In don esia`s 100 H idden P aradise

Indonesia’s
01
Hidden
Paradise
02
Watching the sun rise on Mount Bromo or
diving in Bunaken may no longer be enough for
adventure-seekers in Indonesia. The search is on
for lesser-known destinations, and there are
more than plenty around the archipelago as Tempo
discovered. With the holidays approaching at yearend, we present a special report on selected sites
that can serve as alternative destinations.
f ore word
A
s the year-end approaches, let us put aside for a while
aggravating political issues and the battered economy. Let us,
instead, spend time exploring a vacation agenda, one that is
truly unforgettable.
We will not, right from the start, look at the conventional
places like Lombok, Bunaken and the Thousand Islands, but
seek the less-traveled path. The journey may be tiring but the
final destination could well take your breath away, a heaven on earth.
In this special issue, we peruse heavenly and sites rarely visited by
strangers. As such, many of the well-known places, those that can easily
be accessed through the internet or pointed out by travel agencies, are
not listed.
We crafted this list of hidden edens with care and attention, separating
them into 12 categories: mountains, seashore, lakes, historical sites,
unique places for outdoors, and several others. Then we invited experts
on these different locales to give us a briefing. They include Amelia
Yunita, an expert river rafter and explorer, who founded the Arus Liar
program; Dody Johanjaya, the first person to climb the Indonesia Seven
Summits; Tantyo Bangun, former chief editor of the National Geographic
Indonesia and student activist of the University of Indonesia’s Nature
Lovers; and Cahyo Alkantana, president of the Indonesian Speleology
Association. We also asked our correspondents throughout the
archipelago to map out new pleasure places in their respective areas.
That’s how we located these unknown earthly edens. Among them
is the beautiful and romantic Togean Beach in Central Sulawesi. One
well-known place that deserves to be listed is Mount Rinjani in West
Nusa Tenggara. But we do not recommend Senaru and Sembalun,
the mountain’s two popularly-used trails. Instead, we chose the rarelytrodden Torean trail, which may be more challenging to mountain
trekkers, but which promises infinitely more rewarding vistas.
Even in world-famous Bali, we discovered canyoning, river crossings,
jumping from and climbing waterfalls, activities rarely carried out by
tourists, and even locals.
The downside of going to those places are predictably difficulty of
access and non-availability of tourist-friendly facilities. One of them
is Kayan Mentarang, a forest in North Kalimantan, which can only be
reached by a four-day river journey. Hopefully, our report, which will
contain the degrees of difficulties in accessing these selected sites,
will motivate the local administrations in question to start improving
conditions.
There is no question, however, that all the effort spent is worth the
while in the end. Adventurism, according to Amelia Yunita, “is the trend
in world tourism today.” A study by George Washington University in
the US shows that adventure tourism has risen by 65 percent this year.
“People want more than just getting a tan on the beach. Some don’t mind
getting wet and dirty, if it will take them to an unusual and unforgettable
experience,” said Amelia.
Dear reader, this special report is intended as an initial guide for your
travel plans. It is also a testament that despite problems and thorny issues,
our nation evidently possesses and preserves numerous little nirwanas. l
03
beach
mountain
lake
traditional
village
sports
river
04
Togean
Rinjani
Luwu
Ratenggaro
Buleleng
Bahau River
The Togean Islands
have four types of
coral which are not
found in any other
seas: atolls, barrier
reef, fringing and
patch reefs. These
diverse formations
and colors of coral
are home to species
of fish living in
tropical and subtropical waters.
From Taman cave,
we walked to
Susu cave, about
500 meters away.
Inside is a natural
hot spring, which
makes one feel as
if stepping into a
sauna. Hot water
drips from stalactites. The steam
was so enjoyable
that an hour went
passed unnoticed.
With a depth of
about 590 meters,
Lake Matano is
the deepest lake
in Southeast Asia.
This lake is connected by river to
Lake Mahalona,
and to Lake Towuti
to the south. Lake
Towuti, which measures 561 square
kilometers, is the
second-largest
lake in Indonesia.
These three lakes
formed as a result
of tectonic activity
millions of years
ago.
When building a
traditional house,
there are lines that
may not be crossed.
Locals believe the
work must not
only involve people
on earth, it must
have the blessing of the spiritual
world, specifically
ancestors. “The
first ritual will tell us
whether or not our
ancestors approve
of our intention to
build a house,” said
43-year-old Ndara,
a village head. If the
signs appear positive, “subsequent
ceremonies will be
performed throughout the duration of
the construction.”
We swam slowly,
climbed up rocks,
slipped and slid
down others. Several times I couldn’t
resist the urge to
go underwater,
walk on tiptoes or
splash water onto
the air. The gorge
with the towering
batu padas was
transformed into
the perfect hiding
place to release my
inner child.
We had started the
journey from Tanjung Selor from the
mouth of the Kayan
River. After four
days traversing the
Kayan, we arrived
at Apau Ping. From
the wooden boat,
we often saw pairs
of hawks flying
around over the liat
trees on the right
side of the river
toward the ketepai
treetops to the left
of it. White storks
perched en masse
on a tree.
SPECUAL EDITION TEAM Project head: Qaris Tajudin Coordinators: Bagja Hidayat, Kurniawan, Nurdin Kalim, Philipus Parera Writers: Qaris Tajudin
(Kayan Mentarang and Bahau), Bagja Hidayat (Togean), Nurdin Kalim (Rinjani), Kurniawan (Matano), Sandy Indra Pratama (Ratenggaro), Wahyuana Wardoyo
(Kwatisore), Heru Triyono (Mentawai), Agoeng Wijaya (Gitgit), Agung Sedayu (Banda Neira), Sunudyantoro (Barat Cave), Seno Joko Suyono (Flores), Philipus
Parera, Mahardika Satria Hadi (Bogor), Yuliawati, Riky Ferdianto, Iqbal Muhtarom, Sorta Tobing, Mustafa Silalahi, Cheta Nilawati, Akbar Tri Kurniawan, Retno
Dianing Sari, Isma Savitri, Nunuy Nurhayati, Anton Septian, Arif Zulkifli Contributors: Irmawati (Bantimurung), Amar Burase (Ampana), Shinta Maharani dan
Aris Andrianto (Kebumen), Febrianti (Padang) Editors: Qaris Tajudin, Arif Zulkifli, Hermien Y. Kleden, Nugroho Dewanto, L.R. Baskoro, Elik Susanto, Seno Joko
conte nts
diving
forest
history
surFing
cave
culture
05
Kwatisore
The Cenderawasih Bay National
Park is the biggest
protected marine
park in Indonesia,
with 150 types of
coral found around
the shallows of 18
islands and more
than200 species
of fish. The rich
diversity of this
‘underwater forest’
draws visitors to
observe up close
the whale shark or
‘ghost fish’.
Kayan
National Park
Kayan Mentarang is
very remote, located on the edge of
Indonesia’s region
bordering Malaysia.
The only way to get
there is via a small
river with rapids.
The Long Alango
airport, which is
overrun with grass,
can only accommodate small
aircrafts, with a
maximum of about
a dozen people. The
connecting road is a
dirt track.
Banda Neira
Mentawai
Barat Cave
Larantuka
A pentagon-shaped
fort, named the
Belgica, stands
at the top of the
Banda Neira
plateau, 300 meters
above the harbor.
The upper part of
the fort has a canon
on every side. The
Dutch built it on the
remains of a Portuguese fort during
the 16th century.
Mentawai’s waves
have characteristically long barrels,
making them very
popular. They are
also closely spaced,
so surfers don’t
need to wait too
long for the next
wave.The worldwide recognition
of the islands can
be gauged from
the many surfing
championships held
there.
Barat Cave is in the
karst geological
zone of South
Gombong. The
adventuretourist,
should not miss
the beauty and
wildness of this
cave. Just enter and
find the scattered
stalagmites and
stalactites inside.
In one corner there
are white stalagmites resembling
a king’s throne.
This is called the
keratonan.
In front of the line,
a man beats a
drum called genda
do in a particular
mournful rhythm.
It sounds melancholy and brings a
person to spiritual
heights, as if it is
the only sound that
night. Behind the
drummer, a group
of children carry a
black cross, sugar
canes and other
sweet fruits, two
big candles and a
human skeleton.
Watch the videos on tempo.co/video/kanal/travel or bit.ly/100surga
Suyono, Budi Setyarso, Wahyu Dhyatmika, Bina Bektiati, Purwanto Setiadi, Amarzan Loebis, Idrus F. Shahab, Yosrizal Suriaji, Tulus Wijanarko Photographers:
Aditia Noviansyah (Kayan Mentarang and Bahau), Ratih Purnama Ningsih (Togean), Gunawan Wicaksono (Ratenggaro), Rully Kesuma (Kwatisore), Ayu Ambong
(Banda Neira), Nita Dian (Matano), Tommy Satria (Mentawai), Amston Probell (Barat Cave), Wahyu Setiawan (Gitgit), Tony Hartawan (Rinjani) Photo Research:
Ratih Purnama Ningsih, Ijar Karim Digital Imaging: Anindyajati Handaruvitri Creative Designers: Djunaedi (Coordinator), Agus Darmawan S., Aji Yuliarto, Eko
Punto Pambudi, Kendra H. Paramita, Rizal Zulfadli, Robby, Tri Watno Widodo, Arcaya Manikotama, Kemas M. Ridwan, R. Hakim Language Editors: Uu Suhardi,
Iyan Bastian, Sapto Nugroho
Photographers and
Reporters’ Leap of Faith
Twenty two writers and photographers were assigned to cover some of
indonesia’s most beautiful sites; at times, going through the proverbial
hell and high water to reach those destinations.
06
I
t took reporter Agoeng Wijaya and
photographer Wahyu Setiawan two days to
pluck up enough courage to jump from the cliff
down towards the Yeh Kebus River in Buleleng,
Bali. It was the only way to descend from the
14-meter high ground to the river. Yeh Kebus
was chosen as the river in the category of
sports tourism because of its beautiful scenery and
the steepness of the cliff looking over the river.
Three weeks ago, Agoeng and Wahyu looked down
the canyon with trepidation. Their knees shook at the
thought of having to jump down. A rock jutted out of
the cliff, which could crush their bones if they missed
the target. “I thought to myself, maybe this will be my
last assignment,” said Agoeng, who normally writes
for the Interview section.
In those two days, they looked at video recordings
and photographs of the Yeh Kebus river at the inn
of the Adventure and Spirit agency located at Gitgit
village, together with visitors planning to jump the
cliff. “If they can do it, why can’t we?” Wahyu goaded
Agoeng. Both agreed to jump the next day. Writing
about a cliff without trying to experience jumping
from it would result in a colorless story. And Wahyu
had to jump first so Agoeng could take the picture.
Wahyu stood at the edge of the cliff, poised
to jump. He focused all his attention in recalling
what the guide instructed, so he would not make
a mistake. No need to jump, just step out from the
cliff, keep your legs tight like a crowbar and smoothly
enter into the water. Wahyu said a little prayer, looked
Photographer
Aditia Noviansyah
in Bahau River,
North Kalimantan.
down and he felt his body float on air. His screech
echoed across the corners of the cliff.
He managed to open and shut his eyes three
times. He let out the air out of his lungs as his body
went down the water. It took him 10 meters to
resurface and breath again. “Two seconds felt like
two centuries,” said Agoeng, who followed Wahyu
five minutes later.
Aditya Novianshyah had a different story to tell.
To get a 360 degree picture of the Bahau River in
North Kalimantan, he had to stand in the river itself,
not an easy feat, given the fast current. He had to
fight the tide, avoid slippery stones and small eddies,
with two cameras and tripod in hand. At one point,
he almost lost his balance but luckily someone in the
accompanying small canoe held him up.
The risks involved in a photography assignment
was experienced by Tommy Satria, shooting the
pipe surf at Mentawai Island. Tommy went to the
location with writer Heru Triyono. They dragged
along 20-year-old Quicksilver surfer Sandi Slamet
who originally comes from Cimaja, Sukabumi in West
Java, but who now lives in Bali. Ranked in the top 10
surfers in Asia, he was offered the chance to ride the
Mentawai wave and be our model.
On the second day of the shoot, the weather
suddenly changed, darkening the sky. “A storm is
coming, should we stay or go ahead?” asked the
boatman hired by Heru. We were all at a loss on
what to do next. It was the boatman who made the
decision, forging ahead towards the dark clouds.
be hind the le ns
“Relax, there are two surfing locations,” he lightly
said.
Tommy held on to the pole, in order to keep his
balance in the midst of being jostled by the surge.
Sandi the surfer looked unfazed by it all. But not
so our two reporters who had never seen such
big waves. “It felt like we were being shaken,”
said Tommy. But the boatman seemed adept at
steering the boat against the odds. They passed
the storm and reached another surf barrel site,
with a tunnel the length of which world surfers
only dream of.
Still by the sea, but in more tranquil conditions,
was the assignment given to photographer Ratih
Purnama Ningsih and political reporter Bagja
Hidayat, to write about the most beautiful beach
on Togean Island, Central Sulawesi. Before arriving
at Kadidiri Island where they were staying, they
met Arjan Kampan and Astrid-Irene van Etten at
the Puspita Sari boat which took them to Ambana,
capital of Tojo Unauna district, towards Wakai.
The Dutch pair also intended to go Kadidiri,
so Bagja asked them to be the models for Ratih’s
photographs. During shoots at Taipi and Batu
Lemboto beaches, Bagja acted the director,
ordering the ‘instant’ models to swim and dive here
and there, to hold hands and to look at the camera.
“Wow, shooting pictures takes a lot of time,”
commented Arjan, who is an information technology
manager for KLM, the Dutch airline.
They were happy at the result of Ratih’s shoot. Two
hours of photography produced exquisite pictures,
so they were happy enough to model again the next
day by the wooden bridge near their Black Marlin
hotel. This happens to be the most romantic spot in
Kadidiri because the bridge on stilts stretches out
into the middle of the sea towards a gazebo, which
becomes a beautiful silhouette against the red and
golden sunset on the horizon. Arjan and Astrid were
pictured there in an intimate embrace. “This is the
greatest experience of our holiday,” said Astrid, who
is a financial manager of a liquid gas company in
Rotterdam.
Photographer Tony Hartawan and reporter Nurdin
Kalim had a similarly unique experience when they
climbed Mount Rinjani in Lombok. They didn’t take
the Sembalun and Senaru trails normally taken by
climbers. Instead, they took the 45 degree-angled
Torean trail, normally used by locals intending to do
spiritual pilgrimage, or rescue personnel evacuating
Photographer
Gunawan
Wicaksono in
Ratenggaro village.
victims of accidents. They walked for five days and
six nights, pitching tents when it got dark, until they
reached the peak at 3,726 meters above sea level.
“This is a crazy trail,” said Tony. He had sprained his
ankle along the way and wouldn’t have gone on if not
for the traditional treatment of a local villager.
Amston Probell also went through a similar
sprain and swelling on his arm after he fell inside
a slippery surface of the Gua Barat stalagmite
cave in Kebumen, Central Java. At a depth of 70
meters below the earth’s surface, Amston and
Tempo Yogyakarta bureau chief, Sunudyantoro,
crossed a subterranean river to reach the multihued water fall. Aided by four Yogyakarta Atma
Jaya university students, they found the magical
site after traipsing for nine hours. “The lens on my
cameras got bent after I fell so many times and
became cloudy because of the humidity,” said
Probell.
Meanwhile, photographer Rully Kesuma had
trained himself to swim and dive while carrying a
camera before he set out for Kwatisore in Nabire,
Papua, in order to photograph the whale shark. This
was the reason Kwatisore was chosen for the diving
category. But all that training with the proper diving
equipment became useless when the shoot began.
“The whale shark was huge, it suddenly appeared
right under my nose,” recalled Rully. In the end,
his best pictures were when he shot the whales by
diving freely, without any dive equipment.
Photographer Ayu Ambong had to overcome
her distate for mountain trekking in order to shoot
Banda Naira, the small island southeast of Ambon,
Maluku. To get the best angle, she had to climb the
600-meter high Gunung Api volcano. Banda Naira is
also known as the place where Mohammad Hatta,
one of Indonesia’s proclamators of independence,
was exiled by the Dutch colonial government, from
1936 to 1942.
Ayu had almost given up if her colleagues, Agung
Sedayu and Lukman Ang, had not kept an eye on
her, so she could get her shots without slipping on
the hot, slippery slope of the volcano. But she finally
found the right spot and angle, capturing the sight
of the beautiful island with her camera from the top
of the volcano. “To think that Bung Hatta climbed
this mountain every morning,” said Ayu. They
had gotten the story from Hatta’s own daughter,
Meutia, who just happened to be in Banda Naira at
the same time. l
07
08
b e a ch
09
Togean Island, Central Sulawesi
A Sublime
Sunset
Photo: Ratih Purnama, Text: Bagja Hidayat
Togean Island is ideal for honeymooners: it is
beyond any communication signal, the sea is serenely
safe for snorkEling and diving and the sunsets
on the beach are to die for. It is, after all, in the
center of the Coral Triangle, the most exotic marine
flora and fauna site in the world.
10
Waleabahi
Waleakodi
Arriving tourists at Black Marlin Resort.
Kadidiri
Togean
Wakai
Talatakoh
Batudaka
N
ot only had the wind died down, the
waves were now a soft roll of water
gushing onto Kadidiri Beach. The water
only rustled against the rough wall of
coral, gliding over the white sands.
The glow of a mid-October sunset
bathed the beach in perfect silence, as
the light silhouetted a wooden bridge leading to
a gazebo perched on the sea.
sulawesi
In the distance, a pair of Danish tourists held
hands as they floated on the crystal-clear waters.
The afternoon waves, which had begun to subside,
buffeted their slender bodies. “The coral and fish
are amazing,” said Sidsel Filipsen, a student at the
University of Copenhagen, returning to a thatchroofed hut after swimming for half an hour. Next to
her, Adam Veng, Sidsel’s boyfriend, shook his long,
wavy hair.
Like most European tourists who visit Kadidiri,
Sidsel and Adam knew about the Togean Islands
from a page in a Lonely Planet travel guide. There
isn’t much information in English available on the
internet about this small cluster of islands in Tomini
Bay, Central Sulawesi, nor how to get there.
There are 66 small islands in the Togean waters.
Of the few which offer accommodation, Kadidiri is
b e a ch
1
Black Marlin Resort’s
dock in Kadidiri Island.
2
Kadidiri Island.
1
the most famous. There are three cottages: Black
Marlin, Pondok Lestari and Kadidiri Paradise. In
addition to being the closest from Wakai, a dock in the
middle of the bay where ships plying the GorontaloAmpana route stop, this island is the easiest point
for reaching diving and snorkeling spots. The small
islands around it, one of them Taipi Island, slow down
the winds coming in from the sea, making its beach
great for swimming.
Although Kadidiri has been developed as a tourism
spot since 1995, not many Indonesians know about
the island. “Most of our guests are from Europe,”
said Yani Tahir, owner of Black Marlin. In mid-October,
which is not a peak period, her 16 rooms were fully
booked by vacationing couples from Holland, France,
Germany, Hungary, Denmark and England.
The 60-year-old woman from Gorontalo opened
her business 18 years ago after purchasing a
1,000-square-meter coconut grove. Yani built some
lodges after tourists kept asking her son-in-law, who
managed the Blue Marlin resort in Lombok, West
Nusa Tenggara, about other seas that were good for
diving but were relatively quiet.
Yani received similar questions at her hotel
in Wakai. So she and her husband took a look at
Kadidiri, which was still heavily forested. Since then,
Togean—or Togian in the local dialect—started to
become well-known. Crispin Gibbs, Yani’s British sonin-law, spread information about pristine Togean to
tourists visiting Lombok or Bali.
However, certain difficulties to reach the spot
have made some tourists reluctant to pay a visit.
From Jakarta it takes two days to reach Kadidiri.
The nearest airport is in Poso, which does not have
a direct flight from the Indonesian capital. You have
11
2
accommodation
Black Marlin
Room rates:
Rp200,000 to Rp400,000 per
night per person
Snorkeling equipment can be hired
at Rp 50,000 per set per day
Boats for hire:
Rp850,000 a day for a maximum
of six passengers. Excess of six
people, fees of Rp125,000 is
charged per person; Rp600,000 for
half day trips
Kayaks for hire:
» Rp100,000 half day
» Rp150,000 full day
Diving Package
Rp1.2 million for 8
people. Excess of eight
people, fees of Rp150.000
is charged per person.
Kadidiri Paradise
Room rates:
Rp175,000 to Rp500,000
Diving:
Rp400,000 to Rp600,000
Diving Courses:
Rp4 million to Rp10 million
12
to make a stopover in Makassar. From Poso, it is a
five-hour trip over winding and damaged roads to
Ampana, capital of Tojo Una-Una regency. Only in
2015 will this regency get its own airport.
From Ampana, visitors must take a five-hour ferry
to the Wakai dock, and the service does not run every
day. Cottage owners provide motorboats in Wakai
to take tourists to their accommodations, which is a
15-minute trip. For this reason, when visiting Kadidiri
or the other islands in Togean, travelers must have
previously booked rooms in order to get picked up. If
one arrives without a reservation, besides the risk of
not getting a room, one could very well be left waiting
in Wakai.
The island, which is about the size of Singapore,
has no cell-phone signal. Even though a pole with
a booster is in place, the signal is currently still
unreliable. Electricity comes from a diesel generator
powered by fuel brought in from Wakai. Clean water
is also brought in. Yani spends Rp20 million a month
for water and diesel delivery costs. This is the most
reasonable option, because getting water by drilling
into the hills behind the cottages requires expensive
technology.
This makes Kadidiri a dream destination for some:
quiet beaches, clear water and rich marine life, plus
the bonus of no phone signals, electricity and other
modern amenities. Foreign tourists say these islands
located on the ‘tongue’ of Sulawesi are great for
honeymooners.
Besides the beach, there are many other places
to visit. The Togean Islands are located between
the Wallace and Weber lines—the imaginary lines
that separate Asian and Australasian biota—a zone
where the seas and forests contain the richest
biodiversity in the world. Its seas are in the Coral
Triangle, which runs from Australia to the Java Sea to
the waters of the Philippines in the Pacific.
The convergence of mountains undersea has
resulted in Togean having four types of coral not
found in any other sea: atolls, barrier reef, fringing
reef and patch reef. These diverse formations and
colorful coral are home to many species of tropical
and sub-tropical fish. In Batu Lemboto, a coral
formation can be seen which looks like a giant sea
turtle swimming on the seabed.
In Malenge, a two-hour motorboat ride away from
Kadidiri, a colorful atoll at a depth of 10 meters
below surface can be witnessed without the need
to budge from the boat. This reef is surrounded by
rings of coral which break the surface during low
tide. Fishermen of the Bajo ethnic group who live on
the surrounding islands have set up huts here to take
cover during sudden squalls and storms.
Not far from Malenge, there is another atoll which
is separated from the main sea by a meter-thick coral
wall. The saltwater Lake Mariona is home to brown,
Taipi
island
Closer than
Karina from
the Kadidiri
Island, Taipi
Island provides
lodgings on
the beach with
breathtaking
views of the
corals and
serene waters.
Swimming in the crystal-clear Taipi Beach.
white, red and blue jellyfish. One can swim with them
with no worries of getting stung. Like at Derawan
Island in East Kalimantan, jellyfish in Malenge are
non- poisonous. The difference is, Derawan only
boasts red jellyfish. “In this lake there are so many of
them,” said Max Berger, 34, a German tourist.
An undersea coral wall at Malenge separates the
b e a ch
Three Routes to Togean
In addition to Kadidiri Island, the islands of Togean contain a number of
resorts for snorkeling and diving. Such facilities can be found on the islands
of Taipi, Una-Una, Karina, Katupat, Kundurun and Malenge. Getting
there from Jakarta takes two days using air, land and sea transportation.
Despite the long journey, taking a vacation here does not cost an incredible
amount. From Jakarta, at least Rp5 million is required for transportation,
accommodation and snorkeling gear rental for a week.
Via Gorontalo
Via Palu
Jakarta-Gorontalo,
2 hours
Airlines: Garuda,
Lion, Sriwijaya
Jakarta-Palu, 2 hours
Airlines: Garuda,
Lion, Sriwijaya,
Batavia
Waris Gorontalo
Seaport-Wakai,
12 hours
Tomini Tuna
Ship 8pm Central
Indonesia Time
(WITA)
Fare: Rp100,000
Wakai-Kadidiri
15 minutes
Picked up by the
lodging’s boat
Palu-Ampana,
10 hours
Palu-Poso-Ampana
bus route, leaving at
10am and 5pm WITA
Palu-Ampana travel
bus fare: Rp110,000
Ampana-Wakai,
5 hours
Except on Friday, the
ship to Wakai leaves
at 10am WITA
Fare: Rp50,000
Wakai-Kadidiri
15 minutes
Picked up by a boat
owned by one’s
lodgings
Recommendation:
The three routes end at Wakai seaport, the largest seaport on the Island
of Batudaka. The easiest way is via Gorontalo. Despite the 12-hour sea
journey, this route provides few transportation transfers.
» Arrival at Ampana should be adjusted to the ship’s schedule if you
do not want to stay overnight. There are numerous hotels if you have
to spend the night in the capital of Tojo Unauna regency. At the Oasis
Hotel, the deluxe room rate with twin beds is Rp240,000 per night.
» The motor vessel at Wakai is provided by the hotels. Therefore, room
reservations should be previously secured at lodgings in Kadidiri.
shallow waters from the deep, making the blues and
the greens of the water distinct even from the air.
As sunset falls, the waves become stronger. “The
undercurrent gets very strong,” said Zulkifli Labano,
a Wakai fisherman who acted as our guide. Only
Bajo fishermen, trained in seafaring from childhood,
can navigate the waves here. Max Berger was lucky
enough to spot a hammerhead shark as big as a
man’s thigh on this atoll border.
The Bajo live on the small islands around the
Togean Sea. They build wooden houses on tall
stilts in the water. For the children, the sea is a vast
playground. A two-year-old merrily jumped off the
porch of his house into water three meters deep,
housing a splendid variety of anemones, water
snakes and sea urchins on the seabed.
On a number of islands, the Bajo live side by side
with people of other ethnicities: Bugis, Makassar and
Wakai. They only live apart on Kabalutan Island. The
Bajo originated from the Sulu Islands in Southern
Philippines, where they lived a nomadic sea life.
Voyages made hundreds of years ago brought them
to the waters of Sulawesi and Lombok, where they
established a large settlement which came to be
known as Labuan Bajo.
Few Bajo know about their origins, including the
elders among them. The present generation only
know that their parents came from Bajo communities
on other islands around Sulawesi and Maluku. None
mentioned the Sulu Islands. “All I know is that our
ancestors are from Banggai Island near Luwuk,” said
Tinur Munggong, a 60-year-old man who lives on
Salaka Island.
It is fun to watch the Bajo catch fish. They cast
their nets and slap the water in unison. To catch
octopus, the fisherfolk lean the lower halves of their
bodies on the skiff while submerging their heads and
shoulders in the water. Fish spearing is their most
skillful practice. The Bajo can dive for up to five to 10
minutes at a time, and can even walk on the seabed
aided only by goggles, while spearing barracuda, a
fierce and swift fish, at a depth of 30 meters.
On Papan Island, which is inhabited by 162 Bajo
families, there is a swaying kilometer-long wooden
bridge which reaches Malenge Island, the center of
the district. The Bajo, who have begun to intermarry
with the locals, have started living on land, going to
school and shopping in the markets. In fact, they are
also familiar with politics. The Bajo neighborhoods
are currently full of posters of candidates running for
the legislature, touting their mugshots and slogans,
hoping to get votes on Election Day in 2014.
After going around Bajo neighborhoods, tourists
can go diving to explore the wonders of the undersea.
Compared to Bunaken or Wakatobi, the undersea
here boasts many spots in still pristine condition.
One of these is Una-Una Island. An old United States
13
Dutch tourists,
Astrid-Irene van
Etten and Arjan
Kampman, diving
in Taipi Beach.
14
bomber shot down by Japanese forces in 1945 can
be witnessed, sunk at a depth of 40 meters. The
plane’s fuselage is still intact and has become home
to various types of coral and millions of fish.
According to Nick Cormack, a diving instructor at
Black Marlin from Northern Ireland, the topography
in Togean is different from Bunaken, Wakatobi or
Lembeh. While the seabed in Bunaken is uneven
from the many valleys and slopes of coral mountains,
Togean is flatter, and divers can enjoy the gradual
transition from shallow to deep waters.
Togean’s undersea beauty, home to rare sea
horses, has become endangered by harmful fishing
practices. Fishermen often use dynamite to catch
fish. Owners of lodges, like Yani Tahir, have to make
agreements with fishermen not to use depth charges.
“If bombed, the coral will be damaged. Then what will
the divers have to look at?” Yani said.
But such contracts are not enough. In the current
election campaign period, candidates hoping to
win office are offering themselves to fishermen as
potential lobbyists to lift the ban on depth charges.
According to Nick, bombing practices will continue in
the Togean Sea as long as local government doesn’t
provide a regular patrol to prevent fishermen from
using dynamite. “Right now the number of officers is
not enough to monitor such a large sea,” he said.
The problem is, the government of Tojo Una-Una
WWII
bomber
On May 9,
1945, a United
States bomber
was shot down
by Japanese
forces and
sank in the
waters off
Togean Island.
The plane, at
a depth of 42
meters, has
a still-intact
fuselage, and
is now home to
various types
of coral and
millions of fish.
is against the Togean Sea becoming a national park,
even though President Megawati Soekarnoputri
made it official in 2004. “The regent is not pleased
because to his view, this spells the end of the
community’s
livelihood,” said Akbar Lahay,
spokesman for the regency government. He thinks
it was enough to have a sea patrol of 21 civil service
police officers monitoring the different areas of the
island each day. However, after a week there, we had
not run into a single patrolman.
The Togean Sea is too beautiful to be destroyed—
it needs to be seriously safeguarded in the name of
preserving local income. After all the swimming and
diving, the Togean Sea can still offer the simple joy of
rowing a kayak out to the middle to enjoy the perfect
stillness, as the red of a sunset penetrates the coral
and reflects off the wonderous colors of the fish.l
b e a ch
Kiluan
Bay,
Lampung
• Krakatau
Lampung
Tour & Travel,
19-25 Kartini
Street, Bandar
Lampung,
Phone: +62-721263625
Kiluan Bay, Lampung
THE DOLPHINS’
ORCHESTRA
T
he waters of Kiluan Strait will not let the
morning gloom linger. One day in May last
year, as the waves weakly crashed, a group of
fishermen on wooden boats sailed around it.
Each was looking at a different direction; until
suddenly one boat sent out a signal, point at
one direction.
There at the pointed direction, a school of dolphins
swam rapidly; jumping to the surface every once in a
while, gasping for air. One dolphin leaped from one
point, others at another.
Here, morning is the time of the dolphin orchestra.
When the sun shines brightly, hundreds of them will
surface. Nevertheless, it drizzled that May, so only
dozens appeared.
The Kiluan Strait is four hours away from Bandar
Lampung. Located in Tanggamus Regency,
Lampung, the land route was torturous, since the
road was heavily damaged – there were bridgeless
small rivers and steep roads. It is advised not to drive
a sedan to this area.
To catch a glimpse of the dolphins, you need to
spend at least two days and one night at the Kiluan
Strait, since they only appear in the morning – you
can use the second day to rest. The strait also offers
charming snorkeling spots aside from the white
sandy beach. There is also a lagoon the size of half an
Olympic-size swimming pool.
Unfortunately, there are not many tour operators
yet. One of them, Kiluan Dolphin, only provides a tworoom lodging accommodation. Visitors who do not
receive rooms will have to sleep in a tent. l
• Wayka Bahari
Tours & Travel,
Villa Citra Blok
RD-10, Antasari
Street, Bandar
Lampung,
Phone: +62-721706123
• Wita Sejahtera
Permai, 39 Ikan
Lumba-lumba
Street, Bandar
Lampung,
Phone: +62-721481889
Sebuku Island, South Kalimantan
Sebuku
Island,
South
Kalimantan
• Naff Tour & Travel,
48/11 Lambung
Mangkurat Street,
Banjarmasin, Phone:
+62-511-3358444,
e-mail: naff_bjm@
ymail.com
• Adi Angkasa
Tour & Travel, 27
Hasanuddin HM
Street, Banjarmasin,
Phone: +62-511-52920
• PT Violeta Megah
Wisata, Kuripan
Street, Banjarmasin,
Phone:
+62-511-3253305
RECORDS OF
AN ANCIENT
ISLAND
T
he accounts of this little island in Kotabaru
Regency, South Kalimantan have been
recorded since the Majapahit era. In
an old Javanese eulogy called Kakawin
Negarakertagama, Mpu Prapanca called the
island “Sawaku”. The view from the island is
very beautiful: the calm blue sea lies alongside
the enchanting green hills.
It takes 12 hours to get to this island. The land
route starts from Banjarmasin, the capital of South
Kalimantan, to the Batulicin Harbor in Tanah Bumbu
Regency. The distance is around 270 kilometers and
takes four hours to travel.
Ferries at the Batulicin Harbor will take you to
the Tanjung Serdang Harbor in Kotabaru. Then the
journey continues by motorboat to Sungai Bali, the
capital of Sebuku Island.
In Sebuku Island, with the help of the village head,
you can stay with the locals. l
15
16
information center
Tourism Office
Central Sulawesi
Province Culture and
Tourism Board
91/45 Dewi Sartika
Street, Palu, Central
Sulawesi
website:
www.disbudpar.sulteng.
go.id
e-mail:
pariwisata.sulteng@
gmail.com
Travel Agent
PT NDS Tour & Travel
20 Tg. Pesik Street,
Palu,
Central Sulawesi
Phone: +62-451-451051
e-mail: randhy8686@
yahoo.com
PT Rajawali Ashab
24 Sis Aljufri Street,
Palu,Central Sulawesi
Phone:
+62-451-4725858
Fax.: +62-451-422095
Contact:
Mr. Abdurrahim
Husen Badjeber
e-mail: aim_husen@
yahoo.co.id
Avia Express T & T
4 Dr. Moh. Hatta
Street, Palu,
Central Sulawesi
Phone: +62-451-422895
Ananda Tour &
Travel Indonesia
Gedung Ananda Grup
252 Sindang Barang
Loji Street,
Bogor, West Java
Phone: +62-2518328869, +62-2518328728, +62-2513971728
Website: http://www.
anandatours.com
e-mail: anandatur@
gmail.com
b e a ch
Tojo Una-Una,
Central Sulawesi
TEMPO/STR/Fahmi Ali
17
Liang Beach, Central Maluku
WHERE THE
WIND BREEZES
GENTLY
T
18
he beach takes its name from its location:
Liang Village, Salahutu District, Central
Maluku. It also has another name: Hunimua
Beach. Thanks to its enchanting underwater
view, in 1990 the beach was dubbed as the
most beautiful place in Indonesia by the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
White sands stretch across the 1-kilometer-long,
300-meter-wide beach. The beach feels a lot more
shaded and the wind breezes more gently between
September and November, and April and May. In
other months, the water tends to be murky due to
big waves.
There are many available public transports to
take you to Hunimua, which is located around 40
kilometers from the Pattimura International Airport.
Besides taxi, you can also get on a Trans Amboina
bus, which costs around Rp 10,000. The roads are
smooth, so it only takes 30 minutes to get to your
destination. l
Rawa Buaya, West Java
ON THE TOPAZ
WATERS
R
awa Buaya Beach, also known as
Rancabuaya, has a rocky contour. Located
in the Purbayani Village in Caringin District,
Garut, 2 of the 10 acres beach area have
been utilized for tourism facilities. From a
certain height, you can see the beach as well
as the topaz waters of the Indian Ocean and
its big waves.
About 167 kilometers from Bandung, the beach
can be reached in six hours by car. The journey to
Rancabuaya presents you with amazing views of the
Rawa Buaya
Liang
Beach,
Central
Maluku
• Ambon Dive
Center, Pantai
Namalatu
Street, Latuhata,
Ambon, Phone:
+62-911-55685
• Pesona Wisata
Marina, Wim
Rawaru Street,
Ambon, Phone:
+62-911-43473
• Daya Patal, Said
Perintah Street,
Ambon, Phone:
+62-911-53344
Rawa
Buaya,
West Java
• Vayatour, 42
Sunda Street,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4261739
• PT Abadi Wisata
Tour & Travel,
5 Mochammad
Toha Street,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-5201104
• Aerotravel,
81 Asia Afrika
Street, Bandung,
Phone: +62-224203657
mountains, rice paddies and tea plantations.
Villas and lodgings are available at varied rates.
There are also many restaurants and several health
facilities. l
Teluk Hijau, East Java
SHINES LIKE AN
EMERALD
S
tepping into Teluk Hijau – Green Bay – in the
Meru Betiri National Park in Banyuwangi,
East Java is like entering the Garden of Eden.
The sands are white and soft, making them
a comfortable landing for the crystal clear
water. Beyond the splashing waves is the sea;
one that looks like an emerald cauldron filled
with water, exuding green light. One coral reef sits
on the beach; little trees grow on it. Tall coral reefs
frame the beach on its right and left sides, keeping
it hidden.
To get there, there are several options: you can
get on a fisherman’s boat (jukung), trek through the
woods or hitch a ride on a four-wheeled vehicle.
The bay is so secluded that tourists rarely go there.
Last year in August, for example, only eight foreign
tourists came to bathe in the warm water.
Meru Betiri is a 58,000-acre national park in the
south of Jember and Banyuwangi Regencies, East
Java. The national park has a variety of amazing
natural vegetations. There are also beautiful
beaches, mountains and woods. Wild animals like
tigers, Javanese buffalos, and various kinds of
b e a ch
Teluk
Hijau,
East Java
• Adi Giant Wisata,
194C Kapasan
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-31310881
• PT Akasa
Holiday, 19 Urip
Sumoharjo
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315457945
• Haryono Tour,
27-29 Sulawesi
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315034000
Kaimana,
West
Papua
• Cahaya Alam
Agung, 39 Kota
Baru Street,
Manokwari,
Phone: +62-96221153
• Makmur
Thomas Travel,
1/14 Ahmad Yani
Street, Sorong,
Phone: +62-96733593
eagles and deer take refuge in the park. At night,
turtles would lay eggs in some of its beaches. l
Kaimana, West Papua
UNDER THE
AUBURN SKY
K
aimana offers more than just a beautiful
auburn sky during the sunset; it also offers
an underwater paradise. Between October
and March, many live-a-board sailboats carry
foreign divers to this bay. When the eastern
wind blows and the big waves splash, Triton
Bay becomes a sanctuary for sharks.
They look for little fish that hide around the bay
as the sun is about to set. Dolphins play and once
in a while leap from the water surface, offering a
beautiful view that can be enjoyed as you journey
across the bay.
Other vacation spots include Iris Strait, Namatote
Island, Dramai Island, Adi Island, Nusurumi Island,
Mauwara Island, Semisarom Island and Venue Island.
