Archive for May 9th, 2006
Indonesia is one of the most beautiful countries on this planet. Indonesia is a country made up of 13000 islands, many of these islands little more than a rock. From Sumatra in the west to Irian Jaya in the east and Timor in the Southeast, Indonesia has some of the most spectacular sights nature has to offer you. It has history and culture, a history that their people chose to retain with pride unlike the neighboring Malaysia. It has a hospitable people who are genuinely warm. Of course, they like Amitabh Bacchan and Shah Rukh Khan, and want to photograph your mother in her saree. Yet, three of the known cataclysmic events that shaped this planet originated in Indonesia: Krakatoa and the recent Sumatra. And then there is Lake Toba.
To be sure, there were equally powerful explosions in the ancient Roman Empire. There were huge earthquakes of the same magnitudes. But none had the far-reaching global consequences, and almost all were limited to local effects, like the great earthquake of San Francisco.
Krakatoa
At around the midnight of August 26, 1883 (early 27 local time, 17:00 GMT), the most violent volcanic eruption in more than a thousand years shook the world. In fact, there were four eruptions, the last of which was the most violent and occurred the next afternoon around 17:00 local time. The Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) was put at 6 or “Colossal”, equivalent to 200 Megatons of TNT or about 10000 Hiroshima size atomic bombs all set off at once (the temblor of December 26 was equivalent to about 3000-4000 20 Kiloton atomic bombs set off in a span of 15 minutes).
Krakatoa was a small island between Sumatra and Java, located in the narrow Sunda Straits. The tremendous explosion blew away the northern part of the island. No more Krakatoa. But the same destruction also created small new islands in the same place, among them Anak Krakatoa (Child of Krakatoa), a fresh, smaller active volcano.
The explosions were heard as far away as Australia (3500 Kilometers) and Rodriguez Island (near Madagascar, 4800 Km). The debris and ash from the eruption was propelled to a height of 80 Km.
Immediate effects of the eruption were felt by homes and shops 160 miles away. The shockwaves cracked walls and broke windows. Ash fell on ships and places more than a 300 Km away. The eruption also generated 40 meter high Tsunamis that devastated the neighboring Sumatra and Java, the casualties amounting to 36000 in the sparsely populated Indonesia of that time. All coastal towns and villages were destroyed within one or two hours of the explosions.
Eventually, the waves reached Aden in the Gulf. The atmospheric shockwaves generated by the explosion circled the earth seven times. The ash settled in the upper atmosphere around the globe, and there was no sun in Southeast Asia for three days. The ash circled the entire equatorial belt. For two years, the entire world watched multi-colored sunsets. At least in one instance, fire engines were called out in New York after some people mistook the vivid afterglow for a massive conflagration on the horizon.
Today, Anak Krakatoa is still active, waiting like the Horror movie sequel. It was very active in 1959-60 and again in 1994. We have to wait and see. You do not really get to go on top. There are boats which take you on a trip around the place.
Lake Toba
Located in the centre of Sumatra is the picturesque, enchanting resort town of Parapat, the terminal point of Lake Toba. It is the most beautiful lake you will ever see. As you drive south to Parapat from Medan further north, you get to see some of the most arresting scenery in your life, with the 80 Km long lake meandering through the mountains. It is 80 Km long and 36 Km wide.
And it is not a lake formed by water cutting through the mountains over the millennia, like the Grand Canyon. It is a Caldera. A caldera made in a few minutes by the mega-colossal volcanic explosion about 75000 years ago. To date, you can look at the hill sides and see the serrated, igneous rocks with the marks of unrecorded history writ on their faces. I was just standing there, awestruck and speechless. Imagine, just imagine an explosion that blew away that much land mass, an entire volcano and created a crater in which rain water accumulated over thousands of years to form a lake. The Sheer Instantized Violence! I did not get this feeling even when I saw the magnificent Grand Canyon. Oh yes, that was a different feeling altogether. It was a different sort of mesmerization. Scientists say that the human race of the time must have been reduced to a few thousand due to the explosion. The conclusion was reached after much testing of the mitochondrial DNA across groups.
That is Indonesia. Just a small part of Indonesia. One of the most beautiful places on this planet and also the place from which creative destruction was visited upon this our earth.
Source : http://www.sulekha.com
May 9th, 2006
The island of Sulawesi is famous with its unique rainforest and wildlife. Many kinds of endemic species can be found on its forest such as animals, insects, birds, and plants combined with the natural wonder like waterfalls and wild rivers which offers you unforgettable experience to explore the indigenous land of Sulawesi.
Discover the amazing North Sulawesi tropical rainforest and explore its unique wildlife on Tangkoko nature reserve, Bogani Nani Wartabone national Park, Manembo-nembo wildlife reserve, and mount Ambang nature reserve through our jungle tracking trip. We guarantee your jungle tracking will be exciting and surprising! We offer you our package as follow:
Tangkoko Nature Reserve
Located in Bitung, Tangkoko is a 9,000 hectare nature reserve that has attracted naturalists, researchers, scientists and nature lovers from around the world. The Reserve is home to various kinds of animals, birds and plants. Trekking here you might get the privilege to see Tarsier spectrum (the world smallest primate), the black crested macaque in large groups, hornbills and many other birds, plants in various sizes and colors, all in its natural habitat. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars and camera; this is one trip you would want to capture on film. If you still have the energy, we can show you how the local people make “saguer”, their traditional alcoholic drink.
