Indonesia: Islands In the Sun

DAY 01: FLY SULAWESI – VISIT TIAN HOU GONG AND FORT SOMBA OPU COMPLEX. Accommodation : ASTON MAKASSAR HOTEL– SUPERIOR ROOM Meals : Lunch, Dinner Arriving in Sulawesi, you will be met by our operator, holding a sign with your names on it.  They will take youfirst to lunch and then to visit the temple of Tian Hou Gong, the Temple of the Heavenly Queen, and the most important temple on the island.  The temple dates back to the 1700s and has been restored several times.   Tian Hou is the protector of sailors, important in an island culture, and associated with fertility. After  the  temple,  you  stop  at Fort  Somba Opu. In  the  16th century,  the  Gowa  Empire was, in its  hey  day,  the largest empire in South Sulawesi, and Fort Somba Opu was  the home of  the king. In 1669,  the Fort Somba Opucomplex was torn down by the Dutch, but some parts still remain and some are being rebuilt.  In the center is an open Qair museum of traditional houses. Dinner at local restaurant. DAY 02:  DRIVE TORAJA VIA CAVE PAINTINGS AND WATERFALL Accommodation : TORAJA HERITAGE HOTEL– DELUXE ROOM Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner The  name  “Toraja” is  said  to  be  derived  from  the  coastal  words To meaning  “people”  and riaja or “uplands.” Thus the people of Toraja were the highlanders or rice cultivators as opposed to the coastal and lowland Bugineseand  Makassarese. Until  the  Dutch  came  and  converted  the  Torajans  to  Christianity,  they  seem  more  to  have followed rituals rather than a religion – house building, raising children, key ceremonies and the role of buffaloesand pigs, and, of course, funeral rites. After breakfast, you head out to Rantepao in Tana Toraja. Along  the way,  you pass  through Buginese  villages with their typical wooden houses. In  about  25  miles,  you  come  to  Leang Leang  Cave, surrounded  by  rice  paddies  and  famous  for  their  cave paintings thought to date back 5000 years.  The paintings themselves  are  stencils  of  human  hands,  created  by blowing a mixture of water and red ochre around them. Continuing  on,  you  pass Bantimirimg Waterfall,  known for  its  lush  green  rainforest  vegetation, waterfall cavesand butterflies. You will have a late lunch in Pare-Pare and then continue on  to  Toraja. The  area  is  considered  one  of  the  most beautiful  spots  in  Indonesia  and  is  famous  for  its mountains,  as  well  as  the  cultural  traditions  of  the villagers. DAY 03:  TOUR TORAJA Accommodation : TORAJA HERITAGE HOTEL– DELUXE ROOM Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Today you can visit some of the key villages ad burial sites in  Toraja  and  enjoy  the  Tongkonan  houses,  built  in  the shape  of  an  upside  down  boat.  In Lemo Village,  one  ofthe  first  stops  today,  the  dead,  in  the  form  of  woodendolls,  stare  down  at  you  from  limestone  niches,  carved into the face of a cliff.  Skeletons. Nearby is Suaya Village, home  to  the  tombs of  the  royal family  of  Sangalla. Perched  on  several  balconies overlooking the rice paddies are statues of the royal family and  their relatives. Nearby is a small museum containing skulls, bones and coffins and a bit  farther is a ceremonial ground with a strange megalith. A bit farther is the Sangalla graveyard.  According to local belief, each village has a “baby tree’ or passiliran.  When a baby with no teeth dies, s/he is brought immediately to this tree for special rites and buried in the tree.  The tree itself produces white sap, which is said  to symbolize  the mother’s milk. In this way, the spirit of  the baby can grow with the tree up to the sky and reach the after life. In the afternoon, you head to Londa, a cave burial site located in the village of Sandan Uai.  Here again you can see effigies of the deceased, this time complete with clothes.  The higher a person’s status, the higher his effigy isplaced.  You can also explore the cave itself, with its coffins, spirit offerings and items belonging to the deceased. The last stop of the day is Ke’te Kesu village, about 2 miles west of Londa.  About 400 years old, Ke’te Kesu is theoldest  village in  Sanggalangi  District,  and  functions  almost  as  a living museum. The  village is known  for  the beautiful  architecture  of  its  Tongkonan houses  and  its  remarkable  effigies  and  tombs  dating back  in  the  15th century.   DAY  04:   TORAJA TOURING – PALAWA, BATUTUMONGA,WALK TO LOKOMATA Accommodation : TORAJA HERITAGE HOTEL– DELUXE ROOM Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner After  breakfast,  you  depart  by  car  to  another  very  old  village  inToraja  – Palawa.   