Bali – Indonesia

Bali is a tropical island on Indonesian archipelago. Lies between Java to the west and Lombok island in the east. It is often referred to as paradise island and correctly so.

With sandy beaches and pounding surf, tropical jungles and exotic wildlife, green hills and yellow paddy terraces, active volcanoes and mystical mist, religious life and solemn ceremony, daily life and culture, Bali has been the favorite destination for locals and international tourists for ages.

Bali is fulfilled with magnificent beaches, breathtaking sceneries, marvellous trinkets and interesting culture. It is an ideal destination for those who want to escape from daily activities, enjoy a honeymoon, or even, have a great time with family and friends.

Beside sightseeing, Bali also provides a lot of fun and activities for tourists, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, hiking, and golf.

The most crowded resort in Bali is in the southern of the island. And the most famous tourist destination is Kuta. Kuta is a beach with eight kilometers golden sand and has lot of nice accommodation and best shopping and lively nightlife. The waves are good enough for surfing. Not far to the north, that's Seminyak Beach. Seminyak beach is quieter than Kuta, so it felt more peaceful.

Sanur Beach is also a well-known tourist destination. It is quiter than Kuta. The waves were pretty quiet, then Sanur beach can not be used to surf. But not far off Sanur Beach, there are some diving and snorkelling locations with friendly conditions, so they can be used by divers of all levels of expertise. The opposite of Kuta which is known as Sunset Beach, Sanur is known as the Sunrise Beach.

And in the northern of Bali, there is Lovina Beach which is not far from city of Singaraja. Lovina is a beautiful beach and full of peace. If you are lucky, you will see the dolphins swimming not far from the beach.

For the surf-lovers, there are plenty great sites for surfing in Bali, especially along Bali’s southwest coast and peninsula. Amed, Balangan, Canggu, Dreamland, Jimbaran, Keramas, Kuta, Legian, Padang-Padang, Seminyak, Tanah Lot and Uluwatu, are just some of the surf spots in Bali. There are other surf spots with each level of difficulty and uniqueness.

Bali also has beautiful underwater world. For the lovers of diving and snorkeling, the diving places like, Secret Bay, Menjangan Island, Tulamben, Amed, Padang Bai, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Manta Point in Nusa Penida, will provide exceptional diving sensation for them. Besides these places, there are many others diving spots in Bali.

For those who like climbing a mountain, then the mountain Batur is the most popular choice for climbers. In addition, there are Mount Agung that you have to be really fit if you want to climb it.

Bali’s major cultural destination is Ubud. Here, traditional dances are staged every night and lot of organic cafés and arts-and-crafts galleries along the streets are decorated with beautiful ethnic ornaments.

And for shopping lovers .. well, you can find a lot of shopping centers in Bali. Art market and art galleries are very easy to find. They provide a wide range of souvenirs and clothing. You can also find art galleries that sell a variety of gold and silver jewelry with high quality art. A tip for shopping, you should be able to bargain for a fair price.

Nusa Tenggara Islands – Indonesia

Nusa Tenggara Islands stretches to the east, from the island of Bali up to the north of Australia. Comprises more than 2000 islands and is divided into two provinces, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.

There are some fairly large islands like Lombok and Sumbawa in West Nusa Tenggara and the island of Sumba, Flores and Timor in East Nusa Tenggara. The rest are small islands scattered among the major islands.

Maybe the strands of Nusa Tenggara Islands are the most diverse and very interesting to be explored from this country, Indonesia. Starting from the diversity of religions in which the island of Bali is dominated by the Hindu, then Islam in Lombok and Sumbawa and Flores with the majority of Catholics, and Timor, Alor and Solor with the Protestant as majority. And there are also tribes that still hold animistic rituals and traditions of their tribe. And all living side by side in peace and kinship.

So does with language, which almost every island has a native language. And usually it was still divided into several dialects. However, they have a unifying language is Indonesian.

In addition, Nusa Tenggara also displays natural variation which is quite interesting. From the slopes of a volcano that green and fertile rice fields on the island of Lombok to the dry and arid hills on the island of Sumba and Komodo.

Nusa Tenggara Islands have many attractive tourism spots. Say that you are a diving lover, then the waters of three “Gili” in the northwest of Lombok will present spectaculer diving spot for you. In addition, there are also very exotic  diving spots that scattered on the island of Alor, Komodo, Moyo and other else.

