Friday, January 21, 2011

Bali : A Brief History

Bali is a tropical island, eight degrees south of the Equator, in the heart of the Indonesian Bali is a tropical island, eight degrees south of the Equator, in the heart of the Indonesian archipelago. Because of its rich history, culture and arts - dances, sculptures and paintings - beautiful beaches, nature and tropical climate, Bali is thought to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Due to its many temples and pagodas it's also known as "The Island of the thousand temples". Its capital is Denpasar and its moto "Bali Dwipa Jaya" - "The Island of success Bali".


Bali also known as “Island of the Gods”, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides all provide a picturesque backdrop to its colorful, deeply spiritual and unique culture.

With world-class surfing and diving, a large number of cultural, historical and archaeological attractions, and a wide range of accommodations; this is one of the world's most popular island destinations.
However, the serenity we experience in Bali today hides one of the region’s most turbulent histories.

History & Origin
The first Hindus arrived in Bali as early as 100BC, but the unique culture found on Bali today originally hailed from neighbouring Java, with some influence from Bali’s distant animist past. The Javanese’s Majapahit Empire’s rule over Bali became complete in the 14th century when Gajah Mada, Prime Minister of the Javanese king, defeated the Balinese king at Bedulu. The rule of the Majapahit Empire resulted in the initial influx of Javanese culture including its architecture, dance, painting, sculpting and various art forms, such as the Wayang puppet theatre.
The few Javanese who did not adopt this Javanese Hindu culture are known as the Bali Aga (original Balinese) and still live in the isolated villages of Tenganan near Candidasa and Trunyan on the remote eastern shore of Lake Batur at Kintamani.
With the rise of Islam in the Indonesian archipelago, the Majapahit Empire fell and Bali became independent near the turn of the 16th century. The Javanese aristocracy found refuge in Bali, bringing about an even stronger influx of Hindu arts, literature and religion.
Divided among a number of ruling rajas, occasionally battling off invaders from now Islamic Java to the west and making forays to conquer Lombok to the east, the north of the island was finally captured by the Dutch colonialists in a series of brutal wars from 1846 to 1849. Southern Bali was not conquered until 1906 and Eastern Bali did not surrender until 1908. During these years, many proud Balinese warriors chose death over disgrace and fought en-masse until the bitter end, often walking straight into Dutch cannons and gunfire. This manner of suicidal fighting became known as puputan.

Bali Today
The current chapter of Balinese history became in the seventies when intrepid hippies and surfers discovered Bali’s beaches and waves, and tourism soon became the biggest income earner. This magical island continues to draw crowds, and Bali’s spectacular culture remains as spectacular as ever.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A Trip to Melawai’s Little Tokyo in Jakarta

Melawai’s streets are lined with Japanese shops selling everything from traditional ramen noodles and fresh
Even though I have been a South Jakarta resident for more than four years, this was actually the first time I set out to explore Melawai. Dubbed Jakarta’s Little Tokyo, Melawai’s streets are lined with Japanese cafes, restaurants and stores.

In fact, exploring the area made me feel like I was wandering around the back alleys of the popular Shibuya district in Tokyo — well, almost.

Accompanied by one of my colleagues, our first stop was Ajihara.

While this is only one of the many Japanese restaurants in the Melawai area, it came highly recommended by several colleagues and culinary Web sites.

I must admit that the restaurant looks quite unimpressive from the outside — actually, it is very easy to miss the wooden sliding door that serves as the entrance to the eatery, and if I hadn’t spotted the red sign, I might have walked right past.

However, after stepping inside, it felt like I had been transported from the dusty streets of Jakarta to a small tavern in Tokyo.

On the right of the entrance is a sushi counter, where diners can watch the chef prepare food — or the Japanese channel NHK on TV — while on the left, people lounge on tatami (rice straw mats) in typical Japanese manner.

Slippers of different sizes are provided for those who need to use the restroom.

A shelf filled with manga comic books and Japanese magazines offers entertainment for customers who are dining by themselves and the books even be borrowed and returned during the next visit.

“This restaurant has been around since 1997,” our waitress said.

 “At the beginning, it was mostly the Japanese who came here for lunch or dinner, but as time went by, it has become increasingly popular with Indonesians as well.”

Owned by a Japanese chef who is married to an Indonesian woman, Ajihara serves authentic Japanese cuisine at very reasonable prices.

There are several bentos (traditional Japanese lunch boxes) to choose from, but my friend and I opted for the shoyu ramen (soy-based Japanese noodle soup) and zaru soba (cold wheat noodles topped with shredded seaweed), which came with crispy tempura (battered, deep-fried sea food and vegetables).

 Japanese pickles, a salmon onigiri (rice ball) and the mandatory green tea completed a filling and delicious lunch. At Rp 60,000 ($7) each, this was a very good deal, given the high quality of the food and the unique atmosphere of the restaurant.

