Honda Concept C

 Unveiled a the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, the Honda Concept C is study of a midsize sedan specifically targeted for the Chinese Market.

The Concept C previews a production model currently under development, and expected to go on sale in 2013.

The aggressive design is characterized by a rather flowing roofline and a sculpted body, with the surface treatment showcasing an elaborate interplay of sharp lines.

The focus on the Chinese taste appears particularly evident in the rather busy front and rear areas.

According to the company, the “C” represents “Cool,” “Challenge,” and “China”, while the sporty design that was inspired by the image of a dragon.

The product planning for this model was led by Honda’s Chinese associates and the development was done through cooperation between development teams in China and Japan.

LG Optimus True HD LTE (P936) Smartphone Specifications, Features

 LG recently made the official introduction of its all new smartphone in Germany, the LG Optimus True HD LTE.The Smartphone is previously named as LG P936 Optimus LTE. 

 The new LG Optimus True HD LTE comes equipped with a 4.5-inch touchscreen True HD IPS display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution and is powered with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor along with 1GB RAM and 4GB internal memory.

 Other LG Optimus True HD LTE Smartphone features includes 8MP rear autofocus camera with LED flash, 1.3 megapixel camera front end camera for video calls, LTE, HSPA+, HDMI, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA and a microSD card slort (16GB already included) that supports upto 32GB card.

 New LG Optimus True HD LTE Smartphone runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS and comes in only black shade(color) option.The True HD LTE Smartphone weighs 135 grams and its dimensions are 133.9 x 67.9 x 10.48 mm.

 The price details of Optimus True HD LTE smartphone in Europe market is not revealed yet.

Nokia Lumia 900 Review: Can It Save Windows Phone?

 The Nokia Lumia 900 could be one of the last chances for the Windows Phone platform. Does it deliver or will Microsoft's mobile OS continue to get trounced by the competition?

At the time of this review, the Nokia Lumia 900 is available for $99 through AT&T with a new two-year contract and data plan.

  Overview

 The Nokia Lumia 900 has a lot riding on its shoulders. Given the relative lack of success of Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform due to stiff competition from Android and iOS, Nokia is hoping to bring the Metro-based OS to the forefront of the mobile world with this flagship handset. It’s big, it’s powerful, it’s got LTE, and it’s even super affordable at $99 with a two-year contract. But is it the Windows Phone savior?

Build & Design

The large footprint of the Lumia 900 belies its weight. Despite the fact that it’s a whopping 5.03 x 2.7 x 0.45-inches, it only weighs 5.6 ounces, a mere half-ounce heavier than my much smaller HTC Trophy. As impressive as that is though, I don’t care much for phones that are so large that they’re borderline small tablets; I think it defeats the purpose of a smartphone by limiting its portability and making it generally uncomfortable to hold or operate one-handed.

At least the Lumia 900 has a unique build going for it, what with its rounded sides but sharp corners. When viewed from the top or bottom, it actually takes on an oval shape which is a little unusual. I didn’t dislike the design, per se, but it definitely took some getting used to. What I really took issue with, however, was the lack of any sort of rubberized texture or surface on the phone’s body. More than once during my time with it, the handset slipped right out of my hand like a bar of soap thanks to its smooth polycarbonate casing (don’t worry, Nokia, I caught it before it hit the ground).

Display

Though the resolution of the Lumia 900’s screen is only 800 x 480, it still looks fantastic. The AMOLED display produces vibrant colors and deep blacks, even if images aren’t as sharp as those viewed on displays with higher resolutions or pixel densities (like the one found on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus). And while I may not be a fan of the phone’s gigantic form factor, I have to admit that the 4.3-inch size of the screen makes reading text and viewing videos and pictures quite a pleasure. The Corning Gorilla Glass that’s used in the Lumia 900’s display also gives it a nice quality look and feel while maintaining excellent responsiveness with touch controls.

Perhaps most importantly, though, the Lumia 900 features Nokia’s ClearBlack display technology, which decreases the reflectance of the screen. Not only does this feature help increase visibility in the outdoors and direct sunlight, it also helps the screen look brighter and clearer when indoors. The phone’s display always looked intensely bright and colors were deeply saturated even without cranking the brightness up to the highest setting; I could leave it on automatic and still consistently enjoy a beautiful-looking screen.

 

Keyboard

The Lumia 900 does not feature a physical keyboard, so users will have to settle for using a virtual one. But as much as I despise virtual keyboards, if I had to pick one to be stuck with, it would probably be the stock Windows Phone keyboard. Its autocorrect is surprisingly intuitive (and its word bank expansive), so even if I’m cruising my way through a text and mistyping every single word incorrectly, it still almost always manages to turn out the way I wanted it to. That is, of course, unless I use particularly obscure words or proper nouns, in which case things can get a little ugly when I inevitably mistype them.

Other Buttons and Controls

Given that this is a Windows phone, Nokia kept things relatively simple, per Microsoft’s specifications. The left side of the device is devoid of any buttons, while the right side is host to a volume up/down rocker, the power/standby switch, and a dedicated camera key. The bottom of the device is where its primary speaker can be found, and the backside features a camera with a Carl Zeiss f/2.2 lens and its dual LED flash.

The top of the phone is where users can find the 3.5mm headphone jack, a micro USB port (for charging), and, perhaps my least favorite part of the design, the SIM card tray. Rather than just having a slot behind a little tab or door, users have to insert an included pin-like key into a tiny hole on the top of the Lumia 900 to eject a small tray that holds the phone’s SIM card. Those who need to swap out their SIM cards on an even semi-regular basis are going to find it inconvenient to have to carry around and use a little key in order to get access to the phone’s SIM tray. Maybe it’s just me, but I would have preferred if this phone was a No-Key-a. Sorry, that was terrible.

