VIDEO: Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall is in Sierra Leone to help rebrand the country as a sustainable tourist destination

VIDEO: Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall is in Sierra Leone to help rebrand the country as a sustainable tourist destination pic.twitter.com/A1ENm9OHer

— AFP news agency (@AFP) February 28, 2019

Paradise regained? Sharks return to Thai bay popularised by 'The Beach'

Yahoo – AFP, November 30, 2018

Authorities shut the area to the public to let Maya Bay recover (AFP Photo/Handout)

Bangkok (AFP) - Thai conservationists have welcomed footage of reef sharks gliding through the azure waters of Maya Bay as a "positive sign" of recovery six months after the closure of a tourist hot-spot made famous by the movie "The Beach".

The bay, circled by dramatic limestone cliffs on Ko Phi Phi Ley island, was made famous by the 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

But the movie prompted hordes of tourists to sweep in on a daily of flotilla of motor boats, damaging the coral ecosystem and eroding the once pristine white sand beach.

Authorities shut the park temporarily to the public in June but later extended the closure indefinitely to let the bay recover.

On Friday park officials shared video of dozens of blacktip reef sharks serenely swimming close to the beach -- images unimaginable just weeks ago as tourists jostled for selfies on the white sand.

"Come and count sharks!" the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department said in a Facebook post.

"It's a good sign that Maya Bay has changed and that change is positive," the post added.

A Thai marine biologist prominent in the campaign to close Maya Bay hailed the shark video as "beyond imagination, unbelievable".

The 2000 movie 'The Beach' prompted hordes of tourists to visit, damaging the 

coral ecosystem and eroding the once pristine white sand beach (AFP Photo/

Lillian SUWANRUMPHA)

"How do I feel? Tearful," Thon Thamrongnawasawat said in a Faceboook post.

"At the beginning I never thought (the rehabilitation) would be as good as this in only six months."

Authorities have not said if, or when, the bay will open.

"The reef will take a longer time to recover," an official from the National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department said requesting anonymity.

Thailand's idyllic beaches are under increasing strain from huge numbers of tourists and accompanying development in remote and fragile ecosystems.

The country drew around 35 million visitors last year.

Many flock to the town of Krabi where boat trips carried visitors to nearby islands replete with opportunities for snorkelling and selfies -- among them Maya Bay.

Indigenous Communities Embracing Ecotourism

Jakarta Globe, Ryan Dagur, Apr 06, 2015

In an effort to preserve their ancestral rainforests, indigenous settlements across
the archipelago are turning to eco-tourism initiatives driven by non-profit
organizations. (Ucanews.com Photos/Barmen Simatupang)

Sui Utik, West Kalimantan. When Lukas Alfario Surya Dewanto arrived at the remote Sui Utik hamlet deep in the forests of West Kalimantan last year, he wasn’t sure what to expect.

A student at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Lukas and his friends had little understanding of indigenous culture and life.

After two months of living with local families, however, Lukas has come to appreciate the unique site. The hamlet, which borders the northern part of Malaysia’s Sarawak state, is a stunning place: ancient trees and the forest canopy; birds, bears, snakes, and deer roam freely alongside fresh streams.

“We came here to feel how to live in the middle of ancestral forests and to get to know the local people that have protected the forests for years,” said the 23-year-old. “I want to go back there someday,” Lukas added.

Whether that is possible depends on the indigenous Dayak Iban’s ability to protect their sacred land. Already, Sui Utik is the only community in Kapuas Hulu district’s Batu Lintang village that hasn’t sold their trees or turned their land into palm oil plantations.

Instead, the villagers have banked on eco-tourism, hoping that by attracting students, locals and foreigners alike, they can convince the world of the importance of protecting their land.

Strong commitment

Over the past decade, a number of companies have come to the hamlet and surrounding areas to collect woods. With them, they brought Malaysian ringgits to lure the indigenous residents.

“We refused it. It was only the Sui Utik hamlet that rejected it. Almost all other communities living in other hamlets of the village as well as other villages accepted it,” said Raymundus Remang, 42, a community leader.

For the indigenous Dayak Iban living in Sui Utik, it has been a tradition that they only use about a third of their 9,500-hectares of ancestral forests for crop planting. They let the rest of the ancestral forests grow as they are — making it an appealing locale for loggers.

