Labuan Bajo: Traveller's Meeting Point, Diver's Paradise

Labuan Bajo is located at the far west coast of the West Manggarai regency of Flores. What you should know is that it is this particular regency that suffers more severely then the rest of Flores from the extended dry season period. This fact means that the place has a very hot yet dry weather, and travelling speaking would be an increase (financially) in purchasing mineral water. Prepare lots of sun block too.

Labuan Bajo is the entrance to Flores. To go there, you can take a ferry from Bima Sumbawa or from Denpasar (Bali). You can also find crossings from Sulawesi and Bumba. Labuan Bajo has a domestic airport receiving flights from Denpasar and other Indonesian Airports. It is common for people to go to Labuan Bajo before they go to Komodo Island or Rinca. Here you can see the amazing wildlife both on land and underwater. It is a protected area of incredible biodiversity including the almost exclusive resident of Indonesia, the Komodo dragons. You can see them hanging around on dry tropical land areas. However, Labuan Bajo is a fisherman's town that has really condense culture. Labuan Bajo has beautiful, interesting, yet quiet places to spend a few days if you have the time to spare. Witness the rich local culture and enjoy yourself.

Finally the best part of Labuan Bajo: it is a base to explore the surrounding islands for the incredible world class diving, wildlife viewing and chilling out on some of Indonesia's most beautiful yet least crowded beaches and tiny islands. There are also beautiful beaches on the mainland and the incredible mountain ranges. You can use local boat to tour around the island. It is important to remember that the local boat owners compete one against the other, fiercely. They will put very cheap rate to get you on board, so be sure to ask and check whether the boat is safe or not. It's a lot better to pay more money and find yourself on a big sturdy boat, with a professional boat driver. Cheap boats will travel across open water without any kind of radar, flares, or navigation and survival equipment of any kind. Expensive boats are those of a large companies who offer a level of luxury for a substantially larger price. Be wise, okay?

Last thing to remember is that Labuan Bajo is a wonderful place to stop and meet other travellers. Joining with other travellers here might be useful for you, financially speaking. You can pay less when you rent a boat with other travellers. Also, experience fruits of the surrounding areas and try and find some of your own. Divers will be especially happy here as the diving here presents some of the largest sea fans in the world, massively diverse corals and fish as well large creatures such as manta rays, possible whale sharks and a number of other large creature such as dolphins.

image source: gettyimages.com

Bunaken, Underwater Heaven From Indonesia

Fish on the reef, originally uploaded by Arne Kuilman.

Bunaken is one of Indonesia's most famous dive areas, and it draws scuba divers from all over the world. In addition to Bunaken itself, a rather featureless banana-shaped island, the national park includes the neighboring islands of Manado Tua, a distinctive cone-shaped extinct volcano, Siladen, Montehagen, Nain, and Nain Kecil. Bunaken is about 45-60 minutes by boat from Manado. Most resorts will arrange transfers from the airport for their guests. Alternatively, a public boat leaves daily except Sunday at 2PM, or you can charter a boat anytime.

It has three dive areas that you can choose. The first area is the clear waters of the Bunaken National Marine Park which was voted the global winner of British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award in 2003. The amazing walls of the park teams with thousands of different fish species, with huge sponges and beautiful hard corals, and countless number of fascinating critters.

The second area on the other side of the mainland is Lembeh Strait, and it is known as the world's best ‘muck-diving'. These waters are full of extraordinary marine critters, many of which are the masters of camouflage.

In the northern tip of the mainland between Bunaken and Lembeh you can find a group of tropical islands with white sandy beaches and beautiful coral reefs. This is the third diving area of Bangka Island with amazing soft corals and even more critters.

Entrance Fee
This entrance fee info is from sulawesi-info.com
All visitors to the Bunaken National Park (divers and non-divers) are required to pay an entrance fee, in accordance with North Sulawesi Provincial Government Provincial Law Number 9/2002. The entrance fee for foreign visitors is Rp 50,000 per daily ticket (approximately US$6), or Rp 150,000 (approximately US$17) for a waterproof plastic entrance tag valid for the full calendar year.

