NUSA TENGGARA ISLAND'S

Flores Island

NUSA TENGGARA

As far as adventure tour and travel is concerned, Nusa Tenggara Timur(NTT) Province truly must be one of Indonesia's best kept secrets.

The diversity of the landscape, the people and the world class tourist attractions, all located in a safe and unspoiled environment make it a "must visit" destination.

The unabashed friendliness of it's people contrasts with the exotic and energetic traditional ceremonies like the Pasola of Sumba, the whip fighting of Flores and the war dances of Sabu. See the prehistoric Dragons of Komodo, the three colored crater lakes of Keli Mutu in Flores; dive in the world renowned diving destinations of Alor and Komodo; surf the waves of Rote and Sumba or just relax on any of the hundreds of unspoiled beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Flores island is one of the island on East Nusa Tenggara province. It stretches between the east longitudes of 118° and 125°, and between the latitudes of 8° and 11° south. The east Nusa Tenggara cover the area 49,880 sq km and it has a population of 3,500,000. Flores becomes one of the biggest island on the territory of East Nusa Tenggara or NTT which comprises 566 islands, including many smaller islands which are not in-habitated and unnamed. The three main islands are Flores, Sumba and Timor from which comes the term 'Flobamor', which has been familiar as one of the names of NTT.
Flores is the volcanic island and has unique and spectacular attractions. Mount Kelimutu has become a favourite destination, with its three crater lakes of different colours. Sumba is the island famous for its arts, handicrafts, particularly the textile weaving, and cultural assets. Timor, being the principal island with Kupang as its capital, serves as the centre of government and economic activities.
The other permanently inhabitated islands are Lembata, Adonara, Solor, Palue, Nules, Komodo, Rinca, Sumba, Sabu, Raijua, Rote, Semau, Alor and Pantar.

Roughly 57 percent of the territory is hilly with mountains rising to 2427m (Gunung Mutis) in Timor and 1792m (G. Kelimutu) in Flores. The mountains of East Nusa Tenggara are not as high as in West Nusa Tenggara where the highest mountain of all of Nusa Tenggara is G. Rinjani in Lombok (3726m).

WEST NUSA TENGGARA

Kuta Beach, Lombok

The province of West Nusa Tenggara's administrative capital is Mataram, located in Lombok Island. This province consists of two large islands, Lombok and Sumbawa, and in addition, there are tens small islands. Before the Ducth Colonial era, Lombok Island was part of the Karangasem Kingdom of Estern Bali.

The population is made up over two million people. They are 80 percent of ethnic Sasak, while about 15 percent are of Balinese origin and the rest are of minority groups including Javanese, Arabs, Chinese, and Sumbawanese. Islam Wektu Telu, which blend Islam teaching and local belief system is practiced by the Sasak people.

BALI ISLAND

BALI


Bali Island, the perfect holiday destination for all ages offers something for everyone. Bali offers not just various customs but also various "adrenalin pump" parks. Many exciting amusements are available in Bali, with something new opening all the time. The number of offshore and inland attraction are on the rise because many tourists want them. This tropical paradise has a unique blend of modern tourist facilities combined with wonderful shopping and a rich past and heritage. After white water rafting that has gained popularity in Bali, comes offshore rafting or ocean rafting. The more adventurous sort of amusement has now become an alternative sport for tourists. Meanwhile white water rafting is still a popular activity with trips on Ayung, Telaga Waja, Unda Rivers, etc. The tourists can refresh their mind by watching beautiful scenery along the route. Those are not enough, some of the best surfing beaches in the world can be found on the western side of the island whilst conversely the eastern side is a wonderful haven for families, with beautiful white sand beaches and gentle seas.

Bali is small island, just 140 Km by 80 Km and lies between Java, the most highly populated and influential of all the islands, and Lombok, one of the quieter and moderately slower paced islands. Like many islands, Bali has developed a world of its own. It not only captures what is special about Indonesia but also has a uniqueness of its own.

Seribu Island

Alam Kotok Island Resort

Java Sea, Pulau Seribu, Indonesia is located in the untouched island habitat of the exotic "Thousand Islands", just 75 minutes by boat from the Bay of Jakarta. This peaceful, tropical atoll, has been all but forgotten by modern life and the original environmental flora and fauna recommons undisturbed. Rustic cottages tucked amongst the foliage, look out to the sea, where migrating whales and schools of dolphins are often spotted. Here the only sounds you will hear, are of nature: the birds singing in the trees, the ocean wind, and the gentle waves lapping the shore. Discover the gentle rhythm of island life, diving the colorful coral reefs, swimming and wandering at leisure.

