Jambi

Before what is now Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch East India Company, Jambi was the site of a well-established, powerful Srivijayan kingdom[citation needed] that engaged in trade throughout the Strait of Malacca and beyond.

It succeeded Palembang to the south, which was a frequent military and economic rival, as the later capital of the ancient kingdom. The move to Jambi was partly induced by the historic 1025 raid by pirates from the Chola region of southern India that destroyed much of Palembang.

In the early decades of the Dutch presence in the region, when the future colonizers were just one of several groups of traders competing with the British, Chinese, Arabs, and Malays, the Jambi sultanate profitably traded pepper with the Dutch.

This relationship declined by about 1770, and the sultanate had little contact with the Dutch for about sixty years.In 1833, minor conflicts with the Dutch, who were well established in Palembang, meant the Dutch increasingly felt the need to control the actions of Jambi. They coerced Sultan Facharudin to agree to greater Dutch presence in the region and control over trade, although the sultanate remained nominally independent.

In 1858 the Dutch, apparently concerned over the risk of competition for control from other foreign powers, invaded Jambi with a force from Batavia. They met little resistance, and Sultan Taha fled to the upriver, inland regions of Jambi. The Dutch installed a puppet ruler, Nazarudin, in the lower region, which included the capital city.

Kerinci Mountain

Exciting climax of a journey through Jambi is a visit to the magnificent, isolated Kerinci Valley along the western side of the island. The most nice part of the valley belongs to Kerinci-Seblat, with a total area of 15,000 sq.km, it's the biggest national park of Sumatera.

It consists of a 345 kilometre long stretch of the highlands of Bukit Barisan and it's located on the area of four provinces: Sumatera Barat, Jambi, Bengkulu and Sumatera Selatan. The administrative centre of the park is the small city of Sungai Penuh, which belongs to Jambi.

The Sumateran rhino is on the verge of extinction. On the entire world there are only 800 left, 700 of them on Sumatera itselt. For centuries the animal is the centre of hunt for it's ivory horns and other body parts which are very expensife because it's seen as a good medicine in Asia.

In his History of Sumatera, Marsden explained that 'the horn is seen as a poison and an antidote, and it's formed into mugs for that reason'. Nowadays the horn is used for fever lowering medication in China. The 'bad' habit of rhino's to follow the same trace every time makes them very vulnerable.



Source: Wikipedia Indonesia

Riau Islands

The Malay-related Orang Laut tribes inhabited the islands and formed the backbone of most Malay kingdoms from Srivijaya to the Sultanate of Johor for the control of trade routes going through the straits.After the fall of Melaka in 1511, the Riau islands became the center of political power of the mighty Sultanate of Johor or Johor-Riau, based on Bintan island, and were for long considered the center of Malay culture.

But history changed the fate of Riau as a political, cultural or economic center when European powers struggled to control the regional trade routes and took advantage of political weaknesses within the sultanate. Singapore island, that had been for centuries part of the same greater Malay kingdoms and sultanates, and under direct control of the Sultan of Johor, came under control of the British.

The creation of a European-controlled territory in the heart of the Johor-Riau natural boundaries broke the sultanate into two parts, destroying the cultural and political unity that had existed for centuries. Some level of unity returned in the Riau region for the first time after 150 years with the creation of the Sijori Growth Triangle in 1989.

Today the name of Riau merely refers to this administrative region of Indonesia, a free trade zone heavily supported by Indonesian, Singaporean and international investments.

Batam is one of the 3,000 islands, which make up the Riau Archipelago and is closest to Singapore, which is only 20 km away or twenty minutes by air-conditioned ferry. In 1971 a presidential decree designated it as an industrial area and in 1975 the Batam Authority was formed. In 1978 Batam was established as a bonded area.

In addition to the oil support industries of Batu Ampar and a fast growing electronics industry, Batam now attracts increasing numbers of tourists. Many come from Singapore for a short holiday with friends and family, duty-free shopping and great seafood. The visitors to Singapore hope over for a day or weekend trip. International standard hotels and numerous economy establishments cater to the expanding demand for accommodation.

