Krakatau Islands Nature Reserve

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Krakatau Island

Description :

In the afternoon of 26th August 1883 Mt. Krakatau suddenly erupted with such cataclysmic force that its boom could be heard in Burma to far away Australia. The next day, massive volcanic materials blasted so high causing a gaping gash in its crater and the mountain imploded and sank. The boiling sea brought about huge tsunami waves of more than 10 meters high, devastating the towns of Banten and Anyer on Java and Lampung on Sumatra, wiping out their entire population. The tsunami waves spread throughout the Indian Ocean, and was said to be felt even as far away as France. While Krakatau’s volcanic ash was reported to circle the earth’s atmosphere, creating spectacular sunsets around the globe for two years.

Today, where once stood the mighty Krakatau volcano, a number of idyllic small tropical islands are left in the Sunda Straits between the island of Java and Sumatra. These are the Krakatau islands which consist of Rakata or Krakatau Besar (Large Krakatau), Panjang or Krakatau Kecil (Small Krakatau),Sertung and the Anak Krakatau (The child of Krakatau). While the islands of Rakata, Sertung and Panjang are remnants of the ancient Mount Krakatau, Anak Krakatau is an active volcano that surfaced only in 1927 and incredibly, still continues to grow as a result of volcanic activities below.

Administratively, the Krakatau Islands are located within the sub-district of Rajabasa, South Lampung, in Lampung Province on Sumatra. But, in fact they form part of the Ujung Kulon – Krakatau Nattional Park, which is recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage site.

Krakatau Island

As the site of one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in the world, the Krakatau Islands are considered today as a massive natural laboratory. Encompassing a total area of 13.735,10 hectares, they comprise 11.200 hectares of marine reserves and 2.535,10 hectares of land reserves, the Krakatau Islands bear considerable importance to scientists in Geology, Biology and volcanology.

Setting foot on an active volcano is certainly a one of a kind sensation, and if fortunate enough, visitors can watch as the Anak Krakatau volcano presents its active side. “Born” in 1927, the young volcano still frequently ejects smoke, lava and other volcanic materials as it continues to grow higher. The marine environment around the island offers its own attraction as it holds no less than 50 species of fish that live among its unspoilt coral reefs. Read more on the dramatic history of Mount Krakatau under Related Attractions: History of Krakatau.

The island- group along with its marine environment was declared by the Dutch Colonial government as a nature Reserve since 1919, encompassing a total area of 2.405,10 hectares. The Krakatau Islands were later in 1984 incorporated into the Ujung Kulon National Park located on the western part of Java. In 1990, the Directorate General for Forest Protection and Nature Conservation of the Ministry of Forestry assigned the management of the Krakatau Islands Nature Reserve to the Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam or the Natural Resources Conservation Office of Lampung, on Sumatra, with the aim to protect and preserve its integrity as an important conservation site for science and education. In the same year the nature reserve was expanded by the Ministry of Forestry to cover the total area as known today.

In 1991, UNESCO acknowledged both Ujung Kulon National Park and the Krakatau Islands Nature Reserve as an integrated UNESCO Natural World Heritage site.

Krakatau is also commonly known in the English-speaking world as Krakatoa. This may have been attributed to a sub-editor at “The Times” who may have typographically swapped the ‘a’ and ‘o’ of the Portuguese spelling as he interpreted a telegraphic report on the massive eruption of 1883. Furthermore, the 1969 Academy Award nominated movie, “Krakatoa, East of java” ,-which is geographically misleading, – also aided in popularizing the Krakatoa misspelling .The Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program cites the Indonesian name, Krakatau, as the correct name but says that its spelling as Krakatoa is also often used.

The Jogja Java Carnival

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Jogja Java Carnival

Description :

To commemorate its anniversary which falls on October 7th, Yogyakarta, cultural heart of Java, will be decorated with vibrant celebrations of the Jogja Java Carnival which will take place along the Mangkubumi and Malioboro Streets on 22nd October 2011.

Entering its fourth edition, this year the festival take on a new shape as it also involves competitions open to the general public.

Jogja Java Carnival will present a one of a kind festivity in the form of a night carnival that elaborates composition, shapes, colors, technology, music, and lightings which will decorate the city vibrantly and dazzle spectators.

The exuberant scene of the festival combined with the exceptional performance of Yogyakarta’s and Indonesia’s finest artists will definitely be the highlight of the carnival.

Preceded with a series of activities such as a Night Ride, the Jogja Mozaik Parade and Villages Festival that have already been ongoing since October 6th, the Jogja Java Carnival 2011 has purposely chosen the theme: “Magniworld”, presenting the magnificence of the world to the heart of this cultural city.

Emphasizing this theme, the carnival will feature 8 monuments of the world, such as: the Statue of Liberty, the Great Pyramid and Sphinx of Egypt, the Forbidden City of China, the Sleeping Buddha statue, the leaning Tower of Pisa, the Acropolis, and the Trojan Horse. The appearance of the 8 replica of the world monuments will be symbolic for Yogyakarta similarly as a cultural capital of the world.

With the tagline: “celebration of cultural unity “delegations from Jakarta, Semarang, Solo, Bandung, and foreign countries such as Singapore, Japan and England are among some of the participants of the event. The performance from the Solo Batik Carnival and Jember Fashion Carnival will also take part in the carnival.

Certain performances at certain venues will be charged varying from IDR150,000, IDR200,000, IDR250,000 and IDR500,000. Tickets or performances can be obtained at Fort Vrederrburgh, Alun-alun Utara or northern square, and a number of other points in Yogyakarta. However, the main carnival along the Mangkubumi and Malioboro streets remains free of charge.

