Borneo Orangutan

Kalimantan or Borneo is the place to explore. This world's third largest island covering the area of 747,000 square kilometer and covered by one of the world's largest stretches of tropical rain forest through which flows tremendous mighty rivers which are the island's highway.

The Dayak Tribes, the indigenous people of Kalimantan were some of the fierce head-hunters. Today, they are no longer collect grisly trophies; the men hunt with blowguns while the women weave baskets of rattans using age-ol patterns and techniques or together hack their fields out of the jungle, burning the brush to provide nutrients to the poor soil.

The island is rich with many fascinating and endemic wildlife; the orangutans, proboscis monkeys, gibbons and species of monkeys, Argus pheasants, snakes including the three species of flying snakes, sun bears, 600 hundred species of birds including the hornbills which play an important role in the Dayak mythology.

The exotic plants includes the rare black orchids, carnivorous pitcher plants, 70 meter trees including the hardest wood in the rain forest "Iron Wood" and many more.

Our trips will take you to explore the mighty Mahakam river and it's tributaries to meet the Dayak Tribes and experience their mystical arts & cultures, trekking through the jungle in searching for the exotic flora and fauna.

Our experienced and naturalist guide will make you understand about everything you want to know about the Kalimantan Rain Forest and all creatures live in it and the cultures of the Dayak Tribes.

Komodo Dragon Tour Diving, snorkelling and visit the Dragon

START/END : BALI

Join us in Komodo Archipelago to experience an encounter with the fearsome Komodo dragons, the world largest lizard. Growing up to 3 meters in length and up to 140 kilograms, Komodo considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. Komodo Island - located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores - is now a national park and also home to number of rare birds, deer and wild pigs which are prey to the lizards as well.

Called "ORA" by the local people, Komodo Dragon (Varanus Komodoensis) is actually a giant monitor lizard. Its ancestors roamed the earth up to about half a million years ago. Komodo live on goat, deer and even the carcasses of its own kind. The only human population on the island is at the fishing village called Komodo who supplement their income breeding goats which are used to feed the lizard.



The Komodo Dragon is protected by law and although they are considered harmless, it is advisable to keep them at the distance. Komodo Island is now a nature reserve, home to a number of rare bird species, deer and weld pigs, which are prey to the lizards as well. In general, the vegetation at Komodo are only comprises of trees and grass. The forest is not too thick, and the ground is covered by the grass while there are only rare trees to grow. The situation there just like the savannah. Beside the komodo it self, the site also the home of many other animals including wild water buffalloes, deers, and long tailed maccaque.

The islands of the Komodo Dragon: Rinca & Komodo Islands are part of the complex of 175 islands (about 90% unhabitant), situated 200 nautical miles east of Bali, between the islands of Flores and  Sumbawa.Actually, there are 2 main gates entering Komodo. The first one is the Bima harbor. the second one is the harbor of Labuhan Bajo. Start the tour from Labuhan Bajo will provide us less time to sail. Its only need about 3 hours to sail from Labuhan Bajo to Komodo island. Most of our guest taking the trip to Komodo from Labuhan Bajo, as it is closer to the site. Less time needed to sail on the boat. Labuan Bajo is accesible only from Bali by airplane for about 1 hour 40 minutes.

During your stay at Komodo island, we will do some trekking to the former feeding site of komodo on Banunggulung on Komodo island. There is a trekking trail of about 20 minutes from the sea shore to the site on where most peoples see the the Komodo lizard on it's habitat. We will also pay a visit to the other island nearby (The Komodo island group comprises of many big and small island. Among the big one are the Komodo island, the Rinca island, and Padar island)

Along with the national park's rangers we will silently explore the islands on foot for the encounters with the dragons. The Komodo dragons are large, ferocious predators that are fully capable of killing and eating a human being and capable of running as fast as a dog! But don't worry, the rangers are experiences and know well how to deal with dragons which can reach a length of 3 meters (about 10 feet). Nowadays the dragons estimated at 5,000 - 7,000 inhabited the islands of Komodo, Rinca and other tiny surrounding islands, and on the westernmost part of Flores Island in Indonesia.