Hand Truck Operation

• When loading hand trucks, keep your feet clear of the wheels

• Do not exceed the manufacturer's load rated capacity; read the capacity plate on the hand truck if you are unsure

• Place the load so that it will not slip, shift or fall; use the straps, if they are provided, to secure the load

• For extremely bulky or pressurized items such as gas cylinders, strap or chain the items to the hand truck

• Tip the load slightly forward so that the tongue of the hand truck goes under the load

• Push the tongue of the hand truck all the way under the load that is to be moved

• Keep the center of gravity of the load as low as possible by placing heavier objects below the lighter objects

• Push the load so that the weight will be carried by the axle and not the handles

• If your view is obstructed, ask a spotter to assist in guiding the load

• Do not walk backward with the hand truck, unless going up stairs or ramps

• When going down an incline, keep the hand truck in front of you so that it can be controlled at all times

• Move hand trucks at a walking pace

• Store hand trucks with the tongue under a pallet, shelf, or table

West Sumatera

• Air Manis - a charming fishing village close to Padang and on the southerly side of the Sungai Batang Arau river. The nearby dark sandy beach is the top attraction that Air Manis has to offer.

•  Bukittinggi - a market town surrounded by a very verdant volcanic landscape, with a scenic background comprising the mountains of Merapi, Sago and Singgalang. The tourist strip in Bukittinggi is based around the Jalan Ahmad Yani. Attractions in Bukittinggi include the Pasar Atas market, the Benteng Fort (Benteng de Kock), the Taman Bundo Kandung Zoo, the Japanese Caves (Gua Jepang), the Big Clock Tower (Jam Gadang) and the Taman Panorama, which has breathtaking vistas across the Sianok Canyon (Ngarai Sianok). Further sightseeing options around Bukittinggi are available and include the handicraft villages of Koto Gadang and Pandai Sikat, the Batang Palupuh Nature Reserve, the Lembah Anai Nature Reserve, the Gunung Merapi volcano, and the village of Silinduang, where the Rumah Gadang Pagaruyung (King's Palace)is to be found. 

•  Danau Maninjau - an awesome and very photogenic lake, with jaw-dropping mountain scenery and endless vantage points.

• Harau Valley - a tiny village encircled by green rice paddies and areas of jungle to the north-east of Payakumbuh. The Harau Valley is where the much-visited Lamba Harau waterfalls are to be found. Gibbons can often be heard howling in the neighbouring jungle.

• Kerinci Valley - an area of extreme natural beauty, lying within the Bukit Barisan and alongside the westerly border of Jambi. Attractions in the Kerinci Valley include the tea plantations at the Kayo Aro Estate, the village of Kersik Tua, the town of Sungaipenuh, and also the vast Kirinci Seblat National Park, which is Sumatra's biggest and home to the Gunung Kerinci volcano, the lakes of Danau Gunung Tujuh and Danau Kerinci, and the Sengering Caves - including the Gua Tiangko.

• Mentawai Islands - an island chain which had virtually no contact with the outside world until the 20th century and believed to have been separated from mainland Sumatra some 500,000 years ago. Siberut is the biggest of the Mentawai Islands and the most densely populated, and is now classed as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, with the westerly side of the island being dominated by the Siberut National Park. The Mentawai Islands is famed for both its exceptional surf breaks and also its sizeable primate population, including groups of rare black-and-yellow Siamang Kerdil monkeys. 

• Padang - a large and modern city with a population of around 900,000 people, with good ongoing transportation connections to destinations such as Jakarta,Kuala Lumpur Malaysia and Singapore. Central Padang is relatively compact and easy to get around, with some interesting attractions based within its historical Old Quarter, along the Jalan Batang Arau. Close by and on the Jalan Diponegoro, look out for the Adityawarman Museum, and the Taman Budaya Cultural Centre, or take a stroll along the beachfront promenade and enjoy the views. Padang is also a good starting point for excursions to the Mentawai Islands and the Pantai Bungus beach.

Gending Sriwijaya Dancing

This dance was held to welcome the special guests who visit the area, such as the head of the Republic of Indonesia,the cabinet minister, head of state / government of the state, minister,ambassador or which is considered equivalent to that.To welcome the guests washeld a magnificent traditional dances is one of Sriwijaya gending, this dance comes from the heyday of empire Sriwijaya in Palembang, which reflects the attitude host a friendly, cheerful and happy, sincere and open to guests whoare special.Sriwijaya dance gending held a 9 dancers young and beautiful clothes ber of Adat Aesan Gede, Selendang Mantri, paksangkong, Dodot and Tanggai. They are the core of the dancers be under guard two other dancers bring an umbrella and spear. Are behind the singer is once gending Sriwijaya.

However, at this time the role of performers and music this train is more replaced tape recorder. In the form of original music suite consists of gamelan andgong. The role of guards are sometimes eliminated, especially if it be dance orstage in the building is closed. In front of the dancers take it as a Fore word to be devoted to the special guests who came, accompanied the two dancers who bring pridon made of brass. The Foreword is originally only done by girls king,sultan, or noble. Pridon bearer is usually familiar wet nurse or the nurse daughter. Thus the other dancers, dancers.