Raja Ampat Festival & Travel Mart

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Raja Ampat Festival

Description :

The unspoilt splendors of Raja Ampat will be presented to the world through the Raja Ampat Festival and Travel Mart scheduled to be held on Waisai Beach from 20 to 23 October 2011. Entering its second edition this year, the festival continues to be an essential program of the district government of Raja Ampat aimed to promote this fascinating underwater paradise, pristine natural environment, enchanting cultural traditions, and all of the undiscovered wonders of Raja Ampat.

The Raja Ampat Festival and Travel Mart will feature various activities including art and cultural performances, nature and underwater photo competitions and exhibitions, and seminars on diving and underwater photography. During the festival, spectators will also get a chance to participate in post tour activities including diving, snorkeling, village tours, and bird watching. One of the highlights of the festival is a demonstration of traditional boating skills that has been passed down from generation to generation, which is the traditional way of Seafaring for the Papuan.

Among some of the Papuan traditional arts and cultural performances are the Lalayon Dance, Woor Dance, Lenso dance, Yospan Dance, Gemutu Dance, Akar Bore Dance, the War Dance, the Angin Mamiri Dance, Kuda Lumping Dance, and the Suling Tambur traditional flute and percussion performance.

The event also features an Expo and Travelmart that will bring together all tourism stakeholders and present all the tourism products and potencies of the region. This is an excellent opportunity where buyers and sellers of tourism industries can meet face to face and make contracts. The occasion will also be an opportunity for information exchange and to learn more about what Raja Ampat has to offer.

Raja Ampat or ‘the Four Kings’, is the name given to the islands Located off the northwestern tip of the Bird’s Head Peninsula on the Main Papua Island. The four major islands found here are Waigeo, Misool (which is home to ancient rock paintings), Salawati, and Batanta. Underwater enthusiasts flock to this region because it offers the world’s best marine sights. In the Raja Ampat islands, divers can explore vertical underwater walls. The thrill of drift diving is another great challenge. These and the fascinating art and cultural performances are the awesome experiences you will find as you attend the Raja Ampat Festival.

If you are flying from Jakarta, you can take a six hour flight to Sorong with a stopover in Manado. Alternatively, you can join a diving tour in Bali and fly from there. Flying from Jakarta/ Bali to Sorong, with connecting flights in Makassar or Manado are offered by Merpati , Express Air, Batavia Air, Lion Air, Wings Air, Silk Air, Garuda Indonesia, and Pelita Air. There are daily ferries available between Sorong and Waisai, capital of the Raja Ampat district on the island of Waigeo. Ferries leave Sorong at 13.00 hrs and the journey takes between 1.5 to 2 hours. The return ferry from Waisai to Sorong leaves around 11.0 am. There are also speedboats for rent at Sorong.

Presently on Saonek Monde, a Tourist Center and harbor are being constructed. In the near future there are plans for three resorts to be built on Nyandebabo, and Batbitiem, Waiwo, and Waigeo Selatan Islands. In the meantime visitors can stay at the Sorido Bay Resort, Kri Eco Resort, Island Camps, and boathouses.

The Asmat Cultural Festival

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Asmat Cultural Festival

Description :

The cultural expressions of Papua’s renowned Asmat Tribe will be the highlight of Indonesia’s most eastern island as the Asmat Cultural Festival is scheduled to take place at the Yos Sudarso Field, Asmat District on 20 to 25 October 2011. This year marks the 26th edition of the Asmat Cultural Festival since it was first introduced in 1981. In its previous edition, the Asmat Cultural Festival managed to attract international tourists from Australia, Germany, Japan, and Korea.

The main feature of the festival is obviously the signature wood carving art of the Asmat. The Asmat are known to have the capability of carving wood into fascinating artworks directly without drawing any sketches first. To the Asmat, their woodcarvings are inextricably linked with the spirit world, and therefore, are not principally considered as aesthetic objects. Much of the highly original art of the Asmat is symbolic of warfare, headhunting, and warrior-ancestor veneration. For centuries the Asmat, preoccupied with the necessity of appeasing ancestral spirits, produced a wealth of superbly designed shields, canoes, sculptured figures, and drums.

Aside from wood carving exhibitions and auctions, the festival will also present hundreds of artisans and performers who will showcase their exceptional skill in weavings, boating, and various dances and traditional musical performances. At the closing of the festival, the fine artworks of the Asmat will then be displayed for open auction.

Located at the southern part of Papua facing the Arafuru Sea, the district of Asmat was once part of the Merauke district. On February 2011, the district gained UNESCO recognition as a world heritage site. The Asmat region shot into world spotlight when in 1961 Michael Rockefeller, son of New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller disappeared here on his second expedition. On his first visit Michael had been deeply impressed by the Asmat sculpture, and planned to display these at an exhibition in the United States. On this unfortunate journey the boat capsized, pushed by the rushing incoming tide. Impatient, Michael swam to shore never to be seen or heard of again.

To reach Agats, you can take a flight from Jakarta or Bali to Timika and then continue by smaller plane to Ewer. From Ewer, you must take a speed boat to reach Agats. The Mozes Kilangin Airport in Timika is served by Garuda Indonesia from Jakarta and Denpasar, and Merpati Nusantara Airlines from the capital of Papua, Jayapura. Susi Air operates flights to local destinations across Papua including from Timika to Ewer. There are no hotels available in Asmat, the only possible way is either to stay at the local house which is called bujang (long house) house, or on Agats, where are simple accommodations whose rates change from time to time.

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