For the lovers of surfing, then do not worry because of the south coasts of the islands have good waves for surfing. Pantai Kuta and Senggigi beach in Lombok, Nihiwatu Beach in Sumba, Nemberalla Beach in Rote are just few of the beaches that will challenge the surfers to play with its waves.

And for the explorers, you can climb the third highest mountain in Indonesia, Mount Rinjani in Lombok Island. You can enjoy the beautiful and peaceful atmosphere at Segara Anak, a lake not far from the crater of Mount Rinjani. Or you can climb Mount Kelimutu on Flores Island. At the peak you will
find 3 different colored crater lake, also known as Lake Thr
ee Colors.

There are many other attraction of Nusa Tenggara as traditional whaling in Lamalera, a giant prehistoric lizards - the Komodo dragon and "Homo floresiensis" the dwarf and known as "The Hobbit" would be very interesting for those lovers of archeology and paleontology.

Nusa Tenggara islands will provide something new to you.

Papua Island, Indonesia

Irian island, shaped like a bird. That's what mom taught me when I was a kid. Island of Papua, formerly known as Irian Island, is the second largest island in the world. The island is controlled by the two countries, on the west by the Republic of Indonesia and on the east by Papua New Guinea.
In the territory of the Republic of Indonesia, Papua Island was divided into two provinces, Province of Papua with Jayapura as capital and Province of West Papua with Manokwari as capital.

In the south of the island (territory of Indonesia),  there is Merauke, the most eastern city in Indonesia and directly adjacent to Papua New Guinea. This is the opposite of Sabang on Weh Island, Aceh, which is the most western city in Indonesia. At District Sota, east of the town of Merauke, there is a monument that is the twin of the monument located in Sabang, Sabang-Merauke Monument. This monument was built as a symbol of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia from Sabang (Aceh) to Merauke (Papua).

Exotic but mysterious, that's a glimpse of the island of Papua. The island has lots of beauty. Dense forests, swamps, large rivers and high mountains, dominated much of the surface of the island of Papua. Beautiful beaches, clear sea water and amazing underwater world also encountered a lot in there.
All combined with the exoticism of a variety of animals and plants, as well as indigenous and and their culture.
If you are traveling to Papua Island, then certainly lots of new, unique, exotic and unforgettable experiences, will be a wonderful memory for you.

A unique phenomenon in this island. Papua island, which is located on the equator, has mountains with snowy peaks. This is because the height of these mountains ranges over 4000m above sea level. Puncak Jaya is the highest mountain. In 1936, an estimated altitude 5030m but currently only 4884m. Unfortunately, the snowy peaks that are the legacy of the world, slowly begin to disappear because of global warming.
Climb the mountains will provide a very challenging experience, it is necessary special preparation and approval of the authorities.
Additionally, this mountain is very interesting for researchers of geology, because at an altitude of 4800 m above sea level, can be found fossils of marine animals, such as shellfish. Research shows that millions of years ago, the mountains located on the seabed.

If you are lovers of diving, the dive sites on the island of Papua will certainly make you stunned and amazed. This may occur because the waters of New Guinea still be said to be pure and clean, so that the sea creatures and coral reefs can live and thrive.
The most famous is the Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua.The waters of Raja Ampat is an underwater paradise that has 75% of coral species in the world, 1427 species of reef fish, 700 species of molluscs, 540 species of hard corals and there are also 15 species of endemic fish. An amazing diversity, isn’t it? Besides Raja Ampat Islands, Bay of Cendrewasih, Biak Island and Bay of Triton are also famous for their beautiful underwater world.

On the island of Papua, there are also the largest National Park in South East Asia, the Lorentz National Park, which covers more than 9.652 square miles. Lorentz National Park is also famous because it is representative of the complete ecosystem for biodiversity in the Asia Pacific region and also one of the three regions of the world that have glaciers in the tropics.