Besides the dragons komodo, you can also experience wildlife tour on Rinca Island by trekking through the island to observe the other wild animals such as deer,horses, birds etc, in their wild life.

We will spend an adventurous night on the boat. In the morning or afternoon you can snorkeling and diving around Komodo, some of the best in the world, especially for seeing soft corals. Some of the beaches nearby have beautiful pink sand, tinted by fragments of red coral mixed in with other shell and coral fragments.

Komodo Dragon Tour and Snorkelling

The water of Komodo is very ideal place for many kinds of sea activites. A lot of our visitors enjoy very much the underwater side of Komodo. It's just like the missing paradise fot he underwater world lover. It has many excellent dive spots.

In the sea it's vibrant color and exotic life will enchant divers and snorkelers alike as endless schools of fish ride the waterways rushing up from deep sea vents, below them the seabed is covered with a thick carpet of florescent corals and marine invertebrates - an underwater photographers paradise.

The corals in Komodo National park are pristine, with Mantas, sharks, turtles, dolphins, dugong, many pelagics, to the tiny pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frog fish, you name it we've got it. The sites vary from gentle easy coral slopes to heart pounding adrenalin rides, from the warm waters of the Flores Sea in the north to the chillier waters down south in the Indian Ocean, the underwater terrain is so varied with sheer cliff walls, pinnacles, sandy flat bottoms, underwater plateaus, slopes, caves, swim-throughs, channels, all with varying colours, sizes and types of coral both hard and soft.

You will board on a fisherman wooden boat which have been modified to enable and suitable for carrying tourist, equipped by Radio Navigation, Electricity, Toilet, One big cabin which has 6-8 beds, Life jackets and Mattress.

Accomodation - Komodo Dragon Tour

Golo Hill Top, is Dutch/Indonesian owned and has AC and Basic rooms, they have a very nice view over the harbour of Labuanbajo, they are away from the noise of the main road and they serve good food in their restaurant.
Gardena has basic fan rooms, is Indonesian owned and also has wonderful views over the harbour, it is rather noisy here, as it is one of the busiest places and is near the main road, they have a good restaurant with very reasonable prices.
Eco Lodge. The highest standard of rooms in Labuanbajo, AC/hot water rooms, swimming pool, out of town near the beach, very peaceful, has a Restaurant serving a variety of dishes.

TESTIMONI:

Dear Jeffry,
I wanted to thank you for your amazing assistance in Indonesia during the Orangutan and Komodo Dragon filming of our documentary series, Kratt Brothers Be the Creature, for the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC channel.

It’s always difficult producing programmes where the location is so far away from home base, but the professionalism of Adventure Indonesia made it incredibly easy. You and your colleagues provided amazing logistical services before, during and after our filming.Every time we needed something done, there was never a question of it not being possible. My confidence in you was complete.

I would recommend Adventure Indonesia highly to anyone who needed assistance when traveling to Indonesia.
Whether you were dealing with the intricacies of filming permissions or just arranging travel, all the work done was at the higher level. I give you a 5 star rating..!!!

Once again, many thanks for everything you and Adventure Indonesia did for us. It was wonderful.

Kind regards,
Cheryl Knapp/Series Producer
KRATT BROTHERS BE THE CREATURE
DECODE/BTC PRODUCTIONS INC.
In Association With THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Channel . 3764 chemin de la Cote des Neiges Montreal, Quebec - Canada H3h 1V6

Dear Adventure Indonesia,
We arrived safely back in the UK yesterday, after a few days in Brunei, and I returned to work this morning. I want to thank you for all your work in arranging or Komodo Dragon trip, which all went veery smoothly and according to plan. The crew of the boat were exceptionally friendly and helpful, and the food was very appetising. A special mention must go to Oci, who provided all our services on the ground in Flores and went out of her way to ensure that we were well looked after. The trip was a memorable experience, and we got to see plenty of Komodo dragons, although only on Rinca. I shall certainly be recommending the trip to our friends and would not hesitate to use Adventure Indonesia again on a future trip. Thank you once again.
Kind regards, (Clive - clive.buckman@jpmorgancazenove.com)

KARIMUN JAWA ISLANDS

Karimunjawa is and island chain stretching in a northwesternly direction 83 km from Jepara. Central Java. This archipelago is a cluster of 27 island in the java sea. The reefs are a mixture of fringing, barrier, and patch with bottom depths ranging from 15 to 40 meters.

