn, vegetable, fruit and the usual vast array of flowers, dried fish, tools, livestock, pots and baskets, plus a big clothing market. You may also see men cuddling big furry Kintamani puppies highly prized all over Bali.

Other Things to See or Do=]

Pura Ulun Danu Batur - near Batur village. This is

photo:www.blog.baliwww.com

the most important temple after Besakih, housing more than 90 shrines. Worth visiting at any time of year, especially during the Odalan festival, usually in March depending on the full moon, which is dedicated to the goddess of the crater lake, who is said to control the irrigation systems for the entire island.
Trunyan Village - mortuary traditions. From Toya Bungkah, lot of boats will cross the lake to a Bali Aga village called Trunyan. This place is notorious for its mortuary traditions. Instead of cremating the dead, as Balinese do throughout most of the island, the Trunyan communities leave the bodies to decompose naturally in a special cemetery.
Trekking Around Gunung Batur. The most popular trek is from Toya Bungkah to the top of Gunung Batur for sunrise. You may ask for this to a group of local guides or some of tourist service there.

Travel Tips=]

Theres a brilliant view from Penelokan, if its clear. But prepared for wet, cold and cloudy conditions and aggressive souvenir selling.
Remember to bring along a camera, as the breathtaking view is one to be cherished and shared back home.
There are many street hawkers selling some souvenirs. If you don't want to buy from them, don't make any contact to them otherwise you will be followed until you give up and buy from them.
Its better to visit mount and lake Batur in a dry season. It would make lakeside activities available and enjoyable. The rainy season was just too foggy and wet to enjoy to its fullest.

Kuta Beach - Bali

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Once a lonely village on the road from Denpasar toward the Bukit Peninsula, Kuta is now a thriving tourist resort, popular mainly among the young. It owes its claim to fame owes to two factors: its beach (originally Bali's best) and the sunset. The beach front is now host to many hotels, except for Legian and Seminyak, where much of the social scene is now centered. The main shops are located along Legian street.

Kuta has become one of the most dynamic places in Indonesia. It is a place to encounter new ideas and lifestyles and a place to experience all manner of pleasures. It is a popular beach for surfing although, currents make it less suitable for swimming. Life guards are on constant duty during the day. Kuta faces the West, offering beautiful sunsets.

The popular Kuta Beach, overlooking the Straits of Bali, attracts foreign and local water sport enthusiasts and sun worshippers. Throngs flock to this 1.5-kilometer stretch on weekends. The period April to September/October promises favorable reef and beach breaks, enabling surfers to take to the waves. Amateurs should stick to the milder beach breaks for safety reasons. You can also swim here--make sure you do so only within the designated area--or just join the carefree sunbathers. Wandering hawkers and guides offer their wares and services, while others provide a relaxing massage for a reasonable fee.

Getting There

Its very easy to reach Kuta beach and only 15 minutes from Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar-Bali.

Where to Stay
There are many accommodations ranges from star hotels to Home stays along Kuta-Legian road. You may choose one of them to stay.

Moving Around
Moving around Kuta its very fun and simple. You can go around on foot or you can rent a bike or motorcycle.

Other Things to See or Do
Beside watching sunsets and surf, the other things that you may see or do here are shopping, watching performances of Balinese music and dance in Kuta, staged specially for tourists and anywhere else in Bali and some of them are staged nightly. If you're looking by night, various foreign and locally restaurant, clubs, pubs and bars start to fire up.

Dining Guide
There are various foreign and local restaurants that offering international and local foods. These restaurants are available along Kuta.

Souvenir Tips
There are many souvenir shops along Kuta that offering you many kind of Balinese souvenir, starting from clothes, paintings, handicrafts, wooden crafts, etc.

Travel Tips

* Dont forget to equipped yourself with sun protection,
* Bring a bathing suit and extra clothings,
* If you're including backpackers tourist, and looking for cheap accommodation in Kuta, just go to Poppies Lane Alley 1 & 2 where you can find cheap accommodation and restaurants.
* Warungs offering cheap food are within a 2 minute walk on Poppies Lane 1, so no need to get sucked into a beachside restaurant and high prices.
* Almost every evening there is a performance of Balinese -dance somewhere in Kuta. To know what is on just ask around.

INDONESIA Street Food - Culinary

2008-05-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

The most commonly found street food is bakso or meatballs that are usually served in a bowl, like soup, with noodles, bean curds (tofu), eggs, and/or fried meat.

Bromo & Semeru, A Spectacular Volcanic Landscape in East Java

2008-05-16T06:22:00.001-07:00

The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park covers some 800 square kilometers in the centre of East Java. It is the largest volcanic region in the province and there stands Mt. Semeru, which rises 3676 meters above sea level. At its northern end is the spectacular Tengger Caldera, Java's largest, with its 10 km barren desert-like sea of sand. Within the caldera rise the deeply fissured volcanic cones of Batok and Bromo, the latter is still active with a cavernous crater from which smoke blows skyward. Temperatures at the top of mount Bromo range about 5 to 18 degrees Celcius . To the south is a rolling upland plateau dissected by valleys and dotted with several small scenic lakes, extending to the foot of Mount Semeru, a towering grey forest-skirted cone dominating the southern landscape.

Tengger sandy area has been protected since 1919, and its believed to be the only conservation area in Indonesia, even probably in the world possessing a unique ocean and sand at the attitude about 2000 m above sea level. There are several mountains inside the calderas namely: Mt Watangan (2,661 m asl)., Mt Batok (2,470 m asl), Mt Kursi (2,581 asl), Mt Watangan (2,661 m asl), and Mt Widadaren (2,650 m asl).

On the fourteenth day of the Month Kasada, the inhabitants of Tengger Mountain range gather at the rim of Mount Bromo's active crater to present annual offerings of rice, fruit, vegetables, flowers, live stock and other local produce to the God of the Mountain, as adherents of religion combining elements of Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism the Tenggerese ask for blessing from the supreme God, Sang Hyang Widi Wasa. This ceremony called Kesodo Ceremony.

While the Great Mountain or Semeru offer a wonderful place to 3 days hike. Serenity of small lakes and large meadows, a three hours struggling through loose screw to the peak and breathtaking views from peak Semeru explodes every half hour and sends billowing smoke upwards. These gases and belching lava make Semeru dangerous " stay well away from the vent. The fine scenery and bracing climate, easy access and reasonably visitor-oriented facilities make this one of the most popular reserves in Java.

Bromo Tengger Semeru can be reached by private and public vehicle. There are four gates to access the place, Probolinggo, Wonokitri, Ngadas and Lumajang. Probolinggo approach is the easiest and by fat the most popular route, especially if you go by public bus, Wonokitri is the closes and the easiest one if you go by private vehicle from Surabaya (5 hours journey). To get closer to Mt. Bromo you must rent 4x4 vehicles (there are many 4x4 vehicles rental there).

There are a few options that you can choose to stay. You can stay at The Bromo Guest House which is located at Ngadisari that lies 3 km from the crater rim. Or you can choose other hotels at Cemoro Lawang because it this situated at the crater rim.

Walking on the sea of sand and stepping up on the 249 steps to rim is worth to try. Enjoying the unique crater in crater, watching the dawn at Bromo is the main attractions in the area.

Its kindly hard to find some food at night, because mostly of warung are closed after 7.30 pm. If youre in Wonokitri area, theres some warung in Tosari market, which still open at 7-9 pm.

There are many souvenir shops around Mount Bromo viewpoints who are selling T-shirts, scarf that are made from wool and others. There are also street hawkers who are selling these things too at the caldera area.

You can moving around on foot and normally it will takes 2 hours, or you can ride a horse or even rent a jeep (for this two, you are suggested to ask first and make a negotiation)

Necessities for the trip include a torch, warm clothing, comfortable trekking shoes, and glove as a protection against the freezing temperature which hovers between zero to five degrees Celsius (33 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit).
If you buy or rent something please Bargain.
Sunrise starts at 5.00 am till 6.00 am (If werent cloudy), so you may leave from your hotel or guesthouse at 3 am or even less than that.
Before start trekking, hiking or climbing, be sure that you already eat, or you can bring some food and drink from your places of stay.
Otherwise, you can buy some food and drink on the nearest markets for your supply before you start your activities on mountain.
If youre come in the right time, you may possible to watch the annual ceremony of Kesodo.

Banten - another place to visit

2008-05-16T06:19:00.000-07:00

Banten, once a powerful maritime capital rivaling the vast Javanese Mataram empire, is today a fishing village with an illustrious past. The Capital City of Banten Province is Serang. Old Banten is one of the well know historical objects, only 10 km from the town of Serang. In this site, we can find a lot of remains of Islamic Banten Kingdom which was founded between 16 and 18 century. This is the coastal area where the Dutch formerly landed to trade. Banten has few relics to show of its past grandeur, however, there are the ruins of powerful Moslem kingdoms such as the pala¬ces of Surosowan and Kaibon, the grand mosque of Mesjid Agung Banten (1599) and a Dutch fortress and an old Chinese temple. Old Banten is the city which was the capital of the Republic of Indonesia.

Tourist Office:

Jl. Ayib Usman No.1, Kaligandu, Serang 42151 Phone. (0254) 219836 Fax. (0254) 200220 Website : http//www.dispardabanten.com
Jl. Raya Air Kuta No.2 Bali, Phone (0361) 766184 http :// www.bantentourism.info

Getting there:
Soekarno Hatta International Airport is the main access from aboard to Banten. It also can be reach by car or motorbike through a route of Jakarta - Serang.

Tourism Events
Debus, a combination of traditional martial art performance and body invulnerability Gembrug - the opening act with drum percussion and Beluk Strident hysterical sound when it began to reach heavy level of performance and Pencak - single or pairs of traditional martial art performance.

Places of Interest

Baduy Traditional Society

Baduy Traditional Society. In the area of 5,101 hectares consisting or two parts : inner and outer Baduy tribes. Live in harmony with nature, avoid modern life. It is located at Lebak Regency.

Keraton Surosowan

Keraton Surosowan (The Palace of Surosowan) was built during the reign of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin (1525-1552). Most of buildings were partly totally damaged. What remains is only the wall of the fortress ciecling the ruin of the monument. According to the old maps it is known that in the past the complexes of the palace were surrounded by a ditch as a guard. It was said, that in the past small ship was able to sail along the ditch or along the canal to the open sea.

Tasikardi

Tasikardi at Margasana village, Kramatwatu district is a part of arceological complex of Old Banten. Its width is approximatelly 5 hectares and in the cebter of the lake there is a square formed “islands”. During the period of the Kingdom of Banten, Tasikardi used irigate the recifields and as a water treatment system in Surosowan Palace.

Speelwijk Fortress

Speelwijk Fortress is located at kampung Pamarican, around at Banten Gulf. In the past it was used as the fortress of the Sultanate of Banten, before the Deutch pene¬trated to and accupied Banten.

Ujung Kulon National Park

Ujung Kulon National Park. One of World Natural conservation as UNESCO declared. Observe the natural tropical forest, found the rare single horn rhino. The grazing area of buffaloes peacock and specific animals completed by beautiful islands around. There is a bus each day from Labuan to Taman Jaya which is on the edge of the Ujung Kulon national park. There simple cabins can be hired and a ranger can then take you on a walk into the park. It takes about six hours to reach a camping site. Food is not readily available so take some with you from Matahari in Labuan. Boats from and of the west.

Taman Jaya where the wood carving community, located nearby Ujung Kulon National Park.

Pulau Dua/Pulau Burung

Pulau Dua/Pulau Burung (Birds Island) is a natural bird conservation area for bird watching, located about 3 miles from the northern of Karangantu harbor. It can be reached by motorized pats or sail boats in 15 minutes. From April to August the island is visited by thousand of bird coming from the continent of Africa, Asia and Australia to lay and hatch their eggs. Soon after the young birds become mature, they will return to their original places. At least 50 kinds of birds and generally those are fishering birds that only to fly far distance such as herons, ducks, teals, fowis and other be able to lay 2-4 eggs, and stayed together in Pulau Dua of 8 hectares land.

The Tower of Bojong

The Tower of Bojong. Built in 1885 the Dutch, it is 75, 7 meter in height and it is an eighteen-story house light in Anyer Kidul. This area is an historical place. It is very well known for its 1000 km Daendles Post Road from Anyer to Panarukan (East Java) in 1811.

