Moyo and More

The island of Moyo lies off the north coast of Sumbawa in Indonesia's West Nusa Tenggara province and is the main point of departure for most visitors. The exclusive Amanwana invites guests to experience the quietude and beauty of a natural island environment.

Imagine an island larger than Singapore, where the brightest lights are the shining stars at night and the loudest noise is the lapping of waves. Imagine a place where the busiest moment of the day is the flight of the birds into the sky at dawn, and a place where, at days end, you have time to watch each filament of sunlight fracture and disperse across an immense expanse of sky as it turns every color of the rainbow.

The Amanwana encourages guests to experience their surroundings on the land and in the water. The Amanwana Resort supplies guests with everything they need for comfort and relaxation in ‘tents’ the likes of which are rarely seen. Magnificent structures of 58 square meters allow the impact of the luscious jungle to be fully realized from within the spaciousness of your room... and fully explored from without.

Welcome to Moyo Island and the Amanwana Resort. Open year around, the exclusive Amanwana invites guests to experience the quietude and beauty of a natural island environment. The Amanwana Resort supplies guests with everything they need for comfort and relaxation in 'tents' the likes of which are rarely seen. Magnificent structures of 58 square meters, with solid foundations that have expansive waterproofed roofing and interior walls, the neutral colors of the wooden floors, elegant furnishings and modern well equipped bathrooms allow the impact of the luscious jungle to be fully realized from within the spaciousness of your room… and fully explored from without.

The Amanwana encourages guests to experience their surroundings on the land and in the water. Experienced international dive instructors will accompany guests on exotic night dives and reef dives, while novice divers can undergo certification and training during their stay and take their first dive in the Flores Sea, one of the most treasured marine environments in the world. Even non-divers can enjoy snorkeling the reefs that ring the island, observing the marine life amongst the bountiful corals that are currently protected by a stewardship scheme that ensures their preservation.

On land, the Amanwana guides lead their guests on treks from the littoral forests that fringe the beaches into the dense tropical forest where pure spring water runs in waterfalls over ancient limestone plateaus into freshwater pools. Here on the protected 12,000 acre site, the environment is of paramount importance and the Amanwana supports local villagers in the management of the forest resources. Because of this relationship of mutual understanding and benefit, guests can be assured they are contributing to environmental solutions rather than creating problems by their visit. The wildlife that inhabits this lush island includes native deer, lovely macaque monkeys, and magnificent sea eagles.

The Amanwana is also cultivating its own organic gardens where herbs, fruits and vegetables are being grown and contribute to the delightful meals that are served either on the private veranda or in an open air dining room. The dining room has a huge open coconut grill set centre stage, and from there the chef creates mouth watering offerings from a variety of cuisines that include the best in Asian flavors, a particular favorite when dining at night under an umbrella of stars, especially when accompanied by one of the excellent wines from the wine cellar.

Relaxation is made complete by the therapeutic touch of the Amanwana spa therapists, and after a day of nature-based activity there is nothing more enjoyable than to submit to their care.

The shade of tamarind trees shelter the spa, and the gentle whisper of the nearby shore create an ambience that encourages the mind to let go and become balanced.

Every island has is secrets and surprises and Moyo is no exception; the ultimate in romantic escapes lies on a deserted beach. Known as Honeymoon Beach for obvious reasons, this secluded slice of golden sand paradise is accessed by boat and guests, upon disembarking, are left to their own devices amidst the gifts of nature and the gifts of the Amanwana, as picnic hampers, lounges and chilled champagne miraculously await.

Moyo lies off the coast off the north coast Sumbawa Island in Indonesia's West Nusa Tenggara province and has an area of 349 sq km. East of Bali, it is the main point of departure for most visitors. Arriving by boat in the afternoon there is time to become acquainted with the wonderful staff of the Amanwana before a splendidly welcome sunset. It is recommended that guests spend at least five days on the island in order to take advantage of all it has to offer, and most are tempted into spending longer to make journeys into East Nusa Tenggara on an Amanwana Komodo Expedition to discover the habitat of the ancient Komodo Dragon and the charm of the uninhabited islands that dot the crystal calm seas of the archipelago.

Click here for detail.

Most of Moyo is a nature reserve called the Moyo Island Hunting Park that covers 22,537 hectares and is inhabited by wild cattle, wild pigs, barking deer, deer (Cervus timorensis) and several varieties of birds. The island rises to 648 meters in elevation, and its center is composed mainly of savannah and some strands of forest. A marine part in the southern island was established as Marine Park of Moyo Island. These two natural reserves are managed by the Office of Natural Conservation of West Nusa Tenggara as a Technical Operation Unit of the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation-Ministry of Forestry. Its vibrant coral reefs attract many divers and snorkellers.