Entrance tags and tickets can be purchased direct from all NSWA members, or from ticket counters on Bunaken Island and on Siladen Island. They must be carried at all times that guests' are within the park boundaries, and tags can easily be affixed to guests' diving or snorkeling gear or on backpacks. Enforcement of the entrance fee system is conducted via spot checks by park rangers on land and at sea.

The entrance fee system has been adapted from the well-known Bonaire Marine Park system, and the proceeds from the sales of the entrance tags are managed by the Bunaken National Park Management Advisory Board (BNPMAB), a multi-stakeholder board that NSWA is a member of. The system has been very successful in raising over $250,000 for conservation programs in the Bunaken Marine Park since its inception in 2001.

You probably have questions regarding the entrance fee, such as "where does my money go?" or "I still see some management problems, why?". You can see Bunaken Entrance Fee Q&A by clicking here.

If everything is clear, then what are you waiting for, divers? Travel to North Sulawesi in Indonesia right now and dive into the heaven!

Travel To Bromo Mountain

The most popular and well known of East Java's tourist attractions is undoubtedly Bromo Mountain. The pre-dawn departure across the mountain's famous 'sand sea', to watch the sunrise at the crater rim, has become something of a ritual, enacted daily by local people and tourists.

If you want to go there by plane, the nearest major airport would be Surabaya. From there, it is four hours away by car. If you want to use a bus to get to Bromo, then you'll have to depart from Probolinggo (it's a larger town on the north coast of Java). Take a 'Damri' shuttle bus from the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, to go to the Bungurasih bus terminal(terminal Purabaya). Then, take an express Patas air-conditioned bus for a 2-3 hours ride from Surabaya to Probolinggo.

If you want to experience sunrise there, you'll have to wake up very early. For your info, sunrise in East Java is very early, around 5:30 AM, which means you'll have to be ready at least 3:30AM. Remember, it's 2 hours ride from Probolinggo to Bromo. As for the sunset, it is soon after 5 PM.

If you're an advanced traveller, and wish to go to Mount Bromo on foot, you can pick the left fork at Cemoro Lawang's solitary crossing, then head down the ramp into the caldera and then across the caldera to the Hindu temple at the foot of the mountain. From the temple a steep path of 250 steps leads to the edge of the crater and a precarious meter-wide ledge from where to gaze into the volcano. The walk from the tourist centre to the top of the mountain should take no longer than 1.5 hours by foot, and is about 3km. It's not that long, but local jeep-hirers will tell you otherwise to make you hire their jeep, so be careful, okay?

The Beauty of Sanur

Sanur is beautiful. It's one of the main beach resort areas on the south coast of Bali. It's North East of the airport in Tuban. Sanur has a very long history with some of the oldest recorded writing on the island still preserved at the small temple at Prasasti Blanjong on Danau Poso Road. I've picked up good article from gotosanur.com and put it here in case you need more information about Sanur's history.
If you're a first timer in Bali, choosing Sanur as your first destination might will come in handy. The reason why people choose Sanur over Kuta or Nusa Dua is because Sanur has less intense atmosphere than Kuta and a more genuine one than Nusa Dua. You can go there using airport taxis, and it might charge you around 70,000 rupiah (7 in USD) to Sanur and the journey is around 20-25 minutes.

Sanur has a large number of taxis patrolling the main street, Jalan Danau Tamblingan (Danau Tamblingan Road), so it's quite easy to wander around. The best company is Bluebird (0361)701111, who operate a fleet of light blue taxis with a 24 hour dispatch service. other places in Bali (including Sanur), local people use bemo, it's like a small bus. In my opinion, it's best to rent your own transport from one of the many car rental places along Jl. Danau Tamblingan, or perhaps a car with driver. One of the better car rental companies is JBA (0361)286501 located inside the Diwangkara Hotel (Jl. Hang Tuah 54). They can provide a driver at short notice also.

History of Sanur

source: gotosanur.com

Sanur originates from two words, “Saha” and “Nuhur” which literally means the passion to visit a certain place. Located in the southern part of Bali, Sanur is famed for its beautiful strip of pure sandy beaches across the coastal line. It is also famed for its' spectacular sunrises which literally marks a new day in the life of the Balinese. A talented laid back atmosphere is what is unique about the village of Sanur where hospitality is intertwined with the traditions of Balinese culture and religion. The atmosphere from sunrise till sunset provides endless opportunities of discovery into the daily lives of the Balinese, where each corner of the village provides a certain exploration for every visitor. Lines of shaded trees along the roads, a stretch of beach for sunbathing, a strip of shops for shopping and a variety of restaurants for wining and dining, the option is endless in Sanur.