A walk seemed like a good idea after the filling lunch. Strolling through Little Tokyo under the beaming sun, we walked past several Japanese bars and cafes still closed at the time — it was still early in the afternoon.

We were curious about the sign that offered “Raku Foot Reflexology,” but unfortunately, like the bars, the salon was not yet open, and we were advised to come back later.

Taking a left turn toward Jalan Melawai Raya, we soon found ourselves in front of the Japanese supermarket Papaya Fresh Gallery.

The supermarket, also owned by a Japanese, has six outlets throughout Indonesia, one in Bali, two in Surabaya, one in Bandung and another two in Jakarta.

The one in Blok M has been around for a good 10 years, according to the store manager, Shimamoto.

“We cater to the Japanese community in Jakarta,” he said, adding that Indonesians fond of Japanese cuisine also frequently shopped there.

“The store gets particularly packed on weekends,” Shimamoto added.

Even though it was not the weekend, the supermarket was still quite crowded, mostly with Japanese women and their children.

Many of them were pushing shopping carts through the aisles, listening to the Japanese pop music playing over the store’s speakers.

Here shoppers can find anything their hearts desire to prepare real Japanese dishes at home.

Freshly made sushi is packed in small boxes and ready for take-out, as well as other Japanese delicacies, such as takoyaki (octopus balls), mochi (Japanese rice cake) and a variety of sweets.

In addition to groceries, the supermarket also carries cosmetics and I was pleasantly surprised when I found the same shampoo brand I had used while living in Tokyo 15 years ago.

A small pastry shop behind the cashier offers baked goods and bread.

On the second floor of the building, a Japanese travel agent organizes plane tickets, while the DVD rental Family Station displays hundreds of Japanese movies, just waiting to be picked up and watched by members of Jakarta’s Japanese community.

While Noah Cafe invites passersby to come in for a cup of coffee and a slice of cake, the real gem here is The Daiso, a store that sells Japanese goods.

Crammed with everything imaginable — both useful and completely unnecessary — it is easy to spend a lot of time here hunting for hidden treasures.

From stationery, household goods and bathroom slippers to toys, bags and cute bunny ears, all items cost Rp 22,000.

Adopting the concept of selling everything for the same price, The Daiso is the equivalent of the 100 Yen stores so widely popular in Japan — a quite brilliant business idea that makes customers tempted to stuff their shopping carts to the brim without realizing that in the end what they buy will all add up to a substantial sum.

Loaded with shopping bags, we decided to call it a day and headed back to the car. Source.

A New Slogan to Lure Tourists to Indonesia


The komodo dragon is one of Indonesia's biggest tourist draws. Most travelers and tourism industry insiders agree that, along with the new, flashy slogan, Indonesia needs a better approach to managing a national tourism industry that continues to struggle. (AFP Photo/ Bay Ismoyo).
With more than 17,000 islands and some of the richest biodiversity on earth, Indonesia is a natural paradise. To go along with its breathtaking natural scenery, the archipelago also boasts a hugely diverse range of cultures and religions.

Whether you want to take in the world’s highest diversity of coral species while diving the reefs of Raja Ampat in West Papua, stroll ancient temple compounds in Central Java or walk among real-life prehistoric dragons on Komodo Island in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia has something for travelers of all stripes.

How then, can you sum up this myriad of tourism riches in a single slogan.

This was the challenge facing members of Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry running up to the unveiling last week of the country’s new official tourism slogan for 2011, “Wonderful Indonesia.”

Reaction to the new slogan has been mixed, with some expressing remorse that the older, more direct slogan, “Visit Indonesia,” had been dropped.

Like it or hate it, most travelers and tourism industry insiders agree that, along with the new, flashy slogan, Indonesia needs a new and better approach to managing a national tourism industry that continues to struggle despite being blessed with almost limitless potential.

According to the official Web site of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations, Indonesia ranks No. 4 in tourist arrivals on a list of all Southeast Asian countries. Malaysia, at No. 1, hosted more than 23 millions international tourists in 2009, followed by Thailand and Singapore, respectively.

Despite what on paper appears to be a chronic underperformance, there is reason to believe that Indonesian tourism is on the brink of a new golden era — if it can capitalize on some recent trends.

The Tourism Ministry has released new data for 2010 showing that it was a record year for international arrivals, with seven million foreign tourists visiting Indonesia. The ministry said that these tourists pumped around $7.6 billion into the economy.

In addition, the ministry also reported that Indonesians themselves are getting out to explore the wonders of their own country in greater numbers than ever before.

Last year some 234 million Indonesians fanned out to beaches, hiking trails and resorts all across the archipelago in search of fun and adventure, adding Rp 138 trillion ($15.5 billion) to the economy in the process — a 3.05 percent increase from the 229 million local travelers reported in 2009.