Fishing and jet skiing are best at Aiduma Island.
Walking through the woods for 7 kilometers, you will
arrive at Kamaka Lake. l
19
Tanjung Tinggi, Bangka Belitung
Tanjung
Tinggi,
Bangka
Belitung
• Jasa Armex,
19/34 May Syafri
Rachman Street,
Pangkal Pinang,
Phone: +62-717422401
• Mega Wisata,
Depati Amir
Airport, Pangkal
Pinang, Phone:
+62-717-434488
• Lubuk Usaha
Citra Kita, 104
Jenderal Ahmad
Yani Dlm Street,
Pangkal Pinang,
Phone: +62-717437563
CHAMBERS OF
THE RAINBOW
TROOPS
W
e arrived in Andrea Hirata’s birthplace
with Andrea Hirata. Indeed, the novelturned-movie Laskar Pelangi (The
Rainbow Troops) is set in Belitung. One
not-so-sunny afternoon, we visited
Tanjung Tinggi, a beach with big rocks,
white sands and weak waves.
It is said that the rocks were actually meteors. This
theory is plausible, since there is no volcano nearby
that can potentially belch rocks. One thing for sure,
these rocks divide the long beach into several parts,
forming what look like chambers along the beach. If
you sit among the rocks, you will be hidden from the
other people’s sight.
Riding on a boat for a while, you will find yourself
at Lengkuas Beach, where a tall, white lighthouse
stands. There, you can swim when the tide is high
or walk to an otherwise-hidden little island when the
tide is low. At night, there are a lot of traditional stalls
selling teh tarik or milk tea. l
20
Sekaroh Village,
West Nusa Tenggara
PINK SANDS IN
THE SOUTH OF
RINJANI
I
n the past, it was called Tangsi Beach for it used
to be a Japanese port during the Second World
War. Traces of military occupation are evident
in the tunnels and remainders of the canons
that face the open sea.
Today, the name has been changed to
Pink Beach, due to the color of the sand
Sekaroh
Village,
West Nusa
Tenggara
• Lombok
Independent Tour
& Travel, Gunung
Kerinci Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-23242
• Manta Dive, Gili
Trawangan, West
Lombok, Phone:
+62-370-643649
• Firelli Tour &
Travel, Mataram,
Mr. Didik (+62431-811119,
+62812125254243),
email: firelli-tour@
centrin.net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
that stretches across the half-kilometer
beach. The color becomes even more obvious
when the waves and the ray of the sun fall on
them.
The sands are originally white. The pink
color is the result of a reflection from the coral
reefs. Located by the Indian Ocean, the beach
is a safe place to swim, thanks to its calm
waves. When it is sunny, the Rinjani Mountain
in the north can be seen from here.
Part of the Tanjung Ringgit Beach, Pink
Beach is located at the Sekaroh Village in
Jerowaru District, East Lombok, West Nusa
Tenggara. Traveling from Mataram, the beach
can be reached in two hours.
Not far from there are Temeak and Colong
Beaches. Both are separated by a coralcovered hill. If you wish to visit both beaches,
you only need to climb over the rocks.
Lodgings can only be found 4 kilometers
away from the beach and they cost around Rp
1.7 million per night. Hence, it is advised that
you bring your own tent and camping gears. l
b e a ch
Cubadak,
West
Sumatra
• Eka Sukma
Wisata, 21 Juanda
Street, Padang,
Phone: +62-75131670
• Nitour Inc., 10
Hiligoo Street,
Padang, Phone:
+62-751-38008
• Tunas Indonesia,
86-B Pondok
Street, Padang,
Phone:
+62-751-32806
spread around the lodging area, you can try hiking
the steep mountain that is just behind the cottage.
From the mountain’s top, the sea and island look like
paradise.
Cubadak can be reached from the Corocok
Harbor, 70 kilometers from the Minangkabau Airport
in Padang Pariaman. From Corocok, the destination
can be reached in 15 minutes by motorboat, which
Casalegno provides. Caselagno said that Indonesian
tourists were familiar with Cubadak only after the
Europeans dominated his rooms. The room rate is
Rp 1 million per person per night. The price already
includes fee for snorkeling gears and three Italian
meals. l
• Ermi Tour &
Travel, Padang,
Ms. Nur
(+6281347841052),
Mr. Edy
(+6285263308618),
Ms. Suci
(+6281298933383),
email: ermitours@
yahoo.com &
info@ermitours.
com
Cubadak, West Sumatra
THE ITALIAN’S
HOLIDAY
PARADISE
G
ian Luigi Casalegno has managed the
Cubadak Paradiso Village for 21 years.
Located in the south of West Sumatera,
the 40-square-kilometer island houses the
68-year-old Italian man’s 15 bungalows that
are provided for tourists. To maintain the
serenity of the beach, Luigi limits the number
of visitors to 35 people per day.
Surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the island is
situated on a bay, preventing the ocean wind to blow
straight at it. The sea is calm and clear that the corals
and fish can be seen from the surface. If you grow
bored of swimming or diving in the 16 spots that
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Koka
Beach,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• PT Floressa Travel,
15 Mawar Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-832012
• PT Teddys Travel,
1 Ikan Tongkol
Street, Kupang,
Phone:
+62-380-822422
• PT Incito Tour,
11 Moh. Yamin
Street, Sikka,
Phoe:
+62-382-21786
• Aldecaf Tour and
Travel, Gatot
Subroto Street,
Sikka, Phone:
+62-383-23567
21
Koka Beach, East Nusa Tenggara
LAKE AMID THE
HILLS
A
bout 45 kilometers from the capital of Sikka
Regency in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara is
Koka Beach. The easiest way to reach it is
by car. Visitors can rent a car from the Frans
Seda Airport in Maumere.
In the past, to go to Koka Beach, people
had to walk 2 kilometers through Jl. Wolowiro,
since the street was too narrow to be passed by any
vehicle. Thanks to Father Theodorus Yoseph Visser,
the narrow street has now been widened and paved,
so that four-wheeled vehicles can reach the beach.
Sheltered by hills, Koka Beach is completely
hidden from the city’s hustle and bustle. You will find
no souvenir merchant and stall; let alone restaurant
and hotel. Come during weekdays – you will be
accompanied by just the white sands and the clear
lake. l
22
mounta in
Mount Rinjani, Lombok
A Trail
Less Taken
Photo: Tony Hartawan, Text: Nurdin Kalim
Located between the mountains of Rinjani and Sankareang, the Torean
trail offers panoramic variety. First, the climber goes though thick
forest, dense brush, down a valley, through undulating rivers,
waterfalls and a few hot water holes, flowing down onto a cave. This
trail is a harder but far interesting route towards Mount Rinjani than
the better known Senaru and Sembalun.
23
Mount Rinjani (3,726 meter)
Senaru
Lake Segara Anak
Sembalun
Mataram
lombok Island
Torean route, Lombok.
24
T
he sound of dogs barking carried through the
darkness that cold, misty morning in Torean.
Our footsteps on the rocky dirt road in this
hamlet at the foot of Mount Rinjani drew us
closer to the dogs, and they began to bark
even more loudly. “The dogs help us guard the
cornfields, cocoa plantation and cows,” said
Amak Herni, 56, a local senior porter.
We—myself, photographer Tony Hartawan and
two experienced climbers from Lombok, Safriyudi
and Ruslan—began our climb to the summit of Mount
Rinjani from Torean in mid-October. This hamlet,
a part of Loloan village, Bayan, North Lombok
regency, West Nusa Tenggara, which is inhabited
by 180 families, is perched at a height of about 600
meters above sea level. It is the home to the Sasak,
an indigenous ethnic group of Lombok island, most
of whom plant corn and cocoa and raise livestock,
mainly cows, for a living.
The mountain climbing route through Torean
is not as popular as the ones through Senaru and
Sembalun, two routes which climbers usually take
to the top of Mount Rinjani. The local populace use
this route as a way to reach Mount Rinjani National
Park. They usually traverse the Torean route when
going for ritual bathing in natural hot springs found
at several locations along the way. Those who want
to go fishing in Lake Segara Anak also pass Torean.
The Torean route offers a variety of panoramic
views. All along the route, which is flanked by the
slopes of Mount Rinjani and Mount Sangkareang,
are views of dense forest, cliffs, valleys, rivers,
waterfalls and natural hot springs, some of which are
inside caves.
By the time the morning sun had started to rise,
we had put some distance between us and Torean
hamlet. Crickets were chirping in the trees. Wind
whistled through the leaves. After crossing a locally
owned cornfield and cocoa plantation, we took up a
footpath. Breathing became increasingly difficult.
The three porters guiding us continued walking.
Only wearing sandals, Musdiana looked as if he
was on a casual stroll. The two baskets full of food
and supplies he was carrying, weighing about 25
kilograms, did not seem to weigh him down. The slim
24-year-old from Bawah Enau hamlet, Sembalun,
East Lombok regency, kept giving encouragement
as my pace began to slack.
Jamaludin, 28, his colleague from the same
mounta in
hamlet, looked even more relaxed. Also only
wqearing sandals, this man with two wives was on
phone with one of them—as it happened he was
still getting a signal on his cell phone. This was
despite the fact that this man sporting a mohawk
was carrying an 80-liter backpack full of food and
climbing supplies.
This was also the case with Amak Herni, a senior
porter and guide from Torean. Also clad only in
sandals, and carrying two baskets full of food,
cooking equipment and supplies, this grandfather of
two seemed to walk effortlessly and briskly.
We had asked Amak Herni, who is also a cultural
elder in Torean hamlet, to come along as he was very
familiar with the climbing route. The two others had
little experience traversing it. Despite having been a
porter since he was a teenager, Jamaludin had only
passed this route four or five times. “I usually take
guests over the Sembalun or Senaru routes,” the
burly man said.
According to Safriyudi, there were several factors
that made climbers, especially those from outside
How to
Get There
From Praya
International
Airport in
Central
Lombok, you
can take a taxi
or Damri bus to
Mataram. The
taxi costs about
Rp120,000,
while the
bus will run
you for about
Rp25,000.
Lombok, reluctant to pass Torean. One reason was
the poor roads leading to Torean. Starting from the
three-way intersection at Loloan village, only half
of the road to Torean was paved. Even the paved
section had begun to fall apart and was full of holes.
The rest consisted of steep and rocky dirt roads.
There was no public transportation, only motorcycle
taxis and trucks passing through the area.
When we passed through, it appeared that a road
paving project had stopped. “Hopefully, if the road
is paved, many climbers will want to pass through
Torean,” said Amak Herni as we rested on a wide
stretch of earth, the demarcation line between the
planting area of the people from Torean and the
forest of Mount Rinjani National Park.
Torean also lacked even the simplest of lodgings.
Climbers usually stay overnight in Amak Herni’s
home, where he provides a place to rest called a
beruga—a type of gazebo with six pillars, made from
wood and bamboo with a thatched leaf roof. He has
three such beruga which can be used for an overnight
stay. Each costs Rp250,000-300,000 per night for a
group of five, dinner and breakfast included.
After resting for about 15 minutes at the border of
the national park, we continued our journey through
the forest. The trees formed a tightly knit canopy that
blocked out the heat of the sun. The leaves gave us
shade as we climbed a steep ridge and descended a
valley at a 45-degree angle.
The forest was full of pine, Chinese toon, rattan
and carambola trees, as well as ferns. Drongos birds
flew about and alighted on some treetops. A trickle of
water could be heard from a small river, not far from
the hiking trail. The sound of monkeys echoed in the
distance.
Four hours from Torean, we arrived in Plawangan.
Across from here was the Penimbungan waterfall,
about 100 meters tall. Located at a cave at a height
of 1,200 meters, Plawangan was filled with stones
of varying sizes. On a flat rock near the edge of the
ravine sat a ritual offering with some incense still
burning.
The local populace believes that Plawangan—
which means door—is the true entry point to the
natural area around Mount Rinjani. They usually
perform a ritual of burning incense before continuing
their journey. “To ask for a blessing, so that they will
have a safe trip climbing Rinjani,” Amak Herni said.
The panoramic views incomparable to the Senaru
and Sembalun routes began after we crossed
a vertical wooden bridge attached to the cliff at
Plawangan. We followed a path through the valley,
flanked by Mount Rinjani and Mount Sangkareang.
The sides of the mountain ridges were green,
covered in grass and weeds. At several points along
the ridge were rows of lush pine trees.
We passed through this valley area by following a
25
Susu cave.
26
narrow footpath. Sometimes we had to climb steep
ridges sloped at 45 degree to 60 degree angles.
In some parts, we passed paths where there were
steep drops of 50 meters to 100 meters on either
side. “It is not recommended for climbers to pass
the Torean route at night. It is very dangerous,” said
Safriyudi.
Because it was time for lunch, and because we
were so tired from passing the valley, we took a long
break in Propok. Jamaludin prepared the cooking
gear. Musdiana went to collect some water. Amak
Herni gathered some dry twigs. Even though we
had brought along a gas stove and cooking set, the
porters preferred to cook with wood. “It makes the
food taste better,” Jamaludin said.
Propok was a rather broad flat area located at a
height of 1,511 meters, and it was full of pine trees,
grass and weeds. It also marked the confluence of
two large rivers. One river flowed with clear, potable
water. The other river, the Kokok Putih, contained
sulfur, as it starts at Lake Segara Anak. On one side
of the Kokok Putih was a natural hot spring. I soaked
in the hot water to rejuvenate myself.
The trip to Susu cave was easier. Sometimes the
climbing route over the mountain ridge reached
a 60-degree angle. It was even steeper in some
places, but we were generally able to pass without
much trouble. After about 90 minutes, we arrived at
the crossroads that led to Susu cave.
Before reaching Susu cave, we stopped at Taman
cave, only about 10 meters from the intersection.
How to
Get There
From Mataram,
board a public
minibus to
Senaru, North
Lombok, for
Rp25,000 to
Rp30,000.
Before reaching
Torean, obtain
a permit at the
Mount Rinjani
Climbing Post in
Senaru.
From Senaru,
the Torean
hamlet in Loloan
village, North
Lombok, can
be reached
by groups by
chartering a
village bus
for about
Rp200,000.
Individuals
can also take a
motorcycle taxi
for Rp50,000.
In total, the cost
to climb Mount
Rinjani via the
Torean route
is around Rp3
million.
White cloth hung at the entrance of this cave the
locals consider sacred. According to Amak Herni,
the cloth was to be worn by anyone entering Taman
cave.
Draped in white cloth, I stepped inside the cave
entrance, which was only about half-a-meter in
diameter. The room inside the cave was spacious,
about 3 by 3 meters, with a height of about two
meters. Inside there was a small pool of clear water,
which locals considered to be similar to the water of
the Zam-Zam well in Mecca.
From Taman cave, we walked to Susu cave, about
500 meters away. Entering Susu cave, which has a
natural hot spring, felt like stepping into a sauna. Hot
water dripped from stalactites. It was fun to steam
here that I almost did not realize when an hour had
passed.
At Susu cave I also met with dozens of local
residents who were soaking in the hot spring, which
they believed could cure various ailments. They were
willing to stay here for three to five days, sleeping in
tents. For them, the difficulty of the climb was a test.
“For me, this is a ritual. If not blessed by the Almighty,
I could not reach here,” said Ahmad, 25, from Jurit
village, Masbagik, East Lombok.
Ahmad, who had come with seven others from
his village, suffered from health problems like
gout and rheumatism. Cultural elders in his village
recommended that they soak in the hot spring at
Mount Rinjani. “Praise be to God, after two times my
mounta in
Senaru
01
02
Mount Rinjani
Climbing Route
via Torean
Sembalun
03
04
05
06
Mount Rinjani
Lake Segara Anak
01
06
Torean hamlet
(600 meters above sea level)
This is the last hamlet before
one reaches the foot of the
mountain. The ascent begins
here.
Lake Segara Anak (2,000
meters)
The Torean route ends at Lake
Segara Anak. This is where
the Torean route meets with
the two other Rinjani climbing
routes: Senaru and Sembalun.
02
Pancor Greneng post (900
meters)
This rest post is in the woods of
Mount Rinjani National Park.
There is a river and a source of
clear water here.
05
04
03
Plawangan Torean (1,200
meters)
The locals call this place the
entry point to Mount Rinjani
from Torean. In the local Sasak
language, plawangan means
door.
Propok post
(1,511 meters)
Located at the convergence of two rivers.
One river has clean, potable water. The
other, the Kokok Putih, which starts at
Lake Segara Anak, contains sulfur. There
is also a hot spring there. There is a large
expanse of flat land here along the river,
which can be used as a resting place or to
set up tents.
The Park Cave Complex (1,647 meters),
Segara Urung (1,713 meters), and Susu
Cave (1,756 meters)
Taman Cave contains a small pool of water
which locals consider miracle water.
Segara Urung is a hot spring, which can be
used for ritual bathing. The same is true
of the Susu Cave, which has a hot spring.
The cave feels like a sauna. Locals usually
come here for ritual bathings. They set up
tents and stay for three to five days.
27
28
Plawangan Camp, Sembalun
at Rinjani Mountain, Lombok,
West Nusa Tenggara.
mounta in
information center
Travel Agent
Lombok Independent
Tour & Travel
Gunung Kerinci Street,
Mataram, West Nusa
Tenggara
Phone: +62-364-23241
Satriavi Tour &
Travel
7 Pejanggik Street
Phone: +62-36421788/23423
Panorama Tour &
Travel
Catur Warga Street
Phone: +62-364-25679
Big Bubble
Adventures
Gili Trawangan West
Lombok
Phone: +62-370625020
e-mail: bigbubble@
mataram.wasantara.
net.id
website: http://www.
bigbubblediving.com
Manta Dive
Gili Trawangan, West
Lombok
Phone: +62-370643649
e-mail: [email protected]
website: http://www.
manta –dive.com
Firelli Tour &Travel,
Mataram, Mr. Didik
(+62-431-811119 &
+62812125254243),
e-mail: firelli-tour@
centrin.net.id
Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
29
tEMPO/Kink Kusuma Rein
Tourism Office
West Nusa Tenggara
Province Culture and
Tourism Board
70 Langko, Mataram,
west Nusa Tenggara
website: www.
visitlomboksumbawa.
net
e-mail: budpar_ntb@
yahoo.com
A Ritual Route
Climbers usually ascend Mount Rinjani via the Senaru
and Sembalun routes. The Torean route is more
trafficked by local residents who want to undergo a ritual
treatment by bathing in the hot springs in the area.
For Hindus, the Torean route is traversed during a
mulang pekelem procession, which is held at Lake Segara
Anak. This traditional ritual is usually held on the full
moon of the 10th month, around mid-October. For
nature lovers and climbers, the Torean route serves as
an evacuation route.
The Torean route, which is flanked by the peaks of
Mount Rinjani and Sangkareang, actually has much
more beautiful panoramic views than the Senaru and
Sembalun routes. In addition to the dense forest, one
can enjoy views of the valley, winding rivers, waterfalls
and even some hot springs, some of which are located
inside caves.
Lake Segara Anak.
30
gout was gone,” he said.
Tukiyang, a Central Lombok resident, also believed
in the healing power of the hot springs. The 59-yearold man once contracted malaria. He went to the
doctor, but his condition often worsened. “After I
underwent treatment by soaking in some hot springs
in Rinjani, my malaria disappeared,” said Tukiyang,
who this time had come to treat his rheumatism.
The special properties of the hot springs of Mount
Rinjani were part of a reputation that had been
passed down for generations. In a geological survey
of Lombok made by Van Heek in 1902, there was
mention of the famous hot springs of Mount Rinjani,
effective for healing various ailments.
The climb via the Torean route ends at Lake Segara
Anak at a height of about 2,000 meters above sea
level. This lake, which measures about 1,100 square
kilometers and has a depth of 230 meters, was
the meeting point of the Torean route with the two
other Mount Rinjani climbing routes: Sembalun and
Senaru.
We arrived at this lake, which is an ancient caldera
formed from a major eruption of Mount Samalas in
1257, just as the sun was starting to set towards the
west. Its golden light reflected off of the lake’s clear
water, shining on the sides of the mountain ridges.
After spending the night at the edge of Lake Segara
Anak, the next day we continued our journey to the
summit of Mount Rinjani, at 3,726 meters above sea
level, passing through Plawangan Sembalun. The
sun rose in the east as we reached the peak of this
second-highest volcano in Indonesia. l
When to Go
Porter
and Guide
Services
At Torean
hamlet, you
can hire porters
who double
as climbing
guides.
The price
ranges from
Rp150,000 to
Rp200,000 per
day.
Mount Rinjani is closed to climbers from January
to March. The best time to go by the Torean route is
between May and October. In these months the weather
is good and the wind is not too strong. The water level of
the (Kokok) Putih River, which this route passes, is also
not too high at that time.
Climbs are best made from morning to late afternoon.
It is not recommended to climb this route at night, as it
passes many steep ravines which drop off by 50 meters
to 100 meters.
Accommodations
At Torean hamlet, there is not even a hostel, let alone a
hotel. Climbers can stay at the home of Amak Herni—an
elder and cultural figure as well as a porter and senior
guide. At this home there are three beruga—a type of
gazebo—where climbers can sleep the night. Amak
Herni also has a stall which sells snacks, drinks and
logistical supplies for climbers.
Amak Herni has not set a standard rate. To stay at his
home, and for dinner and breakfast, our group (of five)
was charged Rp250,000-300,000.
mounta in
Inerie,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• PT Duta
Nusantara,
Sudirman Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-821240
• PT Floressa
Travel, 15
Mawar Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-832012
• PT Teddys
Travel, 1 Ikan
Tongkol Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-822422
Only very few people are willing to climb or
go for a run here, despite a moderate trekking
trail provided in the area, accessible for all.
“The best way to experience it is to hike from
Bampung Bena just after midnight. You will
reach the peak of the mountain just as the sun
begins to rise, and then head down to Aimere
Beach in the south. Total distance should be 28
kilometers,” remarked hiking guide Philipus.
At the peak of Inerie, according to local
myth, is where Flores’ gods of peace reside.
One of them is known as Jaramasi the knight
god, believed by many to live in a big rock in
the south of the mountain. A green, lush forest
stands at the top with a variety of endemic
plants and birds. The Inerie trek starts from
a Bena traditional village in Tiworiwu, Aimere
District, around 30 minutes by car from
Bajawa, the capital city of Ngada District, East
Nusa Tenggara. l
Tambora, Sumbawa
Inerie, East Nusa Tenggara
UNDER THE
WATCHFUL
EYES OF THE
GODS
“A
humble mountain”; this is what hikers
call Inerie, the tallest mountain in
Flores Island, implying how beautiful,
yet unpopular this mountain is. Its
peak, rising high 1,245 meters above
sea level, is a stratovolcano – standing
tall and proud, visible from any angle.
Tambora,
Sumbawa
• Lombok
Independent Tour
& Travel, Gunung
Kerinci Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-23242
• Arjuna Wisata
Lombok Tour
& Travel, 4-B
Alamanda Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-21044
• Satriavi Tour
& Travel, 17
Pejanggik Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-21788
• Firelli Tour &
Travel, Mataram,
Mr. Didik (+62431-811119,
+62812125254243),
email: firelli-tour@
centrin.net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Magic of
the largest
crater
S
tepping into the Tambora Mountain
will set your memories back to a
hundred years ago. In April 1815, the
rising volcano in Sumbawa, West Nusa
Tenggara, rocked the world with its
massive eruption.
There are many reports stating that
Tambora’s echoes at the time could be heard
all the way in Sumatra. Even more phenomenal,
following the eruption this mountain almost
lost its entire peak, reducing its overall height
to 2,851 meters. Thanks to the explosion,
Tambora now boasts a massive 7-kilometerwide crater with a circumference of 16
kilometers.
Surrounded by a desert filled with edelweiss,
the crater has now become Tambora’s main
appeal. Standing over the crater’s edge, the
view of Sumbawa’s crystal-clear blue ocean
stretching for miles is a sure treat to the eye. l
31
Binaiya, Maluku
up from
ground ZERO
T
32
he foot of Mount Binaiya in Seram Island, Maluku,
cascades to the edge of the ocean. It is safe to
say that to climb this 3,027-meter mountain, your
adventure literally starts from zero – as in zero
meter above the sea level.
Binaiya is the tallest mountain in the Maluku
Island, and is one of the tallest summits in
Indonesia. This mountain’s hiking trail is long, steep and
slippery. Forest dense with tall, big trees adds more
challenges to the adventure. To reach the top, you must
go through a rocky hill with sharp turns.
Once you reach the top, however, you will be exposed
to a massive land with the size of half a football field. Up
there, the chilly wind blows strongly.
Binaiya can be reached from Seram, which can be
accessed by ferry from Ambon. From Seram, the journey
continues by canoe to Piliana Beach – the starting point of
the hike; a newer, shorter route. From here, it will only take
you four to five days to the top, and another two to three
days to climb down. On the other hand, the old route via
Kanikeh will require you to spend a total of 14 days.
Beginner hikers are not recommended to try Binaiya as
it poses high danger and risks. The hiking adventure itself
requires you a local guide and porter. l
Jayawijaya via Sugapa, Papua
trail
towards THE
SNOW
T
he peak of Carstensz in Jayawijaya Mountains,
Papua – rising high at 4,884 meters above sea
level – is blanketed by snow all year. The highest
peak in Indonesia, the rocky mountain, which
is part of Maoke Mountains or the Sudirman
Cluster (Barisan Sudirman), is one of the
seven summits of the world, which include the
Binaiya,
Maluku
• Nanusa, 53 Rijali
Street, Ambon,
Phone: +62-911352593
• Pedoman
Pratama
Travel, 1-65 Dr.
Sutomo III Street,
Ambon, Phone:
+62-911-51703
• Tujuh Jaya
Travel Agent,
142-143 Kopra VI
Street, Ambon,
Phone: +62-91152342
Jayawijaya
via Sugapa,
Papua
• Limbunan Tours &
Travel, 68 Argapura
Raya Street,
Jayapura, Phone:
+62-967-35430,
35498
• Papua Adventure
Tour & Travel,
Mr. Gantang
(+6281344628586
& +62817364243),
email: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Leuser,
Aceh
• Atra Baru Tour &
Travel, 40 Mohd.
Jam Street,
Banda Aceh,
Phone:
+62-651-23651
• Tripa Wisata
Tour & Travel,
24 Mesjid Raya
Street, Banda
Aceh, Phone:
+62-651-21455
• Natrabu Tour &
Travel, Taman
Tepi Laut,
Lhoknga, Banda
Aceh Main Road,
Phone:
+62-651-32029
Himalayan Everest and the Andes’ Aconcagua.
There are three routes to get to Carstensz: through
Ilaga in Nabire district, Freeport in Timika, and Sugapa
in Intan Jaya district. Ilaga and Freeport are considered
the two most common routes, while Sugapa poses
more exciting yet dangerous landscape.
Hikers must walk on foot for seven whole days to
get to the base camp in Lembah Kuning (Yellow Valley).
Afterwards, you will need to climb an 800-meter granite
cliff to the top of Carstensz, which takes around 12 to
15 hours. l
Leuser, Aceh
HAVEN OF FLORA
and FAUNA
F
or many years, conservation experts have
referred Leuser Mountain as the natural
wonders of the rare. The place is home to
4,000 exquisite and extremely rare flora and
fauna species.
The gigantic Rafflesia Arnoldi and the
Amorphophallus titanium can be found in
mounta in
people to Latimojong; it is the view it offers. Try
climbing up this mountain and you will undoubtedly
be exposed to nature’s utmost beauty. Half an hour
before into reaching the peak – also known as the
7th Post – the view stretching out before your eyes
is simply breathtaking. As far as your sight allows
you, endless rows of lush, green forest will engulf
you, disappearing into swirls of orange fogs once the
afternoon sun sets in. l
Latimojong,
South
Sulawesi
• Alif Interbuana
Tours & Travel, 1
Martadinata Street,
Makassar, Phone:
+62-411-328122,
327922
Leuser. The forest is also the habitat of five major
mammals: elephants, tigers, rhinos, bears and
orangutans. There is no other natural ecosystem
that is home to so many mammals at the same time
like Leuser.
It is a no wonder that Leuser is often compared
to the Manu ecosystem in Amazon, Brazil, or Congo
in Zaire, Africa – it is equally rich in biodiversity. To
witness the paradise that is Leuser, you can sail
through the Alas River that parts Leuser in the middle,
or climb up its amazing mountain peak. l
Latimojong, South Sulawesi
A SLICE OF
HEAVEN
T
he Latimojong Mountains stretches as far as
three districts in South Sulawesi: Enrekang,
Palopo and Tana Toraja. Its highest summit is
the Rantemario Peak, located 3,478 meters
above sea level. Latimojong itself is one of the
seven tallest summits in Indonesia.
But it is not the impressive peak that draws
• Anta Express Tour
& Travel, 34-A Dr. W.
Sudirohusodo Street,
Makassar, Phone:
+62-411-321440
• Lintas Alam Tour &
Travel, 18 Sunu Blok
G Street, Makassar,
Phone:
+62-411-446765
Baturraden
Adventure
Forest,
Central
Java
• Haryono Tour
& Travel, 89 MH
Thamrin Street,
Semarang, Phone:
+62-24-8444000
• Panorama Tour
& Travel, HOS
Cokroaminoto Street,
Terminal Sisemut
Blok 41, Ungaran
Barat, Phone:
+62-24-6926329
• Dewanga Tour, 57
Sriwijaya Street,
Semarang. Phone:
+62-24-8451805
Baturraden Adventure Forest,
Central Java
BACK TO The
NATURE
B
aturraden for Jakarta citizens is similar to the
Puncak area. This land is located in the south
of the foot of Mount Slamet, which at 3,432
meters high is the second tallest volcano
in Java. But it is not the Baturraden tourism
spot that will become the main story here.
Ten minutes from there, lay a place called
Baturraden Adventure Forest (BAF). Built with a backto-nature concept, this place is located in the valley
of River Pelus between the Taurus and Telaga Sunyi
tourism objects.
Visitors will be treated to a wide array of exciting
adventures: water, canyon, forest trek and bike trek
adventures. A lodging designed with bamboo just like
the ones the Baduy Tribe lives in can accommodate
up to 100 people and is available at Rp 250,000 a
night.
In BAF, you can enjoy the serene view of pine trees
and a variety of forest plants stretching along the
50-hectare area. This establishment was built by the
collaboration of the University of Indonesia’s Nature
Club and the Indonesian State Forest Company
(Perhutani) four years ago. l
33
The Lakes of Matano, Mahalona and Towuti in South Sulawesi
Heaven in
the Hinterland
34
Photo: Nita Dian Afianti , Text: Kurniawan
Three pristine lakes in East Luwu, in a hidden area not easily accessible by
regular transportation, are connected to each other by two rivers. One
lake counts as one of the largest in Indonesia, while another, the deepest in
Southeast Asia. The breathtaking surrounding panoramas, and the clean air and
water have inspired many to describe it as ‘heaven’ in the hinterland of East Luwu.
la ke
35
Ide Beach, Lake Matano.
36
When to
Go There
Matano
Soroako l
Mahalona
Towuti
There are no special
calendar featuring
cultural events in this
place, so visits can
be made at anytime.
However, it is better
to go there during
the dry season, to be
able to sail around
the lakes. During
the rainy season, the
water level rises a few
meters higher, causing
big waves.
O
n a small wooden pier jutting out about 20
meters into the lake, a teenager dives into
the clear, calm water. Nearby, a man swims
between the two branches of the pier. In the
translucent water, a small school of opudi fish
can be seen—a small fish species endemic
to this lake—swimming lazily among the
pier’s supports.
The Torukuno Lela mountains are visible in the
distance. A bird resembling a stork, perhaps an
oriental darter (Anhinga melanogaster), commonly
found in this area, flies overhead. It targets the lake,
diving suddenly down on a shoal of fish, then darting
back up to perch on a tree branch. The shrieks of
monkeys come from those trees. There are still
many moor macaques (Macaca maura) here. The
sun slowly rises between the mountain peaks. That
morning, Lake Matano was as picture perfect as a
postcard.
I took a dive off the board. The water was cold, but
did not make me shiver. The water in Lake Matano
la ke
37
Towuti
Lakes in Triple
is so clear I could see the bottom. From
where I dived the lake’s floor was festooned
with brown water plants, and thousands
of fish swam by. Residents of Soroako call
this area the Ide Beach, even though this is
not a sea. A kilometer northwest there is
the Salonsa Beach, which has no pier and
wider shallows. These two tourist spots are
clean and well-maintained.
Lake Matano is located in the Nuha
District of the East Luwu Regency. Soroako
village, which is on the western side of the
lake, has grown into a well-planned modern
town, especially because most of it is
managed by Vale Indonesia (formerly Inco),
a nickel mining company which has been
operating since 1968. Vacation lodges
belonging to the company line up along the
lake’s shore, and include a golf course.
With a depth of approximately 590
meters, Lake Matano is the deepest lake in
Southeast Asia, and the eighth-deepest in
the world. This lake is connected by a river
to Lake Mahalona, and to Lake Towuti to the
south. Lake Towuti, which measures 561
square kilometers, is the second-largest
lake in Indonesia. These three lakes formed
as a result of tectonic activity millions of
years ago.
Soroako can be reached by air and land
from Makassar. I decided to fly there and
return by land. A day earlier in the city of
Makassar, I boarded a Fokker 50 plane
owned by Indonesia Air, which is rented out
by Vale. I sat in seat number 4F on this plane
with a 44-passenger capacity.
An hour later, the plane landed at
Soroako Airport, smack across from the
Soroako Bus Station, parked with buses
from Makassar and other places. As the
village has no public transportation, I
took a motorcycle taxi to the hotel facing
Matano,
Mahalona,
dan Towuti
are three
tectonic lakes
connected
by a river.
In 1979, the
government
made these
three lakes
and the
surrounding
forest as a
protected
forest area
and a nature
recreation
park.
Matano
Area: 164 km2
Depth: 590
meters
Deepest lake in
Southeast Asia,
and eighthdeepest in the
world.
Mahalona
Area: 24.4 km2
Depth: 73
meters
Towuti
Area: 561 km2
Depth: 203
meters
Secondlargest lake in
Indonesia after
Lake Toba
How to
Get There
A Fokker
50-plane,
owned by
Indonesia Air
and rented
out to mining
company Vale
Indonesia, flies
from Makassar
to Soroako.
Tickets for the
general public
are Rp1.2
million per
person. The
flight departs
at 12:30pm and
arrives an hour
later.
38
Lake Matano. I spent the rest of the day visiting the
picturesque Ide and Salonsa beaches.
Salonsa Beach is located near Ide Beach. It does
not have a pier, and is surrounded by grass. The
water at the shore doesn’t go very deep, and many
children could be seen at play there, swimming in
their birthday suits as their parents looked on.
The next day, a Tempo photographer and I visited
the Soroako pier. This pier near Soroako Market is
the main gateway to two villages across the lake:
Matano and Nuha, the capital of the Nuha District.
We rented a ketinting (motorized boat) to visit
some places around the lake. After negotiating,
Hendra, the boat owner, agreed to take us around
for Rp400,000 for the day. “There’s a foreign
researcher who rented a larger boat just before you,
for Rp1 million. They are still out there,” said Hendra,
pointing to a boat in the middle of the lake.
Hendra is a native of Matano, working at a
contractor company in Soroako. Deftly he pulled the
ketinting to the pier, so that we could get on board
and set sail. Our green boat with outriggers plied
Overland by
bus starts
at the Daya
bus station
in Makassar,
to Soroako.
Tickets
range from
Rp160,000220,000. The
overnight trip
takes about 13
hours.
close to the edge of the lake, affording me a good
view of the Ide and Salonsa beaches, as well as the
trademark houses of Vale—all-wood constructions
with no fences.
After about 20 minutes, the boat’s engine was
turned off and Hendra slowly pushed the boat up
to a rocky cliff covered with brush. At the bottom of
the ridge was a partially submerged hole. “That’s an
underwater cave. You can dive down and emerge in
the cave, or jump in the hole from above,” he said.
I took the second choice and jumped onto land.
Making my way through tree roots and branches, I
climbed the rocky cliff until I reached a flattish area
at the top. After standing up properly, I saw the hole,
about two armspans wide and surrounded by rocks
and soil. There were three places that appeared to be
where other people had trodden. I looked downwards
and there it was: a stretch of calm, sparkling green
water below. I estimated the well to be about 10-15
meters deep. After mustering up enough courage, I
finally jumped into the cave’s pool.
My feet had not yet touched bottom when water
la ke
transportation
There is
no public
transportation
here. Available
are only
motorcycle
taxis, which
charge
according
to distance,
starting at
Rp15,000.
If you want
to see Lake
Matano and
travel around
Soroako, you
can rent a car
for Rp300,000
a day.
pressure pushed me up again to the surface. I swam
to pool’s edge and grabbed on to some protruding
rocks on the cliff’s face. The cave was about half
the size of a badminton court. Most of the rocky
outcrops faced downwards. The water was crystal
clear, and the outline of large rocks on the bed could
clearly be seen from the surface. The green pool
of water was illuminated by sunlight from the hole
above and from the alcove facing the lake. This really
was a secret cave. Its beauty could only be enjoyed
by those who dared enter it.
There are several caves around the lake, but
Hendra did not allow us to try and see them all.
“Some of them are dangerous because snakes
and crocodiles nest there,” he said. Crocodiles and
snakes can indeed be found around Lake Matano.
Yet, according to locals, the crocodiles here are
more ‘friendly’ compared to those at Lake Towuti,
where they sometimes attack people.
A few minutes after leaving the underwater cave,
we arrived at another one. This time we had to climb
a steeper cliff. This cave, like caves in general, was
dry and rocky. It was not very large, but there were
The trip from
Lake Towuti in
Wasuponda,
is about 30
minutes from
Soroako;
To Lake
Mahalona
it's about an
hour from
Wasuponda.
These can be
reached by
renting a car,
starting from
Rp400,000.
To travel
around on the
lake, you can
rent a katinting
(motorized
boat) at rates
starting from
Rp200,000.
some bones strewn about. Locals call it the Skull
Cave because in the old days, human bones could be
found believed to have come from pre-Islamic times.
There were still many other interesting places,
such as Kucing Island, a small cluster of rocks with
two large mango trees, and the Dingin Stream, a cold
stream of water until it joins up with the warm waters
of the lake. In Mahalona, less than an hour from the
Soroako pier, we can bathe our faces at the BoraBora Springs, located just a few steps from lake’s
edge with air bubbles emanating from it.
This village was the forerunner of the Luwu
Kingdom, and is the producer of the best iron in
Indonesia. According to research by the Australian
National University, the village has been inhabited
since 2,000 years ago, and its soil is riddled with
iron ore. It is believed that this is the source of ‘the
prestige of Luwu’, the unique composite found in
keris daggers from Luwu, famed since Majapahit
kingdom times.