Its territory stretched from the top of a snowy mountain (5,030m asl) to the coastal waters with mangrove forests and borders the Arafura Sea waters and has an amazing ecological spectrum, from the area of alpine vegetation, sub-alpine, montane, sub-montane, lowland , and wetlands.
The National Park is also home to 630 species of birds (± 70% of the bird in Papua) and 123 species of mammals.
Lorentz National Park also has an amazing cultural diversity. The Tribe of Nduga, Dani Barat, Amungme, Sempan and Asmat are the native of this area. Their cultures were estimated to be 30,000 years old.
There's even a possibility that there's more people living in the remote wilderness that has not made contact with modern humans.

Papua, an island that offers richness and stunning natural beauty. It is suitable for those who love nature and adventure. Despite the simplicity, but the comfort of your vacation remains a major thing for the perpetrators of tourism on Papua Island. Enjoy Papua ..

Java Island, Indonesia

Java is the smallest island of the five main islands in Indonesia. Approximately 60% of Indonesia's population (± 136 million people) live here, on the 13^th largest island in the world with an area of ​​139,000 km². This is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated places in the world. Much of Indonesian history took place on this island. Java was the center of powerful Hindu-Buddhist empires, the Islamic sultanates, and the core of the colonial Dutch East Indies. Java was also a destination for traders from all over the world. And during the 1900s and 40s, Java was the center of the Indonesian struggle for independence. So it is not wonder if Java dominates Indonesia politically, economically and culturally.

Indonesian capital, Jakarta, is located on the island of Java. It is the center of economic, cultural and political of Indonesia. With a population of 9,761,407 (December 2012), Jakarta becomes the most populous city in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia.

With the density and congestion, Jakarta is not a major tourist destination. However, it does not mean that Jakarta does not have a tourist attraction. Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and Taman Impian Jaya Ancol is a very popular tourist destination. And now is also on the rise is an old city tour where we were invited to tour in the Dutch colonial administration in the past. Old buildings are large and magnificent with interesting architecture will welcome the tourists. 

One of the main icons in the old city is Fatahillah Museum, which used to be a City Hall. This building was built in 1707-1710 by order of the Governor General Johan van Hoorn.

Besides Jakarta, you should also visit cities such as Bogor, Bandung, Cirebon, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surakarta, Malang and Surabaya. They offer a variety of uniqueness and beauty that is loaded with culture and history.

History and culture are the major tourist attractions on the island. There are so many relics of the royal past that can be found on the island, such as temples.

The temples are divided into two types, Buddhist temple and Hindu temple. 

The Buddhist temple, Borobudur, is the most visited by tourists. As for the Hindu temple, Prambanan is  the most attractive tourist attention. The temples are already more than 1000 years old and was built during the reign of different kingdoms. In addition to these two temples, there are many more scattered temples like, Mendut, Ratu Boko Temple, Pawon, and many others.

  

Not far from Borobudur and Prambanan, there is the most active volcano in Indonesia, Mount Merapi. Another most active volcano is Mount Kelud. Both of them are in the chain of volcano of Indonesia, elongated from the northwest Sumatera to Nusa Tenggara Timur.

The highest mountain in Java is Mount Semeru (3.676m asl) and it is a volcano, too. And the most beautiful mountain is Mount Bromo (well, a volcano, too).

Most of the mountains it was quite safe to climb, as long as we are ready physically and mentally and following rules and instructions.

Java Island also has beautiful beaches and fun. And Carita Beach Anyer Beach Banten, both beaches attract many tourists. Calm waves and the sloping beach is a fun place to play. There is also Pangandaran Beach and Pelabuhan Ratu Beach is a bustling tourist destination, especially during the holidays.

The beaches in the south of Yogyakarta also offers beautiful scenery. For example Parang Tritis, Parang Kusumo, Indriyanti Beach, Sundak Beach, Baron Beach and many more.

Likewise Bale Kambang Beach and Bajul Mati Beach in the southern city of Malang which offer a beautiful view.

If you surf lovers, then Panaitan Island, Beach of Cimaja, Srau Beach, Watu Karung Beach, G-Land and many more, will challenge you to play around with the big waves.

Sumatera Island , Indonesia

Sumatra Island - Indonesia , a complete tourist destination. Sunny beaches, rich flora and fauna, large rivers and great history, that’s all that you can find in this land. Formerly known in several names such as Andalas, Percha Island, Suwarnadwipa or swarnnabhūmi (Sanskrit : Gold Land), Bhūmi Mālayu or Bumi Malayu (Melayu Land).

