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Indonesia Tourism Prospect
Indonesian Senior Statesman Makes a Critical Appraisal the Development of National Tourism.
(1/25/2010) Anak Agung Gde Agung is one of Indonesia’s most distinguished and well-informed senior statesmen. He is a graduate of Harvard and Leiden universities. He as attended the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in the United States and served as social services minister during the administration of President Abdurrahman Wahid.
The following article is reprinted from The Jakarta Post.
Indonesian Tourism – a National Tragedy
Government officials at all levels claim that Indonesia’s tourism is doing well, with each year seeing robust advancements. On the contrary, however, all the data indicate how dismally Indonesia’s tourism has done this past decade.
In the last 12 years to 2007, tourist numbers fluctuated between 4 million and 5 million visitors. The average length of stay has declined, from 10 days in 1997 to barely 8.5 days in 2008. Worst yet is how Indonesia compares with neighboring Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, which last year attracted 10 million, 15 million and 22 million visitors respectively.
How can such a huge discrepancy occur? How is it that Indonesia, brimming with such wealth in culture and natural beauty, attracts only a quarter of the tourists that basically barren Malaysia does?
This tragedy seems to have its source in the early 1980s, when Indonesia, strapped for funds, pointed to already world-famous Bali as its tourist cash cow. Since then, little has changed. As a result, Indonesia’s tourist attraction has been practically limited to Bali, with devastating consequences. Tourists overflow in quantum leaps to Bali, creating an explosion of infrastructure requirements that visibly erode the natural environment.
The over-concentration of tourists in Bali has not only brought an unmanageable overflow of visitors to the island – often the wrong types who cannot appreciate the unique local culture and natural environment – but has also led to an utter neglect of the other many equally attractive tourist spots throughout the archipelago.
Fabulous sites such as Borobudur, Yogyakarta, Toraja, Bunaken and Ujung Kulon, for instance, have been practically left unheeded. Such complacency has a high price, as can been seen from the destructive erosion that the overcrowding of tourists has brought to Bali’s culture and environment, and how it has stagnated Indonesia’s other richly diverse tourist destinations.
How bad have these other destinations stagnated? Here are a few horrifying statistics:
Borobudur, that World Cultural Heritage icon, was only able to muster about 85,000 foreign tourists last year, compared to more than 1 million by the more recently discovered Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Toraja these last few years has only attracted an average of about 5,000 overseas tourists a year.
Bunaken averaged only about 10,000 foreign visitors a year for as long as one can remember, versus more than 4 million for the similar Pattaya in Thailand.
Ujung Kulon, with its rare one-horned rhino, can only claim an average of 6,000 combined domestic and foreign tourists a year.
A fast recovery is imperative here and the condition for this is a complete change in mind-set. The first order of the day is for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to declare tourism a national priority and for central and regional authorities as well as the government and the private sector to work hand in hand in this effort. This needs to be followed by a preliminary phase of quick-win activities rejuvenating tourist destinations that have so far languished but need only small improvements to boost them back.
Borobudur, for instance, can be brought back to full splendor by relocating the street vendors who have been encroaching on the temple grounds and harassed visitors from fully enjoying this beautiful temple/monastery. Toraja can also attract far more tourists by repairing its forsaken airfield so that visitors can arrive there within 45 minutes from Makassar and avoid the perilous 10-hour journey through steep mountains.
As for Ujung Kulon, tourist numbers can easily rise to more than a million there within a very short time if regular and safe sea transportation is made available from Jakarta. There are other fabulous places besides those mentioned above currently suffering from lack of attention, such as Mount Bromo, Yogyakarta and Komodo Island, which only need small touches to turn them quickly into major tourist destinations while easing the pressure on overcrowded Bali.
The quick-win phase should be followed by a longer-term buildup of other tourist sites nationwide, which will require more infrastructure investment to put them on the travel map. These sites are currently still relatively unfamiliar places, but have the potential to offer inherently unique attractions and help sustain the long-term development of Indonesia’s tourist industry.
Such places include Trowulan and Kota Gede for historical interests, Banda Naira and Raja Ampat for spectacular surfing, and the Baliem Valley and Waikabubak for unparalleled ethnic experiences. There are many other such tourist sites and they can be offered in clusters of similar attractions to make the trip for tourists richer and more diverse.
Both during the quick-win and long-term phases, the tourism recovery effort has to be supported by appropriately directed promotional campaigns with a common national branding. Malaysia has its “Truly Asia”, India its “Incredible” claim while Singapore and Thailand have respectively dubbed themselves “Uniquely Singapore” and “Amazing Thailand”. Branding is important to position the country concerned at the top of mind of would-be tourists while also filtering the right tourists who can appreciate what that country offers.