Another way to visit Amanwana is as a part of the Temples and Reefs package that Aman creates for their guests, taking them from the slopes of Java, the Amanjiwo, and the historic temple of Borobudor to the island of Moyo. ■

Text by Katy Robertson, photos courtesy of Aman Group

Source : www.baliandbeyond.co.id

Refreshing the body and mind in Bintan

By. Simon Marcus Gower , Contributor , Bintan | Tue, 11/18/2008 12:37 PM | Potpourri

Quiet and calm alcoves on Bintan Island, Riau Islands province, are pleasant places for leisurely swims in the sea. (JP/Simon Marcus Gower)

Bintan is relatively unknown, but perhaps this is why it is a place of such great surprises.

"This is just like being in Bali, only much quieter," said a visitor, referring to the picturesque beaches he's spot on.

But in some important ways, Bintan is quite different.

For one thing, Bintan -- a resort island in Riau Islands province -- is a relative unknown next to its internationally acclaimed counterpart.

But Bintan certainly is an international locale. It may be an island in Indonesia but many of its visitors come from or via Singapore.

This is reflected in the fact that most things are priced in Singaporean dollars, which in turn makes the island relatively expensive compared to others in Indonesia.

Bintan sits between Borneo and the Malaysian peninsular, just two islands or 40 minutes east of Singapore.

But Bintan is much larger than its city-state neighbor, however less developed. Save the string of resorts, which has sprung up on its northern shores, the island remains largely untouched.

Most visitors arrive in Bintan on high speed ferries from nearby islands. (JP/Simon Marcus Gower)

Many visitors to Bintan arrive by boat, as "island hoppers", effectively served by a port that brings a procession of ferries from the surrounding islands daily. At this port, a veritable convoy of buses awaits to whisk visitors away to their respective resorts.

The road to the resorts is surrounded by thick greenery; there is little or no sign of human habitation here and at times it feels as though the forests' undergrowth is about to engulf the roadway.

It is only as the buses turn on up the long driveways leading to the resorts that some signs of life begin to show.

Reaching the northern shore, the dense greenery parts to reveal the manicured environs of not one, but four golf courses.

Getting of the bus, the first sounds one hears is the whir of lawn mowers, tending to the greens. Drivers busily buzz around and over the greens and fairways as attendants carefully rake the white sands of the bunkers.

Golf then, is perhaps the most prominent pastime at the resorts of Bintan, but there are plenty of other options for those not fond of the fairway.

Archery facilities, all terrain vehicles for a slog through the jungle, go carts, a paintball arena and "laser quest" zones can all be found along the shore.

In addition to these land-based activities there is, not surprisingly, a range of water activities to be enjoyed.

From windsurfing, jet skis and banana boats to kayaks diving and fishing from a traditional sampan, the waters surrounding Bintan offer something for everyone.

It is possible, therefore, to be highly active in Bintan. But those looking to take it easy also have many options.

Bintan's north shore has long and mostly empty beaches that allow for peaceful walks on simply lying on the sand next to the tranquil water, absorbing some warm rays.

The surf here is gentle and limited, the waters are calm and practically lagoon-like. Dotted along the shore are pleasant little coves offering seclusion in which to take a dip.

This is perhaps the best thing about Bintan -- it is quiet and restful. Thanks to the fact that it does not have the prominence and notoriety of a place like Bali, it is possible to be free of crowds here.

The resort hotels that have been developed here are really quite large and can accommodate very large numbers of tourists.

From the usual centralized hotel with swimming pool and restaurant to beach front villas, the range of accommodation offered is quite diverse.

All of this accommodation spreads out over a large area, so there is no feeling of congestion and/or over-development as there can be in places like Bali.

Many of the resorts exist as entities unto themselves. They are in effect bases for holiday-makers for which there is no need to stray.

Should you, however, crave a taste of the island beyond the resort compound, there are a few locations, worth checking out.

A nearby elephant park allows visitors the chance to ride a real-life Sumatran elephant.

For a peek of the local culture visit the village of Sri Bintan Kampung, where age old crafts and traditions may be observed. The more adventurous and physical fit can trek up Gunung Bintan, the highest point on the island.

Shopping is also on the agenda, at Pasar Oleh-Oleh, where dozens of shops huddled together cater to the tourist market. Perhaps disappointingly though, much of what is on sale here could be found in Jakarta or Bali -- in other words, it is very touristy.

But souvenirs are secondary and hardly necessary. What the visitor will take away from Bintan and its resorts is a relaxing and refreshing experience.

Bintan may not be so famous as Bali but it is well worth a visit, the body and mind will thank you.