“Although we are told that we will be given money, we don’t want it,” he said.

Thanks to their strong commitment, massive trees such as gaharu or agar wood and ulin or Borneo ironwood can only be seen in Sui Utik.

Neighboring hamlets and villages only have few small trees. Worse, they are covered with palm oil plantations.

“We need money, indeed. But we don’t need to sell our ancestral forests. We love our ancestral forests so much,” Reymundus continued.

Unlike many of their neighbors, the villagers have held on to their traditional beliefs, including one that says destroying nature will only create a catastrophe.

“If any activity of illegal logging comes in, the existing order will vanish. We don’t want our next generation to see damaged nature because of their parents’ deeds,” Raymundus said. “We bring our children and grandchildren to our ancestral forests. We teach them how to protect our ancestral forests. We also tell them how important the effort is,” he added.

The community also calls on every member to plant trees starting as a young child. This has become an obligation. It’s hoped that this will allow for an ample supply of wood when they grow up and need to build houses.

For young indigenous men like Verdianus Muling, 23, such an obligation is never a burden.

“We will take care of our ancestral forests,” Verdianus said. “If we destroy our forests, we will have to face the impact,” Inam, 31, added.

Customary law

To protect the forest, indigenous villagers institute a complex traditional law — violations of which entail sanctions.

The customary law regulates, among other things, the correct time for planting trees, growing rice and cutting timber.

Traditionally, before cultivating their land between September and October, the Dayak Iban hold a ritual in which they slaughter a chicken to be given to so-called guardians of the land.

A similar ritual is held before cutting down trees, which includes the prayer: “Have mercy on us, we have to cut down trees as we need woods.”

Sanctions, meanwhile, depend on the gravity of the violation. If someone steals fruit from trees planted on a neighbor’s land, for example, he must give at least one sack of rice to the owner of the land.

A tribal leader is the one who decides the sanction.

“We respect this customary law. We even introduce it to our children and grandchildren,” Apay Janggut, a 44-year-old tribal leader, said.

Apay is a common honorific in the Iban language.

The 304 people living in Sui Utik adhere to the rules closely. Each of the hamlet’s 30 families is allowed to cultivate at least three hectares of land during a three-year period.

After that, they must move to another piece of land and leave the old one, a strategy that protects and preserves the ancestral forests.

The forests, in turn, provide all that the community needs. Its people hunt for animals, go fishing, and search for herbal medicine.

“Our forests have everything that we want and need,” assured Apay Salim, another tribal leader.

Deforestation

Forest comprises 60 percent of Indonesia’s land area, which makes it the third largest area of tropical rainforest in the world.

However, deforestation is an ongoing threat. Recent reports have found that Indonesia may have the highest rate of forest loss in the world.

Between 2000 and 2012 more than 6 million hectares of forest was lost, according to a University of Maryland study published last year and headed by a former Indonesian forestry official.

When it comes to deforestation, indigenous people comprising more than 500 communities across the archipelago play a significant role in protection and prevention.

And what the Sui Utik hamlet community has achieved received praise from Zenzi Suhadi, a forest campaigner with the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, or Walhi.

“Sui Utik shows that indigenous people make an effort to protect their ancestral forests for generations,” he said.

According to Zenzi, 58 million out of 130 million hectares of forest in the country — Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua islands — have been turned into palm oil plantations or gold and manganese mines.

“I don’t know the exact number of permits for the plantations and mining. But it’s more than 10,000,” he added.

In having avoided such fates, the hamlet serves as a correction tool for the local government.

“People living in Sui Utik show that indigenous people have a local wisdom, which can help them survive if it is preserved well,” said Agapitus from the Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), an umbrella of indigenous communities in the country.

Development of eco-tourism

The indigenous people’s effort in protecting their ancestral forests in Sui Utik has driven GreenIndonesia and AMAN to jointly develop an eco-tourism initiative.

Besides the hamlet, the initiative involving six communities of indigenous people from across the country is also developed in other areas with indigenous communities such as Bali, East Nusa Tenggara, Jambi and Maluku.

Through the program, women weavers from all over Indonesia connect, share knowledge, and keep their traditions alive. The communities work with many local plants to create unique colors and pay close attention to maintaining the environment where the vegetation grows.