To welcome the guests was held a magnificent traditional dances is one of Sriwijaya gending, this dance comes from the heyday of empire Sriwijaya in Palembang, which reflects the attitude host a friendly, cheerful and happy, sincere and open to guests who are special.Sriwijaya dance gending held a 9 dancers young and beautiful clothesber of Adat Aesan Gede, Selendang Mantri, paksangkong, Dodot and Tanggai. Theyare the core of the dancers be under guard two other dancers bring an umbrella and spear. Are behind the singer is once gending Sriwijaya.However, at this time the role of performers and music this train is more replaced taperecorder. In the form of original music suite consists of gamelan and gong. 

The role of guards are sometimes eliminated, especially if it be dance or stage in the building is closed. In front of the dancers take it as a Foreword to bedevoted to the special guests who came, accompanied the two dancers who bringpridon made of brass. The Foreword is originally only done by girls king,sultan, or noble. Pridon bearer is usually familiar wet nurse or the nurse daughter. Thus the other dancers, dancers.

East Kalimantan

Gantar Dancing

This dance comes from Dayak Benuaq and Tonyooi tribes. This dance is known as a social dance among the youth and alsoa welcome dance. This dance describes gladness and joy in plant paddies/rice.Gantar is a cut of bamboo which is filled with paddies/rice seeds and a long stick named "asek" to make holes to plant paddies/rice.

It also describes a graceful of Dayaktribes to welcome the guests who come to East Kalimantan as tourists orinvestors or the other respected guests then they will be inviting to partaketo dance. The clothes which the dancers use named Ulap "Doyo", realclothes of Dayak Benuaq tribe that taken from doyo fibres. 

Kancet Tebengang Madang

which in Indonesian means Enggang Terbang Dance (Hornbill Flies Dance). This dance comes from Dayak Kenyah tribewhich describe about their transferred from Apau Kayan by disseminating to allof the areas in East Kalimantan to find the better life. 

The Hornbills always follow its leader's command, and so do the Dayak Kenyah people. Hornbill also represents a symbolof peace. This dance starts with “lemaloq” which is an idyll in Dayak Kenyahlanguage that represents a story about their journey. This dance is brought gracefully by the Dayak girls like the Hornbills that fly. 

Hudog Dancing 

This dance comes from Dayak Bahau andModang tribe that represents a dance to chase away the crop pests or bad/evilspirit. Usually, the dancers wear the scary mask to chase away the crop pestsand the bad spirit.

Kancet Hudog Aban 

This dance comes from Dayak Kenyahtribe. Same with the Dayak Bahau tribe, this dance is also meant to chase a way the crop pests and bad/evil spirit which annoying. The difference is just themasks that wore by the dancers, and the dancers from Hudoq Aban are women that wear a veil of beads (Aban).

Belian Bawo Dancing

Belian is one of the cultures of theDayak Dayak Benuaq Tonyooi and tribes to cure ill people. There are many Belianso there are many costumes, moves and music that this dance that follow suitwith the aims of Belian itself. “Pemelian” or shamans act as Mediators amongpeople and the evil / bad spirit in treats the ill people. 

Kancet Pepatai Dancing 

Kancet Pepatai is a dance from DayakKenyah tribe. It describes about the brave men (Ajai) from Dayak Kenyah tribein war. This dance tells about the beginning of war until the given titleceremony for the Ajai which have succeeded to won the war. 

Leleng Dancing

Leleng in Kenyah Ianguage means to turnaround (to and fro). There is Utan Along (a name of a motherless girl) whohesitates because of her lover went and didn't come yet. Turn around means ofher hesitating. Just like a hesitate people that usual to and fro, and then sodo with Utan Along. That's why it names Leleng Dance. This Dance starts withthe song of Leleng which tells about the Utan Along's story. 

Ngelawai Dancing 

Thisdance accompanies by “Rendete” music, a typical music of Dayak Tonyoi-Benuaqtribes. This dance brings by beautiful girls that wears a long shawl and dancegracefully. This dance usually brought as a welcome dance.

Nias Island

• Bawomataluo - the most well-known and accessible of all the southerly villages on the island of Pulau Nias, and perched rather precariously upon a hillside. Tourism has recently arrived in Bawomataluo and souvenir sellers will likely compete for your business. The views of nearby Orihili's rooftops are quite impressive, as are the occasional war dances and stone jumping performances. 

• Botohili - a small and appealing hillside village situated on the peninsula of Pantai Lagundri. Rows of traditional houses make up the landscape of Botohili, while close by, Hilimaeta and Lagundri are also worth a look. 

• Gomo- lying within the central highlands and close to a number of traditional village attractions. The Gomo area is perhaps best known for its ancient menhir monoliths and stone carvings, which are reputed to date back more than 3,000 years and are to be found in Lahusa Idanotae, Tetegewo and Tundrumbaho.

• Hilinawalo Mazingo- a remote village with one main attraction, the Chieftan's House (Omo Hada), which is used as a meeting place for no less than seven surrounding villages. Pantai Sorake / Teluk Lagundri- located alongside Lagundri Bay and famed for its strong waves, perfect for keen surfers. At the beach of Pantai Sorake, the surfing season falls between June and October.

• Teluk Dalam- a hectic port town, which features a good choice of shops and banks, and handy connections to outlying beaches.

Sail Banda kicks off

The much awaited international marine event of Sail Banda kicked off in Darwin onSaturday.

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono flagged off49 of 106 foreign yachts to mark the start of the Sail Banda 2010 at Darwin'sCullen Bay, Antara news agency reported.