BIDADARI ISLAND

The island that has became one of history of Jakarta. You can find the ancient of Dutch Fortress. Located in thousand island, Bidadari Island has become the most favorite place to go for vacation. The natural of the island make Bidadari island become the ecotourism.

AYER ISLAND

Pulau Ayer has been a favorite holiday resort a stunning gate away destination only 25 minutes by boat from Ancol Marina, Jakarta. The island is renowned for its wooden floating cottages decorated with traditional Asmat textiles and artifacts.

PUTRI ISLAND

Give it time for you and your family for enjoying the beauties of any kind of fishes at Putri Island. This pretty island will be the right place to choose for your vacation, the silent of the island will bring back your mind fresh.

PANTARA ISLAND

The beauty of Pulau Seribu is the beauty of nature unspoiled, preserved expressly for you. The facilities on Timur and Barat have been carefully planned to complement and enhance the lush tropical surroundings to forget the constraint of time. Destination two hours from Jakarta by high speed cruiser, Pulau Seribu Marine Resort, a tropical paradise where earth and sea and sun and white sandy beach united to bring you the vacation of your dreams.

SEPA ISLAND

Every once in a while, you probably feet the need to break away from the ordinary, to do the unusual, to touch the nature. Sepa Island has it all, nature and has long been admired for white sandy beaches, crystal clear water surrounding and teeming with marine life. Sepa island has outstanding beaches for sunning, turquoise water surround for swimming and snorkeling. Most travelers are happy to soak up the sun on beautiful beaches.

Sumatra Island

NANGROE ACEH DARUSSALAM

Masjid Baiturrahman, Aceh
Tourism Department. 1997. Indonesia Travel. Jakarta

The capital city of Aceh is Banda Aceh. This province is known as Serambi Mekah (Mecca's veranda), because it is seen as the closest part of Indonesia to Mecca. The native people of this province are called the Acehnese, who are Islam. Unlike in other regions of the country, in Aceh alcohol beverages are not legally available.
Aceh has its own traditional music and dance that are different from those of other provinces' in the same island. Seudati, meusakat, and ranub lam puan are some dances of Aceh. Acehnese musical instruments are made of bamboo, rattan, or horsetail. This province is very rich with natural resources such as oil and natural gas.

NORTH SUMATRA



Rumah Adat Batak Karo
Homan, Peter.et.al. 1990. Indonesia in Focus. Netherland: Edu'Actief Publishing Company.
North Sumatra covers an area of 70,687 sq. km. It is known for its large share of argicultural products.
Medan is the capital city of the province. It is the largest city in Sumatra and the third largest city in Indonesia. The native people of this province are the Bataks. Other ethnic groups who live here including Javanese, Acehnese, Arabians, Riau Islanders, Chinese, Indians, and Melayus. These people migrated to North Sumatra to seek fortune given that the province has a lot of commercial activities and plantations.
Some of the major sites of interest in the province are Gang Bangkok Mosque (Medan's oldest mosque), Parisada Hindu Dharma Temple, Vihara Gunung Timur, the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. In addition, the capital city of Medan has several buildings that were constructed in the colonial-style architecture. These buildings include the general post office and the Dutch Church.

WEST SUMATRA



Rumah Gadang
Turner, Peter. et.al. 1995. Indonesia: A Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit. Hong Kong: Lonely Planet Publication

West Sumatra is the home of the Minangkabau ethnic group. This group comprises 95% of the total population of the province. The capital city is Padang which the third largest city in Sumatra. Islam is a main religon in addition to Christianity and Hinduism.
This province is known for its unique Minang culture of matrilineality. Unlike most ethnic groups in Indonesia, the Minangkabau people believe that mothers are the heads of families as well as decision makers. In fact, in marriage arrangements, the woman's family generally initiates the proposal.
"Rumah Gadang" or the "Big House" is a famous cultural site of this province. The house is usually a place where young people hang out, a meeting room for elders, and generally a gathering space for families.

JAMBI


Perfect waves and idyllic scenery
Destination: Indonesia, Your Travel Planner, 1997. Hongkong: Ismay Publication, Ltd.

Jambi became a province in 1957 and has one and a half million inhabitants. They are Chinese, Arabs, Japanese, Malaysians, Pakistanis, Javanese, Minangkabaus, Sundanese, Bataks, and the earliest inhabitants of Jambi and the Kubus.
The capital city of Jambi is also named Jambi -- the name is the same as the province. Attractive sites are Majid Agung, Sungai Tutung, and Batu Gong.


