Parangtritis Beach

One of the attractive beaches near Yogyakarta is Parangtritis. It is located about 27 km. from Yogyakarta, Parangtritis may be reached in two ways, through Kretek Village or the longer one but more well - established road through Imogiri and Siluk Village. 

Parangtritis Beach is a lovely beach with many impressing phenomena, naturally and supra naturally. The waves regularly bring in new wood and bamboo, washing ashore from another nearby beach probably. Some wood is picked and taken away by locals to be used for their own house. 

Parangtritis is an enchanting sloping beach combined with rocky hills, dunes, and a brown sandy beach. Besides being famous as a recreational spot. Parangtritis is also a sacred place. Many people come to the beach to do meditation. Up to now, this area is remaining functioned as the place to perform the traditional ceremony called labuhan. Many hotels and restaurants are available for sunbathe lovers. [source : Indonesia-Tourism]

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Mentawai Islands : World Class Surfers Destination

The Mentawai Islands are a chain of about seventy islands and islets off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. Siberut (4,030 km²) is the largest of the islands. This island is home to a rich array of bio-diversity which has earned it designation as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The other major islands are Sipura, North Pagai (Pagai Utara) and South Pagai (Pagai Selatan). The islands lie approximately 150 km off the Sumatran coast, across the Mentawai Strait.

Take a trip into the wild with an adventure to the Mentawai islands. Be surrounded by tropical rainforests and immerse yourself in the traditions of the local people. While the physical distance between the mainland and Mentawai is not great, this remains one of the most isolated places in Indonesia, and was only subject to outside influences at the start of the 20th century. A long way from the world of shopping malls and theme parks, this is where travellers come to get a truly off the beaten track adventure.

Mentawai Rain Forest

The remote location of these islands means that the Mentawai people have had very little contact with the outside world. The archipelogo is thought to have broken off from the rest of Sumatra about 500,000 years ago and it is only since the 20th century that outside influences began to have an impact on the local people. Today, the Mentawai still abide by traditional practices and live largely off the land. Local people have a strong spiritual relationship with the forest with a belief system that emphasizes harmony with creation. 

It is believed people first came to inhabit these islands at least several thousand years ago. Most anthropologists classify the Mentawai people as Protomalay which means they have a mostly Neotlithic culture but have not been effected by Buddhism, Islam or Hinduism.

Mentawai Traditional Tattoo

Tatoos are an important symbol in Mentawai culture and reflect maturity, manhood and status. The art of this body painting has been inherited from ancient ancestors and the ink is made from natural fibres.

The biggest town on Siberut is Muara Siberut on the southeast coast. This is the major point of entry for tour groups from the mainland. From here, you can travel with a with a local guide and trek inland to some of the Mentawai villages. If your bahasa is good enough, chat to the locals and enjoy their hospitality.

The biggest attraction for visitors to these islands is the world class surfing. With some of the best surfing conditions in the world, monster waves and swells that remain all year round, this is ranked by serious surfers as a must visit destination.  [source : Mentawai]

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Air Manis Beach : The Malin Kundang Cursed Stone Landmark

Air Manis Beach is located approximately 15 km from Padang, the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Air Manis Beach is closely related to the legend of Malin Kundang in West Sumatra. Malin Kundang is a character fabled to have been turned to stone, together with his ship, after periods of disobedience to his mother.  By the beach, there is a Malin Kundang stone and several pieces of equipment from his ship, which are also stones. Based on the story, Malin Kundang was cursed by his mother for his refusal to acknowledging her as his mother after traveling to another region and becoming rich.

Air Manis beach is a favorite tourist site for local and foreign tourists because it has low waves and beautiful views of Mount Padang. There is also a small island called Pisang Kecil (literally means “small banana”) on its right side. From morning to afternoon, you can walk to this one hectare island through shallow water. In late afternoon, however, there is a tide and you must take a boat to return. On its right, there is another island called Pisang Besar (literally means “big banana”). Local inhabitants on this island are mostly farmers and fishermen. [source : Air Manis Beach]

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Entering Baliem Valley Exotism

Located in Western Papua, Indonesia, Baliem Valley is incredibly lush and fertile and is surrounded on all sides by towering peaks of 2,500 to 3,000 metres. The fertility is such that the valley has been farmed for 9,000 years but it was only discovered by Richard Archbold’s third zoological expedition to New Guinea in 1938. There are three mains tribes inhabiting the Baliem Valley: The Dani in the base, the Lani to the west and the Yali in the south-east. Each tribe has a distinct culture. One sure and interesting way to distinguish between the tribes is from the Koteka, or penis gourd, sported by the male members. The men of each tribe tend to the growing of the gourds with the three tribes each cultivating a different style. The Dani use a long, thin Koteka, the Lani sport a medium sized, wide cannon-like gourd, and the Yali wear the longest of all.