According to Yopie Basyarah, program manager at GreenIndonesia, the initiative aims to re-enliven the culture of the indigenous people.

“We try to develop everything purely coming from the indigenous people in Sui Utik. We don’t want to do things that we want, but we always ask the indigenous people about what they want,” he said.

In January, GreenIndonesia joined a tourism program held in Oslo, Norway, to introduce the initiative.

“We wanted to introduce Sui Utik hamlet to the world. What impressed us during the program was that so many people said they wanted to visit Sui Utik,” he added.

Dozens of Norwegians have promised to visit the hamlet in June.

Support for the development of eco-tourism in the hamlet also comes from the local Catholic Church.

“The initiative is in line with the indigenous people’s effort in making nature their best friend,” said Father Marchadius Markus Golo of Benua Martinus.

The community sees nature as something which cannot be separated from their Catholic faith, he said.

Nearly all members of the indigenous community are Catholics.

“They see nature like they see the body and the blood of Christ. The land is like the body of Christ, and the water is like the blood,” Marchadius said.

The indigenous people have such way of seeing things because they view nature as something given for free by God.

“This is their faith, and with this faith they have the commitment to protecting their ancestral forests,” he added.

In Kapuas Hulu district, 51.6 percent of its 3.1 million hectares of land is a conservation area. Only 20 percent is given to palm oil plantation companies.

“We don’t want to force the indigenous people like those in Sui Utik hamlet to accept palm oil plantation companies. They already have a commitment to protecting their ancestral forests,” deputy district head Agus Mulyana said.

But eco-tourism is far from a guaranteed salvo.

Konkordius Kanyan from Lembaga Bela Banua Talino, a local NGO dealing with agrarian issues, stressed that indigenous people would likely face challenges with the development of eco-tourism.

“Eco-tourism will bring changes when everything is measured with money. The indigenous people in Sui Utik must be able to maintain their cultural values which they have kept for so long,” he said.

Residents, however, remain hopeful that their chosen path will succeed.

“We feel happy [with eco-tourism] as we can earn money from so many visitors coming here. This helps [our community],” Raymundus said.

For him and other members of the hamlet, turning their protected forests into an eco-tourism attraction may well be the best way to improve their lives.

“People come to Sui Utik, and it makes us believe that what we have chosen so far isn’t wrong,” Raymundus said.

This story is a publication of Ucanews.com and is edited for style by the Jakarta Globe.

Ryan Dagur is a special correspondent for Ucanews.com.

Record number of tourists worldwide

The number of international tourists rose by 4.7 percent to reach a record of 1.14 billion last year, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said in Madrid.

Deutsche Welle, 28 Jan 2015

Tourism is growing faster than other economic sectors. The industry's increase has been above the average economic growth for five years in a row. A further growth of up to 4 percent is expected this year.

"Over the past years, tourism has proven to be a surprisingly strong and resilient economic activity," said Taled Rifai, the World Tourism Organization's secretary general. "It is a fundamental contributor to the economic recovery by generating billions of dollars in exports and creating millions of jobs."

According to the UNWTO, the number of international tourists particularly increased in North and South America, rising by 7 percent. Asia and the Pacific registered a growth of 5 percent. Receiving 588 million tourists in 2014, Europe consolidated its position as the most visited region in the world.

Germany had a beyond average performance as a holiday destination.

"Inbound tourism continues to develop so dynamically that, according to the available numbers, we have reached for the fifth year in a row a new record in 2014," said Petra Hedorfer of the German tourism marketing organization Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus. "Growth in Germany's inbound tourism is stronger than the average calculated by the UNWTO for Europe, which is 3.9 percent."

UNWTO statistics included all tourists who spend at least one night in a foreign country.

at / ak (dpa, DZT)

Central Kalimantan Forests Prepare for Ecotourism

Jakarta Globe, Ari Rikin, May 28, 2013

This photograph taken on June 5, 2012 shows villagers travelling on a small
 boat to tend farms in a forest clearing in Central Kalimantan, home to the world’s
third-largest area of tropical forests. (AFP Photo/Romeo Gacad)

The Central Kalimantan government is preparing the Tanjung Puting and Sabangau National Park as an ecotourism destination with support from sustainability group Rimbawan Bangun Lestari.

Central Kalimantan Governor Agustin Teras Narang said the province is home to a vast natural resources, specifically forests.

