Kerak Telor, The Dellicious taste

by: Yovita Siswati

Kerak Telor is a famous delicacy of Jakarta city, formerly known as Batavia. The native of Jakarta, known as the Betawi, has made this food for hundreds of years.

Every region in Indonesia has its own traditional food. Kerak Telor is a famous delicacy of Jakarta city, formerly known as Batavia. The native of Jakarta known as the Betawi has made this food since hundreds of years ago.

What is Kerak Telor?


It looks like scrambled egg but the taste is very much different. Kerak Telor is a snack mainly made of glutinous rice and duck egg. It is served with dried shrimp topping and shredded coconut.

The ingredients are glutinous rice, duck egg, fried onion, dried shrimp, shredded coconut, salt, chili, pepper and sugar. The method of cooking is as follows: first, the glutinous rice is half cooked in a small pan. Please note that no cooking oil is used. The egg is then added. Other ingredients follow. If you like it hot, you can add extra chili and pepper. After a while, add the shredded coconut and dried shrimp and the omelet is ready to be served. The texture is crispy on its edge but soft in the middle. Kerak telor is best enjoyed with hot cup of black Java coffee.

One interesting fact, the traditional vendors still cook the omelet using charcoal. This method of cooking only made the taste richer and more delicious.
The story behind Kerak Telor

In the Colonial era, kerak telor was a privileged food. It was served in big parties held by colonial government as well as rich Betawi. The recipe as well as the profession as kerak telor vendor had been passed from generation to generation. The most skillful kerak telor vendors usually come from Mampang, a small area in South Jakarta, called Betawi Mampang.

It is a sad fact that the Betawi is gradually push out of the centre of the city, mainly due to economic reasons. Most of their land had been sold to property developer and on that land now stand many skyscrapers. Along with the diminishing Betawi community, the real original kerak telor is becoming harder to find. Many of the vendors now start taking over family business of selling kerak telor at a very young age, sometime right after finishing high school.

Where to find Kerak Telor?

Kerak Telor usually sold during Jakartaanniversary festival. The festival held in Kemayoran area, starts in mid June and ends in mid July. Beyond this festive season, it is rather difficult to find. However, part of a tourism campaign, the Governor of Jakarta has recently established a Betawi Conservation Village in South Jakarta. There are around ten vendors in this village who sell kerak telor near a lake in the village area. Mostly are native Betawi. The price is around US$ 1-2 per pax.

Read More

Bintan A Paradise in Its Own Right

A visit to Bintan offers you an insight into its illustrious past as well as its promising future in the realm of tourism.

Bintan, an island in the Riau Islands province, has a beautiful coastline that runs about 100 kilometers, most of which comprises pristine white sandy beaches.

Located a 30-minute ferry ride from Batam or 45 minutes away from Singapore by a high-speed catamaran, Bintan is the largest of no less than 3,200 islands in the Riau archipelago.

It is often described as a unique paradise, where life is simple and its multicultural population of some 200.000 people – mostly Javanese, Buginese and Chinese – are friendly and live in harmony.

Bintan was initially part of the Riau Province, but to accommodate post-reform separatist sentiments the government and the House of Representatives agreed to spin off Riau Islands as a separate province in July 2004 with Tanjung Pinang as its capital.

In visiting Bintan, most holidaymakers and pleasure-seekers head straight to Bintan Resort where life seldom moves beyond sitting by swimming pools sipping gin tonics at luxury hotels, snorkeling, fishing, canoeing and wind surfing. Its all-year round sunny weather allows for upscale activities such as golfing, jet-skiing, sailing, diving and island hopping.
Most tourism activities are concentrated on the north coast around Lagoi, while the east coast is still unspoiled and worth a visit.

To those with a passion for facts and figures: there are seven international hotels, four resorts and three international golf courses with 36 holes in Bintan Resort, covering 23,000 hectares, designed by Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.

Comparisons to Bali’s tourist enclave Nusa Dua is inevitable but this is hardly an-apple-to-apple exercise. While the resort island is by all measures unique and distinctive to the point of being in a class of its own, Bintan has sufficient drawing power to attract large numbers of tourists from Europe, Japan and South Korea (and, of course, Singapore) and foreign companies to hold their annual meetings.

