Indonesia

Zipping around in Jakarta: West Java

24.07.2008 07:52
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 [...]

Be Careful Not to Offend Others

22.07.2008 14:53
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 [...]

10 Good Reasons to Visit the City of Heroes: Surabaya, East Java

22.07.2008 14:50
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. [...]

News Weekending 20/07/08

20.07.2008 04:54
Let’s start the week with some positive news on the environmental front. The tree adoption program organized by the Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park and Jakarta’s Green Radio is proving very popular, with listeners and corporations already sponsoring 2,000 trees. Even my favourite pollie Megawati Soekarnoputri is among the many individuals, communities and corporations to [...]

Doing the Tourist Thing: Yogyakarta, Central Java

17.07.2008 13:34
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 [...]

Sumatra Elephant Eco Lodge: Bandar Lampung, Sumatra

15.07.2008 13:12
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 [...]

News Weekending 13/07/08

13.07.2008 09:04
Something that is been going on for decades is the abuse of Indonesian workers overseas. Working conditions for migrant domestic workers in Saudi Arabia — including thousands of Indonesian workers — sometimes amount to “slavery”, according to a global human rights watchdog. There really should be a body to oversee this inhumane treatment of Indonesian [...]

Bandar Lampung: South Sumatra

10.07.2008 15:20
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 [...]

Election Time is Coming in 2009

09.07.2008 09:11
My late father, a wise sage in his own right, used to say “Never comment about politics or religion wherever you travel”. Strangely enough, I have adhered to his principals and words of wisdom over the years, but it doesn’t stop me from enjoying the hype and mania around election times. I was in Yogyakarta [...]

Pasar Wisata Indonesia: Makassar, South Sulawesi

08.07.2008 13:52
If there is a travel show anywhere then you can be sure that I will go and see what is happening and what’s on offer. Although some of these travel shows are exclusive to sellers and buyers in the travel industry, I have never really had much trouble weaving my way inside. Now in its [...]

News in Brief – Week Ending 06/07/08

06.07.2008 04:55
At the beginning of the week there was a good article about the upcoming elections in 2009 and my favourite pollie Megawati is still courting favour with the people of Indonesia. This was obvious in a new survey that suggests former president Megawati Soekarnoputri would win an election if it were held thanks to the [...]

New Airline Regulations Laws Now in Effect

05.07.2008 09:58
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 [...]

WAHLI – The Environmental Watchdog of Indonesia

30.06.2008 07:38
When it comes to the concerns of the environment within the vast archipelago of Indonesia it is the Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI - Friends of the Earth Indonesia) that are in the forefront of ensuring the sustainability of life and livelihoods in the islands. WAHLI works to defend Indonesia’s natural world and local communities [...]

Whale Tourism

30.06.2008 07:33
Although officially not a province of Indonesia anymore, it appears the fledgling new country of East Timor, or Timor Leste as it is preferred to be known, has the possibility of boosting tourist numbers to the region in the form of one of nature’s gentle giants in the ocean. There are been various media reports [...]

The Betawi Language: Jakarta, West Java

30.06.2008 07:30
On my numerous trips to Jakarta it has never ceased to amaze me the potpourri of languages spoken in the capital city. My native language is English and although I am sufficiently fluent in the national language of Bahasa Indonesia, there were times on my travels when the locals originating from Jakarta spoke a language [...]

News in Brief – Week Ending 29/06/08

29.06.2008 05:37
Ain’t it a bitch when you lose something and then suddenly find it. It appears an Indonesian military airplane with 18 people on board crashed Thursday in Mount Salak, West Java. But the fate of the people remained unknown. Let us all hope that the folk are found alive and there are no serious injuries. [...]

The Island of Sulawesi

27.06.2008 15:39
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 [...]

Places to Visit in Semarang: Central Java

23.06.2008 16:32
I can still recall the very first time I visited Semarang, the northern coastal in Central Java. It was in the middle of the hot season, the winds blew even hotter and the dust was annoying to the eyes. But, I loved it. It was refreshing to visit and experience a city of such historical [...]

News in Brief – Week Ending 22/06/08

22.06.2008 07:10
Let’s start the week off with a bit of Sharia justice. Residents in a North Aceh village almost cut off a thief’s hand in what was the first known attempt at sharia-style punishment of its kind in the province. Saidan, 50, was rushed to the hospital unconscious after locals in Meurah Mulia district accused him [...]

Sriwijaya Festival: Palembang, Sumatra

20.06.2008 09:56
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 [...]

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