He added that 30 years ago, Central Kalimantan was among the most resourceful provinces in terms of its forestry industry. But government policies in the years that followed led to logging being conducted across its forests.

“Logging was conducted under government policies. In the process, reforestation efforts also occurred but failed to match the logging. Today, natural resources remain abundant. This, to us, is valuable,” he said during the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Central Kalimantan government and Rimbawan Bangun Lestari on Monday.

Agustin said that 82 percent of Central Kalimantan consists of forests, with a total area of 15.4 million hectares. He said he hoped that plans to develop the forests as a tourism destination would include conservation efforts.

“Activities that support the development phase of ecotourism were conducted prior to the signing of this agreement, including the protection of endemic flora and fauna, such as the orangutan,” he said.

Central Kalimantan’s forest area comprise 1.6 million hectares of nature sanctuary areas and nature preservation areas, and 11.1 million hectares of protected forest, limited production forest and convertible production forest.

David Makes, chairman of the Sustainable Management Group, a private-sector conservation organization, said forest resources, especially those outside the nature sanctuary and preservation areas, were prone to disruptions, both natural and man-made.

“Without careful and clever development and utilization, the result may end up damaging and thus threatening the existing natural sanctuary and preservation areas,” he said.

Indian hotels struggle to balance growth with sustainability

Deutsche Welle, 8 october 2012

The booming hotel industry of India is grappling with the challenges of sustainability. It is no more a choice but a necessity. However, limited resources and rising costs can be opportunities in disguise.

In the next five years, the number of hotel rooms in India is going to increase by a whopping 143 per cent to over 150,000, according to a study by HVS hospitality consultancy. But the Indian hotel industry is not yet aware of the depleting ground water levels, energy costs and solid waste that they will create along the way, industry experts say.

In developed countries, sustainable tourism is at the center stage of discussions. So it's no wonder that the United Nations World Tourism Organization chose sustainability as its main agenda for 2012.

"Every action counts. This year, one billion international tourists will travel to foreign destinations," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a recent speech at the United Nations World Tourism Day in Gran Canaria, Spain. "Imagine what one act multiplied by one billion can do."

Changing the attitudes of hoteliers

Around 350 million tourists - international and domestic - feed India's growing tourism industry, tourism ministry figures state. The industry itself accounted for around six percent of total gross domestic product at US $32.7 billion in 2011. The numbers explain why hospitality big-wigs around the globe are betting big on this sector. 

Fresh towels daily? No thank you,
green hotels say

With many international chains now foraying into the Indian market, global green practices are also getting imported. However, the implementation of such measures in the Indian scenario is a challenge.

"Everyone wants to join the bandwagon of sustainable tourism," HVS chairman Manav Thadani said. "A lot of hotels have started to call themselves green, but they are not able to measure it yet."

India's ITC hotel chain was accorded the leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) award for its "world-class green practices." LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building was designed in a sustainable way. However, this award is not representative of the larger picture of India's hospitality industry.

A study by Germany's International Hotel Association (IHA) revealed that Germans have a large willingness to act in an environmentally conscious manner in their daily lives. IHA has over 1,400 hotels as its members. The survey found that energy efficiency was of prime importance in the investment decisions of around 66 per cent of hotels in Germany. India, however, has not been able to make much headway in this direction.

"Hotels in India do not want to inconvenience their guests by imposing eco-friendly instructions," Thadani said. "Secondly, they think of sustainability as an additional financial investment. This mind set has to change."

Creating a win-win situation 

There is money to be made by going
green

Contrary to popular perception that "going green" is an expensive affair, several hotel chains are reaping its benefits. The Hilton group, for example, saved $147 million worldwide by reducing its energy and water consumption by an average of 15 percent in 2011.

"Hotels can increase their bottom lines by one to two percent simply by using sustainable practices," Thadani said. He added that a leading luxury hotel chain in India, which did not wish to be named, saved over $1 million by using such measures last year.

However, Indian hotel chains have for starters, warmed up to the sustainability agenda in the marketing rather than business sense. In this, the German hotel industry is in stark contrast. According to the IHA survey, 66 percent of the hotels in Germany do not use their environmental orientation for marketing.