Spokesperson for the Maluku Culture and Tourism Office Florence Sahusilawane said participants of the event were scheduled to reach Banda Neira in on July27.

Sahusilawane said all the yachts would also participate in a series of cultural festivals at different stopovers in Indonesia in the next three months,including the islands of Timor, Banda, Ambon, Buton, Lembata, Wakatobi, Flores,Sulawesi, Bali, Java, Borneo, Belitung and Batam or Bintan.

Located about 132 kilometers southeast of the provincial capital of Ambon,Banda Islands are made up of three larger islands and seven smaller onesperched on the rim of Indonesia`s deepest sea, the Banda Sea.

A reception ceremony attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will beheld on Aug. 3 for the participants.

Maluku governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said his administration would ensureorder and security during the event.

At Sail Banda 2010, SBY Sees Hope For Maluku

Theheavy downpours may have battered the port of Ambon during Tuesday’s peak eventof Sail Banda 2010, but it failed to temper the excitement felt by thousands ofAmbonese residents. The port was crowded with people trying to catch a glimpseof President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono.

In great anticipation, the crowds lined both sides of the streets, includingschoolchildren, who were dismissed early to join the throngs of people, waitingpatiently in the rain.

In his speech Yudhoyono said that with Sail Banda 2010 the country would usethe momentum to promote Indonesian marine diversity and to help develop remoteislands.

Sail Banda 2010 is an international maritime event aimed at showcasing howMaluku has overcome years of conflict.

Yudhoyono declared Maluku — long famed as the “Spice Islands” — as the“National Fish Belt”. “These areas have the potential of producing 1.64 milliontons of fish a year. This is a huge potential that will benefit the welfare ofthe people,” Yudhoyono said.

A parade of naval ships from Indonesia and the participating countries tookplace as part of the maritime event.

Joint operations have been carried out by the navies of Indonesia, Singapore,Australia, New Zealand and the United States to offer free health treatment toresidents in the run-up to Sail Banda 2010.

Also, a choir sang the song Rinduku Padamu (My Longing For You). The song,written by Yudhoyono, is the title song of his first album launched in 2007.

Sail Banda 2010 will be completed on Indonesian Independence Day on Aug. 17.

Playing Hooky in Ambon

Headingeast to the Maluku Islands, formerly known as the Moluccas, had always been onmy things-to-do-before-I-die list, thanks to the alluring descriptions intravel guidebooks and images friends had posted on Facebook. So when my editorassigned me to cover Sail Banda 2010 on an invitation from the Ministry ofMaritime Affairs and Fisheries, I believed I was the luckiest writer in theoffice.

I woke up early for a sleepy-eyed cab ride to Soekarno-Hatta InternationalAirport to catch my flight for Ambon, the capital of Maluku province.

The rushed and panicked crowd milling around the check-in counter of thelow-cost airline I was flying with made it feel more like a hectic marketplacethan an airport.

The flight to Ambon took about four hours, with a 20-minute transfer atMakassar Airport in South Sulawesi.

I took the opportunity to look around the new terminal, built in 2008, and itsbright, modern interior put gloomy, dull Soekarno-Hatta to shame.

Stepping off the plane at Ambon’s Pattimura Airport, I was immediately awarethat I was quite far away from home, both physically and psychologically.

The way people looked, talked and called to each other was different, andthat’s what I’m after when traveling. Ambonese people tend to be tall,dark-skinned and speak in fast, high-pitched voices that get even faster near the end of their sentences.

The first thing that excited me was when I heard people use the word “beta,”which means “I” in its land of origin.

"Sail Morotai" promoted in s Korea

TheNorth Maluku province would host "Sail Morotai" in 2012.

Therefore, during his visit to South Korea, North Maluku Governor Thaib Armaiynwould promote that international maritime and yachting event there, Acting Headof Morotai district, Sukemi Sahab, said.

"Governor Thaib Armaiyn are now in the Republic of Korea. During hisvisit, he will promote the Sail Morotai to the South Korean communitymembers," he told ANTARA on Tuesday.

The governor was in South Korea to join the Investment National CoordinatingBoard`s investment promotion mission. Besides that, he would also introduce theSail Morotai to South Koreans, he said.

For North Maluku, the Sail Morotai was a meaningful and strategic internationalevent because it would put the province on to the world`s tourism andinvestment maps, he said.

The comings of foreign tourists and sailors to the Sail Morotai events wouldintroduce the greatness of North Maluku province`s tourism and investmentpotentials, he said.

"For the Morotai Island district, Sail Morotai will positively contributeto tourism, investment, and infrastructure construction," he said.

In making the Sail Morotai get success, the North Maluku provincial governmenthad proposed a budget of about 200 billion rupiah to central government inJakarta.

The government`s funds would be used for preparing basic infrastructures suchas roads, bridges, airport, and public facilities to support the Sail Morotaiin a short time, he said.

This international event was initially introduced by President Susilo BambangYudhoyono when officiating the move of North Maluku capital from Ternate toSofifi, he said.

In 2010, the annual event of Sail Indonesia had a theme of "SailBanda" in which the Maluku provincial government was the host.

As part of the promotion strategies and ways to welcome the sailors, the hostdid not only organize communal festivities and cultural events but alsoprovided their guests with tourism and investment booklets.

Through this annual yacht event, Indonesia is expected to remain in the routemap of international sailors as one of the secure marine tourism destinations.