Govt asks bloggers to help promote tourism

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Culture and Tourism minister Jero Wacik has asked the blogger community to help promote Indonesia's tourist sites among the international public.

In a prepared speech read by a senior tourism official at a Blogger Party 2008 here Saturday, the minister said ,"The second blogger party will stimulate online network growth in Indonesia. It can make blogs a more effective media to promote tourism."

He said almost all human activities now involve internet facilities so that this type of media was an effective vehicle to promote Indonesia's tourism.

"Today, almost all human activities are closely related to the on-line media. It is necessary to put the mission to promote tourism," he said, adding that he hoped bloggers from foreign countries like Australia, the US and Malaysia can also publicize Indonesia's tourism sites.

"Coinciding with the Indonesia Visit Year 2008 program, we try to make breakthroughs in promoting tourism, including through the online media," said Wacik.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Telemathics Application of the Communication and Information Ministry, Cahyana Ahmadijaya, said that blogging had developed from "blogfun" to "blogprenuer" and could still develop into other aspects of social signifiance.

"We have set October 27 as National Blogger Day. This will be the start of digital community development in Indonesia," Ahmadijaya said.

"The government has given the freedom to people to make blogs. However, we still must abide by existing regulations," State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto
Kadiman said.

"The development of blogging is closely related to technological development. Blogs nowadays do not only play a role in the technology sector but also in the economic and even political sectors," he said, adding blogs were complementing, not replacing, the existing information media. (*)

Indonesia tourism industry still waiting to rebound

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation with the world's second-longest shoreline, has consistently underachieved in the tourism sector and 2008 is proving no exception.

"The global economic crisis has started to have an impact," said Sapta Nirwandar, director-general for marketing at the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

"With the looming crisis, I'm afraid we will not have the expected peak of foreign tourist arrivals in December," Nirwandar said, referring to the usual end-of-the-year surge of tourists to the tropical isles.

Despite record-breaking tourism numbers at Indonesia's prime beach resort of Bali, the country will again miss this year's overall target for foreign visitors, he predicted.

Due to the global economic downturn, the government has revised down its targets for 2008 foreign tourist arrivals to "realistic figures" of around 6.4 million, from initial goal of 7 million.

According to the National Statistics Agency, the three quarters spanning January to September brought nearly 4.6 million tourists, a 12.2 per cent increase from the same period of 2007, or 4.1 million.

Indonesia's tourism industry has been hit by a string of calamities over the past five years, ranging from bomb attacks in Bali and Jakarta, to tsunamis and earthquakes, and outbreaks of bird flu and SARS respiratory disease.

Travel warnings issued by several countries have also taken a toll.

2008 began on good footing, until the latest catastrophe - the financial meltdown in the US and Europe - struck.

"Bali this year had a record number of arrivals and was projected to have its strongest year ever, until the recent financial situation, and we have also been impacted by the recent executions of the Bali bombers," said Darryl Marsden, general manager of the Hard Rock Hotel Bali.

Bali hotels are reportedly enjoying 90 per cent occupancy rates this November and December.

Bali, the gem of Indonesia's tourism industry, was hard hit by the 2003 bombings that killed up to 200 people, many of them Australian tourists, followed by another suicide bombing in 2005.

"The outlook for Bali's tourism industry remains positive," Ida Bagus Ngurah Wijaya, head of the Bali's tourism board, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. "The main issue in Bali is security. As long as security is being guaranteed, there will be more and more foreign visitors to Bali in 2009."

But no one knows to what extent the financial crisis will impact the island.

"Our peak season doesn't actually start until June, so it's hard to say with any certainty what's going to happen in February, March and April," said Marsden.

The sprawling nation of more than 17,000 tropical islands, teeming with coral reefs, exotic wildlife, volcanoes and inland waterways, is a nature lover's paradise.

Istijab Danunegoro, chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association chapter in Yogyakarta, the Javanese cultural capital that is another prime tourist destination, foresees a slowdown in arrivals next year but still predicts growth.

"With a better cooperation among related parties and better promotion, the outlook for tourism remains positive," Istijab said, projecting tourist arrivals to increase by about 10 per cent in 2009.

Cultural and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik has also called for greater cooperation within the sector, given its huge capacity to create employment and reduce poverty.

"This industry needs interactive efforts between all parties concerned - the government, tourist players as well as the public," Wacik told the Indonesian daily Kompas.

He acknowledged that the country is losing some tourists to neighbouring countries, partly because of limited promotion funds, inadequate transport and infrastructure, and a lack of professional guides.

"Domestic airlines have so far still been unable to cover the requirement of transporting tourists to the destinations," the tourism minister said. "Moreover, when the Visit Indonesia program again rolled out this year, not many domestic airlines and hotel operators welcomed this." (*)