While in India, sustainability is not the most highly rated criteria for booking hotels among consumers, German travelers think otherwise. Earth Guest Research by Accor revealed that 46 percent of German respondents based their hotel selection on sustainable development. About 60 percent of these are even willing to pay a higher price for climate friendly services.

Ruchika Chitravanshi and Idrees Lone are currently participating in a two-month fellowship for Indian journalists at Deutsche Welle's international training center DW Akademie.

Indonesian navy finds Japanese bastion in Makassar

Antara News, Fri, February 11 2011

Makasaar, S.Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Indonesia Navy Main Base VI in Makassar found the sites relics of the Japanese bastion when tracing river delta in Lakkang village, Tallo sub district, Makassar on Friday.

The Commander of Navy Main Base VI Intelligence Team, Major Dismet Kolmet, said here, Friday that the team found some signs that showed the tunnel was the bastion of the Japanese army while leading the survey.

"We found seven bunkers here. We estimate the two bunkers were booth weapon that could be used to shoot long distances," he noted.

He estimated, there are several bunkers located in the vicinity of ammunition, because usually hideout bunker is built circularly.

The team derived by the navy also requested information from some local residents whom are estimated still having relationship with the history of the old bunkers in Tallo river mainland.

"We recommend the location to be secured first before cleaning done because it is possible to found mines or other dangerous objects at the excavation site," one of the team sweeping member said to the local people.

The navy requested the culture and tourism office of Makassar to involve preservation of archaeological heritage center and archaeologists to examine the location before the people digging and cleaning the historic areas.

The Head of Resources and Community Participation, the culture and tourism office of Makassar, Andi Mirza Zainal, said it would immediately make a written request and an audience with the center.

"These are historical assets that can sell Lakkang as a tourist village. So, we will immediately contact the archaeological center and invites Hasanuddin University to research the area," he said.

The head of Lakkang village, Andi M. Fara, explained, some local people who had long lived in the area estimated that the bunker was built in the 1940s when Japan was in Makassar.

In fact, the local people said, the place was once used as a consolidation or secret meetings by the kings of South Sulawesi.

He added, many foreign tourists who had been visiting Lakkang are attracted by the seven bunkers located in Tallo river delta, Makassar city.

"The condition of the bunkers is not too good, because it is buried in silt soil sediments. We hope the villagers social service by involving the navy can support the efforts of our village to promote the appealing objects to the tourists," he said.

The head of Lakkang village stated, the historical relics in their areas is expected to be a tourist attraction to visit the location of bunkers that could only be reached by using a small boat or pincara (raft-like transportation mode).

Editor: Suryanto

University seeks to develop agrotourism in Bali

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 01/23/2011

Bali’s Udayana University School of Agriculture is seeking to develop a model for agrotourism in Bali highlighting a tradtional Balinese farming system called subak.

Udayana agriculture professor and project leader I Wayan Widia said the university was conducting research with support from the National Education Ministry.

The research, he said, involved hundreds of farmers in three subak locations in Denpasar, Gianyar and Tabanan, and was expected to complete this year.

“The results of the research will be used as material for a doctoral dissertation,” Windia said, as reported by Antara on Sunday.

“It will also be used as input for the Bali administration to help develop agriculture in collaboration with development of the tourism sector,” he added.

Under the subak system, Balinese farmers regulate water usage for irrigating rice paddies and plantations in a fair and effective manner. The subak system also incorporates various traditional and religious activities to support agricultural communities in Bali.

President to dedicate Batak museum

Antara News, Friday, January 14, 2011

From the past: Visitors view artifacts from the Batak tribe group in the TB Silalahi Batak Museum in Tobasa, North Sumatra, Tuesday. The museum was recently officially opened by president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (Antara/Septianda Perdana)

Tobasa, North Sumatra (ANTARANews) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to dedicate Batak Museum at Balige in Toba Samosir (Tobasa) district, North Sumatra, next Tuesday, January 18, 2011.

"President Yudhoyono will be accompanied by a number of cabinet ministers to dedicate Batak Museum which houses a collection of Batak cultural artifacts," TB Silalahi Center chairperson Masrina Silalahi said in Balige on Friday.

She said the museum displays Batak handicrafts such as masks and household items including baskets, pots, spears, tribal effigies, and musical instruments such as gongs and drums.