Batam enjoys a unique status under the Batam Island Development Authority (BIDA). The island is duty-free. The holiday market, this means duty free shopping in town, hotel shops and the ferry terminal. For the businessmen it means wide-ranging opportunities for investments.

Fishing villages supply delicious fresh seafood to visitors. White sand beaches are fringed with palms and kampung life carries on almost undisturbed. Batam makes a great break.

Bintan is the largest island in the Riau province, with its area is 1.140 sq. km width, with a coastline of about 105 km. The island has a population of about 200.000, and like the rest of Riau this is a true mix of cultures like Malay, Bugis, Chinese and the Orang Laut.

Bintan is very close to the equator and have a tropical climate throughout the year, with temperatures ranging from 21° to 32°, with an average of 26° Celsius. Bintan and Batam saw before the economic crisis huge investments and development, including industrial parks and large tourist resorts.

Bintan has since become a popular tourist destination due to its close vicinity to Singapore. Here we can get accommodation of all standards, and it is still possible to find a peaceful spot on Bintan far from other tourists. Most of the tourism is concentrated on the north coast around Lagoi, while the east coast is still unspoiled and worth a visit.

In a not so distant past Bintan was completely covered with tropical rain forest. This is now all gone, except a small forest that covers the highest mountain on the island, Bintan Besar. The mountain is the remains of an old volcano, and has an elevation of 376 m, the highest point on the Riau islands.

In Bintan, diving promises to be comfortably civilized, with all underwater needs catered to Mana Mana Beach Club - Bintan Resort's professional water sports center. Out of the water, Bintan will be the place with something for everyone.

Natuna Besar (or Ranai) is the largest and northernmost of the islands and also one of the northernmost points in Indonesia. Here we can find lovely corral reefs and a large variety of fish.

The population is relatively small, but some people have been moved here by the government from other islands in Indonesia and grow products like peanuts and peas. Mount Ranai, the highest mountain in Natuna archipelago at 1.035 m, is located on this island.

There are some great areas for diving here, the waters of the South China Sea around the island can offer an unique underwater world, the coral is normally found within five to ten meters below sea level and 50 to 750 meters from the shore.

Smaller islands like Senoa to the northeast can also offer white beaches and coral reefs, Panjang to the northwest is known for the protected green turtle, and can be reached by boat from Natuna Besar in 30 minutes. Totally there are about 20 small islands surrounding Natuna Besar.

Custom clothing from Riau Island

Source: Wikipedia Indonesia

Riau Province

Riau is a province of Indonesia, located in the center of Sumatra island along the Strait of Malacca. The provincial capital and largest city is Pekanbaru. Other major cities includes Dumai, Bangkinang and Siak Sri Indrapura. Indonesian was based on the Riau version of Malay.

Riau is one of the richest provinces in Indonesia. This province is rich with natural resources, particularly petroleum and natural gas, rubber, and palm oil.The province was once heavily forested lowlands, but with palm oil plantations and logging being major industries it is losing around 2.000 square km of forest per year.

In 2005 the forest cover was down to 33% (or 27.000 square km) from 78% (or 64.000 square km) in 1982. [2]Being a shallow province, the coastal regions are rapidly losing land to the ocean.

Tourist Destination

Siak Sri Indrapura

Siak Sri Indrapura was the centre of an Islamite Malayan kingdom, which enjoyed its golden age from the 18th through 20th century. Sultan Abdul Jalil Rakhmad Syah founded the kingdom in 1725. He was the first in a family tree of 12 sultans who would reign until 1945.

In November 1945, the last sultan, Sultan Syarif Kasyim II, sent a cable to the president of Republic of Indonesia stating his loyalty to the republic, and he contributed his properties to the struggle of independence.

The old palace of Siak Sri Indrapura is definitely worth a visit. It is located 125 km northeast from Pekanbaru and can best be reached from Pekanbaru over land. It was built 1889 by Sultan Abdul Jalil Syarifuddin, in the 11th of 12th sultans who ruled Siak from 1725 to 1945 the M Arches and Minarets give the palace a strong Indian Moghui look representative of stills during the colonials times.

