/**/ August 2016 - Travel + Decor + DIY

Lombok and The Gili Islands: Sasak Sade Traditional Village

Next stop in our Wonderful Indonesia trip (#TripOfWonders), is the Island of Lombok. In our itinerary, we will be visiting a traditional local village and explore the Gili Islands.

We flew from Makassar to Lombok via Garuda Indonesia Airlines. Although just a short trip, I was amazed by how the service in the plane was handled (more on this soon).

We arrived at the hotel late in the evening, and while waiting for our room keys, the friendly hotel staff served each of us a glass of refreshingly cold lemon grass brew. (hmmmm I think I can get used to this life!).

ALSO READ: SURPRISING THINGS YOU CAN DO IN MAKASAAR, INDONESIA


My introduction to Lombok was the view from my hotel room. Looking from my window, I started to get excited with our upcoming adventures.

[caption id="attachment_4297" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog, golden tulip hotel View from my room at Golden Tulip Hotel, Lombok[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4296" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Everything so green and beautiful![/caption]

First stop, which will be the focus of this blog, is the Sasak Traditional Sade Village.

In the Philippines, we do have traditional villages all over the country and I always get fascinated learning their culture, especially their arts. So, knowing that I’ll get to see this on our first day in Lombok made this trip extra special.




SASAK SADE TRADITIONAL VILLAGE


[caption id="attachment_4307" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog The houses at Sasak Village - almost similar to the Philippine's Bahay Kubo[/caption]

Around 80% of the entire population of Lombok consists of Sasak people, an indigenous group in Indonesia. The Sade Village is one of the villages in Lombok where Sasak people live. Despite the modernity of our times, quite a number of houses - a total of 150, built in traditional Sasak style, are a common sight in this village.

The moment that we hopped out of the bus, we were welcomed in a very festive way. We were given weaved sashes (sort of a scarf), that were hanged around our shoulders. It seemed as if there was a 'fiesta' going on in the village. I LOVE IT (I felt special haha). Along the entranceway, there were people playing traditional musical instruments, stringed, percussion (and even a flute---I think?).

[caption id="attachment_4298" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog A very musical welcome upon entering the village[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4299" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog .........oooh yeah....I can see a flute![/caption]

Our group was not the only one who visited the village during that time. There were several tourists who enjoyed the festive welcome as well (I guess it’s like this everyday). My first impression was that the village had become so commercialized and I am a bit scared that it might lose its authentic heritage. Hoping that my fear was wrong, I sat down and started observing my surroundings with an open mind.

We watched several dance acts prepared to entertain the village’s guests. Each dance was given an introduction, I think it was for our benefit, so we’ll not get culture shocked. There were some dances that made me sit at the edge of my seat, particularly the Peresaian Dance ( a dance between two men armed with sticks and buffalo skin shield - warrior ritual dance). Every hit felt as if one will surely get hurt. At one point, I was not sure if this was scripted or not. It was really hard and painful to watch.

[caption id="attachment_4302" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog So intense, I can't even take a proper photo[/caption]

Although I can live without watching the Peresaian Dance, other dances were entertaining and fun.

Tarian Gendang Belek - Welcoming dance (big drum dance)

Petuk Dance - Dance performed during circumcision ceremony

Amak Tempengus Dance - a dance to entertain the warriors who returned from war

[caption id="attachment_4301" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Petuk Dance[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4303" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Amak Tempengus Dance - This dance is fun and very comedic[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4294" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Can't resist a selfie!.....and a photobomber Jeremy @g0lden0h[/caption]

After watching the performances, it was our turn to walk around the village.

While walking down the small alleyways, you will see traditional houses built from wood, bamboo and thatched roof, something very similar to our 'bahay kubo' (but look sturdier).

[caption id="attachment_4295" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Walking around the village[/caption]

During my undergrad studies, my thesis was about restoration and preservation of the Ivatan House (Ivatan: group of people living in Batanes, a province north of the Philippines). In a way, I can relate how hard it is to preserve such a village/lifestyle in the modern days.

