Nusa Dua Beach

Nusa Dua Beach is located approximately 40 km south of Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.

The place name Nusa Dua can be used in two ways: either it can refer to the entire eastern side of the Bukit Peninsula at the southern tip of Bali, or it can refer to the purpose-built, safe and rather sterile tourist enclave (Kawasan Pariwisata, quite literally Tourism District) at the southeast side of this peninsula. 

This article covers everything in the Nusa Dua enclave plus the Tanjung Benoa peninsula and a few points west of the enclave to the village of Sawangan. Everything on the Bukit Penisula to the west of Sawangan is covered by the Uluwatu article. 

As well as a host of luxury hotels, Nusa Dua is home to the most popular golf course in Bali and the main convention centre on the island. 

Nusa Dua understandably gets a lot of bad press amongst travelers as it is so artificial and sanitised. That does not change the fact though that the beaches here are glorious - white sand, deep, long and safe for swimming. The public beach at Geger is the best to head to if you are not staying at Nusa Dua. This is also home to one of the best museums in Bali. The fact that it is nearly always empty is testament that most visitors who stay here in the least Balinese part of the island are, not unsurprisingly, rather disinterested in learning much about Bali. 

The Nusa Dua enclave has three manned gates and everyone entering is subject to a security search. This can have a slightly claustrophobic effect, and only contributes further to the impression that you are in an artificial location. [source : Nusa Dua]

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Krakatau

Krakatau (Indonesian: Krakatau), often mispelled Krakatoa, is a volcanic island made of a'a lava located in South Lampung region in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. The name is used for the island group, the main island (also called Rakata), and the volcano as a whole. The island exploded in 1883, killing approximately 40,000 people, although some estimates put the death toll much higher. The explosion is still considered to be the loudest sound ever heard in modern history, with reports of it being heard nearly 3,000 miles from its point of origin. The shock wave from the explosion was recorded on barographs around the globe.

In the early time Krakatau estimated was a volcano with 2000 M in height. The catastrophic eruption destroyed the volcano and remained 3 islands i.e. Rakata, sertung and Panjang. The renewed activity was started at Rakata, and an island of strato volcano was built up with diameter of approximately 5 Km and 800 M high. After its dormancy, next activity was shifted come into existence with the height approximately 456 and 120 M above sea level. In 1883, the 3 summits (Rakata, Danan & Perbuatan) was erupted and leaving a piece of small part of Rakata. The boom of explosion causing tremors and was heard as far as Singapore and Australia. The wave washed everything away around volcano. The volcanic ash was blown in to the atmosphere, as much as 4 cubic miles. In 1927 the new activity was occurred and then Anak Krakatau existed in to being. Now Anak Krakatau has reached 250 meters above sea level. Anak Krakatau still active with its gush of steam and smoke, make it spectacular view.

Today we can come and step our foot on it searching closely the minerals (volcanic bomb, lava, lapel) from the bottom of the earth which were thrown up through its crater. Krakatau and its terrific eruption, which is recorded in the history, now has invites every one to come and see for science as well as for pleasure. The way to get there is from Canti located in Kalianda about an hour driving from Bandar Lampung, and the boats will take to the Karakatau area. Near by the Krakatau there are Sebuku and Sabesi Island as for stopover and staying over night. It is only taken one and half-hour from Canti. [source : Krakatau 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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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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