According to Marsina, a committee meeting has been held at the TB Silalahi Center which was attended by retired General TB Silalahi, North Sumatra provincial acting secretary Hasiholan Silaen, and heads of Tobasa, Dairi, and Taput districts.

Meanwhile, Hasiholan Silaen said the meeting was held to discuss preparations for President Yudhoyono`s visit to dedicate the Batak museum.

He said the president and his entourage would directly fly from Jakarta to Silangit airport in Taput district, where he would take an overland trip to the location of Batak museum in Balige.

Hasiholan Silaen also called on the local people who would greet the president to wear their respective traditional costumes.

King Marnangkok Naipospos, give grains of rice to the head a number of people at a ceremony in the hall Pasogit Parmalim Hutatinggi Village, Town Laguboti, District Sanosir Toba, North Sumatra, Monday, July 26, 2010. (Demotix)

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SBY to Dedicate Batak Museum

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Bangka has abundant marine tourism, historical attractions

Antara News, Otniel Tamindael, Saturday, October 16, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Bangka island in Bangka-Belitung (Babel) province undeniably has marine tourism and historical attractions in abundance.

Having lush tropical forests and surrounded by crystal clear sea with white sandy beaches, Bangka island is another tourism destination in Indonesia.

After visitors have set foot on the pristine, beautiful beaches such as Parai, Pasir Padi, Sampur, and Matras beaches, returning to their hotels and accommodations will be a hard thing to do.

It is because of these abundant marine tourism and historical attractions that the Pangkalpinang city government is currently making every effort to develop them for both domestic and foreign tourists.

"Besides marine tourism, historical attractions also have a great potential to attract and increase the number of domestic and foreign tourists to visit the island," Pangkalpinang culture and tourism office spokesman Ahmad Elvian said in Pangkalpinang on Saturday.

The historical attractions on Bangka island, according to Ahmad, are among others Museum Timah (Tin Museum), Rumah Residen (Resident`s House), Dutch Cemetery, Perigi Pekasem (Pekasem Well), and Tugu Pergerakan Kemerdekaan (monument of independence movement).

"Meseum Timah used to be the house of Bangka Tin Winnig (BTW) workers, and the venue of meetings between Indonesian leaders and the Dutch government before the Roem-Royen conference," he said.

But Ahmad said the house at present had become the tin museum where visitors could learn about the history of tin mining in Indonesia.

Commenting on Rumah Residen, Ahmad said it had a specific historical background as indicated by the presence of two ancient cannons in its compound.

Another historical attraction, according to him, was Pekasem well at Tuatunu village in

Gerunggang sub-district, Pangkalpinang.

Ahmad said the bodies of people killed by Tentara Keamanan Rakyat (People`s security force) in the past were thrown into that well.

Meanwhile, local Transportation, Culture and Tourism Office (Dishubudpar) spokesman Choirul Amri Rani said in Muntok, Bangka, recently that the Bangka Barat district administration was also currently developing three tourist objects in the area.

"With their appealing natural beauty, the three tourism objects, namely Batu Rakit Beach, Menumbing rest house, and Dendang Hot Springs are expected to attract a multitude of both domestic and foreign tourists," Choirul Amri Rani said.

According to him Batu Rakit Beach was potential enough to be developed into a family sport and recreational object.

"We have prepared the entertainment supporting facility at the beach for tourists and local community to enjoy," Choirul said, adding that the local government had also renovated the Menumbing Resthouse for tourists.

He said Menumbing rest house had historic value because the house used to be the residence of Bung Karno and Bung Hatta when they were exiled to Bangka island during the Dutch colonial era.

"Visitors can enjoy the original state of the house in a more comfortable atmosphere because we have renovated it," Choirul said.

According to him, the third tourism object in Bangka Barat was Dendang hot springs in Kelapa sub-district.

To introduce the three tourist objects, he said, the Bangka Barat district government would continue to make familiarization through photos and brochures.

"With continuous familiarization, we hope many domestic and foreign tourists will come to Bangka Barat," he added.

Therefore, Choirul also expressed hope that the local people would actively improve their creativity by creating various typical crafts for souvenirs in a bid to support tourism in their area.

"Dishubudpar has organized a souvenir creating competition but unfortunately the participants are still very few," Choirul said, hoping the local economy would improve following the promotion of the three tourism objects.