Increased arrivals of tourists, who show their appreciation of the local specialties, will make the local people proud of their heritage and motivate them to strengthen it further, which in turn will bring even more like-minded tourists. This will result in an upward spiral of tourists and local people hand in hand strengthening the traditional inheritance of the land.
A successful tourism program can have many priceless benefits for Indonesia, including making it the most diverse tourist destination in the world, providing it with a sustainable and environmentally clean source of revenue larger than any of its current ones, and bringing overall prosperity to the people throughout the archipelago (and not just Bali) through grassroots empowerment and self-sustenance.
Indonesia Tour Vacation, Adventure Tours Vacations, Travel Agent Indonesia
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Preview of Mericanomad’s blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: www.travelpod.com This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator. Entry from: Bali, Indonesia Entry Title: “Bali…The land of beaches where you can’t swim” Entry: “There are so many preconceptions when it comes to Bali Amazing beaches, parties, sunsets, shopping, decadent food, Hinduism and temples. Indonesia is the biggest archipelago in the world with over 15, 000 islands made by volcanoes. It seems there are world class disasters here every year. It’s hard to classify that many islands and cultures as one country, that’s why there have been so many dictators in Indonesia’s history, unity through the old iron fist. They recently lost East Timor to independence and are likely to lose more as they stride towards democratization. Indonesia is mostly Muslim, the largest Muslim nation in the world and has the 4th largest population in the world. However, the people of Bali aren’t Muslim. They are a distinctly different culture than the people of Java, Indonesia’s second largest island and most populated. Java has Jakarta, dubbed the “Big Durian” and most of the country’s history. Sumatra is the biggest island, but the most devastated by the Boxing Day Tsunami that usually gets associated with Thailand. Indonesia lost over 220000 lives, Thailand around 5395 with another 2000 missing, but some were of European decent so the media deemed them worthy and thus Thailand …
Lombok Island, Indonesia – The Little-Known Bali Beater
Background Information
If you try to find information or guide books about Lombok,9 times out of 10 you’ll find it grouped together as Bali/Lombok or Lombok/Gili Islands, almost as an after-thought. However, this does little justice to the pristine beaches and serenity that Lombok offers, unlike its Bali counterpart. Expect good local food, even friendlier locals and the touch of simplicity often missing from our daily urbanised lives. While it looks relatively close on the map, in reality,it takes about 4-5 hours to sail through the Straits. Lombok is about ¾ the size of Bali.
Best time to visit
The average temperature in Lombok is 29°C to 34°C, which in other words, means it is hot and humid year-round. Best time to visit is any month apart from the peak periods of June-July and December.
Budget
TheTravelManual Team spent less than US9 for 9 days in Bali, Lombok and Gili Islands. This includes our transport,accomodation and daily expenditure costs.
What to do
Ride on a motorbike around Lombok Island
Riding on a motorcycle through the streets of Lombok is one of the best things you can do there.Theroads will bring you along the coast of Lombok where you will be able to enjoy the beautiful scenic views of Lombok. Along the way there will also be warongs.It would also be a good time for you to get to know the locals as they are a friendly and warm bunch. Do stop at Coco Beach as it houses the best satay we have ever tasted, the flavour possibly enhanced by the stunning beachside location.
Mount Rinjani
Mount Rinjani is the second highest volcano in Indonesia and trekking up will take up to 5 days. Other thanenjoying the scenic views of the volcano, you can also experience the Rinjani waterfall. If you are into trekking, this is definitely a must-go. You can always approach one of the travel agencies available in Lombok to get package deals.
Pasar Bertais (Bertais Market)
If you wish to submerge youself further into the beautiful Lombok culture, the Bertais Market is recommended. Bertais Market is an open air market where you can experience the truly Lombok culture. You will also be greeted by the wonderful locals and can use the opportunity to mingle with them.
Komodo Island
As the name suggests, it the an island which houses over 2500 giant Komodo dragons in the Komodo National Park. There are travel agencies which offer 1/2 Day tour packages around Komodo Island from Lombok.
Jeruk Manis Waterfall
Jeruk Manis Waterfall is located in East Lombok. The locals believe that this waterfall has many charms and that it can cure certain diseases and baldness if you bath in it. Even if you are not superstitious the trail to this 600m waterfall and the scenic view that you will be able to see will definitely make it worth going.