The ministry has set a goal for 7.7 million international tourist arrivals in 2011, a 10 percent increase from 2010.

It is in support of this target that the Tourism Ministry has introduced its new slogan.

The new slogan is accompanied by a logo depicting the country’s national Garuda symbol drawn in five different colors.

“The aura around 2011 is very positive,” Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik wrote recently on the ministry’s Web site.

Despite Jero’s enthusiasm, most industry insiders think that it will take more than a positive aura to meet the new goal.

Tara Seprita, a strategic planner at the Grey Jakarta advertising agency, said slogans, logos and taglines were an important part of this type of large-scale campaign, but she added that there must also be something behind the slogan that backed up the brand’s vision and mission.

Tara said that, by its nature, the global tourism industry is cluttered with many countries vying for their share of the tourist dollar.

Usually, one country’s campaign is no better or more distinctive than other countries’ campaigns.

It’s very difficult to stand out in this type of an environment. Doing so takes much more than just a catchy slogan, she said.

Dewi Wilaisono, a housewife, avid traveler, photographer and scuba diver, said she supported the slogan change.

“There’s no other word that can represent Indonesia besides ‘wonderful,’
” said Dewi, who has traveled to almost every province in Indonesia.

Tara, however, believes that there is room for improvement. “Wonderful Indonesia” is not very focused, she said, adding that there are too many messages that the ministry is trying to get across in one line.

She thinks that the previous slogan, “Visit Indonesia,” was more to the point.

It’s not easy to determine which one is better, she said.

“In the end, a slogan doesn’t really matter that much — the most important thing is how well the overall strategy is implemented.”

Celebrated traveler Trinity, known to her readers as The Naked Traveler, agrees.

She said that a catchy new slogan is useless unless it is part of an larger integrated campaign.

Trinity, whose two books, “The Naked Traveler” and “The Naked Traveler 2,” have become national best sellers, complained that finding information about Indonesian tourism was still difficult.

“Try to search ‘Indonesia’ and ‘tourism’ on Google, the chances are you’ll have a hard time finding Indonesia’s official tourism Web site,” she said.

Trinity pointed out that finding reliable, up-to-date travel information on the Internet remained one of the most problematic issues for foreign tourists.

And until this problem is fixed, all the new slogans in the world won’t help to increase Indonesia’s tourism, she added.

She blamed the Tourism Ministry for not appealing to the public to get more involved in support of the tourism industry.

She pointed out how other countries like Malaysia, with its “Truly Asia” campaign, had managed to communicate their strategies not only to the world, but to their own residents as well.

“The people there are proud of helping and supporting the tourism industry,” she said, adding that the opposite is often the reality in Indonesia.

When the new slogan was launched, Trinity said most of the residents she spoke with didn’t even know about it and those who did didn’t really know what it meant.

“I myself don’t really know what the new slogan really means,” Trinity admitted.

“If people don’t know what the government is doing in the tourism sector, they can’t be expected to know how to help and participate,” she said.

“It seems to me that the government wants to go forward by themselves. This isn’t right.”

Tara pointed out how the slogans of neighboring countries such as “Amazing Thailand” or “Infinitely Yours Seoul” were actually nothing special.

But the difference is that these slogans are a part of large, sustained and creative campaigns to lure tourists.

Tara said that Indonesia’s tourism officials needed to stop focusing only on traditional communication strategies and start thinking more creatively while focusing on Web-based digital implementation and access.

But despite the criticism, Jero remains optimistic that his office is on the right course and can boost the number of tourists coming to Indonesia.

“Culture is our strength and treasure that we can use to build our tourism industry,” he said.

Although she personally likes the new slogan, Dewi agreed that there was plenty more that needed to be done in order to improve tourism in Indonesia.

“We don’t promote hard enough to potential tourists abroad,” she said, adding that even domestic promotion is very limited. “Access to many tourism destinations is still bad.”

Trinity, who’s been to every province in Indonesia except Papua, said that infrastructure remained a great obstacle to boosting tourism.

She said that East Indonesia, which has huge potential to attract international tourists, still has very poor infrastructure, making traveling there difficult and costly.

But despite the problems, Indonesia still has the major advantage of being, well, Indonesia. There’s nowhere else like it on earth.

For this reason, people like Trinity are certain of Indonesia’s potential. “I don’t know one foreign traveler who doesn’t like Indonesia,” she said.

“The challenge is how to start getting people to come here first.” Source

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

KOMODO as New 7 Wonders

Komodo Indonesia




Indonesia’s Komodo National Park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 square kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also dedicated to protecting other species, including marine animals. The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin.Source 

Komodo
Rinca Island - Komodo National Park

The Sea of Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park
Komodo National Park