Over the past years, the Sail Indonesia`s participating international yachtsstart sailing to the Indonesian waters from Darwin, the capital of Australianstate of Northern Territory.

Among the participating skippers were from the United States of America, NewZealand, United Kingdom, Sweden, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, andSwitzerland

Maluku`s Pombo Island to be another tourist attraction

Surroundedby white sandy beaches marked by natural purity and crystal clear water, thesmall island of Pombo in Maluku needs to be turned into another touristattraction in the "province of one thousands islands."

Having a good time with family members at the beach around the efficiently andenvironmentally friendly island of Pombo will be an unforgettable experiencefor the visitors.

Since Pombo Island is part of Central Maluku district, the local culture andtourism office has undoubtedly called on investors to develop that coralisland`s tourism potential.

Central Maluku Culture and Tourism Office spokesman Mansyur Tawainela said inAmbon on Thursday that investors were expected to develop Pombo Island andpreserve its natural tourism heritage as another tourism object in Maluku.

Maluku province is a chain of around 1,000 islands, extending over 851,000square kilometers.

Some of the islands are volcanic regions covered with luxurious vegetation andthe others are surrounded with the finest coral reefs and atolls with crystalclear waters.

The beaches there are lined with swaying coconuts that make them some of thefinest in the world, and one of them is at Pombo Island.

Therefore Mansyur said he was prepared to facilitate the investors who wantedto develop that tiny island, located northeast of Ambon, into a marine andnatural tourism destination in Central Maluku district.

"Pombo Island has natural and undersea beauty that can make the visitorsfeel at home once they set foot on the island," Mansyur said, adding thatthe most interesting part of the island was its natural purity and beauty.

Pombo Island is geographically close to Liang, Waai, and Tulehu villages atSalahutu subdistrict in Ambon Island, and near Kailolo village in HarukuIsland.

Mansyur said the development of Pombo Island into a tourism object should alsobe approved by Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan because of the island`s statusas a nature preserve.

"We are ready to give a recommendation to the forestry minister if theinvestors have met various requirements," Mansyur said, adding that Liang,Waai, Tulehu, and Kailolo villagers would also be encouraged to participate inmaking Pombo Island tourism development a success.

According to him, an investor from Jakarta had an intention to develop PomboIsland into a tourism object, because a team of the investor was currentlymaking a familiarization with Liang, Waai, Tulehu, and Kailolo villagers.

Pombo Island is about 30 minutes from the coast of Waai Village by boat and ittakes approximately 45 minutes to get to Waai from Ambon City.

Mansyur said the travelers to Pombo Island could get there by boat, provided bythe local agencies.

The agencies will also provide the visitors with diving equipment so that theycan dive to enjoy the beauty and amazing Pombo Island`s underwater world.

"The colorful fishes swim across so that all divers may photograph orcapture the moment by video cameras. The complete species of fishes may be observedby observers who want to make research," Mansyur said.

Meanwhile, Din Kelilauw of Ambon residence said that not only the completecollection of fishes that would amaze the scuba diver but also its coral reefas the fishes home redecorated the scene.

The tropical sun shine will brighten the scene and give certain effect on thephotographs, so that we recommend Pombo Island as a destination for challengingfamily holiday, Kelilauw said.

Pombo Island marine recreation park comprises an area of 1,000 hectares withnothing more than sandy beaches and coral debris, covered by shrubs and nestingtrees for various big and small birds species.

But unfortunately the coral reefs immediately surrounding the island areheavily damaged, and only a small area south-east of Pombo Island is stillworth visiting.

Pombo Island marine park, an atoll with white sandy beach inhabited by seagulls, is also located just across from Ambon Island`s Honimua beach at Liangvillage.

"But Honimua beach sometimes looks desolate even on holidays or weekends,because people now prefer going to other places," said Rosny Marasabessy,a visitors from Ambon.

She admitted that holiday makers seldom visited Honimua beach because it wasrather far from Ambon while its services and recreation facilities were notgood enough.

The beauty of Liang`s Honimua beach seemed to have been grossly neglected bythe local government, whereas this tourism asset needed the attention of allparties in the region.

Liang village head Abdul Razak Opier said to take care of the facilities atHonimua beach the village administration got only Rp1.5 million for the period2009-2010 from the local government.

But now, Maluku tourism and culture office spokesperson Ima Tualeka said, therecreation and other facilities at the beach would be rehabilitated andupgraded to attract more tourists.

Maluku`s culture and tourism authorities also made every effort to do anupgrading and rehabilitating job on the facilities at Honimua beach to make itmore presentable to tourists and other visitors.

The stretch of pristine beach at Liang village in Salahatu sub-district whichin the 1990s was rated as the most beautiful seashore in Indonesia by the UNDevelopment Program (UNDP) once attracted many visitors, but somehow it becamea forgotten recreational spot.

Located northeast of Leihitu Promontory, Honimua beach facing Seram Island usedto draw numerous visitors on holidays and weekends.

There was also a restaurant, run by local people to provide visitors withtypically local food , baked fish, and so-called "Colo-Colo."

Time for North Maluku to become tourist destination

TheMinistry of Culture and Tourism will promote North Maluku as a touristdestination besides the already existing ten, an promotion official of theministry said.

Deputy Director for Promotion of Destination Area V of the Ministry of Cultureand Tourism Diah Widiati said here on Sunday that ten tourist destinationsregistered by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) are Bali, West Java,Central Java, East Java, Jakarta, North Sumatra, Lampung, South Sulawesi, SouthSumatra, Banten and West Sumatra.