Where  Ke’te  Kesu was  a museum,  Palawa is  aliving village with lots of Tonkonan houses and barns neatly lined up. From  Palawa,  you  drive towards  Batutumonga,  about  5900  feet high  and  one  of  the  most  scenic  and  culturally  rich  areas  in  the Torajan highlands.  Along  the way, you have beautiful mountain views,  blended with  rice  fields  and evergreen  bamboo  forests,  as well as locals walking and working along the path.  You can stop and talk with them about their daily lives. Lunch is at Mentirotiku Restaurant, overlooking Rantepao town. In  the  afternoon,  you  walk down  the  hill to  the Lokomata  funeral  site,  with  graves  hollowed  out  into  hugerocks. From here, you head back by car to your hotel for the night. DAY 05:  RETURN TO MAKASSAR (8 HOURS).  FLY BALI Accommodation : SEGARA VILLAGE HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch You have  about  an  8-hour drive back  to Makassar.  Along  the way, you stop in  the port  town of Pare Pare for lunch.  Arriving in Makassar, you catch a flight to Bali.  On arrival, you will continue to Samur for your overnight stay. DAY 06:  TOURING – ARMA MUSERUM, VISIT MARKET AND TIRTA EMPUL FOR PURIFICATION Accommodation : SEGARA VILLAGE HOTEL Meals : Breakfast After breakfast, you will be met by your guide and head to the Arma Museum to learn about Balinese arts.  The founder and owner of the ARMA Museum is Agaung Rai, and he will be your guide through  the  center. You  will  also  have  the  opportunity  to  join  in  some  of  the different  Balinese  activities,  such  as  dancing,  a  Gamelan lesson  and  the making  of offerings. Before heading  to  the hotel, you will visit  the market to buy a Balinese  traditional dress.  As you can imagine, dress tells a lot about the person and his status.  Women wear a kamen or sarong, a kebaya or blouse, and a sabuk and a selengang, two kinds of sashes.  Men wear a kaemen, but tied differently from a woman, a blouse, a sash andan udeng or  type of headdress.  You will want  to buy  the  traditional dress  for your temple visit tonight. About 5 PM, in appropriate local dress, you will be picked up to visit one of the most sacred springs in Bali at Pura Tirta Empul.  It is said that Indra pierced the earth tocreate a fountain of immortality to revive his soldiers killed by a demon.  Today the spring is  visited  by  thousands  of  Balinese  seeking  healing  and  blessings. First  the worshippers visit  the Tirta Empul Temple and make an offering.  Then  they climb into  the main pool  to bathe  and pray.  You can have  a very special experience  and join the local people in their worship. DAY 07:  FLY WAINGAPU.  VISIT PRAILIANG Accommodation : TANTO HOTELWAINGAPU Meals : Breakfast, Dinner You leave the hotel early to catch your Wings Air flight IW 1884 (0955/1125) to Waingapu, the largest town on the island  of  Sumba,  with  a  population  of  about  52,755  people. It  is  a  main  trading  post  for  textiles,  as  well  as Sumbanese horses,  dye woods  and  lumber. The  port  is  fun  to  walk  around,  and  you  will  find  lots  of  people hawking different ikat textiles. On arrival, you can pay and afternoon visit to Prailiang, perched on a hilltop overlooking the Mondu Valley.  The drive will take you through the countryside past fields populated by buffaloes, cows and horses.  You can wander the town and get a sense of how the local people here live. DAY 08:  VISIT SUMBA IKAT WEAVING CENTERS Accommodation : TANTO HOTELWAINGAPU Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner You  have  a  full  day  to  explore  the  different  Sumba  Ikat  Weaving  Centers. Sumba  is  unique,  in  that  an individual’s social rank is determined not just by wealth in the number of animals possessed, but by the number of weavings and  their motifs and colors.  Moreover,  these weavings serve as a medium of exchange – wedding gifts for a bride and groom, gifts by guests at a funeral – as well as an integral part of local rituals.  For example, many textiles are interred with a corpse at burial. In Sumba, it is the women who are responsible for weaving.  In the old days, the women began by growing the cotton  and  picking it,  spinning  the  yarn  to  be  used  and  then  following  up  by weaving  and  dyeing  using local plants and stones for color.  Today, however, it is easier often to buy the pre-spun cotton in the market and use chemical dyes. Your travels today will take you to different village weaving centers, including the most famous, Pau and Rende, whose designs are copied by the textile factories in Java and Bali. DAY 09:  WAINGAPU MARKET.  DRIVE WAIKABUBAK VIA ANAKALANG.  