Local tourist guidebooks trace Bintan back to the 13th century, when the island was a part of the magnificent Sriwijaya Empire of what is now South Sumatra.

As historical data show, Sri Tri Buana, a member of the royal family of Palembang, visited Riau Islands in 1290 and joined forces with the island’s ruler to take over Bintan and later became its king.

Since then Bintan has become a perennial battleground involving the Malacca and Johor sultanates, the Portuguese, the Buginese, the Acehnese and the Dutch because of its strategic location as a port and trade center in the region.

But when the British in 1819 discovered and developed Singapore to became a regional trading center, Bintan’s stature diminished enormously. The island experienced a permanent reversal of political and trading fortune and today remains overshadowed by neighboring Batam and Singapore.

“In the 1980s, the leaders of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore initiated the Sijori (Singapore, Johor and Indonesia) Growth Triangle and signed agreements to invest in Bintan and Batam, the latter once a deserted island that was turned into a special bonded zone,” says, Abdul Waahab, the Singaporean general manager of Nirwana Gardens. (See also Travel Notes.)

Singapore also signed a special agreement with Indonesia to lease its northern coast and develop it into a resort called Bintan Resort. The powerful Salim Group was then brought in to join forces with Singapore’s equally powerful business group, Sembawang, to develop the area.

It now features excellent infrastructure and is home to such luxury and exclusive entities such as Nirwana Gardens, Club Mediteranee, Bintan Lagoon and Banyan Tree.
Says Wahab: “About 5000 people are employed in this resort.”

At one time Bintan saw huge investments coming their way, including industrial parks that many Japanese and American companies use as their manufacturing base.

For some reasons, not the least the global economic crisis, that lustre has slightly worn off. But that has not prevented Bintan to remain as a popular tourist destination with its own brand of allure.

Places of Interest in Bintan

1. Tanjung Pinang
   The main and busy port town, where trader and passenger ships link all parts of Indonesia with Singapore. In many ways, the city reminds us of Bogor in West Java some 20 years ago, as it transforms itself from a quaint and rustic place into a city teeming with ATMs and internet kiosks.
2. Tanjung Uban
   The second largest town after Tanjung Pinang, on the north western coast of Bintan Island. Along the seaside is a charming boardwalk called “Pelantar” with houses, accommodations and restaurants built above the sea, where you can
   buy art works and handicrafts.
3. Senggarang Island
   Visit the over 300 years old banyan tree temple.
   Another temple is also on hand, Xuan Tian Shang-di, named after a Chinese ruler.
4. Penyengat Island
   15 Minutes away away from Tanjung Pinang by motor-powered sampan boat.
   Spend some time at a 200-year-old well-maintained grand mosque of the Sultan of Riau, an old palace and royal tombs, and a typical Riau traditional house.
5. Pantai Trikora
   A beach on the east coast where the sand is white and the water clean, a great place for relaxation. Visit also a nearby fishing village and a small traditional boat building facility.
   

What to do in Bintan

1. Mountain Biking
   The quiet, hilly and well-maintained roads of Bintan are ideal for biking.
2. Bintan Elephant Park
   Seven Sumatran elephants beckon you to an interactive adventure by offering you a ride into the forest.
3. Gunung Bintan Adventure Trek
   The 340-meter high mountain of Gunung Bintan offers visitors breathtaking panoramic views from the summit.
   Bintan’s rainforest features giant trees and rare animals.
4. Mangrove Discovery Tour
   The beauty and mystique of Bintan’s flora and fauna.

Getting There

You can reach Bintan from Batam Island, Singapore or Malaysia (Johor Baru) by scheduled ferries. Bintan has a small airport in Kijang serving domestic flights to and from Jakarta.

Garuda Indonesia flies daily to Batam, 21 times per week.

