South West Sumba which famous for its Pasola Battle Ritual, also has other fascinating tourist magnet, a hamlet where houses have distinct design, Ratenggaro Hamlet. This hamlet is administratively  located in Umbu Ngedo, Kodi Bangedo district which is approximately situated 56 kilometres  from Tambolaka, or about 1.5 to 2 hours drive.

Visiting Ratenggaro hamlet will take you centuries ago to the megalithic period where there were big stones tomb scattered throughout the hamlet. The hamlet name derives from Rate which means Tomb and Garo means Garo Tribe. The hamlet was sized from Garo tribe in the past when battle among tribes and villages was common. The defeated party were killed and buried on site. There are about 304 megalithic stones here and 3 of them are more unique in design. The stones are carved in raw mystical primitive engravings. The tombs resemble to tables that are unrestrictive even when the wind blows forcefully from the sea where the hamlet lies. The stone tombs of Ratenggaro villagers are smaller in size than that of kings and ancestors.

When we arrived at the hamlet, when were given betel leaves, nuts (pinang) and lime (kapur) to be chewed.  And yes, we gave it a go, we chewed it to respect the host. Chewing them produces large amount of saliva and definitely it is not something you want to swallow. Even the taste is bitter, it is a great way to interacts with locals of Ratenggaro. In local tradition, chewing betelnut is symbol of adulthood. Sirih leave represents male, pinang nut represents woman ovary and lime or kapur represents sperm. The lime will make red saliva in the mouth.  

The traditional house of Ratenggaro is called as Uma Kelada, and its roof towers as high as 15 meters. The height of the roof is based on the owner social status. They still preserve the indigenous belief from centuries ago, called Marapu, just like other hamlets and villages in Sumba Island.

Uma Kelada is stilts house consists of 4 storeys. The lowest storey is used for animals, the second is for the house owner and to store crops. The family heirlooms and weapons are stored above the kitchen. The top storey is where they place buffalo horns as symbol of dignity and honour. Ratenggaro house is similar to that of Flores Island, and Tana Toraja where the tribe stores pig’s jaw, buffalo’s horn as symbol that the house owner has conducted custom ritual.

We had the chance to try local menus for lunch. It was chicken menu of Kodi district in this hamlet. The free-range chicken was marinated with salt only and then grilled. It was served with salted coconut milk, corn rice and sambal ala Sumba, which is made from sliced chili, tomato, and basil.

The magnificent view of dramatic high thatched roof houses with blue sky and blue sea is just unparallel. We loved enjoying the sea breeze while riding Sumba horse along the coast.

Indonesia is not only rich of culture and natural beauty, it is rich also of beautiful traditional textile. From Sumatra Island stretch to Papua, each island, each regions has authentic unique textile traditional textile which is popular as wastra Indonesia. And contact us if you want to explore and know deeper about Indonesia Traditional Textile, as we have tour packages for this special trip.

TENUN IKAT SUMBA uses natural dye from plants, mud and roots that can be found in the surrounding. Sumba is an island located south of Flores Island, and it is well known for its beautiful nature, local culture and yes, the weaving. Sumba tenun has unique motives, like horses, dragons, women, birds, chicken and each has meaning. Horse symbolizes prides, dragons symbolize power. Sumba women wok on traditional loom and it can take 3 months to make one piece of weaving through 42 phases. The price of Sumba weaving is expensive and it is worth to purchase.

ULOS is wastra from North Sumatra. Ulos means blanket. Ulos is similar to songket textile from Palembang. The loom used is manual loom. Ulos colors are dominated by red, white and black. There are various ulos for different event of Batak tribe, such as ragihotang, ragi hidup, sodum and sibolang.

GERINGSING is wastra from Bali. This tenun is the only wastra that uses double ikat technique. Geringsing derives from Gering means sick and Sing means not, that geringsing means “not sick”. Balinese believe that this textile will protect them from illness. Geringsing weaving can be found in Tenganan Pegringsingan village, and natural dyes are used for this textile.

FLORES IKAT WEAVING is one of the most artistic wastra. It takes 20 phases and long period of time to finish one tenun. Tenun Flores can be found in some parts of Flores, such as Maumere, Sikka, Ende, Ngada, Nagekeo, Manggarai, Lio and Lembata. Each region has different motives and colors. The motives represent tribes, customs, traditions, religions and life in Flores Island. Each pattern is meaningful.