VILLAGE VISITS Accommodation : Accommodation : SUMBA NAUTIL RESORT – DELUXE ROOM or NIHIWATU RESORT ] VILLA Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner After  an  early  breakfast,  you  can wander  the Waingapu Market,getting a sense of what the locals are buying and selling in town. When you are ready, you head out towards Waikabubak in West Sumba,  the  second largest  city  on  the island.  This  area is  famous also  for its  tombs dating back  to  the post Neolithic age.  You will stop in Anakalang, site of  the  tallest  tombstone on  the island and one  of  the  few  places  where  people  still  follow  the  traditional social practices and methodology for constructing these megaliths.  In  the  afternoon,  you  can  visit  the  villages  around Wakikabubak, such  as Tarung  and Waitabar,  some  of  the most  beautiful in  the area. Here  too,  you  will  find  women  only  too  eager  to  sell  you their ikat, as well as show you around. DAY 10: HIKE TO SODAN, WALK THROUGH VALLEY. DRIVE MAROSI AND ENJOY BEACH Accommodation : Accommodation : SUMBA NAUTIL RESORT OR NIHIWATU RESORT Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Today you will hike  to Sodan, where you will meet  the local priest. Following, you’ll walk  through  the valley. Later in the day, drive to Marosi and enjoy the rest of the day at the beach. DAY 11:  VISIT MORNING MARKET.  FLY ENDE – DRIVE MONI Accommodation : KELIMUTU CRATER ECO LODGE Meals : Breakfast This morning, you can explore the market.  Then, when ready, you headout  to  the  airport  to  catch MV  930  (1441/1526) to Ende, located  on  theeast coast of Flora Island and the seat of an 18th century kingdom.  Todayit is the capital of the East Nusa Province of Tenggara. On  arrival, you will meet your guide  and drive  for  about  2 1⁄2 hours  toMoni, a small settlement at the boot of the Mount Kelimutu Volcano. DAY 12: SUNRISE AT KELIMUTU. VISIT WOLOTOPO AND DRIVE RIUNG VIA BEACH Accommodation : PONDOK SVD RIUNG Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Today you need to rise early and leave the hotel about 4AM, arriving at Kelimutu volcano for sunrise. The volcano is unique in that the top boasts three spectacular crater lakes of different colors.  Scientists think thatthe different colors are related to volcanic activity that triggers reactions in the minerals in each of the waters.  Onthe other hand, local myth says that the different colors are caused by ancestral souls who were neglected by the people. The Lake of Old People (Tiwu  Ata Mbupu) is  often  blue  and  the  Lake of Young Men and Maidens (Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai) and the Bewitched or Enchanted Lake (Tiwu Ata Polo) tend to vary between red and green. When you are ready, you head back along ravines, past tiny villages and through Ende.  Along the way, you can stop at the Nduaria Fruit Market and get some fruit for the breakfast you may have missed because of your pre-dawn departure.  Your  destination is Wolotopo,  a large Lio  ethnic village  built into  a  hillside.  Here  you  can  find  an interesting blend  of  adat or  traditional  rituals  that  relate  back  to  the  ancestors  and  their  way  of  life,  and  more  modern Christian  beliefs. You  see  the  adat in  such  traditions  as  the  ikat  designs  and  weaving,  songs,  the  ceremonial houses, and the burial rites. Here too, you can get a sense of the Flores belief system of opposites – male/female, mountain/ocean, youth/age. Central to the world of opposites is a double gendered divinity, who keeps the wheel of life turning, as long asthe  people  continue  to  keep  the  key  ritual  practices. You  can  visit  the  ceremonial  houses, where many  of  the rituals take place and get a sense of the inhabitants. After lunch in Ende, you continue on to Riung, stopping at Penggajawa, the beach of blue pebbles. DAY 13:  AM VISIT TO CONSERVATION PARK.  PM DRIVE TO BAJAWA Accommodation : HAPPY HAPPY BAJAWA Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner In  the  morning,  you  can  visit  the  beautiful  Pulau Tujuhbelas, or nature Conservation Park in Riung. The  park  is  famous  for  spectacular  coral  garden sand  white  sand  beaches,  and  includes  about  20 islands  and  the  surrounding  waters. Within  the park,  you  can  find  such  animals  as  Timor  deer, hedgehogs, monkeys,  a  species of Komodo dragon, whales, dolphins and many different birds.  You can explore  some  of  the  different islands,  one  of which boasts  an  unspoiled  mangrove  forest  inhabited  by thousands of huge fruit eating bats. In  the  afternoon,  you  drive  onward  to  Bajawa, stopping  on  the  way  to  visit  some  of  the  different villages in the Soa area. DAY 14:  VISIT VILLAGES.  