Komodo/Dragon Island

KOMODO NATIONAL PARK IN GLANCE

Komodo National Park ( KNP )was established in march 6th 1980 and designated as A Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1986.Also as a world heritage site in 1991 by UNESCO.Administratively the Park is in Komodo sub Distric West Manggarai Regency –East Nusa Tenggara –Province – INDONESIA.Geographically ,It laid between Flores Island ( East Nusa Tenggara ) and Sumbawa island ( West Nusa Tenggara ) Komodo National Park covers about 173.300 hectares consisting of 40.728 hectares of land and 132.572 hectares of sea. [Detail.....]

KOMODO DRAGONS VARANUS KOMODOENSIS

The first encounter and written by JKH VAN STEYN in 1911. Scientific identification of VARANUS KOMODOENSIS by P.A OUWENS in 1912. When frightened, Komodo dragons can run up to 18 km / h for short distances. Usually they run at a slower pace of 8 – 10 km / h. Large dragons usually weigh up to 90 kg ( 198 pounds ) The largest Komodo dragon ever measured weighed 195.9 kilograms ( 365 pounds ) but this might be because its belly was of food. It is too difficult to tell difference between male and female dragons without checking for a special scale pattern that males have on their underside at the base of their tale However , one way to tell the difference in fully grown animals is that very large dragons are usually male. [Detail.....]

FLORES GREEN JEWEL ISLAND CABO DAS FLORES

Flores island, the exotic place least visited by the foreigner. It is worth to visit the destination. It has strong ethnic touch with typical tribal work of civilization, more people still influenced by the animistic beliefs. The nature settings are so beautiful, there are soaring volcanoes, colored crater lakes, forests, beautiful sea gardens with white sands beaches, and prehistoric Giant animals too. Flores is a big, rugged remarkably beautiful island .Dominated by a string of volcanes, the long impenetrable terrain has divided the island into many distinct ethnic groups. There are interesting cultures here, with layers of traditional beliefs beneath the prevalent Christianity. [Detail.....]

KELIMUTU COLOUR LAKES

Of all incredible sights in Nusa Tenggara the colored lakes of Kelimutu are undoubtedly the most spectacular. The three lakes are set in deepcraters at an altitude of 1.690m asl and are near the summit of the Kelimutu volcano ( Keli means mountain and Mutu is crater / steam). They have a habit of changing color and most recently the largest was light turquoise, the one next to it was dark brown and the third one was black. No – one was managed to fully explain the cause of the colors or why they change, except to suppose that different minerals are dissolved in each lake. The moons cape effect of the craters gives the whole summit area an ethereal atmosphere that can be quite creepy when clouds blow ion after 8am [Detail.....]

Trekking, Mountain Climbing and Culture Tourism

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INFORMATION ABOUT BALI, INDONESIA

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Selamat Datang di Borobudur Park

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Candi Borobudur merupakan salah satu bangunan bersejarah terbesar di dunia. Candi Borobudur dibangun oleh Dinasti Syailendra antara tahun 750 � 842 Masehi atau 300 tahun sebelum Angkor Wat di Kamboja dan 400 tahun sebelum didirikannya Gereja-gereja Kathedral di Eropa. Hanya sedikit diketahui mengenai sejarah awal Borobudur kecuali keterlibatan tenaga kerja yang besar yang harus dikerahkan di bawah terik matahari tropis untuk mengangkat dan memahat 60.000 m3 batu.

Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles menyingkap keberadaan Borobudur pada tahun 1814. Ia menemukan candi tersebut dalam keadaan terbengkalai dan memerintahkan area sekitarnya untuk dibersihkan dari semak belukar dan selanjutnya dilakukan survey atas keadaan candi Borobudur.

Proyek restorasi besar-besaran dimulai dari tahun 1905 sampai dengan 1910 dipimpin oleh Dr. Theodore Van Erp. Dengan bantuan dari UNESCO restorasi kedua untuk meyelamatkan Borobudur dilakukan dari bulan Agustus 1913 sampai dengan 1983.

Secara keseluruhan Borobudur mempunyai ketinggian 42 m, tetapi saat ini hanya 34,5 m (setelah restorasi) dan mempunyai luasan sebesar 123 x 123 m. Bangunan ini berlantai atau bertingkat 10 yang disebut : Hhumtcambharabudara, yang berarti sebuah gunung yang merupakan kumpulan kebajikan dalam 10 tingkat Boddhisatva.