For sure, tourism had an impact to the village. One thing that you can’t really miss are all the souvenir shops placed in front of almost all houses.

[caption id="attachment_4300" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog She instantly smiled and poses as I passed by her house/store[/caption]

The village is famous for their 'Ikat' Weaving, and you can see that almost everyone in this village is selling beautifully weaved fabrics. You can see Sasak women in front of their houses weaving the next available fabric for sale. According to our guide, the whole community are working together to promote their craft and keep their culture alive (this is actually very commendable).

(Ikat, or ikkat, is a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to dyeing and weaving the fabric. In ikat the resist is formed by binding individual yarns or bundles of yarns with a tight wrapping applied in the desired pattern. The yarns are then dyed.)- Wikipedia

 

[caption id="attachment_4304" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Showing us a finished product[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4305" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Sampling the traditional way of weaving[/caption]

It was nice to know that the Sasak people in Sade Village, understand the value of their heritage, and they are showcasing this to educate those who are visiting, even for a short time.

At first, it might look like a very commercial-centric traditional village, and at one point, one may question the authenticity of what was being showcased. After touring around and fed with some information, it became clear to me that these inputs (possibly in collaboration with the local government) not only help the village but also those who are visiting Indonesia. It is an adaptation that is mostly beneficial to the Sasak people in terms of livelihood and keeping their heritage alive. For us, who are mere spectators, the Sade Village became an immersion crash course in the life of the Sasaks.

[caption id="attachment_4306" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, sasak, sade, wonderful indonesia, trip of wonders , travel blog Patiently working to help the tradition stay alive[/caption]

I am happy that I was able to visit this village (and even bought myself a scarf and sarong). To be with the ‘real’ locals, the legitimate owners of the land we were walking on, felt so surreal. After my brief experience in this village and mingling with indigenous people, I sincerely hope that this place will keep on educating not only tourists like us, but also locals who want to discover their roots and the rich culture of their country.




Coming Up Next: Part 2 of our Lombok and Gilis Adventure: Exploring The Gili Islands.

 

ALSO READ: Trip of Wonders: Wonderful Indonesia 2016 in a Nutshell


 

This post is in collaboration with The Tourism Ministry of Indonesia


Check out more information about #TripOfWonders:


Indonesia.travel


#TripOfWonders


@kennethsurat


travel blogger, dubai, philppines, southeast asia, vlogger, blog, vlog, travel blog

Surprising Things You Can Do in Makassar, Indonesia

With just an hour of sleep, fresh from our flight from Manila, our 11 days “Trip of Wonders” officially started. While it seemed as if that we just arrived from the airport, we found ourselves flying again to the city of Makassar.

[caption id="attachment_4258" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog #TripOfWonders official ID cards (we have one for our luggages as well)[/caption]

Before this trip, I didn’t even know about the existence of this city (which made it more exciting for me to explore). When you mention Indonesia to me, all I can think of are Jakarta, Indonesia, and Bandung (because I have a friend who lives here ^^). So when I read in our itinerary that this is the first city that we will visit, I got so intrigued on what we will do there.

[caption id="attachment_4259" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog The closest thing I can have of a drone (ish) shot of Makassar. Thanks @garuda.indonesia[/caption]

If you are like me, who is a first time explorer of this city, here are some suggestions that will make your time in Makassar worth while. (Note: you don’t necessarily have to do all of these in one trip—unless you really want to –insert evil laugh)




BANTIMURUNG BULUSARAUNG NATIONAL PARK (EXPLORE THE CAVES + TAKE A SPLASH + HAVE A PICNIC)

[caption id="attachment_4261" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, Bantimurung Waterfall Families and friends gather by the foot of the falls to relax and cool down (maybe even a hydro-massage)[/caption]

If you are traveling in groups (whether with friends or family) this destination can be a good option. The Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park is famous for its waterfall, caves and apparently, butterflies.