Actually, East Indonesian province has the potential of cultural and tourismwhich can lure a great number of local and foreign tourists if it is introducedproperly, Diah Widiati.
"Thus, we promoted North Maluku, in the hope of attracting moretourists," she said.

Apart from intensifying tourism promotion, Diah said that her office alsorequired the provincial administration to prepare proper transportation andaccommodation facilities for the tourists.

Data obtained from the provincial administration showed that only 1,500tourists visited North Maluku in the January-April, 2011, period.

According to her, a similar problem is also facing Papua province which was notregistered by the Central Statistics Agency as one of Indonesia`s touristdestinations although Papua has fascinating undersea wealth.

One of the tourism potentials which can attract tourists to Papua province is "PulauRaja Empat". a beautiful island with fascinating undersea wealth.

Garudapassengers to enjoy special Maluku cuisine

Eastbound passengers of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will soon be servedwith typical Maluku foods.

In a bid to make Garuda Indonesia passengers have a pleasant flight whileenjoying special foods from Maluku, the company is currently exploring thepossibility of cooperating with the province`s culinary entrepreneurs, capableof supplying local foods to be served on Garuda flights.

On June 3, 2010 Garuda resumed its Jakarta-Ambon route with a stopover inMakassar, South Sulawesi.

The Jakarta-Makassar-Ambon route is being served with aircraft having acapacity for 14 to 16 business-class seats and 120 economy-class seats.

Garuda Ambon branch manager Hendra Sumarno said in Maluku provincial city ofAmbon on Tuesday that the possibility of cooperation with the province`sculinary entrepreneurs was being explored.

"We are currently exploring the possibility of cooperation with culinaryentrepreneurs who can produce traditional Maluku dishes for Garudapassengers," Hendra Sumarno said.

Hendra admitted that since Garuda resumed its Jakarta-Ambon route in July lastyear, he had been thinking about a concept of serving regional typical foods topassengers of the national flag carrier during its flights.

"For several domestic and overseas destinations we serve passengers withsome regional typical foods, and for Jakarta-Amsterdam flights we serve themwith Javanese typical food namely `nasi tumpeng` or rice cone," Hendrasaid.

In October 2010, Garuda Indonesia in cooperation with the Maluku Culture andTourism Office also realized Ambon-Amsterdam route by making use of"Family Trip" program.

"The most important thing is the public awareness to maintain the naturalbeauty of Ambon and its supporting facility to make foreign tourists feel athome," Hendra said.

While for Jakarta-Ambon flights, he said the Garuda passengers were served withMakassar typical food so they wanted to replace it with special cuisine fromMaluku.

"We are at present incessantly doing business transformation to easternIndonesian regions with special service and presentation of regional typicalfoods," he added.

According to him, a team of selectors from Jakarta would go to Ambon forsurveying which culinary entrepreneurs were eligible to serve their typicalfoods to Garuda passengers.

"If we find eligible culinary entrepreneurs who can meet the standard ofGaruda to serve the passengers with Maluku typical foods, we will cooperatewith them," Hendra said.

He added that reasonable service and foods with regional characteristics wouldmake Garuda`s Ambon bound passengers enjoy a comfortable flight.

Nicknamed "Ambon Manise" (Sweet Ambon), the island has views whichare never boring, because wherever one may go, he or she can see the clear bluesea, fused with the green mountains in the distance.

Ambon also has charming and very impressive beaches such as Tanjung beach atLeitimur Peninsula that boats captivating sunset views, Namalatu beach withbeautiful sea gardens at Latuhalat village, white sandy Natsepa beach near thevillage of Suli, and Liang beach at Liang village.

No wonder, Hendra Sumarno said Garuda Indonesia continued to promote the islandcity of Ambon in its cabin magazine with photos and data about tourism.

He said the cover of the magazine displayed Ambon`s marine tourism enchantmentwith "Oh, the Beauty of Ambon Manise" on it.

The magazine is made available on every seat of Garuda aircraft on domestic andoverseas routes.

"The Garuda magazine promoting Ambon tourism is bilingual, Indonesian andEnglish, in an effort to facilitate English speaking passengers to know moreabout Ambon with its hospitable people," Hendra said.

The magazine also displays photos of and data on Ambon`s marine tourism,Waisalaka egg-eating giant eels at Waai village, Amsterdam fort, old mosquesand churches, as well as typical Pantai Natsepa fruit salad of Suli village.

"We are part of Ambon tourism component and therefore, since resuming itsroute to Pattimura airport in June this year Garuda Indonesia has been tryingto make local government program in tourism sector here a success," Hendrasaid.

Airport management company PT Angkasapura-I General Manager Reggynald Kronesthas said Pattimura International Airport in Ambon was also ready to serveinternational flights from Seoul, South Korea.

Reginald has ever said that Pattimura airport had an international standardwith adequate supporting facilities, and therefore it was set to serveinternational flights from other countries including South Korea for businesspurposes.

That is the reason why the Pattimura branch of PT Angkasapura-I has preparedadequate facilities to support Pattimura as an international airport in easternIndonesia.

Reggynald said that even good coordination has been made with relatedinstitutions to support the airport`s services.

"The airport has adequate facilities because we have made a goodcoordination with related institutions such as the immigration to occupy aspace which has been made available at the airport," Reggynald said at thetime.

"So far international flights have yet to be scheduled, and if thishappened, the immigration will occupy the room prepared for it," he said.

Reggynald admitted that Dutch people of Maluku origin were also looking forwardto Amsterdam-Ambon straight flights.