Researchers estimate that a major iron
processing center emerged in Matano in the 15th
and 16th centuries. According to Dewi, a village elder
and former fighter of the Darul Islam led by Kahar
Muzakkar, there used to live here 40 blacksmiths
adept in the arts of weapons and cannon-making.
“The cannons were very large, up to two meters
long,” said the 98-year-old man. However, when the
Dutch came, said Dewi, the blacksmith sites and
weapons were seized. The people were banned from
processing iron ore. “Since then, that generation
didn’t dare make any more weapons, and so the skill
died out,” said Dewi. Residents of the village resorted
to simply cultivate cocoa and pepper— which they
do to this day.
The water in Lake Matano flows to Lake Mahalona
through the Petea River, and continues on to Lake
Towuti after passing Lake Tominanga. Lake Towuti is
the second-largest lake in Indonesia, after Lake Toba
in North Sumatra.
Unfortunately, the lake has not been turned into a
tourist destination, currently being only surrounded
by forest and the shacks of local residents. In fact,
the water’s edge is so packed with local huts, there’s
simply no room for visitors to enjoy the lake.
I decided to visit Lake Mahalona. However, it turned
out not many people knew how to get there. After
asking around, we finally got directions, being told
to first head for Towuti, about an hour from Soroako.
“You want to go to Kampung Baru, right? Just go
straight ahead in that direction,” said a local near a
boat dock in Tolu village on the shore of Lake Towuti,
pointing due north.
Marsec, the driver of the car we took, phoned a
friend who had been to Lake Mahalona. “My friend
said if it rains, the road is unusable,” said Marsec,
turning the car towards Timampu village, then going
39
40
information center
Tourism Office
South Sulawesi
Province Culture
and Tourism Board
Gedung Mulo, 23
Jend. Sudirman
Street, Makassar,
South Sulawesi
www.
celebestourism.
com, www.phinisi.
com, www.sulsel.
go.id
e-mail: disbudpar_
sulsel@telkom.
net, disbudpar.
provsulsel@gmail.
com
South Sulawesi
Phone: +62-411328122, 327922
Fax: +62-411323609
e-mail: aliftour@
indosat.net.id
Travel Agent
Anta Express
Tours & Travel
34A Dr. W.
Sudirohusodo
Street, Makassar,
South Sulawesi
Phone: + 62-411321440
Fax: +62-411313910
e-mail: antaupg@
antatour.co.id
Alif Interbuana
Tours & Travel
Marthadinata No.
1 Street,Makassar,
Panorama Travel
Indonesia
F3/9 Citra Sudiang
Indah Street
Makassar, South
Sulawesi
Phone: +62-411550340
Fax.: +62-411552387
Contact: Mr.
Yakobus Amba
Lembang
e-mail: info@
panoramaindonesia.com
Ramayana Tours &
Travel
27 Boulevard Blok F
Street Panakukang
Mas, South
Sulawesi
Phone: +62-411441552
Fax.: +62-411447358
e-mail: nicorstt@
indosat.net.id
la ke
Matano Lake, East Luwu,
South Sulawesi
TEMPO/ Tommy Satria
41
42
la ke
Hotels
and
Cuisine
There are
some small,
comfortable
hotels in
Soroako. One
of them is
located right
on the edge of
Lake Matano.
Room prices
vary, starting
at Rp350,000.
Small eateries
and outdoor
stalls at
Soroako
market offer a
variety of food.
The famous
dish here is
kapurung, sago
porridge in fish
broth. Most of
these eateries
open in the
morning.
off the paved road onto the wider dirt track.
This road was literally clay and stone, and would
clearly turn into a mud pit if a heavy rain should fall.
The road took a steep ascent with forest on either
side.
We were practically the only ones on the road
for a good whole hour, before we finally reached a
concrete bridge with a village on the other side.
Tolu is the first of a series of five villages, with
Mahalona being the main village, located farthest
away. Most residents grow pepper. Erwin, a boat
owner, took us down the Tominanga River to Lake
Mahalona.
About 10 minutes later we reached the river’s
mouth. Lake Mahalona, the smallest of the three
lakes in East Luwu, lay glittering in front of us. We
docked on a wide expanse of stony flat ground. “The
water level has been low for five months. At high tide,
the water can reach waist-height,” said Erwin. Signs
of the height of the water level could be seen on the
surrounding tree trunks.
The lake is a clear blue, with overgrowth of brush
and mangroves at the water’s edge. The surface is
very calm, making it great for drifting on skiffs. Erwin
said the villagers love to picnic out here during the
low tide season.
Not far from where we were, we saw a rundown
shack.“The villagers once tried to grow rice, but
failed. Nearing harvest times, the water rises and
destroys the crops,” he said.
The lakes in East Luwu are still in their natural state,
and not many people know about them. The location
is remote and it’s difficult to find transportation.
Still, these hidden gems could be attractive to the
adventurous tourist who loves going off the beaten
track and wanting to see some of the lesser-known
secluded spots of the Indonesian archipelago. l
Banking and Internet Services
There are branches of
the BRI and Mandiri
banks there. However,
it is a good idea to
carry enough money,
as all transactions
are done in cash,
including payment for
accomodation.
The Telkomsel internet
and GSM network is
available.
43
Sentani,
Papua
• Limbunan Tours
& Travel, 68
Argapura Raya
Street, Jayapura,
Phone: +62-96735430, 35498
• Duta Baliem
Travel, 17 Nindya
Street, Jayapura,
Phone:
+62-967-33583
• Advindo Tours
& Travel, 22
Ahmad Yani Street,
Jayapura, Phone:
+62-967-31403
Sentani, Papua
44
PEACE BE
WITH US
H
aving a vacation in the land of Papua will not
becomplete without a visit to Lake Sentani.
Visitors can already see the mesmerizing
beauty from the air upon landing on
Jayapura’s Sentani Airport. Crystal blue
waters surrounded by hills – you won’t be
able to take your eyes off the view.
Sentani means “Here We Live in Peace”. The name
was given by B.L. Bin when he was on a missionary
task in 1898. Then during the Second World War,
the lake area was home to General MacArthur’s
military base. A memorial monument built on Mount
Iftar immortalizes the United States’ presence in the
island.
Lake Sentani is situated 75 meters above sea
level, nestling at the foot of the Cycloops Mountains
Nature Preserve.Stretching 30 kilometers between
the city of Jayapura and Sentani, Jayapura Regency’s
capital, Lake Sentani is the biggest lake in Papua.
It is not difficult to reach Lake Sentani. From
Sentani Airport, it can be accessed by land for less
than half an hour. Public transportation, including
motorcycle taxis (ojek),are available if private vehicle
is absent.
When visiting in June, you are advised to witness
the Lake Sentani Festival. Lasting for five days, the
Festival is a local grand celebration featuring Papua’s
arts, dances, traditional ceremonies and signature
dishes. l
• Papua Adventure
Tour & Travel,
Mr. Gantang
(+6281344628586
& +62817364243),
email: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
• Honey Tour, Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Larson,
Papua
• Advindo Tours &
Travel, 22 Ahmad
Yani Street,
Jayapura, Phone:
+62-967-31403
• Bowa Makmur
Travel, 20
Percetakan
Street, Jayapura,
Phone:
+62-967-31626
• Duta Baliem
Travel, 17 Nindya
Street, Jayapura,
Phone:
+62-967-33583
• Papua Adventure
Tour & Travel,
Mr. Gantang
(+6281344628586
& +62817364243),
email: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
• Honey Tour, Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Larson, Papua
COLORS OF
THE GROUSE
L
ocated on the hiking trail towards Carstensz’s
peak, Lake Larson is surrounded by a vast
prairie. Rows of the Jayawijaya Mountains are
visible from here.
On the lake grouses swim around before
takingflight. “The colors are black, brown
and white,” said 26-year-old Xaverius Frans,
an activist from Parahyangan University’s Mahitala
Nature Lovers’ Club, who visited the lake in 2012.
The best time to enjoy the beauty of Larson is from
sunrise until 10 a.m., because thereafter fog will
descend, engulfing the lake.
The lake can be reached from Nabire or Timika,
continued via a connecting flight to Sugapa. From
here, it takes a four-day walk to get to Larson. Two
other entries, Ilaga and Beoga, are available. Not
far from the lake, there is a place where hikers
gatherbefore continuing their journey to Cartensz’s
peak. l
Depati Empat, Jambi
WHERE THE
TIGERS ROAR
N
estling at 1,175 meters above sea level, the
lake is located in the Kerinci Seblat National
Park in Merangin Regency, Jambi. Though
Depati Empat is located within utilization
zone – meaning it can be used for tourism
development purposes – access to the lake
is categorized under “forest zone”.
Since it is not easy to reach, local villagers are the
only other people who often go there to fish besides
student activists according to Dian Risdianto, head of
Kerinci Seblat National Park Region II’s management.
The 217-hectare lake is surrounded by two hills:
Pandan Tua and Pandan Bungsu. Standing by
the lake, we can enjoy the magnificence of three
mountains at a time: Mount Sumbing, Nilo and
Masurai. Depati Empatis not the only lake in Jangkat.
la ke
Depati
Empat,
Jambi
• Jambora
Kencana, Gatot
Subroto Street,
Jambi, Phone:
+62-741-23926
• Mayang Tour &
Travel, 7 Hayam
Wuruk Street,
Jambi, Phone:
+62-741-25450
• Aquavita Jaya,
88 Veteran
Street, Jambi,
Phone: +62-74123637
45
Weekuri,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• PT Duta
Nusantara,
Sudirman Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-821240
• PT Floressa
Travel, 15 Mawar
Street, Kupang,
Phone: +62-380832012
• PT Teddys
Travel, 1 Ikan
Tongkol Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-822422
Three other lakes include Lake Pauh, Tinggi and
Kecik. Sumatran tigers are still roaming the area.
Dian’s team has found the animals’ footprints in
September 2013.
To reach Depati Empat, take a land transportation
from Jambi to Bangko, the capital of Merangin. Then
continue the journey to the Pulau Tengah Village in
Jangkat. This route takes approximately eight hours.
Walk five more hours through the forest to reach
Depati Empat. l
Weekuri, East Nusa Tenggara
HIDDEN
PRIMADONNA
T
heroaring machine of the jeep that took me
from Tambolaka, capital of the Southwest
Sumba Regency, died right on a steep cliff.
Sudden silence crept in; I barely heard anything.
As I stepped out of the car, however, I faintly
heard waves crashing the back of a towering
rock. For a moment, I thought the waves were
that of the Indian Ocean in the south of Sumba. I
walked to the edge of the cliff, where I was taken by
surprise: A crystal clear lake stretched before my
eyes. “Welcome to the hidden Lake Weekuri,” said
Paulus, the local guide who took me around Sumba.
Located in the North Kodi region, 60 kilometers
apart from Waitabula, Lake Weekuri is actually a
lagoon, sea water “trapped” by land. The lake is
Southwest Sumba’s tourism prima donna.
To reach the lake from Tambolaka Airport, there are
two transportation options: motorcycle taxis (ojek)
and cars. The car rental costs Rp 300,000, while ojek
costs Rp 100,000. The terrain on the way to this place
is uneven and filled with gravels and rocks. l
Gunung
Tujuh,
Jambi
• Aquavita Jaya,
88 Veteran
Street, Jambi,
Phone: +62-74123637
• Siwoon Travel
Ltd., 112 Damar
Street, Jambi,
Phone: +62-74121184
• Jambora
Kencana, Gatot
Subroto Street,
Jambi, Phone:
+62-741-23926
Hebema,
Papua
46
GunungTujuh, Jambi
HOME OF GODS
AND DRAGONS
L
ake GunungTujuh – Lake Seven Mountains –
is almost two kilometers above sea level. It is
located at the heart of KerinciSeblat National
Park in KayuAro region, Kerinci Regency,
Jambi.
The hike to Lake GunungTujuh may start from
the hiking post in Pelompek Village, Karo Ayu,
where two routes are available: down the river or up
the mountain. The former takes around three hours;
the latter four.Tempo chose the latter trail.
The path could get slippery on rainy days. Tall
trees frame both sides of the path, where birds chirp
and gibbons cry. The 3,805-meter Mount Kerinci, the
highest volcano in Sumatra, can be seen from the
lake.
• Papua Adventure
Tour & Travel,
Mr. Gantang
(+6281344628586
& +62817364243),
email: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.com
• Honey Tour, Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
• Limbunan Tours
& Travel, 68
Argapura Raya
Street, Jayapura,
Phone: +62-96735430, 35498
• Duta Baliem
Travel, 17 Nindya
Street, Jayapura,
Phone: +62-96733583
• Advindo Tours
& Travel, 22
Ahmad Yani Street,
Jayapura, Phone:
+62-967-31403
Also called Lake of theGods, legend has it that the
lake is guarded by two magical powers: LbeiSakti
and Saleh Sri Menanti. Others say that this calm, blue
water is home to a pair of dragons.
True to its name, the lake is surrounded by seven mountains: Mount Hulu Jujuhan (2,732 meters),
Mount Hulu TeboKanan (2,525 meters), Mount Terpanggang (2,469 meters), Mount ManduraiBesi
(2,431 meters), Mount Hulu Sangir (2,330 meters),
Mount Tujuhan (2,325 meters) and Mount Silasi
(2,310 meters).
Since Lake GunungTujuh is located on a high plateau, temperature is low. During the day, it reaches
16-17 degrees Celsius, while at night it drops to 1011 degrees Celsius. l
Habema, Papua
REFUGE OF
THE NEARLY
EXTINCT
L
ake Habema is at the center of Papua’s
Lorentz National Park, nestling at the foot
of Mount Trikora, 3,225 meters above sea
level. The DanicTribe refers to it as Yuginopa.
Habema is commonly visited by hikers on
their way to conquerthe peaks of Jayawijaya
and Carztensz.
The name Habema was taken from the name of
a Dutch officer, who guarded the 1909 expedition
aimed to reach Wilhelmina Peak (now called Trikora Peak). The expedition that was led by H. A. Lorentz ended tragically. Four people died and Lorentz had his ribs broken due to a fall.
The area around the 224-hectare lake is
home to the birds of paradise, tree kangaroos,
wild ducks and snow quails; all are near extinction. The water of Lake Habema is so clear that
the smooth yellowish sands at the bottom of the
lake is visible. Around Habema, Papua’s signature
plants like palm fronds, sage trees and black orchids grow.
The lake,which is 48 kilometers from Wamena
City, can be reached bycars in four hours,before
continuing on foot.
One of Indonesia’s highest lakes, Habema’s temperature can drop as low as 3 degrees Celsius. l
la ke
47
The Lakes of Matano
Ratenggaro Village, Southwest Sumba
Conserving
Local Customs
Photo: Gunawan Wicaksono, Text: Sandy Indra Pratama
48
t ra dit iona l villa ge
49
Although they don’t always wear their traditional garb, the residents
of Ratenggaro village live their customs in every sense of the word.
Rituals are not done out of a sense of duty, but as a spiritual belief to
honor ancestors. Everything handed from these ancestors is sacred,
including every piece of land around them.
Ratenggaro Village
Sumba Island
[1]
50
I
t is late afternoon in a village protected from
the ravages of the Indian Ocean by a coral
trench. Waves roll in on the narrow, white sand
beach, and the wind is cold and piercing. The
sound of gongs and drums could be heard in
the air.
Located at the mouth of the Waiha river,
the village is Ratenggaro, 56 kilometers from
Tambolaka, the capital of Southwest Sumba district.
However, it comes under the administration of the
Kodi Bangedo subdistrict. Rate means graveyard
and Nggaro or Gaura, according to legend, is the
name of the first person who ever lived there. Early
last month, photographer Gunawan Wicaksono
and I went to visit Ratenggaro, known for its strict
adherence to local customs and traditions.
When we got to the village, shouts—which we
were told later were hoots of joy—could be heard,
bewildered us. Suddenly, a machete-wielding
man appeared, unnerving us. But the man, named
Thomas, was all smiles, despite his fierce tone of
voice. As if properly cued, the sound of the drums
and gongs, came to a halt. Thomas presents us with
the machete, as if symbolizing a welcome. “Please
accept this,” he said, before turning around to head
back in the direction of a house.
Gunawan and I looked each other, confused and not
a little fearful of what all the gestures meant. One of us
had to accept the offering. Gunawan cleverly pretended
to adjust his camera, indicating the privilege was to be
mine. I nervously and tentatively took it in my hands.
Our nervousness was based on stories we
had heard about Ratenggaro, a village known for
its war victories. A home for heroes. According
to its historical background, Ratenggaro stood
undefeated in duels and wars between tribes, during
a time when Sumba still waged wars.
I stood, clutching the machete tightly. Then
Thomas returned, with his hands behind his back. In a
01
02
Activities in
Ratenggaro.
03
A tombstone
swift and surprise move, he showed us what he held.
“And now, cut the chicken quickly, before night
comes; by then it will be hard to see because
there’s no electricity here,” Thomas said, laughing.
As the entire village breaks in laughter, the tension
enveloping Gunawan and I, recedes. The machete,
it turns out, is to slaughter the chicken that will be
our dinner. Gunawan, too, despite his efforts, cannot
escape having to slaughter a chicken as well.
Slaughtering the chicken cannot be delegated,
because our intention and our future movements
will be ‘read’ from parts of the chicken that we
slaughtered. The reading is usually done by the
priests of Marapu, the faith of some Sumba people
which glorifies ancestors. In addition to chicken, pork
liver can also be used. Fortunately, the chicken that
we slaughtered does not show excessive bleeding or
twisted intestines. From this, they concluded that we
came to the village with good intentions.
The chicken was grilled without any seasoning,
feathers and all, and then served. In the dim candle
light and with the faint sound of waves hitting the
reef in the background, we all get down to eat the
meal together. “The slaughtering and burning of
chicken as well as the dinner are a small welcoming
ceremony from us, to the two brothers who came
all the way from Java. Hopefully, they will bring good
to all of us,” said Damianus Ndara Tanggu Lora, the
Bapak Desa or village chief.
As night fell, the villagers excused themselves to
go home. We, too, began to feel tired and sleepy.
As the lights were being turned off, Gunawan and I
stretched out and laid down on a mat with a sheet
to cover ourselves with. Before nodding off, my last
thought was about the incredibly cold wind that no
longer seemed to affect me.
I felt enveloped in the warmth of a family.
The roosters woke us up at dawn. This time, we felt
t ra dit iona l villa ge
[2]
[3]
the chill of the cold wind. Gunawan and I slowly left
the tower house—the term used for the traditional
houses in Sumba which stands on stilts with a roof
forming high towers—where we stayed the night.
Not long after, the rising sun shed its warm rays on
the roof, made of dried reeds, blanketing it with an
eerie golden light. It was majestic.
The tower on the Ratenggaro traditional homes,
according to Ndara—Bapak Desa’s nickname—
is the highest among other traditional homes
throughout Sumba Island, reaching as high as 20
meters. “The towers, in addition to being status
symbols, also imply that there is a higher being,
higher than humans, higher than even the houses,”
said Ndara, a father of three children.
Ratenggaro was nearly razed to the ground by
fire three times. The first incident took place before
1964, during a competition between the villages.
Ndara did not want to speculate as to who started it.
Based on stories passed down through generations,
arrow flames were shot from outside the village to
burn down all houses in Ratenggaro. The second fire
occurred in 1964. One night, when the residents were
busy attending a celebration, the entire village went up
in flames. “Everyone fled, because of the 28 homes in
the village, none was left standing,” he said. The third
fire happened 40 years later, in 2004. When only half
of the village had been rebuilt, once again the houses
were consumed by fire. Only 13 of the traditional
homes remain, two of them under construction.
Building a traditional house, Ndara explained, is
not easy. There are traditional lines that must not
be crossed. Locals believe the work must not only
involve people on earth, it also must have blessing of
the spiritual world, specifically the ancestors. “The
first ritual will tell us whether or not our ancestors
approve of our intention to build a house,” said 43year old Ndara. If the signs appear to be positive,
“Subsequent ceremonies will be performed
Useful
Tips
» Wear casual
but decent
clothing, as the
weather gets
hot.
» Wear strongsoled shoes;
otherwise,
sharp rocks
will rip them
apart.
» Bring small
denomination
money in case
the service
providers don’t
have change.
» Comply
with all the
traditional
customs of the
village; nearly
all of them are
unwritten. A
single misstep
can have
repercussions
such as a
traditional
penalty.
» To contribute
to the local
economy,
buy souvenirs
typical of the
traditional
village.
throughout the duration of the construction.”
In 2011, the main house at Ratenggaro, which
they call the Uma (house in Sumba dialect) Katoda
Kataku—a house symbolizing the father or the
elder—was built. Everyone in the village, more than
600 of them, pitched in. They donated money and
food, as well as helped install the four main pillars
and the towers, until they stood erect.
“Soon we will build an Uma Kapepe, a house for
meetings and deliberations,” he said.
In Ratenggaro, some of the houses have earned
a special respect, without belittling the importance
of the other houses. There are Uma Kalama—which
symbolizes the mother, and Uma Katoda Kuri and
Uma Katoda Amahu—which symbolizes the house
of the siblings and the parents. Their positions
represent the four directions of the compass
and face each other. Uma Katoda Kataku is at the
southern part of the village facing north. In front of
it is Uma Kalama, facing south. Uma Katoda Kuri is
located in the east facing west, face to face with Uma
Katoda Amahu.
There is a reason for the different positions. Uma
Katoda Kataku, for example, as the home for the
founder of the village, must be at the southernmost
facing north, to remind them that their ancestors
came from the north. Houses that receive special
respect, must have the main poles adorned with
bracelets or rings.
“The positions and the number of the houses
have not changed since the days of our ancestors,
hundreds of years ago. Each position has its own
seals,” he said. Their ancestors came from the north,
from the mainland. Therefore, despite being on
the coast, none of the residents of Ratenggaro are
fishermen. It is not their tradition to go to sea. They
are mountain people who are trapped on the shore.
The material for their houses also follow customs.
The main pole must be made of kadimbil (iron) wood.
51
Kadu Uma
Wood carvings on top of the house,
a symbol that parents are above
everything else.
Uma katoda kataku
Reed
Roof covers are changed every five
to 10 years.
Witi Karimibyo
Eight bamboo poles supporting the tower,
likened to legs of water buffalo.
Gelang/Lele
Placed as a high social status on top of the four main
pillars. It prevents rodents from getting in the barn.
Peda/Lumbung
Barn.
Bale-bale Kebijaksanaan
A space where parents
counsel their children.
Kitchen and
fireplace
52
Sleeping room
for men
Entrance for women
Women enter the house
from the back.
Entrance for
men
The front door is
only for men
Pongga Kertanda Limbioro
A pole that symbolises the
family’s protector.
Pongga Kataku
The main pillar and the first erected
during a construction. In the past,
villagers placed the pole over the skulls
of their war opponents.
Rain stone
A stone monument
believed to be able to
bring rain.
Village seal
Traditional village seal
characteristic of the area
A
Pongga Panginjetong
The second pillar, symbol of the mother.
Pongga Kertanda Handoka
A pole that symbolises the family’s
protector.
A
B
C
2
X3
B
3
C
D
5
X1 X2
1
1
4
2
D
3
Batu Katoda
A stone monument believed to have the power to
bring victory in war.
4
5
Entrance to the Ratenggaro
traditional village.
Natar, the square where all
traditional ceremonies and village
meetings are held.
Makam Gaura, Ratenggaro’s first
settler.
Makam Maya, Gaura’s wife.
Houses’ positions:
Uma Katoda Kataku
Village’s primary house,
representing father.
Uma Kalama
Secondary house, representing
mother.
Uma Katoda Kuri
A house representing family
supporters (father and mother).
Uma Katoda Amahu
A house representing family
supporters (father and mother).
Uma Kapepe
A special house of deliberations.
t ra dit iona l villa ge
When is the Best Time
to go?
The Pasola ceremony is a big
event for the people of Sumba. In
February, Pasola is held at Lamboya
and Kodi. In March, it is held in
How to Get There
and How Much
To reach Southwest Sumba, passengers
from Jakarta will land on Tambolaka
airport, after transiting and changing
to a propeller aircraft in Denpasar. The
return flight follows a similar route.
Airline ticket prices vary, with the most
expensive two-way ticket costing Rp3
million.
The Kampung Adat Ratenggaro is 56
kilometers from Tambolaka—capital
of Southwest Sumba District.
To get there, rent a car for the entire
day (Rp500,000), ride a motorcycle
taxi (Rp200,000-250,000), or take
a bemo or an oto (Rp10,000). Oto is
the Sumba term for minibuses used
for public transport. For more local
flavor, take the market transport,
which sometimes carries livestock,
vegetables and other basic items. And
then stop in Bondo Kodi subdistrict,
ride a motorcycle to Ratenggaro
(Rp20,000).
information center
Tourism Office
East Nusa Tenggara Province
Culture and Tourism Board
72 El Tari Main Road 2nd,
Kupang-East Nusa Tenggara
e-mail:
[email protected]
website: www.govisitntt.com
Firelli Tour &Travel,
Mataram,
Mr. Didik (+62-431-811119
& +62812125254243), e-mail:
[email protected]
Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777), Zikri
(+6281802156188), Herdi
(+6281995194009)
53
[2]
54
[1]
The roof must be of dried reeds, bamboo, kahi
kara— local plant—and rattan, which they use for
binding. In other words, their homes do not contain
metal elements, such as nails or tin roofs.
Ndara’s information was confirmed by Pastor Robert
Ramone C.Ss.R, one of the few students of Sumbanese
culture. In fact, according to the pastor, in Marapu, the
main poles of Uma Katoda Kataku should actually stand
on human skulls. Usually, the skulls belong to enemies
they defeated in battle. “But this custom is no longer
practiced today,” said 51-year-old Pastor Ramone.
A
Pproaching noon, the sun begins to burn
on the skin. Another village elder, Rangga
Kamereh, took us around to look at another
sacred place in the village covering an area
of about one hectare. “The stones scattered
here are no ordinary stones. This is a
cemetery. We take care of them because all
our ancestors have a role in our traditions and history,”
said 50-year-old Rangga, who works as a civil servant.
He explained there were six sacred spots in the
village. In addition to the tombs of the two founders
of Ratenggaro—Gaura and his wife, Mamba—there
are four other monuments glorifying them. The first
[3]
01
A tombstone.
02
A water buffalo in a
river delta.
03
Reading people’s
intention from
parts of chicken.
monument is the traditional village seal, characteristic
of the area. Another is Katoda—a stone that is believed
to have the power to bring victory in war. The two
stones are located in front of Uma Katoda. The third
monument is the tomb of Ambu Lere Loha, who is
believed to have the power of thunder and lightning.
The last monument is the tomb dedicated to bring rain.
Architect M. Resha Khambali, who lived for three
months in Ratenggaro in 2011, testified that the
power of the stone and the tomb was indeed real.
“Once construction was almost complete, they held a
ceremony asking for rain, and sure enough, it rained
although earlier the weather was hot and dry,” he said.
The tombstones in Ratenggaro were not built by
using cement, but by arranging the stones in a certain
way. This certainly could not have been easy. “The
menhirs weighing tens of tons were dragged by many
people,” he said.
As day’s end approaches, we prepare to return
home. Motorcycles stood ready. We shake hands with
the villagers, one by one. They accompany us to the
village entrance. A distance away, I look back from
my motorcycle. The tops of the towers in Ratenggaro
stood tall and proud, like its people who refuse to forget
their roots, honoring their elders. l
t ra dit iona l villa ge
Siberut
Island,
West
Sumatera
55
• Eka Sukma
Wisata, 21 Juanda
Street, Padang,
Phone: +62-75131670
• Nitour Inc., 10
Hiligoo Street,
Padang, Phone:
+62-751-38008
• Tunas Indonesia,
86-B Pondok
Street, Padang,
Phone:
+62-751-32806
• Ermi Tour &
Travel, Padang,
Ms. Nur
(+6281347841052),
Mr. Edy
(+6285263308618),
Ms. Suci
(+6281298933383),
email: ermitours@
yahoo.com, info@
ermitours.com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Siberut Island, West Sumatera
HARMONY IN
THE UMA
M
entawai Islands is the only regency
in West Sumatra whose tradition
and culture are not of Minang. To get
there, you can use a wooden boat
from Bungus and Muara Baru ports,
Padang to Maileppet Port, Siberut
Island, which will take about 10 to 12
hours; or use a speedboat, which will take around
five hours. To delve into the lives of the tribe on
Siberut Island and to surf 6-meter-high waves are
some of the tourists’ reasons of visit.
The Mentawai Tribe lives in traditional houses
called uma. The natives of the tribe can be found
in Madobag Village and Butui Village in South
Siberut District. The villages can be reached by
pompong (wooden boat), four hours up the river
stream from Muara Siberut.
Madobag Village has several umas; but, if
you wish to know more about the tribe’s way
of life, you will have to walk for a few hours to
Butui Village, where the path is muddy. If the
river water is high enough, however, we can use
boat instead. At Butui Village, sikirei – the tribe’s
shaman and leader of traditional ceremonies –
and his family live in harmony with nature. Each
uma is occupied by five families. Inside the uma
they gather, conduct ceremonies and practice
medicine. l
56
t ra dit iona l villa ge
Handcraft made by Ratenggaro Customary
Traditional Village’s people at Umbu Ngedo Village,
District Kodi Bangendo, Southwest Sumba Regency,
East Nusa Tenggara
TEMPO/Gunawan Wicaksono
57
Bayan
Traditional
Village,
West Nusa
Tenggara
• Bidy Tour &
Travel, 17
Ragigenep Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-22127
• Sasak Lombok
Tour & Travel,
7 Subak Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-21796
• Arjuna Wisata
Lombok Tour
& Travel, 4-B
Alamanda Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-21044
Bayan Traditional Village,
West Nusa Tenggara
58
GUARDIANS OF
THE FORESTS
T
he Bayan Tribe of North Lombok, West
Nusa Tenggara – about 75 kilometers from
Mataram – possesses wisdom that dates
back centuries, especially when it comes
to preserving their culture and surrounding
nature. This is proven by the fact that their
houses, mosques, traditional ceremonies –
their way of life – have not really changed even today.
Take their traditional house for example. The roof
is made of sago palm leaves, the wall bamboo and
the floor soil. It has only one door – which only faces
either west or east – and no window or partition. Each
house has beruga sekenem, some kind of gazebo
with six posts. Then there is the Bayan Beleq, an old
mosque. Built in the 14th century, the architecture is
still preserved. The mosque was built from bamboos
and suren wood without any use of nails. Like the
house, it has no flooring and only uses torch as the
source of light.
It is in the Bayan people’s custom to preserve the
nature. Six indigenous forests spread across three
districts, and each of these forests is guarded by a
forest keeper. A set of traditional rules called awiqawiq protect the forests. One of the rules states
• Firelli Tour &
Travel, Mataram,
Mr. Didik (+62431-811119,
+62812125254243),
email: firelli-tour@
centrin.net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Bena
Traditional
Village,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• PT Pitoby Travel,
136 Sudirman
Street, Phone:
+62-380-832700
• PT Duta
Nusantara,
Sudirman Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-821240
• PT Floressa
Travel, 15 Mawar
Street, Kupang,
Phone: +62-380832012
• PT Teddys
Travel, 1 Ikan
Tongkol Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-822422
that whoever damages the forests, in any such way
as cutting down a tree, will be fined a buffalo, 100
kilograms of rice and 244 chips of old money. l
Bena Traditional Village,
East Nusa Tenggara
CENTURIES-OLD
STONE HOUSES
I
n Bena, East Nusa Tenggara, 1,200-year stone
houses with thatched roof still stands tall. “The
roof is the only part that needs changing every
30 years,” said 82-year-old Moses Seba, a
Bena resident. Various village ornaments made
of stone still survive. These include house
foundations, ancestor’s tombs, ceremonial
t ra dit iona l villa ge
Putussibau, West Kalimantan
centuriesSTRONG
ARCHITECTURE
Putussibau,
West
Kalimantan
venues and traditional meeting platforms.
Ngadhu, a big stone resembling a giant
umbrella, rises in the middle of the village. It is
a place of worship, believed to be the spiritual
medium between the Bena people and their
ancestors at the top of Mount Inerie. Bhaga, a
stage building made of stone, functions as a
ceremonial place.
The Bena Tribe is matriarchal. Once married,
the man will follow his wife’s family moving out of
the village. The Bena Festival, which is held every
Christmas, reunites the family ties. “During the
Festival, all Bena people will return to the village
for the traditional ceremony,” said Sofia, one of
the Bena people.
Bena is located in Tiworiwu, Aimere District
in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. From
Bajawa City, Ngada, it can be reached in 30
minutes by car. l
• Family Tour
& Travel, 179
Merapi Street,
Pontianak,
Phone: +62-561734583
• PT Nafa
Travel, Nusa
Indah II Street,
Pontianak,
Phone: +62-561749898
• Antya Tour &
Travel, 62 Teuku
Umar Street,
Pontianak,
Phone: +62-561738789
T
he ingenuity of the ancestors of the Dayak Tribe is
reflected by the architecture of their longhouses.
For decades, dozens of wooden pillars – each is
half a meter thick – firmly sustain the longhouses,
which the locals refer to as rumah betang. All of
the pillars and floorings are made of ironwood
felled from the forests of Kalimantan. Rattan
stakes are only used to tie the house together.
Consistent with their name, the houses are massively
long. The shortest one is 100 meters long and the longest
one reaches 286 meters; their widths vary between five
and eight meters. Each rumah betang has as many as 50
ruai (bedrooms) if not more. It also has a large room used
for traditional ceremonies.
Built on the banks of the Kapuas River – Indonesia’s
longest river – most are located near the Putussibau, the
capital of Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan. One of
the local airlines provides regular flights from Pontianak
to Putussibau. However, flights cancellation is quite
common. Therefore visitors are advised to go by car
instead. This journey through the forest takes 13 hours.
Besides rumah betang, you may also want to visit the
Betung Kerihun National Park. The trip along Kapuas
River can take several days by boat. Nevertheless, the
kind owners of rumah betang will happily welcome you
and provide you with lodgings and meals. One important
tip for tourists: haggle any offered prices. l
59
Long Berini, North Kalimantan
PRESERVER
OF THE DAYAK
CULTURE
I
60
n Long Berini, Malinau Regency, North
Kalimantan, Dayak arts and culture are
preserved. Though people do not wear their
traditional garments everyday anymore, they
still live in traditional stage houses. Their way
of life pretty much remains the same too: they
eat whatever nature provides them.
Dan Udau, a village elder, is the man behind this
preservation. Living on the banks of the Upstream
Bahau River, Dan is an adept player of sampe’, a
Dayak traditional three-stringed guitar. Every day, his
house is often frequented by youth who want to learn
about traditional dances and songs. In Long Berini,
Dayak arts and culture are ingrained in the people’s
veins. l
Long
Berini,
North
Kalimantan
• PT Nusantara
Wisata, Kemangi
Komp. GTL,
Kav PP13A,
Samarinda, East
Kalimantan,
Phone: +62-541273666
• PT Myla Tour, 6
Kemakmuran
Street, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan,
Phone: +62-5417730146
• JL Tour &
Travel, Jenderal
Sudirman Street,
Tarakan, Phone:
+62-551-32615
• Borneo Tour &
Travel,
Balikpapan,
Mr. Joko
(+62811545793),
email: tborneo@
indo.net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Bada Valley, Central Sulawesi
STATUES OF
MYSTERIES
T
here are only two places in the world that house
megalithic statues. One is the Marquesas Islands
in Latin America and the other is Bada Valley in
Poso, Central Sulawesi. Unlike the statues in
Marquesas Islands, the statues in Bada Valley
look more like humans, complete with their body
parts. There are also barrel-shaped statues. It
is estimated that the statues are between 1,500 and
3,000 years old.
Bada Valley is located in the Lore Lindu National Park.
There are two routes to reach it. You can go by light
plane from Palu and land in Poso’s Tentena Airport, then
continue by car or motorcycles, which takes four hours;
or, you can simply go on a three-hour trip by public
Bada
Valley,
Central
Sulawesi
• PT Rajawali
Ashab, 24 Sis
Aljufri Street,
Palu, Phone:
+62-451-4725858
• PT Primadona
Tours, 1 Raden
Saleh Street,
Palu, Phone:
+62-451-429850
• Avia Express
Tour & Travel, 4
Dr. Moh. Hatta
Street, Palu,
Phone: +62-451422895
transportation from Mosamba Terminal in Palu to Gimpu
and continue by car for four hours. Once you reach the
valley, you can choose to stay in a guest house or at a
local’s house.
The region was first discovered by Dutch scientists
in early 20th century. Legend has it that the statues
were made by the Napu, Besoa and Bada tribes, whose
civilizations were well advanced beyond our time. There
are, however, various other myths surrounding the
statues, tribe and even the valley.
Until now, nobody knows exactly how many statues
the valley houses and how or what they are made
from; they say that one can never find new statues if he
searches for it on purpose. l
Jangga Village, North Sumatera
HOME OF THE
ULOS WEAVERS
P
eople in Jangga Village in Toba Samosir
Regency, North Sumatera still live a Batak
traditional life. They honor their culture and
traditional common laws.
The village is located on the slope of Mount
Simanuk-manuk, about 24 kilometers from
Parapat, Lake Toba. Tourists usually visit
the Jangga Village after enjoying the beauty of Lake
Toba to indulge in its cool, fresh air. To get there,
public transports are available. The trip to the village
takes around four to six hours – beautiful scenery
of the Batak land accompanies visitors on the road.
t ra dit iona l villa ge
Accommodation around the village is provided by the
locals.
There are plenty of traditional Batak houses in
the village. All of them are hundreds of years old,
yet are still well preserved; gorga, traditional Batak
carvings, adorn the walls. The village also houses a
historical site: the tombs of King Tambun and King
Ma, former Batak kings.
Visiting the village, tourists can watch local artisans
weave ulos (traditional Batak garment) in front of their
houses. The ulos from Jangga Village is popular the
world over for their strength, complicated motives
and beauty. The artisans will happily teach you how
to weave the cloth, and if you are interested, you can
purchase them as souvenirs.l
Jangga
Village,
North
Sumatera
• New Pacific
Holidays, 94
Palang Merah
Street, Medan,
Phone: +62-61537840
• Seiba Tour &
Travel, 3-G Bukit
Barisan Street,
Medan, Phone:
+62-61-511950
• Avia Interliner, 82
Sisingamangaraja
Street, Medan,
Phone: + 62-61712426, 766330
Korowai
Tribe,
Papua
Korowai Tribe, Papua
DEEP IN THE
JUNGLE
T
he Korowai Tribe was not found until around 30
years ago. For centuries, their existence was
hidden by the thick jungle of Kaibar District
in Mappi Regency, Papua – south of the foot
of Mount Jayawijaya. It is said that before
being discovered, they thought they were
the only existing people on earth. This theory
is often used to explain their distinct culture from
other Papuan tribes. One of the obvious differences
is fashion. Unlike most Papuan tribes, the males of
Korowai do not wear koteka, a tribal penis gourd;
instead, they wear skirts made from tree fibers.