The main attraction that we visited was the Bantimurung Waterfall. The waterfall is open to the public, so anyone who wants a cool splash can just go and have a dip. There are also life-savers for rent which can be used as a make-shift-one-person-only-raft (yheap extreme sports! Aha).

[caption id="attachment_4260" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, bantimurung waterfall Every kid has their version of EXTREME SPORTS! I bet this is so much fun![/caption]

At the side of the waterfall, you can find a staircase going to two caves that surround the area, the Cave of Dreams and the Batu Caves. If you have time to spare, you can visit either one of these caves. I go a chance to visit the Batu Cave along with my friends Edgar (@eazytraveler), Govit (itong2go) and Pojie (@pojiegraphy) .Tip: if you have a torch in your mobile phone, you don’t have to rent a flashlight at the entrance of the cave.

[caption id="attachment_4288" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog Cave of Wonders!! :). Exploring the Batu Cave with my friends Govit, Edgar and Pojie[/caption]

Aside from the main tourist attractions that I mentioned, Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park is also known as a breeding ground of several rare butterfly species. In fact from a previous exploration, around 250 species of butterflies were found in the park, hence it was also called as the “Kingdom of Butterflies”- (www.sulawesi-experience.com). So don’t forget to take time looking for at least a few butterflies before leaving the park (magnets and key rings are not counted ok?).
KONDINGARENG KEKE ISLAND

[caption id="attachment_4263" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, kondingareng keke island, That pose that almost everyone did: Enjoying the beach and getting a good tan at Kondingareng Keke Island[/caption]

One of the awesome things you can definitely do in Makassar is to hop on a boat and snorkel. The first island we went to is the Kondingareng Keke Island. It is famous for its crystal blue waters and beautiful diving spots. We were able to snorkel around and also played along its white sand beach (note: be careful, wear proper aqua shoes as we’ve seen a lot of sea urchins a few meters from the beach).

[caption id="attachment_4257" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, kondingareng keke island I have plenty of shots like this during the whole #TripOfWonders tour, this is the first one though (and first snorkeling in Indonesia).[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4264" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, kondingareng keke island This Island is a work of art (both figuratively and literally). Sketch by @motulz[/caption]

While snorkeling, we were approached by a guy who can sail you around the island for only 100,000 IDR/head ( you will see his boat with a National Geographic printed sail). This can be an option if you want to experience traveling on a sailboat. We didn’t do this, because our visit came just after our arrival in Indonesia and we were still not sure of the conversion rate, so we felt 100,000 IDR was too expensive (hahaha).
PICNIC LUNCH AT SAMALONA  ISLAND

[caption id="attachment_4267" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, food blog, salamona island Our beautiful feast at Samalona Island[/caption]

Just a little boat ride away from Kondingareng Keke Island lies this (also) beautiful island called Samalona. Normally, these two islands come in a package as you cannot find any food and refreshments available in Kondingareng Keke Island. In Samalona Island, you can have freshly cooked local food perfectly prepared for you and your crew (don’t forget to grab some coconut to quench your thirst!).

[caption id="attachment_4266" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, salamona island Yheap we were hungry![/caption]

Aside from the tropical dining experience, the island also offers accommodations for a small group of tourists or even locals looking for a weekender.

Interesting fact about Samalona Island (especially for those who are thinking of going for a diving exploration):

"The island is saving a million mystery about his wreck of the ship-relics of World War II. There are about seven boats that sank in the area of this island, among them: Maru ship, owned by a Japanese warship sank at a depth of about 30 meters; ship Lancaster Bomber which also sank at a depth of about 30 meters; submarine hunter (gunboat) Japanese-owned ; Hakko Maru cargo ship made in the Netherlands, and Japan's submarines. Wrecked ships have been transformed into a reef and became a "house" or "residence" for hundreds of diverse marine life forms, and type and color that is very admirable. The beauty of this is the major attraction for tourists to come swim in the carcasses of the shipwreck." - www.Indonesia-tourism.com
SUNSET AT LOSARI BEACH