Sanur also represents a name that carries important history for tourism in Indonesia, and Bali more specific. It was on the beach of Sanur that the first Netherlands troops set foot on the island of Bali in 1906. This was also the exact place that the first war occurred between Netherlands against the community of Bali in defending their land from colonialism. This war was later known as the Puputan Badung, a heroic event that is strongly remembered by every individual Balinese until today's generation.

Looking further back in history, around the Blanjong area, one can find an ancient stone epigraph with two languages written on it, using Old Balinese Language and Sanskrit; two totally different languages. It was believed that the place the artifact was found was an old harbor. Other epigraphs found within this area included the Ganesca and the Two Tailed Ox (Arca Dua Ekor Lembu), believed to be from the Kingdom of Warmadewa that ruled Bali in year 917. The Ganesca (a statue of an elephant head with a human body) made from limestone was said not to come from Blanjong, and was believed from remains of historic events from past kingdoms reigning in Bali. Should this be true, it is believed that Bali in the early days had already tight relations with other kingdoms around the world.

Another historic remain that marks the development or arts on the island of Bali is the LeMayeur Museum, built in Sanur in 1953 and was the first museum built in Bali. Approximately 80 paintings are showcased in this museum which was once the home of famous artist Le Mayeur himself. This museum located just steps from the ocean is physical proof for the love of an artist towards the island of Bali. Adrian-Jean Le Mayeur de Merpes originated from Belgium and left his hometown because his family was not supportive of his passion for painting. Through his spectacular paintings and exhibitions, LeMayeur introduced Sanur to the world.

Art lovers will naturally agree that Le Mayeur was famous for his impressionist style and paintings carried the main focus of a beautiful Balinese girl, who became the artists' wife, Ni Polok. She was a talented Legong dancer. From his painting collection he eventually bought a block of land in Sanur that remains until today as an object of this never ending love story. The pair then handed over the museum to the local government of Bali to maintain, when Le Mayeur past away in 1958, followed by his faithful wife in 1985.

Sanur and Le Mayeur are two inseparable words. Originating from a small fishing village then with the development of arts, Sanur transformed into a tourist destination that introduced the island of Bali to the entire world. It is here that culture was found, it was here that arts transformed, it was Sanur the pioneer of tourism for Bali.

Kuta Beach: Surf All The Way

Bali is only the front door of Indonesia. You will find more beautiful places along the way. But first thing first, Bali has the very infamous Kuta beach which is loved by all the surfers.

Kuta is a long broad beach on the Indian Ocean and was originally discovered by tourists as a surfing mecca, and is still arguably the best beach front on Bali. The beach is safe, partially clean, well-maintained, although you might want to be patience of the vendors. Kuta is now the party area of Bali and most clubs are lined up on Jl. Legian. Also it's the base for every backpacker who starts his/her tour around Bali as Kuta is the transportation hub for the whole island.

Surfing, shopping & parties are three main things in Kuta. There are also interesting sites such as:

• Bali Bombing Memorial Jl. Legian cnr. Poppies Gang II @ the former site of bombed old Paddy's and opposite the Sari Club (empty space right to the Billabong Shop). Not designed as an attraction but set-up to commemorate the 202 murdered people at 12th Oct. 2002. Every year on 12th October there is a ceremony for the mourning of wounded and dead people. Be gentle and remain silent at the Memorial
• Hard Rock Hotel & Restaurant is definitely a nice place for a photo stop
• Beach offerings In the morning you can see more or less regular Balinese people throwing offerings (especially when Nyepi is coming closer) into the sea. Best spot is the temple right next to the beach (200-250m to the right of Hard Rock Hotel)

Tanah Lot: The Magical Temple

If we think of Bali, we think of beaches, temples, traditional culture, panoramic viewing, and shopping. Guess what, you can find it all tied together in Tanah Lot. So I will say that you've never been to Bali if you haven't visit Tanah Lot.