With around 3,000 members, the Korowai Tribe is
staying true to their traditions. Each family builds its
house on trees that grow between 15 and 50 meters
above ground. This practice is being done to avoid
wild animals as well as cast off evil spirits. From the
heights of their houses, we can see Papua’s beautiful
scenery.
Once there was a rumor of cannibalism practiced
• Limbunan Tours &
Travel, 68 Argapura
Raya Street,
Jayapura, Phone:
+62-967-35430,
35498
• Papua Adventure
Tour & Travel,
Mr. Gantang
(+6281344628586,
+62817364243),
email: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Wae Rebo,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• PT Pitoby Travel,
136 Sudirman
Street, Phone:
+62-380-832700
• PT Duta
Nusantara,
Sudirman Street,
Kupang, Phone:
+62-380-821240
• PT Floressa
Travel, 15 Mawar
Street, Kupang,
Phone: +62-380832012
among the Korowai Tribe. But now, the practice no
longer exists. Cannibalism used to be practiced as a
mere form of punishment. Today, they will welcome
visitors to stay at their houses and live life the way
they do. Deep in the jungle, it almost feels like time
stops turning.
To get there, we have to get on cars and boats, then
walk through the jungle, pass the rivers and swamps.
The Kaibar District is located next to Boven Digoel
Regency. Another way to get there is through the
Asmat Regency, tracing along the river for two days,
then continue on foot to the village. During the trip,
we may need to stop by and spend nights in several
Papuan tribal villages. But don’t worry; other tribes
are also accustomed to welcoming passersby.l
Wae Rebo, East Nusa Tenggara
LIVE LIKE
LOCALS
T
here is only one way to reach Wae Rebo, the
village where traditional cone-shaped houses
are still preserved: by walking through the
10,500-hectare Mount Todo Repok nature
conservation. The locals are able to walk this
30-centimeter-wide footpath in one and a half
to two hours – and barefooted too. For visitors,
however, reaching the village in four hours is already
an accomplishment.
But all your exhaustions will disappear once you see
the seven black cone-shaped traditional houses. The
mbaru niang, as they are called by the locals, nestles
at a foothill; sometimes covered in mist. There, you
may experience the lives of the locals: sleeping in the
mbaru niang, savoring local dishes as well as bathing
and washing in the river. Naturally, these are not
hotels; but the locals’ warmth and modesty will make
you feel at home.
The water and air are fresh and clean, and the
meals are quite delicious – you may even ask for halal
meals. Tourists can also learn about local culture and
tradition, including about the architecture of mbaru
niang, which were built without any nails. All of these
are available at a price Rp 150,000 per night.
Tourists from outside Flores usually get there
through Labuan Bajo, continued with a five-hour
journey on land to Denge in Satarmese District
Manggarai. Staying a night in one of the locals’ houses,
the journey continues to Kombo Village, where a
walking passage will take visitors to Wae Rebo. l
61
Banda Aceh CIty
WARM
GREETINGS
FROM BANDA
ACEH
62
T
he world had mourned with Banda Aceh as a
huge tsunami hit the region in 2004. But today
in 2013, the city that is known as “the gateway
to Mecca” has rebuilt itself to charm the world
once more. Aceh, a city with open arms and a
warm heart, is ready to welcome every visitor.
The first of Aceh's must-see places is the
Baiturrahman Mosque. If only this mosque could
tell a story, it would have narrated the romance of
Aceh. Built by Sultan Iskandar Muda (1607-1636),
the mosque used to be a center of religious studies.
Students came from various regions. Most notable
of all included Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, and Persia.
The 4,760 square-meter mosque has its floors
covered in Italian marbles. Sitting on the floor,
one will feel the coolness of the stones. Its seven
domes and four towers add a graceful touch to the
mosque's elegant décor. Entering the mosque feels
like an out-of-this-world experience, one that only
permits gratitude and prayers. The essence of the
Acehnese culture and identity immediately become
comprehensible as one walks through the gate.
Then, continue your journey to other corners.
Visit the various Aceh tsunami memorials, ones that
have been tended for with much care by the city
government. Some of the memorials include the
floating diesel power plant in Punge, the floating boat
on the roof, and of course, the charming Ulee Lheue
mass graves.
Another must-visit is the Tsunami Museum. Its
unique, meaningful structure is worthy of the city’s
pride. Architecture enthusiasts will definitely enjoy
the beauty of its design and structure. What is inside
is even more interesting: important, high-quality
information on the tsunami is well organized and
The Simpang Lima Monument at night, Banda Aceh
Presenting:
Baiturrahman
Mosque and
Kupi Ulee
Kareng
neatly displayed. Plus, there is no entrance free.
Across the museum is the Blang Padang field,
where a world-dedicated monument of gratitude
stands. Plaques engraved with words like “thank
you” and “peace” in the different languages of the
countries involved in the Aceh reconstruction project
surround the field. The replica of the Seulawah plane
is also on display. The plane had been a gift from the
people of Aceh to the Republic of Indonesia for the
t ra dit iona l villa ge
Museum Tsunami, Banda Aceh
A durian stall at Banda Aceh.
63
Traditional house, Banda Aceh
latter's establishment; in fact, it was the origin of
Garuda Indonesia.
Other than sightseeing, visitors are also
encouraged to taste the region’s authentic cuisines.
Banda Aceh is known for its kupi (coffee), Acehnese
noodle, goat curry, and bu guri (savory rice). Coffee
lovers definitely should not miss the unique blend of a
true Acehnese kupi: Robusta and Arabica are mixed
together, creating an aroma so fragrant that it lingers
till you get home.
“This city has become an Islamic Tourism Port, and
the Banda Aceh city government has named 2011 as
the year of tourism,” said Hj. Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal,
SE, deputy mayor of Banda Aceh. “Banda Aceh is 808
years old. There are many beautiful places to visit
and things to enjoy: mountains, oceans, beaches,
rivers, cuisines, and of course, culture.”
Illiza added that the people of Banda Aceh are
ready to welcome both local and foreign visitors.
They have understood the significance of tourism as
one of Indonesia’s economic boosters.
Jak beutraek kalen beudeuh bek rugae meuh
saket hate, translates to “come if you will; if not, it’s
your loss”. Banda Aceh extends its arms and opens
its heart for those who appreciate the beauty of the
archipelago. l
Goat Curry
Aceh’s Convenience
“Banda Aceh
is 808 years
old. There are
many beautiful
places to visit
and things
to enjoy:
mountains,
oceans,
beaches, rivers,
cuisines, and
of course,
culture.”
Banda Aceh is an archway of the Aceh Province. Banda
Aceh’s Iskandar Muda International Airport can be
reached from any city, reflected by the number of
incoming flights. The distance between the center of the
city and the airport is no more than half an hour, given
the fact that there is no such thing as a traffic jam in
Banda Aceh.
The city is not that big. Hence, getting around it is quite
easy. One can reach all of the city corners by car in
half a day. Nevertheless, despite its size, many tourism
destinations can be found all around the city.
The central point is the Baiturrahman Mosque, a
convenient starting point to reach other destinations.
On average, trips from the Mosque to other destinations
take about two hours; although, to reach the Tsunami
Museum only takes 15 minutes. Trips to the mass graves,
the Apung Diesel Power Plant, the Thanks to the World
Monument, and the coffee shop serving authentic
Acehnese coffee are equally convenient.
64
sport s
Buleleng Canyon, Bali
Not for
the FaintHearted
Photo: Wahyu Setiawan, Text: Agoeng Wijaya
Buleleng Canyon is a hidden treasure that is not for those who
have phobias, like heights. But if one is willing to take the risk
and leave one’s comfort zone, the rewards are unforgettable.
It’s not just the vista, but the experience of going down the
falls from a height equal to four Storeys.
65
Bali Sea
Singaraja
Gitgit
Sambangan
Kintamani
Bedugul
66
S
upii Liem clutched the harness wrapped
around my waist. In a few centimeters the
front tips of my boots would touch the edge
of the cliff. There was no more road in front of
me. Down below were giant pools that were
whirled around by buckets of waterfall water.
The 14-meter high waterfall was exactly to
my right. All around us was nothing but towering
padas rocks.
“Jump, Mas, do not overthink,” Supii said. Easy for
him to say. Moments earlier, we had jumped three
times into the river from the edge of the waterfall.
But that was only seven-meters high. This time I had
to jump from a height the equivalent of a four-storey
building. Suddenly my legs felt boneless. My ears
felt like they were burning. Breathing had become
a heavy exercise when I occasionally stole a look
downward.
Bold and courageous I no longer was, but
retreating held more terror for me. The shame of it!
In front of me, Pham Luong An, a female tourist from
Vietnam who is a part of our group, had dared to jump
first. She didn’t waste even one second after Supii
gave a shout of encouragement. Crazy!
Not jumping was not an option. I swung my right
leg forward, took wide steps, and suddenly I was
treading on air. My body plunged down quickly,
sucked by gravity. “Wooohhh,” I shouted, feeling the
pressure of blood flow from my feet to my head. I still
had time to open my arms to maintain my balance
while flying down.
Splash...!
For a brief moment, everything was dark before it
burst into bubbles of water. My body was sucked into
Gitgit
and Sambangan
Villages
Gitgit village,
famous for
the Gitgit
waterfall, is
located about
65 kilometers
north of
Denpasar. It is
approximately
13 kilometers
south of the
capital city
of Buleleng,
Singaraja.
Sambangan
village, home
to the Alingaling waterfall,
is northwest of
Gitgit and not
too far away.
the pool for a few meters. But long before I touched
bottom, I went back up again. A sense of joy filled
me as I reached the surface. Up in the air, hundreds
of bats scattered from the tops of their niches as if
in celebration of my success. Then again, they may
have also been upset by the shock of hearing the
echo of my screams.
Tempo photographer Wahyu Setiawan was luckier
sport s
67
(or perhaps not?). Using the camera in his backpack
as an excuse, he did not jump. Wahyu slid down
the cliff using a rope. That is called the flying fox
technique. “Yahoooo,” he shouted, once again noisily
breaking the silence of the cliff abyss.
That was just a tiny experience early last month
when Wahyu, An and I went on a canyoning expedition
along the Banyu Mala river, Sambangan village, Bali.
Roping down
the waterfall in
Sambangan.
Because the sport was relatively extreme, we were
guided by Supii and Abraham Firmansyah. Both were
certified professional instructors from Adventure
and Spirit, a canyoning tour provider based in Gitgit
village, southeast of Sambangan.
The five of us waded in the tukad—Balinese for
river—like frogmen ready for combat. Our bodies
were wrapped in suits made of neoprene, a kind of
68
Twin waterfalls in Gitgit, Bali.
elastic rubber similar to that of a wetsuit. Harness
straps complete with a set of carabiners were
secured around our waists and thighs. There were
also safety helmets, gloves, boots and backpacks
filled with hundreds of meters of kernmantle rope.
All the equipment was necessary because during
the canyoning, we did not just jump into a river from
the top of a cliff. We also had to swim a river, glide on
rocks and rappel waterfalls.
Sound terrifying? Believe me, I, who had never
done any of the above was at some points scared
stiff. The same went for Wahyu, who could not really
swim. That was why it was two days before we
decided to plunge into Tukad Banyu Mala.
This was all triggered by Michael Denissot, the
Adventure and Spirit boss who was also co-chairman
of the International Canyoning Organization for
Professionals. Three days earlier he made us curious
when he said, “You should try Aling, that is what you
would call paradise.” What he meant by Aling is Alingaling, the waterfall that would be the final destination
of canyoning in Banyu Mala.
Tukad Banyu Mala is exactly as its name. Banyu
means water and mala means dirty. Twigs and leaves
did indeed fill the riverbanks, swinging as the water
carried them to crash into the wall of rocks. However,
it was indeed a paradise.
It was not the kind paradise depicted in the holy
books where a river is flanked by trees; it is deep and
long with towering cliffs. So high they were that the
sky above only looked like a wide white stripe the
width of a hand. From up there, sun rays penetrated
several points to form a silhouette of the valley, as if
unable to reach us at the bottom of the ravine.
We swam slowly, climbed up rocks and slipped and
slid down. Several times I could not resist the urge to
go underwater, walk on tiptoes or splash water into
the air. The gorge with the towering batu padas was
transformed into the perfect hiding place to release
my inner child.
Of course Supii and Firman kept a watchful eye
on our antics. Along the journey they took turns
informing us of the challenges ahead. Several times
their messages were conveyed through hand signals
because the roar of the waterfall sometimes forced
us to shout if we wanted to be heard.
sport s
HOW
TO GET
THERE?
There are quite
a few things
to see on the
way to Gitgit,
so renting a car
or motorbike
and taking the
time to see
them would be
worth it. From
Denpasar, about
13 kilometers
to Gitgit, is the
Bedugul tourism
complex, which
includes Beratan
Lake and Eka
Karya Botanical
Garden.
Car rental rates:
Cars:
Rp210,000400,000 per
day (depending
on type)
Motorcycles:
Rp50,000100,000 per day
Public transport:
L300
Transportation
from Ubung
Terminal,
Denpasar to
Singaraja:
Rp35,00040,000
L300
Transportation
from Mengwi
Terminal,
Denpasar to
Singaraja:
Rp25,000
Mini Bus from
Ubung Terminal
(mornings and
evenings only)
to Singaraja:
Rp35,00040,000
69
When we were facing the edge of a waterfall, for
example, Supii showed his right palm as a signal to
stop. His left hand made a virtual line in the direction
of the water to show us how far we should approach.
Only when he waved in his direction could we come
nearer, putting the harness the way he taught us
before we departed.
Several times Firman showed his right hand
rubbing the back of his left hand as a sign of slippery
rocks, we must be careful. Often they closed their
arms to their chests indicating we must bend our
legs slightly when touching shallow waters.
Splash...! Tukad Banyu Mala seemed to have
deliberately set up a natural circuit ready for us to slip
and slide away.
Not far from there, an unnamed 20-meter waterfall
greeted us. “Rappel for 15 meters, then jump at the
last five meters,” Supii said, giving us directions on
the edge of the cliff. Firman was waiting below to help
us jump down.
Each time before rappelling, I would take a deep
breath. Not really trusting the typical tools of
climbers, I would grip the kernmantle too tightly. My
arms became sore trying to support my weight that
was admittedly heavier than it should be. Going down
became more difficult.
But there was no way I could resist going down.
Waiting for us below was a pool the size of an
indoor soccer field. The water was the shade of
emerald green. On the right side was the mini Tukad
Api waterfall rushing and racing to fill the lake.
Two gigantic rocks the size of a house were stuck
between two cliffs 20 meters above us.
Mesmerized, we could not stop looking up. A sense
of horror and wonder swept over us as to how such
enormous things could perch there. Whimsically
thinking, perhaps this was nature’s way of making the
cliffs tight with the rocks so that we, humans, could
enjoy the flow of the river and the sight of it.
After six hours of scouring the dark ravine, we
arrived at the mouth of the canyon that from afar
looked like a giant cave surrounded by dense trees.
Ahead, a large pool twice the size of a basketball
court must be crossed. Right behind it, Aling-aling
was already waiting.
Scaling down the 41-meter-high waterfall made
my arms numb. Of course, this time I did not have
to jump. It was too high. We used a rope to descend.
Several times my feet slipped as I scaled the cliff
wall, swinging by the rope. But it all paid off the
moment we touched ground at the base of the
waterfall that ended the trip. Jumping up and down,
laughing heartily, we high-fived one another. Wahyu
and I looked at each other, shaking our heads,
almost in disbelief at the natural wonders we’d just
encountered. l
Best Canyon in the World
L
70
ocated on the north side of the huge BuyanBeratan caldera—so far more famous for its
Bedugul tourism complex—the rolling hills of
southern Buleleng regency hide many sites
for canyoning. The atlas clearly prints the
hundreds of rivers that go from there to Bali’s
northern coast.
Michael Denissot, co-chairman of the International
Canyoning Organization for Professionals, was
entirely convinced that the rivers and canyons that
were largely unexplored were just as beautiful as
Tukad Banyu Mala. He believed the combination of
rivers, batu padas and forests along the valley made
south Buleleng—and Bali in general—the best
canyoning location in the world. “In Europe you will
only find rock cliffs,” he explained.
One such site is Tukad Yeh Kebus—in Balinese, it
means hot water river—which can be found in Gitgit
village, about 13 kilometers south of Singaraja city.
The long canyon that divides the eastern and western
sides of the village offers dozens of waterfalls—
perhaps even more if the mini-waterfalls are counted
as well.
Three days before plunging into Aling-aling canyon,
Wahyu Setiawan and I tried it, also guided by Supii
Liem and Abraham Firmansyah. Unlike Banyu Mala,
which comprises towering cliffs, Tukad Yeh Kebus
offers a view of the forest that fences off the cliff.
Here the highest jump is only about six meters.
A surprise came as we rappelled from a height of
17 meters next to the Bertingkat waterfall, the finish
line of the adventure. Firman, who watched from
below, stopped us at a height of five meters from
the surface of the pond. He led us to the rocks on
the edge of the batu padas to approach the roaring
waterfall’s tongue.
Like a giant curtain, the falling water hid a cave.
From behind the thundering waterfall we jumped
into the pool. This time we went right to the foot
of the falls. A fitting end that once again made my
adrenaline pump, after a barrage of water hit my
helmet as I tried to get back up to the surface. l
Banyu Mala river canyon, Sambangan.
sport s
Canyoning
A
C
anyoning enthusiasts believe the sport goes
back to the late 19th century, when Eduard
Alfred Martel, the father of speleology, the
scientific study of caves, first explored
Bramabiau—a cave in France famous
for its subterranean canyons, rivers
and waterfalls. During the next century
canyoning differentiated itself from caving, X, and
spread across the world.
Canyoning goes by several names. Europeans call
it canyoning; Americans, canyoneering; Africans,
kloofing; and Japanese, river tracing. They all
mean one thing: scouring canyons; following rivers
by swimming, walking and sliding; descending a
waterfall on a rope (rappelling) and occasionally
jumping.
Good canyoning can be found in Indonesia, or to be
precise, in the and Gitgit and Sambangan villages of
Bali. At the moment, there is only one service provider
who is licensed and affiliated with the International
Organization for Professional Canyoning, namely
Adventure and Spirit (www.adventureandspirit.com).
Included in all their packages is a shuttle service no
matter where you stay in Bali.
INDEX OF CANYONING AT GITGIT:
A. PDAM Waterfall (26 meters). Rappelling from a
height of 21 meters, and swimming
B. Campuhan Waterfall/Twin Waterfall (19
meters). Rappelling from a height of 16 meters
and sliding
C. Mekalangan Waterfall (25 meters). Rappelling
from a height of 20 meters, jumping at a height
of 2.5 meters from the rocks at the edge of the
waterfalls, and sliding
D. Terraced Waterfall (17 meters). Rappelling from
a height of 10 meters, stopping at a height of
6 meters from the surface of a pool, slipping
behind the waterfall, then jumping into the pool.
B
71
C
D
72
information center
Tourism Office
Bali Province Culture and
Tourism Board
Jl. S. Parman Niti Mandala Renon,
Denpasar
www.tourism.baliprov.go.id
e-mail: infotourism@baliprov.
go.id
website: www.tourism.baliprov.
go.id
Travel Agent
PT Matahari Citra Lautan Emas
(Specialize in SportFishing)
Phone: +62-31 849 5846
Fax.: +62- 31 8439256
e-mail: [email protected]
website: http://www.balifishing.
com
Truly Asia Tour
Dewata Street, Complex Alam
Dewata Block E/2, Denpasar, Bali
Phone: +62-361 742 6088
Fax.: +62-361 728 524
Contact: Mr. gede Suryawan
e-mail: [email protected]
PT Wung Lucky Perkasa Tour
By Pass Ngurah rai Highway Kuta
#87X, Bali
Phone: +62-361 755 375
Fax.: +62-361 765 115
Contact: Mr. Peter Gunawan
e-mail: [email protected]
Mandira Abadi
Danau Tamblingan Highway #23,
Denpasar, Bali
Phone: +62-361 847 9950
Fax.: +62-361 8479951
Contact: Mr. Ardhi tj
e-mail: [email protected]
PT Alexandra Bali Tour
Canggu Permai D III/56, Kuta
Utara, Badung, Bali
Phone: +62-361 844 4743
Fax.: +62-361 844 4743
Contact: Mr. Timan
e-mail: info@alexandrabalitour.
com
www.adventureandspirit.com
sport s
Slide down at Yeh Kebus River,
Bali.
TEMPO/Wahyu Setiawan
73
Bromo
Semeru
Marathon,
East Java
• Adi Giant Wisata,
194C Kapasan
Street, Surabaya,
Phone:
+62-31-310881
Bromo-Semeru Marathon,
East Java
GASPING THROUGH
THE MIST
74
F
or Maggie Kim Hong Yeo, a Malaysian runner,
the last 6 kilometers of last year’s Bromo
Marathon sloping route was unforgettable. “My
friends said I ran like crazy when passing the
route – pace 4 (four minutes per kilometer). I
am good at down sloping,” said the third place
winner of the women’s full marathon category
(42,195 kilometers), finishing at 5 hours 13 minutes
and 41 seconds.
The Bromo Marathon offers runners (and
audience) with a beautiful view of Mount Bromo, with
the start and finish points at Wonokitri Village, Tosari
in Pasuruan, East Java. Held last September for the
first time ever, the competition was successfully
participated by 1,000 runners; 300 of them come
from 20 different countries. This landscape is more
moderate than the Rinjani Ultra; therefore, suitable
for anyone. “The (Pasuruan) regent has agreed
to make it an annual event,” said Shane Buttler, a
peace volunteer from California, who initiated this
competition. CNN Travel reported that the event
is one of Asia’s five best destinations for running in
2013.
Besides the Bromo Marathon, enjoying the
beauty of Bromo-Semeru is possible through
participating in the Bromo Tengger Semeru 100
Ultra. Held last November by Trail Runners Indonesia
– a community of mountain runners – the Bromo
Tengger Semeru 100 Ultra is an extreme mountain
running competition, offering participants with
three categories: 50, 100 and 160 kilometers.
The participants ran pass all of the Bromo Tengger
Semeru National Park’s most beautiful spots, such
as Teletubbies Hill, Penanjakan Hill, Ranu Pane, Ranu
Kumbolo Lake, Kalimati, Bromo Summit and Batok
Mount Summit. l
• PT Akasa
Holiday, 19 Urip
Sumoharjo
Street, Surabaya,
Phone:
+62-31-5457945
• Haryono Tour,
27-29 Sulawesi
Street, Surabaya,
Phone:
+62-31-5034000
Ultra
Trail
Rinjani,
West Nusa
Tenggara
• Bidy Tour &
Travel, 17
Ragigenep Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-22127
• Sasak Lombok
Tour & Travel,
7 Subak Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-21796
• Arjuna Wisata
Lombok Tour
& Travel, 4-B
Alamanda Street,
Mataram, Phone:
+62-364-21044
• Firelli Tour &
Travel, Mataram,
Mr. Didik (+62431-811119,
+62812125254243),
email: firelli-tour@
centrin.net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Ultra Trail Rinjani,
West Nusa Tenggara
HOT, EXTREME,
BRUTAL
F
or Yannick Douet, a French national, winning
the 2013 Mount Rinjani Ultra Trail last August
was an impressive experience. “The route is
really challenging. The sceneries of the Rinjani
Summit, Sembalun Savanna and Lake Segara
Anak are really beautiful. I couldn’t believe that
I won,” said Douet, who managed to complete
the 52-kilometer Senaru-Rinjani Summit-SembalunSenaru route in 14 hours 14 minutes and 25 seconds.
The maximum time limit was 20 hours.
“The Sembalun climb was heaviest; the air was
very hot. But, I will participate again next year,”
said Douet, a runner, triathlon athlete and former
professional swimmer.
Only 10 of all 92 athletes from the 16 participating
countries managed to finish before the time limit.
“The route was brutal. Not only you have to be skilled
in long-distance running and have strong will; you
also need to be able to climb cliffs. Next year we will
extend the time limit to 22 hours to give participants
more chance of completing the competition,” said
Hendra Wijaya, an Indonesian senior mountain
runner, race initiator and race director. l
sport s
Papandayan
Mount
Biking, West
Java
• Vayatour, 42
Sunda Street,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4261739
• PT Abadi Wisata
Tour & Travel,
5 Mochammad
Toha Street,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-5201104
• Aerotravel, 81
Asia Afrika Street,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4203657
Papandayan Mount Biking,
West Java
ACROSS THE
STEAMING
CALDERA
M
ountain biking on Mount Papandayan is a
common thing. Starting your track towards
the peak from the Cisurupan District, Garut
Regency is also common. What’s not
common is taking the Pangalengan District
track in the Bandung Regency.
The trip starts at a tea plantation in Sedep,
from which bikers pedal through Kampung Cibaturua
until the Pondok Salada camping ground where many
edelweiss grow. From there, the Papandayan Summit,
at 2,644 meters above sea level, is only one trip away.
Don’t stop – just under the summit, the Papandayan
Tangkahan
Tubing,
North
Sumatera
• New Pacific
Holidays, 94
Palang Merah
Street, Medan,
Phone: +62-61537840
• Seiba Tour &
Travel, 3-G Bukit
Barisan Street,
Medan, Phone:
+62-61-511950
• Avia Interliner, 82
Sisingamangaraja
Street, Medan,
Phone: +62-61712426, 766330
caldera awaits. This is what distinguishes Papandayan
from other mountains’ bike tracks.
Crossing the caldera, adrenaline shoots high. While
the hissing sulfur vapor encourages you to go as quickly
as you can, the track, covered with volcanic rocks,
prevents you to do so; at times, you even need to carry
your bike instead of riding it. After about six hours, you
will arrive at the Cisurupan District. The majestic view
of Mount Cikuray on the horizon is a sweet bonus to a
tiring day.
Bikers are advised to visit during dry season,
because the fog can get too thick during rainy season.
Bring enough supply, and most importantly, always
check if the mountain is safe to be visited. l
Tangkahan Tubing, North Sumatera
FLOAT, SWIM
AND RELAX
T
here is a more challenging way to enjoy the
green vegetation of Mount Leuser National Park:
sit on a huge tire and float through the Batang
River of Langkat Regency, North Sumatera.
Floating down a calm river with tranquil view of
the forest on each of its sides is good for your
nerves. If you are lucky, you may see monkeys
hanging around from tree to tree. Things will get even
more interesting when you are faced with a heavy
stream.
Tubing for four and a half hours, the trip ends at
Gelugur Waterfall. “You can swim there,” said Rilly
from the Community Tour Operator of the Tangkahan
Tourism Office. Tubing in Tangkahan can be enjoyed
with a price of Rp 200,000 per person.
To get to the Tangkahan River, you may rent a car
from the Kualanamu Airport, Medan, which usually
costs around Rp 600,000-Rp 700,000 per car per trip.
You may also get on a three-hour trip by Pembangunan
Semesta bus, which leaves from the Pinang Baris Bus
Station in Medan twice a day around 9:30 a.m. and
10:30 a.m. local time. l
75
76
rive r
Bahau River, North Kalimantan
Cascading at
the Forest Edge
Photo: Aditia Noviansyah, Text: Qaris Tajudin
By the Bahau River, life stands still, untouched by loggers, miners or oil
palm planters. As we rested by the banks of the river, grilling freshly
caught fish, butterflies perched on our arms, our heads—unafraid.
When the breeze blew our way, the leaves on the trees whispered its
lament, some fell on the ground, like confetti at a celebration.
AFP PHOTO
MALAYSIA OUT
77
T
he scorching afternoon gradually eased as
we entered Berau, a 20-meter-wide tributary
canopied by the large trees of the Kayan
Mentarang forest. Its water flowed peacefully,
almost without ripples. When the boat’s
outboard engine was turned off, we could
hear the leaves rubbing one another just like
the whispers of fairies in a storybook.
More than one place in Kalimantan goes by the
name of Berau, but the one we visited last month was
a tributary in Malinau Regency, North Kalimantan.
The visit was part of the exploration along the
Berau River conducted by myself, photographer
Aditya Noviansyah and adventure specialist Dody
Johanjaya. Two days before going to Berau, we
arrived at Apau Ping, the last village in Hulu Berau
district, after riding down the 350-kilometer-long
Kayan and Bahau Rivers for four days.
We picked the Bahau River because it was still wellpreserved. Flowing from the forest along the border
with Malaysia, the Bahau flows into the much larger
Kayan River. While the Bahau is only 50 meters wide,
the Kayan can get up to 200 meters wide. Unlike in
most Kalimantan rivers, no logs were flowing down
the Bahau. No logging mills had reached this place
yet, nor were there palm oil plantations or coal
mines. Forest lined both of its banks. Occasionally
among the dense trees was the mouth of a tributary
like Berau.
78
Malinau
Juwata Airport
Apau Ping
Tarakan
Long Tua
Selor Bay
Long Alango
Long Bia
Long Pujungan
Kalimantan
We were guided on our trip by four Apau Ping
residents: Ding Njuk, Dan Salo, Rodes Jan and Titus
Lawing. The four of them were members of the
Dayak Kenyah, the largest tribe in North Kalimantan.
Only Titus was from Dayak Punan. Two ketinting—a
three-meter-long proa with width enough for a
human body—took us from Apau Ping upstream and
turned toward Berau on the right side. The deeper
we went, the denser the trees and the more peaceful
the surroundings. Except for our ketinting, no other
boats passed by.
After mooring our boat to a tree root dangling
into the river, Ding was ready to dive. His sleek body
moved easily through the water. All the villagers
along the Bahau’s banks can swim well, given that
they have been diving into its waters since they were
four years old. By elementary school they can usually
take the ketinting out on their own to go fishing.
Armed with a homemade fish bow, Ding went diving
for one minute, two minutes—lo and behold, by the
third minute he held aloft an arrow that had pierced
a pelian fish as big as a human thigh. He rested a bit
before diving in again, swimming through tree roots
and popping up again with another fish.
I swam farther out, toward the protruding boulders
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79
where the water was shallow, to enjoy a temporary
solitude. There were some small rapids there with
clear water from the bright afternoon sun.
Around lunchtime we headed back to Bahau and
pulled the ketinting over to the boulders to eat. Ding
cleaned the gray-colored fish with scales as large as
one-thousand-rupiah coins. Dan cut a bamboo pole
with which to steam the fish entrails. Rodes cut off
wet stems as sticks for barbeque. And Titus gathered
dry wood to make fire. Fifteen minutes later, the fish
was over the fire. Half an hour later, its meat was in
our stomach.
As we ate, a few butterflies came around. A
butterfly of the vindula erota kind perched on my
palm. It had an orange color with a black strip along
the edge. It seemed to take my hand for a flower and
tried to stab its proboscis into my skin but failed. Its
proboscis was too thick and soft, unlike a mosquito’s.
Butterflies and other winged insects such as
dragonflies were all over the riverbank, but not in the
jungle. From the bank we could see beehives on the
tree branches. The hives were black, as large as a
70-kilogram knapsack. On fallen leaves further into
the jungle, we saw giant ants (componotus gigas)
walking individually. They could be as large as half
Animals often seen
in Behau
followingtwo rivers
01
When is the best time?
In the rainy season, the water current is too strong, so
many boats dare not take the river. In the dry season, the
water ebbs, so boats have trouble sailing. The best time
is in between the seasons. Unfortunately, these days the
season cycles are uncertain.
How much does it cost?
The high price of gasoline upstream (Rp16,000 to
Rp21,000 per liter of Premium fuel) makes motorized
boats very expensive. The price fluctuates, but it ranges
from Rp20 million to Rp30 million per person. That
includes accommodation, local guide services and
meals there.
80
water transportation
Fast boat
2.5 meters
40 HP, made out of optic fiber, 5 passengers
Ding Njuk and his
freshly caught fish.
Ketinting
5 meters
12-18 HP, made out of wood,
3 passengers (200 kilograms)
Long boat
21 meters
5 x 40 HP, made out of wood,
20 passengers (up to 8 tons of luggage)
a little finger. A little frightening, “But they bite only
when threatened,” Ding said. “After biting, its head
falls off and dies.”
F
ive days earlier, we had started the journey
from Tanjung Selor from the mouth of the
Kayan River. After four days of traversing the
Kayan, we arrived at Apau Ping. Even though
the journey was long, it was not tiresome. From
the wooden boat, we often saw pairs of hawks
flying around over the liat trees on the right side
of the river toward the ketepai treetops to the left of
it. White storks perched en masse on a tree.
Large keruing trees towered upward as tall as
30 meters. Small-leaved trees like banyans thrust
their trunks down to the banks of river, their beards
flowing down to the surface of the water. The leaves
were falling off like confetti at a birthday party. The
rock cliffs protect these trees from the ebbing tide,
rive r
What to
carry?
Sunscreen (the
heat is almost
unbearable and
we could be
baked all day
aboard).
Waterproof
knapsack (dry
bag).
Hat
Pants and
T-shirts that
can dry quickly
(available in
adventure
shops).
regardless of the season.
We did enjoy the dense forest panorama when
going upstream, but the breathtaking experience
took place as we returned from Apau Ping. At first,
as it was a turnaround route, I thought that the trip
would only be a repeat. Nevertheless, the different
viewpoint meant the landscape had changed. The
stone cliffs appeared more protruding when we
departed from downstream.
We felt a sharp difference when we passed through
some 20 rapids along the Bahau. Despite not going
against the current, it turned out that passing the
rapids was not easy. This was entirely different from
the enjoyment of shooting the rapids by means of a
flexible rubber boat. The boat we were in was made
of wood, so it could break if it ran against a boulder.
Its hull was not even like that of a rubber boat, but in
the form of an upside-down pyramid. Even a sneeze
by a passenger could shake the boat.
Raincoat
Life buoys
(bring your
own, as
traditional
boats do not
provide them).
Enough cash to
pay your way
(there are no
ATMs).
Therefore, letting the boat flow by the current
was not the action taken by Jalung Aran, one of
the motorists who took us from Apau Ping to Long
Pujungan. In fact, the man, who has his birthday 8-111975 tattooed on his calf, pulled the accelerator
deeply over the rapids to enable his ketinting to
speed up quickly. “If we go slow, I’m unable to turn the
boat,” he said. The only control was the blade behind
the motor propeller. This blade would not function if
the propeller did not turn. With the propeller turning
quickly, it could make a zig-zag movement through
the prominent boulders. Yet as a result, the boat was
speeding and this was suspenseful. Very often the
hull of the boat grazed the stones. In fact, at Kiram
Telaso, Jalung almost got the boat running against an
elephant-sized boulder. He managed to turn his boat
a few centimeters off the cliff.
Thanks to his skill, we arrived at Long Pujung Tian
safely, half the journey down.
y
akub Jalung, 37, a civil servant from Long
Pujungan, gave us a ride from Pujungan to
Tanjung Selor, the town at the tip of the Kayan
River across from Tarakan. He was going to
buy cement at Selor for the construction
project of a state-owned junior high school
at Pujungan. Incidental passengers would
surely increase the money to buy gasoline for his
boat: Rp12 million for one trip. In addition to the three
of us, there were four other passengers riding in
Yakub’s boat, two men and two women. Like Yakub,
the two male passengers carried a rifle.
The 21-meter-long boat with three engines of 40
horsepower each started moving at noon. Actually
it was too late for an eight-hour journey to Tanjung
Selor. We would surely stay overnight on the way.
That was why Yakub looked relaxed. Wearing a
broad-brimmed cap, he was standing at the bow,
holding a three-meter wooden stick. He resembled
Noah in his ark.
At the stern were three motorists. As they were
not using a single steer, the three of them worked
in unison, like cabaret dancers. If one held out their
hands to the right, the others had to do likewise. If
one pulled his arm to the left, the other three had to
go left too. Usually they knew when to make a turn.
Nonetheless during the current drought, the role of
the stoneman at the bow was essential. High tide
concealed many stones, but now they protruded and
could cause a fast-moving boat to capsize.
Twice Yakut asked the motorists to stop the boat
so he could net fish. He got two of them that were
as big as my thigh, but Yakub always said, “This is a
small fish.” Indeed, the two fish were not enough to
feed the seven passengers and five crewmen later in
the night. But our worry was brief.
Not far from where Yakub cast the net when the
81
82
rive r
information center
Tourism Office
East Kalimantan &
North Kalimantan
Province Tourism
Office
22 Jend. Sudirman
Street, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan
website: www.dispar.
kaltim.go.id
Street, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan
Phone:
+62-541 738 970
Fax.: +62-541 738899
Travel Agent
JL Tours and Travel
Jenderal Sudirman
Street, Tarakan, East
Kalimantan
Phone: +62-551 32615
Fax.: +62-551 32615
Contact: Mr. Samuel
Djakaria
e-mail:
jltoursandtravel@
yahoo.com
Borneo Tour
& Travel
(Balikpapan),
Mr. Joko
(+62811545793),
e-mail: tborneo@
indo.net.id
Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
83
Rainforest River Borneo Indonesia
www.shutterstock.com
PT Delapan
Mutiara
29 Dr. Soetomo
Dody Adventure
website: www.
dodyadventure.com
84
boat was speeding, we were startled by the sound of
bang, bang, bang! Three rifle shots barked out, and a
pig was dying on the bank of the river. The boat made
a U-turn to pick it up. Yakub speared the animal to end
its suffering.
As the boat sailed rapidly, I took in the forest’s
beauty, but the three musketeers were able to see a
passing dinner. Just before the rifle was fired, a gang
of pigs were about to cross the river. Pigs are good
swimmers. They move from one side of the forest to
another in search of food. Normally migration takes
place in July. The local people term it swimming-pigs
season. But the phenomenon happens during other
months, too.
The rifle fired again within the hour. Another pig
kicked the bucket.
N
Ight came suddenly since the black clouds
hid the dusk in the western sky. Without
our knowing it, a fog had descended on the
treetops, chilling the air. Yakub spread his
right hand, signifying to the three motorists
to pull the boat over to the edge of the river.
He turned his to face us. “We spend the night
here,” he said, sounding more like a commander.
The three engines stopped the roaring sound. The
Katembu stone
cemetary in Long
Breni .
long boat pulled over, driven by the remaining force
of the engines. Foam and water ripples sneaked
beneath the hull before the boat landed on the
soft sand. Temporarily our journey stopped here.
It was too hazardous to proceed. The night hid the
boulders and logs. Treacherous rapids could not be
seen, either. It was impossible to stay overnight in a
resident’s house. The nearest kampung was a twohour journey. Around us was only dense jungle.
For a while we were surrounded by a magic
silence, much like listening to the Moonlight
Sonata piano concerto: peaceful but backed
by a certain grandeur. Under the cover of the
increasingly pitch-black darkness, the jungle
around us was not truly sleeping. The river was
still flowing and we heard little splashes. Some
animals were still awake. We could still hear some
of them in the distance.
There were no stars, just an occasional lightning
upstream. We prayed that the black clouds turned
into rain so that the water rose, thus making the
journey easier. Nonetheless, we also knew that
not every prayer was answered.
