Tag: Indonesia
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Kuta: Terima Kasih
I spend my final afternoon in Kuta Beach, the main tourist drag of Kuta in southern Bali. Heavy clouds drift overhead, casting a gloomy look on the long stretch of beach, though the general vibe of the area remains alive. I stroll along the dirty-white sand, passing a surfing school doing lessons with a few…
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Ubud: A (Hurried) Walk to Remember
I wake up to the bus conductor yelling where we are. “Ubud! Ubud!” he wails, as the passengers get off the bus. During the early afternoon drive to this bucolic town in the middle of Bali, all image of paradise I had in my mind of this Indonesian island were quickly replaced by grinding traffic…
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Mount Bromo: Visiting Java’s Most Iconic Volcano
Mount Bromo is one of Indonesia’s most iconic volcanoes, famous for its otherworldly landscape, sunrise views from Penanjakan, and crater hike. In this guide, I’ll share my experience visiting Bromo from Probolinggo, plus practical tips on how to get there, costs, and what to expect. It’s already dark when I reach Probolinggo, just like Desy…
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Surabaya: Transit Point
Large billboards and tall buildings tower above the wide highways as the train grinds to a halt at Surabaya’s Gubeng station. A month earlier, I had never known much about Surabaya – that it’s the capital and the largest city of East Java, and that it had played a very significant role in Indonesian independence,…
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Yogyakarta: Tuesday with Reni (or the Six Religions You Meet in Indonesia)
“The Javanese believe that the placenta is the twin child of a newborn,” Reni Fatmasari says, holding a clay pot delicately while examining its smooth sides. “It is for this reason that when a baby is born, the mother’s placenta is placed in a pot like this, then buried in front of the house for…
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Borobudur: Buddha’s Delight
In the darkness of the minutes before dawn, Arik and I are negotiating the steep stairway up the Borobudur. The only source of light in the enveloping blackness is our flashlights. I quicken my pace on the last few steps. The air is cold and the stars overhead bring a feeling of calmness. A few…
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Prambanan: Day Trip to Hindu Times
A gust of cool wind brings a respite to the early afternoon heat. I squint into the sun at the sign that should tell me I’ve reached my destination. Then a young Indonesian man asks me in the local language, which I answer with nothing but a clueless look, slightly slack-jawed. “I’m sorry, I don’t…
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Jakarta: Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
I am inside a coffee house in central Jakarta, nibbling on baked macaroni and cheese pie and sipping iced espresso. Strangely, a feeling of calmness greets me. A pleasant day has just begun, and though all forms of transport are hurtling through the streets of Indonesia’s notorious capital, it’s not as assaulting as I have…
The Tourist Gaze 