365Indonesia Day 31 – Statue of Christina Martha Tiahahu at Twilight in Karang Panjang, Maluku

Hello from Maluku!

That is statue of Christina Martha Tiahahu, heroine from Maluku. The statue is located in Karang Panjang, Ambon.  I will tell you a little about her.

Christina Martha Tiahahu was the first Nusantara female that stood up against Netherlands colonialism. She might not be as famous as other heroines like Cut Nyak Dien or R.A. Kartini, but trust me, what she had done for the sake of this country was unbelievable.

Regards,

Mad
Check out my travel blog Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri.

RI to hold International Sculpture Sand Festival

Bogor, West Java (ANTARANews ) – Winmark Mendawai Indonesia and World Sand Sculpting Academy (WSSA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and Sentul City will hold an international sand sculpture festival in Sentul, Bogor, West Java,

Winmark Mendawai Indonesia Director Gita Aryanti said here the festival would be the biggest in Southeast Asia and themed “Wonders of Indonesia and Wonders of the World.”

Gita said the festival would run from December 18, 2011 to January 28, 2012, from 11.00 until 19.00 hours daily. Admission tickets would be priced Rp 50,000 on weekdays and Rp75.000 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

The Indonesian Organizing Committee had invited 22 sand sculpture artists from 11 countries, namely the United States, Britain, Ukraine, Holland, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Belgium, Republic of Chzech, Singapore and Japan.

To produce their sculptures, the artists would disposal over 2,400 tons of sand from Cilegon, Banten province.

“The idea of ?holding the magnificent sand sculpture festival is a manifestation of our commitment to fully support tourism in Indonesia, and this activity is well received by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and WSSA as the parent organization,” Gita said.

She was sure thet the sand sculpture festival would be an excellent tourist attraction, not only for domestic but also foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, Berman Lubis, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry`s director of Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE), said the planned festival would the very first in Indonesia and the largest in the Southeast Asia region.

The activity was expected to be a means of communication and promotion of tourism information for the participants and to increase the number of tourist visits to Indonesia, he said.

This activity was very useful for opening new horizons in art which had very great potential to be developed in Indonesia.

The event would be hold on an area of ??30,000 square meters. There would be two major large-sized tents each measuring 800 square meters for the exhibition of more than than 40 best sand sculpture in the form of statues, among others part of the Borobudur and Prambanan temples, gadang house ( West Sumatra traditional house), barong, komodo (dragons), one-horn rhinoceros, wayang (puppets), Taj Mahal, Big Ben, Pyramids and the Pharos, and others.

The basic material to make the sculptures would be fine grain sand from Cilegon compacted with water.

Compressed into hard masses, the sand would be solid enough to n make steep or tall sculptures.

According to the organizers, the sand sculptures would not damage the sand sculptures because the rainwater would seep into the sand and evaporate when the rain stopped. But when they are hit by a rainstorm the flat surfaces of sculptures may be slightly dented/damaged.

Wind would generally not be a problem for the sand sculptures.

Everyone ccould learn the basic techniques for making sand sculptures. Children from the age of seven years and adults could try out their sculpting talent. The important thing was patience, a lot of practice and using the correct techniques, Gita said.

Sand sculptures made outdoors could last several weeks or l months depending on the weather. But if the sand sculpture was made ?indoors it could last indefinitely as long as it was not disturbed.

The sand should not be moist when it is being made ??into a sculpture. The sculptor uses crop sprayers when making the sculpture. When it is finished, the sculpture will be completely dry. The sand sculpture will not be destroyed because of the compaction process.

Sand sculpture art can be studied at the World Art Academy of Sand Sculpting WSAA in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Greece, the United States and Thailand where there are training courses for individuals to learn the sculpturing techniques.
(T.KR-LWA/HAJM/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH

365Indonesia Day 30 – Lake Toba, North Sumatra

Horas!

I have already posted about Sipiso-piso Fall, one of tourism spots in North Sumatra. Today, I’m going to tell you about Lake Toba.

Lake Toba is the biggest lake in Indonesia, second largest lake in Southeast Asia and the largest volcanic lake in the world! It is located in Simalungun regency in North Sumatra and Parapat is a small twon at the edge of Lake Toba.

Parapat is 176 km from Medan and can be reached in less than 6 hours by public bus. The bus has two routes: Medan-Parapat or via Medan-Berastagi and costs approximately 30,000 rupiahs.

You can buy a spot in a private air conditioned taxi from Medan to Parapat for 65,000 rupiahs one way. The trip takes around 4 hours.
Travel agents in Medan can also organize a rental car plus a chauffeur for you.