To support the tourism industry on Bangka island, Babel transportation office spokesman M Ilyas said the runway of Depati Amir airport in Pangkalpinang was being extended and expected to be completed at the end of this year.

"It is expected that the extension of the airport`s runway from 2,250 meters to 2,600 meters will be completed before the end of this year," Ilyas said.

He explained that after the extension of the runway, the Depati Amir airport would be at the same level of other airports in the country for Boeing 737-400 aircraft.

"With its 2,600-meter runway, the Depati Amir airport will be able to be landed by Air Bus planes," Ilyas said.

No wonder he said more tourists were expected to visit Bangka island.

He added that the local transportation office put the extension of the airport`s runway on top priority because it is located at the provincial capital.

"We will prioritize the development of Depati Amir airport but it does not mean that we ignore HAS Hanandjuddin airport in Tanjungpandang," he said.

According to Ilyas, the development of Depati Amir airport, popularly known as Pangkalpinang airport, was the responsibility of airport management company PT Angkasa Pura-II while the expansion of HAS Hanandjuddin airport in Tanjungpandang was the responsibility of air transportation department.

"The air transportation office will facilitate the development of the two airports in Bangka Belitung province to make them more adequate," he said.

Ilyas explained that as of 2008, the Depati Amir airport at the provincial city was far behind HAS Hanandjuddin airport in Tanjungpandang.

"As of 2008 the Depati Amir airport was far behind HAS Hanandjuddin airport in Tanjungpandang, and therefore Bangka Belitung transportation service office prioritized the development of Depati Amir in stages.

Related Article:

Pangkalpinang developing cultural sites as tourism objects

A day in the Kei Islands

Tifa Asrianti, The Jakarta Post, Kei Islands, Maluku | Sun, 08/08/2010 11:04 AM | Travel

As the small airplane flew above Kei Islands in Maluku, passengers saw green hills and crystal-clear blue water — a perfect holiday destination.

Ngurbloat beach or Pasir Panjang beach in Ngilng
of village.

Located directly under the “bird head” of Papua, the Kei Islands encompass a number of small islands with Kei Besar and Kei Kecil (big and small) being the biggest islands in the group. Kei Besar may be bigger in size but it is the Kei Kecil that has a larger population.

Our plane landed at Dumatubun Air Force Base on Kei Island. A commercial airport is currently under construction and is expected to be ready by 2012.

The island is known for its white sandy beaches. One of these beaches worth visiting is Ngurbloat Beach in Ngilngof village. Local natives call this beach “Pasir Panjang” or the long sandy beach.

On a recent sunny Sunday, I had the opportunity to visit this beach. The white sand felt as soft as baby powder beneath my feet as I walked along the coastline. Wearing sunglasses is strongly recommended as the white sand of the beach reflects the sunlight strongly.

So clear was the sea that people on the beach could see the gradation in the seawater’s colors, from crystal clear to aquamarine and then to stronger hues of blue as it goes deeper.

On the weekends, the beach bustles with locals relaxing after a week of work. Some people swim in the shallow waters while others strolled.

Despite being remote, life at Ngurbloat is not as modest as we assume. In fact, there was a family who enjoyed its fast ride on a jet ski.

Thanks to the beauty of nature, Ngurbloat has big potential to be developed into a world-class resort, but for the time being, only locals manage the area. In their modest ways, these people erected gazebos and small food stalls along a pathway flanked with coconut palms and other vegetation.

Traditional snacks and beverages are offered at the stalls, including thinly-sliced fried bananas served with sambal and coconuts the vendor picks directly from the tree after an order is placed.

If you prefer to go for a pristine beach, you might find Ngur Sarnadan Beach more to your liking. Located in Ohoililir village, Ngur Sarnadan is not far from a fishing village.

At Ngur Sarnadan there are long rows of bamboo tables onto which fishermen usually place their catch.

No, not fish, but seaweed. While I stood there waiting for the sunset, one fisherman was cleaning a long rope he used at his seaweed farm.

With a road system almost encircling the island, it’s not difficult to explore and find a favorite beach. My favorite beach was the thickly vegetated crescent-shaped beach in Madwaer village. It is a perfect getaway for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. And the good thing is that there isn’t any cell phone signal in this area.