Five of these islands are domestically inhabited and together with 22 others from the four major zones; Zone I is the core sanctuary area and is out of bounds to all, Zone 2 is the wilderness area open to limited tourism, Zone 3 is the utilization area, Zone 4 is the buffer zone.

For visitor to the Park, expect a very pleasant welcome by the information staff, and an exciting range of flora and fauna to discover both above and below the water.The reefs harboring 35 types of hard corals, sponges, gorgonian, soft and red corals and an amazing 240 plus variety of fish.

A special bonus for the interpid is wreck diving at the island of Batu Kunci, Karang Kapal, Karang Ketel, and Batulawang. Best time for weather is April to November with the rainy season peaking between December and February.

Up to this date Karimunjawa has 12 dive sites. Most of the diving is done on the fringing reefs around the islands, as well as submerged reefs, and shipwrecks. The sites are all to the west of the main island

Facilities

The dive resorts is situated on the uninhabited island of Menyawakan, measuring 19 hectares, in the Karimun Jawa archipelago. By speed boat transfer from Jepara to the resort about two and a half hours one-way or from Semarang about 3 hours. With 5 VIP bungalows and 5 two room deluxe cottages, 15 rooms in all, and the resort is very luxurious.

BOROBUDUR TEMPLE JOGYAKARTA

The province of Central Java, around the city of Jogyakarta, is the most famous part of Java and is, in fact, its cultural centre. This is in part because of the presence there of a variety of religious influences-Buddhist, Hindu, and other indigenous beliefs, which resulted in the construction of the impressive temples of Borobudur, Prambanan and the Dieng temple complex.

The 300 year old city of Jogyakarta is the cultural heart of Java. Here also is Indonesia's oldest palace 'The Kraton,' still the domicile of Jogya's royalty. Even now the current Sultan of Jogyakarta retains remarkable political prestige. Jogyakarta offers an abundance of Javanese art, painting, silverwork, batik handcraft, traditional Javanese dances, as well as contemporary art. The city is the cultural centre not only of Java, but of the whole of Indonesia. From Jogyakarta one can travel easily to the Borobudur and Prambanan temples, which are half-day trips from the city. Jogyakarta is situated between the foot of the still-active Merapi volcano and the mystical Indian Ocean, home of 'Loro Kidul,' Queen of the South Seas.

Borobudur
The most famous of Indonesia's temples is this huge Buddhist pyramid. This is a Buddhism's largest shrine in Indonesia, built in the 9th century. Located north west of Jogyakarta, Borobudur was completed in the second half of the ninth century. Like the Hindu temple complexes Prambanan and the Dieng plateau, Borobudur was unknown and neglected for almost a thousand years, covered under thick layers of volcanic ash.
From a far Borobudur looks like a huge but ordinary stone construction. But from nearby we can see that it consists of hundreds of wonderfully detailed statues and sculptures, representing Buddhist teachings mixed with images of Javanese life of a thousand years ago.

Prambanan
Perhaps the finest temple complex in Indonesia, Prambanan is a ten-century old Hindu temple. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, locally called Candi Loro Jonggrang, which means 'slender virgin.' From an architectural point of view this beautifully sculptured spire, fifty meters high, indeed resembles a 'slender virgin.' Like the Buddhist stupa Borobudur, Prambanan was abandoned when the Buddhist and Hindu Javanese inhabitants moved to East Java.

Jalan-Jalan, Yuk!