Sumatra has very rich wildlife and if you are a wildlife lover then it is is really ideal place for you. This land is full of tropical rainforests and trekking is another option that you can choose for in Sumatra. Even so, for those of you who are not interested in wild life, Sumatra also has plenty of interesting places to relax and vacation. There are fewer tourists that come to Sumatera than its neighbors like Java and Bali. Then for a quiet holiday away from maddening crowds, you can count Sumatra in your first choice.

Sumatera which lies in western Indonesia is the sixth largest island in the world at about 480,847.74 km2. This elongated landmass spanning a diagonal northwest-southeast axis has the longest distance at about 1,790 km (1,110 miles) and its widest point is about 435 km (270 mi). It is crossing the equator near the centre.

Sumatera is dominated by two geographical regions: Bukit Barisan Mountains in the west and swampy plains in the east and also decorated with the island chain of Simeulue, Nias and Mentawai bordering the southwestern coast and the islands of Bangka and Belitung at the eastern side.

Sumatra has many interesting tourist areas that you can visit. From adventure tours to tourist-friendly vacation, from diving to mountain climbing, they're all here. All offers charm and uniqueness of each.

Do you love diving ? Well, enjoy diving sensation at the edge of Indonesia at Weh Island.

Weh island located northwest tip of Sumatra island and is one of the outer islands of Indonesia. The island is blessed beautiful underwater life. At least, there are 19 dive sites offered in Pulau Weh. The famous are Rubiah Marine Park, which offers calm and clear seawaters and variety of tropical fish and coral Colorful Reefs. Besides Rubiah Marine Park, there are still many amazing diving locations such as, the wreck of Sophie Rickmers, Batee Meuduro, Batee Two Gapang, Batee Meuroron, Pantee Ideu, Pantee Aneuk, Pantee Peunateung, Wells Three (Three Wells), Black Anoi and still much more.

And if you like hiking, then  Mount Kerinci will satisfy your passion. Mount Kerinci (3,805 masl) is an active volcano and is the highest volcano in Indonesia. Mountains in also the second highest mountain in Indonesia (First: Puncak Jaya, Papua). The mountain is surrounded by dense forest of Kerinci Seblat National Park and is the habitat of the Sumatran tiger and Sumatran rhinoceros. From the peak, we can see in the distance the beautiful scenery of the city of Jambi, Padang and Bengkulu, even the Indian Ocean. In addition to Mount Kerinci, there are also others that may climb mountains like Mount Dempo, Gunung Leuser National Park, Mount Marapi, Sibayak and much more.

For you who love surfing, then Sorake Bay and Lagundri Beach at Nias Island will welcome you to enjoy the exotic waves of Indian Ocean. The constant flow of waves which unaffected by winds and tides is perfect for novice and professional alike to practice, play and perform. Waves are typically 3 to 5 meters, but have been said to reach as high as 15 meters. Some start from as far as 200 meters from the beach, can have up to 5 levels, and even rolls unbroken all the way to shore. “All time Nias”, a phrase which means that Sorake Bay delivers non-stop waves throughout the year and makes any time of year as the best time for surfing. The highest waves are between May and September. Besides Sorake Bay and Lagundri Beach, Mentawai Islands also offers the exotic  waves for surfing.

If you have an interest in culture and history, the Sumatra Island offers ethnic and cultural diversity, as well as heritages of past glory. Major tribes in Sumatra is Aceh, Batak, Melayu, Minangkabau, Besemah, Rejang, Ogan, Komering, and Lampung and each with an exotic culture.

So also with the legacy of its past, Sumatra has a lot of historical sites, ranging from prehistoric times to the Dutch colonial period. For example, a stone statue of ancestors, which is widely available in North Sumatra and Nias Island, the ruins of the temple of the time of the kingdom of Srivijaya in South Sumatra, Maimoon palace in the city of Medan and many more.

And about the beauty of nature, there are so many places that offer stunning views of the island of Sumatra. Lake Toba, Sipiso-piso, Berastagi, Sianok Canyon, Valley Harau, Maninjau, Sianok Canyon and much more. And have you heard about Sikaui Island Resort ? Well, we will present the article about it later.. see you.