The Valley remains one of the last places on the face of the Earth where people continue living in semi-Neolithic circumstances. Upon the spectacular approach by air, the tourists will notice the total isolation of the area. Sealed of the rest of the world by mighty mountain walls and without any roads leading from the coast to the inner region, the Valley keeps its own secrets. 

Villages of no more than a few families are dispersed throughout this rough and mountainous region. Dani is a generic name of a series of tribes, until recently adhering to a Neolithic lifestyle. Only by the sixties of last century, they adopted the use of iron. Their dark complexions underline a Negroid origin, something that differentiates from the other Indonesian people. There are numerous tribes residing in the valley, having quite different languages and customs. The Yali, Kimial, Ok and Eipomek claim the eastern periphery of the magnificent valley. It is relatively easy to find their villages under the shelter of rainforest and highland. 

Within the small town of Wamena, most Dani people clad in westerns style clothes. If we venture out however, chances are high we'll have an encounter with a fascinating Dani in full regalia indeed, the Dani people much prefer to walk around naked save for a koteka. The bodies of the male Dani gleam with pork fat, applied to fight of the cold. At an altitude of 1.600 m, temperature can be quite low, especially at night. [visit : Baliem Valley]

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Batu Night Spectacular (BNS)

Batu Night Spectacular (BNS) is a park that only opened when night falls down. This tourism object was located in Oro-Oro Ombo village, Batu City, Malang, East Java, Indonesia. BNS provide lot of spectacular tourism attractions, such as the gallery of ghosts, slalom, the highest air bike, Lampion Garden, drag race, the mouse coaster, and it's all in fabulous lightings.

BNS also supported by his unique location in the highlands, in other side you can enjoy the "mini Malang" scenery. The sparkling lights at night in marvelous Malang will escort your leisure time in some cafes. Look around for 4-D cinema, the longest go-cart circuit, the food court, and the dancing fountains.

Still in BNS you can find great space tour through the laser show at a giant screen, it will give you another sensations. With a screen 50 feet above us, visitors are invited to enjoy their space tour. Don't get shocked with an animated helicopter that seemed to walk on us. [source : BNS]

 

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Kawah Putih Ciwidey : Beautiful White Crater Lake

Kawah Putih (English : white crater) Ciwidey located in approximately 46 km southern Bandung city, West Java, Indonesia. It formed by the active volcano of Mount Patuha, situated 2,343 meters above sea level. This crater was formed between the 10th to 12th centuries by the eruption of Mount Patuha.

Kawah Putih Ciwidey seems looks like a lake surrounded by mountains. The water is warm and has a high sulfur content, and the sunshine frequently change the color of the water from milky white into bluish green. But commonly the water colored white with a high volume smoking haze above land surface. Beside the crater, sand and stone around it also dominated in white, that's why it named with Kawah Putih (white crater). It's a stunning natural attraction.

At Kawah Putih, you can also find a number of stalls selling bandrek, a traditional Sundanese beverage made from ginger and palm brown sugar. This beverage is highly suitable for cold weather, as drinking bandrek will warm your body.

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Madakaripura waterfall

Madakaripura waterfall located in Sapih village, Lombang district, Probolinggo regency, East Java, Indonesia. And it is not far from mount Bromo area. Madakaripura is a sacred visiting area comprising lines of waterfalls where its center reaches a height of 200 meters from the bottom. This waterfall has related historic with a great Prime Ministry, Gajah Mada, who strongly struggled to unify the whole territory of the nation under span of control of Majapahit, and said as “the last residence for Gajah Mada”.

This spectacular waterfall lies hidden at the end of a deep valley in the foothills of the Tengger range. The water has cascades from the dense forest above. The primary attraction is its natural environment that is encircled by 7 waterfalls and caves. The facilities, which are available, include; parking lot, food stalls, resting place and security post. The fatigue and exhaustion one undergoes from climbing the peak of Bromo, would immediately gone after getting a bathe with the holy Tirta Sewana so to continue the travel to other visiting points in Probolinggo area. [source : Madakaripura]

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