Samalona Island

Samalona Island is one of a group island from 11 islands which has a 2,34 hectare round Shape Island. Located near Makasar city, known as Ujung Pandang the capital of South Sulawesi, there is a small resort. It is situated at about 6,8km from Makasar shore.

This island is much known as a snorkeling and diving site which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The coral are spread out surrounding islands built the great scenic of a marine park. Samalona has about 20m shallow reef Surrounding Island which makes this place as a favorite area for scuba divers and snorkelers. Sunrise and sunset are a great moment to be left when you you’re enjoying the holiday on this island.
There are two ideal diving locations surround this island, one in the east side of island and the others in north side of island. Nearly everything can be found at Samalona. Ray fish, giant sea turtles, sea snakes, napoleon fish and other small colorful fishes.
Near Samalona Island in 30m depth, there is a sunken bomber ship, Lancaster Bomber, which already turned to be a coral as a new habitat for a thousand small fishes. Samalona territorial waters are remains as a World War II Location.
Samalona is barely a degree above the equator and thus tropical. The "Rainy Season" from October to mid April, brings frequent rains, sometimes in storms lasting for several days, which make the air nice and cool but also reduce visibility or sometimes make rough waves. The "Dry Season" from May to October, when temperatures climb to 35° and visibility reaches a maximum.
Samalona Island can be reached by a rental boat from POPSA quay and it takes only 20 to 30 minutes. The rental rates of boats around Rp. 250.000 to Rp. 750.000 for daily charter and depend on the deal with the boat owners.

by Reni Anggreaini
Picture by fedroza

Ramayana Ballet

Yogyakarta (also Jogjakarta in pre-1972 spelling or Jogja) is a city and province on the island of Java, Indonesia. It is the only province in Indonesia that is still formally governed by a precolonial Sultanate, the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat. The city is known as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows. It is also famous as a center for Indonesian higher education. The official name of the Yogyakarta province is Special Region of Yogyakarta.
Haunted by spiralling population, economic and political problems, the most populous island in South East Asia is a land of contrasts with an uncertain future.
Java is an island of striking natural beauty, rich in cultural history. But it's getting harder to recognise it.
At Yogyakarta's center is the kraton, or Sultan's palace. Surrounding the kraton is a densely-populated residential neighborhood that occupies land that was formerly the Sultan's sole domain; evidence of this former use remains in the form of old walls and the ruined Water Castle (Tamansari), built in 1758 as a pleasure garden no longer used by the sultan, the garden had been largely abandoned, and was used for housing by palace employees and descendants. Reconstruction efforts began in 2004, and an effort to renew the neighborhood around the kraton has begun. The site is a developing tourist attraction.
The Ramayana ballet is worth attending even if you're not a fan of traditional Asian stage performances. 50,000rp gets you a 90-minute show with a talented dance troupe and full gamelan orchestra. It's a casual, well-organised atmosphere and you can meet the performers and even dance with them on the stage!
The Cirebon Restaurant, also on Jalan Malioboro attracts a steady stream of locals and foreigners with its (mainly) vegetarian specialties and convivial atmosphere -- all at good prices.
Honestly, there are no other cities in Indonesia that have equally popular different names like this one. And, frankly speaking, none of the hundreds of names of areas in this country have been abbreviated in so many ways by its name like Yogyakarta.
On the streets, people - including government officials and university students - prefer to call this sultanate province Yogya or Jogja, despite its official name Yogyakarta.

By Daniel J. Fox

Mount Lawu : The Temples around

Mount Lawu is in the rustic part of central Java. It has several unusual temples on its slopes, all reachable by hiking from one to the other. The scenery is dramatic, and there are many hidden treasure spots to find along the way.
Sukuh Temple is a perhaps the strangest temple on the slope. Built in the 15th century, it's a post-Hindu, post-Buddhist, post-Islam construction that hearkens back to early prehistoric animist traditions. It actually looks more like a Mayan pyramid than anything Indonesian. Some say that the building's form is homage to Mount Lawu. Others say that the builders were psychically in tune with the Mayan builders also active at the time. Whatever you want to believe is ok by me.
Before you reach the temple gates, you'll encounter a large stone fertility figures -- a lingam and a yoni. Women who wish to become pregnant make offerings to these figures: An innocent enough activity, but one that has earned the temple a sort of ribald reputation. Inside the grounds you'll find several odd sculptures telling stories that nobody has been able to figure out. But it seems to have something to do with fertility and war and turtles. Whatever mix of inspiration and legend came together to make this temple, it works. A truly magical energy permeates this site
A little higher up the hill is Candi Cetho, where in the 70's politicos would come to meditate, believing the temple was the abode of supernatural powers. The temple is actually sort of run down and not as interesting, but it makes a nice story. At the very top of the mountain, you'll find a series of terraces that are visited by as many as 2000 Javanese every New Year. The terrace complexes are ancient - some as old as 2000 years. The ruins have not been completely surveyed, and in themselves are not very impressive. But the views and surrounding terrain are beautiful -- a good place to wander aimlessly and enjoy a few quiet moments .

By Mark Leger