Pemandangan matahari terbenam di Tobelo, Halmahera Utara.
 Photo Credit - Tempo/Arie Basuki

Oleh Trinity

Ngapain jalan-jalan? Bikin capek aja, buang-buang duit, atau apa pun pembelaannya adalah anggapan yang salah. Manusia diciptakan tidak seperti robot, yang hanya berhenti berproduksi jika rusak, atau sudah tidak laik lagi. Ibarat komputer, jika sudah jenuh perlu di-reset, maka manusia perlu rekreasi untuk menyegarkan diri. 

Di negara maju, traveling sudah menjadi bagian dari gaya hidup. Mereka kerja mati-matian, menabung lalu jalan-jalan - untungnya mereka memiliki hari cuti yang lebih banyak daripada kita. Memang di negara berkembang dimana kebutuhan hidup dasar menjadi prioritas, jalan-jalan sering tidak masuk ke dalam daftar wajib. Tapi jika Anda bisa membaca artikel ini via internet, saya yakin Anda sudah mampu untuk memasukkan jalan-jalan sebagai salah satu aktivitas. 

Salah satu bentuk refreshing adalah jalan-jalan. Jalan-jalan menjadi pilihan, kalau mungkin menjadi kewajiban, alasannya jalan-jalan bisa menyegarkan fisik dan mental kalau dilakukan dengan benar. Tidak perlu berpikir untuk melakukan perjalanan besar dan jauh ke luar negeri, ingatlah Indonesia memiliki lebih 17.000 pulau. Bayangkan, jika menyinggahi setiap pulau setiap hari, tak akan habis dalam setahun. "Apapun kegiatannya, hal yang paling sulit adalah memulainya." Demikian terjemahan bebas dari sebuah pepatah Cina. Jadi jangan memimpikan sebuah perjalanan yang besar, mulai saja dari yang kecil. Begitu sudah dimulai, berikutnya adalah sebuah romantika.

Bagi saya sendiri, jalan-jalan itu bagaikan sekolah. Saya yang bayar, tapi tetap harus mengerjakan "tugas-tugasnya", seperti merencanakan perjalanan, membeli tiket, mencari penginapan, berkomunikasi dengan orang dengan bahasa yang tidak dimengerti, menemukan jalan di tempat yang asing, dan sebagainya. Mula-mulanya saya jalan-jalan di tempat yang dekat dengan rumah, lalu ke luar kota, luar pulau, luar propinsi, luar negeri - mulai dari negara tetangga sampai negara antah berantah. Saat pulang ke rumah dengan selamat, saya merasa telah "naik kelas" dan berusaha terus naik kelas sampai lulus dari kelas tertinggi. 

Hasilnya? Pengetahuan dan wawasan tentu bertambah, begitu juga soft skills. Beberapa contohnya: saya semakin disiplin, terutama terhadap waktu. Semakin tinggi rasa toleransinya, karena harus berhubungan dengan manusia dengan beragam latar belakang. Semakin merasa dekat dengan Sang Pencipta, karena menyaksikan keajaiban dan keindahan alam. Bahkan semakin sering jalan-jalan ke luar negeri, saya justru semakin cinta dengan Indonesia!

Jadi jangan ragu, mau jadi hitchhiker, backpacker, flashpacker, atau luxurious traveler - itu semua hanya istilah yang mengkotak-kotakkan gaya jalan-jalan. Intinya, temukan saja kenikmatan jalan-jalan. Jangan pernah terpaku pada gaya atau tujuan. Gaya jalan-jalan itu tergantung dari kemampuan individu masing-masing, jadi tidak bisa dipaksakan. Lagipula, tidak selalu tujuan yang nantinya akan menjadi lebih berwarna. Barangkali perjalanannya yang lebih berwarna. Nikmati saja romantikanya, mungkin nanti ketemu teman seperjalanan yang cakep atau pengalaman yang luar biasa.