Orang Indonesia (Oi)/Iwan Fals berkolaborasi dengan ustad dan santri

[BERITA] Apa jadinya jika Iwan Fals berkolaborasi dengan para santri dan ustad di sebuah pondok pesantren? Namun hal itu dilakukan Iwan Fals di sela-sela acara Penanamam Sejuta Pohon di Pondok Pesantren Modern Darussalam Gontor, Jumat (2/5).

Lewat lagu berjudul Hutanku ciptaan MS Kaban, Menteri Kehutanan, Iwan Fals memulai aksi panggungnya di aula Pondok Pesantren Modern Darussalam Gontor, Ponorogo, Jawa Timur dalam acara Pentas Seni Santri Bersama Iwan Fals.

Menurut Hio Ariyanto, Ketua Oi Bento House yang ikut dalam rombongan Iwan Fals kepada Espos, Sabtu (3/5), Iwan Fals juga membawakan lagu Pohon Kehidupan ciptaan Makmun dan Tanam-Tanam Siram-Siram ciptaan Iwan Fals dengan iringan gitar dan harmonika.
Pada lagu Negara, Bento, Ibu dan Hio Iwan Fals diiringi oleh grup band Dams (Darussalam Musician) yang personelnya adalah para santri dari Pondok Pesantren Modern Darussalam Gontor, Ponorogo, Jawa Timur pimpinan KH Dr Abdullah Syukri Zarkasyi MA.

Aksi kolaborasi tersebut semakin heboh saat lagu Hio selain diiringi grup band Dams juga diiringan penampilan hadrah Ansyada.

"Yang menarik, para penonton yang duduk tertib dan berpakaian serba rapi dengan mengenakan jas semakin heboh, saat grup band Mahadasa yang personelnya adalah para ustad, juga ikut tampil mengiringi Iwan Fals dengan Kumenanti Seorang Kekasih dan Kemesraan," kata Ariyanto.

Sebelum penampilan Iwan Fals yang berkolaborasi dengan band dari Pondok Pesantren Modern Darussalam Gontor. Para santri telah disuguhi penampilan Dams dengan lagunya berjudul Melayang dan Syuhada.

Turut memeriahkan acara tersebut hadrah El Dzikir dengan lagu Sekolahku dan Ansyada dengan lagu Cinta Dalam Doa. Selain Iwan Fals juga tampil, band-band dari Pondok Pesantren Modern Darussalam Gontor.

Menurut Hio Ariyanto, Pentas Seni Santri Bersama Iwan Fals merupakan rangkaian acara Penanamam Sejuta Pohon di Pondok Pesantren Modern Darussalam Gontor, Pondok Gontor Cabang dan Pondok Alumni Gontor di seluruh Indonesia. Acara penanaman pohon di area Ponpes Modern Darussalam, Gontor tersebut juga dihadiri Menteri Kehutanan, MS Kaban. [sumber: ema/SOLOPOS, Edisi : Minggu, 04 Mei 2008 , Hal.12]

Caption FOTO
NYANYI DI GONTOR -- Iwan Fals saat tampil di Pondok Pesantren Modern Darussalam Gontor, Ponorogo, Jawa Timur dalam acara Pentas Seni Santri Bersama Iwan Fals Jumat (2/5). [FOTO: Oi Bento House Solo/Tri Handoyo]

Jamaican Cruises on a Budget: What are the Options?

Cruises to the Caribbean can create memories that last a lifetime. Unfortunately, the costs of going on your own little island adventure can be quite high. Before you head out to your local beach, however, don't give up on your cruising dreams! There are quite a number of budget cruise options available, especially for cruises to Jamaica. With some cruise lines offering penny pincher prices, you should be able to put together a great Jamaican vacation, even if your finances are limited.

First, you will need to choose a cruise line. Although many cruise lines offer the same types of cruises, pricing varies greatly according to the company. While you may not be able to afford the five-star restaurants available aboard Cruise Line A's ship, you might easily be able to pay for the buffet-style restaurants on Cruise Line B's ship. By setting your budget from the start, you can see what options are available in your price range at every company. Would you rather go for a 3-day cruise on a luxury ship, or a 7-day cruise on a ship that offers sun and fun but not a lot more than the basics? There are some very popular cruises to Jamaica for under $500 per person. Remember, this usually does not include airfare and all prices related below are for various cruise lines posted April 2008:

• Carnival:
  
  
  • 5-day cruise leaving from Miami in November: $339.00 and up
    
  • 6-day cruise leaving from Fort Lauderdale in Jan/Feb: $449.00 and up
    
  • 7-day cruise leaving from Miami in Sept/Oct: $489.00 and up
  
  
• Royal Caribbean:
  
  
  • 5-day cruise leaving from Fort Lauderdale in Dec/Jan: $429.00 and up
  
  
• Celebrity:
  