Karang Bolong Beach

Karang Bolong Beach is located 50 km from Serang town or 140 km from Jakarta, on Karang Bolong Street. Karang Bolong beach is the beach recreation area where there is a big rock with its hole in the center, facing the open sea.

The Hot Spring

The Hot Spring of Batu Kuwung. Its heat reaches 70-80 Fahrenheit degree. The hot water is iodized but it doesn’t contain any sulphur.

Mount Krakatau

Mount Krakatau is located at Sunda Strait. This volcano is very well known all over the world because its eruption in 1883 shocked the world and had caused a big disaster. The eruption of Krakatau was so powerful and its sound was heard in Australia and Colombo. The new volcano began emerged to surface in 1928. In 1951 geologists recorded that the height of Anak Gunung Krakatau was just above 72 m dpl, but right now it’s already reached a height of more than 200 m.

Rangkasbitung in Lebak Regency is a center of souvenirs made of Opal (Batu kali maya) and Onyx.

Bumi Jaya in Serang Regency produce various kind of export quality potteries.

Shopping Center Unleash the sense of discovery and experience some of the Indonesia’s most sophisticated shopping malls in Tangerang and Cilegon.

Golf Courses

Golf Courses. 11 golf course and 1 dri¬ving range all around Banten. The luxurious facilities, including 18 holes and first class accommodation.

Pulau Umang

Pulau Umang, white sandy beach over looking the crystal clear sea water, located 183 km about 4 hours driving by car and 5 min by boat from Jakarta, there is a resort and spa facilities to relax and living in nature with magnificient view of Krakatau and the Ujung Kulon National Park.

Mesjid Agung Banten

Mesjid Agung Banten This complex consists of a mosque monu¬ment having grave yards along its left and right sides, the monument of Tiyamah, a tower, and grave yard located in the north side.

Keraton Kaibon

Keraton Kaibon (The Palace of Kaibon) It is located at the village of Kroya on the bank of the road of Old Banten, approximately 7 km from the town of Serang or 1 km from Surosowan Palace. The name Kaibon was derived from the word Kai-i¬buan namely Ratu Asiah, taking over his son’s position, Sultan Rafiudin who was just 5 months old to lead the reign.

Legian Beach In Bali- Most Beautiful Beach

2008-05-15T04:58:00.000-07:00

Named the United Nations of beaches, Legian Beach in Bali, Indonesia, is indeed filled with a multitude of "westerners" as well as the native Bali men and women. The difference? The Europeans and Americans are almost completely nude, whereas the men and women of the island are fully clothed from the workday. But here we see a glimpse of what Legian Beach, Bali, looks like on a typical day. It's very different at night. Here you'll see surfers lining up for the perfect wave, and people just hanging out. We enjoyed the thought of grabbing a beach chair and lying here listening to the surf. Isn't that what beach life is all about? This beach has some serious wave action during the day.

There are abundant activities here that are very affordable! However this beach is not recommended for swimming due to some tough undercurrents that will sweep you under - so watch out. The beach is very wide and if the tide is right you can walk a long ways until the water actually comes to your knees. This Indonesian beach is full of people at night; the sunsets are absolutely breathtaking!

To fully enjoy Legian Beach, you must visit all the shops, bars, vendors, and have an amazing amount of fun because this beach is definitely a party beach. Here, you'll forget you're in Indonesia, and you will get away from any worry while you play football in the sand or canoe along the coast all the while watching scantily clad Brazilian women sunbathe on the beach. Or you could lie out yourself on the beautiful brown sand underneath the cornucopia of palms that line the shore.

Legian Beach is one of the more popular beaches in Bali and because of this there will be many tourists, so don't be surprised if you find many a friendly visitor pass you by as you walk along this wonderful beach. And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE visit the beach during a sunset, you will see nothing else like it!

Legian Beach - Bali - BEACH INDEX:

Sand - Brown, long and wide.
Facilities - All included at the nearby hotels. Plus small stands that sell various items such as chessboards.
Shade - mature palm trees
Sports Parasailing, surfing, snorkeling, touring on glass-bottom boats, canoeing, jet-skiing, windsurfing, sailing and swimming
Notes - can get crowded around major hotels.

All these Bali Beaches making you hungry? Come see the beach where they really know how to break bread - day and night! Spectacular Indonesia Jimbaran Beach

Medan - North Sumatra - Lake Toba - INDONESIA

2008-05-15T04:53:00.000-07:00

Lush valley,cascading waterfalls and active volcanoes. Tribes with a history of cannibalism and apes so similar to humans their name translates as 'man of the forest'. The stuff of Hollywood adventure movies is all-too-real in North Sumatra, the most visited region of the island.

The gateway to this exotic region, Medan is a bustling port town, replete with movie-style crowded market, seedy bars and shady characters, but also broad avenues, first-class hotels and restaurants - the fruits of Sumatra's broad-based economic development. From humble beginnings as a small kingdom on the Deli River delta, Medan became the capital of a powerful sultanate in the late 1800s, then developed into booming plantation town during the early 1900s as Sumatra's tobacco, rubber, palm oil and tea fetched high price on the world markets. Post independence Medan has continued to grow into Indonesia's largest city outside Java, with oil and industrial goods added to the list of lucrative exports.

Each successive era has left its mark on the city's architecture. The grandeur of Sultanate of Deli celebrate in the Maimoon Palace , an intriguing melange of Oriental Middle Eastern and Western architectural styles designed by an Italian in 1888. The classically Malay Grand Mosque stands opposite.

Leaving frenetic, sprawling Medan and heading into highlands, the beauty of Northern Sumatra unrolls in endless vistas of lush plantation and charming villages, with majestic Bukit Barisan range providing the backdrop. A few hours from Medan, under the smoking volcanoes of Sibayak and Sinabung, lies the tranquil hill station of Brastagi. A favorite resort of Dutch, the cool climate and rich volcanic soil is ideal for growing European fruits and vegetables. Great mounds of oranges, passionfruit, avocados and other produce line the streets and fill the markets- delicious, healthful food on sale for risible sums.

Gunung Lauser Reserve, which straddles the North Sumatra - Aceh Border, are open to visitor through rafting expeditions down the Alas River and tours of the orangutan rehabilitation center at Bahorok, where formerly captive apes are re-introduces to the wild.

Lake Toba

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 is Southeast Asia and one of the deepest and 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.

Samosir, the large island in the center of the lake, is the home of the Toba batak, considered -at least by the Toba Batak - as the original Batak tribe. One of the prominent ethnic groups in the archipelago, Bataks living in distant cities will regularly return to their ancestral island. Even people not sharing the spiritual and historic connection with the island often return to Samosir, drawn by the enchanting natural beauty and fascinating culture.

Three megalithic sites on Samosir bear witness to the glory - and horror - of Batak history. The three consist of 300-year-old stone seats and benches arrayed in a circle. The first set of ruins was used as a conference area for Batak kings. At the second site, the rajas would sit in judgment of a criminal or enemy prisoner. If the accused were found guilty, the assembly would move to the third set, which features the ghastly addition of a central stone execution block.

Other, less gruesome attraction can occupy many days of exploration and discovery. All over the island are superb examples of traditional Batak houses, with elaborate carvings and decorations. Performance of life-size is Gale-gale wooden puppet are held frequently, and at any moment, the musical Batak might break into a impromptu song, the seeming effortless, multi-part harmonies belying the casual setting.

Now, students and young professionals on tight budget have a good value accommodation, restaurants and general cosmopolitan atmosphere remain. With few motor vehicles, the island is a walker's paradise. Local guides are available for numerous hikes of varying difficulty around the island and surrounding lakeshore. Those who complete the 1600 meter climb up muddy trails to the village of Roonggurni need not be proud of their accomplishment:village children descend and re-climb the mountain every day to attend school.

Nias

Enormous breakers pummel the island of Nias attracting the best surfers in the world to Lagundri Beach. The unforgiving power attacking the shore seems to have bred the same qualities in the people, whose militaristic culture has fascinated anthropologists for decades.

Getting to North Sumatra

Air

Medan is primary gateway to Sumatra, served by daily direct flights from Singapore by Garuda Indonesia and Silk Air, and from Penang by Malaysian Airlines System (MAS). Garuda Indonesia, Merpati Nusantara, Sempati Air, Bouraq and Mandala fly daily from Jakarta. A joint service by Garuda Indonesia and KLM flies weekly to Medan from Amsterdam.

Sea

Ferries ply between Penang and Port of Belawan. A fast, comfortable passenger liner sails biweekly from Jakarta to Medan.

When to Go

North Sumatra has a warm tropical climate with wet and dry seasons lasting approximately six month each. The heaviest rains occur in December and January. During the wet season, overland travel in Southern Sumatra ca be subject to lengthy delay. Average humidity is 81 percent and temperatures average 27C during the day and 25C at night, with average temperatures dropping one degree for every 300 meters elevation. Evenings in mountain areas can be quite cool. The best time to visit is between May and October, though rain will still be frequent occurrence in many mountainous areas. Monthly event list available in the Garuda Indonesia in-flight magazine or regional tourist information offices.

Getting There

Medan is served by daily flights from Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. There are good road connections from Banda Aceh and Lake Toba.

Accommodation

Medan is a modern city with full facilities for travelers of every budget and preference. Three four-star properties, and several three-star and two star hotels.

Transport

Medan has metered taxis and hire cars are available through most hotels. Noisy, motorized pedicabs cruise downtown area, offering a novel, if nerve-racking way of seeing the sights.

Lake Toba

Getting There

Lake Toba is three hours by good road from Medan. Bus service is frequent, and hired taxis are widely available. Regular ferries serve communities on Samosir, carrying motorcycles as well as passenger. Private speedboats are also available for charter.

Accommodation

Higher quality hotels are all found on the mainland at Prapat. On Samosir Island there are number of two-star hotels and plenty of basic, but clean and comfortable homestay.

Restaurants

The hotels all serve standard European food as well as local dishes. Restaurants on Samosir offer simple, healthy meals, often including yogurt, fruit juices and other young traveler fare.

Transport

Everything in Prapat is within walking distance of most hotels. Walking is one's only option in Samosir, as few vehicles exist.

Nias

Getting There

SMAC runs daily flights by small plane from Medan to Nias. Small ferries leave daily from Sibolga on the Sumatra west coast.

Accommodation

Nias has basic hotel geared to young surfers and backpackers.

Transport

Four wheel-drive vehicles and motorcycle are available in Nias. Hire cars and motorcycle are also available.

Angklung

2008-05-15T04:37:00.000-07:00

SUNDANESE ENTER INTO 'ANGKLUNG' PATENT BATTLE (The Jakarta Post, September 21, 2007)

The angklung is a bamboo instrument consisting of a number of vertical tubes attached to a handheld horizontal rod that is rattled by the performer. It has become not just an instrument for making music but also for devising political and social protests.

The name angklung comes from the Balinese words angka (notes) and lung (irregular). Almost every time West Java musicians perform in a foreign country they will play the angklung. That is why the angklung is now known as one of West Java's icons, aside from wooden puppets.

Tea businessman Rachmat Badrudin regularly entertains his guests with angklung music. Four months ago, he hired angklung players form Saung Udjo in Cicaheum, Bandung, to perform before his guests from Lipton Tea in a valley in Rancabali tea plantation, Ciwidey, around 30 km to the south of downtown Bandung.

The Lipton tea meeting was important for Rahmat as Lipton is the main buyer of the green tea from the Rancabali plantation, which is owned by Chakra Tea. Lipton management came to inaugurate the housing complex for tea plantation workers. Last October, the old complex was burned down and now 46 new houses have been built with the assistance of Lipton.

The angklung players, some of whom were children aged between 7 and 12 years old, had to spend the night in the mess of the Chakra tea company. They left Bandung at 10 p.m. and arrived some two hours later. The location of the event was far from the main road and the angklung players had to trek for an hour along a stony path through the forest and the tea plantation to get there.

"We would like our important guests to remember their trip here. That's why we are offering them a different form of entertainment," said Rachmat, who spent Rp 5 million on the performance.

The result was outstanding. Among the guests from Lipton, who came from several countries, was Hans Synhaeve, the managing director of Lipton Ltd. The children distributed among them angklung that produced different notes. Then they asked the guests from Lipton to play their angklung together, guided by a pretty girl wearing a kebaya (traditional blouse) and batik skirt.