Source : garudamagazine

Read More

Ujung Genteng Beach- A never - Ending Andventure

The Adventure Begins

Although the clock said it was still only 4 am, I couldn’t keep my eyes shut. I was too excited about starting my journey along Ujung Genteng beach later that morning. The first test came a moment later as thunderbolts roared and the drenching rain poured down without restraint.

Our basecamp and starting point was Ujung Genteng Beach, where there are a lot of places to stay - mostly cheap guesthouses and villas. The Warung (small shops or stalls) were our last chance to stock up on supplies because after setting off from this place there would be no other warung or villages along our planned route. There would be nothing but beaches, forests and hills. Our aim was to pitch our tent in Batu Keris Beach, about 30 kms away. And the next morning we were to return via a different route, shorter at about 17 kilometres, through the forests lying behind the beach.

“We can’t wait any longer. We have to start now,” said Petrus, our team leader.

At 8 o’clock on the dot, wearing our raincoats, we started trudging along the beach.

Conditions underfoot were firm because of all the rain and this helped keep my feet from sinking into soft sand. Remember, I had a 15 kilogramme rucksack on my back.

The going got heavier as we made our way along Cipanarikan Beach. The weather became hot all of a sudden and the drying sand turned soft and sucked at our feet. Each step was really heavy! Fortunately the view was lovely with the calm, bluish water and the wide, white beach. We stopped for a short rest here.

After we’d had our picnic lunch, the weather grew hotter. This meant I had to get ready for the next, more difficult challenge. Firstly, despite the high temperatures on the beach, I had to go easy on our already limited reserves of water. Secondly, Petrus already warned us that along the next section of the beach it would be very difficult to find any shade. Thirdly, the hot weather would make the sand dry and soft. This meant that the walking would be heavy going.

The Challenge of Karang Taraje
For more than two hours we braved the heat and the laden strides before we finally came to a rocky beach. The ground was more solid here so it was easier traverse. We walked quite a long way under the hot sun above that southern shore before we eventually arrived at cliffs with forests behind them. The rocks were quite tall and jagged. It was just like Skull Island in the movie King Kong. This was Karang Taraje Beach.

There was no other way to go except walking along the foot of cliff next to the crashing waves. For a moment, with the rocks so slippery and sharp, I wasn’t sure I was all that keen on taking this route. If I were to lose my footing, it would be catastrophic! Petrus told us that Karang Taraje in the local language meant “rock stairs”. Perhaps this was because the rocks here were tiered just like a flight of stairs.

All along Karang Taraje Beach I saw only rocks and not one bit of sand. Indeed, this beach is not suitable for swimming. Our path came to an end at an even bigger cliff than the first one. I had to cross a crevice using only two bamboo poles. With the help of several seasoned mountain climber friends I crawled up the side of the cliff. The sound of the dashing breakers below as I scrambled up the four metre tall cliff was a terrifying combination.

I needed to be patient here because we had to tackle the difficult route one by one. Behind the cliff I was relieved to see a plateau of rock that was quite wide and flat. From here I could see the shoreline of Karang Taraje. Although seemingly unfriedly, Karang Taraje beach was a captivating blend of the beauty and ferocity with its commanding cliffs lapped by the boisterous breaking waves.

Once past the shoreline at “Skull Island”, the beach became sandy again. And once again our feet began to sink. We took frequent breathers because of our heavy packs and the stinging sun. At one point the group was split but we didn’t let ourselves get too far apart.

Getting Harder
The journey was getting harder because it turned out that we couldn’t keep up with the schedule we’d set ourselves. The day was getting on and we still had a long way to go and knowing that made me feel even more tired. It was true, I didn’t have to climb cliffs again but the flat route with soft sand and the sun beaming down was all a big challenge for me. We were exhausted and dehydrated.

We continued walking and rested often before finally reaching Ombak Tujuh Beach. The curve of this beach was also quite long, stretching almost 4 kilometres. There were no sharp rocks here. What I could see was only the horizon in the distance and the rolling waves that tumbled onto the edge of the beach. There were huge waves that allegedly could split into seven, or so they say, and this is how the beach got its name.