Kuta Beach Lombok
Lombok’s Kuta Beach is located at the South coast of Lombok. It is known for the towering waves. It is also a popular destination for surfers. There are surf boards for rent or you can also bring your own. It is also less congested compared the Kuta Beach in Bali. You can always the ever helpful locals to where the good surfing spots are. It is about 90 mins drive from Sengigi.
For more information about Lombok Island, or even Bali, Gili Islands, do go to our main site at www.thetravelmanual.com
We are a team of budget travellers who search through the Asia region for trips rich in experience, but low on cost. Let us share with you our experiences and tips for a fulfilling holiday in Asia, without burning a hole in your pocket! Refer to our full website for all the details, tips and bargains at www.thetravelmanual.com
Our first day of diving starts with a 2½ hour road trip to the small fishing village of Tulamben, on the northeast coast of the main island. Dive 1 – USAT Liberty: Originally launched on 19 June 1918 as the USS Liberty, this vessel was assigned to the US Army, just prior to Americas entry into World War II, as an Army Transportation Services vessel (USAT). On 11 January 1942, while en route from Australia to the Philippines with a cargo of railway parts and rubber, she fell victim to the Japanese submarine I-166. Heavily damaged, the transport was towed by the US destroyer Paul Jones and the Dutch destroyer Van Ghent, towards Singaraja, on the north coast of Bali. Unfortunately, however, the crippled transport was taking too much water to complete the transit, so she was beached at Tulamben to salvage the cargo and fittings. What remained of the Liberty languished at Tulamben for another twenty one years, until tremors from the 1963 eruption of nearby Mt. Agung caused the vessel to slip off the shore to her current position on a sand slope. During this process, the hull broke in two and she now lies a short 30 m (100 ft) swim from the beach, parallel to the shore, with her deck side facing the open sea. The wreck is the most visited diving site of Bali, at a perfect depth for all experience levels, ranging from 9m (29 ft), down to the bow, which lies at around 29 m (95 ft). There are a couple of very open swimthroughs, but be aware that the aging structure is unstable and …
Video Rating: 4 / 5
A TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow of a travel blog to Denpasar, Indonesia by TravelPod blogger Deanandliz titled “Bali – land of temples and smiles” Deanandliz’s travel blog entry: “Sanur – Dive course – PADI Open Water 3 days training and 1 fun dive day Sat: Picked up at 0725 for the dive course, and had our first glimpse of Bali with daylight. Temples, lots of temples, not necessarily big, but plenty all the same where people leave offerings of flowers and incense. Dive school was down a super narrow alley opening up into courtyard and pool where we met Paul (Dean dive instructor). Dean’s skills went well and Paul made it fun by underwater races and break dancing as well as being precise, organised and professional. Great to be back in 30C heat instead of 11C in Sydney! Sun: more of the same, Lizzie relaxing by the pool, Dean on his dive course. Changed accommodation to be just opposite the dive centre in a beautiful hotel Puri Sidha Mertha. Mon: Off on a 2.5hr mini bus ride passing paddy fields, little villages and great scenery to Tulamben. The best thing about Bali, everyone is happy..even in a traffic jam you can see smiles and laughter. A very happy place – we love it. Dean went diving and Lizzie snorkeled the wreck, saw a massive shoal of Jacks and felt dizzy from them swimming around and around you! Dinner with Paul, Mandy, Laura (who is Trini and predictably a distant relative of a Kelshall, parents cousins or something.. small world) and Tom. Dean qualified as a …
Video Rating: 0 / 5
My holidays in Indonesia, Bali on june 2009.I went to Lovina, north, Tanah Lot temple, south, Ubud, center/south, and the Batur mountain too. I did the treck just before the morning, to see the sunrise. In Tanah Lot temple, I saw the sunset.
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Shopping In Indonesia Is A Real Fun With Ample Shopping Opportunities
Article by awais minhas
Whether you are looking for furniture, fashion, antiques, art, crafts, textile, or jewellery Indonesia will offer you every thing of your interest. Shopping places in this country ranges from Street vendors to mega shopping malls. Although the shopping places are plentiful but the prices may not be cheaper as compared to other Asian Countries. In order to get cheaper rates it is best to head out to the smaller, more remote towns in the archipelago. It would be a serious mistake not to become acquainted with some of the homegrown produce of the country after you are taken cheap Indonesia flights. Items produced here are unique in style and of an admirable standard of quality. Some of the most famous shopping venues in Indonesia include;
Bali: Every ones loves to come to Bali for shopping. Even if you do not come to the city with aim of shopping you’ll still end up with fascinating and irresistible buys. Visitors frequently take cheap flights to Indonesia with any Travel Company of their choice. Shops are open from early morning till late hours. Price hike is not a big problem here as bargaining is a common practice here. State-of-the-art shopping centers you will be able to visit after taking flights to Indonesia include; Kuta Beach Shopping, Legian Beach Shopping, Nusa Dua Beach Shopping, Candidasa Beach Shopping, Seminyak Beach Shopping, and Ubud Shopping.