After a swim in the sea, you can clean up at Goa Hawang, a freshwater cave in Letvuan village. A guide told me that this cave is around 100 meters long and people can explore only by putting on a mask and snorkel. In local language Hawang means ghost so prepare yourselves for the unexpected. Another legend surrounding the Kei Islands is that of Ken Dedes, a Singosari princess who sought refuge to in the islands to escape from the invading Majapahit soldiers. Locals believe the tomb of Ken Dedes is on Kei Kecil.

Local also believe Dedes had a daughter named Nen Dit Sak Mas, who became a queen and codified a new set of law Larvul Ngabal. This law has seven articles concerning treatment of criminals, respect of women and civil law.

The Larvul Ngabal law continues to have an important role in the Kei Islands, having prevented a religious conflict affecting the entire Maluku in 1999. One of the truisms in the law that help prevent the conflict is that Kei people come from the same chicken egg and breathe with the same gills.

Muslims and Christians share the Kei Islands as their home, although the latter is larger in number.

Mosques and churches stands next to each other, and women wearing the Muslim headscarf could be seen sitting next to women wearing a cross.

Goa Hawang, a freshwater cave in
Letvuan village.

Christianity entered Kei Islands in the early 1900s, and recently several villages celebrated the religion’s centennial anniversary in the islands. Wab village celebrated this milestone in 2007.

At the highest point of Kei Kecil, there is the Cross Path and a statue of Jesus Christ opening his arms towards the sea. Locals are extremely friendly. Once I bumped into a group of schoolchildren walking home, and every one of them greeted me with a smile and said “Good afternoon” to me.

For food lovers, the Kei Islands is known for its seafood, mostly served fried or grilled. For vegetarians, sautéed papaya flower is another specialty and while the staple food of Kei people is rice, they also consum sago and enbal (made from cassava).

The best way to enjoy sago and enbal is to dip them into hot water and wait a few minutes before eating them. You can also replace hot water with tea, coffee, milk or soup, as long as it is hot.

For whatever reason you finally go to the Kei Islands, for business or pleasure, you will certainly leave them with the wish to return.

Tips

• Currently, only three airlines fly to Kei Islands, Wings Air, the subsidiary of Lion Air (www2.lionair.co.id), Express Air (www.expressair.biz) and Trigana Air (www.trigana-air.com).
• If you are flying to the Kei Islands from Jakarta or other cities in Indonesia’s western time zone, you’d better take enough rest before the flight given the two-hour time difference.
• You can find public minivans serving long routes across the island. But for your own convenience, better rent a car or a motorcycle from locals, as almost public minivan drivers have an inexplicable penchant for turning up the volume of their car stereo.
• If you want to remain connected, consider switching to Simpati, Indosat’s Mentari or IM3 provided by Telkomsel as those three GSM services are currently available in the area. However, not all areas on the islands are covered.
• While the Kei Islands is supposed to be in its dry season in July, torrential rains often hit the islands without warning. Sunglasses, blockout and a waterproof hooded jacket are essential.

— Photos by JP/Tifa Asrianti

Bali to firmly uphold law on environment

Antara News, Saturday, July 24, 2010 03:49 WIB

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - The tourist resort province of Bali will in the coming years firmly uphold the law on the environment, Head of Bali`s Environment Agency (BLH) AA Alit Sastrawan said.

"In our efforts to realize the program to make Bali a Green Province which as launched by the local government, the law on the environment should be firmly upheld," Alit said here on Friday.

He said his office was now preparing legal frameworks, including draft bylaws so that later enforcement of the law would in real terms protect all stakeholders in the environment.

Alit explained that after all the legal frameworks had been made they had to be popularized to the people so that the "Bali Green Province` program would run in line with the interests of the people.

"We will popularize it first before we take firm actions to enforce the law," Alit said.

Earlier, Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono fully supported Bali`s initiative to become the first "green" province in Indonesia.

"We have also received expressions of support from various parties, including the director of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) in Bangkok who will be visiting Bali in the near future," Made Mangku Pastika said on Tuesday.

The governor who attended a workshop on Bali Green Province which involved various elements of Bali`s community, said turning Bali into a green, healthy, beautiful and clean province would not be easy.

However, he was confident that with the high commitment of and consistent hard work by regional government officials at all levels, and the cooperation of local religious and community leaders, the dream to turn Bali into a green province would be achieved.

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