Balai Adat

Many of Pekanbaru's buildings, including ones recently constructed, are built in traditional Riau-Malay architectural style. One of these buildings is Balai Adat, or Adat Community House at Diponegoro Street. Decorated with woodcarvings and woven cloth motives, its architecture represents the glory of Riau-Malay culture.

Balai Adat has initially been built to accommodate various activities relating to Resam Malayan Riau custom, but now is also the place for various meeting gatherings.

Riau Cultural Park

South of the city centre, not far from the airport, is Pekanbaru's museum, housing historical remains from the region. The museum is built in traditional Riau-Malay style. Next door to the museum is Taman Budaya Riau, which comprises several traditional houses.

The place is designated as the centre of cultural activities. The museum known by the name of Sang Nila Utama is a Malay traditional architectural model building located at Jenderal Sudirman Street Pekanbaru, not far from Sultan Syarif Kasim II airport.

The museum, which is opened daily, except on Sunday and holidays, is keeping various collection of objects of art, history and culture from Riau area in general. Next to the museum, there is also a building with nearly similar architectural feature, i.e. Riau Cultural Park Building, which is appropriated as the centre of various art and cultural activity.

Muara Takus

Near Muaramahat, some 122 km west of Pekanbaru off the main road to Bukittinggi, are the ruins of Muara Takus, an ancient temple complex close to the bank of the river Kampar Kanan. Standing in a remote area amid Sumatra's tropical forest, the temple is a mysterious entity.

Archeological experts have not yet been able to confirm when the temple has been built. Short inscriptions found among the ruins point to a date in the 11th or 12th century. Other relates the complex to Srivijaya Buddhist Empire, which ruled in Sumatra in the 8th through 10th century. Some opinions go even back to the 4th century.

Custom clothing from Riau

Source: Wikipedia Indonesia

West Sumatra

The history of West Sumatra is closely related to the history of the Minangkabau people. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area surrounding the Limapuluh Koto regency forms the first area inhabited by the Minangkabau. This interpretation seems to be justified as the area of the Limapuluh Koto regency covers a number of large rivers which meet at the eastern part of the Sumatran coastline.

The rivers were known have provided important sailing transportation from the previous era to the end of the last century. The Minangkabau ancestors were believed to have arrived on this route. They sailed from Asia (Indo-China) via the South China Sea, crossing the Malacca Strait and later settled along the Kampar, Siak and Indragiri (or Kuantan) rivers. A portion of them lived and developed their culture and traits around the Limapuluh Koto regency.

The integration with migrants in the ensuing periods introduced cultural changes and an increase in population. Their settlement area gradually became diminished and eventually they spread to other parts of West Sumatra. A portion of them went to the Agam regency while others went to the now Tanah Datar regency.

From those areas onward, further spread of the population occurred north of the Agam regency, in particular, the Lubuk Sikaping. Rao and Ophir districts. Most of them settled in the western area such as the coastline and some in the southern parts in Solok, Selayo and the surrounding areas of Muara and Sijunjung.

The prime tourist attractions of West Sumatra are the natural environment, and the culture and history of the MinangKabau and mentawai people. Natural attractions of the mainland include the tropical forests, mountains, volcanos, lakes, valleys, rivers & waterfalls in the highlands, the fauna and flora, and the beaches around Padang. Many areas are protected as part of National Parks and Reserves.

The city of Bukit Tinggi is a popular central location in the highlands from which to explore the culture and history of the Minangkabau people, including architecture, crafts, dances, music and food.

There are a number of museums and cultural centers. Pariaman has one of the famous festivals, Tabuik. The Mentawai Island, are a popular destination for surfers and those looking to experience the culture and more primitive lifestyle of the Mentawai people.

Jam Gadang - the Clock Tower in the downtown of Bukittinggi.