"We are also ready to serve direct flights from and to Amsterdam, theNetherlands, because most of the passengers wanted to visit Maluku to meet withtheir relatives," he said.

Oirata, Favorite Tourist Village In Maluku

Oiratavillage on Kisar Island in Maluku Barat Daya (MBD) district, Maluku Province,has in the past several years been a favorite and idyllic destination forforeign tourists.

In its spice island adventure voyage of discovery from Darwin, Australia, MVOrion cruise ship, with hundreds of Australian, New Zealand, and even Dutchtourists, was again fortunate to come alongside the wharf of Nama beach port onthe west coast of Kisar island on Saturday, July 16, 2011.

MV Orion from Australia with tourists from various countries has during thepast four years made Nama beach part of its regular ports of call to visit thevillage of Oirata.

After berthing at Nama beach and completing formalities on Saturday, thetourists eventually got off the ship and made their way to a convoy of localcars, waiting to take them to Wonreli town for a welcome ceremony.

In small groups with local guides the tourists were invited to explore Kisar`shistory including the remnant architecture from the Dutch period over 400years, and then ushered to Oirata village.

As part of Maluku`s southwestern islands, Kamanasa said Kisar was in the pastone of the remotest and least accessible in all Indonesia, but now it was nolonger isolated.

To date it has basically a few facilities such as accommodations andrestaurants for visitors, but some fine beaches and snorkeling spots of coursecan still be found there.

It might be the reason why Kisar has since the past four years been a regularport of call for the Australian cruise ship.

Geographically, Kisar is closer to Australian continent and culturally nearerto Timor Leste and has a real Timorese feel to it, with villages scattered inthe dry, scrubby interior rather than along the coast.

Sights are limited to a very few colonial buildings such as a ruined old churchat Leklor village, Fort Vollenhove at Nama beach, and Fort Delftshaven atKaisama village which are the most impressive for foreign visitors.

Some of the finest "Ikat Weavings" are found in Kisar, and the bestof these are made by the people of Oirata village with some of uniquetraditional-style houses left.

Previously known as "the Moluccas", the Maluku region is truly acollection of forgotten islands located just north of Australia.

Sitting between New Guinea and Timor Leste, it is part of Wallacea, thelegendary deep water area that separates the Australian and Asian continentplates.

The southwest corner of Maluku is virtually inaccessible but is home tonumerous stunning islands with fringing reefs and ancient culture.

Very few outsiders have ever set foot on these islands and a unique experienceis guaranteed as the MV Orion`s crew members and guests discover the"Forgotten Islands" of Maluku.

Their visit in July this year was the tiny island of Kisar which serves astheir official entry point into the archipelago.

Kisar has over 400 years of European history and despite being only a fewhundred miles off the coast of Australia, its European history is virtuallyunknown.

Big ships to serve as Sail Morotai participants` accommodations

Anumber of big ships will be chartered to serve as floating hotels forparticipants of Sail Morotai 2012, the chairman of the event`s local committee,Muhadjir Albar, said here on Wednesday.

"We have a limited number of hotels and accommodations in Morotai andtherefore we will charter a number of big ships to serve as floating hotels forSail Morotai 2012 participants and guests," Muhajir said.

He said the local committee of Sail Balitung 2011 did likewise to accommodateguests and participants of the international marine event last year.

According to Muhajir, the Sail Morotai local committee would also encouragelocal people to allow their houses be used as home-stay accommodations for theevent`s participants and guests.

But he added the bedrooms and bathrooms of the houses that would be used ashome-stay accommodations must be renovated first with funds from the regionaland state budgets.

Meanwhile, chairman of the North Maluku branch of the Indonesian Hotels andRestaurants Association (PHRI) Christoper Harlin said the use of big ships andpeople`s houses to accommodate Sail Morotai guests and participants was anappropriate measure to overcome the shortage of lodging facilities in Morotai.

Christoper said he believed foreigners would prefer staying at local people`shouses rather than in hotels during Sail Morotai 2012 because they would liketo enjoy the natural atmosphere and interaction with the house owners

Indonesia's tourism ambassador to perform Mandau Dance

Indonesia’sTourism ambassador 2010 Alessandra Khadijah Usman, who will represent Indonesiaat the 2011 Miss Asia-Pacific World Competition in South Korea on Saturday,will perform the Dayak tribe Mandau Dance.

She had begun preparations to perform the Mandau Dance, which she learned atthe Central Kalimantan pavilion at the Indonesia Miniature Park (TMII) in EastJakarta a few months before the event. The dance will become a primary part ofher talent show.

She will also wear various Indonesian traditional costumes, such as exoticBatik patterns combining themes from Solo and Bali as well as Batik from ParangKencana and other clothes from the Delami Group.

“This is the first event where I represent Indonesia. This is a real challengebecause this competition does not only measure our beauty, but also talent andother skills,” she said Friday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Bali Bohemia: The Seventh Annual Yak Awards 2011

The Seventh Annual Yak Awards 2011, with a "Bali Bohemia" theme, will feature 14 chefs and mixologist and culinary contributions from some of Bali’s leading hotels and restaurants during an evening dedicated to honoring leaders in Bali's business and private sectors.

More than 600 industry and community guests, nominees, advertisers and sponsors are expected to attend the yearly society event on Bali’s calendar set for Friday, September 30, 2011, starting at 6pm at the Tugu Hotel, Canggu.