Mengutip kata Saint Agustine, "The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." Dari segala yang ada di dunia ini, masa Anda cuma mau melihat apa yang ada di sekitar Anda saja? Apakah membaca buku cukup dengan satu halaman saja? Tentu tidak. Sudah saatnya membaca halaman berikutnya. Mungkin halaman berikutnya tidak begitu menyenangkan, tapi baca lagi halaman berikutnya. Dan seperti buku yang bisa menambah pengetahuan dan wawasan, begitu pula dengan jalan-jalan.


Sumber : id.travel.yahoo.com

'Titanic' Theme Song

A Backpacker’s Guide to Egypt

Traveling to Egypt may not top every backpacker’s to-do list, but this fascinating country is a gateway to the ancient world. Starting your journey in a Cairo hostel, the land of the Pharaohs is your oyster, with the pyramids at Giza and living museum Luxor are within easy reach.

Aside from the ancient monuments and dusty tombs, the Red Sea is home to some of the best diving spots in the world, and modern day Cairo’s lively clubs and bars would make the fun-loving Pharaohs proud. And of course you can indulge your inner Indiana Jones wandering around the Pyramids, trekking across the dunes of the Sahara, or riding in a boat along the Nile…

Egypt Pyramids. Photo credit - Aesum.

Getting Around
Buses are the easiest and cheapest way to get around the country from Cairo, as the service is reliable and relatively safe. The buses vary in quality depending on how touristy the destination – Dahab, Sharm el Sheikh and Luxor are served by slightly more expensive buses with air conditioning and toilets.

The Blue Mosque. Photo credit - Javier D.

Cairo

Modern day Cairo is certainly hectic, but the capital is an essential first stop on any Egyptian tour. The Egyptian Museum is a vast cave of ancient treasures, and home of the golden face of Tutankhamen. It’s a great way to cool off from the heated streets, and the crowds aren’t too hectic in the afternoon.
The city is also home to scores of Arab architecture and medieval sites from the days of Saladin. The ‘Blue’ Mosque, made of ink and turquoise mosaic tiles, was built in 1347 and is Cairo’s prettiest, and the minaret of the Ahmad Ibn Tulun Mosque boasts the best view over the city.

Cairo’s bustling bazaars and souks are a sensual feast of fragrant spices and sheesha pipes, brightly coloured fabrics and stalls crammed into the marketplace. Perfect for sourcing an exotic souvenir, you’ll need razor-sharp haggling skills.

Cruising the River Nile in a felucca. Photo credit - khowaga.

After sundown, the souks are packed with snake-charmers and belly-dancers. For more modern entertainment, head to Zamelek for bustling outdoor bars and hipper-than-thou clubs. For a more relaxing classical attraction, the River Nile has been the lifeblood of Egypt since ancient times, and the ultimate way to see the city is to glide through the heart of Cairo on a felucca, a traditional Egyptian wooden boat.

Giza Pyramids. Photo credit - Khalid Almasoud.

Giza

One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, Giza may be touristy, but the three famous pyramids and the grand Sphinx are simply unmissable. If you must take a horse or camel ride around the pyramids, agree to the price first, or you’ll end up ripped off, or stranded on a camel!

Luxor. Photo credit - Mossaiq.

Luxor

Luxor feels like an outdoor museum, its nineteenth-century boulevards lined with ancient temples and monuments. The Karnak Complex is home to the biggest temple in Egypt, as well as obelisks, sphinxes and all manner of ancient paraphernalia. Take a tour to the Valley of the Kings in Thebes for the cursed tomb of Tutankhamen and Ramses VI.

One of Egypt's oldest Coptic monasteries – St Anthony. Photo credit - gotplaid?

Other Top Sites

The list of must-see ancient sites is overwhelming in a country so rich with history, but there are a couple worth making the extra trek for. For a change of scene away from the rampant tourism of the major sites, check out Egypt’s oldest Coptic monasteries St Anthony and St Paul, hidden amidst the arid mountains and barren cliffs of the Red Sea. The surrounding desert is breathtaking, and the monasteries themselves have a fascinating past.
The catacombs of Kom es-Shoqafa in Alexandria are a more ghoulish sight – these subterranean tombs tunnel underneath solid rock, and are filled with the burial chambers of a wealthy family from 2AD. A mix of Egyptian relics and Greco-Roman architecture, these tombs document the dying days of the ancient Egyptian faith.