TAPIS is traditional textile from Lampung, Sumatra Island. It is made out of cotton yarn and decorated with silver, gold or silk yarn. It was designed to honor ancestor, for ceremony and special events. But now people wear this relatively on any occasion.

BADUY WEAVING is traditional textile from Leba, Banten, West Java. They use manual loom. There are some motives of Baduy Tribe weaving, such as adumancung, suat songket, poleng and more. There are more than 20 motives of Baduyweaving. Each weaving is comfortable to skin. Natural dyes tenun can be found here as well as synthetic coloring. Let us know if you would like to visit BADUY tribe, we have special package tour to Baduy.

TENUN GEDOG is traditional textile from Tuban, East Java Indonesia. The weaver uses cotton yarn and weave on traditional loom. Tenun Gedog is not colored. After finish as textile, and then processed as batik.

LURIK is wastra from Yogyakarta with stripes pattern. There are few of Lurik patterns. The cotton yarns are spinned manually and then weaved on traditional loom called gedogan. Lurik has 6 phases, more simple than other weavings. Lurik is worn by Yogyakarta palace soldiers to meet the sultan and lurik outfit has been more universal and can be worn by anyone, cross-class. Lurik turns out to be older than batik, as it has been existed since 9th Century.

BATIK is wastra Indonesia that has been inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Batik has evolves in Indonesian fashion industry. There are some types of Batik : hand-painted batik, stamped batik, combination batik and painted batik. Batik can be found in many regions and cities in Java.

ENDEK WEAVING is wastra Indonesia from Bali. The looms uses are manual looms. Endek Weaving can be found in the region of Jembrana, Buleleng, Klungkung and Karangasem. Every pattern has special meanings. Some patterns are only worn by royals. Some patterns are worn only on religious ceremonies. Endek weaving has been part of Christian Dior for summer 2021 collections.

These waterfall groups are situated in idyllic North Bali, that is most popular for its dolphin watching at Lovina Beach. As waterfall hunter, i love roaming through this seven points waterfalls while i visited North Bali.

Among all the seven waterfalls, two are still unnamed yet. The other five waterfalls are: 2 Sekumpul Waterfalls, 3 Fiji Waterfalls. The waterfalls resides in the pristin nature with green hilly panorama.

The Sekumpul Waterfalls are as a matter of fact administratively situated in Lemukih village, however as the access is from Sekumpul village, they are more familiar known as Sekumpul Waterfall. The locals call the waterfall as Grombong or Twin Waterfall that they stream side by side.

Two waterfalls are just nearby the road, but the other 5 waterfalls are located deeper that it requires trekking. Even though there are signs along the way, i prefer to hire a local guide to tell us story about the waterfalls, local life, and also lead to the waterfall.

Banyumala Waterfall looks very enchanting with its fan shape spread along the cliff cascading to the plunge pool. It is situated relatively hidden that it can be an ideal getaway and relaxation, as not many visitors wander here. This segmented fan waterfall width is approximately 20 meters.

The plunge pool is around 15 cm diameter and the depth is about 120 meters that it is friendly for visitors to swim or just to enjoy rejuvenating bath.

Banyumala waterfall lies in the nature that it resembles a painting and if you are lucky rainbow appears around the waterfall. Wanagiri Village is the village this waterfall administratively located. It requires about 15 to 20 minutes walk through cloves plantation and forest to reach the waterfall, with some steep trails.

Banyumala Waterfall is definitely unlike its name meaning ” dirty water”. The waterfall with crystal clear fresh water is worth a visit if you visit Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan or other points of interest in the vicinity.

Bali has wide range of shopping spheres, from souvenirs, environmentally friendly fabric, local textile, surfing stores and also thrift stores. Here are some of our recommendation.

NI LUH DJELANTIK SHOES STORE is located in several areas. The shoes are designed by Niluh Djelantik and her design has been worn by some world famous celebrities. Niluh Djelantik shoes use local materials such as Endek Weaving and Rangrang weaving from Bali, beside also using leather, and other materials. Ladies will love to browse wide selection of shoes in the stores from flats, wedges, pump to sandals.