  
  • 5-day cruise leaving from Miami in Sept/Oct: $409.00 and up

There are, of course, other cruise lines that visit Jamaica as well, and this is just a representative sampling of some popular cruises for under $500.00 per person. If you're willing to work with a little more money, there are a number of ways in which you can go on a longer or more luxurious cruise and still not break the bank. Here are some tips for cutting costs on your Jamaican cruise, no matter which cruise line you decide to book:

1.Chose an interior room. Interior rooms are rooms that are below deck or in the middle of the ship so that they have no windows. These rooms tend to be darker, even on a sunny day. However, if you don't intend to spend a lot of time in your room, you can save hundreds of dollars by going with an interior cabin and still enjoy the sun on one of the ship's decks.

2.Look for cruises that are all-inclusive. Paying for meals on a cruise ship can be expensive, and many cruise lines have all-inclusive options which include everything except for drinks. Some cruise lines feature different meal plans as well. For example, you might pay for a plan that includes the buffet, but with cash options at the more formal restaurants. This way, you can have a bit more variety and choice.

3.Consider the date carefully. If you can be flexible with your cruise date, you may be able to save some money. For example, cruises over New Year's Day are usually much more expensive, whereas a cruise taken in the ‘off season' will be cheaper.

4.Find out how much it costs to go on shore excursions. One of the most fun aspects of a cruise is the shore excursion, in which the ship docks for travelers to explore a different city, country or island, or a smaller ship takes you into that port from the main ship. Some cruise ships include these in the price, while others build fees into your trip for each excursion. Ask about excursions beforehand, so that your bill doesn't surprise you when you get off the ship.

5.Look for family options instead of couples' options. Even if you don't have children or you are going on the cruise alone, if you look for family-oriented cruises instead of couples' or singles' cruises, you may also be able to save money.

6.Book well in advance. Last minute cruising can get expensive, with both the ship costs and airline tickets costing more than usual. It is much better to plan your Jamaican cruise early, up to nine months or a year in advance. This will give you time to save money and compare rates between companies.

7.Work with a travel agent. This might seem like an unnecessary extra cost, but a travel agent often has knowledge that you may not because he or she deals with industry insiders often. Travel agents can get great deals on flights, hotel bookings, and cruises and they can also help you learn some tricks of the trade when it comes to saving money for travel.

If you take advantage of these tips, you should be able to go on a great Jamaican vacation without having to spend a lot of money.
written by Stephanie Larkin .

Fabulous Trips on Luxury Ships

With millions of travelers choosing to take their trips on a cruise ship or an ocean liner there is now a growing demand for large, fast and safe cruise ships to cater to these millions of passengers. For the past five years there have been at least nine new cruise ships built every year only in the North American continent. At the moment there are three cruise ship builders that dominate the global market: Aker Yards with two shipyards in Finland and France, the Fincantieri Company in Italy and German company Meyer Werft. Aker Yards is a Finnish ship building giant with two shipyards, one in Finland and one in France. With a fresh and innovative approach to ship building the company had no problems establishing its name firmly on the list of best ship builders around the world.

This company doesn’t merely build cruise ships; it creates comfortable and wonderful facilities for the passengers and handles the cargo problem efficiently. The cleverly designed and flawlessly built Aker ships almost sail themselves allowing the passengers as well as the crew to simply enjoy the cruise. Fifteen of the largest cruise ships in the world bear the signature of Aker shipyards. Aker Yards is currently building two huge Genesis class cruise vessels that will be delivered in 2009 and 2010 for Royal Caribbean. The Italian Company Fincantieri has more than two hundred years of tradition and experience behind it. Two centuries and more than seven thousand ships after its creation the Fincantieri Company continues to search for newer and better solutions in the design and construction of their cruise ships.

The creativity and knowledge of the Fincantieri team was rewarded in 1992 and 1993 when Fincantieri cruise ships Destriero and Rex were awarded the Blue Ribbon. With nearly ten thousand employees, two design centers, two production sites, one research centre and shipyards in Ancona, Riva Trigoso, Monfalcone, Sestri Ponente, Marghera, Palermo, Muggiano and Castellammare di Stabia it’s no wonder that Fincantieri is one of the most important cruise ship builders around the world. Another huge constructor of cruise ships and cruise liners is the German Company Meyer Werft. Owner of one of the most modern shipyards in the world and employer of almost 3000 people Meyer Werft has built cruise ships like the Norwegian Pearl and the Pride of Hawaii in 2006. In plan for 2008 there are at least two cruise liners for the Disney Cruise Line and the AIDAdiva, a cruise ship with a capacity of two thousand passengers.
written by Mike Rad.