"It's amazing," said Synhaeve, after the last song, Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling in Love, had been played.

This is just one of many examples of how the Sundanese take pride in their traditional music. Almost all secondary schools and universities in Bandung have angklung groups, which are locally known as KPA.

These groups play not only folk songs but also western songs and music from film soundtracks.

On September 25, 2006, hundreds of young men and university students crowded the theater of the Asia Africa Cultural Center on Jl. Braga, Bandung, for the "Angklung in Cinema" concert. Angklung groups from high schools and universities had been invited by the KPA of the Bandung Institute of Technology to demonstrate their skills at the event.

They played music from the Harry Potter films (Lumos Hedwig), Titanic (My Heart Will Go On) and Grease (Summer Nights).

Angklung player Daeng Soetigna was instrumental in transforming the original pentatonic five-note scale of the angklung into the modern diatonic seven-note scale in 1937. Daeng, who died in 1984, was relieved to be able to pass on the diatonic angklung to one of his students, Udjo Nalagena. Udjo set up angklung workshop Saung Udjo in Pada Suka, East Bandung, in 1958. The workshop introduced the angklung to the rest of the world.

Although Udjo died in May 2001, his children have taken over Saung Udjo and continue to expand the business. Many foreigners and locals learn to play the angklung at the workshop. Saung Udjo is the only place where the angklung is zealously developed. Every day, from Monday through Sunday, angklung performances can be watched from 3.30 to 5.30 p.m. as part of a program called "Bamboo Afternoon Performance".

Budi Supardiman of the Angklung Music Society (MMA) said that according to various records from old books, the angklung was already known as far back as the 13th century as a musical instrument in West Java. At that time it was used for various religious rites. The art of angklung is known in nearly all parts of Sunda, starting from Banten (among the Baduy tribe), in the Mount Halimun area, in the border area between Sukabumi and Bogor, Malangbong-Garut to Arjasari, Bandung and even Ciamis in the south of West Java

"During the Dutch colonial times, in the 18th century, the Dutch only allowed beggars to play the angklung. The Dutch believed the angklung could unite people and arouse their fighting spirit," Budi noted.

Angklung music further developed when Daeng, dubbed Si Etjle, introduced it with a modern diatonic seven-note scale. That is why many people call this modern angklung "Daeng's Angklung". According to Budi, only a group of performers who work as one can play angklung music successfully. Therefore it can be used to build character.

"If a angklung player fails to sound his or her note, the whole piece will sound bad, as though something is missing. Playing angklung music also teaches people how to work as a team," Budi said.

Owing to its cultural significance, playing angklung music was made part of schoolchildren's regular activities by virtue of a 1968 Education Ministry decree.

Budi said the angklung had also been introduced in many classrooms in other countries. In Singapore, the minister of education organizes an angklung music festival for elementary and junior high school students every year. This festival is usually participated in by 20 to 30 music groups. Hiroshima city in Japan has declared itself an angklung city.

"In Malaysia, the music is extensively promoted and the angklung itself is used in the country's Truly Asia tourism campaign," Budi said.

He said universities in Malaysia had conducted research on angklung synthesizers. The country is also trying to obtain a design patent for the angklung, much to the annoyance of Sundanese communities who have urged the Indonesian government to hit back and have been making every effort to demonstrate the angklung is a Sundanese instrument.

On August 22, 2007, for example, the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) registered Padjajaran University as the organizer of a concert featuring 10,000 angklung players.

Although other countries may claim the instrument is their own, Indonesia need not worry. Until now almost every country that needs angklung has been importing it from Indonesia. Why? Because angklung can be made only by people who really know the sound and how to make it.

Satria Yanuar Akbar, the marketing manager of Saung Angklung Udjo, said that it could take up to six months to make a set of angklung. The quality, he said, was highly dependent on the water content of the bamboo. In addition, a special device to tune the notes is also needed. In West Java, only Saung Udjo has this special device.

As angklung are in great demand today, Saung Udjo finds it increasingly difficult to meet the influx of orders.

Saung Udjo, Satria said, usually have to refuse 30 percent of orders for angklung because the black bamboo, the material from which angklung are made, has become more and more difficult to find. The dozens of angklung-making families behind "Saung Udjo" can make only 4,000 angklung a week. Most angklung makers in Tasikmalaya and Banjar only make angklung from ordinary bamboo for souvenirs.

"We have our own black bamboo plantation in Jampang, South Sukabumi, but the supply is limited. Before we could get additional supplies from Sumedang and Cianjur but now we can't," Satria said.

Aside from meeting the domestic demand, Satria said, Saung Udjo also exports its angklung to Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the United States, Europe and some other Asian countries.

The great demand for angklung is not on a par with the technology with which it is made. The main problem for angklung instruments is that termites can gnaw on the bamboo so that the sound of the instrument will change. Saung Udjo is yet to be successful in getting rid of termites, although it has done many things to protect the instruments like lining the outer parts.

Another problem is that the different kinds of climates in the importing countries sometimes make the sound of one angklung instrument differ from another.

"If the instrument is sent to a country where the climate is cool, it will produce no sound. If it is too hot, it will produce a shrill sound. We are yet to come up with a solution to this problem," Satria said.

He hoped that Indonesia's experts in technology, particularly from universities, would contribute ideas on how to improve the quality of angklung. Korea, for example, now has a special tuning device that refines the sound of the angklung.

"This business is running now and also there is a good economic opportunity because angklung must be tuned every six months and replaced once a year. Now we only need to make angklung more durable," Satria added.

Kalimantan - Indonesia's Part of Borneo Island

2008-05-15T04:31:00.000-07:00

A land of unexplored natural beauty and rich cultural heritage

The Indonesian territory of Kalimantan makes up 2/3 of Borneo island. Well known for its tropical forests, rich natural resources, and exotic flora and fauna, Kalimantan offers a unique, unexplored world of its own. Originally inhabited by the Dayak, it is now home to 10 million inhabitants with a variety of culture. The indigenous Dayaks, or the Orang Gunung (Mountain People), traditionally live in longhouses called Lamin or Umaq Daru that can house as many as 50 people. Once known as headhunters, the tribe consists of many sub-tribes such as Iban, Punan and Banuaq. The arrival of newcomers has given this land a rich cultural mixture of Dayak, Malay, Chinese, Javanese plus religious influence of Islamic teachings and Hinduism.

Rivers plays a very important role in communication and economy of the inhabitants. Most of community life are centered along rivers: houses, activities, etc. For the adventurous, this island offers many options to satisfy that desire: rafting or traveling along some of the world's most beautiful and challenging rivers, trekking through traditional villages and jungles, or take a safari trip in one of the many national parks.

There are four provinces: East, South, Central and West which have their own governor.

East Kalimantan
Home to the longest river in Kalimantan, the Mahakam river, where freshwater dolphin can be found, East Kalimantan is growing to be an industrially advanced area. This is contributed by its position as a major producer of oil and timber, and as the second largest province in Indonesia. Also home to Kalimantan's indigenous inhabitant, the Dayaks, in this province we can find many of Dayak cultural materials. 80 percent of this province is covered by forest.

South Kalimantan
This rich, fertile province is divided into two distinct regions by the Meratus mountains. The eastern part is mostly covered with mountains and dense tropical forest, while the southern part has more rivers and lowlands. The abundance of forests with their wide variety of trees has helped make this province one of the largest wood producers in Indonesia. The rich, unique natural resources found on this land can be seen from the exquisite traditional and commercial handicrafts which are completely made from local raw material. Some of the most exciting ways to experience all this is by backpacking over hills and racing down river on bamboo rafts.

Central Kalimantan
Covering an area of 153,800 square kms and consisting mostly of dense jungles, this is the largest province of the island. The terrain includes mountainous area in the northern part, dense tropical forest in the central, and swampy area with many rivers crisscrossing the southern part. Like other parts of the island, it has tropical climate with temperature ranging from 26 C to 30 C in day time and 15 - 20 C on nights, and average humidity of 70 - 90%.

West Kalimantan
The nickname 'land of the equator' earned by this province is contributed by the geographic position of its capital, Pontianak, which lies exactly on the equator. Covering an area of 146,807 square km, the province has swampy low plains containing many
rivers, lakes and villages, often linked by bridges. Once an important cultural crossroads, and because of its strategic location in the trade route of neighboring countries, this province is easily accessible from Jakarta and Singa pore. Like other Kalimantan provinces, this land is also rich of unexplored natural resources, such as minerals and precious stones.

The Special Sights

National parks and nature reserves
Kalimantan has a number of nature reserves to protect its unique flora and fauna. Kersik Luway is where the very rare 'Black Orchid' (Colongenia Pandurata) grows, located upstreams the Mahakam river, East Kalimantan. Bontang, in the regency of Kutai with an area of about 200,000 ha, has a rare flora and fauna. The Kutai National Park near Bontang is worth visiting to see scenery especially those at Beras Basah. Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan is the oldest conservation site of Kalimantan's flora and fauna. The park is inhabited by Orang Utans, Owa-owa, Bekantan and other primates. Also found here the Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre which is supported by the Would Wildlife Fund (WWF). In West Kalimantan, Gunung Palung National Park located in the Ketapang regency is home to miscellaneous flora and fauna. The Raya Pasi mountain located in the Singkawang regency is also an interesting place to visit to see the Rafflesia or giant flower. Singkawang is also a nature reserve. The forest of Sanggau is worth a visit where hot springs, lakes and caves can be found. The other nature reserves are the forests of Baning and Kelam Hill in the Sintang regency. While in Kapuas Hulu, there is the Bentuang. In South Kalimantan, there is the Kaget island, home to a wide variety of birds and monkeys, Most notably the humorous longnosed proboscis monkeys.

Cultural heritage
In East Kalimantan, Berau and Marine Tourism on Derawan island is where we can see the remains of a kingdom called the Keraton Gunung Tambur and the Keraton Sarnbaliung. Derawan island is approximately 3 hours boating from Tanjung Redep (The Capital of Berau regency). It is also a good place for water sports such as scuba diving, fishing, and swimming. Tenggarong, up the Mahakam river from Samarinda, is the capital of the Kutai regency and was once the seat of the Kutai sultanate. The Sultan's Palace on the riverside is now a museum where historical objects from the sultanate are kept. Every 24th of September, dance and music performances are given to celebrate the town's anniversary. Tanjung Isuy, located in East Kalimantan hinterland, has a traditional Dayak long-house which has been turned into lodges for visitors. Visitors are usually greeted by a traditional Benuaq Dayak welcome. The place can be reached through the scenic Mahakam river. At Muara Ancalong - Muara Wahau visitors can watch traditional dances of Kenyah Dayak which are performed at a long-house. In Flower Island, South Kalimantan, we can find many species of monkeys and an old Chinese temple where local Chinese bring offerings of fresh fruit and peanuts to a tribe of aggressive macaquef in hopes of being blessed with even greater prosperity. An original Betang (traditional longhouse) can be seen in Saham village, 158 km from Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The measures of this long-house are: 186 m long, 6 m wide, inhabited by 269 people. A heritage to Kaharingan religion, a sect of Hinduism, can be found in Bukit Rawi, small village of Central Kalimantan.

Trekking and water adventure
A trip along the Mahakam river in East Kalimantan offers unique riverside scenery of rare flora and fauna. Floating markets of all sizes can be found everywhere on Barito River, Banjarmasin South Kalimantan, with the one at the junction of the Kuin and Barito rivers is considered one of the best. Market activities usually end at 9 am. The traditional villages around Loksado, in the mountains east of Kandangan, is a wonderful place to be explored by foot. Amandit river is an excellent place for white water rafting. The first stretch, from Loksado to Muara Hatip, has rapids ranked grades I to 21/2. The second, from Muara Hatip to Batu Laki, includes rapids of grade 3. White-water lovers can also find satisfaction in Gohong Rawai, Central Kalimantan, known for its beautiful and challenging rapids. Many cities in Kalimantan are best explored through rivers, such as Pontianak and Banjarmasin.