Noone ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s
not the same river, and they are never the same
person. l
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Alas River,
Aceh
• Atra Baru Tour &
Travel, 40 Mohd.
Jam Street,
Banda Aceh,
Phone:
+62-651-23651
• Tripa Wisata
Tour & Travel,
24 Mesjid Raya
Street, Banda
Aceh, Phone:
+62-651-21455
• Natrabu Tour &
Travel, Taman
Tepi Laut,
Lhoknga, Banda
Aceh Main Road,
Phone:
+62-651-32029
deep as 2 kilometers into the forest.
If we are lucky, we may catch a glimpse of
the Common Brimstone, a species of yellow
butterflies from the family of Pieridae. These
butterflies fly in a formation, like that of a long
ribbon.
At 10 to 20 meters long, Alas has dozens of
rapids that are friendly enough for beginners.
The river can be reached in nine hours by car
from Medan to Ketambe, the river’s starting
point. Today, Kutacane can be reached in
45 minutes by plane from Medan. Then, a
45-minute car ride follows to reach Ketambe.
There are many local guides in Ketambe, who
are more than willing to take tourists to the Alas
River. l
KruengTripa, Aceh
Krueng
Tripa,
Aceh
Alas River, Aceh
THE RIVER
OF RED APES
T
he River of Red Apes – so the Alas River
is called. Crossing the Kutacane area in
the Southeast Aceh Regency, Alas snakes
through the Mount Leuser National Park,
home of the red apes. The apes can be seen
by the riverside, hanging from tree to tree;
but, to really see them, we have to walk as
• Gasida Karya
Travel Agent,
41-B K.H. Ahmad
Dahlan Street,
Banda Aceh,
Phone:
+62-651-22245
• Tripa Wisata
Tour & Travel,
24 Mesjid Raya
Street, Banda
Aceh, Phone:
+62-651-21455
• Natrabu Tour &
Travel, Taman
Tepi Laut,
Lhoknga, Banda
Aceh Main Road,
Phone:
+62-651-32029
THROUGH
THE DEADLY
RAPIDS
R
ikiet Jait or Terangon is the starting
point of KruengTripa, the river that
splits the forest from Blangkajeren,
GayoLues Regency at the North
Sumatra-Southeast Aceh border to
Kuala Tripa in Southeast Aceh. The
river has approximately 20 rapids
that is rarely passed, spreading across three
regions: Nanga, Perlak and Tongra. Almost
impossible to be rafted through, rafters
choose to take the land route and carry their
boats instead.
One of the deadly rapids is Ketanjoranat
Tongra, which features terraced landscape
with many curves. Adrenaline junkies have
recklessly rafted through it, ending up at Kuala
Tripa. It took them five days and four nights.
To reach the location, drive from Medan to
Kutacane. The trip takes approximately eight
hours. Continue to Blangkajeren for three more
hours. “At Blangkajeren,” said Said Murthaza,
commander of the Mount Leuser National
Park’s forest rangers, “you can choose your
starting points: RikietJait or Terangon.” l
85
Boh River,
North
Kalimantan
• PT Nusantara
Wisata, Kemangi
Komp. GTL, Kav
PP13A, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan,
Phone:
+62-541-273666
• JL Tour & Travel,
Jenderal Sudirman
Street, Tarakan,
Phone: +62-55132615
• PT Myla Tour, 6
Kemakmuran
Street, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan,
Phone:
+62-541-7730146
• Borneo Tour &
Travel, Balikpapan,
Mr. Joko
(+62811545793),
email: tborneo@
indo.net.id
86
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
( +628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Cikandang
River,
West Java
• Bayu Buana, 150D
Pasir Kaliki Street,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4211711
• PT Abadi Wisata
Tour & Travel, 5
Mochammad Toha
Street, Bandung,
Phone: +62-225201104
• Aerotravel, 81
Asia Afrika Street,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4203657
Boh River, North Kalimantan
CARVED
CLIFFS AND
KINGFISHES
B
oh River, the Mahakam River Creek,
meanders along the Malinau Regency,
West Kutai and ends at Long Bagun. From
Balikpapan or Samarinda, visitors can reach
Boh River in three days.
“There are a lot of beautiful views from the
Mahakam River up to Long Bagun. One of
whichis the karst cliffs, which look like carved rocks,”
said AmaliaYunita, chair of the Indonesian Rafting
Federation (FAJI), who visited Boh River in 2012. Long
Bagun is commonly used as a one-day transit area
by rafters before continuing their land journey to the
Agung Raya Village, the starting point to exploring
Boh River.
The forest along Boh River is rich. Rare orchids, as
well as rattle snakes, are often found here. Kingfishes
as long as 1.5 meters still can be found easily in the
river. For rafting enthusiasts, Boh River may be a fun
choice of adventure. l
Cikandang River, West Java
WEST JAVA’S
PRECIOUS
VIRGIN
C
ikandang River is located at the Sukamulya
Village, Pakenjeng District, approximately 60
kilometers or three hours’ drive from Garut,
West Java. The river exploration may start
from the hills of Ciarinem, South Garut, which
ends at Cijayana, the sea of Pameungpeuk.
This route is 20 kilometers long.
Cikandang River’s upstream and down stream are
far from community settlements, preserving the
purity of the rainforest vegetation and water quality
at the upstream area. Mid-sized rapids can be found
rive r
easily, especially at the confluence of the Ciarinem
and Cikandang Rivers. Natural karsts add to the
river’s richness.
Given the river’s morphology and number of
rapids, Cikandang’s level of difficulty can be
classified as moderate with rafting time of more or
less five hours. l
Bahorok River, North Sumatera
RIDING ON
THE TUBE
B
ahorok River flows from Bukit Lawang, an
area of the Mount Leuser National Park,
North Sumatra and empties ata bigger
river, theWampu River. The most interesting
destination is the Orangutan Rehabilitation
Center, where orangutans are prepared to be
returned to its natural habitat in the national
park. Visitors may also stroll around and camp at the
Mount Leuser National Park.
A package for tubing is available. Unlike rafting,
which uses rubber boat, tubing uses a number of
tires tied together. Since the river is rocky and merely a meter deep, it is ideal for tubing, but not for rafting. “It takes two hours to reach the finishing point
from Bukit Lawang,” said Jony Kurniawan, one of the
tourism operators at Bahorok River.
Located in the Bahorok District, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra, visitors can reach this river in two
and a half hoursby car from Medan. l
Kapuas Hulu Rivers,
West Kalimantan
INTO THE DAYAK’S
TERRITORY
K
apuas Hulu is a regency in the eastern part
of West Kalimantan, where the upstream
of Kapuas River, the longest river in
Indonesia, is located. Creeks, like Utik
and Embaloh, empty at the Kapuas River.
Up the stream, these creeks directly
border with the Betung Kerihun National
Bahorok
River,
North
Sumatera
• Nitour Inc., 21-E
Prof. H.M. Yamin,
Street, Medan,
Phone:
+62-61-532191
• Seiba Tour &
Travel, 3-G Bukit
Barisan Street,
Medan, Phone:
+62-61-511950
• Avia Interliner, 82
Sisingamangaraja
Street, Medan,
Phone: +62-61712426, 766330
87
Kapuas Hulu
Rivers, West
Kalimantan
• Anugerah Tour
& Travel, 31 Urip
Sumoharjo RD
Street, Pontianak,
Phone: +62-561760275
• PT Nafa Travel,
Nusa Indah II
Street, Pontianak,
Phone: +62-561749898
• Antya Tour &
Travel, 62 Teuku
Umar Street,
Pontianak, Phone:
+62-561-738789
Park, not far from Putussibau, the Kapuas Hulu
capital.
With a boat we can move down the creeks that
go deeper into the forest. Along the way, wellmaintained longhouses of the Dayak tribe can
be found on the riverside as well as in the Dayak
Iban’s and the Dayak Embaloh’s tourism villages.
To spend the night, visitors may stay at the
camps in the National Park at the Embaloh River’s
upstream or at local villagers’ longhouses.
The best time to visit is either during the Dayak
Iban’s New Year on June 1 or during the fruit
season between August and November when
red-fleshed durians grow aplenty.
To reach Kapuas Hulu, visitors can take the
one-and-a-half-hour flight using ATR 72, serving
four daily flights from Pontianak to Putussibau.
The upstream can be reached by car intwo
hours. l
88
diving
Kwatisore, Cendrawasih National Park, Papua
Underwater
Wonder
Photo: Rully Kesuma, Text: Wahyuana Wardoyo
Only in Kwatisore can one observe whale sharks swim to the
surface, sometimes rubbing their six-ton bulk on the side of
fishing boats and even, locals claim, teasing the divers. It’s a sea
adventure that requires passion and pluck.
89
A
90
FTER two hours of slicing through the waves
in the heat of the day at Cenderawasih
Bay, our boat—carrying myself and
photographer Ruly Kesuma—arrives at
the Kali Lemon Resort in Kwatisore, Nabire,
Papua. It’s quiet. There is no phone signal.
It’s like going back in time. Every now and
then, we hear the chirp of birds, a wild dog’s bark, a
rush of wind, and the buzz of cicadas.
A lone eagle and a party of hornbills fly from tree
to tree to greet our arrival in the middle of October.
The Cenderawasih Bay National Park is the biggest
protected marine park in Indonesia. There are 150
types of coral spread around the shallows of 18
islands big and small. The variety of fish species is
astonishing. More than 200 types of fish make the
area their home. It is the rich biodiversity of this
‘underwater forest’ that draws visitors from all over.
But, of all the fish to be found in the area, the one
we’ve come to see is the whale shark, also known as
the ‘ghost’ fish.
“Four Kwatisore ghosts have been waiting at the
fishing post since morning,” said Yance Henawi, a
diving guide from Kali Lemon. He was referring to the
Rhincodon typus, known to locals as hiniotanibre (or
the ghost fish). “Local fishermen named them that
because they often appear out of nowhere, and love
to rub their bulk against the fishing boats,” said Ben
Gurion Saroy, chief ranger at the Cenderawasih Bay
National Park in charge of marine conservation.
As the biggest fish (non-mammalian vertebrate)
in the world, the whale shark can be said to look
somewhat scary and ghost-like. It can weigh up to
as much as nine tons and grow up to 10 meters long.
Fishermen in other parts of eastern Indonesia call
them the gurano bintang, or star shark, because of
their white spots resembling flecks in a night sky.
Yance, a Kwatisore local, said his people consider
the ghost fish sacred. Kwatisore has a site they call
Tabletop Hill, ascending 200 meters above sea level,
on top of which lies a flat rock shaped much like a
table. From up there, Kwatisore looks like a whale’s
tail. “Living on an island shaped like a whale’s tail
makes us believe that Kwatisore is their original
home. We are forbidden from eating their meat,” said
Yance, as we sit aboard the fishing post, a floating hut
in the middle of the sea with a net used by fishermen
to make their catch.
Underneath the floating platform, we see whale
sharks dart back and forth, hunting for the tiny fish
caught in the fishing nets. The whale sharks’ mouths
make a sloshing sound as they suck at the nets
seeking for loose fish. There are four greyish colored
whale sharks freckled with white spots all over their
bodies, some four to seven meters long and probably
weighing around two to three tons each.
The hairs on my neck stood up. This is the first time
Kali Lemon
Resort in
Cenderawasih
Bay National
Park, Nabire.
I have seen these giants, the largest non-cetacean
animal in the world. For divers, meeting up with
one of these whale sharks is a longed-for dream. I
obtained that self-same dream in Kwatisore.
The whale sharks’ grinning mouths look frightening.
On the other hand, their languid movements in the
water make them seem friendly. “As long as they are
diving
Cenderawasih Bay
Papua
Marine
National Park
Eastern Indonesia’s underwater heaven
is not only found at Raja Ampat. At the
Cenderawasih Bay National Park, we can
find different kinds of underwater wonders,
such as sharks that are more tame than
most average fish.
How to Get There
not disturbed, they’re not dangerous. Don’t swim
near their tails; you could get lashed when they move.
Also don’t take anything noise-making, as they have
sensitive hearing,” cautioned Bram Muaranaya, who
since 2006 has been guiding divers wishing to swim
with whale sharks in Kwatisore.
He gets the diving gear ready. “This is base-free
Nabire can be reached via flights to Ambon,
Biak, or Jayapura. Wings Air flies to Ambon,
while Biak is serviced by Susi Air. Jayapura
has connections with both Merpati Air and
Wings Air. By sea, Nabire can be reached
by the national Pelni service, with stops
in Ambon, Sorong, Manokwari, Biak, and
Jayapura.
The trip from Nabire to Kwatisore takes
about two hours by chartered speedboat
(about Rp5-6 million one way), leaving
from Nabire port. It’s best to leave in
the morning, as the afternoon waves at
Cenderawasih Bay can be rough.
91
92
diving, so the buoyancy has to be good,” said Rudy
Setiawan, the resident dive master. The warning
made me nervous. I’m used to diving down to about
20-35 meters, but here the sea goes down to depths
of 50-100 meters. My heart started to thump hard.
With a backroll, I jumped off the boat. Just my luck,
the underwater currents were strong right then.
Each time I tried to get close to one of the whale
sharks, I get dragged away. On the second dive, the
situation was calmer. I dove down to a depth of three
meters and held onto one of the post’s columns. This
position allowed me to take photographs freely and
observe the whale sharks darting here and there
from up close.
The biggest of the whale sharks was six meters
while the smallest about three meters. Theoretically,
whale sharks are born about 80 centimeters and
grow an average of 20 centimeters a year. I deduced
these were about 20 to 26 years old. They have
wide mouths and can suck up anything. Finally
getting close to one, I placed a fist near its mouth.
The suction felt incredibly strong. Everything in its
vicinity can be pulled in without mercy. “If something
goes in that doesn’t taste like food, they usually spit it
out,” said Bram. Floating high above one of the whale
shark’s tail, my total 1.68 centimeters came to about
a quarter of the animal's length, which comes to
about as large as a Jakarta Metro Mini bus.
As of last year, the Cenderawasih Bay National
Park, in cooperation with the World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF) Indonesia has monitored the whale
sharks with radio frequency identification (RFID)
and satellite tags. The tags enable observation of
migratory and behavioral patterns of each whale
shark. “Our survey showed a total of 70 sharks in the
Kwatisore area. We’ve equipped 50 of them with RFID
tags since June 2012, 14 have been given satellite
tags since May 2011, and eight more since April this
year,” said Beny Ahadian Noor, the WWF-Indonesia
project manager.
The results? Several were found to have moved
as far as Donsol, Philippines. For two weeks, the
whale sharks swam at a depth of 70 meters. The
distance between Donsol and Kwatisore is about
2,500 kilometers. Swimming there and back in a
fortnight meant they traveled at an average speed of
350 kilometers a day. It’s not clear why they traveled
such a distance. Scientists need more time to get
the answers about these singular beasts. One is why
have only two females been found in Kwatisore? Most
wild herds have more females. Also, in many other
places, whale shark females are not known to swim
to the surface. Why do they surface in Kwatisore?
Why are there only youthful whale sharks? Where are
the adults? Are they in Kwatisore only to hunt, or do
they reside permanently? Where do they breed? What
do their juveniles look like?
Best Time
to Go
All year round,
but especially
in November.
Diving
Operators
Kali Lemon
Resort (Rp2.5
million per
person per
day, both for
diving and
snorkeling).
diving
93
The ‘underwater forest’.
94
Whale
Sharks
Whale sharks
are actually huge
sharks that look
like whales. They
eat plankton, made
up of microscopic
organisms and
plants. They are the
biggest fish in the
world, and tend to
inhabit warm waters.
The average
whale shark:
Length: 10 meters
(similar to two and a
half cars)
Weight:
Life expectancy:
70-100 years
Width of mouth:
1.5 meters
Number of teeth: 350
Whale sharks try to eat the fish caught by fishermen.
diving
Other Things
to Do
Kali Lemon Resort.
While scientists are hard at work researching the
presence of whale sharks in Kwatisore, in the past
two years visitors have been on the increase to see
them. “Many tourists come with a diving liveboard,”
said Casandra Tania, a WWF-Indonesia researcher.
When I did my dive, I met divers on a Seahorse
trip. “We have been to Kwatisore three times this
month, bringing 16 people, which is as many as the
boat will hold,” said Joe Bates, a UK national, the
operations director who speaks fluent Indonesian.
Joe is familiar with the fishermen. Three of his guests
with underwater photo equipment were busy taking
shots of two beautiful models with the whale sharks.
“We brought photographers for Ocean Geographic
magazine,” said Txus Reiriz, the Spanish-born owner
of Seahorse. The group paid the fishermen Rp10
million for their three-day shoot. “We pay them so
that they don’t go fishing.” said Joe Bates. “This is
the only place for it in the world. In places such as
Australia or Thailand, it’s very difficult to get close
to whale sharks. They live deep down and rarely
surface. Sometimes, we have to use a helicopter
to look for them. If we find some, we have only 5-10
minutes with them, so tourists have to swim quickly
to see them up close. But here the sharks are visible
all year round, and seem to want to interact with
humans. This is what we came for,” says Txuz Reiriz. l
» Bird-Watching: Bukit
Soa, about 10 minutes
by speedboat from Kali
Lemon Resort, offers oldgrowth forests inhabited
by many kinds of birds,
such as the cendrawasih
(bird of paradise),
cockatoo, hornbill, maleo,
and parrots.
» Suebu Animal Market,
Kwatisore: From about
10pm until morning, the
market displays catch
from hunting in the
wild: forest boars, deer,
cassowaries and snakes.
» Bukit Batu Meja: The
highest place in Kwatisore
offers the best views
of the surrounding
landscape.
Cruise
Ship
Seahorse
(www.indocruise.
com)
Damai I
(www.damai.
liveaboarddiving.
net)
Damai II
(www.damai.
liveaboarddiving.
net)
Grand
Komodo (www.
komodoalordive.
com)
Putiraja (www.
putiraja.com)
Average cost is
about US$375 per
person per day
Diving certification:
All levels
information center
Tourism Office
Papua Province Culture
and Tourism Board
Abepura Main Road,
Kotaraja, Jayapura, Papua
1482, Jayapura, Papua
Phone: +62-967 31403, +62967 82805
Fax.: +62-967 35058
Telex: 76 1 2 1 AVINDO IA
Travel Agent
Natrabu Tours & Travel
Batukarang Street 1st,
Jayapura, Papua
Fax.: +62-967 36613
Duta Baliem Travel
17 Nindya Street, Jayapura,
Papua
Phone:
+62-967 33583
Limbunan Tours & Travel
68 Argapura Raya Street,
Jayapura, Papua
Phone: +62-967 35430, +62967 35498
Fax.: +62-967 35377
Travel Conhtt Overseas
39 Pantai Kelapa Street,
Jayapura, Papua
Phone: +62-967 34063
Papua Adventure T & T
(Papua),
Mr. Gantang (+62817364243,
+6281344628586), e-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected]
Advindo Tours & Travel
22 A Yani Street, PO. Box.
Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777), Zikri
(+6281802156188), Herdi
(+6281995194009)
95
sangihe & talaud
96
• PT Alexandra Dinamika,
Dr Sutomo Street 12, Manado,
Phone: +62-431-868800,
e-mail: [email protected]
• Natrabu Tours & Travel,
Srapung Street, Manado,
Phone: +62-43164515
• Buana Minaesa Wisata, Sam
Ratulangi Street, XIX/12A, Manado,
Phone: +62-431-862700, 859174,
e-mail: [email protected]
Sangihe and Talaud, North Sulawesi
DWELLING OF
THE GODS
O
n the Pacific Ocean, between the islands of
Sulawesi and Mindanao, small islands are
lining up. Among those small islands are
Sangihe and Talaud.
Due to a land expansion in 2000, Sangihe
and Talaud separated; each became a
regency of the North Sulawesi Province.
• Axell Express/
Toyosyn, Sam
Ratulangi Street
2/19, Manado,
Phone: +62-431876868, 935, 878,
e-mail: tojosyn@
indosatnet.id
• Mapanget Tour &
Travel (Manado),
Mrs. Ima
(+6281356622263),
e-mail: info@
mapanget-tours.
com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Still, underneath the blue sea of Sangihe and Talaud
astonishing habitats of corals and diverse range of
fish remain.
Not only that, divers can also experience the
touch of a submarine volcano. In the waters of
Mahagetang Island, about eight meters down the
surface, divers can race with the bubbles bursting
out of the crater rocks.
The sea is home to two volcanic peaks; evident
by the warm, 37 to 38-degree-Celcius water.
The Sangihe locals call the volcano Banua Wuhu.
They believe that Banua is the dwelling of the gods,
who will be wrathful if humans damage the sea.
Therefore, a traditional ceremony is held annually
at the end of January, where local elders will dive
into the sea, presenting it with gold, which they
place in a long underwater tunnel.
Since these islands are located at the crossing
diving
of the Indian Ocean and the volcanic lane, divers
are advised to dive between April and November
to avoid the west wind, which blows between
December and March. The west wind stirs an
underwater current, causing swift water surface.
The Sangihe Islands can be reached by
speedboat from Manado, the capital of North
Sulawesi. The ride will take approximately 10
hours. l
Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi
INTO THE MUD
L
embeh Strait is conveniently located not far
from the center of the city. In fact, it only takes
90 minutes to reach the strait from Manado,
the North Sulawesi capital. But despite its
proximity to the city, it is yet to be swarmed by
tourists, making it a perfect getaway.
Different from Bunaken, the sands of the
Lembeh Strait is black, explaining why diving in
the strait is referred to as muck diving. The soot at
the bottom of the sea helps care for the sea’s rich
biodiversity. There are 89 diving points here; each
with different topography and features diverse
inhabitants.
There is no wave at Lembeh, because of its
location that is far from the vast ocean. So, when
Bunaken is hit by strong tides, Lembeh will not be
touched by the slightest splash of wave. Calm sea
provides divers with safety. Many resorts along the
coast also offer diving packages. l
Lembeh
Strait
• Tulip Indah Tour
& Travel, Sam
Ratulangi Street
178, Manado,
Phone: +62-43163700
• Buana Minaesa
Wisata, Sam
Ratulangi Street,
XIX/12A, Manado,
Phone: +62-431862700, 859174,
e-mail: info@
buanatravel.com
Anambas, the Riau Islands
DIVING WITH
TURTLES
• Mapanget
Tour & Travel
(Manado), Mrs. Ima
(+6281356622263),
e-mail: info@
mapanget-tours.
com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
97
Anambas,
the Riau
Island
• Auto Mas
Tour & Travel,
Complex Intan
Sari Building,
Sekupang,
Phone: +62-778322589
• Mayang Sari
Travel, Imam
Bonjol Street,
Batam, Phone:
+62-778-458427,
456238
• Batamas Duta
Travel, Raja
Ali Haji Street,
Lubuk Baja,
Phone: +62-778322799
• Riau Holiday
Travel, Pellantar
II Street 53,
Tanjung Pinang,
Phone: +62-77121812
• Netra Service
Jaya Travel,
Komp. Wisma
Kartika, MT
Haryono Street,
tanjung Pinang,
Phone: +62-77821882
T
he Durai Island is only one of the 238
islands spreading across the waters
of Anambas in the Riau Islands. It is not
that big of an island, but here is where
turtles nest their eggs; here is also
where divers can dive along with them.
Anambas offers so much through
some of the divers’ favorite spots, which include Batu
Katoaka, Tokong Malangbiru and the Seven Skies
wreck. The latter, a tank that sank in the waters of
Tioman Island in 1969, has now become a magnet
for marine lives. Lucky divers may find whale sharks
here.
Another appealing spot is the corals in the
lagoon, formed by a cluster of five islands that are
Bawah, Sanggah, Murbah, Lidi and Elang. When the
tide is low, sand dunes and corals stand out, as if
connecting the five islands. From the surface of the
lagoon, we can see the fish swarm into white sandy
bottom.
Airlines departing from Tanjung Pinang and Batam
serve flights to Matak Island, Anambas six times a
week. If you choose water transportation, Pelni and
perintis ships from Tanjung Pinang dock twice a
month at Tarempa Port in the capital of Anambas. l
Wakatobi,
Southeast
Sulawesi
• Viola Tour &
Travel, Mayjend
Sutoyo Street,
Tipulu, Kendari,
Phone: +62-401324840, e-mail:
violacalista_
utama@yahoo.
com
• Patuno Resort
Wakatobi, Patuno
Wangi Wangi
Street, Wakatobi,
Phone: +62-8114002221
• Sulawesi
Experience,
Dahlia Street
Komp. Pesona
Taman Dahlia,
Kendari, Phone:
+62-411-5737779,
website: www.
sulawesiexperience.com
98
Wakatobi,
Southeast Sulawesi
DRIFTING
THROUGH THE
CURRENT
W
akatobi is composed of four main
islands: Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa,
Tomia and Binongko; each has its
own characteristic. Waha at Wangiwangi, for example, offers a type of
reefs with the majority of its contours
looking like a wall.
In Kaledupa, on the other hand, groupers
and snappers can be found easily. If you dive
approaching or after the full moon, you may get to
witness snappers spawning at 25-40 meters below
the water surface. The Hoga Island near Kaledupa
also offers an attractive diving location.
• Tomia Dive Center,
Tomia Island,
Wakatobi, Phone:
+62-81686195,
e-mail:
tomiadivecenter@
gmailcom,
website: www.
tomiadivecenter.
com
Derawan
Island,
East
Kalimantan
• PT Myla Tour, 6
Kemakmuran
Street, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan,
Phone: +62-541 7730
146, e-mail: myla.
[email protected]
• Borneo Tour &
Travel (Balikpapan),
Mr. Joko
(+62811545793),
e-mail: tborneo@
indo.net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
The coral fish around Tomia are more diverse
and abundant. The sensation here is to swim with
hundreds and even thousands of fish. This is also
where table corals spread.
Binongko is the only island facing the Flores Sea;
as others are facing the Banda Sea. Because of its
geographical differences, most of the corals in this
southernmost island are soft and long, resembling
a rope.
Another of Wakatobi’s attractions is its atoll,
a ring-shaped coral reef. Stretching as far as 48
kilometers, the Kaledupa Atoll is one of the longest
atolls in the world. During low tides, the atoll
emerges to the surface, looking like an island of its
own.
Part of the Wakatobi National Park, these waters
have strong currents, allowing drift diving – a
type of diving following a current – and saving our
energy. l
Derawan Island, East Kalimantan
DANCING WITH
JELLYFISH
T
hree hours after our departure from the
Tengkayu Port, Tarakan, we finally arrived
at Derawan Island, an island that neighbors
with three other beautiful islands: Maratua,
Kakaban and Sangalaki. Asia’s largest habitat
of green turtles, you may witness giant turtles
swimming freely and Philippine turtles laying
diving
eggs under the floating resort. Other than turtles,
a variety of colorful fish, corals and marine plants
spread below the wooden dock near the resort.
One and a half hours away from Derawan is
the Kakaban Island. Amid the dense Kakaban
forest you can find a brackish lake. Surrounded
by mangroves, the lake becomes the habitat of
stingless jellyfish. As you swim further down, you
can find more upside down jellyfish (cassiopea),
inviting you to ‘dance’ with them.
This natural uniqueness can be found only in
so few a place in the world; two of which are the
Kakaban Island in Indonesia and the Micronesia
Island in the Pacific’s southeast region. Other
than the lake, the underwater charm of Kakaban
Island is a tourists’ favorite. There are eight diving
locations available. l
Padaido, Papua
A NAPOLEON
ENCOUNTER
R
aja Ampat in Sorong and Kwatisore in Nabire
are not the only sensational diving spots in
Papua. There is also Padaido in Biak. While
Raja Ampat is known for its biodiversity and
Kwatisore for its whale sharks, Padaido is
known for cave diving. Cave Wundi, as well
as the wreckage of the Second World War’s
planes and ships, can be found here, presenting
divers with another diving option: wreck diving.
Cave Wundi is located not far from the Wundi
Island, one of the white sandy islands amid the
Padaido cluster of islands. From the Tip Top Port
in Biak, it takes around three hours by speedboat
to get there. The cave’s entrance is located 12
meters below the surface of the water. A two-byone-meter hole at the cave’s mouth is the divers’
entry into the cave. Inside, we may swim along
the 18-meter tunnel, which features several
unexplored chambers. Sunlight pierces through
the tunnel of the cave; but in the middle, it is pitch
dark.
A napoleon fish and a giant turtle inhabit the
cave. The 40-centimeter-wide turtle usually can
be found near the mouth of the cave; while the
napoleon swims in the cave’s basin. Coral and
schooling fish adorn the area along the basin.
Padaido,
Papua
• Natrabu Tours &
Travel, Batukarang
Street 1st,
Jayapura, Papua,
Phone: +62-96735613
• Ganda Irjaya
Travel, Imam
Bonjol Street, Biak,
Phone: +62-96121616
• Papua Adventure
T & T (Papua),
Mr. Gantang
(+62817364243,
+6281344628586),
e-mail: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
According to Erick Farwas, a diving guide from
Biak Diving who has mastered up to 29 diving
spots around Padaido, the Padaido waters is
suitable for any divers at any levels. l
Live on Board Komodo Island,
East Nusa Tenggara
SHARKS OF
CASTLE ROCK
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
99
Komodo
Island,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• Getrudis Tours,
Soekarno Hatta
Street, Phone: +620385- 41373
• Manumadi Tours,
Soekarno Hatta
Street, Labuan
Bajo, Phone: +620385-41457
• PT. Khatulistiwa
Nusantara Hijau,
Soekarno Hatta
Street, Labuan
Bajo, Phone: +620385- 41900
• Firelli Tour
&Travel, Mataram,
Mr. Didik (+62431-811119 &
+62812125254243),
e-mail: firellitour@centrin.
net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
T
he cluster of islands surrounding the Komodo
Island not only offers the beauty of the ancient
animal, but also a mesmerizing view under
water. And what better way to enjoy it than to
live on board a boat.
Last year in September – along with the
Seven Wonders team – we got on board
of the Lataran Komodo, a pinisi boat. Departing
from Labuhan Bajo, the closest diving location
is the Sebayor Island; reachable within one
hour. The area around this island was a suitable
start for an adventure that would take us to the
50 diving spots around the Komodo Island: the
current is not as strong, the corals are not too
sharp.
At the northeast region of the Komodo Island,
the most popular diving spot is Castle Rock. The
100
diving
Komodo Island
www.shutterstock.com
101
Raja
Ampat
Islands,
West
Papua
• Makmur Thomas
Travel, A. Yani
Street 1/14,
Sorong, Phone:
+62-967-33593
• Cahaya Alam
Agung, Kota
Baru Street 39,
Manokwari,
Phone: +6296221153, 21133
• Papua Adventure
T & T (Papua),
Mr. Gantang
(+62817364243,
+6281344628586),
e-mail: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
102
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Hukurila,
Maluku
• Natrabu, Anthony Rhebok
Street 27,
Ambon, Maluku,
Phone: +62-91143938
• Tujuh Jaya
Travel Agent,
6th Kopra Street
142-143, Ambon,
Maluku, Phone:
+62-911-52342
20-meter plateau is the most popular spot to see
coral sharks or dolphins. If you would like to see
stingrays, you should move to the southwest
area, at Manta Alley.
The best visibility with perfect sunlight falls
between November and January. l
Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua
MONSTROUS
FISH AND
TOWERING
REEFS
A
ulia, an environmental activist, saw five
of these monsters approaching him, as
he was diving in the waters of Tanjung
Makwoy in the Raja Ampat Islands, West
Papua. As told by his friends, he quickly
ducked, taking refuge at the bottom of
the waters. This, people believe, is the
way to repel sharks.
His heart beat through his chest. However,
after a safe 6-meter distance between Aulia and
these black-finned, white-lined carnivores were
maintained, they disappeared. Whale sharks are
not ferocious.
Shark is the icon of Raja Ampat. From a
30-meter distance, it is common for a diver like
Aulia to see the sharks approaching, observing
then swimming away.
The blue sea in the waters of Batanta Island
is crystal clear. From the surface we can see
towering reefs: the shoots, burned by the sun,
grow over the water surface; the roots buried
deep at the bottom of the sea.
In the Raja Ampat waters, there are four islands:
Waigeo, Misool, Slawati and Batanta to the west
of Papua Island’s Bird’s Head (Vogelkoop). Coral
fragments housing fish nests spread across
the bottom of the waters. Plenty of wall reefs
decorate the topography of the bottom of the
sea. l
diving
Hukurila, Maluku
COLORS OF
THE SEA CAVE
D
iverse marine flora and fauna live in an
underwater cave at Hukurila, South
Leitimur District, south of the city
of Ambon, Maluku. The banks of the
island that faces the Banda Sea is filled
with corals – the kind of typology that
signals the presence of many coral
walls and underwater caves.
Coral walls with several formations make up
the cave entrance, which is located 15 meters
below the water surface. Passing the entrance,
we can enjoy the view of various corals and
groups of fish that swim between the corals.
Diving further down to the depth of 20 meters,
there is a giant cave, Hukurila. Here lies soft
corals and unique, jumbo-sized colorful marine
organisms, like the nudibranch and the fourcolored scorpion fish. l
103
104
AFP PHOTO MALAYSIA OUT
f ore st
105
Kayan Mentarang National Park,
North Kalimantan
The
Whispering
Leaves
Photo: Aditia Noviansyah, Text: Qaris Tajudin
The Kayan Mentarang National Park consists of primary forest which
happens to be the second oldest and biggest in Southeast Asia.
travelers can stay overnight in the forest, tracking its lush and thick
greenery, fish in the clear water or just gaze at the low-flying hawks.
Kayan Mentarang
National Park
Malinau
Regency
Kalimantan
106
P
erhaps this is what the environment looked
like in the time of Adam and Eve.
The hills and valleys are so green. Half of it
is covered in grass, 20 centimeters tall. Here,
deer and wild oxen happily feed together. The
other half is a tangle of huge trees. From deep
within the thicket comes the echoing calls of
wild monkeys.
Peacocks cry out with shrill voices. Also heard is
the helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil), a bird whose
beauty is revered by the Dayak tribe people. Its flight
is emulated in Dayak traditional dances, while its
feathers are used to make magnificent headdresses.
The bird symbolizes a higher and sacred ground,
where the deities dwell.
These beautiful hills and valleys are found in
Long Tua, Malinau, North Kalimantan. Along with
photographer Aditya Noviansyah and adventure
specialist Dody Johanjaya, I visited the place last
month after four days of travelling on the Bahau River,
a waterway with 90 percent of its banks enclosed by
thick forest.
The grassy fields of Long Tua (long is the local word
for river) are located in Kayan Mentarang, a national
park covering 1.35 million hectares. The land ranges
from 200 meters to 2,500 meters above sea level,
making it home to a great diversity of flora and fauna.
The huge swathe of protected land, mostly located
in Malinau regency but also reaching Nunukan
regency, was named a national park in 1996. Flanked
by the Kayan River to the south and the Mentarang
river to the north, the national park is the biggest
area of protected primary and secondary forests in
Southeast Asia.
Aside from its forest density, unparalleled by any
other forest in Kalimantan, the park also boasts
great diversity. Based on research by the Word
Wildlife Fund (WWF), there are more than 70 species
of mammals living there—including wild oxen, deer,
antelopes and wild cats. There are 210 species of
birds, including several eagles that we often saw
spreading their wings above the trees along the
river’s edge.
O
n a scorching afternoon, we arrive at Apau
Ping, the furthest village upstream on the
Bahau River. It is one of the villages located
inside the Kayan Mentarang National Park.
There is no guesthouse in this village of
about 60 wooden houses, so we were
invited to stay overnight at the home of
village head Yusuf Apuy.
f ore st
How to
Get There
Fogs descend in Kayan Mentarang.
Two hours after our arrival, the sitting room at Pak
Yusuf’s house is full. One of the visitors is Ding Njuk,
28. On his arm is a Playboy tattoo, a souvenir from
Malaysia, where he worked for a timber company.
Ding is willing to accompany us on a trip through the
forests of Long Tua in two days time. He first has to
repair his parent’s home.
Two days later, as planned, we leave for Long Tua
on two ketinting, a three-meter-long boat powered by
a small engine. Aside from Ding, we are accompanied
by Dan Salo, Rodes Jan and Titus Lawing. They are
Kenyah people, of the biggest Dayak tribe in Malinau,
except for Titus. He’s a member of the Punan tribe.
Before reaching Long Tua, we turn off at a branch
of the Berau River. About 15 minutes later, we have
already found a peaceful spot. The 20-meter-wide
river is sheltered by towering trees. The water moves
slowly, with almost no current. With the engine
switched off, we can only hear the rustling of leaves.
Ding doesn’t wait long. Armed with a fishing spear
that he made himself, he dives straight into the water.
One minute, two minutes, and bang! On the third
minute, he proudly pulls out a fish as big as his thigh
that has been pierced through the belly. He rests for
a moment before he jumps back in, swims among
the roots of the trees and emerges with a floundering
fish.
I swim out quite far, toward some rocks sticking
out in shallow water, to enjoy a moment of solitude.
The water cascades over the rocks, lit by the bright
midday sun.
An hour later, we wrap up our fun on the Berau
River and return to Bahau. As it’s already lunchtime,
we pull over to the embankment. Ding cleans a padek
fish with scales the size of Rp1,000 coins, Dan cuts
bamboo to steam the underbelly of the fish, Rodes
cuts up wet sticks to skewer the fish, and Titus
gathers dry wood to make a fire. Half an hour later,
the fruits of their labor disappear into our bellies.
It’s late afternoon when we reach Long Tua. There’s
no need to set up a tent, as there’s a wooden hut
donated by WWF that we can stay in. The hut is well
equipped, with kitchen utensils and thin mattresses.
At about 5pm, Titus asks me and Aditya to help him
look for dinner. He picks up his hunting rifle and heads
into the forest. At first, we’re able to keep up because
Titus sticks to the trail. We start to get left behind
when he goes off into the dense jungle, pushing past
tall trees and thick undergrowth, shuffling along the
edge of a cliff, tramping over muddy ground and
crossing a small stream.
He seems to walk aimlessly. We wonder if he will
be able to remember the way back to the hut. But we
trust his instincts.
As it turns out he is following a trail left by wild
boars, the tracks made visible by their hoofs pressing
into the damp earth. “There are lots of tracks, but the
boars are nowhere to be seen. This is a new trail,”
Titus says, pointing to a well-defined print in the mud.
Aside from looking for boar tracks, we are also
keeping an eye out for prints and fresh droppings left
by wild oxen and deer.
Our hunt reaches its end at the bank of the Bahau
River. “Let’s rest for a bit,” Titus says, seeing that
Aditya and I are drenched in sweat.
Soon after, we hear a ‘tok-tok-tok’...and then
If you want to
enjoy the vistas
of Bahai River
and Kayan
forest, you
can fly direct
to Malinau,
then take a
connecting
flight by light
aircraft to Long
Alango or Long
Pujungan.
The journey to
Apau Ping can
be continued
by a ketinting
boat. The
flight schedule
changes often,
so you may have
to wait up to two
weeks to return.