The journey following this stretch of coast seemed never-ending. I felt like I was walking across an endless desert. I felt like Brooke Shield in the film Sahara. Sweltering and relentless. The porter who was helping us to carry our food continued to comfort me by saying, “We are almost there, Sir, just one more turn.” As far as I could remember, those were his exact words almost two hours beforehand.

We often encountered waterways that we had to wade across. Their depths varied, some thigh high, others came right up to our tummies. What was clear was that to cross these waterways I had no choice but to hold my backpack up high with one hand.

Walking past bend after bend on the beach, there seemed no clear sign that we would arrive at Batu Keris soon. We had walked for eight hours and there still seemed no end to it. As we approached Batu Keris Beach, we turned right into the forest behind the beach.

The forest here was dense and almost untouched. The road started to climb slopes and then descend again. Several times we came across small stretches of beach and then plunged back into the forest again. After more of this up and down trekking, we finally arrived on a pretty big beach below a cliff. I thought that this was where we were going to make our camp. It turned out that Batu Keris Beach was still way off in the far distance. I could see my friends who were ahead of us. Our destination was still very far away.

Arriving at Batu Keris
Again we walked through small forests and for the umpteenth time we had to cross an estuary this time using using the two bamboo poles. Afterwards, we walked along a beach with wooded hills up on our right. After turning one more time, I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. We had arrived at Batu Keris Beach.

The beach was quite big and several parts of it had some coral. Just behind the beach there was a hill covered with relatively thick forest. On our right there was a cliff standing 10 metres tall.

The sunset was obscured by clouds that evening but just enjoying the crashing waves and the rustling of the wind was refreshing enough. The forest and the hills behind us made our camp really seem like it was completely isolated. There were no other signs of anyone else around except for us.

“The nearest village is 10 kilometres from here,” explained Petrus.

After savouring dinner to the accompaniment of the splashing of the sea and the chattering crickets, I immediately slipped into a deep slumber. Both my legs felt sore from walking for nine hours along the sea’s edge while carrying that heavy pack. However, our challenge was far from over. At 3 o’clock in the middle of the night the rain lashed down on us and, with a strong wind buffeting too, my tent began to leak.

So, in the morning I had to take everything out of my backpack and dry it in the open. The rainbow that appeared near our camp made the view even more beautiful. The waves were not so big and the spectacle of the rows of rough coral caught by the sun’s rays accentuated the ferocious side of Batu Keris Beach.

Although flat, and in places sandy, swimming here was not recommended. Coral reefs were scattered everywhere including close to the beach and further out to the sea too. Because it was almost untouched by visitors, I was able to enjoy this natural beauty. Moreover, as we were told, the nearest settlement was 10 kilometres away. One thing that was guaranteed at Batu Keris Beach: it was free of peddlers and hawkers!

The Adventure is (not) Over
We should have started our journey home at 7 am. However, because the supply team had been delayed by the torrential rain and unable to reach our camp in time, our journey back had to start without breakfast. At 9 am we hiked back into the forest behind the beach.

“The forest route is shorter than the beach route,” our porter said. The beach route was 30 kilometres while the forest route was only about 17 kilometres.

It turned out that the short route wasn’t all that much easier. The rain that had been falling mercilessly since dawn had turned the narrow track into treacherous mud which made walking a real hassle. At one point I even sunk calf deep in mud. In the end I decided to go barefoot.

The muddy, sloping track saw me slipping over and over again. Several times I had to endure the agony of stepping on thorns. It was a no win situation because putting the shoes back on made it more slippery and difficult to walk. Travelling through the forest turned out to present its own challenges. The trees here was not as dense as they were in the mountains but there was a lot of coarse, face high grass and the path was narrow and mucky.

Meanwhile, the weather continued to overheat us, making the journey in the forest just as scorching as it had been along the beach.

Unforeseen circumstances made this journey feel never-ending too. The failure of the supply team to get to our overnight campsite, the unexpected natural conditions in the forest and the extreme heat, had resulted in our water running out prematurely. When we had to cross another river by walking along a very slippery tree trunk, it was very hard for me to concentrate. Luckily my friends kept encouraging me.