Mining
In Teweh and Batu Apu gold mines, located in Rungan district of Central Kalimantan, gold panning is done traditionally by local people. A number of gold mines can also be found in other parts of Central Kalimantan. Traditional diamond digging, mostly with simple equipment, can be observed in Cempaka, 45 minutes from Banjarmasin South Kalimantan. In Martapura, visitors can see how precious stones are cut and polished. Beaches and resorts Kumai Beach, approximately 22.5 km from Pangkalanbun in Central Kalimantan has exotic views and serves as a transit place before Tanjung Puting National Park. Pasir Panjang, 17 km from Singkawang in the Sambas regency, South Kalimantan has a beach resort, ideal for swimming. Comfortable cottages are available equipped with a tennis court. In the vicinity of Singkawang, the Gunung Poteng hill resort with its fresh air is a good place for nature lovers. In East Kalimantan, Tanah Merah Indah - Lempake recreational park has a waterfall, located about 16 km from downtown Samarinda. Kijing and Temajoh island beach resorts near Pontianak, West Kalimantan, is also a good place for diving, fishing and sailing.

The Principal Towns
Samarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan, is known for its fine sarong cloth. Samarinda has a number of modest but comfortable hotels. Balikpapan has the second busiest airport in Indonesia. The city now serves as the gateway to East Kalimantan with air and sea connections to Jakarta and other major points in Indonesia. It has a number of good hotels, including one of international standard, as well as recreation facilities. Baniarmasin, capital of South Kalimantan is now developing as a tourist city. The nickname 'river city' reflects the unique way of life of its local residents found along the numerous rivers crisscrossing the city. Palangkaraya is the center of government, train and education of Central Kalimantan. Worth visiting is the Regional Museum of Palangkaraya that contains historical and cultural interests from all over Central Kalimantan. Pontianak is the capital of West Kalimantan lies exactly on the equator' Some interesting place to visit are Equator Monument, Kadariah Palace in Kampung Dalam, the State Museum, the Kapuas and Landak Bridges. This city is best explored by boat along the many rivers found in it.

Where to Stay
In the four existing provinces you will find several luxurious hotels and losmens (inns), fine restaurants, exciting nightlife and other facilities for visitors who come to visit this island. National as well as international entertainment and recreation can be found in most of hotels in the capital cities.

Entertainment/Nightlife
In Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Pontianak, Samarinda and Palangkaraya as big cities, enough entertainment can be found around the city. There are many theatres as well as night clubs in the capital cities.

Tours
The following are typical tours of those available on the island:

Banjarmasin and Diamond Mines (3 days)
Board a boat on the Kuin river to visit the floating market on Barito river, then on by car to the diamond mines at Cempaka. Here you can see the traditional way of digging for diamonds. Continue to Martapura to see how diamonds are cut and polished. Return to Banjarmasin.
Mahakam River (5 days)
Experience cruising in a riverboat through the beautiful Mahakam river in East Kalimantan. Highlights include Muara Muntai, a unique wooden village where even the roads are made of wood, visits to Mancong across Jempang Lake and Tanjung Isuy to see the Banuaq Dayak and spend the night at a Dayak longhouse. On the subsequent days you will be taken to Kota Bangun and Semayang Lake to see the fresh water dolphin, visit Tenggarong, the former Kutai Kingdom, then return to Balikpapan.
Banjarmasin Loksado
Starting from Banjarmasin, this tour includes visit to Loksado village, A Dayak village where you can spend the night. The next day on to Tanuhi village on a bamboo raft down the Amandit river. Back to Banjarmasin by car.

Getting Around

Air - There are regular flights between Palangkaraya, Banjarmasin, Pontianak and Samarinda, so it is comparatively easy and quick to move from one provincial capital to another.
Taxis - Big towns only. Meter-taxis are not yet in general use, but there are plenty of vehicles available. Fixed fare for certain routes: e.g airport to centre.
Becaks - Human-powered tricycle taxis for two passengers. Found in big cities of Kalimantan.
Motorboats - As the land consist of rivers and jungles, these are available for hire by the hour.
Water taxis - Small boats as well as ferries. It's the main means of transportation.
Klotok - A motorized longboat can be chartered to start the 4- or 5-hour trip up. It is possible to immerse yourself in jungle sounds by sleeping in a boat. There is also 'Klotok Ambulance' for the health services in the hinterlands in South Kalimantan and has function of a mobile public health service.

Handicraft
Palangkaraya is very proud of their rattan handicrafts. You can buy for souvenirs the rattan pleated bags, hats and many attractive wall decorations. The trading centre for semi-precious and precious stones is Martapura about 35 km east of Banjarmasin. Jewelery shop and diamond polishers line the road, where diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, topaz, amethysts, jade, turquoise but remember to bargain.

Handy Facts
All visitors to Indonesia must be in possession of passports valid for at least six months with proof of onward passage, either return or through tickets. A visa is not required for tourists visiting Indonesia for a period not more than two months. Visae are required except for all nationals of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Europe, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United States of America not exceeding a stay of two months (60 days) which is not extendable.

Health
International certificates of valid smallpox, cholera and yellow fever vaccinations are required only from travellers coming from infected areas. It is however recommended to contact the local health authorities for further information on vaccinations before entering certain areas in Indonesia.

Customs - You may bring in 200 cigarettes or 100 gm of tobacco. Plus up to 2 litres of liquor for personal consumption.

Money - The Indonesian unit of currency is the rupiah. Banks everywhere accept notes and traveller's cheques in major world currencies. Leading international credit cards are accepted by most of the major hotels, airline offices and certain stores.

Postal services - The air mail service between Bali and overseas countries is fast and efficient. The charge depends on letter weight. There are also excellent telex, fax and telephone facilities.

Language - The national language is Bahasa Indonesia. English and Dutch are widely understood - and major hotels have staff who speak other languages.

Climate - Warm and delightfully fresh all the year round. The dry season is mid-April to September but the so-called 'wet season' is still a time of clear, sunny skies with a few sudden, tropical showers.

Clothes - Informal summer short sleeved attire - but take woollens for cold mountain region trips or latenight dance performances.

Time - There are three time zones in Indonesia. West and Central Kalimantan observes Western Standard Time (GMT+7 hours), East and South Kalimantan observes Central Standard Time (GMT + 8 hours).

Activities - trekking, river trips, caving, eco tourism, cruises & sailing and scuba diving.

ABOUT INDONESIA GETTING THERE ADVENTURE PACKAGES ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS CONTACT US

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A Reason why we should to Bali

2008-05-15T04:25:00.000-07:00

BALI ESSENTIALS

Your Best Choice: Private Vacation Villas in Bali
Choose from the most beautiful villas in Bali with 2 to 7 bedrooms, spacious living/dining areas, tropical garden with private swimming pool, trained cook, maids and house boys to take care of everything you need, in-house spa therapists, and use of a free air-conditioned car with a reliable driver during your whole stay.

Private Villas in Bali – Listed By Price
From cozy hideaways for two to exceptional beach front estates with private tennis court, olympic size pool, family sauna, private vegetable garden, etc.
A luxury that turns out to be much cheaper then staying at a good hotel – perfect for a intimate honeymoon or a relaxed holiday with your family.

Private Villas in Bali – Listed by Location
Either right on the beach, on the Bukit (hill) on Bali's southern peninsula with spectacular views, in Tanjung Benoa next to Nusa Dua and all the watersports facilities, in Sanur or in Legian close to Bali's best restaurants, in rural surroundings near Ubud or around Canggu, or set right on the golf course next to the famous Tanah Lot Temple.

Weddings, Renewal of Vows and Honeymoons in Bali
Balivillas.com offers FREE ceremonies if you book a villa for 7 nights or more. If you have additional requirements, just let us know.

Advantages of Renting a Private Villa in Bali
Space, personal service, privacy and total relaxation. For less then staying at a good hotel you'll enjoy more advantages than you can imagine, and you'll experience Bali and its people like a resident – not like a tourist!

How to Select and Reserve the Best Villa or Hotel in Bali on the Internet
Be careful when booking on the Internet. Some web sites promise rates and services they never deliver. Others publish outright lies. Here is what you should look for when selecting your accommodation and the company to deal with.
This is a step-by-step guide to avoid disappointment and a wasted vacation. Applicable to Internet travel bookings anywhere in the world.

Bali Hotel Bargain Finder
Find the GUARANTEED lowest rates for Bali's famous luxury resorts such as the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, The Oberoi, Grand Hyatt, etc. and budget hotels in all parts of Bali. Reserve on-line to save 70% and more.

BALI TODAY – Continually Updated Insider's Guide
Up-to-date and down-to-earth information on what to see and do in Bali (and what to avoid), food and restaurants, night life, hotel bargains and vacation villas, weather, currencies, how to get married in Bali, and potential hazards for visitors.

Scheduled or Charter Cruises from Bali
Join a scheduled cruise or charter your own traditional schooner with 3 to 14 cabins and expert crew to see fierce dragons who have survived from the Jurassic age only on Komodo and to visit ancient tribes and cultures in Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands.

Save with BALIVACATIONS Packages from the US
Very reasonably priced packages from the US including accommodation in 5-star hotels such as the Ritz Carlton, both Four Seasons, Amandari, etc. or in beautiful private villas, cruises through the Spice Islands, your private car with driver in Bali, and flights on SINGAPORE AIRLINES with stop-over options on the way out or home.

Baliproperties.com: Acquiring & Owning Property in Bali
Many regular visitors are interested in acquiring a villa in Bali, either to enjoy as a vacation home, for future retirement, or as an investment.
Here you find straight-forward and up-to-date information on Indonesian property laws, recommended areas, acquisition, construction and maintenance costs, and legal options for potential investors.
Baliproperties.com is NOT a property agent. However, to expand its portfolio of luxurious villas in Bali, the company offers for selected villas free management/maintenance services and an attractive guaranteed annual return.

Detailed Bali Map
The most up-to-date map of the Island of Bali on the Internet – regularly updated and "stolen" by many other web sites.

The Bali Paradise Paradox
A recent history of Bali (by Keith Loveard, Asiaweek, Oct. 3rd, 1997) – however written before the 1997/1998 economic problems and political changes.

Internet Access from Bali
How and from where temporary visitors to Bali can access the Internet during their stay.

Bali Weather Report & 5-Day Forecast
This report is for the whole island of Bali: this means, even if you see rain showers announced these might only be in Ubud and in the mountains while Bali's coastal areas are dry and sunny.

Currency Exchange Rates
Latest currency exchange rates for the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) from Yahoo.com with graphics to show the changes over the last two years.

Bali Tours: What to See and Do in Bali
Detailed and up-to-date information on Bali tours, excursions, museums and exhibitions in Bali, dance and drama performances, sports, adventure and nature trips, meditation and cooking classes, and many other activities for residents and visitors of all ages.

Food & Restaurants in Bali
A continually up-dated insider's guide to local and international cuisines available in Bali, and the most interesting restaurants in Kuta (incl. Legian, Seminyak, Basangkasa, and Kerobokan), Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Sanur, and Ubud.

Recipes for Traditional Balinese Food & Delicacies
Ingredients and detailed instructions how to prepare over 70 traditional Balinese delicacies. Includes details on Indonesian food and spices, possible substitutes, etc. Start today preparing delicious Indonesian food to spoil your guests at home!

Bali after Dark
Up-to-date information on Bali's after dark activities for all sexes and the most popular pubs, bars, discotheques, and night clubs in Sanur, Nusa Dua, Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak.

Private Boat & Yacht Charters from Bali
Charter a state-of-the-art game fishing vessel, a stylish sailing ketch, or a traditional Buginese schooner with 3 to 18 cabins and expert crew to explore the Indonesian Spice Islands at your own pace.

"Bali Impian Estate" Villas for Sale
Two villas offered for sale. Investors benefit from the increase of the properties' value and a guaranteed return on their investment – without any ongoing costs, responsibilities and worries normally connected with foreign property ownership.

Potential Hazards for Visitors to Bali
Continually updated information on the social situation in Bali as well as maps, charts, and satellite images showing the areas affected by any haze or smoke, the cloud situation, and winds affecting the climate in Bali.

The "BEST of BALI" Poll Page
Cast your own vote, and/or view the current results of what recent visitors to Bali regard as the best restaurants and hotels, how they rate their Bali vacation, and what they regard as the WORST nuisance for visitors to this island.

Real-time Bali & Indonesia News
Read the latest news about Bali and Indonesia, pulled in real-time from hundreds of reputable international news sources and information services.

The "BALI travel FORUM"
News & Views from the "Ultimate Island" – contributed by recent visitors and long-time residents. Since 1997 one of the busiest "Forums" on the Net!