If you want to
enjoy the river
before heading
into the Kayan
Mentarang
National Park,
you can alight
at Tarakan,
and then take
a speedboat to
Tanjung Selor
(1-2 hours). A
connecting
speedboat
continues to
Long Bia (3
hours). Early
in the morning
you can
continue on to
Long Pujungan
(8 hours).
The next day,
take another
connection to
Long Alango (3
hours) or travel
direct to Apau
Ping (6 hours).
The total
journey will
take 3-4 days.
107
into the forest
The Best Time to Go
It’s best to avoid visiting
Kayan Mentarang
National Park during the
wet season. The forest can
become too muddy and
will be full of leeches. The
grass in the fields at Long
Tua will also be high,
leaving few attractions as
the deer and oxen will be
in hiding.
Fuel is expensive
upstream (Rp16,00021,000 per liter for
Premium fuel), making
the cost of a boat trip
more expensive the
further you head up
river. Prices fluctuate
greatly. An average trip
will cost Rp20-30 million
per person, including
accommodation, local
guides and food.
Rp
How Much Does
it Cost?
108
What to Bring
It is cheapest to travel by
plane. A flight on a small
aircraft from Malinau
to Long Pujungan or
Long Alango will cost
Rp750,000 to Rp1 million.
The cost of a homestay is
Rp150,000-400,000 a
night. From Apau Ping to
Long Tua, it’s necessary
to rent a ketinting (Rp2
million) and pay a guide
(Rp150,000 per day).
» Sunscreen (especially if
you will be travelling by
boat).
» Waterproof bag
» Quick-drying pants
and shirts (you can find
these at an adventure
store)
» Rain jacket
» Life jacket (you need to
bring your own as they
are not provided on
traditional boats)
» Plenty of cash (no
ATMs and boat rental is
expensive)
Rice barn in Long
Alango village.
information center
Tourism Office
East Kalimantan
& North
Kalimantan
Province Tourism
Office
22 Jend. Sudirman
Street, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan
website: www.
dispar.kaltim.go.id
Travel Agent
PT Nusantara
Wisata
Kemangi Komp.
GTL (Karpotek)
Kav. PP.13A Street,
Samarinda, East
Kalimantan
Phone: +62-811 556
486, +62-541 273
666; Fax.: +62-541
273 427
Contact: Mr. I Bagus
Putra
e-mail: reservasi_
[email protected]
Contact: Mr. Agus
Noor Ihsan
e-mail: myla.tour@
yahoo.co.id
Dody Adventure
website: www.
dodyadventure.com
Borneo Tour
& Travel
(Balikpapan),
Mr. Joko
(+62811545793),
e-mail: tborneo@
indo.net.id
PT Myla Tour
6 Kemakmuran
Street, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan
Phone: +62-541 7730
146; Fax.: +62-541
771697
Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
silence. The noise starts again: ‘tok-tok-tok’. “Do
you hear that?” Titus asks. We heard the noise from
across the river alright, but we don’t know what it is.
For people like us who are unfamiliar with the forest,
the noise could come from anything. Perhaps it’s a
woodpecker, or a monkey hitting a stick against the
hollow of a tree. It could even be a carpenter at work,
for all we know. Silly guesses, because we have no
idea what it could be.
But not Titus. For him, the sound was like a call to
dinner. He takes off his shirt, picks up his rifle and
stands on a rock, looking out over the river. He thinks
for a moment before crossing over the neck-deep
water.
Once on the other side, he pauses yet again before
launching into the thick of the jungle. Five minutes
later...bang! A shot is heard. Just one, and Titus
comes out from behind the trees with a plump female
boar. Most of the boar in this area are sus barbatus,
or bearded boar, and this one does have a long
beard. The ‘tok-tok’ noise we heard came from her
as she rapped on the trunk of a tree to make a piece
of fruit fall.
We arrive at the camp at dusk. Ding has already
brought another fish for those of us who don’t eat
pork—or boar.
H
unting, wood-gathering and land-clearing
for agriculture all takes place inside the
Kayan Mentarang National Park. But not
for commercial interests. The forest is only
exploited enough for its people to live on.
Because they depend on the forest for their
livelihoods, the local people there don’t
want to destroy it. “For the Dayak people, the forest
f ore st
Last week we
received bad news.
Rodes Jan died in
a TNI (Indonesian
military) helicopter
crash incident.
Rodes—who
was my foster
brother because
his mother, Mak
Awing, took me as
a foster child—was
in the helicopter
in the flight trip
near the Malaysian
border to help the
troops build their
new post.
Information
on Kayan
Mentarang
represents their soul. Without the forest, there would
be no Dayak people,” said Cristina Eghenter, an
Italian-born anthropologist at WWF whose doctorate
studies dealt with Dayak communities.
One example of Dayak forest management is the
way they cultivate land. First they clear the forest.
Every family owns two to three plots, but only one is
used at a time. The others are left to be reforested.
Every five to 10 years, when a plot is no longer
fertile for farming, they return to a reforested plot.
The used plot is left to become forest once again.
“What do we need big fields for? We farm only to
feed ourselves. It’s not possible to sell the rice grain,
because everyone here has their own crop. To sell it
in the city, the transportation would be too expensive
for it to be worthwhile,” says Ding.
While some areas are set aside for farming and
regrowth, others are off limits altogether. Certain
areas of the forest are known as tana ulen, or
forbidden land. These parts of the forest may not
be used for farming, hunting, or any other form of
Area: 1,360,500
hectares
Mammals:
100 species
(15 endemic
species)
Primates: 8
species
Birds: More
than 310 species
(including
28 that are
endemic to
Kalimantan)
Population:
25,000, from
various Dayak
tribes: Kenyah,
Punan, Lun
Daye, and Lun
Bawang.
Named a
national park in
1996
Location:
Malinau
regency, North
Kalimantan
Climate: 16-30°
Celsius
Average
rainfall: 3,100
millimeters per
year
Elevation: 2002,558 meters
above sea level
Coordinates:
1°59’-4°24’ LU,
114°49’-116°16’
BT
exploitation. “Traditional law plays an important role
in maintaining forest sustainability there,” Eghner
said. Anyone found shooting deer or boars in Long
Tua faces a fine of Rp10 million.
One important figure who guards both tradition and
sustainable forestry there is Anyie Apuy. Anyie is the
traditional chief of upstream Bahau. On our journey
to Apau Ping, we had the chance to stay at his home
in Long Alango. Anyie received a Kalpataru award (for
exceptional work in the field of environment) in 2009
for his services in protecting the forests of Kayan
Mentarang. “Without these forests, our traditional
societies would die,” said Anyie, now 70 years old.
Every year, Anyie gathers customary leaders from
several villages to evaluate traditional regulations,
adding new rules if needed. At the end of last month,
in Long Alango, they gathered to discuss the plans to
build a road in the area. The development is seen as
both a blessing and a threat.
Kayan Mentarang is very remote, located on the
edge of Indonesia’s region bordering Malaysia. The
only way to get there is via a small river with rapids.
The Long Alango airstrip, which is overrun with
grass, can only accommodate small aircrafts, with
a maximum of about a dozen people. The connecting
road is a dirt track.
With conditions like these, no coal or logging
companies are interested in investing in the area.
It would be almost impossible to transport logged
timber down the river. But this could all change if a
road is built cutting through the forest.
A
t dawn, when it’s still dark, Aditya,
Ding and I go back into the forest. Our
destination is the open field where the deer
and oxen are grazing. The new sun rises
as we climb atop a ridge overlooking the
field. Although the sky is no longer black,
the sun has not yet reached us, blocked
by a taller hill behind us. Nature is but a silhouette.
But Ding can already recognise many of the shadows
flickering before us. “Look, there’s an ox grazing,” he
says, pointing to a silhouette on the nearby hill. “That
one’s a deer,” he adds, turning to a shadow leaping
about in the valley.
At first, we can’t clearly see where he’s pointing.
But after an hour, our surroundings turn from blackand-white to full colour. We can see white-tailed oxen
grazing, antelope and deer gambolling in the field,
and the bright green of the trees and grasses. The
sunlight not only brings out the colors but also the
animals into the picture.
On this morning, the sun warms up the whole
valley. It reaches the top of the hill before the fog has
cleared from the valleys between the hilltops. In the
lower valley, behind the trees, the Long Tua River
flows on. l
109
110
Cikaniki-Citalahab, West Java
EXOTIC SHADES
OF THE FOREST
CikanikiCitalahab,
West Java
• Aerotravel (Satriavi),
Asia Africa Street
81, Bandung, phone:
+62-22-4203657
• Panorama Tour,
Sunda Street 76D,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4208007
• Vayatour, Sunda
Street 42, bandung,
Phone: +62-224261739
C
ool breeze immediately fills the air the minute
you step into the Cikaniki-Citalahab tropical
rainforest. The chilly serenity feels even more
complete with the hundreds of tall, lush trees
lining up the path. Rasamala, puspa, beunying
and kimokla – all stand closely together;
providing pedestrians with cool shades of
green lushes.
Cikaniki-Citalahab is a tropical forest in the Mount
Halimun Salak National Park, which has fast become
a tourists’ area. Located at the border of Sukabumi
and Bogor, the forest is still filled with natural lush
despite its location that is adjacent to a colonial
Dutch tea plantation and a local settlement.
f ore st
Considering its strategic location near the
country’s capital city, it is no surprise that the forest
has become a nature tourism spot for nature lovers
from Jakarta, Bandung and other nearby areas.
Not only local tourists, the place is starting to
become a magnet for foreign visitors. “There are a
lot of tourists from the Netherlands,” says Suryana,
manager of Citalahab Central, a housing complex
that leases accommodation for visitors.
As many as 14 houses in this tourism village are
open for rentals with affordable rate. In Suryana’s
house, for instance, you need to spend only Rp
75,000 per night for a room with two beds if you’re
a local, while foreigners pay Rp 150,000. By adding
Rp 75,000, you will receive meals and snacks three
times a day. Throw in another Rp 100,000 per day
and you will get yourself a personal tour guide.
Cikaniki-Citalahab offers a wide variety of tourism
activities, from trekking and exploring the forest to
snapping pictures of the beautiful sunsets in the tea
plantation. While enjoying your trek, you can stop
by a number of cascading waterfalls or just simply
immerse yourself in the surrounding trees, bugs or
exotic birds. If you are lucky, you may even get to
meet the Javanese gibbons, langurs or surili – three
types of tree-swinging primates.
If your idea of fun is to travel with a group of
friends or families, there is a camping site worth
checking out. Local citizens who run the tourism
programs here are currently developing a 2-hectare
camping ground, expanding the existing area. l
Wasur National Park, Merauke
Indonesia’s
own
serengeti
T
he myriad of flora and fauna found here has
earned the Wasur National Park the nickname
“Indonesia’s very own Serengeti”. Serengeti
is a massive, world renowned national park
in Tanzania, Africa famous for its biodiversity.
Located in Merauke, Indonesia’s easternmost
corner, Wasur – officially declared as a
Wasur
National
Park,
Merauke
111
• Natrabu Tours
& Travel,
Batukarang Street
1st, Jayapura,
Papua, Phone:
+62-967- 35613
• Limbunan Tours &
Travel, Argapura
Raya No. 68,
Jayapura, Papua,
Phone: +62-967
35430, 35498
• Travel Conhtt
Overseas, Pantai
Kelapa No. 39
Street, Jayapura,
Papua, Phone:
+62-967 34063
• Papua Adventure
T & T (Papua),
Mr. Gantang
(+62817364243,
+6281344628586),
e-mail: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
national park in 1990 –stretches to a whopping
4,138 square kilometers.
Muhammad Abdul Syah, a photographer from
Titik Nol Community, who frequents Wasur, said the
national park is a highly appealing tourism object with
a wide range of activities to choose from. If you are
into cultural tourism, there are several Kanum tribal
villages that you can visit. “The local tribe’s customs
of hunting and gathering is very interesting to learn
about,” he enthused.
However, if you are up for a tougher challenge,
you can try visiting the Rawa Biru Village that houses
Merauke’s largest natural springs. According to
Abdul, by cruising along Wasur, you can reach Rawa
Biru in just one hour. Visiting at night will not be a
problem since the national park is open 24 hours a
day. l
Mount
Tompotika
Forest,
Central
Sulawesi
• PT NDS Tour &
Travel, Street Tg.
Pesik No. 20, Palu,
Central Sulawesi,
Phone: +62-451451051, e-mail:
randhy8686@yahoo.
com
Mount Tompotika Forest,
Central Sulawesi
112
maleo’s
nesting
ground
D
oes the idea of watching the nearly-extinct
Maleo birds laying eggs at night sound
appealing to you? Well, now you can see it for
yourself in the forest of Mount Tompotika in
Central Sulawesi; near the Taima Village to
be more exact. The only challenge, however,
is access. From Makassar, you need to fly
to Luwuk, Banggai District, where you have to rent
a local’s car to get to the location. Driving takes
approximately one hour. Then, you need to trek the
forest.
The location of this 200-square-meter
conservation area is considerably far and secluded
from the city. Djoko Iskandar, the head of Tompotika
Conservation Alliance Foundation, suggested that
we get assistance from a tour guide. Since there are
only 10 maleo birds in the conservation, you will need
to keep your distance when you spot one to ensure
minimal disruption.
Why at night? According to Djoko, night is the most
secure time for the birds to lay eggs. Naturally, you
will need to spend a night in the area to watch this
rare moment; but there are still no hotels or resorts
• PT Rajawali
Ashab, Sis Aljufri
24, Palu,Central
Sulawesi, Phone:
+62-451-4725858,
e-mail: aim_husen@
yahoo.co.id
• Avia Express T & T,
Street Dr. Moh. Hatta
4, Palu, Central
Sulawesi, Phone:
+62-451-422895
Bukit
Bangkirai,
East
Kalimantan
• PT Myla Tour, Street
Kemakmuran No.
6, Samarinda, East
Kalimantan, Phone:
+62-541 7730 146,
e-mail: myla.tour@
yahoo.co.id
• JL Tours and Travel,
Street Jenderal
Sudirman, tarakan,
East Kalimantan,
Phone: +62-551
32615, e-mail:
jltoursandtravel@yahoo.
com
• PT Delapan Mutiara,
Street Dr. Soetomo
No. 29, Samarinda,
East Kalimantan,
Phone: +62-541- 738
970
• Borneo Tour & Travel
(Balikpapan), Mr.
Joko (+62811545793),
e-mail: tborneo@indo.
net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777), Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
in the forest at the moment. Djoko said tourists may
stay at a local’s house; but with the consequence of
not being able to take baths due to water scarcity in
the area.
One thing for sure, there is no fee charged to watch
the beauty of Maleo birds. Additionally, this tourism
spot is also home to turtles and burung gosong, a
type of megapode. The natural landscape at the foot
of Tompotika Mountain is no less appealing – calming
waterfalls and breathtaking view of the forest will
complete your experience in Sulawesi’s secluded
peninsula. l
Bukit Bangkirai, East Kalimantan
where the
trees grow
tall
B
ukit Bangkirai at Samboja District, East
Kalimantan has arguably the best tropical
rainforest view. No need to trek in and out
of forest to enjoy this view. All you need to
do is put on your running shoes, climb up
the stairs that coil around a 30-metre-high
tree and tiptoe your way through a 64-meter
swaying bridge that connects five 50-meter-tall
bangkirai trees.
f ore st
113
Lore Lindu National Park, Poso
Lore Lindu
National
Park, Poso
• PT NDS Tour &
Travel, Street Tg.
Pesik No. 20, Palu,
Central Sulawesi,
Phone: +62-451451051, e-mail:
randhy8686@yahoo.
com
Bukit Bangkirai is a conservation area specifically
for bangkirai trees, a type of indigenous tree of
Kalimantan that has become severely rare. The area
is home to some 40 to 50-meter-high bangkirai trees
aging more than 150 years old. The 1,500-hectare
forest also houses flocks of birds that migrate from
the Bukit Soeharto National Park, which can be
reached from Balikpapan within an hour by car. l
• PT Rajawali
Ashab, Sis Aljufri
24, Palu,Central
Sulawesi, Phone:
+62-451-4725858,
e-mail: aim_husen@
yahoo.co.id
• Avia Express T &
T, Street Dr. Moh.
Hatta 4, Palu, Central
Sulawesi, Phone:
+62-451-422895
ghost
monkeys and
old relics
I
f you wish to discover beautiful lakes, flowing
rivers, mountains, forest and a valley all at the
same time, then the Lore Lindu National Park
is perfect for you. According to hiker Farchan
Noor Rachman, the park offers a phenomenal
stretch of nature. In addition, it is also home to
a variety of Sulawesi’s endemic animals.
At the heart of Lore Lindu is a lake that
stretches 200 hectares in size. Farhan said
the Lindu Lake, along with its surrounding
landscape, is nothing short of enchanting.
From around the lake, we can see the proud
mountains of Nokilalaki, Adale, Kona’a, Tumaru,
Gimba, Jala, Rindi and Toningkolue.
Nature, however, is not the object to see in
Lore Lindu. You can also visit region’s traditional
villages and spend a night or two there. If time
allows, you should also stop by Kamarora, Doda
and Bada, located not too far away from Lore
Lindu. Trekking to all four places takes around
a week.
While in Kamarora you can seek for tarsius or
ghost monkeys during nighttime; at the Doda
and Bada valleys, you can discover megalithic
stone relics. It is highly recommended that you
visit these places between July and September.
“The view in Doda-Bada is exceptionally
beautiful. The stone relics resemble those of the
Easter Island,” said Farchan. l
Arfak Forest, Papua
114
DANCE,
CENDRAWASIH,
DANCE
M
ount Arfak Forest is home to the birds
of paradise, which the locals still refer
to as the yellow bird or Cenderawasih
bird. Surely, however, Arfak is the
world’s most popular destination for
Cenderawasih observation.
To get there, you must plan your
trip perfectly, so that your exploration will not go
to waste. The best time to visit is in the morning,
around 8 or 9 a.m., where the strikingly beautiful
birds dance on the trees, showing off their
stunning feathers.
Arfak is located 35 kilometers away from Manokwari, the capital city of West Papua. The distance from the start of your trek to the bird-watching spot is relatively close. For around one and a
half hours, you will be trekking along a steep mountain slope, but the challenging journey is only a
small price to pay for the satisfaction of witnessing the beauty of the birds of paradise right before
your eyes. l
Arfak
Forest,
Papua
Bantimurung, South Sulawesi
• Natrabu Tours
& Travel, 1
Batukarang Street,
Jayapura, Papua,
Phone: +62-96735613
• Papua Adventure
T & T (Papua),
Mr. Gantang
(+62817364243,
+6281344628586),
e-mail: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
the KINGDOM
OF FIREFLIES
A
t River Salenrang, trees light up
at night. Instead of moonlight or
Christmas light decorations, these
trees are adorned by flickering
fireflies circling the mangroves
along
the
Dusun
Rammangrammang River, Maros District,
South Sulawesi – 50 kilometers away from
Makassar. The small, illuminating fireflies
also like to perch on our hands when we stand
near the trees. l
Bantimurung,
South Sulawesi
• Anta Express Tours
& Travel, 34-A Dr.
W. Sudirohusodo
Street, Makassar,
South Sulawesi,
Phone:+ 62-411321440, e-mail:
antaupg@antatour.
co.id
• Panorama Travel
Indonesia, F3/9
Citra Sudiang Indah
Street, Makassar,
South Sulawesi,
Phone: +62-411550340, e-mail:
[email protected]
• Ramayana Tours &
Travel, 27 Boulevard
Blok F Street,
Panakukang Mas,
South Sulawesi,
Phone: +62-411441552, e-mail:
nicorstt@indosat.
net.id
f ore st
Betung Kerihun National Park,
West Kalimantan
up the
kapuas river
stream
G
arendel Siboro, Betung Kerihun District II
Kedami’s head of management, explained
that there are a variety of exciting activities to
do as one explores the national park. These
activities range from spotting hornbills,
a mystical Borneo animal that inspired
the Dayak Tribe’s traditional dance, to
encountering a new type of orchid whose substances
Betung
Kerihun
National
park, West
Kalimantan
• Family Tour &
Travel, Street
Merapi No.
179, Pontianak,
Phone: +62-561734583, e-mail:
familytour179@
yahoo.co.id
• PT Nafa Travel,
Street Nusa Indah
III Blok BB 82,
Pontianak, Phone:
+62-561-765023
• Antya Tour &
Travel, Street Teuku
Umar 62, Pontianak,
Phone: +62-561733688, 741994
• Malindo Tour &
Travel, Street
Pattimura 209 C,
Pontianak, Phone:
+62-561734011
Manupeu
Tanah
Daru
National
Park,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• PT. Pitoby
Travel, Jl.
Sudirman
No.136, Telepon
(0380) 832700
• PT. Teddys
Travel, Jl. Ikan
Tongkol No.1,
Telepon (0380)
822422
• PT. Floressa
Travel, Jl.
Mawar No.15,
Telepon (0380)
832012
• PT. Duta
Nusantara,
Jl. Sudirman,
Telepon (0380)
821240
– myth has it – can extend one’s lifespan.
For fishing enthusiasts, Betung Kerihun is the
perfect choice. While enjoying the lush, beautiful
view, you can go fishing at a specifically arranged
location. According to Garendel, there are quite a
few interesting catches in the river, including jumbosized semah fish, which cost a fortune.
If you claim yourself as an adrenaline junkie, you
can try water-trekking in an area of the Kapuas River that flows upstream. Along the way, not only will
you get to see carrion flowers (bunga bangkai) and
deers, you can also learn more about the culture of
the Dayak Punan, the oldest Dayak Tribe in Kalimantan – given you pay the tribal village a visit. l
Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park,
East Nusa Tenggara
encounter
with the
sumba birds
L
ocated in the western part of Sumba, the
Manupeu Tanah Daru Forest – according to
its ecosystem manager, Hartoto – is the best
habitat for the Sumba birds, proudly housing
123 types of birds and eight types of endemic
birds. “Fourteen of them are near extinction,”
said Hartoto.
Manupeu Tanah Daru also gives you the
opportunity to encounter, at first hand, the Timor
dears and seven types of endemic butterflies. Our
meeting with Sumba’s local animals took place amid
the panoramic savannah-rich national park, where
several beautiful white sandy beaches also lie.
Trekking the entire Manupeu Tanah Daru area
takes five days and four nights; however, if it’s birdwatching you are after – such as watching cockatoo (kakatua cempaka), Sumba hornbill (julang Sumba) and kepodang-sungu Sumba – two days and one
night should be sufficient. “The best attraction in our
national park is indeed bird-watching, so it is common
for visitors to spend only a few days here,” said
Hartoto. The best time to visit this park is between
March and June, and October and December. l
115
Sejarah
Lontohir and Banda Volcano.
116
hist ory
Banda Neira, Maluku
A Piece
of History
Photo: Ayu Ambong, Text: Agung Sedayu
117
The original spice islands is where
colonialism in Indonesia began. Old
buildings harking back to that period are
scattered around the town of Banda Neira,
from the old rundown forts, to the Dutch
official’s residence and the exile home of
M.Hatta, one of Indonesia’s independence
proclamators. One of the nearby islands
was bartered for Manhattan in New York,
USA. A rare place of history blessed with
natural beauty.
Volcano
Neira
Sjahrir
Ay
Rhun
Banda Besar
Hatta
118
T
he sea was just turning blue when the
Pelni ship Tidar that I was traveling on
with photographer Ayu Ambong docked
at Neira Harbor, on Monday, October
14. The water was clear, calm and
shimmering. Banda volcano across
from the pier was also reflected. At this
same pier, on February 1, 1936, Mohammad Hatta
and Sutan Sjahrir got off the ship Fommel Haut which
had brought them from their harsh internment in
Boven Digul, Papua. They remained in exile in Neira
until 1942. I began thinking, why had the Dutch made
such a beautiful island into a place of exile.
I couldn’t concentrate when I heard the
announcement that the passengers would be
asked to quickly disembark. Among the hundreds
of passengers rushing to get off, Meutia Farida
Hatta Swasono, daughter of Indonesia’s first vicepresident could be seen slowly descending the ship’s
planks, which were slippery with dew. Meutia was
in Neira to attend the graduation ceremony of the
Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Perikanan Hatta-Sjahrir (HattaSjahrir College of Fisheries), the only tertiary level
school in Banda. “The Dutch consciously exiled Hatta
When
to go
The best time
to visit Banda
Neira is the
season when
the sea is calm,
September to
mid-December
and March to
May. It is not
recommended
to visit in June
and July due
to the strong
winds and high
waves in the
Banda Sea.
and Sjahrir in this beautiful place so that their attitude
towards the government would soften. But their
efforts failed,” explained Meutia, 66.
Meutia stayed at the Hotel Maulana located on
the right side of the pier. This two-storey Dutch style
hotel was built by Des Alwi Abubakar, a leading figure
of Banda who was also the adopted son of both Hatta
and Sjahrir. All of the rooms face the straits and the
Banda volcano. In 1993, Sarah Ferguson, daughter-in
law to the Queen of England, and her two daughters
visited Banda and stayed in that hotel. Other visitors
have included the world famous diver Jacques Yves
Costeau and Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. “They
all stayed in Room 214,” said Des Alwi’s daughter,
Tanya Marinka, who now manages the hotel.
Banda Neira or Banda Naira is one of the main
islands in the Banda archipelago as well as being
the center for the government of Banda subdistrict,
Central Maluku. The Banda subdistrict consists of 12
islands with a total area of 172 square kilometers.
There are almost no cars here. Over a four day period
we only saw three cars and all of them were in poor
condition. “We prefer to walk or ride a bike, what’s
more, gasoline is often difficult to get here,” said
Lukman Ang, a local resident who became our guide.
It’s a pleasure to walk in Neira. The streets are clean
and beautifully lush, lined with colonial style buildings
on the right and left. Rumah Budaya Banda Neira
(Banda Neira House of Culture) is 25 meters from the
harbor. Assorted remnants of the colonial era are
kept in this museum, from various sized canons to
earthenware.
The house in which Sjahrir lived in exile is located
to the right of this building. The Indische style house
combining colonial and tropical architecture has
high ceilings with six round pillars, large windows,
and a steeply sloping roof. The spacious main
room is between the bedroom and the study. An
old gramophone can be found with a record of the
Daphne and Chloe Suite Symphonique produced
by Columbia. Sjahrir’s room has a wooden cabinet
filled with a number of notebooks, pens, clothing,
and even the letter from President Sukarno
appointing Sjahrir as prime minister. In the study
is an antique Underwood typewriter. The area
surrounding Sjahrir’s house has buildings with similar
architecture. One of these is the former home of the
Dutch Governor-General, Jan Pieterszoon Coen.
Not far from there, a 10-minute walk for me, is the
house where Hatta lived in exile. The large house
consists of the main building in the front with an
addition in the back. Hatta rented the house for 10
gulden from a Dutchman named De Vries who owned
a nutmeg plantation. De Vries was willing to rent the
house cheaply because it was said to be haunted by
ghosts. “But in fact there were none,” Meutia told us.
In the study there is an old table on which sits an
hist ory
information center
Tourism Office
Maluku Province
Culture and Tourism
Board
Jend. Sudirman Street,
Batu merah, Ambon,
Maluku
website: www.
disbudparmaluku.org
e-mail: disbudparmaluku@
yahoo.com
Travel Agent
Ambon Dive Centre
Pantai Namalatu Street
Latuhalat, Maluku
Phone: +62-911-55685
Fax.: +62-911-54199
Pesona Wisata Marina
Wim Rawaru Street
Ambon, Maluku
Phone: +62-911-43473
Natrabu
27 Anthony Rhebok Street,
Ambon, Maluku
Phone: +62-911-43938
Fax.: +62-911-43959
Tujuh Jaya Travel Agent
142-143 Kopra Street,
Ambon, Maluku
Phone: +62-911-52342
Fax,: +62-911-52690
Route
Ambon-Banda Neira
Take a 25-seat Merpati flight leaving
Ambon at 7am WIT (Eastern
Indonesia Time) and arrive at
Banda Neira at 8am WIT. The ticket
costs Rp300,000 per person. The
plane flies six-eight times a month,
usually on a Saturday, Sunday, or
Monday.
Take the state-owned Pelni
passenger ships: Kelimutu or
Tidar. The price of these two ships
is the same: economy class is
Rp97,000, Class II is Rp282,000,
Class I Rp343,000 per person. Each
of these ships only travels once
every two weeks. The ship usually
leaves Ambon harbor at 6pm WIT,
with travel time to Banda Neira
taking eight-12 hours.
Rhun Island, the Dutch handed over
Manhattan to the British in exchange
with this island through the Breda
Agreement.
Note:
The Ambon-Banda Neira flight
schedule changes every month and
is not listed online, so it is necessary
to visit or telephone directly to the
Ambon branch office of Merpati
on Jalan Ahmad Yani 19, Ambon,
telephone 62-991-343937.
Arrival in Ambon must be arranged
to suit the schedule of the Merpati
flight or the Pelni ship to Banda
Neira if you do not wish to spend
a night in Ambon. But if you must
spend the night, many hotels are
available in this capital of Maluku
province. From Pattimura airport
in the city of Ambon there is a
Damri airport bus with tickets at
Rp30,000 per person. If necessary
you can rent a car for Rp150,000
per person.
119
Diving
Meutia Hatta at Hatta’s
home in exile in Banda
Neira.
Maulana is
the only hotel
with a dive
center. The
rate for diving
is Rp350,000450,000
per person,
including
lunch. Rental
of diving
equipment
costs
Rp150,000 per
set per person.
Tourist Spots
» Culture House Museum of Banda Neira
» Home in exile of Sutan Sjahrir
» Home in exile of Mohammad Hatta
» Home in exile of Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo
» Home in exile of Iwa Kusumasumantri
» Tugu Parigi Rante, monument in memory of the
massacre of Banda village chiefs by the Dutch
» Hollandische Kerk old church
» Istana Mini Neira former residence of the VOC
governor
» Former house of the VOC deputy governor of
Banda Neira
» Former residence of VOC Governor-General Jan
Pieterszoon Coen
Snorkeling
120
antique typewriter. In that room Hatta would usually
read magazines or write articles on the typewriter
while sipping coffee. He sent articles to a number of
publishers in Java or the Netherlands. The magazine
Sin Tit Po was one of the media that often published
Hatta’s articles.
On the terrace of the additional building are a row
of seven benches and old style writing tables facing
a wooden blackboard. This is where Hatta and Sjahrir
opened afternoon classes to teach the children of
Banda subjects from arithmetic to English. Des Alwi
(1927-2010) in Sejarah Banda Naira (History of Banda
Naira) said that Sjahrir gave lessons to the younger
children, while Hatta taught the older children. They
taught all the lessons in Dutch.
Little by little, however, they slipped in
patriotism in their curriculum. They taught that
Teungku Umar and Diponegoro were heroes who
had opposed the colonialists, not rebels as they
were labeled by the Dutch government. Hatta
once invited the children to paint a boat in red and
white. Meanwhile Sjahrir often took a boat with
the children to Pisang Island only a few kilometers
from Neira. On this arid, uninhabited island, he
taught them to sing the Indonesia Raya national
anthem. To commemorate Sjahrir, the island’s
name has been changed to Sjahrir Island. Hatta’s
Snorkeling
equipment
can be rented
at all the
hotels at about
Rp50,000 per
set.
Motorboat
Rental
Rp750,000 to
Rp1.5 million
per day,
maximum
eight people.
The price
depends on
the type of
boat and
destination.
» Belgica Fort built by the Portuguese in the
16th century then taken over by the VOC. This
pentagonal shaped fort was restored to its original
shape in 1991.
» Nassau Fort, former Portuguese fort rebuilt by
the VOC in 1607. This was the first Dutch fort in
Banda.
name is also immortalized as the name of another
island not far from Sjahrir Island. Hatta Island is
known for its coral reefs and the diversity of fish.
Hammerhead sharks, dolphins, and whales are
often found near this island.
About a hundred meters from the house where
Hatta was interned, is the Mini Palace of Neira,
home to the governor of the VOC (Vereenigde
Oost-Indische Compagnie—Dutch East India
Company), which is similar architecturally to the
Bogor Palace. In front of the palace stretches
Neira beach facing Banda Besar Island. Hatta
and Sjahrir often swam here accompanied by the
children. The beach is clean and has a shallow
coral reef but there are many sea urchins. “For
that reason Father often swam wearing white
sneakers,” recalled Muetia.
In Neira, there were houses where Tjipto
Mangoenkoesoemo and Iwa Kusumasumantri
lived in exile. They both were exiled to Banda from
1927. Tjipto’s house is spacious with six large
pillars supporting the terrace. There are wooden
cabinets, a rocking chair and eight square marble
tabes. Iwa’s house is smaller without much
furnishing except for chairs and an old table. In
the past, almost every Saturday night Hatta and
Sjahrir would visit the homes of Tjipto and Iwa.
hist ory
A
fort shaped like a pentagon stands proudly
at the top of the Banda Neira plateau, just
about 300 meters from the harbor. The fort
called Belgica is about 2,000 square meters
in area and 10 meters tall. The upper part
of the fort has a cannon on every side. The
Dutch built it on the remains of a Portuguese
fort in the 16th century. The British took control of
the fort in 1796. During the Japanese occupation the
fort was destroyed, but the government restored it
in 1991.
Not far from Belgica can be found the remains of
Nassau Fort which was built by the Dutch in 1607.
This 3,000-square meter fort is in ruins. All that
remains are the walls, some of which have already
collapsed. Nassau was the first Dutch fort in Banda.
In 1621, this fort was where 44 wealthy Banda
residents were massacred, as ordered by Coen.
From Neira we traveled to Banda Besar. The
largest island in Banda has tens of hectares of
nutmeg plantations shaded by giant walnut trees
that are hundreds of years old. Here the Dutch built
two forts. The first is Concordia Fort in Waer village.
Located directly on the beach, it faces the open sea.
This fort built in 1621 is five meters high with two
entranceways, one facing the sea and the other the
land. The second fort is Hollandia in Lonthoir village.
This 500-meter square fort was built in 1642.
From Neira we rented a motorboat to head to Ai
and Rhun islands. The trip to Ai took about half an
hour. Revengie Fort built by the Dutch in 1616 is on
this island about 100 meters from the beach. Four
rusty old cannons sit among the weeds filling the top
of the fort. According to Yusuf Maja, an elder of Ai
village, this fort was built to suppress a rebellion in
1615.
About half an hour by motorboat from Ai island
is Rhun island. It is not very large, just about 2,600
meters long and 1,600 meters wide. However, Rhun
Home in
exile of Sutan
Sjahrir.
Belgica Fort.
was the most important island because it was the
center of the nutmeg trade in Banda. It also became
the first British colony. Later, in 1667, through the
Breda agreement, the Dutch handed over Nieuw
Amsterdam, or Manhattan, in North America to the
British in exchange for this island. Indeed, in the past,
this island was far more valuable than Manhattan.
Today not much remains of Rhun’s golden era.
The one remaining section still standing is the frame
of the building known as Rumah Besi (Iron House),
formerly the main building standing on a hilltop of the
nutmeg plantation.“This island was destroyed during
the battle between the Dutch and the British, for its
control,” explained Burhan, a community leader in
Rhun island.
In an after-dinner discussion at the Hotel Maulana,
Meutia told us about how Hatta and Sjahrir practiced
a rather extreme habit during their time on Banda.
They would swim about 300 meters across the Neira
Strait and then immediately climb to the peak of
Banda volcano. “My father would frequently sit there
looking out,” she said.
Feeling curious, the next day Ayu and I took a kolekole, the name for the small wooden boats in Banda,
across the Neira Strait toward the Banda volcano and
climbed it. This mountain is unique because the foot
of the mountain is directly on the sea floor. It is only
about 600 meters high from sea level, but the path
up it is steep and slippery due to small pebbles. It
takes about two hours to reach the peak. We arrived
there at noon exactly.
There is nothing at the top besides the sun’s intense
rays, hot rocks, and the cavity of the former crater
still spewing smoke. But the view is incredible. The
Banda Sea shimmers like a gigantic mirror complete
with fishing boats and the Banda archipelago set
upon it. I imagined Hatta and Sjahrir back in those
days sitting atop this mountain, gazing down on the
country spread out before them, so beautiful but still
a colony, as they discussed the future Indonesia. l
121
Soekarno’s Home in Exile, Ende,
East Nusa Tenggara
122
SOEKARNO
AND THE BENCH
OF IDEAS
A
humble tin-roofed house on Jl. Perwira,
Ende, stores many stories. In this
three-bedroom house one can find
old photographs of young Soekarno,
his paintings, favorite violin as well as
manuscripts, which he wrote to be
performed at a local theatre.
This was Soekarno’s home in exile from 1934 to
1938, where he lived with his wife InggitGarnasih,
mother-in-law Amsi and two adopted children. About
100 meters from his house is an open field. Called
the Pancasila Field by the locals, a life-size statue
of Soekarno erects in the middle. Near the statue,
a lush breadfruit tree shades over a bench. To his
biographer Cindy Adams, Soekarno said he often
spent hours sitting there, pondering. That very
bench was where he reached an epiphany that was to
become Pancasila.
Endeis accessibleby plane from Kupang or
Denpasar. Besides Soekarno’s house, there are
other interesting spots. The three-color Lake
Kelimutu, for example, is only two hours’drive from
there. l
Soekarno’s
home in exile
from 1934 to
1938
Soekarno’s
Home, Ende,
East Nusa
Tenggara Sawahlunto, West Sumatera
• Kelimutu Permai,
Jl. Nangka, Ende,
Phone: +62-038121355
• Wisata Raya, Jl.
Kelimutu No. 40,
Phone: +62-038124575
• Ruggangs, Jl.
Sudirman No.12,
Phone : +62-038121051
• Kaha Tour, Jl.
Ahmad Yani No.20,
Phone: +62-038121252
• Srikandi M M, Jl.
Gatot Subroto,
Phone: +62-038121674
• Aldecaf Tour, Jl.
Gatot Subroto,
Phone: +62-038123567
• Sililaga Jaya, Jl.
Melati, Phone: +620381- 23373
COAL,
TUNNELS AND
UNRECORDED
DEATHS
I
n Sawahlunto, history vines upon old tin,
wooden houses, tall poles, walls and rails
that made upan underground tunnel called
Mbah Suro, the remains of a coal excavation
that splits a small city at the slopes of
MountSinggalang, West Sumatra. The tunnel
was built in 1898 by Dutch geologist W. H.
hist ory
Sawahlunto,
West
Sumatera
• Nitour.Inc., Hiligoo
Street 10, Padang,
West Sumatera,
Phone: +62-751 22175
• Natrabu, Pemuda
Street 29B, Padang,
West Sumatera,
Phone: +62-751 38008
• Eka Aryan Buana,
C/o Pangeran Beach
Hotel, Ir. H. Juanda
Street 79, Padang,
• West Sumatera,
Phone: +62-751-31618
• Ganto Ltd., S. Parman
Street, Padang, West
Sumatera, Phone:
+62-751-52112
• Ermi Tour & Travel
(Padang), Mr. Edy
(+6285263308618),
Ms. Suci
(+6281298933383)
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777), Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
van Greeve, 30 years after he had found Sumatra’s
biggest coal reserves.