SOUTH SUMATRA




Becak Drivers in the city of Palembang.
Storey, Robert. et.al. 1992. Indonesia: A Travel Survival Kit. Singapore: Lonely Planet Publications

South Sumatra is place of five million people. They are Javanese, Malay, and Minangkabau. Around one million and a half people reside in Palembang, the provincial capital. Palembang is the second largest city in Sumatra.
Famous handicrafts are kain songket which are usually made of silk and plangi cloth. The name plangi was originally taken from the word pelangi, or rainbow. Attractive sites are the Dutch Fort which was built in the late 18th century and the Mesjid Agung. In the Pasemah islands, which can be found in the foothills of the Bukit Barisan, is the area where dozens of mysterious megalithic monuments can be found.

LAMPUNG


Traditional Market Lampung
Indonesia, Lonely Planet. May 1995

Lampung became a province in 1964. Its capital city is Bandarlampung. About eight million people live in the province. However, they can mainly be found in the capital city.
The Lampungese culture is not so dissimilar to the West Java culture. The cultural attachment has been formed since the occupation of Dutch colonials who brought people as labor into pepper, coffee, palm, clove, and rubber plantations.

BENGKULU


Smoking volcanoes
Destination: Indonesia, Your Travel Planner. 1997.
Hongkong: Ismay Publication, Ltd.
Bengkulu became a province of Indonesia in 1968. The capital city has the same name as the province, Bengkulu. This province was the first door to Indonesia for British colonials under Raffles in 1818. The province has 767,980 people, 98 percent of whom are Muslims.
Bengkulu was also the place where Sukarno (the first president of Indonesia) was exiled by the Dutch in 1938 until the arrival of Japanese in 1941. Sukarno designed the Mesjid (Mosque) Jamik.
One special event is the Tabot Carnival. It is known as the festival of fifty colorful towers (tabots), which are made of bamboo and decorated with colored paper. This carnival attributes the heroism of Hassan and Hussein, grandsons of the Prophet Mohammed. Other attractions are a small boat harbor, Pantai Panjang and a small beautiful lake, Danau Dendam Tak Sudah.

RIAU Danau Tawar Sorey, Robert et.al. 1992. Indonesia: A Travel Survival Kit. Singapore: Lonely Planet Publication. Riau is a province made up of a group of 3214 islands that are scattered across the South China Sea. The capital city is Pekan Baru. Most people who live in this islands are of Malay origins. Other origins are Batak, Minangkabau, and Chinese. Ninety percent of the population are Moslems. Riau has a famous industrial zone, Pulau Batam. This is a growth triangle of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia which keeps the three countries at a pace of rapid development. Attractive sites are an old palace of Raja Ali and the tombs and graveyards of Raja Jaafar. Other attractions are Gunung Bintan Besar (Bintan Besar Mountain), Pulau Mapor, and a tiny Pulau Terkulai.

PULAU BANYAK

Welcome to Pulau Banyak…

Pulau Banyak is like a dream come through; uninhabited coral islands, fantastic beaches, snorkeling, turtles, surfing, pristine jungles and such a laid-back atmosphere that you will forget time.

Pulau Banyak consists of 30-40 islands. The locals say 99, but they count big islands several times. Approximately 7.000 people live here. The main village is Desa P. Balai, which forms one settlement together with the village Desa P. Baguk on the island of Pulau Balai. The other villages are Teluk Nibung, Haloban, Asantola, Ujung Sialit and Suka Makmur.

The concept of time hardly exists in Pulau Banyak; wonderful when you are at the beach, but frustrating when waiting for the boat. Pulau Banyak is not a very big tourist destination and still very Indonesian.

Traditional values are still strong and the locals appreciate tourists showing respect for their way of life. For example “decent” dressing in the villages, but out on the islands and the beaches, nobody cares.

PULAU WEH

Welcome to Pulau Weh... Pulau Weh is one of the best snorkeling and diving destinations in Southeast Asia. Pulau Weh is still the Pulau Weh (or Weh Island or Sabang) that we remember; the coral reefs, the scenery, the atmosphere and its friendly people.

There is so much more to this island than diving; fishing, nature, sceneries, atmosphere and much more. Ask any of the many travelers who stay month after month and still come back for more all the time. Iboihs, Gapang, Sumur Tiga and Sabang Town are all interesting, relaxing and popular amongst foreign visitors.

THE NAME PULAU WEH

Western tourists have come to use the geographical name Pulau Weh or Weh Island. Indonesians normally use the administrative name, i.e. Sabang. It can be confusing when you ask for directions.

In this web portal we use Pulau Weh as it is more widely known. In Acehnese it would be Pulo Weh. Weh means move or go away. It can also be derived from Ie (water).