The "BALI travel FORUM Summary"
A compilation of the more informative messages to to BALI travel FORUM since its beginning. A laudable and admirable work done by Filo!

BALI TODAY – Russian Version
The Russian language version of the above Bali site.

Bali-Hotels zu Niedrigstpreisen
Wir garantieren die niedrigsten Preise für berühmte Luxus-Resorts and Billighotels auf Bali. Buchen Sie on-line um 70% und mehr zu sparen.

BALI-INFO
Flüge, Hotels, Land & Leute auf Deutsch. Mit einem deutschen "Bali Forum".

Bali Hotel Bargain Finder – RUSSIAN VERSION
Russian language version of the BALI HOTEL BARGAIN FINDER site

Balivillas.com: Bali-Urlaub in der eigenen Villa
Private Urlaubsvillen auf Bali mit 2 bis 7 Schlafzimmern, tropischem Garten mit Swimming-Pool und ausgebildetem Hauspersonal bieten eine attraktive Alternative zum Urlaub im Hotel.

Balivillas.com: Private Vacation Villas in Bali – RUSSIAN VERSION
Russian language version of the above Bali site.

Balivillas.com.tw: Private Vacation Villas in Bali – MANDARIN VERSION
Chinese (Mandarin) language version of the above Bali site.

Japan-Balivillas.com: Private Vacation Villas in Bali – JAPANESE VERSION
Japanese language version of the above Bali site.

So tell Friend

Bali Indonesia Beach to Holiday

2008-05-15T04:22:00.000-07:00

Hidden Garden Luxury Villa

Location: Legian Beach, Bali, Indonesia, Asia (20 Minutes Airport/ 3 minute walk to Beach & Restaurants)

Accommodations: 2 Story Private House - 3 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s) - 2 Baths - (Sleeps 7)



View From Pool Looking Toward Tropical Garden & Front Veranda - Legian Beach, Bali, Indonesia Holiday Accommodations Just 20 Minutes from Airport and 3 Minutes Stroll from Beach!

Hidden Garden House is located 20 Minutes from Airport and a three minute stroll to Legian surf beach.The ideal romantic getaway for couples all year round.For that special holiday any ocassion or even a honeymoon.What about a wedding??? we can arrange that as well Restaurants, Shopping, Etc., almost on your doorstep or walking distance.

There is complete 24HR SECURITY PROTECTION AT ALL TIMES TO THE HOUSE PROPERTY BOTH BEDROOMS HAVE A PERSONAL SAFETY DEPOSITE BOX. We offer you the best holiday in Bali thats our commitment to you, We want you to return again and again

All the comfortable bedrooms have queen size beds and looks out over the tropical garden, they are air-conditioned for your comfort.

We have home theatre system and comfortable lounge so you can laze away the day without a care.This is your chance to enjoy a wonderful care free holiday. The Grand Balcony looks out over the pool and garden, just the spot for a party or to snooze away the day.

The bathroom upstairs has an open but private shower so you can look out over the fragrant Frangipani trees. Downstairs bathroom has a bath and a two and a half seater spa with an open garden view.

The living area looks out over the pool and tropical garden. you will find the pool has steps so the young and old can get easy access. Both the garden and pool is secured by stone walls for your complete privacy at all times

The manager is English speaking. Airport transfer is complementary as is breakfast. We have 24 Hr Security and Housekeeping.



	View From Pool Looking Toward Tropical Garden & Front Veranda - Legian Beach, Bali, Indonesia Holiday Accommodations Just 20 Minutes from Airport and 3 Minutes Stroll from Beach!

Vacation Rental Features
Amenities	Air Conditioning: Living Area & Bedrooms Linens Provided Garage Off Street Parking
Beds	Queen Bed Convertible Bed
Entertainment	DVD Video Library Video Games CD Player Stereo System Music Library Jetted Tub in Bath Private Pool
Kitchen	Full Kitchen Cooking Utensils Provided: Fulley Equiped Kitchen Refrigerator Microwave Catering Available
Outdoor Features	Charcoal BBQ Grill Deck/Patio Balcony Gazebo
Communications	Telephone Computer Computer w/ Dial-up Internet
Other Amenities	TV & Home Theatre System, Covered Parking In our Garage, Good price on car hire & our manager will drive to where you wantto go, He has excellant English
Suitability	No Pets Allowed
Activities (on site and nearby)	Golf Tennis Shopping Sightseeing Restaurants Sailing Boating Jet Skiing Swimming Snorkeling/Diving Surfing Windsurfing Biking Wildlife Viewing Hiking Fishing Rock Climbing Fitness Center/Gym Cinemas/Movie Theaters Museums

The Great Story of Bali

2008-05-15T04:21:00.001-07:00

The Great Story of Bali

Maharaja Pariksit inquired Suka: The Supreme God is the proprietor of everything. Why did He beg three paces of land from Bali Maharaja like a poor man, and when He got the gift for which He had begged, why did He nonetheless arrest Bali Maharaja? I am very much anxious to know the mystery of these contradictions.

Sri Suka Said: Bali Maharaja, The leader of the Demons, gathered his soldiers outside the abode of Indra and attacked it from all directions. He sounded the conchshell given to him by his Guru, Sukracarya, thus creating a fearful situation for the women protected by Indra. Seeing Bali Maharaja's indefatigable endeavor and understanding his motive, King Indra, along with the other gods, approached his master, Brhaspati, and spoke as follows. My lord, our old enemy Bali Maharaja now has new enthusiasm, and he has obtained such astonishing power that we think that perhaps we cannot resist his prowess.

Brhaspati, the Guru of the gods, said: O Indra, I know the cause for your enemy becoming so powerful. The descendants of Bhrgu Muni, being pleased by Bali Maharaja, endowed him with such extraordinary power. Neither you nor your men can conquer the most powerful Bali. Indeed, no one but the Supreme God can conquer him, for he is now equipped with brahma-tejas. As no one can stand before Yamaraja, no one can now stand before Bali Maharaja. Therefore, waiting until the situation of your enemies is reversed, you should all leave this heavenly place and go elsewhere, where you will not be seen.

Sri Suka continued: The gods, being thus advised by Brhaspati for their benefit, immediately accepted his words. Assuming forms according to their desire, they left the heavenly kingdom and scattered, without being observed by the demons. When the gods had disappeared, Bali Maharaja, the son of Virocana, entered the heavenly kingdom, and from there he brought the three worlds under his control. O King, when Aditi's sons, the gods, had thus disappeared from heaven and the demons had occupied their places, Aditi began lamenting, as if she had no protector. After many, many days, the great powerful sage Kasyapa Muni arose from the trance of meditation and returned home to see the asrama of Aditi neither jubilant nor festive. when Kasyapa Muni had been properly received and welcomed, he took his seat and then spoke as follows to his wife, Aditi, who was very morose. O great-minded lady, are all your sons faring well? Seeing your withered face, I can perceive that your mind is not tranquil. How is this so?

Aditi Said: O son of Marici, because you are a great personality you are equal toward all the demons and gods, who are born either from your body or from your mind and who possess one or another of the three qualities, sattva, rajo or tamoguna. But although the Supreme God, the supreme controller, is equal toward all living entities, He is especially favorable to the devotees. Therefore, gentle lord, kindly favor your servant. We have now been deprived of our opulence and residence by our competitors, the demons. Kindly give us protection. please consider our situation and bestow upon my sons the benedictions by which they can regain what they have lost.

Sri Suka continued: When Kasyapa Muni was thus requested by Aditi, he slightly smiled. "Alas," he said, "how powerful is the Maya of Lord Visnu, by which the entire world is bound by affection for children!"

Kasyapa Muni continued: What is this material body, made of five elements? It is different from the spirit soul. Indeed, the spirit soul is completely different from the material elements from which the body is made. But because of bodily attachment, one is regarded as a husband or son. These illusory relationships are caused by misunderstanding. My dear Aditi, engage in devotional service to the Supreme Person, who is the master of everything, who can subdue everyone's enemies, and who sits within everyone's heart. Only that Supreme Person can bestow all auspicious benedictions upon everyone, for He is the master of the universe. The Supreme Person, who is very merciful to the poor, will fulfill all of your desires, for devotional service unto Him is infallible. Any method other than devotional service is useless. That is my opinion.

Sri Suka said: O King, after Aditi was thus advised by her husband, Kasyapa Muni, she strictly followed his instructions without laziness. With full, undiverted attention, Aditi thought of the Supreme God and in this way brought under full control her mind and senses, which resembled forceful horses. She concentrated her mind upon the Supreme Lord, Vasudeva. My dear King, the Supreme Person, dressed in yellow garments and bearing a conchshell, disc, club and lotus in His four hands, then appeared before Aditi.

The Supreme God said: O mother of the gods, I have already understood your long-cherished desires for the welfare of your sons, who have been deprived of all opulences and driven from their residence by their enemies. O Devi, I can understand that you want to regain your sons and be together with them to worship Me, after defeating the enemies in battle and retrieving your abode and opulences. You want to see the wives of the demons lamenting for the death of their husbands when those demons, the enemies of your sons, are killed in battle by the gods. You want your sons to regain their lost reputation and opulence and live again on their heavenly place as usual. O mother of the gods, in My opinion almost all the chiefs of the demons are now unconquerable, for they are being protected by brahmanas, whom I always favors. Thus the use of power against them now will not at all be a source of happiness. Yet because I have been satisfied by the activities of your vow, O goddess Aditi, I must find some means to favor you, for worship of Me never goes in vain but certainly gives the desired result according to what one deserves. Because of Kasyapa Muni's austerities, I shall agree to become your son and thus protect your other sons. Always thinking of Me as being situated within the body of your husband, Kasyapa, go worship your husband, who has been purified by his austerity. O lady, even if someone inquires, you should not disclose this fact to anyone. That which is very confidential is successful if kept secret.

Sri Suka said: After speaking in this way, the Supreme God disappeared from that very spot. Aditi, having received the extremely valuable benediction that the Lord would appear as her son, considered herself very successful, and with great devotion she approached her husband. Being situated in a meditational trance, Kasyapa Muni, whose vision is never mistaken, could see that a plenary portion of God had entered within him. O King, as the wind promotes friction between two pieces of wood and thus gives rise to fire, Kasyapa Muni, whose transcendental position was fully absorbed in the Supreme, transferred his potency into the womb of Aditi.

Sri Suka continued: The Supreme God, who is never subject to death like an ordinary living being, appeared from the womb of Aditi. His four hands were decorated with a conchshell, club, lotus and disc, He was dressed in yellow garments, and His eyes appeared like the petals of a blooming lotus. When Aditi saw the Supreme Person, who had appeared from her own womb, having accepted a transcendental body by His own spiritual potency, she was struck with wonder and was very happy. Upon seeing the child, Kasyapa exclaimed, "Jaya! Jaya!" in great happiness and wonder. The Lord appeared in His original form, with ornaments and weapons in His hands. Although this ever-existing form is not visible in the material world, He nonetheless appeared in this form. Then, in the presence of His father and mother, He assumed the form of Vamana, a brahmana-dwarf, a brahmacari, just like a theatrical actor. At the sacred thread ceremony of Vamanadeva, the sun-god personally uttered the Gayatri mantra, Brhaspati offered the sacred thread, and Kasyapa Muni offered a straw belt. Mother earth gave Him a deerskin, and the god of the moon, who is the king of the forest, gave Him a brahma-danda [the rod of a brahmacari]. His mother, Aditi, gave Him cloth for underwear, and the deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an umbrella. Lord Brahma offered a waterpot to the inexhaustible Supreme Person, the seven sages offered Him kusa grass, and mother Sarasvati gave Him a string of Rudraksa beads. When Vamanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kubera, King of the Yaksas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and mother Bhagavati, the wife of Lord Siva and most chaste mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms. Having thus been welcomed by everyone, Lord Vamanadeva, the best of the brahmacaris, exhibited His Brahman effulgence. Thus He surpassed in beauty that entire assembly, which was filled with great saintly brahmanas.

