Indonesia Things to Do
The Cuisine of the Sasaks: Lombok
When you travel around the archipelago, each island, or in some cases towns, have their own renowned speciality, that special dish that sets them aside from the others. Lombok, located to the east of Bali and often called the sister-island to it has some beautiful and tasty cuisine. Some of it is transient from Bali and the regular fare you will find in most warungs or restaurants. However, it is the Sasak people whose cuisine I find the most inviting of the two islands. Being Muslims, the Sasak don’t eat pork and so you won’t find any of the Balinese dishes on the island such as babi guling. They do, however, eat meat and goat as well as chicken. Each of these ‘fleshes’ are combined with vegetables and spices producing some mouth-watering dishes.
Date: August 8th, 2008 |
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The Gangs of Indonesia
Guaranteed you thought I was going to write about bunches of hoodlums that are, occasionally, found in some of the streets in the big cities of Indonesia. Sorry to disappoint you. Rather, I was referring to the small laneways, alleys and narrow streets in Indonesia that are referred to as gangs in Bahasa Indonesia. In whatever city or town you are visiting, and, if you are the adventurous and explorer type, then these gangs often yield some delightful surprises and give you an insight into the normal daily life of the Indonesian people. It’s amazing how often I have struck up a conversation with one of the locals only to find out about a place that isn’t listed in any guidebooks. These include restaurants, warungs and even artisans that ply their trade in their own backyard producing high quality pieces of merchandise far better than you would buy in the main streets or shops. I can recall one very hot day in the Chinese quarter of Semarang when I came across a tailor (penjahit) sitting at his old Singer sewing machine on the front porch of his house. He noticed the beads of perspiration on my brow and beckoned me to sit in the shade with him, rest and talk. His wife even brought out food and water for me.
Date: August 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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Be Careful Not to Offend Others
Being careful not to offend people on your travels is sometimes not as easy as it seems. Each country has different mores and the gestures and mannerisms you may think as normal in your home country could be offensive to the people of the country you travel in. Because Indonesia is a country where Islam is the predominant religion, there are certain mannerisms you should be aware of that could be deemed disrespectful. Most westerners really don’t give it a second thought and carry on just as they did at home and, so often I have noticed this in Bali on my many trips to that island. Fortunately, the Balinese are a liberal people and tend to disregard those westerners who behave and act atrociously and use mannerisms offensive to them. However, when you travel to the other islands within the archipelago where Islam is predominant then there are a few mannerisms you should be aware of that are considered offensive.
Date: July 22nd, 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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Helarfest: Bandung, West Java
Currently underway in Bandung, the capital of West Java, is the Helarfest, a month-long series of events showcasing more than 30 events at different venues around the city. Organized by the Bandung Creative City Forum, it aims to “awaken” the city’s residents and its visitors to what can be found in the city. It is geared as an alternative to shopping and dining, both of which are a delight in their own right. However, some 1,000 communities working in the music, film, photography, architecture, fashion and handicraft industries, as well as those involved in traditional rituals and performances will make …
Date: August 8th, 2008 |
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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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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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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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