Jakarta Shopping: Jakarta is the largest and capital city of the country. It is also entertainment Mecca of the country. It boasts Indonesia’s best shopping malls. After Indonesia flights visit to Jakarta is a must. It is a best place to buy Electronics items, Branded items, handicrafts, antiques, and boutique clothes. World class shopping malls at Jakarta you will be shopping at after your Indonesia flights include; Glodok Plaza, Elite Plaza Indonesia, Plaza EX, The Plaza Semanggi, Taman Anggrek Mall, Kelapa Gading Mall, and WTC Mangga Dua.
Lombok Island Shopping: Lombok’s shopping potential is one of the major attractors of cheap flights to Indonesia. The best items to buy at Lombok Island include; Fabrics and textiles, Pottery and Figurines, Jewellry, and Furniture. Visitors reserve cheap flights to Indonesia from UK with their trust worthy Travel Company to visit some of its shopping malls including; Pujasera Shopping & Market, Pasar Oleh Oleh, Tanjung Uban, Tanjung Pinang, and Bintan Ferry Terminal.
About the Author
Last summer vacation I took cheap flights to Indonesia cheap flights to Indonesia from UK , and had a real fun of Shopping
Shopping Galore in Indonesia
Article by AsiaIndia
Indonesia introduces numerous shopping opportunities. Choices are simply endless from street vendors selling authentic homemade wares to huge department stores. Most of the goods available here are cheaper than anywhere else; Asian shopaholics are known to travel here every year for a spot of retail therapy. Bali is the best place to go for local arts and crafts, while bigger cities such as Jakarta and Yogyakarta are better known amongst seekers of mainstream and luxury brands.
Prices maybe established fix in department stores, yet normally it is possible to bargain on the price of goods and services throughout the country, from unmetered taxis to souvenir stands. The rule of thumb when it comes to bargaining business is to start low, then slowly let the shopkeeper bring up the price to a third or half of his/her original quoted price, depending on what you’re buying and where you’re making the purchase. The shopping hours here are from 08:30 to 20:00, with some shops closed on Sundays. In Muslim areas, some shops are closed for a few hours around Friday lunchtime for prayers.
In comparison with the West, Indonesia as a Muslim country , most commercial places are kept open on Sunday. Most commercial places and shopping malls have increasing visitors on Sundays and even national holidays which results very often to be crowded. So if you plan to go to Indonesian malls and shopping centres, weekdays (Monday to Friday) is the best time to visit. Shopping malls and commercials open at around 10 am, and street shops and traditional markets open as early as 6 am, and close at around 8 to 9 pm. Twenty-four hours stores (not malls) is mostly found in major cities.
Lombok’s Shopping
Lombok’s potential dares the mass-produced flow of products many of us have come to associate with modern consumer culture. Pottery, basket weaving and textiles are the three main crafts produced in Lombok, a place where visitors should take advantage of local handmade, high-quality and unique products. Highly skilled craftsmen create amazingly innovative and inventive furniture, clothes and jewelry, the sort of stuff you won’t find too often on anyone else’s mantelpiece or in wardrobes back home. Keeping with the romantic theme of the island, pearls can be found in abundance. Eye-watering price tags are few and far between so essentially you will pay less for more.
Bali Shopping
Practically everybody comes to Bali to shop, and even if shopping wasn’t the ultimate aim, you’ll still end up with fascinating and irresistible buys. Bali is a treasure trove of fine art and handicrafts, antique and semi-antique furniture, paintings, delicately carved jewelry, wood and stone carvings, masks, woven and dyed fabrics.
Bargaining in markets, shops and art shops, is normal practice and getting a good price depends largely on one’s bargaining prowess. As bargaining forms a large part of the fun of shopping in Bali, remember to carry cash, as not all places accept credit cards – and be good humored. Shops are usually open from 10am to 11pm.
