Seram Island in Maluku Province of Indonesia is steeped in tradition. Deep in its mountains and along its coast, several indigenous tribes still hunt with long wooden spears and adhere to their old ways of life. The largest island in the Maluku archipelago, Seram is...
It was love at first sight when I first set eyes on the Hotel Majapahit, Surabaya in East Java. This glorious colonial hotel has been catering to luxury-end guests since it opened its doors in 1910. Stories about the hotel abound. World acclaimed novelists,...
If archaeology is the key that opens the door to the past and anthropology is the key to understanding the evolution of humanity, then photography could be considered the key to bringing awareness and appreciation of the work of those disciplines to the grateful...
Within one day of arriving in Ketambe Village in Gunung Leuser National Park, I had spotted three gibbons, five Thomas’ leaf monkeys, and three Sumatran orangutans. You have to get up early to catch the wildlife; by 5.30am my forest lodge was a hive of activity....
On entering the deserted colonial manor on Banda Neira Island, I immediately felt a chill in the air. This was the former Dutch Governor’s residence, once famed for the elaborate parties held there. Now it was adorned only by the odd cobweb-cloaked chandelier. Its...
As the sun set against the vibrant green rice fields of Keliki Village in Bali, a full moon rose in the sky. The Grand Opening of the 2019 New Earth Festival and World Health Sovereignty Summit in Ubud (June 19-25) Bali was underway. This was no ordinary opening. ...
Published NowBali (June, 2020) The weavers of Bali are dusting off their looms in a small traditional village just outside Ubud. In Pejeng Kangin, a long-forgotten artisan craft is coming back. COVID in Bali has this time, brought a good news story. This is just one...
Life in a Boma Looking for a real African adventure, Anniina, a solo woman traveller left the comforts of home and ventured to Tanzania. Going one step further, she decided to stay. Anniina Sandberg is a bold, adventurous solo woman traveller from Helsinki who...
“Naik Dango is a very special time for us, a time to celebrate our unique culture and pay tribute to the ancestors. We have been holding this event for 30 years and share it between three regencies – Landak, Kuburaya and Mempawah.” These were the words of Karolin...
“I am Tenggerese, and our people are descendants of the 13th-century Majapahit Kingdom”, the flower seller said as he adjusted his bouquets. “Please leave these flowers on the crater rim and offer a prayer. This offering will make the gods of the mountain very...
