Attractions

For the Batak ethnic group of Lake Toba in North Sumatra, - as indeed with other communities in Indonesia, - their meticulously handwoven textiles, known as “ulos” are not merely made to wear as clothing, but are significant symbols of status, serve as precious heirlooms, or are ceremonial gifts during rites in human’s life cycle from births and weddings to deaths.

Traditio

An age old ritual dance of the Batak ethnic group around magnificent Lake Toba, dating before the arrival of Islam and Christianity to the area - is the Tor-Tor dance, which is accompanied by a small orchestra of traditional musical instruments called margondang.

Originally a dance to invoke the spirits to ward off evil and disaster from the village and its community, the Tor-Tor has evolved as a

Although the Way Kambas National Park in Lampung at the southern tip of Sumatra is better known as habitat of the Sumatran Elephant, -  yet since  23 June 2012 the Park is now celebrated worldwide as the venue of the first controlled birth of the Sumatran  rhinoceros in its habitat - only the fourth in  the past 124 years.

Given the name “Andatu:  meaning

Having received standing ovations in Singapore at its debut in the Esplanade Theatre on 22-23 October 2010, then again last year at the Jakarta Theatre of Taman Ismal Marzuki,  the awe-inspiring dance drama Matah Ati is back performing in Jakarta from 22-25 June, and at the Court of Mangkunegaran in Solo, Central Java from 8 – 10 September 20

Compared to the Borneo Orangutan, there are fewer Sumatran orangutans left in the wild. Today, only an estimated 5,000 are left roaming mostly in the northern primary tropical rainforests of Sumatra, in the Mount Leuser National Park in Aceh and North Sumatra near Lake Toba, and at the breeding grounds in the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in Jambi and in Riau. Therefore the IUCN has placed these p

Rising in popularity on account of its pristine seas and great surf, the island of Lombok, adjacent to Bali, is now also attracting more visitors for its exquisite South Sea Pearls, farmed in its clear blue-green seas.

These magnificent pearls will be on display and auctioned at the yearly Lombok –Sumbawa Pearls Festival, which this year will be held from 29 June to 1 July 2012 at the Lombo

Segara Anak on Mt. Rinjani is considered a holy place, and holds a deep, spiritual significance for the local people. Every fifth full moon, religious ceremonies are held at Segara Anak. During the rituals, small gold fish are released into the lake to honour the goddess Enjini, the queen and ruler of Mount Rinjani.

Every five years, there is a larger religious ceremony.Those who attend are not r

In 2010, there was a flurry on the internet due to a photo documentation of underwater sculptures believed to be part of an ancient temple site. The photo drew massive attention when it was posted on Twitter with a caption mentioning it as proof of the discovery of an ancient underwater archaeological site on the seabed of Pemuteran in Northwest Bali. Paul M. Turley, later known as the photographe

The Bajau – also spelled Bajo - are born and live at sea. They have acertain resilience about them, which is most likely due to having the sea as such a large part of their history. This tribe has earned the nickname of the People of the Sea, or the Sea Gypsies, and for good reason. For the most part, they are sustained completely by the ocean, but not stopping there, this tribe lives on the

This November, the spotlight will shine on the longest running river on Sumatra:  the Musi River as the Musi Triboatton is launched from 26 November to 01 December 2013 in Palembang, capital of the province of South Sumatra.

Combining rafting, canoeing, and traditional boat races, this is a one of a kind event initiated by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy to introduce the splendo