Indonesia's Paradise Of Pearls

Over the years, West Nusa Tenggara has slowly built a reputation as a beach-lover’s paradise. Located to the east of better-known Bali, it is comprised of the main islands of Lombok and Sumbawa and occupies an area of 20,000 kilometers and an estimated population of four million people. The Gili islands, comprised of Trawangan, Air and Meno, are especially popular among backpackers for white, sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters and spectacular coral reefs.

But there’s another reason why the Ministry of Culture and Tourism would like more visitors to come to the islands — the province’s burgeoning pearl industry.

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World-Class Dancer Back on Local Stage

The room was abuzz with anticipation from the ladies lunching at the arts fundraiser. Eko was coming, they knew, he was just about to appear, and this was the kind of crowd that could really appreciate him. When the host announced the performance, an expectant, reverent hush descended over the room.

Eko Supriyanto does not command such rapt attention from sheer appearance. At 5 feet 4 inches, he does not impose physically. But when he stalked into the room — strikingly different in a sheer, one-shouldered black costume

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A quirky museum, a welcoming home

An impressive and imposing entranceway seems to stand guard as you approach the Antonio Blanco Museum located on a hill known as Campuan, in Ubud, Bali. Passing under this archway, the entrance road rises up steeply and there is a real sense of approaching something special but also a little reclusive.


It is said the King of Ubud gave the artist Antonio Blanco this land to build his home and which today stands as something of a monument to this renowned artist.

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2nd Opinion: Urban reflections in 3-D

Amid the urban brouhaha of the metropolitan city of Jakarta, the exhibition of eight artists at Bentara Budaya art space comes like a soothing refreshment on a hot day.

Who are we, life size mixed media by Ade Artie Tjakra. Courtesy of the artists
While critical of many aspects of urban Jakarta, the works show how creative thinking can relieve a person’s stress.

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In Pursuit of the Dragons of Alor

In the fishing village of Lanleki on the island of Alor, I met an old man who had seen a dragon. His name was Achmad. Sitting in the narrow front room of his small house, he told me his story. Forty years ago, long before he made the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, he was walking along a narrow path that leads to the village when the dragon emerged from the sea and chased him through the trees. It had horns like a buffalo and seven flickering tongues.

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A Mosque With Chinese Character

It is undoubtedly exotic in its looks, but to the naive passerby the only thing that may seem truly extraordinary about this building in Palembang, South Sumatra, is its colorful architecture. The structure, which resembles a temple, is painted in deep red and pink and topped off with a jade green dome. Two towers in the shape of a five-tiered pagoda flank the sides, complete with Chinese-style touches on their polygonal roofs. On closer inspection, however, a crescent moon and a star are perched on top of its dome. This is not a Chinese temple, but is actually the Muhammad Cheng Ho Mosque.

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