International labels, local designer clothes plus skillful tailors and dressmakers offer reliable 24-hours services. Shops selling similar items are normally grouped together to make comparing prices easy, and if the shop you’re in doesn’t have a particular color or size, wouldn’t it be easy to just pop over next door!
Jakarta Shopping
From unique handicrafts to fashion design labels and latest gadgets in technology, Jakarta has something for everyone. As diverse as the products are, so are the shopping environments. Like any capital city, world-class mega-malls, stacked with international brands, are high-end and much swarmed by both locals and tourists. Beyond the air conditioned walls of the contained shopping centers, downtown Jakarta (the old neighborhoods around the South of the city) displays abundance of stores selling various products, including batiks, silks and unique handicrafts.
‘Pasars’ (markets) are jam packed with interesting finds, hence entails a lot of patience along with good bargaining skills. The usual procedure is to start off with a counter offer of 40% of the asking price and settle at 50%-60% of the original asking price.
About the Author
I am a traveler,a writer, and I love cheap flights =)Visit our sites and get great deals on cheap flightshttp://www.asia.com
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Book now www.hotels.tv Bali villas – Luxury rental villa situated in the middle of a rice paddy! Plenty of helpful staff, with an award winning chef. Amazing views. Beautifully furnished. So comfortable. Not too far from Kuta and Seminyak tourist areas yet extremely secluded. www.sababali.com
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Indonesia Antique Furniture
Article by Khaled Mahallati
Lio Collection encompasses top quality, light and heavy duty, indoor and outdoor furnishings in classic and contemporary designs, fashioned in teak, suar wood, mahogany, leather, bamboo, rattan, polyrattan and other indigenous and manmade materials.
The Lio Collection product line ranges from top quality, light and heavy duty, indoor and outdoor teak wood, mahogany, leather, bamboo, rattan, poly rattan & garden furniture, in classic and contemporary designs; intricate and unique handicraft from assorted indigenous materials; exclusive glass art; the archetypal Antique and Linea collection; beautiful themed lamps, elegant lighting and candle holders; silver jewelry, home accessories; and eclectic painting artworks by local and expatriate residents of Bali, Indonesia.
The furniture is complemented by enchanting handicrafts and homewares, intricate glass art, antiques, rugs, beautiful themed lamps, stone carvings, and a wide selection of original paintings created by local and expatriate residents of Bali. Additionally, Lio Lifestyle includes clothing for men and women, accessories and silver jewellery, while Lio print offers bespoke printing services. Headquartered on the tropical paradise island of Bali, the company has 13 gallery showrooms conveniently located within the Kerobokan, Seminyak, Oberoi, Jimbaran, Tuban, Ubud and Ngurah Rai By Pass districts. There is also an outlet in Medan on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, as well as representation overseas with family owned and franchised enterprises in Denmark, Germany, Australia, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Mauritius, and the USA, and others anticipated in Iran and Dubai.
Many people come to Bali specifically to purchase furnishings and accessories for their homes. The premium items that you see featured in our catalogue are the collaboration of top international designers and skilled Indonesian craftsmen. Much of this stylish, high-quality furniture is designed in-house; it is often custom made and is very much in demand by five-star hotels.
Overall, the concept blends Oriental, tropical and minimalist design. Many of the traditional furniture designs are Dutch inspired Javanese, enhanced with whimsical charm and often embellished with intricate hand carvings of flowers and birds. The teak timber comes from Java, from youngish trees 20-30 years old. The product of mature trees is rare, expensive and environmentally unacceptable as it is not a sustainable resource.
However, some of our rustic pieces that have been fashioned from old teak planks salvaged from demolished buildings of the Dutch Colonial era. The natural colour of teakwood is a richly grained golden brown, but it can also be tinted by applications of oil, or stained to suit the distressed patina and heavier antique style. One of the beneficial properties of genuine teak is that it is resistant to termites.
‘Christophoras’ is an extraordinarily beautiful, richly grained, teak dining table, which focuses on the natural splendour of the material through the craftsmanship of a solid top fashioned from a single piece of wood. The table’s well-balanced, simple yet sophisticated design combines sensuality, proportion and exotic contours, enhanced by masterful joinery. This product is an exquisite piece of furniture that is durable, enduring and conceived to become vintage.
Please browse our catalogue of teakwood antique and antique style furniture and accessories, ranging from rustic tables, chairs and benches created from tree roots, as well as tree stump stools, to more classic fine dining styles. Each one of these cherished pieces has a warm presence and a relaxed beauty that would complement anyone’s home.
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Antique furniture Indonesia Lio Collection
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