[caption id="attachment_4268" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, pantai losari, sunset, beach Perfectly painted sunset sky[/caption]

Makassar being at the west side of the South Sulawesi is very proud of its sunset. Our group went to Losari Beach (Pantai Losari) to view the beautiful Makassar sunset. Losari Beach is located on the west side of Makassar (imagine, west of the west – you can’t have anything better than that). We stayed at the city square where a lot of the locals meet (and eat). It was a bit crowded, but somehow when the sky turned red, I didn’t mind.
HISTORICAL FORT ROTTERDAM AND MUSEUM LA GALIGO

[caption id="attachment_4269" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, fort Rotterdam Fort Rotterdam[/caption]

Fort Rotterdam is a 17th century fort located at the heart of the city of Makassar. The fort dates back to the Kingdom of Gowa to the colonization by the Dutch. It was a bit warm during our morning visit, so I suggest to visit around afternoon time as the heat can be a bit discomforting.

The idea that this fort has been a witnessed of many historical episodes that molded the Makassar we have known today, makes walking around it visit worth every step.

When visiting the Rotterdam Fort, one shouldn’t miss a tour around the Museum La Galigo. The main collection shows the art, livelihood, architecture and objects made and used by the ethnic Bugis, Makassar, Mandar and Toraja.

Being an architect (or let me say, ex architect), it was interesting to see the different houses from these ethnic groups, their similarities from each other and also their unique forms.

Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, rotterdam forth, museum i la galigoOur guide telling us a brief about the the whole fort

It took us almost an hour to go around the museum. It will be helpful to ask for a guide at the reception to fill you up with insightful information during your tour. For sure I will be disappointed walking around and seeing artifacts but can't understand any of them (note: most of the display descriptions are in Bahasa).
TAKE A CULINARY TRIP

[caption id="attachment_4265" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, food blog, salamona isaland Seafood ------ SEE FOOD![/caption]

Another note during our trip, Makassar is proud of their food (specially their seafood dishes). We ate a lot of fish during our stay. Steamed, fried and even soup dish, name it they have it. As expected, most of the dishes were spicy, thanks to the ever present sambal (chili paste). It was a good thing that I love spicy food, although at times it did get too spicy.

[caption id="attachment_4262" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, food blog Yellow Fish Soup - forgot the Indonesian name for this ^^[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4256" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, food blog, pallubasa Pallubasa - Beef and coconut soup with raw egg yolk. Photo cred: @jelitodeleon[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4271" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, food blog, pisang ijo Pisang Ijo - banana dish dessert[/caption]

Other notable food to try are:

Pallubasa = coconut, beef and raw eggyolk soup

Jalangkote = meat pie, similar to an empanada or calzone with meat

Pisang Ijo = banana covers in rice dough, dipped in milk and topped with shredded ice (this is my favorite).
BONUS DETOUR: KARAOKE?

[caption id="attachment_4272" align="alignnone" width="800"]Makassar, Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, Wonderful Indonesia, travel blog, diva karaoke Karaoke Night with some of the SEA Influencers![/caption]

Ok ok ok, I was not supposed to include this but, well, we did it and we really enjoyed it. Plus, there were a full strip of karaoke clubs in Makassar just a few walks from Losari Beach. If you just want to unwind after a long day of traveling around, this can be a good option and also a chance to bond with your friends.




As a first time visitor to Indonesia, I was very happy that my introduction to the culture and beauty of this land was through the city of Makassar. I got a good dose of history, sceneries and a belly full of Indonesian flavors.

If you already visited Makassar before, are there other places that you can recommend to add in this tour? What is you favorite food from your trip? Share it with us by commenting below. ^^

From Makassar, we went to the island/s of Lombok where we visited a traditional village and explored more islands! Blog about this adventure is coming up next.