Dumoga Bone National Park
The National Park can be reached by driveng about 4 hours from Manado. We can enjoy the dense forest and rare species like the Maleo bird, Hornbills, Anoa, boars, giant fruit bat, monkeys etc. After exploring this beautiful park, our guide will take you to Lake Moat to enjoy the fresh surroundings. We will rest here for the night where your accommodation, dinner and breakfast has been fully prepared. The next day our guide will take you to Ambang volcano, where you can see the huge crater with its sulfur smell. Here you may wish to taste the delicious Kismis (black fruit) found plentiful in the surrounding area. We can take youback to your hotel.
Source : www.adventurindo.com
May 9th, 2006
Bali has long been equated with an exotic paradise, a picturesque vision of green rice fields and plantations, soaring volcanoes, cool lakes and rushing rivers, lush forests and palm fringed beaches. It is Indonesia’s number one tourist destination and as a result suffers from commercialisation and overcrowding, but this is confined to a few main areas. The original charm of the ‘Island of the Gods’ and its smiling people is still very much in evidence, especially in the many small rural villages and fascinating places of the fertile interior.
What makes it distinctive from the rest of Indonesia is the belief in a predominantly Hindu faith, incorporating the ancient Indonesian animist conviction that natural objects are inhabited by good or bad spirits into every aspect of local life on the island. It is evident in their ceremonies, daily rituals and attitudes, visible in the offerings of flowers and food that adorn the roadsides, the charms hung inside taxis, and the numerous vibrant festivals that occur throughout the year. It is perceptible in their reverence for the Holy Mountain, the soaring volcanic cone of Gunung Agung, which is the spiritual centre of the Balinese universe. Scattered around the island are thousands of Hindu temples and places of worship. Art is also an integral part of daily life and every village has its artists, from the internationally acclaimed painter to the aspirational young cow herder. Ubud, the cultural centre, with its streets lined with art and crafts shops, also has performances of traditional Balinese dance and music. Art, together with tourism, is an important source of revenue for the island.
With its fine beach, the popular resort of Kuta is the most visited destination, but there are numerous other beach resorts around the island, and many more peaceful settings on the east coast at Candidasa, Sanur and the fishing village of Padang Bai, and on the northern coast at Lovina. There are a number of good diving sites and reef snorkelling close by.
Despite the shock of terrorist bomb attacks in October 2002 and 2005, which were aimed at foreign holiday-makers and killed about 225 people in total, Bali is still the tropical paradise of rich culture and beautiful land- and seascapes that has attracted those in search of an idyllic vacation for so long; however visitors are still advised to contact their foreign office for the latest travel advice before travelling to Indonesia, and Bali in particular.
Kuta
Kuta, just a short drive from the airport in southern Bali, has become the island’s most popular and most crowded resort, blessed as it is with a lovely sweep of golden sand, crashing surf and spectacular sunsets. The natural attractions have now been complemented by the tourist trappings, and Kuta is bursting with hotels, shops, restaurants and energetic nightlife, teeming with touts and vendors offering everything from sarongs and ‘Rolex’ watches to hair-braiding and tattoos. The atmosphere is relaxed, cheerful and friendly, where visitors find it easy to wear a smile and enjoy excellent accommodation with good food. A must for every visitor is a visit to the nearby Temple of Tanah Lot, Bali’s most holy place and a magical experience when viewed at sunset, perched on a wave-lashed rocky islet.
Ubud
Set in the hills north of Denpasar, Ubud is the cultural centre of Bali and the major attractions of the town and its surrounding villages are the art museums and galleries, notably the Neka Museum, containing a huge collection of traditional and modern Balinese paintings. An enormous variety of Balinese art and crafts line the streets and crowd the market place of Ubud, and frequent performances of traditional dance and music, and restaurants offering some of the best food on the island, compel visitors to stay much longer than intended. Ubud is also close to several sites of interest, including the ‘Mother Temple’ of Besakih, majestically situated high on the slopes of the Agung Volcano, and hiking in the scenic Batur region with its volcano and lake are popular excursions.
Lovina
On Bali’s north coast, Lovina resort stretches along several kilometres of black volcanic coastline, encompassing six villages, with Kalibukbuk the established tourist centre. Although the second largest resort outside of the Kuta region, it is not as developed as the south of the island, but it has a rural charm, and guesthouses are prettily situated on the beach or among the rice fields. Ducks, pigs and chickens scratch in the fields and cattle wander along the roads. Colourful Balinese boats take tourists out to see the sociable dolphins, most active at sunrise, and the reef-protected waters provide a calm environment for snorkelling. Situated between the main diving sites on the north coast of Bali, Lovina is a good base for diving excursions. Bali’s only Buddhist monastery, Brahma Vihara Arama, is a few kilometres away and can be combined with a visit to the delightful setting of the Air Panas hot springs at Banjar.
May 9th, 2006