Another favourite tourism places are: Panorama - Viewing to Sianok valley, Air Manih beach - The beach that stretch from the north to south of Padang coastal, Padang mountain, Caroline beach, Pagarruyung - The Pagarruyung palace in Batusangkar, Harau valley, Lake Maninjau, Lake Singkarak, Lake Diatas and Lake Dibawah.

Lake Maninjau

Custom clothing from West Sumatra

Source: Wikipedia Indonesia

North Sumatra

The province of North Sumatra stretches across the island of Sumatra between the Indian Ocean and the Strait Malacca. It borders Aceh province on the northwest and Riau and West Sumatra provinces on the southeast. It has an area of 70787 km².

The province contains a broad, low plain along the Strait of Malacca coast; the provincial capital, Medan, is located here. In the south and west, the land rises to the mountain range that runs the length of Sumatra; the mountains here are dominated by Lake Toba, formed from the caldera of an ancient volcano. Several large islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sumatra are part of North Sumatra, most notably Nias, Tanah Bala, Tanah Masa, and Pini.

Sumatra Mandheling and Sumatra Lintong coffee beans are grown in North Sumatra and largely exported to the U.S. Mandheling is named after the similarly spelt Mandailing people located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The name is the result of a misunderstanding by the first foreign purchaser of the variety, and no coffee is actually produced in the "Mandailing region". Lintong on the other hand, is named after the Lintong district, also located in North Sumatra.

Lake Toba, the crater lake in the middle of the province, is a popular tourist resort, especially the town of Parapat on its shore. Its cool and dry mountain climate makes it the perfect place to relax.

SamosirSamosir, the giant, dry "Island of the Dead" in the middle of Danau Toba is a grim reminder of a second powerful eruption, about 30,000 years ago. In that time, a secondary peak formed, which split later, and came back down again. The eastern part now forms the peninsula of Prapat and the shores until Porsea, and the western border of Samosir. The island measures 45 by 20 km, and originally was a peninsula.

It only became a peninsula after the Dutch arrived and dug a canal across the small piece of land of 200 metres in 1906. This action seemed to have a lot to do among the local population, because they thought the island would slip away towards the middle of the lake and simply disappear

Fruits in Berastagi

The town of Berastagi, located at the foot of Mount Sibayak, will greet you with its lovely flowers. The smell of fresh vegetables and the colorful and aromatic arrangements of fruit will etch their place in your memory. Try markisah (Passion Fruit)...

NIAS ISLAND

A small island, 130 km long and 45 km wide, Nias lying just 125 km off Sumatra's west coast, administratively belonged to the North Sumatra, province. Like any other western isiand off Sumatra, Nias stands quite apart.

Its rugged terrain, malarial climate and warlike population having served to isolate from the mainstream of Sumatran culture for many centuries. As a result, Nias never experienced the dramatic influx of Indian, Islam and Eur opean cultural influences to the degree these were felt in other areas.

The islands's inhabitants have instead followed their own line of development, building on an earlier Austronesian sub-strata of culture which they hold in common with other Indonesian peoples.

Today they are best known for their spectacular tribal art and architecture, a uniqye style that has fascinated generations of scholars and collectors. Not much is known about the island's prehistory which is a pity, since the inhabitants have been working in durable stone and bronze for a very long time.

Custom clothing from Batak

Source: Wikipedia Indonesia

Aceh

The mountainous province of Aceh consists of the entire northern tip of Sumatera, and guards the entrance to the most important sea-route of Asia: Malacca Strait. Almost all traffic over sea between West and East passes this sea-lane, and Aceh has been the first land for Arab and Indian merchants for centuries.

Against the end of the 13th century the trading posts and small principalities which were scattered along the coast of Aceh, had developed into the first Islamic states of Indonesia. Marco Polo visited Aceh in 1292. He told about the Islamic principalities of Peurlak and Samudra.During the 'Golden Age' in the early 17th century, under the rule of the strict and tough Sultan Iskandar Muda, Aceh was one of the biggest trading centers of Asia.