Medan is an international gateway. A number of airlines fly daily between Medan and all major cities in Indonesia and international flights also go from Medan to Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Once you arrive in Parapat, you can catch the ferry to Samosir Island. The ferry goes every hour and a half from 9 – 5pm. The two landing points on Samosir are the traditional village of Tomok, or Tuk Tuk, where the islands hotels and restaurants are concentrated.

If you are coming overland from the south via Bukittinggi and Tarutung there is a public bus available.

Article taken from www.indonesia.travel.

 

Regards,

Mad

Check my blog travel Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri!

365Indonesia Day 29 – Nemo a. k. a. Clown Fish in Biawak Island, Indramayu, West Java

Yesterday, I took you to West Nusa Tenggara. Today, I will take you to Indramayu, West Java.

Maybe you feel tired because I take you move back and forth to every cool places around Indonesia every single day, but if you ask me, it is worth it.

On the 16th day, I have already post about the shy Nemo in Derawan island. This Nemo in the picture above is not found in Derawan island. It is found in the bottom of the sea of Biawak island. And I also have told you about Biawak island on the 23rd day. So, do not just enjoy a beautiful scenery from the beach, go diving and snorkeling to complete your experience visiting Biawak island.

 

Regards,

Mad

Check OUT my travel blog Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri!

 

365Indonesia Day 28 – Two Islands Connected by Sands, Gili Sunut, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara

Hello from Lombok!

The picture above is the sand that connecting two island in Gili Sunut. So, you do not have to worry if there were no ship to across the island. You can take a walk to go there.

When you come to the gili islands (gili = pulau), you cannot use both of motorcycle and cars because it is prohibited in the islands. You can rent a bike and take a ride to get around the islands. Another transportation is cidomo, a carriage pulled by a horse. If you were tired sitting all the day, yo can stretch your leg by stroll around the island.

Regards

Mad

Check my blog travel Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri

365Indonesia Day 27 – Kiluan Bay, Lampung in frame

Today I’m going back to the west, at Kiluan Bay, Lampung.

I will not diving today, just strolling down the beach, walking on the white sand, take a very deep breath of the fresh air. Don not forget to rent a Jukung (the picture above) to see wild dolphin at the sea. It is quite far from a land to see dolphins. Jukung has a capacity for 3-4 people. Yes, it is a very small boat, but if you love an adventure, you will enjoy this.

Regards

Mad

Check my blog travel Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri

 

365Indonesia Day 26 – Snorkeling and Diving Spot in Kambing Island, Tanjung Bira, South Sulawesi

 

Hello again from Tanjung Bira!

This is the third post about Tanjung Bira. I’m  pretty sure that you will never get bored visiting such a beautiful place like this. At least, I know I won’t.

The picture above is the best diving spot in Tanjung Bira, Kambing Island. If you can see shark around Kambing island, then you must be the lucky one. Here some under water photos in Kambing island.

Beautiful isn’t it? I bet you want to really go to Tanjung Bira now.

Second and third photos taken from www.birabeachhotel.com.

 

Regards

Mad

Check my blog travel Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri!

365Indonesia Day 25 – Sea Turtle in Derawan Island, East Kalimantan

Sea turtle in the bottom of the sea in Derawan Island.

This is what you got if  you went diving in Derawan island. Sea turtles can live until hundreds years and they are protected animals, so as a good citizen, you and I, all of us, together must protect them too.

Regards

Mad

Check my blog travel Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri

 

 

365Indonesia Day 24 – Sunset in Derawan Island, East Kalimantan

This is another beautiful view from Derawan Island.

If you visit Derawan island, do not forget to enjoy this very beautiful sunset, combination color of sky- blue and orange, like a painting.

Regards

Mad

Check my blog travel Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri

365Indonesia Day 23 – Biawak Island, Indramayu, West Java

Hello there!

This is Biawak island’s view from top. Beautiful isn’t it? The water is so clean so we can see the bottom.

Biawak island is located 40 km from Indramayu’s north beach, West Java. There are two other names to call this island, that is Rakit island and Menyawak island. There is also a name from Dutch colonial, that is Bompyis island.  Do not ask why the island is called like that, but i do know why it called as Biawak island. Because this island is the habitat of biawak (Varanus salvator).  They live in the swamps and mangrove bushes that the existence is dominate the mainlad. Biawak in the island is a wild animal, but they will not attack human if they were undisturbed.  Some of them are not immediately run away if approach by humans, maybe they were used to approached by us, human, so they are not afraid anymore.

You can reach Biawak island from Kampung Rambutan bus station, Pulo Gadung or Jati Bening. It is about 4-5 hours from Jakarta to Celeng, Indramayu.  Then continue with public transportation from Celeng to Berondong village, and take a small ship to Biawak island.

Regards

Mad

Check my blog travel Mad Alkatiri for more cool places and follow me @madalkatiri