Guests and invitees are urged to be “quirky,” dressing in a “Nouveau Trad”style that presents new slants on traditional Indonesian fashion and textiles.

The evening will also mark the debut of Bali’s new champenoise label Carat 22served with wines sponsored by Indowines and beer from Heineken.

As in past years, music and dance will mark the Yak Award celebration withperformances by “Sonic Soul,” dance and music by Mekar Buana Conservatory andNyoman Sura, Jegog Siwentra, Suarmantra, Vocal performances by Yasmin Sutejaand Yuki, and a range of top local DJ talent.

The gala evening will be hosted at Bali’s Tugu Hotel, Canggu.

The raison d'être for the evening is recognition of achievement in a number of industry categories awarded by The Yak Magazine's directors, to out standing individuals and companies in Bali.

Voting through [The Yak Magazine’s website] , closes on September 28, 2011, and will be tabulated on-line by web provider, Island Communications.

The categories for awards in 2011 are: Best Chef, Best Sunset Venue, Best Restaurant, Best Wine List, Best DJ, Yak Woman of the Year, Yak Man of the Year, Best Community Services Award, Best Bar, Best Villa, Best Spa, Best Fashion Label, Best Jewelers, Best Resort, Best Ad Campaign, Best Event and Outstanding Achievement Award.

Pre-Event Tickets are Rp. 350,000 (US$39) with pre-sale tickets available until September 29, 2011. On the door ticket price is Rp. 450,000 (US$50)

For more information please contact” [Email] or telephone ++62-(0)361-8446341.

© Bali Discovery Tours. Articles may be quoted and reproduced if attributed tohttp://www.balidiscovery.com. All images and graphics are copyright protected.

Yogyakarta celebrates 255th anniversary in Javanese style

Excitement was palpable across downtown Yogyakarta on Friday as people from all different walks of life took to the streets to celebrate the city's 255th anniversary.

Revelers ranged from city administration officials, teachers and students tocart drivers and parking attendants, all dressed in Javanese attire of batik cloth and kebaya blouses for women and of batik and surjan shirts for men.

"Happy anniversary," a teacher at a private junior high school greeted a colleague while preparing to join a school ceremony to commemorate the anniversary on Friday.

The date of the anniversary, publicly marked for the first time in 2004, wasdecided upon when the first ruler of Yogyakarta, Sultan Hamengkubuwono I, movedfrom Ambarketawang Palace to Yogyakarta Palace.

While municipal administration officials marked the anniversary at City Hall,teachers and students attended ceremonies in their respective schools. All were held in Javanese style and language.

"It's really fun to have the ceremony in Javanese. Even the state ideology Pancasila was read out in Javanese," said Salsabila, a seventh grader at SMPN 8 state junior high school after attending a ceremony at the school.

Friday's City Hall ceremony was also attended by 22 participants of the KonradAdenauer Stiftung's school for young politicians in Asia.

They came from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, thePhilippines, Singapore and Thailand.

They were visiting the city to learn more about the successes of the Yogyakartamunicipal administration, especially in development planning.

"Yogyakarta is considered the right place to learn more about local development planning. It has set a good example on that," a participant of the school, Megha Sarmah from Singapore, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Also held were a sub district festival involving all 45 sub districts in them unicipality, panjat pinang (tree climbing contest) and a mosaic parade held inthe afternoon from Alun-Alun Utara Square to City Hall.

The peak of the celebration will be on the night of Oct. 22, with the JogjaJava Carnival, which will present street performances on mobile stages in volving all elements of communities and international participants.

Koreato host Korea-Indonesia cultural week in Jakarta

Relationsbetween two of Asia’s most dynamic countries – Indonesia and South Korea – havebeen growing at a rapid speed in recent years. But there is a new dimensionthat is making relations much stronger and long-lasting, says Korean Ambassadorto Indonesia Kim Young-sun.

What could be that particular dimension?
“Bali is a very popular holiday destination for young Korean couples. It’s aparadise for our honeymooners. As a result, thousands of Koreans are being made in Indonesia. This is making our relationship with Indonesia not only special but also long-lasting,” said Ambassador Kim jokingly.

Last year, 300,000 Koreans visited Indonesia, with more than 50 percent of them visiting the Island of the Gods. With more than 50,000 Koreans in the country,it is the biggest expat community in Indonesia.

Kim wants to link the people of both countries not just economically and politically but also culturally.The Korean Embassy in Jakarta is organizing various events under the plat form of “Korea-Indonesia Week” at Gandaria City mall in Jakarta from Sept. 28 toOct. 3, 2011. 

“The main purpose of this Korean cultural week is to introduce our culture to Indonesians. There is a growing interest among Indonesians to know more about Korea, its products, culture, especially the popular K-Pop,” Korean Cultural Center’s director Kim Hyun-ki told The Jakarta Post.

The main highlights of the week, Kim Hyun-ki said, will be a concert of Hallyu(Korean Wave) singers, featuring heartthrobs like Lee Sun-ho (Shinhwa Group),Lee Jun-ki. Lee Dong-Geon, Choi Jin, Park Hyo-shin, Yu Seung Chan, CheongJae-il and others.Korean Wave’s energetic female percussion group Drum Cat will mesmerize fansfrom Jakarta with their energy, talent and beauty. For Indonesians, there will be a K-Pop contest, with the winner being sent to Seoul to participate in theglobal contest.Besides music, Kim Hyun-ki said, there will be also a Korean food festival, taekwon do competition, painting exhibition, film festival and much more. More than 100 artistes from Korea will take part in the event.