Several kilometres from the first river, we had to wade across another one whose current was swifter. This time we didn’t have a tree trunk but had to go into the water. This was better than crossing on that tree trunk. Splash!! We all jumped into the river.

When we had finished enjoying the refreshing water of the river, some of us thought we could not go on walking because we had run out of drinking water and we still had 10 kilometres to go. In the end we asked our porter to find motorbike taxis in the nearest village.
A few minutes later, a whole gaggle of motorbike taxis turned up to take our weary bodies home. Travelling on a motorbike in this area was also a unique adventure. Going uphill and downhill on slithery roads, through forests and tall coarse grass and past plantations, was all an unforgettable experience. As we went went over one hill I happened to see a stretch of coconut plantation on a hilly area with the sea as the backdrop. Very beautiful!

By 3 pm we had arrived back at our starting point, Ujung Genteng Beach. While resting, we ate our lunch and kidded around. Our adventure was complete although in the end we hadn’t been able finish it on foot. However, apart from all that, we agreed that we had enjoyed a very different adventure, one that had taken us along beaches and through forests, and that had confronted us with various circumstances and weather that we won’t forget.

Getting there
It is not difficult to get to Ujung Genteng from Jakarta. If you take public transport, get on a bus bound for Bogor, then continue on another bus from Bogor to Surade. From Surade, take an angkot (minibus) to Ujung Genteng.

What to do
If you are crazy about mountain biking, Ujung Genteng’s trails are enticing enough to try out. Jungle & beach trekking: the long shoreline with different distinctive features and the forest with it tall coarse grass, hills and coconut groves, will turn your visit to Ujung Genteng into an unforgettable adventure.

When to go
April to October, during the dry season, is the best time to enjoy the charms
and challenges of Ujung Genteng.

Where to stay
At Ujung Genteng Beach, there are many villas and local residents’ houses for rent. The prices vary. One of the more well known ones is Pondok Hexa (021-7509271). Nature lovers may want to camp along the shoreline.

What to see
A turtle breeding facility in Ujung Genteng is one of the places tourists are most interested in. On certain days there is the release of baby turtles into open sea. Curug Cikaso, although not located near the beach, is part of Ujung Genteng area and is one of the most popular local tourist destinations.

source : garuda Magazine

Read More

Ternate - Tidore - World History, Natural beauty

Spices and Maluku - two inseparable things. And so are Ternate-Tidore in world history. Five centuries ago, the two big sultanates in the eastern part of our country emerged onto the stage of world history. They were sought after, and even fought over. The existence of the spice islands - the islands

of Maluku, especially Ternate-Tidore as clove producers, and the Banda Islands as nutmeg producers - motivated people to travel right around the world for the first time.

History records that Christopher Columbus, who discovered the North American continent, made his voyage in

order to find spices, the actual location of which was a mystery to Europeans at that time. The desire to control these premier commodities, whose status then resembled what oil’s is nowadays, was indeed very strong. And Ternate-Tidore were the world’s only producers of clove - the most sought after spice of them all.

The Origin of Cloves and the Arena of World Politics

All cloves on the planet came from here. A long ti

me ago, trading them was under the control of the Sultans of Ternate and Tidore, two kingdoms sitting on two adjacent islands and, so the story goes, they were the most highly respected in eastern Indonesia at the time.

Ferdinand Magellan was sent by Charles I, King of Spain, to find spice islands. His fleet arrived from the east but was a bit too far north in the Philippines, which later went on to become a Spanish colony. Magellan himself died there, but his remaining fleet, Trinidad and Victoria, finally arrived in Tidore on 8th November 1521. The Spanish, followed by the British, the Dutch and others, also reached Ternate-Tidore. The Golden Hind, Sir Francis Drake’s legendary ship from Britain, for example, docked at Ternate in

1579, and Cornelis de Houtman from the Netherlands came in around 1596. Ternate–Tidore then moved onto the world geopolitical stage.