The 700-meter-long mining cave was closed in
1932 because ground water uncontrollably flooded
the dredging trail, leaving 14,000 tons of coal
untouched. It was closed until 2007, when AmranNur
became mayor. The 67-year-old entrepreneur
conducted another dredging project, drained the
water and had the tunnel open for public in April 23,
2008. “It took eight months to drain the water,” said
MediIswandi, head of the Sawahlunto Tourism Office.
But, not every drop of water could be drained. The
city government could only manage to dig up to 15
meters deep and as far as 186 meters along the
cave – and this already included air ducts as to allow
visitors to go inside.
The history of the cave is recorded in the mining
museum built atop the remains offoreman Mbah
Surono’s house at the cave entrance. Besides axes
and shovels, there are also pictures of people,
chained and transported from Padang; inmates of
the Dutch East Indies government. There were the
people who worked the cave, excavating coals to
beexported to Europe. No record of casualties –
which some predict reaching thousands – has ever
been recorded.
At the end of the tunnel was Goedang Ransoem,
a public kitchen for the coal miners. The pictures
clearly depict a time when the mine was at its prime
and the houses of the locals were well maintained.
The yard has now become a public space, where
the people of Sawahlunto spend their breezy
afternoon hanging out or exercising, while absorbing
the historical air of the city that was built in 1888.
Tiger’s Cave, South Sumatera
ANCIENT
PAINTINGS AND
SURVIVING
RACES
Tiger’s
Cave,
South
Sumatera
• Antariksa
Wisata, Kolonel
Atmo Street, 103
C, Palembang,
Phone:
+62-711-353643
• Santra
Travel, Kapt.
A Rivai Street,
Palembang,
Phone:
+62-711-310676
• Pesona Wisata
Sriwijaya,
Bangau Street
154, Palembang,
Phone:
+62-711-312397
• Megah Express
Intercontinental
Tour, Kolonel
Atmo Street,
Palembang,
Phone:
+62711-366185
Tiger’s Cave
T
his prehistoric site is located on the karst hills,
one kilometer away from the Padangbindu
village, OganKomeringUlu Regency, South
Sumatra. To reach this cave, visitors have to
climb a steep and slippery slope. The cave
entrance is hidden behind tall trees, grasses
and bushes. At the foot of the hill flows the
Aek Kaman Basah, a small stream that ends at the
OganRiver.
Archaeologists from the Center of National
123
Archaeological Research of the then Ministry of
Tourism and Culture had found 17 prehistoric
human skeletons, flint and obsidianflakes as well as
cave paintings here. After years of archaeological
research in Indonesia, this was the first time cave
paintings were found in the western part of the
archipelago.
The Tiger Cave community was predicted
to have lived around 3,000 years ago.
Different to Pithecanthropus erectus, Homo
soloensis,andHomo mojokertensis, who were
extinct during the Pleistocene era, the human
race of the Tiger Cave is believed to have survived
even today. Archaeologistssuspect that they
were of Neo Mongoloid and Australoid races. It
is estimated that they arrived in Sumatra 4,000
years ago, after the end of the Ice Age. l
Colonial Exile, Boven Digul, Papua
124
HATTA, SJAHRIR
AND EXILE
S
eparated from Merauke, Papua in 2002,
Boven Digul is a notorious place of exile
during the colonial era. Mohammad
Hatta, Sayuti Melik, Sutan Sjahrir and
national movement figure Mas Marco
Kartodikromo were exiled here.
Initially in 1927, the Dutch East Indies
government used this place to alienate rebels.
There were several exile locations here: Tanah
Merah, GunungArang, a military zone and Tanah
Tinggi. Bung Hattacame bearing 16 crates of
books. There, he wrote spent most of his days
writing. Sjahrir was different. When he arrived,
Sjahrir was ordered to cut timbers and build his
own house. It is said that Sjahrir initially enjoyed
taking baths at Digul River but upon hearing that
the river was filled with crocodiles, he moved his
bathing spot to Bening River.
Local government is currently developing
Boven Digul as an integrated tourism destination.
Existing Dutch heritages include hospital,
underground prison, inmates’ burial ground,
and loods, or longhouses,in Tanah Merah. Here,
visitors may also enjoy the beauty of the birds of
paradise, meet the tree-living Korowai Tribe and
savor local delicacies. l
Boven
Digul,
Papua
• Natrabu Tours
& Travel,
Batukarang Street
1st, Jayapura,
Papua, Phone:
+62-967- 35613
• Limbunan Tours &
Travel, Argapura
Raya No. 68,
Jayapura, Papua,
Phone: +62-967
35430, 35498
• Travel Conhtt
Overseas, Pantai
Kelapa No. 39
Street, Jayapura,
Papua, Phone:
+62-967 34063
• Papua Adventure
T & T (Papua),
Mr. Gantang
(+62817364243,
+6281344628586),
e-mail: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
The Museum of
Asmat Culture
and Progress
The Museum of Asmat Culture and
Progress, Papua
WOOD CARVING
SAND ENEMY’S
SKULL
hist ory
Museum
Asmat,
Papua
• Natrabu Tours
& Travel,
Batukarang
Street 1st,
Jayapura, Papua,
Phone: +62-96735613
• Limbunan
Tours & Travel,
Argapura Raya
No. 68, Jayapura,
Papua, Phone:
+62-967 35430,
35498
• Travel Conhtt
Overseas, Pantai
Kelapa No. 39
Street, Jayapura,
Papua, Phone:
+62-967 34063
Danar
Hadi
Batik
Museum,
Solo,
Central
Java
T
he trail of Asmat Tribe’s highly-valued art
carvings is well preserved here. Located
in Agats, the capital of Papua’s Asmat
Regency, the museum houses wide
arrays for wood carvings, statues, bows
and arrows, choppers, spears, shields
and other wars and dances attributes. At
one museum corner, an enemy’s skull was hung;
a token of a war’s past.
Agat scan be reached by boat from the
PomakoTimika Port or by plane. It is, arguably,
a swamp town. The majority of its people are
fishermen. Most of their houses and buildings –
even the museums – are built on stilts. These
• Natra Tour, 86
Gajah Mada
Street, Solo,
Phone:
+62-271-641081
• Nusantara Tour,
5 Urip Sumoharjo
Street, Solo,
Phone:
+62-271-652888
• Pesona Dunia
Tour, 82
Ronggowarsito
Street, Solo,
Phone: +62-271651009
buildings are connected with meter-high plank
bridges.
The Museum of Culture and Progress is
managed by the local Catholic Church, the
Diocese of Agats. New collections can be
found at the museum every year after the
annual Asmat Culture Festival concludes in
October. All the festival’s best carvings are
kept in the museum. l
Danar Hadi Batik Museum, Solo
CENTURIES
OF BATIK
HERITAGE
S
tored in this museum are thousands of batik
collections from different times, including
those that date back more than a century.
Displayed according to their years of
manufacture, origins and cultural influences,
among the batik collections are Batik Djawa
Hokokai, Indian-influenced batik, Batik
Keraton (Batik of the Palace), keraton-influenced
batik, Trader’s Batik, Farmer’s Batik, Indonesian
Batik, Batik Danar Hadi and contemporary batik.
Located on Jl.Slamet Riyadi, the main street of
Solo, Central java, the DanarHadi Batik Museum is
highly accessible. From the airport, visitors may get
on the Solo Batik Trans that passes the museum.
For those that come in groups and wanting to
experience a unique traveling method, a tourist
heritage railway is available. This, however, costs
millions of rupiahs.
The Batik Museum is in the same complex as
the House of DanarHadi. The entrance ticket is Rp
25,000 per person and Rp 15,000 per ticket for
students. Owner Santosa Doellah has integrated the
museum, batik outlet, batik workshop, restaurant
and meeting hall in one complex, presenting visitors
with both an enjoyable shopping experience and a
memorable historical experience in one visit.
Not satisfied with the displayed collection? Take a
peekat the back of the museum. Hundreds of batik
artisans are busy making handmade and printed
batik. l
125
126
Danar Hadi Batik Museum, Solo
Malang Tempo Doeloe Museum,
East Java
KEN DEDES AND
THE ORIGINS OF
MALANG
D
isplaying Malang’s historical items, arts and
cultural pieces, visitors are invited to get
themselves acquainted with the origins of
Malang, even as far as the prehistoric time.
One of the hallways displays photographs
of the olden times. Here, visitors are taken
back 1,500 years, when a volcanic eruption
Malang
Tempo
Doeloe,
East Java
• PT Akasa
Holiday, 19 Urip
Sumoharjo
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315457945
• Haryono Tour,
27-29 Sulawesi
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315033000, Tour
International
Phone: +62-3171000500
• PT Anta
Express,
Bengawan
Street, Darmo,
Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315662022
formed the area around Malang. Once a lake, the
area slowly turned into swamps, surrounded by such
mountains as Anjasmara, Arjuna, Welirang, Kawi,
Bromo and Semeru.
Visitors are also invited to step into the shoes
of archeologists, doing some pretend excavation
work in an underground room that is 3 meters
wide, 6 meters long and 2.5 meters deep. In the
excavation hallway, an illustration depicts two
archeologists digging and finding the statue of Ken
Dedes, a gong stone and bricks from an ancient
settlement.
The Malang Tempo Doeloe Museum is located
on Jl. Gajah Mada, directly behind the Malang
City Hall. General visitors payan entrance fee of
Rp 15,000, while students pay Rp 10,000. The
management offers a batik learning package and
sells authentic Malang masks as souvenir. l
hist ory
have a magical charisma. According to the ancient
Javanese society, the mountain’s rounded, bare and
hilly peak resembles that of the Mahameru Peak, a
holy mountain in India. About 80 historical sitescan
be found anywhere in the mountain, from the foot to
the top. Visitors can find pyramids, meditation caves
as well as small temples with various statues and
stone carvings.
Standing 1,653 meters above sea level, the
mountain tilts between 30 to 70 degrees. Hikers
usually pass through the Trawas trail at Duyung
Village or the Jalantunda trail at Seloliman Village
to get to the peak. Jalatunda is an up hill trail, butit
features various temples like Lurah, Guru, Gentong
and Carik. The mountain is located at the border of
Pasuruan and Mojokerto in East java. l
Mount Penanggungan,
East Java
The Tomb of Syekh Mahmud,
North Sumatra
• Orient Express, 26 Sudirman Street,
Surabaya, Phone: +62-31-545666
• Gateway Tour, STP Satya Widya,
Surabaya, Phone: +62+31-8472082
• Haryono Tour, 27-29 Sulawesi Street,
Surabaya, Phone: +62-31-5033000, Tour
International Phone: +62-31-71000500
Mount Penanggungan, East Java
IMMORTALITY
OF THE
MAGICAL
MOUNTAIN
H
istorical remains scattered across the
slopes of Mount Penanggungan; most come
from the Hindu-Buddhist civilization dating
back to the 10th-16th centuries A.D. Back
then, the mountain was called Pawitra. One
of the oldest remains, the Jalantunda bath, is
estimated to date back to 977 A.D. Situated
on the slope of Penanggungan, the bath water is
believed to grant immortality.
People come to the mountain to mediate or
isolate themselves. Penanggungan is believed to
The Tomb
of Syekh
Mahmud,
North
Sumatra
• Satriavi Tour
& Travel, Cut
Mutia Street
(Hotel Tiara)
Medan, Phone:
+62-61-516000
Ext. 8073
• Natrabu Tour &
Travel, Cut Mutia
Street, Medan,
Phone: +62-61516000
• Nitour.Inc, M
Yamin Street
21-E, medan,
Phone: +62-61532191, 532074
• Seiba Tour &
Travel, Bukit
Barisan Street
3G, medan,
Phone: +62-61511950, 556279
• Four Seas
Tour & Travel,
Thamrin Street
75, Medan,
Phone: +62-61716766,710066
A GATEWAY
OF ISLAMIC
TEACHINGS
T
his Central Tapanuli city is home to many
astonishing historical objects. Besides a
Portuguese fortress, here lie the tombs of
the first Islamic missionaries, which include
the Mahligai Tomb and the PapanTinggi Tomb.
An old city in LobuTua, on the other hand, is
said to be the settlement of 10th-century
immigrants from various parts of the world.
Built by President Soekarno, the PapanTinggi
Tomb is located in Penanggahan Village. Dating
back to the seventh century A.D., the tomb is the
burial ground of Syekh Mahmud FilHadratuk, who is
believed to be the first Islamic missionary to bring
Islam to Indonesia. Meanwhile, the Mahligai Tomb
is located in DakkaVillahe, BarusInduk District.
The burial ground was built by Tuan SyekhSiddiq,
who was buried there along with 200 others. Their
tombstones are carved with Arabic and Persian
letters.
Located on the west coast of West Sumatra,
Central Tapanuli is known as far as Europe and the
Middle East as a producer of camphor and spices.
This city can be accessed viaSibolga by car. l
127
128
Mentawai, West Sumatra
Surfers Paradise
Photo: Tommy Satria, Text: Heru Triyono
There are only three beaches in the world where surfers can
find their dream of a long tunnel: Hawaii, Tahiti and Mentawai. Avid
surfers will travel far and wide to seek the perfect wave and in
Mentawai, they will find 99 challenging sites, with ‘bena’ tongues
and poisoned coral. If Hawai is known as the Mecca of surfing,
Mentawai is its Jerusalem.
AFP PHOTO
MALAYSIA OUT
surf ing
129
information center
Tourism Office
West Sumatera Province
Culture and Tourism
Office
7 Khatib Sulaiman Street,
Padang, West Sumatera
website: www.
minangkabautourism.info
e-mail: info@
minangkabautourism.info
Travel Agent
Nitour.Inc.
10 Hiligoo Street, Padang,
West Sumatera
Phone: +62-751 22175
Natrabu
29-B Pemuda Street,
Padang, West Sumatera
Phone: +62-751 38008
Eka Aryan Buana
C/o Pangeran Beach
Hotel, 79 Ir. H. Juanda
Street, Padang, West
Sumatera
Phone: +62-751-31618
Fax.: +62-751-32806
Ganto Ltd.
S. Parman Street, Padang,
West Sumatera
Phone: +62-751-52112
Fax,: +62-751-52112
Sianok Holiday
23-A Prof. Dr. Hamka
Street, Padang, West
Sumatera
Phone: +62-751-51126
Fax.: +62-751-33570
Telex: 55316
Pacto Ltd.
25 Tan Malaka Street,
Phone: +62-751-27788
Fax.: +62-751-33335
Ermi Tour & Travel
(Padang),
Mr. Edy (+6285263308618),
Ms. Suci (+6281298933383)
Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri (+6281802156188),
Herdi (+6281995194009)
130
Sandi Slamet
surf ing
board
types
Mentawai
L
ike a penguin, Sandi Slamet dove under the
three-storey-high wave. He vanished for a
moment, then surfaced again, his body arched.
The wave rose up under his board, forming the
curled-over crest known as a barrel. He rode
in this tunnel for eight seconds. “Yeeees, I
defeated it (the wave),” he called out in his
uniquely accented Balinese-Sundanese English.
Sandi’s feat drew a round of applause from other
surfers sitting astride their boards in the ocean.
They were all at E-Bay, known for its waves, in the
northwest part of Masokut (Nyang-Nyang) Island,
Mentawai Islands Regency, West Sumatra.
In early October, photographer Tommy Satria
and I explored Mentawai’s surf spots. We focused
on those on Siberut and Masokut islands. I invited
Sandi, a surfer ranked tenth in the Asian Surfing
Championships (ASC), to join us. This was the third
time he had enjoyed the waves there.
Sandi is a born surfer. In primary school he was
already riding waves on a sheet of plywood he had
acquired from public toilets on the beach. His home
then was not far from Pelabuhan Ratu’s Sunset Beach
in West Java, allowing him to practiced at any given
time. His skills developed quickly, so by the time he
was 15 he was sponsored by Quiksilver. A year later
he snatched first place in Quiksilver’s King of the
Groms world championship in Kuta, Bali.
Later that afternoon, after conquering E-Bay’s
waves, Sandi’s adrenaline was still pumping. He
wanted to perform a 360—a complete rotation
while airborne—before sunset. In a small motorized
wooden boat we all headed for Pit Stops, another
wave spot about a kilometer from E-Bay.
Unfortunately for him, a wave the size of a bus got
the better of him. The five-and-a-half-foot board he
was riding slammed into his face. Blood poured from
his lips. They wer torn wide open! “The scary part is
not when you catch a wave, but when a wave catches
you,” he said chuckling, after his torn lip had been
treated at a clinic on Pei-Pei island.
Pit Stops lies to the north of the Playgrounds
Guns:
For big and
strong waves.
Size: 7-10 feet.
Mini Malibu:
For medium
and strong
wives. Size: 6-7
feet.
Retro single
fin:
For medium
waves. Size:
6-8 feet
Semi guns:
For medium
and strong
waves. Size:
7-8.5 feet
area at the tip of Simaimu island. It has a beach the
length of two football fields. Its blue-green waters are
fringed with coconut palms. The white grains of sand
on its beach the texture of sugar.
Playgrounds is so named because it has dozens
of good surf spots within reach. “You can only find
this in Mentawai. The waves here are just heavenly,”
raved our guide Pendi Arianto, also a surfer himself.
For surfers, Mentawai is not only heaven, but
the holy land too. If Hawaii is Mecca, Mentawai is
Jerusalem. Wahid Nafir, a 40-year-old surfer from
France, said Mentawai was one of a surfer’s mustvisit destinations on Earth. “I am a Muslim, but I
worship the waves here,” he said laughing.
Every time he comes to Mentawai, he always finds
fulfillment at this isolated and exclusive spot. On his
surfboard he feels on top of the world. “It makes me
high,” he said. For him, the feeling is like a drug.
Mentawai’s beaches are certainly quiet, clean and
garbage-free. Much of the island is covered in forest
that is home to its protected endemic species, such
as the Mentawai short-tailed macaque monkey. The
island’s original tribe, the Mentawi, also live there
still. When we were on Siberut, we saw some of
them come down from the interior to mix with other
residents. They wear loincloths and put flowers in
their hair and behind their ears.
But Mentawai’s unspoilt nature has now become
a source of conflict. Surfers are fighting among
themselves to gain rights to the best wave spots.
Although the Mentawai Islands government has
already set a limit of 10 surfers at any one spot, the
reality in the ocean is different. Mutual shoving to get
a wave is not uncommon, with some surfers even
coming to blows over a wave.
Surfers everywhere tend to push one another out
of the way, Sandi said. In France he was sometimes
discriminated against. He was given only the very
end of the barrels of relatively small waves, while
the sweet spot in the middle went to white surfers.
At Mentawai, he got his revenge by controlling the
waves, even though the majority of surfers there still
have blond hair.
“Surfing is street fighting. The only way to win is to
play rough. There are no rules as on a football pitch.
There is only you and the wave,” an emotional Sandi
stressed.
Muhammad Ridwan, a member of Sipora Island’s
Surfguard community, admitted there certainly was
some ill-will between local and foreign surfers. The
locations of several spots with spectacular waves
had even been kept hidden from foreigners so they
would not be appropriated. Once the foreigners
know about them, Ridwan said, they would just build
resorts there.
Mentawai now has 15 resorts, mostly owned
by foreigners. That number excludes illegal ones.
131
02
01
132
At some, rooms go for US$150 to US$200 (Rp1.5
million to Rp2 million) a night. Those resorts, said
Nursyam Saleh, commissioner of surfing and resort
operation on Nyang-Nyang, were mostly built without
submitting environmental impact analyses and by
knocking down mangroves. “They only get permits
from the local subdistrict heads,” he said.
We managed to visit Pit Stops Hill, a popular
Mentawai resort. Its main building is largely built of
wood and has a bar and lounge. It has domed ceilings
and has made use of the raised platform house
concept. It can accommodate 10 people. To stay the
night, you need to dig really deep into your pocket.
“A single surfing trip package costs AU$7,000 (Rp75
million),” said Travis Micale, a surfer from Australia
who was staying there.
Surfing in Mentawai is certainly not cheap. We
had to pay Rp9 million to rent a motorboat for only
two days. Pendi, the boat’s owner, claimed this was
a fair rate because the price of Premium petrol on
Mentawai is Rp15,000 a liter. When looking for
waves, he explained, his boat could use up 300-odd
liters a day.
Don’t get it into your head that the hull of his boat
was made of shining white fiberglass. It was more
akin to the ragged lifeboat in the film Life of Pi, with the
only difference being our boat’s motor and tarpaulin
cover. We were duly thankful to have survived the
wrath of the ocean when we encountered a storm
during our three-hour crossing from Pei-Pei to
Sipora.
Its geographic position directly facing the Indian
Ocean does make Mentawai’s waves bigger.
That is a blessing for surfers. Oversized waves
can spell disaster. If there is a storm, all sea
transportation must cease operations. The islands
are 150 kilometers from the coast of Sumatra, with
a shoreline of 758 kilometers. The months of June to
November, which coincide with summer holidays in
Europe, are the best season to surf there. Waves at
that time can be 10 meters high.
Mentawai’s waves have characteristically long
barrels, making them very popular. They are also
closely spaced. So surfers do not need to wait too
long for the next wave.
The worldwide recognition of the islands can be
gauged from the many surfing championships held
there. Every year the Mentawai World Champions’
Surfing Series is held in August. This September
a Mentawai government program, the Mentawai
International Pro Surf Competition, was staged at
03
the Lance’s Right wave spot.
Mentawai has 99 international category wave
spots. They cover the areas of Nyang-Nyang, Karang
Bajat, Karoniki, Pananggelat and Mainuk (Siberut),
Katiet Basua (Sipora), and North Pagai (Sikakap
island). The 2010 tsunami did not affect these
locations at all. The Mentawai Regency Tourism
Agency has instead now recorded 74 new ones.
Each wave spot has its own unique character. No
Kanduis Left draws its name from the phrase ‘no can
do it’. Kanduis suits ‘goofy-foot’ surfers, who prefer
to ride right foot forward, because its waves break
to the left (from left to right as seen from the beach).
The name of this less common stance derives from
the well-known Disney cartoon character. Mentawai
surfer Dedi Saraina told us that in the Disney film
Hawaiian Holiday, Goofy tries to surf with his left
foot forward but falls off three times. When he shifts
his right foot out front, however, he becomes really
good. Some of the best surfers around—
Kelly Slater, Andy Irons,
moves
01
180 or 360:
Performing a
half or full turn
in the air above
a wave
02
Air or aerial:
Jumping above
a wave
03
Backdoor:
Entering the
barrel of a
wave from
behind the
crest
04
Barrel:
Putting the
whole body
and the board
inside the
barrel of a
wave
04
Mick Fanning—have all taken to Goofy’s style.
If you are a regular foot and want to surf on leftbreaking waves, you will need to be able to surf well
with your back to them. If you can't, they will likely end
up tossing you around.
Mentawai has many varieties of left-breaking
waves. That is why Kelly Slater really loves it there.
Almost every six months, Dedi says, the legendary
US surfer visits Lance’s Left.
But Slater is not the only one drawn there. Prince
Charles, son of Queen Elizabeth II, visits Mentawai
every year, even though it is not to surf. Deputy
Mentawai Islands Regent, Rijel Samaloisa said
people from the British Embassy contact him to seek
his permission when Charles wants to visit. “Let’s
hope he doesn’t want to establish another kingdom
here,” Rijel said laughing.
Mentawai’s surfing culture first appeared in
the 1990’s. That was when foreign surfers began
to explore the islands, renting local fishermen’s
motorboats, not using pleasure craft as they now do.
They slept on planks, ate rice on the beaches and
spent weeks in the water.
Dedi said he followed the Australians there.
With his friends they formed a small community
and pulled money to buy fuel for the boats. Their
surfboards were gifts from tourists or ones they had
made themselves from wood. Now 5,000 people on
05
surf ing
average go there every year.
On Mentawai you will see that surfing is infectious,
at least from the aspects of its fashions and
philosophy of life. You will notice surfers’ six-pack
muscles when they stand up on their boards, and
see they appear to be completely unaffected by
the looks from others when they are wearing only
board shorts. One more thing: they will always say
anything is possible, including riding waves as high
as a Pondok Indah house.
I got word Sandi went back to the water to surf
again—less than three days after the nasty accident
when he tore his lip. He just let the salt water heal
them, and refused to let his fear win. Maybe it’s as
he always says: “Life’s a swell. Life is great, just like
those big swells out there.” l
06
05
09
Back side
snap:
Performed
when facing
away from
a wave, like
drifting in a
vehicle
10
Beng-Beng
Zone: Nyang-Nyang
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 3-8 feet
Nipussi
Zone: Nyang-Nyang
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 3-13 feet
08
07
Pit Stops
Zone: Nyang-Nyang
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 3-8 feet
06
Charging:
Surfing
aggressively
Siberut
No Kanduis Left
Zone: Playgrounds
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 8-13 feet
07
getting to ‘JERUSALEM’
T
HE easiest way to go to Mentawai—the
surfing Jerusalem—is by boarding the
Gambolo boat from the Bungus Harbour,
Padang, with a fare of Rp85,000. The sea
transportation is more recommended, because
there is no clear flight schedule from the pioneer
airline. The information in Padang Airport
indicated that Susi Air flies three times a week,
on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, to Rokot
Airport, Mentawai. But all four Susi Air’s phone
numbers stated could not be reached. The sea
voyage takes about 11 hours. The boat leaves
at 8pm and arrives in Muara Siberut Harbor at
7am.
From the Muara Siberut Harbor, we
continued the journey by taking motorcycle
taxis for Rp50,000 per person. Actually, the
distance to reach Manai Koat Hotel—with a
room rate of Rp175,000 per person per night—is
less than 3 kilometers away.
There is no regular transportation to go to
tourism sites. Land transportation is also only
available in the capital of Mentawai Regency in
Tua Pejat, Sipora Island. To go surfing, we have
to rent motorized boats. The rent fee is Rp9
million for two days. We can also rent cruise
ship and speedboat. But the price is not cheap,
more than Rp20 million. l
Cut back:
Turning the
board and
body are back
to complete an
initial move
08
Sipora
E-Bay
Zone: Nyang-Nyang
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 4-10 feet
133
★
A-Frames
Zone: Playgrounds
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 3-11 feet
★
North Pagai
Floater:
Riding the
crest of a wave
Telescopes
Zone: Sipora
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 4-11 feet
★
South Pagai
09
Snap: Turning
the body
sharply at the
edge of a wave
10
Stole: Pushing
your hand into
the face of a
Lance's Left
Zone: Sipora
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★ ★
Best height: 2-13 feet
Macaroni's
Zone: North Pagai
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★
Best height: 3-9 feet
★
★ ★
Thunders
Zone: South Pagai
Wave quality: ★ ★ ★
Best height: 3-8 feet
★
Plengkung
and Red
Island,
East Java
• Haryono Tour,
27-29 Sulawesi
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315033000, Tour
International
Phone: +62-3171000500
• Adi Giant Wisata,
194C, Kapasan
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-31310881
• PT Anta
Express,
Bengawan
Street, Darmo,
Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315662022
Krui, Lampung
134
ON THE ROLLS
OF KRUI
T
he virgin sea and the rolling waves of the
coast of Krui have relatively been unheard of.
This capital of Pasir Tengah District in West
Lampung is better known as home of the
Shorea javanica, a type of Kauri tree growing
only in the mountains of South Bukit Barisan.
The sea, on the other hand, is home to black
marlins. Located 250 kilometers or six hours
drive from Bandar Lampung, it is barely noticed by
tourists. That is perhaps why most of the tourists
roaming around the Labuhan Jukung Beach and the
Mandiri Beach are foreign surfers. Like in Mentawai, the Krui waves too are given a
foreign name. Reaching 6.9 meters in during high
tide, Jimmy’s Waves at Pugung Penengahan are
strictly for professional surfers.
But, Krui itself is not limited to the wave-riding
experts – many less dangerous locations are
available. The waves of Tanjung Setia is a foreign
surfers’ favorite for the waves are enormous and
the waters deep, providing visitors with a safer
environment. l
• Orient Express,
Sudirman Street,
Surabaya,
Phone: +62-3154456666
• Gateway Tour,
STP Satya
Widya, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-318472082
Plengkung and Red Island, East Java
TWO THAT ARE
HIDDEN AWAY
I
f you are into beautiful secluded places (that
are not quite Bali), cross over to Banyuwangi,
where beaches no less beautiful than those of
the Island of the Gods are hidden. Plengkung
and Merah Island – popularly known as Red
Island among surfers – are two of them.
Plengkung Beach – also called the G Land by
world surfers – is an ideal surfing venue. The long
stretch of waves rolls high into the sky, providing
surfers with a new level of challenge. Plengkung is
part of the Alas Purwo National Park; so don’t expect
the road will be smooth.
Red Island, on the other hand, is located 80
kilometers from Banyuwangi. Different from
Plengkung, the waves at Red Island are friendlier,
rolling only up to an average of 2 meters. An
island without inhabitants, Red Island’s scenery is
breathtaking. When the sun is about to set, a tinge of
the beam paints the island red. l
Klayar, East Java
Krui,
Lampung
• Wayka Bahari
Tpurs & Travel,
Antasari
Street, Bandar
Lampung,
Phone: +62-721706123
• Eleste Tours
& Travel,
Ikan Simba
Street, Teluk
Betuk, Bandar
lampung, Phone:
+62-721-482325
• Krakatau
Lampung
Tours & Travel,
Kartini Street
19-25, Bandar
Lampung,
Phone: +62-721263625
• 333 Tours &
Travel, Ikan
Banyung Street 2
Sukaraja, Bandar
lampung, Phone:
+62-721-485579
PRIVACY OF THE
UNTOUCHED
A
cluster of beaches that spreads in the south
of Pacitan is an eye opener: the sands white,
the waves high and the serenity makes you
think the island is yours alone.
Pacitan, the Land of a Thousand Caves in
East Java, has at least 11 beaches worthy
of a visit. Still, four of them – Watu Karung,
Srau, Pancer and Klayar – offer the best scenery.
Most of the waves here can be surfed. High
barrier reefs and dense wild plants dominate the
beach’s natural vegetation. Small uninhabited islands
become unique accessories.
For those interested to visit, there are
several things to note. First, there are no public
transportations to reach the beach. Second, the
road leading to it is narrow and curvy. Given these
surf ing
obstacles, it is not surprising that almost all Pacitan
beaches are still untouched.
Lodging is not a problem. All of those beaches
are in proximity to local residential areas, which
accommodate visitors. l
Klayar,
East Java
• Daru Pufwita T
& T, 100 Perak
Timur, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-313550558
about one and a half hours. An important thing to
note: tourists need to bring their own water and food,
since there are no food vendors on the beach. Taking
some time to camp and spend the night is an adventure that is highly recommended. l
• Haryono Tour,
27-29 Sulawesi
Street, Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315033000, Tour
International
Phone: +62-3171000500
• PT Anta Express,
Bengawan
Street, Darmo,
Surabaya,
Phone: +62-315662022
Ombak Tujuh, West Java
SPLASHES OF
THE SEVEN
WAVES
O
mbak Tujuh, or Seven Waves, is a hidden
beach in the Ujung Genteng Beach – a tourism
zone in Sukabumi, West Java – six to seven
hours away from Jakarta. The name already
suggests how it might be an ideal spot for
surfing: seven waves roll consecutively on
the edge of the Indian Ocean.
Ombak Tujuh is beautifully secluded. There is hardly any life there, let alone merchants passing along
the beach selling things. This is possibly due to – other than its location that is far from residential areas
– the thrilling trip people have to go through just to
reach it.
The trip starts from Ujung Genteng Beach, where
explorers can rent fishermen’s boats. During this
trip, tourists have to be mentally ready because the
Rp 50,000 - Rp100,000 rental boats are about to
face the high tides.
Another route requires visitors to ride an ojek (motorcycle taxi) through a rocky and steep road for
Ombak
Tujuh,
West Java
• Aerotravel
(Satriavi), Asia
Africa Street 81,
Bandung, phone:
+62-22-4203657
• Panorama Tour,
Sunda Street
76D, Bandung,
Phone: +62-224208007
• Vayatour,
Sunda Street 42,
Bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4261739
• Bayu Buana,
Pasir Kaliki
Street 150D,
bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4211711\
Kampar
River, Riau
• Wirabhima Travel,
Sisingamangaraja
Street 71,
Pekanbaru, Phone:
+62-761-32145,
33230
• Deli Indra Travel
& Co., H. Juanda
Street 109,
Pekanbaru, Phone:
+62-761-21169,
23091
• Mayang Sari
Travel, Hasyim
Ashari Street,
Pekanbaru, Phone:
+62-761-36725,
22201
Kampar River, Riau
RIDING WITH
THE GHOSTS
L
ast November, a river surfing festival was held at
the Kampar River, Teluk Meranti Village around
seven hours northeast of Pekan Baru. Did we just
say river surfing? Yes, we did. It is said that there are
only two rivers in the world that can accommodate
river surfing: the Amazon River in South America
and the Kampar River in Pekanbaru, Indonesia.
With waves similar to that of the sea – scientifically
known as the Bono waves – the quality of the waves in
the latter is arguably better than those in the former.
Bono is a natural phenomenon occurring from the
confluence of two currents: the Kampar River and the
South Chinese Sea. Strong current comes through the
estuary, forcing itself upstream for kilometers against
another current. Naturally, the process produces wavelike, rideable tides.
Uniquely, in the Kampar River, the confluence not only
produces one wave, but seven; all occur synchronically
at the speed of 40 kilometers per hour. Locals call this
phenomenon Gelombang Tujuh Hantu – Waves of Seven Ghosts.
The 6-meter Bono usually occurs during the full moon
between August and December. The highest waves occur between November and February. l
135
Barat Cave, Kebumen, Central Java
136
Exploring
the Earth’s
Cavity
Photos: Amston Probel, Text: Sunudyantoro
The Barat cave trembles inside the Gombong
Selatan karst. The underground river
thunders on its way, offering a challenge
for the spelunker.
cave
137
AFP PHOTO MALAYSIA OUT
Cilacap
Barat Cave
Kebumen
138
01
01
Tempo climbing the
water hill in Barat Cave.
02
Columns of stone
where stalactites and
stalagmites meet.
02
cave
139
T
he roaring sound of water in Barat Cave
overwhelmed our ears. The water dashed
with incessant reverberations, and allowed no
room for other sounds. The dreadful gush of
water came from a waterfall forcibly striking
rows of karst stones. Then an impressive
view followed: thousands of cubic meters
of rushing stream turning into sprinkles of water
floating in the air like cotton. Carried by the pressure,
the floating drops crossed over the surface of a small
lake. All this was happening in a cave...
Eight of us were enjoying the spectacle offered
by nature with mixed feelings, in early October. We
were into our trek by some four kilometers when our
group, composed of three Tempo journalists, four
students of Atma Jaya University, Yogyakarta, and
a resident of Kebumen regency, began exploring the
cave in Jatijajar village, Ayah subdistrict, Kebumen.
Now the trek had reached the opposite side of the
waterfall. We were chilled to the bone in the cave’s
passage where the underground lake flowed.
But the adventure was not yet over. The waterfall
simply looked too inviting. Splash! Wahyudi Tapawira,
a member of our group, suddenly plunged into the
lake. He swam across, responding to the lure of the
cascading streams. Eight headlamps were beaming.
140
Our beams penetrated darkness only to produce a
very dim light.
Wahyudi swam strongly despite his boot-clad legs.
The karabiners on his waist and rope around his left
shoulder did nothing to hinder him either. This is
understandable: Wahyudi has made forays into 50
caves all over Indonesia.
As he reached the rushing waterfall, Wahyudi
grabbed hold of a boulder. He moved to the left,
creeping vertically as high as three meters. The
water here did not flow so fast. So he shifted to the
right, heading towards a rougher current. In that
split second, his body disappeared, engulfed in the
gush. The rock above the lake blocked our view. But
we could still detect his movements by the light of
his lamp. The beam could be seen bobbing up and
down, now to the left, now to the right.
After about half an hour, Wahyudi started to
descend, hanging from a rope he had fastened to
a semi-horizontal rock precisely above the eightmeter waterfall. He then drew the rope across the
lake’s surface. “The water’s rush was so hard, it was
when
Barat is an
undergroundriver cave, so
it’s only safe
for exploration
during the
dry season
from May to
October. One
kilometer
from Barat is
another cave,
Jatijajar, which
has been open
for tourists
since Dutch
colonial days.
painful on my face,” Wahyudi said after he rejoined
our group.
He asked if we wanted to try a climb up the hill
of water. Some of us smiled blankly and shook our
heads. Gabriela Setyaputri Noviani, 19, an Atma
Jaya student, felt she wasn’t ready. But Eka Pratama
and Yusuf Syahputra, also from Atma Jaya, took the
opportunity. They made their attempt at the spot
known as Ulysses’ Jump. Ulysses is a courageous
adventurer from Greek mythology.
While waiting for Eka and Yusuf, Wahyudi talked
about Barat’s extreme features. He told us, the real
adventure begins only after we pass Ulysses’ Jump.
Barat is the toughest of the caves he has explored.
He said that about 20 meters from Ulysses’ Jump,
there was a 32-meter waterfall. That one is called
Superman’s Big Sister. He tackled it in August 2010.
Toward the upper reaches of Superman’s Big
Sister, there’s a hole one-and-a-half meters wide that
goes down into the earth’s crust. Wahyudi once went
through it with a rope, following water streams. He
spent 18 hours on that trek.
cave
The Barat Cave entrance.
Barat’s extreme features were also recounted by
Cahyo Alkantana. Cahyo first explored the cave to
almost as far as its end in 1996. He trekked through
it with a team of French and Indonesians consisting
of himself, Galih Prabowo, Agung Wijanarko, George
Robert and Luc-Henri Fage. In that adventure, they
managed to survey the cave’s section they dubbed
Muddy Passage. This spot is around 200 meters
from the exit hole named Tataquine.
“On that foray, I didn’t sleep for three days,”
Cahyo told Tempo at his house on Jalan Kenekan,
Yogyakarta. The team had prepared well to face
Barat’s challenges. They carried supplies of bread,
chocolate and lontong (rice steamed in banana
leaves) to sustain themselves.
Cahyo is currently president of the Indonesian
Speleologists Association. His success penetrating
Superman’s Big Sister was the talk of the world of
spelunkers. Earlier expeditions had failed to make it
through the spot.
For instance, in December 1983, a Belgian team
was only able to reach Superman’s Big Sister and
then turn back. It was the same with a team from
Britain that followed later. They all failed.
According to Cahyo, Barat has at least 100
waterfalls. The cascades are in the last twokilometer section after Ulysses’ Jump as far as
Muddy Passage. The waterfalls range from one to
32 meters in height. Cahyo, who has explored caves
around the world, said, “Barat Cave is the toughest.”