KRISNA OLEH OLEH is where you can fine various souvenirs from Bali, and as well some holiday outfit. The store is big and spacious and also located at some spots in Bali. And not only that visitors can also but Balinese snacks here. And after shopping, if you are hungry, it has also place to eat.

UPCYCLE sells various merchandise from unused stuffs. This shop is located in Seminyak. You will be mesmerized by the creative ideas of transforming junk into beautiful pieces, and wearable things like bracelet, bags, wallets and more.

ULUWATU HANDMADE LACE has simple yet chic island design for women. The fabrics used is comfortable on the skin suitable for tropical life. There are some shops on the island. You can also browse for niche design accessories here.

PAUL ROPP STORE has wide selections of luxury boho outfits to standout for casual to cocktail party events. The silk fabric is fine in vibrant colors. The hand-woven fabric are originally from India. Paul Ropp collections will make you hear people say they like what you wear, it is not the trend, it is the style and braveness wearing them.

BEACHWALK MALL will give different shopping experience for you. It has airy open air design where you can browse for good quality stuff from well-known brands to local homegrown brands. It is located just by Kuta Beach that you can visit after enjoying the beach and have some light bites or even trying some local Bali Indonesia food.

There is a magical place that you can visit in Bali, that you might want to stop when exploring Bedugul. This is where gigantic old banyan tree located. Administratively situated in Bayan Village in Tua Village Marga District in Tabanan. The locals call it as Wisata Kayu Putih (white tree). This 500 years old banyan tree is now popular among travelers.

The tree’s height is about 50 meters and the diameter is about 6 meters. It grows at the backyard of Babakan Temple which was built in the period of King Perean. Babakan is assumed to be derived from the bark of the tree than can be used as herb. Locals believe that the tree has been existed since before the temple was erected. The locals guard the tree due to its virtue to cure some illness and as well because of its magical aura. The villagers hold ritual at tree with offerings and prayer every 210 days to thank God as it was very useful for Tua Village. Sometimes when locals dig the ground to build houses, they find the tree’s root, that they believe that the tree creeps all over the village.

Because of its magical aura, the tree is also used as meditation sites, not only by locals but also by visitors from other regions and other countries.

Martapura is the capital city of Banjar Regencyand has been known as the biggest diamond producers in Indonesia. Martapura Market also called as Pasar Batuah as market for local diamond. In 1970s, the section of diamonds kiosks are built in Martapura Market where crafters and seller can display and sell they products.

According to some source diamond has been important commodity for South Kalimantan since the 15th Century. During the period of Banjar Kingdom, diamons mining was the kings privileges’. Diamonds found should be sold to king or the king’s relative who owned the mining area.

Pasayangan area is district where there are gold and gemstones artists. Until today there are still craftsmen of jewelry and diamond polishing. House of rich gem stones trader can still be found here and now it becomes place of interest.

Dutch abolished diamond mining managed by the king and then it was exploited by private and it flourished until today. In 1965, the biggest diamond found in Kalimantan was found , 166,7 carat (33 gr) which was called Trisakti Diamond.

Meratus Mountains lies at the southeast part of Kalimantan, to be exact at South Kalimantan province. It stretches North East to South West for 600 square kilometers dividing South Kalimantan Province into two. Highest peak in the mountain range is Mt Halau Halau 1901 meters.

Government appointed the mountain range as Meratus Geopark, which has been form since 150 millions years ago and has been acknowledge by international researchers.

Meratus Geoprak consists of 36 geo-sites located administratively in 10 regions, they are: forest, cave, waterfall, lake, hills, cars mountain, valley and more and diamond panning area Cempaka in Kotabaru.

5 main geoparks in Meratus Mountains:

SULTAN ADAM FOREST : The 112.000 hectares forest has some sites and also nature beauty such as : Pond built by Dutch East Indies, a colonial fortress, a hill called Bukit Tirai Hujan, and three waterfalls. Camping activities is also available here.

DIAMOND PANNING SITTE : is loated in Banjarbaru. They pan for diamond and gold until the depth of 15 meters. There are three sites for panning :Ujung Murung, Sungai Runtai and pendulangan Pumpung.