A Visit to the Palace

Five hundred years have passed. Spices are no longer the world’s most precious commodities. The two big sultanates have now been incorporated into the Province of North Maluku together with the islands of Halmahera, Morotai, Bacan and others. Ternate has become its capital and at the same time Maluku’s second biggest city. Its economy is alive and well, mark

ed by the bustle of its inhabitants and the heavy traffic of motorised vehicles and public transport.

The Sultan of Ternate’s yellow Grand Palace sits on higher ground in the city centre, not far from the seaside. Behind it the Mountain of Gamalama stand no less grandly. There is speculation as to whether Sultan Baabullah (1570-1583) governed one of the strongest kingdoms in Nusantara from here, controlling the trade of cloves which spiced up royal feasts back in the castles of Europe. The greatness of Baabullah was widely recognised; he was in 1574 one of the few Nusantara kings - or perhaps even the only one - to succesfully drive the Portuguese colonists away.

The palace is now a museum. However, you should know that it was built at the end of the 19th century. So it is not the origin

al building.

Tracing History’s Footsteps

On these two islands, neith

er of which is wider than 12 km, stand several fortresses that witnessed the world’s history unfold. A bit to the north of the palace, in Ter

nate city centre, is Fort Oranje whose construction was completed in around 1607. It was the first centre for the Dutch East Indies government in Nusantara. Not many people know that Ternate was once a Dutch colonial capital. The fortress is relatively big compared to other fortresses in our country.

To the north of the city there is Fort Toloko standing on a hill. This Portuguese built fortress is very well maintained and looks like it has been renovated

. From on top of it, Ternate is in full view, as is the Island of Tidore across the water from it.

Still in the city, but a bit to the south, stands the Kayu Merah Fortress built by the Portuguese in 1510. This fortress with its strong thick walls is the only one remaining on the water’s edge and looks like it is keeping watch over the sea in front of it.

To the west there is another quite small but beautiful fortress called Fort Nostra Senhora do Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary), or Fort Gamalama as it is commonly referred to as. This fortress was perhaps built by the Portuguese as well. It is now in ruins and not on the seaside anymore but what remains still looks quite stunning.

The Twin Island

Tidore, Ternate’s “twin” island, although separated only by a one kilometre wide strait, turns out to be quiet and peaceful. Crossing the water to Tidore, we are welcomed by a simple but very important inscription which commemorates the arrival of the Trinidad and Victoria on 8 November 1521, having sailed for 2 years, 2 months and 28 days from Seville, on their epic voyage around the world seeking spices. Trinidad then sank on her way home, leaving Victoria to return to Seville as the first ship to have sucessfully sailed the proverbial Seven Seas.

The inscription is signed by the Spanish Ambassador to Indonesia. If, from the story above, it is clear that Ternate is “Portugese”, then Tidore is indeed “Spanish”. Another proof of Tidore’s “Spanishness” is the Tohula Fort above Soa Siu.

A day trip to Tidore from Ternate is possible because it is quite close, just a few minutes in a wooden boat. On this island stands the palace of the Sultanate of Tidore. If Ternate has Baabullah, Tidore has Nuku, her most well known ruler.

If Ternate has Gunung Gamalama, her twin island has Gunung Kiematubu. A stretch of fairly smooth asphalt road will take us to that traditonal villa

ge to see how Tidore’s native people live.

The Scene on the One Thousand Rupiah Banknote

Do you have a one thousand rupiah bank note? Please have a look at what is written there. “Pulau Maitara dan Tidore”, that’s the description there. It is a real depiction of Ternate. Do you want to see for yourself the scene pictured on the banknote? Easy. Go to the south of Ternate. It is not difficult to get there and only about 10 minutes from the city. The view is indeed fantastic.

Apart from being chock full of history, North Maluku is beautiful. The islands there are like miniature volcanoes rising up out of the sea, creating a landscape that might be from a fairy story.

Travelling here will not only bring you back to the golden age of spices but will also give you unforgettable memories. And don’t forget to sample their fresh sea fish with the renowned sambal dabu-dabu or their specialty sago snack.