With Tempo looking on, he contacted Luc-Henri
Fage in France. He turned his cell phone’s speaker
volume louder. At the other end Fage could be heard
describing Gua Barat as a crazy passage. “It is the
most exhausting cave,” he remarked. Cahyo said the
accommodation
Not far from
the cave mouth
there are four
lodgings with
rates between
Rp75,000150,000 per
night. There
are several
hotels in
Gombong, with
rates between
Rp150,000400,000.
name Superman’s Big Sister came from the extreme
current of the underground waterfall. He likened the
noisiness of its gushing waters and the resultant
strong winds to that made by three helicopters close
to each other and ready to take off. The name Barat
Cave also comes from its natural characteristics.
Cahyo pointed out that strong gusts of wind are
always blowing from inside the cave’s mouth. The
cause is the difference in air pressure between inside
the cave and the outside. The strong water currents
also adds more wind. The Javanese word for wind is
barat.
Ghufroni, 37, a local guide, agrees with Cahyo’s
explanation. Ghufroni’s childhood home is located
on the way towards the cave. As a child, the cave
was his playground. The cave had always been called
Barat because of those strong gusts emitting from
it.
Barat Cave is in the karst geological zone
of South Gombong. For those who crave nonmainstream tourist adventure, it would be pity
to miss out on the tough beauty and wildness
offered by this cave. A trip is worth it just for
the stalagmites and stalactites alone. In one
corner, one can see a clump of white stalagmites
resembling a king’s throne, complete with altar.
This has been named the keratonan.
Further inside, on almost every stalactite are
beads of crystal that look like water just about
to drop. There are also column stones where
stalactites and stalagmites meet. And here and
there are curtain columns, named thus because
they closely resemble sharply-pleated curtains
with pointy ends.
For spelunkers, the path to Ulysses’ Jump poses
no extreme terrain. However, for the untrained
Tempo team, the passage through the cave took
considerable energy. We had to creep along some
walls. In other parts, we were half-swimming to
wade through chest-high water. In the first two to
four kilometers, trekkers should exercise caution
when passing the narrow gaps. Every so often,
we had to crouch our way through as the ceiling
dipped low.
The cave is a kingdom for bats. In some domes,
thousands of bats filled the ceiling, with their
sharp tangy odor pervading the air. Other wildlife
also thrives here. When we dipped our bare hands
into the water, tiny freshwater shrimps ‘bit’ our
fingers, producing a ticklish sensation.
Around two kilometers from the cave’s mouth,
there’s a 200-meter blind passage forking to the
right. At the end of this passage, one will encounter
a knee-high mound of earth measuring two by
three meters. Smack in the middle lies a boulder
resembling a body. Near the part that looks like
its head is a tombstone. Ghufroni said people
141
from around there believe this to be the grave of
Kiai Abdul Manaf, or Kiai Tunggul Nogo,who is said
to have gone into seclusion.
Ghufroni related how followers of mysticism
often made pilgrimages here, and they include
would-be legislators, village chiefs and regional
heads seeking blessings. “Tuesday evenings that
fall on Wage (the fourth day of the Javanese fiveday week) is seen as the best time to conduct a
pilgrimage,” he noted.
For lovers of off-the-beaten-track tourism, a
mystical artefact could surely serve as a means to
expand one’s horizons. One could also consider it
a bonus in the larger enjoyment of exploring Barat,
which took us eight whole hours to complete.
Then it was time to go. With our water-logged
boots, the going was heavy. By 5pm, we were
back where we started, at the cave mouth
Exhaustion took its toll, to be expected after
such a physical adventure. Yet there still seemed
a lot of Barat’s mysteries to be solved. So Barat
continues to beckon us, to make another foray,
another discovery some time in the future. l
142
information center
Tourism Office
Central Java
Provincial Culture
and Tourism Office
136 Pemuda Street,
Semarang,
Central Java
Website: www.
central-java-tourism.
com
e-mail: tourism@
central-java-tourism.
com
Travel Agent
Sejahtera Tour &
Travel
Km. 09 MagelangYogya Street, Blabak,
Mungkid, Central
Java
Phone: +62-293 550
9307
Haryono Tour &
Travel
89 MH Thamrin
Street, Semarang,
Central Java
Phone: +62-24 844
4000
Kartika Tour
B 26 Cendrawasih
Street, Semarang
Phone: +62-24 354
4689
Nusantara Tour
Simpang Lima Store
Blok C-6, Semarang,
Central Java.
Phone: +62-24
8442688
Panorama Tour &
Travel
HOS Cokroaminoto
Street, terminal
Sisemut Blok 41,
Ungaran Barat,
Central Java
Phone: +62-24 692
6329
Into Tour
Imam Bonjol Street
JCC Building,
Semarang,
Central Java
Phone: +62-24 3585616
Cahyo Alkantana
Phone: +62 811117010
route
It takes three
hours from
Yogyakarta
to reach
Barat Cave.
Executive
Trains
stop at the
Purwokerto
Station. From
Purwokerto
it takes an
hour-and-ahalf to reach
the location.
Business and
Economy
trains stop at
the Gombong
Station.
From
Gombong
to the Barat
Cave is 30
kilometers,
taking around
30 minutes by
land transport.
There are
three-quarter
buses that take
visitors to the
Jatijajar Cave
terminal from
Gombong
with fares at
Rp5,000.
cave
DATA
Location:
Jatijajar village,
Ayah district,
Kebumen,
Central Java.
Length of cave
already
mapped:
Six kilometers
Height of
passages:
up to 73 meters
Height of
location: 250
meters above
sea level
Distance from
Kebumen
capital city: 42
kilometers to
the southwest
Distance from
nearest city,
Gombong,
Kebumen
regency: 30
kilometers
Map of Barat:
(can be found
by Googling
‘Gua Barat’)
Near
Jatijajar Cave
B
arat Cave was only developed
for special interest tourism last
year. It is managed by the Jatijajar
village
administration,
Ayah
subdistrict, Kebumen regency.
The management provides caving
equipment such as helmets, special
suits, boots and headlamps, as well as
guides. An exploration package applies
to a maximum of 10 people at the rate
of Rp300,000 per person. Eleven local
guides are ready to accompany visitors.
From Jakarta, visitors can reach the
location by air via Yogyakarta. They
can choose professional guides from
Yogyakarta or local guides in Kebumen.
The rate for a guide from Yogyakarta is
around Rp1 million. This fee does not
include car rent and meals and board and
lodgings. From Yogyakarta it takes three
hours to arrive at Barat Cave.
Going by executive train from Jakarta,
Yogyakarta, or Surabaya, visitors can
stop at the Purwokerto station. From
here, it takes about an hour and a half
to reach the location. Those going by
business and economy trains can stop at
the Gombong station.
Not far from the cave mouth, there are
four residential houses. There, rooms can
be rented for Rp75,000 to Rp150,000
per night. Several hotels can be found in
Gombong for Rp150,000 to Rp400,000
per night.
From Gombong to Barat is 30
kilometers, which takes around 30
minutes by motor vehicle. There are also
three-quarter buses carrying passengers
to the terminal of Gua Jatijajar at the cost
of Rp5,000 from Gombong.
Barat is an underground-river cave,
so it’s only safe for exploration during
the dry season from May to October.
One kilometer from Barat is another
cave, Jatijajar, which has been open to
tourists since the Dutch colonial period.
In the Jatijajar complex, there are also the
Dempok and Intan Caves. l
143
Grubug-Jomblang, Yogyakarta
THUNDER IN THE
MONSTROUS BARREL
Kotamadya Yogyakarta
Kab. Gunung Kidul
Wonosari
Goa Grubug
144
Grubuk –
Jomblang,
Yogyakarta
• Rama Tours &
Travel, Shopping
Arcade APH,
Yogyakarta, Phone:
+62-274-566488
Ext. 7137
• Green Shr Tour &
Travel, Sriwedari
Hotel, Adisucipto
Street, Yogyakarta,
Phone: +62-274588288, 562162
• Intan Pelangi Tour &
Travel, 18 Malioboro
Street, Yogyakarta,
Phone: +62-274566359, 562895
• Javana Tour &
Travel, Ambarumo
Palace Hotel,
Adisucipto Street,
Yogyakarta, Phone:
+62-274-566488
• Royal Holiday Tour,
Adisucipto Street,
Yogyakarta, Phone:
+62-274-566488
Ext. 488
A
bright curtain of light shines through
the leaves of Inga and Banyan trees at
the entrance of the cave, presenting a
panoramic view. This is Cave Grubug, a
natural cave located in Jetis Wetan, Pacarejo
Village in the sub-district of Semanu,
Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta.
Looking up, various ferns grow on the lips
of the cave’s mouth. Two giant karsts greeted
Tempo, three cave explorers from the Indonesian
Speleology Activity Society (HIKESPI) and a
Semanu local. Now, we were at the back of the
rock. Standing on it, the cave looked a lot like a
monstrous barrel.
Here, you will hear a thundering sound, like that
of a water stream. Water dropping from the walls of
the cave adds more noise to the thundering sound
of the hollow cave. In Javanese, this reverberating
cave
sound of water is called grubug. Apparently, this is
how the cave was named.
Cave Grubug is connected with Cave Jomblang
through a 200-meter corridor. At the bottom of
Cave Jomblang, an ancient forest stretches as far as
quarter of a soccer field. Here grows a special tree
with fruits that look like cayenne pepper. There are
also palm trees with serrated and holey leaves; some
other look like butterfly wings.
For travelers who like new challenges, these two
caves are worth a visit. l
Pute, South Sulawesi
DOWN THE
STEEP WHITE
WALL
L
eang Pute or Cave Pute is a vertical 273-meterhigh, 50-meter-wide cave that breaks through
the soil of Bantimurung Bulusaraung National
Park in Pattiro, Labuaja Village in the Maros
Regency, South Sulawesi. The cave derives
its name from the local language: leang means
cave, while pute white. True to its name, the
wall of the cave is white.
Cave Pute was found by an English expedition team
in the ‘80s; an Indonesian one followed thereafter. To
reach the bottom of the cave, explorers must use
the single rope technique (SRT) and need at least 45
minutes. Physical strength is very important. One
time, an explorer fainted at the bottom of the cave
from fatigue.
“This cave puts one’s adrenaline and mentality
to the test,” said Wahyudi Tapawira, an Indonesian
Speleology Activity Society (HIKESPI) explorer, last
October. Wahyudi explored Leang Pute with 60 other
people in 2009.
On its sandy bottom, eucalyptus and ironwood
grow. Water runs in one corner of the cave. The cliff is
rocky. “I have to crawl down,” said Wahyudi.
Leang Pute has a terrace, which is called Cave
Dinosaur. With an opening of 80 meters, light shines
through to the bottom of the cave, where ferns and
shrubs grow. l
Pute,
South
Sulawesi
• Anta Express
Tours & Travel,
34A Dr. W.
Sudirohusodo
Street, Makassar,
South Sulawesi,
Phone:+
62-411-321440,
e-mail: antaupg@
antatour.co.id
• Panorama
Travel
Indonesia, F3/9
Citra Sudiang
Indah Street,
Makassar,
South Sulawesi,
Phone: +62-411550340, e-mail:
[email protected]
• Ramayana
Tours & Travel,
27 Boulevard
Blok F Street
Panakukang
Mas, South
Sulawesi, Phone:
+62-411-441552,
e-mail: nicorstt@
indosat.net.id
145
Binaiya, Maluku
Binayiya,
Maluku
• Natrabu, 27
Anthony Rhebok
Street, Ambon,
Maluku, Phone:
+62-911-43938
• Tujuh Jaya
Travel Agent,
142-143 6th
Kopra Street,
Ambon, Maluku,
Phone:
+62-911-52342
MOST
CHALLENGING
JOURNEY
C
ave Binaiya in the North Seram District,
Central Maluku Regency in Seram Island,
Maluku has at least 24 cave entrances.
Located in Mount Binaiya that is 3,035
meters above sea level, the cave’s opening
is at the height of 2,172 meters. About two
to seven meters deep, this ornament-lacking
vertical cave is relatively shallow.
Cave Binaiya is located within the Binaiya karst
zone. Unlike most caves in Java that are warm,
Binaiya is chilly thanks to its damp environment.
Flocks of sriti birds – some kind of swallow birds –
nest here. The group of caves itself is not challenging;
146
the most challenging part is to reach it.
Satu Bumi, Gadjah Mada University’s School
of Engineering’s nature explorer team, has
experienced just that. From eight explorers
going on the journey, only three – Hilary Reinhart,
Shabrina Tamimi and Rahmad Suyudi – reached the
cave.
At that time, the team departed from Ambon
to Masohi, the capital of Central Maluku Regency.
From Masohi, the journey continued to Manusela
National Park before reaching Negeri Kanikeh, the
last village before getting to the peak of Binaiya.
The journey from Manusela to Negeri Kanikeh took
five days. “Before climbing Binaiya, the team was
blessed by a local elder,” said Reinhart.
Six more days were spent, as they had to pass
through many terrains – rivers, knee-deep mud
and vast jungles, where bushes and mosses
cover the soil’s surface – to reach the peak. Given
these obstacles, getting to the mouth of the cave
will give, without a doubt, an incomprehensible
satisfaction. l
Tewet, East
Kalimantan Tewet, East Kalimantan
• JL Tours and Travel,
Jenderal Sudirman
Street, Tarakan, East
Kalimantan, Phone:
+62-551 32615, e-mail:
jltoursandtravel@
yahoo.com
• PT Nusantara
Wisata, Kemangi
Komp. GTL (Karpotek)
Kav. PP.13A Street,
Samarinda, East
Kalimantan, Phone:
+62-811 556 486, +62541 273 666, e-mail:
reservasi_nw@yahoo.
co.id
• Borneo Tour & Travel
(Balikpapan), Mr.
Joko (+62811545793),
e-mail: tborneo@indo.
net.id
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777), Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
TRAIL OF
THE ANCIENT
HANDPRINTS
A
t least 200 ancient paintings adorn Cave
Tewet that is located in the SangkulirangMangkalihat karst zone in the Tepian Langsat
Village, Bengalon District in East Kutai, East
Kalimantan. They are of many different
patterns; some are handprints in red, brown
and black. Scientists commonly call them
cave
rock art paintings.
These paintings are predicted to date back to
10,000 years. According to Adi Kusumo, a cave
explorer from the Indonesian Speleology Activity
Society (HIKESPI), the people of Tepian Langsat Village
believe that the handprints represent their relationship
with the spirits of their ancestors.
Tewet is a horizontal cave with its roof shaping like a
dome. It takes 15 hours from Balikpapan to reach the
village nearest to it. From the village, visitors have to
use ketinting boat to get there.
Tewet once attracted Luc-Henri Fage, a French cave
explorer, and Pindi Setiawan from Bandung Institute of
Technology’s School of Fine Arts, to study it between
1988 and 1999.
According to the locals, Tewet is the name of the
first person who found the cave in 1964. l
Salukkan Kallang, South Sulawesi
MOTHER OF
UNDERGROUND
RIVERS
L
ocated in the Kappang Village, Bantimurung
District in the Maros Regency, South Sulawesi,
Salukkan Kallang is a stream of underground
rivers situated in the Bantimurung Bulusaraung
National Park area, not far from the MakassarMaros-Bone highway.
One of the mouths of the cave – at 20
meters wide and 150 meters deep – is located at the
entrance of Kappang Village. Sloping at 15 degrees,
Salukkan Kallang’s extreme point is at the first mouth
or K1. Other cave mouths are K2, K3 and K4.
In local Makassar language, salukkan kallang
means dark corridor. Explorers may enter the
cave only in the dry season, because according
to Wahyudi Tapawire, a cave explorer from the
Indonesian Speleology Activity Society (HIKESPI),
there is a risk of flood in the rainy season.
Inside the cave, explorers will find a five-meter
waterfall. Nevertheless, this is not the only one. A
40 to 50-meter waterfall can be found in one of the
big cavities inside the cave, while another five-meter
These
paintings are
predicted to
date back to
10,000 years.
Salukkan
Kallang,
South
Sulawesi
• Panorama
Travel
Indonesia, F3/9
Citra Sudiang
Indah Makassar
Street, South
Sulawesi,
Phone: +62-411550340, e-mail:
[email protected]
• Ramayana
Tours & Travel,
27 Boulevard
Blok F Street
Panakukang
Mas, South
Sulawesi, Phone:
+62-411-441552,
e-mail: nicorstt@
indosat.net.id
at a different corner has a six-meter-wide pond at its
landing.
At 12.6 kilometers long, Salukkan Kallang is the
longest cave in South Sulawesi, safe to say that it is
the mother of all underground rivers in Maros’ karst
zone. In 2010, the Bantimurung Bulusaraung National
Park’s natural cave identification and mapping team
recorded a total of 19 caves in the area. l
147
148
A cave looks out upon a remote
lagoon near the island of Misool in
Raja Ampat, Indonesia. This area is
known for its spectacular marine
biodiversity and great scuba diving.
www.shutterstock.com
cave
149
Flores, East Nusa
Tenggara
Lanrantuka
Solor Island
Sewu Sea
Easter Procession, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara
150
Larantuka’s
March of
Lamentation
Photo: Dwianto Wibowo, Text: Seno Joko Suyono
SemanaSanta or easter holy Week, is a time citizens of
Larantuka in East Flores look forward to. On good Friday,
the whole town and thousands of tourists carry the Maria
Dolorosa statue, also known as the Virgin Mary of Lament. The
procession moves around town, commemorating the final days
of Jesus Christ, with thousands of hand-held candles.
cult ure
151
AFP PHOTO MALAYSIA OUT
152
H
er eyes seem slightly swollen. A vertical
scar goes down her face. From the right of
the forehead the scratch dips to the eyebrow
all the way down the cheek and ends up to the
left of the chin. This makes her countenance
seem about to crack. Her lips are pursed.
Her nose is aquiline. Brownish spots speckle
her cheeks and forehead.
This is the face of Maria Dolorosa, the Mourning
Mother Mary, the beloved of Larantuka, East Flores.
There is a grace to the face: the expression of a
simple Mediterranean maiden. She seems lost in
deep sorrow. It seems as if she has just stopped
weeping, and if you press a hankie to her eyes, it will
come away damp. She stands with lost, empty look.
A robe embroidered with silvery white blossoms
covers her body, standing one-and-a-half meters
tall. The way the cloth falls also embodies a deep
sadness. Underneath, we do not know whether the
body inside the cloth has deteriorated or not.
The origins of the statue is a mystery. Where it
came from and when it arrived in Larantuka—capital
of East Flores regency—no one knows for certain.
Some say that the statue of Mary was washed ashore
the Ae Kongga beach. Many Portuguese ships in
the 16th century capsized in Flores waters. Maybe
from the many stranded vessels, some objects were
washed ashore, one of which was the statue of Mary.
If the story is true, the scratch disfiguring her
face may have been caused by waves that dashed
the figure on some rocks. Another story tells of the
statue’s mysterious appearance on a shore, long
before any Portuguese missionary ever stepped foot
on the island.
The statue of Maria Dolorosa is revered as sacred
by the citizens of Larantuka. She is the sweetheart
of Larantukans, their spiritual guide. Once a year
during Easter Holy Week (Semana Santa), the
statue is taken out from the Chapel of Tuan Ma,
where it is kept. On October 2010 there was a 500th
anniversary celebration of the statue. But before it
could be carried to the Cathedral, a debate ensued.
Some of the faithful were afraid to bring into view the
Maria Dolorosa outside the Easter season, fearing it
Pilgrims in the
Maria Mater
Dolorosa
parade in
Larantuka, East
Flores, East
Nusa Tenggara.
cult ure
153
would transgress tradition.
The level of devotion to an icon of Maria Dolorosa is
rare. Almost anywhere in the world, Easter is marked
by a procession of the Stations of the Cross of Jesus.
Commemorating the Mourning Mary is only to be
found in Larantuka. The whole town is plunged into a
wave of lamentations every Good Friday—when the
procession of Maria Dolorosa takes place. The entire
town sinks into the self-same sorrow emitted by the
icon of Mary. It’s as if even the very ocean breeze
oozes sadness, a memory of suffering, surrender
and self-submission to ‘something unseen’.
O
N Good Friday at 7pm starting from
the Larantuka Cathedral where a huge
congregation has gathered, the procession
begins. The statue of Mary is carried around
town together with a casket. This casket is
part and parcel of the whole ritual. It, too, is
only taken into public view once a year. The
two icons are kept in separate places. Mary’s statue
is kept in a teakwood cabinet behind the altar of the
Tuan Ma Chapel, while the casket is kept in the Tuan
Ana Chapel, located on the same street about one
kilometer away.
Residents of Larantuka call the statue of Mary Tuan
Ma, and the casket Tuan Ana. Like its counterpart,
the casket is also shrouded in mystery. The antique
casket has never been opened for hundreds of years.
What is inside no one knows. As to where it came
from is taboo to be discussed. A belief is, if anyone
dares to try open it, they will instantly fall dead.
At 7pm on that night, devotees will have thronged
the Cathedral yard. Everyone is clad in black, carrying
candles with them. The women wear black kebaya
adorned with motifs of black crucifixes. On that one
night, one gets a feel of how deeply Larantukans sink
into moroseness. The atmosphere is gripping as
waves of prayers are recited back and forth.
On Good Friday night, if we are lucky enough to be
able to see the face of the Virgin Mary, people say we
can see her sorrow growing ever deeper. She gives
off a vibration that goes all the way to the person in
Hotels
and
Cuisines
154
the farthest back. The town turns deathly quiet, not a
single sound can be heard, no vrooming motorbikes
nor people’s chitchat—all is replaced by pure
incantations of prayer.
One gets a feeling that this is no ritual imported
from elsewhere, but rather one that grew from deep
within, from the very cultural fabric that makes up
Larantuka. It came from the sweat of the farmers
and the blood clots of the fishing folk of that town.
All down the road, as the procession passes, to the
left and to the right people open the doors of their
houses. On each porch small tables are laden with
flowers.
At procession’s head, a man beats the mourning
drum, called the genda do, in sedate rhythm. The
pounding is melancholic and goes deep, the only
living sound in that dark night. Behind the drummer,
a group of children carry a black cross, lemon grass
and two big candles, while another group carries a
depiction of a human skeleton.
This indeed is a theater of death. Next comes
a group of children carrying the tools of torture
used against Christ: the krenti (chain), the krona
spina (crown of thorns), three big hammers, and a
handful of nails. They also bring a stick and sponge
dipped in vinegar to be given to Jesus so he can die
unconscious, and the spear that ripped his side. A
jar symbolizes the hypocrisy of Pontius Pilate, the
representative of the Roman Emperor in Jerusalem
who handed over Jesus to the Jews. There is also
a plywood depiction of a cockerel, to represent
Peter the disciple who betrayed Jesus and had him
arrested.
The casket of Tuan Ana is carried by four persons.
They are in the white robes of the Portuguese in the
Middle Ages with conical red caps. Their faces are
covered, with a small opening to allow their eyes to
see. These are people who have made a special vow,
typically coming from out of Larantuka, maybe from
Jakarta or elsewhere in Indonesia, and even from
abroad.
They are in the role of Nicodemus who lowered
Jesus from the cross and buried him on Mount
Golgotha. Nicodemus was a member of the Pharisee
Council who secretively adhered to the Master’s
teachings. He brought myrrh and fragrant ointments
with which he embalmed Christ’s body and wrapped
him in a linen shroud. Local Larantukan articulation
has turned his name into Lakademo.
Prior to carrying the casket from the Cathedral,
in the afternoon before the procession begins, the
Lakademos stage some dramatic theater in the
Larantuka cemetery. They weave among the graves
and pilgrims thronging the place. Approaching
Easter, the cemeteries in Larantuka are jam-packed
by pilgrims. Relatives of the deceased come to clear
the weeds and decorate the tombstones. Candles
are burnt. And among the crowds, the Lakademos
Larantuka
does not have
many hotels,
so you have to
book the rooms
ahead of time.
Hotel tariffs
are around
Rp200,000300,000 per
night. Tariffs
include bread
or cakes as
well as a cup
of coffee or tea
for breakfast.
If you do not
get rooms, you
can stay with
the residents.
Some convents
are ready to
open their
doors for outof-town guests
during the
Semana Santa
days.
Fish is an
important
delicacy in this
town. Non-fish
menus are
also available
in many
restaurants.
Larantuka has
some Padang
restaurants.
The price
for meals are
pretty low:
Rp15,00020,000.
cult ure
information center
Tourism Office
East Nusa Tenggara
Province Culture and
Tourism Board
72 El Tari Main Road
2nd, Kupang-East Nusa
Tenggara
e-mail:
disbudparprovntt@
yahoo.com
website: www.
govisitntt.com
Firelli Tour &Travel,
Mataram, Mr. Didik
(+62-431-811119 &
+62812125254243),
e-mail: firelli-tour@
centrin.net.id
Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
The statue of
Maria Dolorosa
Best
time
The Procession
of the Maria
Dolorosa
statue is held
on Friday, but
the rites of the
whole Holy
Week begins
on the Trewa
on Wednesday,
one day before
the Maundy
Thursday
so try to get
there before
the Trewa
Wednesday
or at least
Maundy
Thursday.
make their way, first to the center of the cemetery
and then to each of the tombs.
At the procession, each time they stop, the
procession, snaking behind them for more than a
kilometer long, also stops. There are eight stops,
each lasting a few minutes, called the armida.
Armida symbolizes the stations on the Way of the
Cross—Jesus’ trail of agony to the peak of Golgotha.
Christian tradition has 14 stations, the Larantukans
only eight.
At each armida, a young girl clad in blue chants the
O vos.
O vos omnes qui transitis per viam
O all you who pass by on the road
Her voice is heartfelt, as if this is the only voice
allowed by the Lord at that moment. The whole
procession is bound in silence. However far one
is, the sound carries into the soul. As she sings,
the young girl slowly unscrolls a painting of Jesus
wearing the crown of thorns. The young maid turns to
face the pilgrims in all directions, pointing to the face
of Christ. Ecce Homo! Look at this man!
Attendite et videte:
Si est dolor sicut dolor meus
pay attention and see:
If there be any sorrow like my sorrow
Each time the O vos comes to an end, a member
of the Confreria—a lay confraternity—revolves a
wooden apparatus that produces a loud creaking
sound, to bring home to the procession the sound
of nails being pounded into the palms and soles of
Jesus. The pilgrims ponder on the agony of Jesus
as he is being crucified, the blood pouring from his
hands and feet. Each time the procession makes an
armida stop, a priest makes a blessing of the cross,
while the pilgrims respond in hymns of repentance:
Lord, have mercy on us, have mercy on us, and fall
down on their knees on the street.
Misericordia Senhor Deus, misericordia
Have mercy, Lord God, have mercy
An interesting part of the procession, as witnessed
by Tempo, is when women with veils on their heads walk
by carrying aloft a large black cloth over their heads.
They shake the cloth to make waves. They symbolize
the Women of Jerusalem, the only group who dared
show their condolences over Christ’s death. They
are the metamorphosis of Mary Magdalene, Mary the
Cleophas, and Mary the mother of James, one of the
disciples, who during Jesus’ walk to Golgotha had the
courage to cry out in the crowd making the Roman
soldiers feel ashamed. When Mary Magdalene even
went so far as to embrace the crucifix, the soldiers did
not prevent her.
Es Domine, Es Salvator noster
You, O Lord, You are our Savior
Pupilli facti sumus absque patre
matres nostrae quasi viduae
We have become orphans, fatherless,
Our mothers are like widows
The women make unprecedented movements.
They zigzag to the left, to the right, stagger to
and fro and push their way through the crowd.
155
How to get there:
There are many ways to get
to Larantuka. Located on the
southern coast of East Flores—
one of the regencies of East
Nusa Tenggara province—the
town can be reached by land,
sea and air. Take a flight with
a stopover at Kupang, Timor.
Then take local flights by
Transnusa and Susi Air.
Kupang-Larantuka is around
Rp650,000.
156
Another way through Frans
Seda Airport in Maumere,
Sikka regency—around 100
kilometers from Larantuka.
From Maumere, take an
intercity bus which will charge
you Rp50,000 per seat. You
can also rent a car. The price
is around Rp650,000. The
land trip from Maumere to
Larantuka will take around 4
hours.
Sometimes they wrap themselves in the long cloth.
And then, as if rebelling against the oppression,
they run around screaming wildly, some even in a
trance.
T
O understand the Semana Santa, it’s better
to have arrived before Good Friday, at least
two days before the procession. Hotels may
be fully booked because Larantuka has very
few hotels and inns. But you can always stay
with residents. Some convents generously
set aside spare rooms for pilgrims. Of course
it is advisable to contact them beforehand rather
than make an impromptu request. Staying with locals
will help guests understand the inner emotions of the
devotees.
Take a walk through the streets of the little town.
Larantuka is a town of chapels. At all corners of
the town there are petite houses of worship. Many
homes have their own prayer rooms. Many stories
of miracles abound related to these chapels. Go to
the wharf. Look at the boats and sampans. Go see
how the people join hands to plant wooden planks
and tie horizontal bamboo laths for candle-stands
throughout the route of procession.
On White Thursday, elderly women bathe the
statue of Virgin Mary. All day until dawn on Friday, the
faithful wait patiently to get some of water used to
clean the statue. Thousands of people line up all the
way down to the shore. One by one, they go down on
their knees, touch and kiss the feet of the Virgin Mary.
They take turns to make their permesa—request.
In the chapels, the mama muji, or praying mothers,
If you want to enjoy marine
tourism, board one of the Pelni
ships (www.pelni.co.id, hotline
62-21-7980606), and get down
to the Maumere wharf or go
straight to the Larantuka
wharf. Another alternative is a
sea-trip by ferry, with tickets at
Rp200,000 per person, 8-10
hours.
Tourists from Jakarta should
pre-order a Semana Santa
package—the Easter Holy
Week package—through Sabda
Tour. The holy week package
covers six days, costing Rp8.5
million per person. This tour
will include a trip to the old
church in Sikka, to the threecolored lakes in Ende ,and
to seminaries in Flores. The
tour Contact numbers: 62-216328864, 081380205069.
recite prayers continuosly in broken Portuguese
which even the Portuguese don’t understand.
They make request for the safety and well-being
of Larantuka.
In the meantime, in the Cathedral, the Confreria
clad in white robes with the Saint Dominic medal on
their necks sing the lament of Prophet Jeremiah:
“The streets of Zion are full of sorrow...and the
Choir responds: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, go back to
God your Lord...”
On Friday morning, the worshippers carry
the statue of Mary from the Chapel of Tuan Ma
to the Cathedral. It is from here that the main
procession starts. And it is from here that your
legs are apparently pulled by a mystic power.
You will simply follow where the devotion
moves. If on the next morning, you begin to
feel pain all over your body, take a shower and
relax. Take a cup of coffee. Your tired body will
be refreshed. Rush to the street and breathe
the fresh Saturday morning air. You can see
that the atmosphere in Larantuka has gradually
changed after the mournful procession.
On Saturday morning, a catharsis will seem
to have taken place. Larantuka will have gone
back into normalcy. Everywhere, people will
be singing out the Maria Hallelujah, altering the
mournful atmosphere into one of soaring joy.
The change in the air is kind of thrilling and
will linger in your heart, even for a Moslem like
myself. l
cult ure
157
Men are waiting for the
casket that contains the
statue of Jesus from the
Tuan Meninu chapel during
the sea procession in
Kuce Coast, Larantuka,
East Flores, East Nusa
Tenggara, as part of the
armida in the Good Friday
celebration.
hundreds of local young men on a boat adorned with
palm leaves. Clad in Sentani’s traditional attire, they
danced carrying crops and bushmeat. Having circled
the lake for about 10 minutes, they stepped out of
the boat still dancing and cheering.
Another much-awaited attraction was the
alligator dance, where the male dancers trotted to
the arena carrying a big crocodile that is tied to a
log. The female dancers, carrying small alligators,
accompanied them. l
Lamalera, Lembata Island,
East Nusa Tenggara
SACRED WHALE
OFFERING
158
Sentani Festival, Papua
PARTY ON
THE LAKE
I
n the Cycloops Mountain Nature Reserve,
around 30 kilometers from the city of
Jayapura, lies an attraction so picturesque
and mystical: the Sentani Lake. With a width
of 245,000 acres, it is as calm and steady as
a giant bowl of oil. Green islands emerge from
the blue water surface. This is where the fiveday Sentani Festival takes place every year since
2008.
Aiming to promote the rich cultures of the tribes
surrounding the lake, the Kalkhote Beach in the Ohei
Village, East Sentani became the center of the event.
This location can be reached in 15 minutes by car
from the Sentani Airport.
Nineteen districts in the Jayapura Regency took
part in the festival. On land and lake, a series of
cultural attractions took place, from dance and
musical performances to an exhibition of bark art.
A variety of Sentani’s signature cuisines were also
featured.
The peak of event was the dance performed by
Sentani
Festival,
Papua
• Advindo Tours &
Travel,
22 A Yani Street,
Jayapura, Phone:
+62-967-31403,
82805
• Kuwera Jaya
Travel, 39 A Yani Street,
Jayapura, Phone:
+62-867-33583
• Duta Baliem
Travel, 17 Nindya
Street, Jayapura,
Phone, +62-96733583
• Sentosa Tosiga
Tours, 36 A Yani
Street, Biak,
Phone: +62-96121398, 213956
• Papua Adventure
T & T (Papua),
Mr. Gantang
(+62817364243,
+6281344628586),
e-mail: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
T
he tradition of capturing whales in Lamalera
on the Lembata Island, East Nusa Tenggara
has existed for centuries. Held annually
between May and October, it is believed
the tradition began in the 1500s as the
fishermen of Lamalera built their first
settlement in the southernmost corner of
Lembata.
The locals do not hunt the whales; they wait
for them to pass instead. “They capture only
sperm whales – not other kinds – in the waters
near Lamalera,” said 48-year-old Bona Beding, a
Lamalera local who works in publication.
The meat of the captured whales is shared
with every villager; all 3,000 of them. The meat
is deemed as an offering from the village to the
widows, the poor and the orphans, who get their
shares before anyone else does. After all villagers
receive their shares of meat, the rest will be traded
for basic commodities, such as corn and rice. It
may also be sold to pay for school tuition or to buy
other necessities.
The Lamalera fishermen use peledang, a
traditional wooden sailboat. The rope used to
capture the whales is woven from the leaves of
the gebang tree and the trunk fibers of waru. To
capture the giant mammals, the matros or whale
catchers will use leo, a sacred rope.
The rope is made of spun cotton, covered with
the sap from turi plant – a type of hummingbird
tree – which is then dried. After it is used, the leo
roll is kept in a special chamber in the traditional
house. l
cult ure
Lamalera,
East Nusa
Tenggara
• Raflesia Tours
and Travel. Tujuh
Maret-Lewoleba
Street. Phone:
+62-0383- 41311.
Cisolok, Sukabumi, West Java
PRAYERS TO
THE GODS
S
eren Taun, a traditional Sundanese harvest
festival, used to be held annually across the
villages in West Java. Today, however, only a
few of them do; one of which is the Sirnaresmi
Village in Kasepuhan Bantun Kidul, Kampung
Ciptagelar.
Part of the Cisolok District, Sukabumi,
Ciptagelar is 44 kilometers away from Pelabuhan
Ratu. Since 1383, the settlement – sheltered by
the Halimun Mountain National Park – holds the
Seren Taun ritual as a sign of gratitude for the crops
harvested.
In this village, hundred-year ancestral traditions
live on. When building a house, for instance,
locals would only use ijuk, or palm fibers. Hence,
celebrating the harvest festival in early August or
September too require specific protocols, which can
only be led by the indigenous chief, who today is Ugi
Sugriana Rakasiwi, or Abah Ugi.
The ceremony’s main programs include presenting
God with crops from the previous year and ask for
blessings. During the ceremony, all men are dressed
in black. The women, on the other hand, are dressed
in kebaya – an Indonesian traditional outfit – and long
scarves. Guests come from near and far places to
enjoy various traditional art performances such as
calung show, jipeng musical performance, jaipong
dance and wayang golek (traditional puppet show).
The event peaks with the processional delivering
of rice to a traditional granary. Prayers were also
delivered to Nyi Pohaci or Dewi Sri, the goddess of
fertility and Prabu Siliwangi, ancestor of the Bantun
Kidul people. Seren Taun is also held as an annual
customary assembly led by Abah Ugi. l
• Lodan Doro
Tours and
Travel. Trans
LembataLewoleba Street.
Phone: +620383- 41028.
• Lembata
Mandiri Inti Jasa
Tama, Trans
LembataWangatoa
–Lewoleba
Street, Phone:
+62-0383-41068.
Cisolok,
Sukabumi,
West Java
• Aerotravel
(Satriavi), 81
Asia Africa
Street, Bandung,
phone: +62-224203657
• Vayatour, 42
Sunda Street,
bandung, Phone:
+62-22-4261739
• Cipaganti Tour,
94 Gatot Subroto
Street, bandung,
Phone: +62-227333646
Papua
• Natrabu Tours
& Travel, 1
Batukarang
Street, Jayapura,
Papua, Phone:
+62-967- 35613
• Papua Adventure
T & T (Papua),
Mr. Gantang
(+62817364243,
+6281344628586),
e-mail: info@
papuaadventure.
com, info@
papuaholidays.
com
• Honey Tour,
Endang Gunawan
(+628176941777),
Zikri
(+6281802156188),
Herdi
(+6281995194009)
Papua
WORLD CLASS
ART OF THE
SWAMP
W
hen Michael Rockefeller, the son of
former Governor of New York Nelson
Rockefeller, went missing in the area
during his 1961 expedition, Asmat
suddenly took center stage. Located
south of Papua facing the Arafuru
Sea, Asmat is famous for its complex
wood carving arts. For centuries, the tribe produces
war-related artworks like shields, spears, ancestral
sculptures, tifa (wooden drum), canoes and oars.
Carving is a way for the Asmat people to maintain
their connection with the spirits of their ancestors.
The carvings are believed to possess magical
powers. You can witness the tribe’s rich culture in
the Asmat Festival, which is held in Agats, the capital
of Asmat Regency, on the second week of every
October.
Held since 1981, the festival is well-attended by
the best carvers, dancers and musicians from all
districts. Mgr Alfons Sowada, the bishop of Agats,
is the man behind the festival. Together, the diocese
of Agats and the local government strive make the
festival happen.
UNESCO’s recognition of Asmat as one of the
world’s heritages has improved its charm. Yet,
limited access still provides an obstacle. Swampy
and muddy ground makes this area reachable only
by air from Jakarta or Bali via Timika. From there, the
flight continues with a small plane to Ewer Airport, a
gate to Asmat. The rest of the route can be reached
in 15 minutes by speedboat. l
159
Asmat with a
traditional painting
on a face, in a cap
from cassowary
feathers in Jow
Village, Asmat
province, Indonesia
www.shutterstock.com
160
Ulun Danu temple Beratan Lake in Bali Indonesia