In the most important harbor, Kotaraja, (Banda Aceh), over a dozen languages was spoken. Ever since the 17th century, Aceh has the name to be the most strong Islamic place of entire Southeastern Asia. It did survive Asian and European conquerors, and was independent for a long time.After a long, hard battle against the Dutch colonial troops (1873 - 1903), Aceh got under Dutch rule.

The independent spirit of the Acehnese was actually never broken. In 1953, a revolt broke out against the central government in Jakarta, which should last for ten year. The result of that was, that Aceh was named dearah istimewa ('special area'), and got a certain level of autonomy for what concerned religion, rights and education.

Aceh also has reasonable reserved of oil, gold, silver, copper and coal. Since 1980, Aceh contributed between 2 and 3 billion US dollar to the Indonesian government. The BNP per head in Aceh is the highest of the entire country.Unless periods of unrest and the delays in the construction of roads, schools and hospitals, the rural economy still is very flexible.

Aceh's small but fertile coastal plain has seen an overproduction of rice and other market products for centuries. Modern fertilizers have enlarged the rice production and the coastal population is wealthy for Indonesian standards.More than 50 per cent of the population lives in the coastal plains, however big cities are not there.

Even the capital, Banda Aceh, does not have more than 80,000 residents. The largest city after Banda Aceh, Sabang, does only have 25,000 residents, but it's located on the island of Weh. The 600 km long coast between Banda Aceh and Medan is scattered with smaller villages and cities, which are connected with each other by a good main road.

The rough and isolated inland of Aceh forms a big contrast with the coastal plains. Along both sides of the central valley there are giant mountains. This densely forested and low-populated area is the area of the Gayo, a separate ethnical group which admits a form of Islam which has strong pre-Islamic features.Aceh is an ideal place for travelers who want to avoid ridden paths.

Some knowledge of Indonesian is necessary, and an healthy respect for religious feelings of the Acehnese is also very welcome.

Grand Mosque

Acehnese cultures, which are basically colored by Islamic religion. Nevertheless, because of the Hindu and Buddhist cultural impact to Acehnese long before Islam arrived, there is still a little influence of Hindu and Buddhist culture in the Ritual Ceremonies. Acehnese traditional arts contain religious, communal, democratic and heroic identity. Acehnese literature is writtern in Acehnese and Malay (jawi).There are three major ethnic groups in Aceh; Acehnese, Gayo and Alas. The Acehnese are most numerous and inhabit the coastal areas of the region. The Gayo and Alas tribes are numerically minor groups who inhabited the highland of Aceh. The Gayo live in central Aceh while the Alas in southeast Acheh.

Aceh traditional - Kerawang

Saman, a traditional dance from Aceh

Aceh custom clothing

Source: Wikipedia Indonesia

INDONESIA

The Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Republik Indonesia), is a nation in Southeast Asia. Comprising 17,508 islands, it is the world's largest archipelagic state.

With a population of over 234 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country and the most populous Muslim-majority nation, although officially it is not an Islamic state.

Indonesia is a republic, with an elected parliament and president. The nation's capital city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Malaysia.

Other neighboring countries include Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Indonesian archipelago has been an important trade region since at least the seventh century, when the Srivijaya Kingdom formed trade links with China.

Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Under Indian influence, Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished from the early centuries CE.

Muslim traders brought Islam, and European powers fought one another to monopolize trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Exploration.

Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia's history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, corruption, separatism, a democratization process, and periods of rapid economic change.

Across its many islands, Indonesia consists of distinct ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups.

As a unitary state and a nation, Indonesia has developed a shared identity defined by a national language, a majority Muslim population, and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it. Indonesia's national motto, "Bhinneka tunggal ika" ("Unity in Diversity" lit. "many, yet one"), articulates the diversity that shapes the country.

However, sectarian tensions and separatism have led to violent confrontations that have undermined political and economic stability. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world's second highest level of biodiversity.

This country is richly endowed with natural resources, yet poverty is a defining feature of contemporary Indonesia.

Source: Wikipedia Indonesia