A small coastal town by the Sinai Peninsula. Photo credit - FrankDaSilva.

Diving in the Red Sea

If you’re feeling all Pharaoh-ed out, try diving the Sinai Peninsula at the resort of Sharm El Sheikh. Experienced divers can take a boat trip from one of the diving shops to Ras Mohammed National Park, and first timers can learn the ropes by snorkeling in the shallow reefs of Middle Garden.
Whatever your level of diving expertise, the exotic marine life, unbelievably clear waters and rainbow coral reef make this one of the best diving spots in the world. If you don’t fancy diving into the deep blue, the postcard perfect beaches are the perfect place to recover from hours of trekking through ancient sites.

Source : http://unearthingasia.com/crossroad-of-asia/a-backpackers-guide-to-egypt/

Panduan untuk Backpaker di India

India adalah salah satu negara dengan kebudayaan paling beragam dan terindah di dunia – campuran akan pantai cantik, ladang padi yang luas, kuil-kuil suci dan kota yang padat. Jalanan kotanya penuh warna, pemandangan alamnya yang menenangkan dan arsitekturnya yang menakjubkan dapat menginspirasi pelancong untuk mencari kebijaksanaan.

Dengan makanan yang murah, warga yang ramah dan ratusan hostel di India, bukan sebuah kejutan jika negara ini merupakan tujuan wajib para backpacker. Tetapi mengunjungi daerah luas seperti ini dapat cukup merepotkan – apakah Anda mulai dengan mendaki Himalaya, mencari liburan pantai bergaya hippie atau menyelami keramaian jalan Mumbai?

Nirwana Bahari Derawan

Oleh Amril Taufik Gobel



Sebuah nirwana tropis berada di salah satu pulau wilayah Provinsi Kalimantan Timur, tepatnya Kabupaten Berau dan di Selat Sulawesi, tak jauh dari perbatasan Malaysia. Pulau Derawan menjadi sebuah destinasi wisata bahari pilihan menawan buat Anda yang menyukai pantai dengan hamparan pasir putih lembut berkilat serta air jernih. Apalagi ditambah bonus menjumpai penyu-penyu jinak yang berenang-renang riang saat kita melakukan penyelaman.

Taman Laut di Raja Ampat

Oleh Amril Taufik Gobel 

Siapa bilang di tanah Papua tidak ada objek pariwisata bahari yang memukau? Selama ini Papua lebih dikenal dengan eksotisme kebudayaannya yang sederhana serta sumber daya alamnya yang melimpah. Namun, datanglah ke Raja Ampat, dan nikmati keindahan terumbu karang, lengkap dengan biota laut menawan serta pemandangan bahari yang mengesankan. 

Photo credits - Gunawan Wicaksono/Tempo

Tak salah bila kemudian Putri Indonesia 2005 Nadine Chandrawinata menyatakan kekagumannya pada kawasan ini setelah melakukan penyelaman, merasakan sajian panorama bawah laut Raja Ampat yang sangat memikat. Penggemar snorkeling dan diving memang dijamin tidak akan kecewa. Sebaliknya, mereka bakal terpanggil untuk datang dan datang lagi. 

Senyum Senja Pantai Losari

Oleh Amril Taufik Gobel 

"Sejak saya kecil, Pantai Losari merupakan pantai yang sangat indah untuk melihat sunset. Ketika tinggal di Makassar atas undangan almarhum Bapak Jenderal M Jusuf ketika masih menjadi Panglima Kodam Hasanuddin, hampir setiap hari saya diajak ke Pantai Losari. Sampai saya bertanya, apa tidak ada lagi tempat lain selain Losari ya, he-he-he…”. Demikian kata mantan Presiden RI Megawati Soekarnoputri saat meresmikan revitalisasi Pantai Losari pada 11 September 2004 lalu. 


Photo credits - Ayu Ambong