DRIVE RUTENG VIA RANAMESE LAKE Accommodation : ST. MARIA GUEST HOUSE Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Your  path  today  takes  you  up  to  the  highest  point in  Flores  to Bajawa,  at  4921  feet  the  capital  of  the Ngadhaethnic civilization.  From here, you can explore some of the nearby traditional villages, such as Wogo and Bena. Located at the foot of Mt. Inerie, Bena is a marvelous example of the Ngadha culture.  In the center of the village each clan is represented by Ngadhu and Bhaga shrines.  The Ngadhu or male ancestor of the clan is embodied in an umbrella like pole, whose  trunk is decorated with carvings representing  the clan’s ancestors and  topped with a fierce figure of a warrior.  The Bhaga, or female shrine exists in the form of a small traditional house, large enoughChristianity.  Unlike Bena, however, there is no ikat in Wogo.  Rather, the village specialty is basketry for women and iron work or blacksmithing for men.  If you wish, you can also explore “Old Wogo,” the village left behind in1932, when the locals moved to the present site. In the afternoon, you take a drive through lush rainforests and more tiny villages to Ruteng, stopping on the way at Ranamese Lake.  The lake sits in the middle of a forest at about 4000 feet, and is surrounded by mosses, woods,water plants and other scrub trees. DAY 15:  AM VISIT TO LABUAN BAJO VIA CANCAR.  PM BOAT TO RINCA.  ON BOARD TO KALONGISLAND Accommodation : ON BOARD THE BOAT Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Ruteng is  the capital of  the Manggarai District, known  for its rice and coffee production.  The  town borders on Ruteng  Nature  Conservation  Park,  home  to  the  ngkiong orendemic  singing  birds  as  well  as  a  volcano  that  recently erupted. Nearby  is  Cara village,  known  for  its  lingko or  spiderwebfields.  The center of each field is called a lodok and features apole and a rock, the union of male and female, of heaven and earth.  In earlier  times,  the  fields were used  to cultivate corn, tubers,  and  dry  rice,  and  rituals  were  centered  around  theseasonality of these crops.  Now, however, the primary crop is wet rice, and many of  the earlier ceremonies and rituals havelost importance. In the afternoon, you board a boat to Rinca Island in KomodoNational  Park.  The  mixed  vegetation  of  the  park  provides  ahabitat  for many different animals, such as deer, buffalo, pig,wild boar, and longQtailed macaques. The park is also the home to the largest monitor lizard in the world - the Komodo Dragon - growing in somecases  as long  as  ten  feet  and weighing up  to  150 pounds.  These lizards count  all  of  the park’s  animals  among their prey, be deer or buffalo. You will go on a walk through the park accompanied by a ranger. Late  afternoon,  sail  to  Kalong  Island.  It’s  a  small  island  with  a  huge  mangrove  forest.  It  features  a  beautiful panorama  and  an  amazing moment when  thousands  of  bats  come  back  to  their  nests  from leave  to locate  the fruits of the surrounding islands. DAY 16: BATU CERMIN CAVE.  FLY DENPASAR – TOURING AND DRIVE TO ULUWATU. Accommodation : SEGARA VILLAGE HOTEL Meals : Breakfast The day begins with a visit  to Batu Cermin, or “Mirror Rock Cave.” Located in  the midst of a  forest people by monkeys and wild boars, the cave is known for plays of light on the mirror-like rock surfaces inside. After visiting the cave, you transfer to the airport for your flight on GA 4021 (1020/1145) to Denpasar. On  arrival,  you  will  be  met  by  your  guide  and  taken  tovisit GWK or “Garuda Wisnu Kencana”, a stature built by one  of  Indonesia’s  foremost  contemporary  sculptors, Nyoman  Nuarta. The  statue  pictures  Lord  Vishnu,  thesource  of  wisdom,  riding  on  the  back  of  Garuda,  themythical  bird  and  embodiment  of  conscience  towardperennial goodness.From GWK, you head to Pura Luhur, the Uluwatu-Temple,one of the six most important temples in Bali.  The templeis perched on a cliff 250 feet over the Indian Ocean and issaid  to  protect  the  Balinese  from  the  evil  spirit  of  theocean.  The beach below is famous for surfing. If  time  permits,  you  can  enjoy  a  Kecak  Dance,  also  known  as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, depicting a story from  the Ramayana.  Here Hanuman and his monkey followers are helping Rama in battle against Ravenna, the wicked king of Sri Lanka, who kidnapped Sita, Rama’s wife, and held her prisoner. DAY 17:  TRANSFER TO AIRPORT AND FLY SINGAPORE Accommodation : NONE Meals : Breakfast The morning is free until time to transfer to the airport for the flight out on SQ 943 (1300/1535).