The three popular beach areas are Iboih, Gapang, and Sumur Tiga.

Nias Island

One of Indonesia's most exotic destinations, Nias Island combines a great surfing break, the most beautiful of beaches and a culture older than history. Nias has the size of but outside of the months of June and July it is a quiet place and great to relax. The most important places on the island are Gunung Sitoli in the north, and Teluk Dalam in the south. Teluk Dalam is close to Lagundri/Sorake which has the best beaches and surfing.Lagundri/Sorake is called the CITY SURF by tourist who ever visit Nias Island.
After the movement of Nias people from Gomo to others place, they were going to make a new settlement at the new area, and it might be close to their origin. One of the places they have reached is Teluk Dalam at the South of Nias Island. In the time of inventing the new life style and the growing population, the people of Nias made the community of life more advanced and more organized. Such as they built a village ruled by the land lord, the houses bigger, the construction stronger, more finely, and the new rules.

Landlord (balugu) was the person who could make an extraordinary feast, built a big traditional house (omo sebua/omo hada), fed the people, or we can say “The richest person” at the time. Even in Nias Island they follow the paternalism, every person could be a landlord (balugu), and he should fulfill the requirements to be called as a landlord (balugu), such as to make a big feast, to feed the people, to build the traditional house some others requirements. Landlord (balugu) had a big influence to the people, and had a big role in deciding something pertaining to the village. Besides the system of life, he created the warriors to defense his authority, his power. The main idea is” SELF DEFENSE” or “Community Defense. Certainly he had the best warriors at the time. The warriors need to pass some test, one of them such Stone Jumping (Fohombo). During the past, this activity is showing the maturity of a man (ready to be a skillful and a great warrior, ready to take responsibility to be a husband, ready to defense the village or community, ready to die for the people and used to be meaning to win a war). Also this activity is influenced by the construction of village in South Nias, mostly traditional village in South Nias built in hill area to protect them from wild animal, uneasy access, get more the sun light or still be affected by their belief at the time which always close to the sun, as well as become as a fortress, and the village is blocked by trench. The stone jumper used to jump over the enemies trench to get in to the trench and opened the enemies’ gate for his companion. To get in, the warrior need to be trained and must be a tough guy, so they made a practical through jumping the stone with height approximately 2 meters However now it used to attract visitors, or to hold a village celebrations.

Batam Island

Batam is an island and city in Riau Island province of Indonesia,known for its free trade zonearea as part of the Sijori Growth Triangle,area as part off Singapore'south coast. The 715 km² (276 miles²) island has a population of 791,605 (2008).
The official language on the island is Indonesia, but due to the sizeable Chinese population, Chinese languages including Teochew,Hokkien and Mandarin are also spoken.

Geography

Batam is located east of Karimun and bulan island,west of Bintan,North of Rempang,and south of singapore.The Riau Straitseparates Batam and Bintan

Major communities on Batam are Sekupang, Jodoh, Nagoya, Sungai Panas, Batam Centre, Balai, Batu Ampar, and Bengkong.

Batam is a small but busy island in Indonesia of 45km x 25km and nearly a million people, hundreds of multinational owned factories, towns, shopping centres and gateway to the Riau Islands.

Cities

*Nagoya (Lubuk Baja)
*Nongsapura
*Batam Centre
*Sekupang
*Jodoh
*Tlaga Punggur

Other destinations

*Rempang Island - rural island dotted with coastal villages on stilts.
*Galang Island- location of former Vietnamese refugee camp.

Economy

Beginning in the 1970s, the island underwent a major transformation from a largely forested area into a major harbor and industrial zone. The population grew from a few thousand in the 1960s into hundreds of thousands.The island's economy benefits from being close to Singapore,

and, with lower labour costs and special government incentives, is the site of many factories operated by Singaporean companies.Shipbuilding and electronics manufacturing are major industries on the island; there are also several resorts and tourist destinations on the island.

Under a framework signed in June 2006, Batam, along with parts of neighboring Bintan and Karimun,are a part of a Special Economic Zone with Singapore; this zone eliminates tariffsand value-added taxes for goods shipped between Batam and Singapore.

Transport

The island is connected by several ferry services to nearby cities, including Bintan,Karimun,Singapore and Johor Bahru (Malaysia); the trip to Singapore takes less than one hour.

is the island's airport, and has the longest runway in Indonesia; Jakartais the most important destination.

The "Barelang" bridges are a major landmark on Batam. The name is an abbreviation of Batam-Rempang-Galang, the three major islands connected by the bridges. The bridges were constructed under Habibie as the Minister for Research and Technology with funding from the German government.