When the Lord heard that Bali Maharaja was performing asvamedha sacrifices under the patronage of brahmanas belonging to the Bhrgu dynasty, the Supreme Lord, who is full in every respect, proceeded there to show His mercy to Bali Maharaja. By His weight, He pushed down the earth with every step. While engaged in performing the sacrifice in the field known as Bhrgukaccha, on the northern bank of the Narmada River, the brahminical priests, the descendants of Bhrgu, saw Vamanadeva to be like the second sun rising nearby. O King, because of Vamanadeva's bright effulgence, the priests, along with Bali Maharaja and all the members of the assembly, were robbed of their splendor. Thus they began to ask one another whether the sun-god himself, Sanat-kumara or the fire-god had personally come to see the sacrificial ceremony. While the priests of the Bhrgu dynasty and their disciples talked and argued in various ways, the Supreme Person, Vamanadeva, holding in His hands the rod, the umbrella and a waterpot full of water, entered the arena of the asvamedha sacrifice. Appearing as a brahmana boy, wearing a belt of straw, a sacred thread, an upper garment of deerskin, and matted locks of hair, Lord Vamanadeva entered the arena of sacrifice. His brilliant effulgence diminished the brilliance of all the priests and their disciples, who thus stood from their seats and welcomed the Lord properly by offering obeisances. Bali Maharaja, jubilant at seeing Lord Vamanadeva, offered Him a seat with great satisfaction.

Bali Maharaja then said to Lord Vamanadeva: O brahmana, I offer You my hearty welcome and my respectful obeisances. Please let us know what we may do for You. We think of You as the personified austerity of the great brahmana-sages. O my Lord, because You have kindly arrived at our home, all my forefathers are satisfied, our family and entire dynasty have been sanctified, and the sacrifice we are performing is now complete because of Your presence. O son of a brahmana, today the fire of sacrifice is ablaze according to the injunction of the sastra, and I have been freed from all the sinful reactions of my life by the water that has washed Your lotus feet. O my Lord, by the touch of Your small lotus feet the entire surface of the world has been sanctified. O son of a brahmana, it appears that You have come here to ask me for something. Therefore, whatever You want You may take from me. O best of those who are worshipable. You may take from me a cow, gold, a furnished house, palatable food and drink, the daughter of a brahmana for Your wife, prosperous villages, horses, elephants, chariots or whatever You desire.

Sri Suka continued: When the Supreme Person, Vamanadeva, heard Bali Maharaja speaking in this pleasing way, He was very satisfied, for Bali Maharaja had spoken in terms of religious principles. Thus the Lord began to praise him.

Lord Vamanadeva said: O King, you are indeed exalted because your present advisors are the brahmanas who are descendants of Bhrgu and because your instructor for your future life is your grandfather, the peaceful and venerable Prahlada Maharaja. Your statements are very true, and they completely agree with religious etiquette. They are in keeping with the behavior of your family, and they enhance your reputation. I know that even until now, no one taking birth in your family has been poor-minded or miserly. No one has refused to give charity to brahmanas, nor after promising to give charity has anyone failed to fulfill his promise. O King Bali, never in your dynasty has the low-minded King been born who upon being requested has refused charity to brahmanas in holy places or a fight to ksatriyas on a battlefield. And your dynasty is even more glorious due to the presence of Prahlada Maharaja, who is like the beautiful moon in the sky. It was in your dynasty that Hiranyaksa was born. Carrying only his own club, he wandered the globe alone, without assistance, to conquer all directions, and no hero he met could rival him. When delivering the earth from the Garbhodaka Sea, Lord Visnu, in His incarnation as a boar, killed Hiranyaksa, who had appeared before Him. The fight was severe, and the Lord killed Hiranyaksa with great difficulty. Later, as the Lord thought about the uncommon prowess of Hiranyaksa, He felt Himself victorious indeed. When Hiranyakasipu heard the news of his brother's being killed, with great anger he went to the residence of Visnu, the killer of his brother, wanting to kill Lord Visnu. Seeing Hiranyakasipu coming forward bearing a trident in his hand like personified death, Lord Visnu, the best of all mystics and the knower of the progress of time, thought as follows. Wheresoever I go, Hiranyakasipu will follow Me, as death follows all living entities. Therefore it is better for Me to enter the core of his heart, for then, because of his power to see only externally, he will not see Me.

Lord Vamanadeva continued: O King of the demons, after Lord Visnu made this decision, He entered the body of His enemy Hiranyakasipu, who was running after Him with great force. In a subtle body inconceivable to Hiranyakasipu, Lord Visnu, who was in great anxiety, entered Hiranyakasipu's nostril along with his breath. Upon seeing that the residence of Lord Visnu was vacant, Hiranyakasipu began searching for Lord Visnu everywhere. Angry at not seeing Him, Hiranyakasipu screamed loudly and searched the entire universe, including the surface of the earth, the higher planetary systems, all directions and all the caves and oceans. But Hiranyakasipu, the greatest hero, did not see Visnu anywhere. Unable to see Him, Hiranyakasipu said, "I have searched the entire universe, but I could not find Visnu, who has killed my brother. Therefore, He must certainly have gone to that place from which no one returns. [In other words, He must now be dead.]" Hiranyakasipu's anger against Lord Visnu persisted until his death. Other people in the bodily concept of life maintain anger only because of false ego and the great influence of ignorance. Your father, Virocana, the son of Maharaja Prahlada, was very affectionate toward brahmanas. Although he knew very well that it was the gods who had come to him in the dress of brahmanas, at their request he delivered to them the duration of his life. You also have observed the principles followed by great personalities who are householder brahmanas, by your forefathers and by great heroes who are extremely famous for their exalted activities. O King of the Demons, from Your Majesty, who come from such a noble family and who are able to give charity munificently, I ask only three paces of land, to the measurement of My steps. O King, controller of the entire universe, although you are very munificent and are able to give Me as much land as I want, I do not want anything from you that is unnecessary. If a learned brahmana takes charity from others only according to his needs, he does not become entangled in sinful activities.

Bali Maharaja said: O son of a brahmana, Your instructions are as good as those of learned and elderly persons. Nonetheless, You are a boy, and Your intelligence is insufficient. Thus You are not very prudent in regard to Your self-interest. I am able to give You an entire island because I am the proprietor of the three divisions of the universe. You have come to take something from me and have pleased me by Your sweet words, but You are asking only three paces of land. Therefore You are not very intelligent. O small boy, one who approaches me to beg something should not have to ask anything more, anywhere. Therefore, if You wish, You may ask from me as much land as will suffice to maintain You according to Your needs.

Lord Vamanadeva said: O my dear King, even the entirety of whatever there may be within the three worlds to satisfy one's senses cannot satisfy a person whose senses are uncontrolled. If I were not satisfied with three paces of land, then surely I would not be satisfied even with possessing one of the seven islands, consisting of nine varsas. Even if I possessed one island, I would hope to get others. We have heard that although powerful kings like Maharaja Prthu and Maharaja Gaya achieved proprietorship over the seven dvipas, they could not achieve satisfaction or find the end of their ambitions. One should be satisfied with whatever he achieves by his previous destiny, for discontent can never bring happiness. A person who is not self-controlled will not be happy even with possessing the three worlds. Material existence causes discontent in regard to fulfilling one's lusty desires and achieving more and more money. This is the cause for the continuation of material life, which is full of repeated birth and death. But one who is satisfied by that which is obtained by destiny is fit for liberation from this material existence. A brahmana who is satisfied with whatever is providentially obtained is increasingly enlightened with spiritual power, but the spiritual potency of a dissatisfied brahmana decreases, as fire diminishes in potency when water is sprinkled upon it. Therefore, O King, from you, the best of those who give charity, I ask only three paces of land. By such a gift I shall be very pleased, for the way of happiness is to be fully satisfied to receive that which is absolutely needed.

Sri Suka continued: When the Supreme Person had thus spoken to Bali Maharaja, Bali smiled and told Him, "All right. Take whatever You like." To confirm his promise to give Vamanadeva the desired land, he then took up his waterpot. Understanding Lord Visnu's purpose, Sukracarya, the best of the learned, immediately spoke as follows to his disciple, who was about to offer everything to Lord Vamanadeva.

Sukracarya said: O son of Virocana, this brahmacari in the form of a dwarf is directly the imperishable God, Visnu. Accepting Kasyapa Muni as His father and Aditi as His mother, He has now appeared in order to fulfill the interests of the gods. You do not know what a dangerous position you have accepted by promising to give Him land. I do not think that this promise is good for you. It will bring great harm to the demons. This person falsely appearing as a brahmacari is actually the Supreme Person, Hari, who has come in this form to take away all your land, wealth, beauty, power, fame and education. After taking everything from you, He will deliver it to Indra, your enemy. You have promised to give Him three steps of land in charity, but when you give it He will occupy the three worlds. You are a rascal! You do not know what a great mistake you have made. After giving everything to Lord Visnu, you will have no means of livelihood. How then shall you live? Vamanadeva will first occupy the three worlds with one step, then He will take His second step and occupy everything in outer space, and then He will expand His universal body to occupy everything. Where will you offer Him the third step? You will certainly be unable to fulfill your promise, and I think that because of this inability your eternal residence will be in hell. Learned scholars do not praise that charity which endangers one's own livelihood. Charity, sacrifice, austerity and fruitive activities are possible for one who is competent to earn his livelihood properly. Therefore, the safe course is to say no. Although it is a falsehood, it protects one completely, it draws the compassion of others toward oneself, and it gives one full facility to collect money from others for oneself. Nonetheless, if one always pleads that he has nothing, he is condemned, for he is a dead body while living, or while still breathing he should be killed. In flattering a woman to bring her under control, in joking, in a marriage ceremony, in earning one's livelihood, when one's life is in danger, in protecting cows and brahminical culture, or in protecting a person from an enemy's hand, falsity is never condemned.

Sri Suka said: O King Pariksit, when Bali Maharaja was thus advised by his spiritual Guru, Sukracarya, his family priest, he remained silent for some time, and then, after full deliberation, he replied to his guru as follows.

Bali Maharaja said: As you have already stated, the principle of religion that does not hinder one's economic development, sense gratification, fame and means of livelihood is the real occupational duty of the householder. I also think that this religious principle is correct. I am the grandson of Maharaja Prahlada. How can I withdraw my promise because of greed for money when I have already said that I shall give this land? How can I behave like an ordinary cheater, especially toward a brahmana? There is nothing more sinful than untruthfulness. Because of this, mother earth once said, "I can bear any heavy thing except a person who is a liar." I do not fear hell, poverty, an ocean of distress, falldown from my position or even death itself as much as I fear cheating a brahmana. My lord, you can also see that all the material opulences of this world are certainly separated from their possessor at death. Therefore, if the brahmana Vamanadeva is not satisfied by whatever gifts one has given, why not please Him with the riches one is destined to lose at death? Dadhici, Sibi and many other great personalities were willing to sacrifice even their lives for the benefit of the people in general. This is the evidence of history. So why not give up this insignificant land? What is the serious consideration against it? O best of the brahmanas, certainly the great demoniac kings who were never reluctant to fight enjoyed this world, but in due course of time everything they had was taken away, except their reputation, by which they continue to exist. In other words, one should try to achieve a good reputation instead of anything else. Many men have laid down their lives on the battlefield, being unafraid of fighting, but rarely has one gotten the chance to give his accumulated wealth faithfully to a saintly person who creates holy places. By giving charity, a benevolent and merciful person undoubtedly becomes even more auspicious, especially when he gives charity to a person like your good self. Under the circumstances, I must give this little brahmacari whatever charity He wants from me. O great sage, great saintly persons like you, being completely aware of the Vedic principles for performing ritualistic ceremonies and yajnas, worship Lord Visnu in all circumstances. Therefore, whether that same Lord Visnu has come here to give me all benedictions or to punish me as an enemy, I must carry out His order and give Him the requested tract of land without hesitation. Although He is Visnu Himself, out of fear He has covered Himself in the form of a brahmana to come to me begging. Under the circumstances, because He has assumed the form of a brahmana, even if He irreligiously arrests me or even kills me, I shall not retaliate, although He is my enemy. If this brahmana really is Lord Visnu, who is worshiped by Vedic hymns, He would never give up His widespread reputation; either He would lie down having been killed by me, or He would kill me in a fight.

