Indonesia Tourism
Museums in Bandung: West Java
Bandung is one of my favourite places in Java and is located in the cool of mountainous areas. It is the capital of West Java and is the fourth largest city in Indonesia and rated the fastest growing city in the country. Most of its residents are Sundanese and the Sundanese language is spoken a second language after Bahasa Indonesia and it is commonly used as an informal language for communication in streets and markets. Bandung has so many attractions and is colloquially known as ‘Jeans City’ for good reason. This is apparent with the cheaper fashion shops located in factory outlets along Jalan Cihampelas. The city is also known for its cultural and artistic aspects. Put that together with the friendliness of the local people and you know why I like this city so much. Bandung also has some interesting museums and galleries.
Date: August 2nd, 2008 |
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Sipping the Riches of Indonesia
Without a doubt Indonesia grows and produces some of the best coffee in the world. There are even some of the best coffee bean roasters and small businesses that are renowned throughout the archipelago. I’m not talking about Excelso’s coffee chain because that is an Italian concern but rather the little guy who has his own coffee shop and does everything from growing the beans to roasting and serving. A strong coffee history, and expanding middle and upper classes, have made Indonesia, the world’s fourth largest coffee producer, the next frontier …
Date: July 25th, 2008 |
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10 Good Reasons to Visit the City of Heroes: Surabaya, East Java
A vast metropolis and the second largest city in Indonesia as well as being the industrial centre of the archipelago, Surabaya is not frequented by tourists as much as the city administration would like. But, the city has a virtual plethora of attractions and historical places that make Surabaya worthy of a few days stopover. Not only that, there are an immense amount of places outside the city and within driving distance that many travellers would find interesting, for instance, Mount Bromo, the southern city of Malang and Gunung Lewu to mention just a few. Surabaya has an enormous amount of great restaurants and warungs as well as a great selection of accommodation to suit most budgets. Being a coastal city and port, the island of Madura is only a few hours away by boat. The city is great to explore on foot or by using cheap, public transport. You will still find traces of the Dutch occupation in the architecture of many historical buildings and each one a treasure in its own right.
Date: July 22nd, 2008 |
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Sumatra Elephant Eco Lodge: Bandar Lampung, Sumatra
There are numerous eco lodges to be found in the archipelago and these alternative forms of accommodation are ideal for those who are environmentally conscious and are lovers of nature. In general, these eco lodges are located near national parks or close to places that are involved with the rehabilitation of the flora and fauna of Indonesia. One of these lodges can be found only 500 metres from the Way Kambas National Park. Getting to the lodge only takes a couple of hours from Lampung and it is ideal for nature lovers.
Date: July 15th, 2008 |
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New Airline Regulations Laws Now in Effect
If I received a dollar for every time I was delayed because my flight was late on arrival at an airport or leaving an airport then I would have enough money for several domestic flights. It has happened countless times. Besides the international flights it has occurred frequently on domestic flights in Indonesia also. Travellers can now take heart as the new rules and regulations are now in effect to protect us from unnecessary inconvenience. These laws have been a long time coming and are gladly welcomed by all of us who use domestic airlines in Indonesia.
Date: July 4th, 2008 |
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Jungle Ulua Fishing Adventures
I can recall many times when I lived in Cairns, Queensland, in Australia and going out in a boat owned by a friend of mine to do some big-game fishing. It was exciting, even exhilarating, but, when we finally hauled the large fish onto the boat, I almost felt like a criminal for invading the daily life of the poor creature. Naturally, all the fish that we caught were released back into the sea except the few we kept for a delightful repast. Sure, I enjoy fishing but I also enjoy the challenge of getting to a remote place to imbibe in this pastime. There are two guys, Michael Owen and Cyrus Boyum who have been successfully fishing the Islands of Indonesia for many years. Their choice of fish is one of the greatest sports fish, the Giant Trevally or as it is known in Indonesia, Ulua. Over time these two guys developed not only a unique friendship, but also a great company where guests could combine the passion of high adventure with fishing and developed the only fishing jungle safari offered worldwide - Jungle Ulua Fishing Adventures.
Date: July 27th, 2008 |
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Zipping around in Jakarta: West Java
As anyone one would know that has visited Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta, it is absolute mayhem in the traffic not to mention the pollution being pumped out of all the exhaust pipes of cars, buses and motorbikes as well as Bajaj. Sometimes as a visitor it is a nightmare to get around the massive city, but, take heart. Starting next month, you will be able to hop on to a sleek Piaggio scooter equipped with GPS systems and wireless communication that will weave their way through the city’s continual …
Date: July 23rd, 2008 |
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Doing the Tourist Thing: Yogyakarta, Central Java
During the time of the Soeharto regime tourism flourished in Indonesia and especially in places like Bali and Yogyakarta. Western tourists virtually flocked to Yogyakarta to experience the Javanese culture, visit the archaeological icons in or near the city and, this was mainly due to Yogyakarta’s reputation of being the cultural heart of Indonesia and the Yogyanese being the friendliest in the archipelago. These two factors still remain the same today and gradually western tourists are returning to Yogyakarta albeit slowly after a hiatus in tourism due to many internal factors in the country. In general, western tourists, and to a certain extent domestic tourists, stay in Yogyakarta for a period of three days. Of course in my opinion this is very little time to experience all that Yogyakarta has to offer, but, as long as the tourists see the main sights they seem to be satisfied with their visit.
Date: July 17th, 2008 |
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Bandar Lampung: South Sumatra
A majority of travellers that enter Sumatra generally bypass Bandar Lampung and go direct to Palembang or Bengkulu or one of the other major cities. But, Bandar Lampung it is a city worth stopping at for a few days. The capital of the southern province of Lampung, it has an estimated population of around 750,000 people and is located at the southern tip of Sumatra just across the Sunda Straits from Java. It is from here you can arrange a tour or alternative sea transport to reach the world famous volcanoes of Krakatau and Anak Krakatau. Lampung Bay is a peaceful place and the offshore islands afford excellent opportunities for snorkelling and diving. There is also an array of beautiful and secluded beaches.
Date: July 10th, 2008 |
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The Island of Sulawesi
An island with the central areas being rugged mountains, Sulawesi has a distinctive shape with four large peninsulas. It is an island famous for its culture and traditions, its panoramic beauty and has some of the most beautiful beaches in the archipelago as well as some of the best diving spots in the world. Travellers who have been to Sulawesi rave about the culture of Tana Toraja with the hanging graves in the sides of mountains and, ceremonies for the dead that are unique on this planet. But, Sulawesi is more than just that. It has some spectacular historical places to visit and cities that will leave you in awe and make you wonder why you didn’t visit the place earlier on your travels to the archipelago of Indonesia. Sulawesi has six provinces and each being as wondrous as the next. The provinces are Gorontalo, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and North Sulawesi.
Date: June 27th, 2008 |
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