Getting to Ternate

Garuda Indonesia flies The Jakarta-Manado-Ternate vv route 7 times per week

Source : Garuda Indonesia Magazine

Read More

Tourindonesiaunite Talkshow & Photo Exhibition

After the successful performance of Endah n Rhesa in the 1st pre event in Score, Ciwalk on April 23rd 2010, #tourindonesiaunite will hold the 2nd pre event to commemorate The National Education Day in this May. This inspiring event will be completed by the photos exhibition and talkshow on May 28th-30th 2010 in Braga City Walk Bandung. The theme of the photos which were contested before is 1001 dreams in the limited educational support in indonesia and those all were judged by the expert juries of photography; Galih Sedayu, Ari Angin and Deni Sugandi.

The summit agenda is talkshow about "Gerakan Hati, Satu Langkah membantu mengejar mimpi" which will be held on May 30th by inviting the activists of #tourindonesiaunite : Leonita Julian and Ramya Prajna as the resources. Moreover, #tourindonesiaunite will also allow everyone to vote Komodo as the new7wonders of nature on Vote Komodo booth.

In this event, the winners of photography contest will be announced. The whole event can be enjoyed for free cost included certificate. This 2nd pre event of #tourindonesiaunite is supported by Detik Bandung, Oz Radio , 99ersr radio, JONAS photo and Pikiran Rakyat.

#tourindonesiaunite which was supported by Pandji Pragiwaksono and Glenn Fredly and the 1st time with the main purpose to explore the spirit of indonesian youth is the charity event of education.

So, Book your weekend calendar now!

For the further information, please contact Wahyu; phone +62 856 244 65 431

Read More

The International Rinjani Mountain Climbing July 2010

The International Rinjani Mountain Climbing event in Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is scheduled in July 2010, with more foreign mountain climbers taking part.

"I have several times coordinated preparations of the international event in Jakarta, and this time its schedule has been set in July 2010," Head of the NTB Cultural and Tourism Agency Lalu Gita Ariadi said here Tuesday.

Ariadi said the organizers of the international event was set up by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Natural Conservation (PHKA), of the Forestry Ministry.

Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia after Mt Kerinci (3,800 meters) in Sumatra, and has become very popular to local and foreign tourists.

The geo-tourism potentials include the beautiful cauldron, lake, peak, waterfalls, hot springs, caves, erruption history, blast-hole and new lava flow, and has therefore been suggested to become the first geopark in Indonesia.

The 3,726 meters high volcano had been suggested to be developed into Indonesia`s first geopark, or one of the 54 geoparks in 17 countries of the world.

Since placed under the management of RTMB, Rinjani had been several time been given national and international awards like the World Agency Award 2004 and the Tourism For Tomorrow Awards in 2006 and 2008.

The Rinjani Mountain Climbing will be started in mid-April to early in December, depending on weather conditions.

The route of the climb will reach Lake Segara Anak, by two routes namely the Senaru climb in 7-10 hours on foot covering eight kilometers, and Sembalun route in 8-10 hours.

Visitors who are already at Pelawangan would still need 4-5 hours to reach the peak of Rinjani through the climbing routes in forests.

Let's Exploring Indonesia and find the unique things from this country

Source: ANTARA News www.antara.co.id

Read More

12 countries to attend ethnic language congress in Baubau

Representatives of 12 countries have confirmed to attend an international ethnic language congress in the Southeast Sulawesi city of Baubau on July 8, 2010.

Local tourism and cultural office's archaeological service spokesman Ali Arham said Wednesday that out of 30 countries invited to attend the congress, 12 had confirmed their participation.

"They have sent their confirmation to us by email," Ali said, adding that the 12 countries included The Netherlands, Australia, the US, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.

Ali said other countries expected to confirm their participation in the near future would be, among others, Germany, China, South Korea, Japan and Singapore.

He said that besides foreign participants, the congress would also be attended by a number of linguists from several universities in Indonesia.

Arham said the congress was aimed at enabling the participants to discuss various issues related to ethnic languages and literature.

The result of the congress would then be reported to the government to make a policy to preserve and develop other languages, he said.

source: the jakarta post

Read More