Sri Suka continued: Thereafter, the Guru, Sukracarya, being inspired by the Supreme Lord, cursed his exalted disciple Bali Maharaja, who was so magnanimous and fixed in truthfulness that instead of respecting his Guru's instructions, he wanted to disobey his order. Although you have no knowledge, you have become a so-called learned person, and therefore you dare be so impudent as to disobey my order. Because of disobeying me, you shall very soon be bereft of all your opulence. Even after being cursed in this way by his own spiritual master, Bali Maharaja, being a great personality, never deviated from his determination. Therefore, according to custom, he first offered water to Vamanadeva and then offered Him the gift of land he had promised. Bali Maharaja's wife, known as Vindhyavali, who was decorated with a necklace of pearls, immediately came and had a large golden waterpot brought there, full of water with which to worship the Lord by washing His feet. Bali Maharaja, the worshiper of Lord Vamanadeva, jubilantly washed the Lord's lotus feet and then took the water on his head, for that water delivers the entire universe. At that time, the residents of the higher planetary system, namely the gods, the Gandharvas, the Vidyadharas, the Siddhas and the Caranas, all being very pleased by Bali Maharaja's simple, nonduplicitous act, praised his qualities and showered upon him millions of flowers.

The unlimited God, who had assumed the form of Vamana, then began increasing in size, acting in terms of the material energy, until everything in the universe was within His body, including the earth, the planetary systems, the sky, the directions, the various holes in the universe, the seas, the oceans, the birds, beasts, human beings, the gods and the great saintly persons. Bali Maharaja, along with all the priests, acaryas and members of the assembly, observed the Supreme Person's universal body, which was full of six opulences. That body contained everything within the universe, including all the gross material elements, the senses, the sense objects, the mind, intelligence and false ego, the various kinds of living entities, and the actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature. O King, when all the demons, the followers of Maharaja Bali, saw the universal form of the Supreme Person, who held everything within His body, when they saw in the Lord's hand His disc, known as the Sudarsana cakra, which generates intolerable heat, and when they heard the tumultuous sound of His bow, all of these caused lamentation within their hearts. The Lord's conchshell, named Pancajanya, which made sounds like that of a cloud; the very forceful club named Kaumodaki; the sword named Vidyadhara, with a shield decorated with hundreds of moonlike spots; and also Aksayasayaka, the best of quivers--all of these appeared together to offer prayers to the Lord. These associates, headed by Sunanda and other chief associates and accompanied by all the predominating deities of the various planets, offered prayers to the Lord, who wore a brilliant helmet, bracelets, and glittering earrings that resembled fish. On the Lord's bosom were the lock of hair called Srivatsa and the transcendental jewel named Kaustubha. He wore a yellow garment, covered by a belt, and He was decorated by a flower garland, surrounded by bees. Manifesting Himself in this way, O King, the Supreme Person, whose activities are wonderful, covered the entire surface of the earth with one footstep, the sky with His body, and all directions with His arms. As the Lord took His second step, He covered the heavenly planets. And not even a spot remained for the third step, for the Lord's foot extended higher and higher, beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and even Satyaloka.

Sri Suka continued: When Lord Brahma, who was born of a lotus flower, saw that the effulgence of his residence, Brahmaloka, had been reduced by the glaring effulgence from the toenails of Lord Vamanadeva, he approached the Supreme Person. Lord Brahma was accompanied by all the great sages, headed by Marici, and by yogis like Sanandana, but in the presence of that glaring effulgence, O King, even Lord Brahma and his associates seemed insignificant. Among the great personalities who came to worship the lotus feet of the Lord were those who had attained perfection in self-control and regulative principles, as well as experts in logic, history, general education and the Vedic literature known as kalpa [dealing with old historical incidents]. Others were experts in the Vedic corollaries, all the other knowledge of the Vedas [Sama, Yajur, Rg and Atharva], and also the supplementary Vedic knowledge [Ayur-veda, Dhanur-veda, etc.]. Others were those who had been freed of the reactions to fruitive activities by transcendental knowledge awakened by practice of yoga. And still others were those who had attained residence in Brahmaloka not by ordinary karma but by advanced Vedic knowledge. After devotedly worshiping the upraised lotus feet of the Supreme Lord with oblations of water, Lord Brahma, who was born of the lotus emanating from Lord Visnu's navel, offered prayers to the Lord. O King, the water from Lord Brahma's kamandalu washed the lotus feet of Lord Vamanadeva, who is known as Urukrama, the wonderful actor. Thus that water became so pure that it was transformed into the water of the Ganges, which went flowing down from the sky, purifying the three worlds like the pure fame of the Supreme Person.

When the demoniac followers of Maharaja Bali saw that their master, who had been determined in performing sacrifice, had lost all his possessions to Vamanadeva, who had taken them away on the plea of begging three paces of land, they were very angry and spoke as follows. "This Vamana is certainly not a brahmana but the best of cheaters, Lord Visnu. Assuming the form of a brahmana, He has covered His own form, and thus He is working for the interests of the gods. "Our lord, Bali Maharaja, because of his position in performing the yajna, has given up the power to punish. Taking advantage of this, our eternal enemy, Visnu, dressed in the form of a brahmacari beggar, has taken away all his possessions. Our lord, Bali Maharaja, is always fixed in truthfulness, and this is especially so at present, since he has been initiated into performing a sacrifice. He is always kind and merciful toward the brahmanas, and he cannot at any time speak lies. Therefore it is our duty to kill this Vamanadeva, Lord Visnu. It is our religious principle and the way to serve our master." After making this decision, the demoniac followers of Maharaja Bali took up their various weapons with a view to killing Vamanadeva. O King, the demons, aggravated by their usual anger, took their lances and tridents in hand, and against the will of Bali Maharaja they pushed forward to kill Lord Vamanadeva. O King, when the associates of Lord Visnu saw the soldiers of the demons coming forward in violence, they smiled. Taking up their weapons, they forbade the demons to continue their attempt. Nanda, Sunanda, Jaya, Vijaya, Prabala, Bala, Kumuda, Kumudaksa, Visvaksena, Patattrirat [Garuda], Jayanta, Srutadeva, Puspadanta and Satvata were all associates of Lord Visnu. They were as powerful as ten thousand elephants, and now they began killing the soldiers of the demons. When Bali Maharaja saw that his own soldiers were being killed by the associates of Lord Visnu, he remembered the curse of Sukracarya and forbade his soldiers to continue fighting. O Daityas, by human efforts no one can supersede God, who can bring happiness and distress to all living entities. The supreme time factor, which represents the Supreme Person, was previously in our favor and not in favor of the gods, but now that same time factor is against us. No one can surpass the time representation of the Supreme Person by material power, by the counsel of ministers, by intelligence, by diplomacy, by fortresses, by mystic mantras, by drugs, by herbs or by any other means.

Thereafter, on the day of soma-pana, after the sacrifice was finished, Garuda, king of the birds, understanding the desire of his master, arrested Bali Maharaja with the ropes of Varuna. O King, the Supreme Person, Vamanadeva, then spoke to Bali Maharaja, the most liberal and celebrated personality whom He had arrested with the ropes of Varuna. Bali Maharaja had lost all bodily luster, but he was nonetheless fixed in his determination. O King of the demons, you have promised to give Me three steps of land, but I have occupied the entire universe with two steps. Now think about where I should put My third. As far as the sun and moon shine with the stars and as far as the clouds pour rain, all the land throughout the universe is in your possession. Of these possessions, with one step I have occupied Bhurloka, and with My body I have occupied the entire sky and all directions. And in your presence, with My second step, I have occupied the upper planetary system. Because you have been unable to give charity according to your promise, the rule is that you should go down to live in the hellish planets. Therefore, in accordance with the order of Sukracarya, your spiritual master, now go down and live there. Far from being elevated to the heavenly planets or fulfilling one's desire, one who does not properly give a beggar what he has promised falls down to a hellish condition of life. Being falsely proud of your possessions, you promised to give Me land, but you could not fulfill your promise. Therefore, because your promise was false, you must live for a few years in hellish life.

Sri Suka said: O King, although Lord Vamanadeva was superficially seen to have acted mischievously toward Bali Maharaja, Bali Maharaja was fixed in his determination. Considering himself not to have fulfilled his promise, he spoke as follows.

Bali Maharaja said: O the best Person, most worshipable for all the gods, if You think that my promise has become false, I shall certainly rectify matters to make it truthful. I cannot allow my promise to be false. Please, therefore, place Your third lotus footstep on my head. I do not fear being deprived of all my possessions, living in hellish life, being arrested for poverty by the ropes of Varuna or being punished by You as much as I fear defamation. Although a father, mother, brother or friend may sometimes punish one as a well-wisher, they never punish their subordinate like this. But because You are the most worshipable Lord, I regard the punishment You have given me as most exalted. Since Your Lordship is indirectly the greatest well-wisher of us demons, You act for our best welfare by posing as if our enemy. Because demons like us always aspire for a position of false prestige, by chastising us You give us the eyes by which to see the right path. Many demons who were continuously inimical toward You finally achieved the perfection of great mystic yogis. Your Lordship can perform one work to serve many purposes, and consequently, although You have punished me in many ways, I do not feel ashamed of having been arrested by the ropes of Varuna, nor do I feel aggrieved. My grandfather Prahlada Maharaja is famous, being recognized by all Your devotees. Although harassed in many ways by his father, Hiranyakasipu, he still remained faithful, taking shelter at Your lotus feet. What is the use of the material body, which automatically leaves its owner at the end of life? And what is the use of all one's family members, who are actually plunderers taking away money that is useful for the service of the Lord in spiritual opulence? What is the use of a wife? She is only the source of increasing material conditions. And what is the use of family, home, country and community? Attachment for them merely wastes the valuable energy of one's lifetime. My grandfather, the best of all men, who achieved unlimited knowledge and was worshipable for everyone, was afraid of the common men in this world. Being fully convinced of the substantiality afforded by shelter at Your lotus feet, He took shelter of Your lotus feet, against the will of his father and demoniac friends, who were killed by Your own self. Only by providence have I been forcibly brought under Your lotus feet and deprived of all my opulence. Because of the illusion created by temporary opulence, people in general, who live under material conditions, facing accidental death at every moment, do not understand that this life is temporary. Only by providence have I been saved from that condition.

Sri Suka continued: O King Pariksit, Lord Brahma then began to speak to Lord Vamanadeva, within the hearing of Prahlada Maharaja, who stood nearby with folded hands. But Bali Maharaja's chaste wife, afraid and aggrieved at seeing her husband arrested, immediately offered obeisances to Lord Vamanadeva. She folded her hands and spoke as follows.

Vindhyavali said: O my Lord, You have created the entire universe for the enjoyment of Your personal pastimes, but foolish, unintelligent men have claimed proprietorship for material enjoyment. Certainly they are shameless agnostics. Falsely claiming proprietorship, they think they can give charity and enjoy. In such a condition, what good can they do for You, who are the independent creator, maintainer and annihilator of this universe?

Lord Brahma said: O well-wisher and master of all living entities, O worshipable Deity of all the gods, O all-pervading God, now this man has been sufficiently punished, for You have taken everything. Now You can release him. He does not deserve to be punished more. Bali Maharaja had already offered everything to Your Lordship. Without hesitation, he has offered his land, the planets and whatever else he earned by his pious activities, including even his own body. By offering even water, newly grown grass, or flower buds at Your lotus feet, those who maintain no mental duplicity can achieve the most exalted position within the spiritual world. This Bali Maharaja, without duplicity, has now offered everything in the three worlds. How then can he deserve to suffer from arrest?

Lord Vamanadeva said: My dear Lord Brahma, because of material opulence a foolish person becomes dull-witted and mad. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds and defies even My authority. To such a person I show special favor by first taking away all his possessions. While rotating in the cycle of birth and death again and again in different species because of his own fruitive activities, the dependent living entity, by good fortune, may happen to become a human being. This human birth is very rarely obtained. If a human being is born in an aristocratic family or a higher status of life, if he performs wonderful activities, if he is youthful, if he has personal beauty, a good education and good wealth, and if he is nonetheless not proud of his opulences, it is to be understood that he is especially favored by the Supreme Person. Although aristocratic birth and other such opulences are impediments to advancement in devotional service because they are causes of false prestige and pride, these opulences never disturb a pure devotee of the Supreme Person. Bali Maharaja has become the most famous among the demons and nonbelievers, for in spite of being bereft of all material opulences, he is fixed in his devotional service. Although bereft of his riches, fallen from his original position, defeated and arrested by his enemies, rebuked and deserted by his relatives and friends, although suffering the pain of being bound and although rebuked and cursed by his spiritual master, Bali, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness. It was certainly with pretension that I spoke about religious principles, but he did not give up religious principles, for he is true to his word.

