I stood safely behind a thin rope as a lone Sumba horseman advanced with great speed onto the large grassy field. With spear poised, he challenged his opponent on the other side of the field to come forward. He looked like he wanted blood. Elizabeth, my guide,...
World music comes to Bali every year. The IMEX, the Indonesian Music Festival Expo, is a 4-day festival of music, art, food and talks, hosted at the Puri Lukisan Museum in Ubud. Stepping up on stage to dazzle and delight comprises a dynamic assortment of over 100...
A lost village in Flores A last-minute decision to buy a pig before setting off into the isolated mountains of Manggarai, Western Flores proved to be a wise decision. I was about to embark on a three-hour trek to the old Manggaraian village of Wae Rebo and I felt it...
TripbaliGazing over the Indonesian map sprawled out on the table, my eyes turned to the more remote Eastern part of Java. I live in Bali and drive a motorbike, as most of us do living here. I thought, maybe if I rally the troupes, we could ride our motorbikes from...
Stephanie Brookes writes about Pejeng Kangin, a resilient Balinese weaving village just outside Ubud that has united the weavers of Bali and helped revive a long-lost artisan craft. The weavers of Bali are dusting off their looms. A long-forgotten...
What’s on your bucket list this year? Does exploring Aceh in Northern Sumatra appeal? Once a traveller, always a traveller, right? When the world resumes and this pandemic passes, airlines will start flying again, and I recommend exploring Aceh. When you land...
Bali Rice Feld – a Gateway to Balinese Culture and Spirituality The humble Bali rice field, since the 9th century, has used a sophisticated system of irrigation channels or “subak”, which distributes water across the island. In 2012, UNESCO gave the...
When you get curious about other cultures, what are the best ways to explore them? Some of us book a flight, keen for a first-hand experience. Others turn to study, maybe anthropology or indigenous studies at university. Some, like Anniina Sandberg, an adventurous...
Blitar is a quiet, friendly town in East Java. From mystical lakes with god-fish legends to the stunning Bung Karno Museum honouring the founder of Indonesia, it is full of history and intrigue, as well as colourful characters. At the entrance to the Bung Karno Museum...
Walking towards a long line of tall traditional pinisi boats in the historic Paotere Harbour in Makassar, I caught whiffs of freshly cut timber. I watched strong, sinewy sailors navigating gangplanks with great agility, balancing neat stacks of wood on their...