In Tanah Lot, there are two puras (temples, singular is pura) on a huge rock. The first pura is on a cliff (like Pura Uluwatu) and the other one really stands on a huge rock in the middle of beach, surrounded by sand and water. It is also called the temple of the sea, used to praise the guardian gods of the sea.

It is said that this temple was built by a brahmana (top class in Bali's society hierarchy) named Sanghyang Nirantha who came form the island of Java. He built Sad Kahyangan on 16th century and bring Hindu teachings to the people (Sad Kahyangan are temples which was built all over Bali. People use it to honor gods in Bali up until now). Those people had become the follower of Sanghyang Nirantha and began to leave the ruler of Tanah Lot, Bendesa Beraben.

Bendesa Beraben told Sanghyang Nirantha to leave Tanah Lot. Before Nirantha leave, with his mighty strength he moved Bongkahan Batu (huge rock) to the middle of the beach, and built a temple there. He also transformed his long wide shawl into a snake to guard the temple. This type of snake still exist up until now. It's a sea snake type with flat tail like fish, black with yellow-striped body and has a poison that's 3 times stronger than that of a cobra.

The legend said that in the end Bendesa Beraben had become the follower of Sanghyang Nirantha.

It is best to experience Tanah Lot when it's sunset. The big but shy red sun will accompany you for 15 minutes and those will be one of your unforgettable moments.

From the parking lot to the temple area there are art shops and food and drink stall. Feel free to shop, and if you're good at haggling, do so.

Kintamani Volcano and Barong

Kintamani Volcano
Alright, so you're in Bali now and your first stop (often like anybody else) would be the village of Batubulan. Here you can watch a performance of the Barong and Kris Dance. Later on, you can visit the villages of Celuk (silver jewelry) and Mas (wood carving) to see Balinese artisans at work. Then you drive over small roads overlooking beautiful rice terraces and you will find yourself reaching mountain village of Kintamani (about 5,000 feet above the sea) which offers spectacular views of Lake Batur and the volcano. It will be some breathtaking experience.

Traveler's Tips

I've found very useful tips while I was googling about. Be sure to read this before you start your journey. Thanks to hotel4stay.com for this one.

»Before Travel
1. Find necessary information on:

• Local laws, culture, and customs, to prepare yourself from unnecessary worry, surprise and embarrassment
• Weather: pack appropriate necessary clothing, lotions, and other necessary equipment, especially when you anticipate a dramatic difference in climate from what you are accustomed to
• Local currency: change some money (cash or travellers' cheques, and also prepare a small amount in case of unexpected needs. Ascertain beforehand what kind of currency (cash or travellers' cheques) might be accepted

2. Packing:

• Your valuables should always be in hand luggage. Avoid storing them in the front or side parts of the bag; instead, pack them deep within the main body.
• Ladies, for your eye, lip and other cosmetic accessories, buy a "3in1" tube and make your luggage space more compact.
• Prepare a resealable bag to contain toiletries, to avoid leaking into your clothes (baggage area in the aircraft is not pressurized, and liquids may leak out).
• Mark your own luggage distinctively. Make is easy for spotting and claiming your baggage, to avoid taking the wrong luggage. For instance, tie a brightly colored ribbon to family bags and suitcases.

3. Don't forget key elements of travel:

• Passport,
• Money, and
• Ticket.

4. Email yourself the necessary information:

• ticket numbers,
• Passport number,
• credit card numbers,
• phone numbers,
• and other important information.

5. Using Travelers Checks

• Travelers checks are relatively more convenient to use; however, you might need to determine whether the particular country you wish to visit will honor them. When you go to purchase travelers checks you can get a list of banks, hotels, countries, etc. which honor that kind of check.
• Find out also details on refunds, loss, and the company's replacement policy

6. Using Credit Cards

• Contacting your credit card company to inform them of your travel destination will bring many benefits. They will provide information, such as the foreign exchange rate policy and fee, ATMs, and contact numbers for the country you wish to visit.
• Due to the unfamiliar spending patterns, the company will not suspect any fraud or delay your approval, since they know that you are on holiday, away from your usual place of work and residence and routine.