 

ALSO READ: Trip of Wonders: Wonderful Indonesia 2016 in a Nutshell


 

This post is in collaboration with The Tourism Ministry of Indonesia


Check out more information about #TripOfWonders:


Indonesia.travel


#TripOfWonders


@kennethsurat


 

kenneth-surat-com

Competition Alert: Win 4D/3N stay in BALI

Dreaming of sipping a coconut by the beach in Bali? How about gliding and riding on Bali's perfect surfing waves (well others can just watch and enjoy the view).


As part of #WonderfulIndonesia's #TripOfWonders campaign, they are giving away a trip for 2 to Bali (4D3N) to 10 lucky winners.



Just simply answer 10 random questions about Indonesia from this link

http://wonderful.indonesia.travel/tripofwonders.


Deadline for answering will on Oct 5 2016. Good luck!


Also don't forget to follow @kennethsurat and @indtravel on Instagram and share this post.


travel blogger, vlogger, dubai, travelbug, wanderlust, blogger

Trip of Wonders: Wonderful Indonesia 2016 in a Nutshell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbfJrT5R36s

 

What will do you if one day, you will receive an invitation to explore a country that you haven’t been to?

[caption id="attachment_4228" align="alignnone" width="800"]lombok, gili trawangan, wonderful Indonesia, Trip Of Wonders, #Tripofwonders, travelblog, vlog, travel blog Sunrise in Gili Trawangan, GIli Islands., Lombok[/caption]

This happened to me last June (2016). I was invited by Pinneng Muljadi & Gemala Hanafiah-the author of www.WetTraveler.com in behalf of the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia. I got so excited after I read what the email was all about.

The email stated that I’ll get a chance to travel around Indonesia along with other international bloggers from the 6th till the 19th of August. Hooot hoot. When I left Dubai and after my previous backpacking trip around Europe and Australia, I told myself that it is about time to explore Southeast Asia. Although my home country (the Philippines) is part of this region, I haven't really explored it that much in comparison to Europe and North America (so I was really excited!).

After passing all requirements and I was about to announce in all of my social media platforms about this upcoming collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, I got an email that after I sent my travel documents, they realized that I am holding a Philippine passport. Unfortunately, the invitation (or let me say this specific trip --- I’ll get into this later), was only for Middle Eastern, American and European bloggers, and because of that, it is unfortunate that I will not be able to join the trip. I was a little bit (well more than a bit) sad. I was ready to explore this beautiful land and also I was looking forward to meet bloggers from different countries. The confusion came upon because I am originally an ‘Influential’ based in Dubai (the Middle East)…. still feels weird whenever I call myself as an ‘Infulential’ haha.

Right before I’ll get fully disappointed, the representative from the Ministry of tourism told me that they have a different trip being planned for South East Asian Bloggers. YEY! Let me check again, I am from the Philippines, my passport is from the Philippines and I am currently in the Philippines! YES! I am very much qualified this time.-----------fast forward: after a few weeks, I just came back from this amazing trip!

I can’t be more thankful that I got moved to this batch of bloggers who will visit Indonesia. This easily became one of the best trips that I have ever been (and as you know, if you’ve been following me, I have been to a lot of places). Aside from exploring the wonderful Indonesia, I was able to meet amazing and humble South East Asian Influencers who I considered now as my friends.

For 11 days along with 39 influencers from Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, we explored the cities of Makassar, Lombok, Banyuwangi and Bandung.

[caption id="attachment_4223" align="alignnone" width="960"]#Tripofwonders wonderful indonesia travel vlog blog wanderlust makassar #TripOfWonders Group photo in Makassar (Photo cred: Indonesia.travel)[/caption]

The next few blogs will be a series of stories and retelling of what went down during this wonderful trip. To watch our trip in a Nutshell, check out the video above by clicking in play.
Competition Alert:

Want to win a trip to Bali? Check out this link

Follow our Journey:


#Tripofwonders


@kennethsurat


Indonesia.travel


travel blogger, dubai, kenneth surat, travel bug, vlog