Papua Indonesia

The cool highlands and mountains of Papua invite trekkers to explore largely untouched territories. Visit Dani honays or huts that are built close together in a traditional village compound in the Baliem Valley. The two highest peaks in the Jayawijaya mountain range are the world’s few capped mountains located on the equator. Take a boat ride on Lake Sentani in Jayapura and enjoy some tranquil fishing. Papua is an exotic experience offering a rich variety of dives and amazing fish and marine species. See WWI fighter ships and planes in their watery graves in the shallow waters of Cendrawasih Bay and in the island off New Guinea’s western tip. Raja Ampat has a variety of diving sites; shallow bays, lagoon channels bordered by rain forest, rock islands and offshore reefs that contain some of the richest species of marine animals and corals in the world.
The bird park on Bosnik in Biak Island offers chance to see birds of paradise and other rare species. There is also an orchid park that grows as many as 72 types of orchids. Manokwari and the Arfak mountains are famous as the habitat of rare butterflies and insects.
Discover carvings and other treasures of the Asmat in the swamp regions of the south coast. East of Senatali, in the Waena suburb, the Museum Negeri displays Asmat bisj poles and decorated skulls, fine Baliem axe heads and interesting items such as mammoth shark’s teeth.Doyo Lama Village around 45 km from Jayapura has megalithic monuments that are engraved and believed to have supernatural powers. west of Biak, see fire-walking dances at the Adoki Village. The annual Baliem Festival held every August showcases traditional Dani dances and music. Mock tribal wars are also staged during the event. Taking months to prepare, the Sago Grub Feast is an important event that brings together different clans. The attending clans dance and feast on sago grubs.

Lombok & Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Looking for sun, sea and sand without the usual holiday crowd? Senggigi is Lombok’s most developed tourist region and many first-class resorts around the secluded bays and tranquil beaches. Tanjung Aan is probably Lombok’s finest beach. Northwest of the island are the emerald-like islands of Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan. Boasting powder white beaches, crystal-clear waters and an amazing underwater world, these islands are perfect for diving and snorkeling.

Sekotong and Bangko-Bangko in Lombok, and Lakey Beach in Sumbawa are the world famous Desert Point surf location. But Roti Island is where the best surfing is to be had in nusa Tenggara. Snorkeling on the coral reefs reveals fantastic coral informations and an amazing variety of fish. For such an experience, explore Moyo and Satonda Islands.

East Nusa Tenggara’s Flores is crowed with volcanoes and mountains, the most fantastic is Mount Kelimutu with its three colored crater lakes. Other natural wonders just waiting to be discovered is a red water lake at Mount Wawu Muda near Bejawa. At Lewoleba on the island of Lembata in the Solor Archipelago, follow pearl divers out to sea and watch them harvest pearls. Trek and climb Mount Rinjani (3726m), the third highest mountain in Indonesia. Its two crater lakes are popular camping sites before reaching the top.

The Komodo National Park on Komodo Island is home to the world’s only pre-historic “Dragon” or giant lizards which can measure more than 3 meters and weigh over 130 kg. At Liang Bua near Labuan Bajo, pre-historical remains provide an interesting insight into the past.

In Lombok, stop at several traditional Sasak Villages of Sade and Tansang-Angsang. At Batu Tering, a stone sarcophagus believed to be 2000 years old bears a foot imprint said to be made by the gods. The highland town of Bajawa is a good place to see the one of most traditional communities in Flores with traditional thatched and peaked huts raised on stilts as well as enormous megalithic tombs. Roti Island’s inhabitants are fond of dancing and music. One of their distinctive instruments is the “sasando”, a stringed instrument made of Palmyra leaves.

Borobudur Temple

Borobudur, the great Buddhist stupa on Java, Indonesia. The Borobudur Temple is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world. Constructed out of an estimated 1,600,000 blocks of volcanic stone, dredged from the river and assembled solely by human labor. Following in the footsteps of various discoverers, let us visit this unique and magnificent monument. Built and decorated perhaps before 800ad, should be on any body’s list of the ten greatest art - complexes in the world for its size, quality, sophistication and excellent state of preservation.

The Borobodur Temple complex is one of the greatest monuments in the world. The structure, composed of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock is erected on a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 sq. m. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha. Besides being the highest symbol of Buddhism, the Borobodur stupa is also a replica of the universe.

The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels namely Kamadhatu, Rupadhatu and Arupadhatu. The 1300 bas-reliefs along the balustrades corridors of the square galleries forming the next five levels of terraces.Upon the upper three terraces are 72 small stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. It symbolises the micro-cosmos in which man’s world of desire is influenced by negative impulses, the middle level, the world in which man has control of his negative impulses and uses his positive impulses. The peak of the structure is a central stupa. The two chambers inside the stupa are empty and it is unclear whether they were empty from the beginning as a representation of nirvana.

The excavation of the monument, known as Borobudur has been ordered by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles in 1814. He found the temple in wined condition and ordered that the site be cleared of undergrowth and thoroughly surveyed. The massive restoration project began from 1905. It’s takes eight years of labor and unprecedented international cooperation to complete. The second restoration to rescue Borobudur was carried out from August 1968 to 1983 with the help of UNESCO.

Souvenir hunters decapitate many of the Buddhas and ship them to mansions and museums throughout the world. For the weary tourist, a tea house is built high on the crumbling central stupa. Representing Nirvana.