The Lord continued: Because of his great tolerance, I have given him a place not obtainable even by the gods. He will become the Indra in the next coming Manvantara. Until Bali achieves the position of Indra, he shall live on the planet Sutala, which was made by Visvakarma according to My order. Because it is especially protected by Me, it is free from mental and bodily miseries, fatigue, dizziness, defeat and all other disturbances. Bali, you may now go live there peacefully. On the planet Sutala, not even the predominating deities of other planets, what to speak of ordinary people, will be able to conquer you. As far as the demons are concerned, if they transgress your rule, My disc will kill them. O great hero, I shall always be with you and give you protection in all respects along with your associates and paraphernalia. Moreover, you will always be able to see Me there.

Bali Maharaja said: What a wonderful effect there is in even attempting to offer respectful obeisances to You! I merely endeavored to offer You obeisances, but nonetheless the attempt was as successful as those of pure devotees. The causeless mercy You have shown to me, a fallen demon, was never achieved even by the gods or the leaders of the various planets.

Sri Suka continued: After speaking in this way, Bali Maharaja offered his obeisances first to Lord Vamanadeva, Hari, and then to Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Thus he was released from the bondage of the naga-pasa, and in full satisfaction he entered the Sutala.

Friend who came to Bali

2008-05-15T04:16:00.000-07:00

Well this has probably been my favourite holiday ever!

The first day will go down in my personal history as the greatest night out ever!

We fly out of Sydney and headed to Melbourne (for some reason our flight went via there??) at 9am I bought the first of what would become MANY rounds. He hopped back on the plane bound for Denpasar. There was many beverages consumed on the course of the 6 hour flight. So many in fact that they even refused Adam a scotch... for a while. After we land we were keen to get in amongst the Bali action. After being dropped off at our hotel, The Barong, Kuta, we headed straight across the road to a restaurant and got 2 large bottles of BINTANG!! (Gotta love that BEER) we had a few there. There was a couple having lunch next to us that we got talking to. The man tells us how he can just keep guzzling down this Bintang and it never gets him drunk. A theory we would put to the test later.

After lunch we went to the Bali equivalent of a corner store. We bought a few more Bintangs

Rohan and Adam on Old Poppies
Rohan and Adam standing on Old Poppies Lane

and one of the best things about Bali is you can just walk down the street with alcohol in hand. (In Bali you can not only do a pub crawl, you can do a corner shop crawl) So we walked down Poppies Lane towards Kuta Beach, checking out a few of the shops with people trying to drag us into thier shops. We got to one shirt shop and we ran out of our beers. The lady asked for the bottles (It is a good idea to give it to them, because not only does it get rid of it from your hands, but they can collect money from recylcing it. So everybody wins) We said to ourselves "we need more beer" the lady said "yes Bintang you want?" she shows us a little fridge she has out back full of Bintang. We bargined a price and settled on about 5000 rupiah each (about .80 cents) and we kept walking. Me as a bar tender in Australia that has to deal with some of the strictest alcohol laws in the world, was amazed that people can just do this without a liquor licence. (I had never been to a place

BINTANG!!!
A few of the many bottles we drank

like this before, so it was all very new to me)

Once at the beach we looked around. Unfortunately there had been a big festival on the beach the night before so it was covered in rubbish. As we stood there we finnished our beers. (In the heat the beer goes down like milk) no sooner had we finnished before someone came up asked for our bottles and was offering more Bintang. Absolutely, we thought. So he goes up to his little esky. This being the beach, they were a little more expensive. 6500 rupiah. (about 1 dollar). As the day (and the drinking) carried on we finally made our way to have our first dinner (we ended up having about 4 - 6 meals a day. I got hooked on Mi Goreng (fried noodles) so 1 breakfast 2 lunchs and 3 dinners. The meal is just enough to keep you going so you need that many. 6 squares a day of Mi Goreng.. I love it)

During dinner we met a couple from Norway, Chris and Tina. We had a few drinks and got talking. We started to move to a few more places and the night

Rini and I
Note: It was hot so I sweated all the time... the only bad thing about Bali

really got going. Before we knew it we were putting rest to the theory that you can't get drunk off Bintang. We went into a little Reggae Bar where we started the shots! The best thing about that bar is we got up on stage and started to sing along with Bob Marley. After that we headed into the Bounty Ship. A huge ship that is up in a tree and has 2 nightclubs in it. But not before a bit of arm wrestling ??? seemed like a good idea at the time. Anyway thats where the night kicked on for many more hours and I seemed to loose everyone. I met a nice little girl from Java called Rini (No, she wasn't a prostitute as everyone thought) This was about 4 am. So calculating the hours and the time zone difference I worked out that we drunk pretty solidly for about 22 hours!

The next day (feeling rather groggy) we met up with Chris and Tina (as we had planned earlier the night before) And went to have a look at the site where the bombs went off in 2002. It was just up from where we were

The Sari Club
Rohan and Adam stand in front of a sad place

staying so we walked past it many times. There is a large monument with all the victims names on it. A big blank block where the Sari Club was plus a blank block were the old Paddys use to be. There was flowers and little personal memorials hung up on the fence. It was a sad sight.

We then decided we should do some activities so we booked white water rafting for the following day.

The bus picks us up from our hotel the next day and heads to Chris and Tina's hotel. Tina was sick and couldn't go so Chris stayed with her. Unfortunately we never saw them again. But rafting was great. Our guide, Ali, took us the long way down to the rafting area. We stopped off half way through the rafting to go for a bit of a swim. There was a spot where you could get under one of the water falls with the water rushing over you. So it was a lot of fun.

Over the next 2 weeks we took part in many activities like Jet skiing, Parasailing, Banana Boating and we attempted surfing. Adam managed to cut his foot

The Monument
All the names of the victims are listed on this monument

open while surfing after 5 minutes. So he had to go to the Hospital.

Later on we planned to go and have first dinner at Jimbaran Bay. It apparently has some spectacular sunsets. On the way we got thirsty, so rohan jumped out of the bus (while it was still moving) ran into a shop, got 3 Bintangs and rushed back out to the bus and dived back in all while we kept moving. (the traffic in and around Kuta is horrendous so we weren't moving very fast)

Once at Jimbaran Bay, we got to our seat on the beach (and I mean literally, our chairs were sinking into the sand) The sun went down and it was a gorgeous sunset. We started to really get stuck into the Bintang. By the time we were ready to leave, we were pretty convivial (note the euphemisim) We were hanging out of the bus on the way back making complete idiots of ourselves.

The next day as we were walking to first lunch... or second lunch... or breakfast (I dunno, lost track after a while) we nearly got run over. The thing is around Kuta, that isn't unusual. For

Me after a few
Kicking back enjoying some duty free alcohol in our hotel

starters the road is constantly torn up for repairs so there is very little footpath. When you do find footpath, it seems to be the unofficial lane for motos. The Balinese attitude to driving is, the road and it surrounding areas are for driving or riding so if pedestrians get in the way... oh well. Pedestrian crossings mean nothing, stop signs are optional and there are varying degrees of red at traffic lights. Usually depends on the drivers mood at the time. So as a pedestrian, you have to develop a skill of walking by the road. It usually is a combination of walking half on the road, the footpath and through shops. If you can avoid the cars, the motos carrying 2 adults, 3 children and a TV, the other pedestrians and the massive random holes in the ground and come out unscathed, your doing well.

One random night I was at the Bounty Ship with Rini. I read the list of some of the cocktails called the get loaded drinks. I saw an older couple with thier child who couldn't have been more than 13 in this night club. Just then, a fight breaks out. Because there

Me pouring a few
Once a bar tender, always a bar tender

is no security, all the male staff had to force them out of the place. Just after everything had settled down the announced the impending DRINKING COMPETITION!! I was in complete shock as the the lack of RSA (responsible service of alcohol) in Bali. It simply didn't exist. IT WAS GREAT!!! I also bought a shirt advertising the Rabbit's Joint where the motto is " I drink, I get drunk, I fall down... No problem"

We did a bit of shopping and bought heaps of tourist stuff. When I was trying to buy one gift, I thought I'd use a bit of Indonesian (spending nearly two weeks with an Indonesian girl and surrounded in the culture, makes it rather easy to pick up this relatively easy language) so I asked the woman "Berapa harganya ini?" which means how much is this? she asumed I could speak Indonesian and so naturally replied in Indonesian. I hadn't mastered the numbers yet so I had no idea what she said. So I had to ask again (with my tail between my legs) "so how much?" then she relpied in english. One of my favourite things while travelling is speaking other languages, even

Adam in Hospital
Only 5 minutes of surfing sees him in hospital

if only a few words. (After I got home, I was that used to speaking Indonesian that when we stopped to get food on the way home, I said "Terima Kasih" when they gave me food and went to pay with rupiah. Force of habit is a pain)

One night after big drinking in, who knows where, we stumbled across the Bali Slingshot. A capsule attached to to huge rubber bands the flings you up in the air. We were pretty drunk and so the prospect of the fact that a belly full of Bintang + high G forces = not a good feeling, didn't really cross our minds at the time. So we did it. It was awsome. So good that Rohan did it twice.

On the last day, we all went with Kim (a girl Rohan met from Perth) to Waterbom. A great waterslide park. Because Adam had stuffed his foot he couldn't go on the big rides like The Smash Down. A 60 degree angle slide with speeds up to 70km/h. We did that one a few times.

On our way back home. We get picked up at our hotel and make our way

Jimbaran Bay
The beautiful sunset they all promised

to the airport in Denpasar. On the way we pick up a couple, John and Bev, also heading home. I think they were a little scared at the idea of sharing a plane with rowdy drunk kids. We got to the airport at 9pm and the flight didn't leave untill 11:30pm so we had plenty of time. With all that time we stopped in a little cafe and had some more Bintangs. It turns out that the same cafe, John and Bev were also there so they left soon after. We hung around having round after round. We did notice that the time was 10:50 and thought "yeah we got plenty of time" But it was about that time that we realised that boarding time is 22:45. So here we are, a bunch drunk idiots who had been kicking back relaxing for the last couple of hours, are now in a desperate rush to make the plane. We made it and it was all good. Guess who we were sitting next to on the plane? John and Bev.

An Overloaded Moto
They have unconventional ways of moving big items

The Bali Slingshot
Rohan and I get strapped in

Rohan and Kim

Art shop & souvenir south Sulawesi

2008-05-10T23:19:00.000-07:00

SHOPPING HINTS
Filigree silverware and ornaments, handwoven silks and cottons, hand carved wooden panels and pictures, bamboo household ornaments and brassware are all available.

MAKASSAR

TANA TORAJA

Asia Art Shop
Jl. Somba Opu 2A
Phone : (0411) 323536

Kanebo Art Shop
Jl. Pattimura No.27
Phone: (0411) 323920

Makassar Handy craft
Jl. Somba Opu No.10-12
Phone : (0411) 324066

Maryam Art Shop
Jl. Pattimura Lt II No.06
Phone : (0411) 320538

Nostalgia Art Shop
Jl. Pattimura No. 8
Phone : (0411) 313671

Aneka Sutra
Jl. Laiya 18A/71
Phone: (0411) 312882

Toko Kerajinan
Jl. Somba Opu No.34
Phone : (0411) 311253

Asdar Art Shop
Jl. Somba Opu No. 207
Phone : (0411) 318554

Graha Sutra
Jl. Penghibur
Phone: (0411) 82477

Marura Art Shop
Jl. Mappanyuki No.21
Phone: (0423) 21314

Yoyu Art Shop
Jl. Mapanyukki No.13
Phone: (0423) 21713

Toko Ukiran
Jl. Mappanyukki No.46
Phone: (0423) 21415Duta Art Shop
Jl. Mappanyukki 29
Phone : (0423) 21815

Gemini Mulia
Jl. Mappanyukki No.10
Phone: (0423) 21207Jet Souvenir
Jl. Landorundun No.1
Phone: (0423) 21145

Souvenir & Gift Shop
Jl. Pongtiku 27
Phone: (0423) 21212

Unggul Art Shop
Jl. Pattimura No. A7
Phone: (0411) 312240

Yama Art Shop
Jl. Syarif Alqadri No.5 1
Phone: (0411) 872537