»While Traveling
1. At the hotel
Use the hotel safe, never leave valuable in soft bags or even in a padlocked bag. Important: wipe the touch key on the hotel safe every time you operate it, using a damp cloth. Wait until it dries, then enter your secret code. The reason is that in certain hotels, staff might place a light oil residue or powder on the keys to show which keys have been pressed.
2. Do not carry your passport around: just bring a photocopy instead
3. Plan your daily budget and bring enough money for the day. Don't draw people's attention by flashing large amounts of cash.
4. Don't accept drinks from anybody you just met. They may be drugged.
5. Be careful in sharing travel plans with strangers.
6. If you decide to use public transportation, only board busses/taxis with official markings.
7. Never accept gifts/packages from someone unknown. They may contain bombs or narcotics.
8. Be confident and act as if you know where you are going - even when you don't.
9. Watch out for pickpockets!!

• avoid walking in heavily crowded situations
• always take main streets; avoid narrow alleys and quiet streets
• carry money in a cash belt, or inside your clothes
• place a rubber band around your wallet

»Travel with Children
1. Always keep your child's recent photo in your wallet in case they get lost in a crowded area
2. Make sure you have your children go to the toilet before departure from the hotel.
3. Write down on a piece of paper the name, address, phone number of the place you are staying and "I am lost, please call my parent" in the local language as well as in English. Make sure your child keeps paper in his/her pocket, and if it is necessary to show someone the paper, tell the child to hand it to a woman (relatively safer than a man)
4. Prepare a hand sanitizer, in case you need water and cannot find any restroom
5. For long trips, buy a lot of cheap toys to keep your children occupied, so they won't nag and annoy you.
6. Always have extra clothes for them and for yourself. Sticky drinks will not only spill on their clothes but on yours also.

Lombok, The Diamond of West Nusa Tenggara

Senggigi Beach

Senggigi Beach is a very famous place for tourists in Lombok. It's on the west coast of Lombok Island. Although it's not as big as Kuta Beach in Bali, but the view can still take your breath away. You can also do some snorkeling and enjoy the beautiness of coral reef at the bottom of the sea. You will forget your routines in your life once you set your foot on Senggigi Beach.

There are alternative ways to reach Senggigi Beach:

• From Bali: head to Lembar harbor, then you can rent a car with other travelers or just take a bus to reach there.
• From Jakarta and other big cities: Once you arrive at the airport, you can take a cab and head to your hotel (book the one that close to the beach)
• From Ampenan, you can ride a Bemo (it's a three wheel vehicle) that's available from 06.00 AM until 06.30 PM only for Rp 2,000 (that would be 20 cents in USD). Look for the ones that goes straight to Senggigi.

In the island of Lombok, there is one version of the horse-drawn cart called the cidomo which is unique for it uses car wheels instead of the usual wooden spoked wheels. Cidomo is a contraction from three words:
CI, for cikar, a traditional handcart
DO, for dokar, a pony cart
MO, for mobil, or sometimes montor, the car

The cidomo is an easygoing and charming way to get around just about everywhere in Lombok. Think of bells chiming with the gallops, bright painted patterns competing with yarn bonbons and tassels, and well, some malodorous poop dropping here and there. This is what local color (or smell) should be- raw, earthy and memorable.

Here's the thing to remember: don't forget to bring sunblock cream and sexy swimsuits. And if you do snorkeling, don't touch things in the sea that you don't know (although it's beautiful) because it might be dangerous.


Images taken from: gettyimages.com, colloidfarl.blogspot.com

Bali, the Island of Gods

Perhaps up until now, a lot of tourists from outside Asia consider that Bali is a country and Indonesia is somewhere in it. Well it is not. Indonesia is a huge archipelago and very much proud to introduce Bali as one of its island, known as Pulau Dewata (the Island of Gods). You can ask anyone who had been to Bali and each of them will tell you different stories and share different experiences they have. One might find tranquilness, joy, adrenaline rush, or perhaps be in love. It is THE place, the little part of Heaven that falls down to the earth. It is magical.

Bali may be small in size – you can drive around the entire coast in one long day – but its prominence as a destination is huge, and rightfully so. Ask travellers what Bali means to them and you’ll get as many answers as there are flowers on a frangipani tree. Virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerising dance performances (Kecak dance) and ribbons of beaches are just some of the images people cherish.

image source: gettyimages.com