TANJUNG DEWA BEACH is located in Tanah Laut Regency , about 2 hours drive from Banjarmasin. The beach is beautiful and there is an island called Datu Island which is popular for its religious attraction. Locals are fishermen and the fish here is famous for being abundant. If you are lucky you can see dolphin swimming at the waters.

SEKOYANG BEACH has rocks formation called as Batu Rijang which was naturally formed for millions years.

GUNUNG BESAR is the highest mountain in South Kalimantan. It is a pristine forest and has been home for Dayak Meratus Tribe for centuries.

Irrawaddy dolphin can be found in South and South East Asia. The species is less and less each year and now its number is vulnerable. According RASI there was 80 irrawaddy dolphins in 2019. From 1995-2019, reported 103 irrawaddy dolphin found dead, average 4 deaths per year and the worst death rate was in 2018 when 11 were found dead. The cause of the high dolphin’s death rate is because of heavy metals contamination, coal tanker, conversion of land for plantation and mining, and gill netts , a fishing tolls used by fishermen in Mahalam river. Other cause is hit by boats, poisoned by waste and trapped in shallow part of river (https://earthjournalism.net/)

Pesut or fresh water dolphin or irrawaddy dolphin in Kalimantan can be found in Mahakam River and as well at Lake Jempang (Kutai Barat Regency), Semayang River (Kutai Kertanegara Regency), Lake Melintang (Kutai Kertanegara Regency). In Balikpapan Bay there is also irrawaddy dolphin species yet not similar to Mahakam irrawaddy dolphin.

Mahakam dolphin has round head and small eyes. Their color are light grey to dark grey. Its length ranges from 1,5 to 2,8 meters and can weight up to 133 KG. Their diets are fish, molusca, and crustaceae.  Their lifespan is 28 years old. They mating season is from December till June. Males will compete to win female dolphin. Females give birth after 9-14 months pregnancy and only 1 baby dolphin is delivered.

Irrawaddy dolphin live in group of 3 to 6 individuals. And they communicate with other groups. Just like sea dolphin, irrawaddy dolphins are smart animals.

Seeing irrawaddy dolphins swimming in group is an unforgettable experience for tourists. Irrawaddy dolphins have no  predator in their natural habitat. It is human who responsible for the lost of their species.

Muller mountain is a 860.00 hectares mountain range located on the border of West Kalimantana and East Kalimantan Province. Muller derives from Dutch  East Indies soldier, Major Muller.

The vegetation is of tropical rainforest and is rich of biodiversity and it is important for the sustainability of Kalimantan rivers : Barito Rivers, Kapuas River and Mahakam River.

Here are the peaks at Muller mountsins : Mt Kerihun (1790 m), Mt Mangtajung (1515 m), Puncak Liangapran (2240 m).

Birds live in Muller Mountains are ; brown magpie, golden-bellied gerygone, rhinoceros hornbill, the black hornbill, common iora, green iora, crimson sunbird, some swiftlet species, and many more birds species. They grow and live well as the good term forest condition.

Along the river grow Eugenia sp, palaquium sp and tristania obovata.

Mammals also can be found here, they are arboreal animals and spread the seeds in the forest. They can can be spotted easily as they enjoy the primary forest. Primates species in this mountain range are: Owa,  red lutung and long tailed monkey. beruk, white fronted surili, pig-tailed macaque, langur, and Sunda slow loris. Big mammals spotted in Muller Mountains are: bear, cloudy leopard, bos javanicus and badak.

It was Anton Willem Niewenhuis who named the mountain range as Muler in 1984. Georg Muller was a German soldier who later joined Dutch East Indies in the 1817. He was involved in a battle in 1818 in Sambas, inspector staff of nutmeg in Banda Neira in 1820. In 1825, Dutch delegate Muller to Kutai Kingdom that Sultan Salahuddin signed political agreement which Muller departed with 20 Javanese soldiers. The agreement was that the peace treaty required Dutch to protect Kutai and Sultan must pay 8000 Gulden. Muller and then explored the hinterland from Kutai, deeper to Kalimantan which was called as terra incognita or the unknown land. Muller lost in jungle and never came back and it is still mystery until now. (historia.id)