The Baduy: Guardians of the Sacred Forest by Irfan Kortschak

Contributor: Irfan Kortschak| Jakarta | Feb 2010

The Baduy: The First People

“The mountains may not be destroyed, the valleys may not be damaged,

What is long may not be cut short, what is short may not be lengthened,

We must remain faithful to the ways of our ancestors.” – Traditional Baduy verse

For tourists, journalists, and anthropologists alike, the very idea of a people who live deep in the forest, excluding all outsiders, has a powerful fascination. A ‘Keep Out’ sign exerts an allure as powerful as the locked cupboard at the end of Bluebeard’s corridor, and for no better reason than that outsiders are not welcome. In our hearts, perhaps, each of us secretly believes we are special, and will be welcome at spectacles and events closed to ordinary mortals.

BALI “Insel der Goetter” (BALI “Island of the Gods”) by Dominik and Vicky

Contributor: Vicky and Dominik| Bali | July 2009
This story is written in German (Austria). Click here to read it in English.

Am Flughafen in Bali angekommen, haben wir uns gleich mal unsere erste Million abgehoben (sind ca. 70 Euro)…

In Denpasar verbrachten wir unsere erste Nacht bei einem Couchsurfer (Leonid), der aus Russland ausgewandert ist…

Thou Shall Not Leave Indonesia by Tom Plum

Contributor: Tom Plum| Jakarta | September 2008

Another immigration to pass, another story to tell. I left Jakarta’s Kelapa Gading around 6am, a beautiful hour to spin on the highway. A less beautiful hour after 3 days Bintang (read as verb). I thought I had enough money to spend for the taxi and airport tax. And most probably I would still have enough left to enjoy a delicious indo mochacino in the airport. Though… I didn’t see near future coming. I waited at the counter to receive the stamp on my passport and the officer looked a bit dubious at me, followed by a: “Mister, you overstayed.” Shrruugg. No, can’t be, I counted the days, I thought I stayed exactly 60 days. “Mister, the computer don’t lie”. After going through all days one by one together I forfeited. He was right, that computer..and that officer. I stayed 62 days instead of 60. Big Oops!

Seraya and Kanawa Islands and Labuanbajo town, west Flores by Tezza

Contributor: Tezza | Bali | May 2009

Want your own budget beachfront bungalow on a near deserted island with nice beaches and reasonable snorkelling? Seraya fits the bill real well. I paid $us12 for a single less expensive Category A bungalow plus $2 each way for transport – prices are slightly higher in peak. Doubles pay an exra few dollars. The Category Bs are slightly more expensive – these are the ones right hand side of the pix. People told me they were slightly bigger than Cat As with tiled floors – but otherwise identical. Note they are set back from the beach about 3m and slightly raised with tree interrupted views. One couple switched across to the As after the first night. The website says there is a minimum stay of 2 nights, but a sign in the restaurant indicated a small surcharge for one night visits.
The hill behind has good views of the surrounding area plus sensational sunsets – the slightly lower one immediately right of shot is at the western end of the island with easier access and better photo-ops of the resort. The higher isolated building at right is an expat’s holiday house.
The on-the-sand airy restaurant is just out of shot to the left.