Articles tagged ‘Sumatra’
Be Careful Not to Offend Others
By Barrie | July 22nd, 2008 |
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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 [...]
Sumatra Elephant Eco Lodge: Bandar Lampung, Sumatra
By Barrie | July 15th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
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 [...]
Bandar Lampung: South Sumatra
By Barrie | July 10th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
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 [...]
Sriwijaya Festival: Palembang, Sumatra
By Barrie | June 19th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
The principal city of South Sumatra is Palembang and is a large metropolis of nearly two million people. But don’t let that deter you. It is a vibrant old city steeped in culture and tradition. Although it started a few days ago, there is still plenty of time to visit the Sriwijaya Festival held each [...]
Places to Visit in Banjarmasin: Kalimantan
By Barrie | June 14th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
There are numerous cities and towns you can visit in the province of Kalimantan and one of my favourites is Banjarmasin. The largest city in Kalimantan, the place is a fascinating labyrinth of canals and waterways offering the visitor some amazing experiences. Many of the waterways are used for travel, using relatively small rowboats and [...]
Visa on Arrival now available in Palembang: South Sumatra
By Barrie | June 14th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Great new for travellers wishing to enter Indonesia from South-East Asia as now they can enter through Palembang in south Sumatra at the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin International Airport. Medan in central Sumatra is another entry point but if you want to visit the fascinating areas around southern Sumatra then this is ideal. According to a [...]
Wedding Rituals
By Barrie | June 13th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Across the archipelago of Indonesia wedding rituals vary from island to island and dependant on the religion of the future wedded couple. In western society, man meets woman, they go out and do the usual (work it out for yourself!), become engaged and finally marry. In the case of my wife and I tying the [...]
News in Brief – Week Ending 08/06/08
By Barrie | June 7th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Let’s start the week with a bit of almost deadly hilarity. It appears a group of honey bears have stormed a residential site for tea plantation workers in Solok regency in West Sumatra. This has happened over the last three days, sparking fear among the residents. I can understand them being worried. Imagine having uninvited [...]
Indonesians in Focus: Martha Christina Tiahahu
By Barrie | June 6th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
While Raden Ajeng Kartini is known as a heroine of women’s emancipation, other national heroines were freedom fighters, such as Cut Nyak Dien of Aceh. In Maluku, a brave young woman took up arms along with her male peers against colonizers of the Dutch era. She was Martha Christina Tiahahu. Christina was born in Abubu [...]
Book Review: ‘Dark Angel’
By Barrie | May 26th, 2008 | Add a Comment »
Getting to know Aceh is like peeling an onion, an Acehnese once said as a matter of fact.
“There are so many layers — peeling off one layer after another is a tearful experience.”
In the long course of this country’s history, Aceh, which is rich in natural resources, has ironically had more than its [...]
