Penang

Penang known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’ is rich in historic and gastronomic delights. A blend of the old and new world, it is a great play for a holiday with friends or family.

Wat Caiya Mangkalaram – Built in 1845, it is the largest Buddhist temple in Penang and houses a 33-metre long gold plated reclining Buddha, the third longest in the world. Walk along the sprawling the grounds and you will feel as if you are transported to another place and time.
St Anne’s Church – When prayers come through and miracles happen. Throngs of people, regardless of race and religion flock to St Anne have to ask for her patronage, especially during the Feast of St Anne’s held towards the end of July every year.

Penang Hill – Located 830 metres above sea level, the summit offers cool air and spectacular panoramic views of the city surrounded by flora and fauna in abundance.
Batu Ferringhi – Many popular beach resorts are located along a prime stretch of beach. At night, the entire road is brought alive with a thriving bazaar selling a wide variety of goods from trinckets, t-shirts, souvenirs and even local culinary delights.

Food – A visit to Penang is never complete without indulging in the local delights namely Assam Laksa, Char Kuet Teow, Hokkien Mee Aka Prawn Mee and Nyonya Food which will never taste the same everywhere else. Gurney Drive is among the list of places where you can go to feast. If there is anyone reason you might be reluctant to leave this island, this would be it.

St Anne’s Church – When prayers come through and miracles happen. Throngs of people, regardless of race and religion flock to St Anne have to ask for her patronage, especially during the Feast of St Anne’s held towards the end of July every year.

Batu Ferringhi – Many popular beach resorts are located along a prime stretch of beach. At night, the entire road is brought alive with a thriving bazaar selling a wide variety of goods from trinckets, t-shirts, souvenirs and even local culinary delights.

Komodo Island

We Indonesians citizen must pride that one of tourist asset in our country has been selected as one of nomination of Seven Modern Wonders of the world replace Borobudur temple namely Komodo island, eliminating Krakatau mountain and Toba lake. Eventhough it is still as nomination, we all hope that it stands a chance to win the nomination, we can support the polling by online, besides Indonesia has more than 220 million population, it is one of the great opportunity than other country. Komodo island is selected because this island is performed naturally and preserved by surrounding people.

As you know Komodo island is located in the most western tip of East Nusa Tenggara province, bordered by West Nusa Tenggara province. Administratively this island includes the district of Komodo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara..

We all know that why the island is called Komodo island, of course since the island is a habitat for native animals Komodo Dragon (Varanos Komodansis) and the local resident call the animal as Ora. Indonesian people especially local resident considers this animal as a source of pride because of the local income from the tourist who visit the island. In this island we see one of the most popular Komodo lizard species in the world with an average body length reach up 3.13 metres and weigh reach 165 kg. Although we can this animal directly, the travelers must be carefull with this animal because it is wild carnivore, it has death poison and high speed to catch its prey fast, that’s why we must keep away of this animal. But, don’t worry because some guards of this park has applied warnind in some places in the park.

Komodo dragon is one of the rare animals in our country even in the world. Some people suggest that this animal is one of evolution of Dinosour, that’s why government, private institution as well as local resident have responsibility to presetve the exist of this animal. Thus, to protect the komodo dragon from extinction, in 1980 the government has renovated komodo island as Komodo National Park. The national park consists of two large islands, namely Radar island and Rinca island, which is sorrunded by several smaller islands and total area of land for National Park is 1.817 km²

Sibu

Located in Sarawak, Sibu is the gateway to the mighty Rajang River and is the starting point for one of the world’s great river journeys.

Goddess of Mercy 7-storey pagoda – It is said to be more beautiful than the ones found in other parts of South East Asia and Taiwan and offers a panoramic view of Sibu town.
Bawang Assan Iban Longhouse – Dating to the 18-century, the longhouse ranges from the very traditional to the modern. Here you can find clans and families living and co-existing together under one very long roof. Though the Ibans have embraced modernity, they still practice their traditional and culture and are more than willing to show it off.

Sungai Merah Heritage Walk – The site of the earliest Chinese settlement which was turned into a bazaar. Recently restored, it now has a walking trail along the river front which leads to the Wong Nai Siong Memorial Garden. Believe it or not, the river is really red.
Upper Rajang River region (Kapit, Belaga) – Practically untouched by development, it is known for its eco-tourism activities. You can ride the notorious Pelagus Rapids or just commune and be one with nature here.

Food – A one must try the unusual local favourite called “Million”, a type of wild fern, “Kang Muan Mee”, a type of a noodle and “Kong Pian”, a type of baked biscuit. If that’s not your cup of tea, a large variety of fresh seafood and river fish are widely available, as well as wild boar and deer meat (venison).

Bawang Assan Iban Longhouse – Dating to the 18-century, the longhouse ranges from the very traditional to the modern. Here you can find clans and families living and co-existing together under one very long roof. Though the Ibans have embraced modernity, they still practice their traditional and culture and are more than willing to show it off.

Upper Rajang River region (Kapit, Belaga) – Practically untouched by development, it is known for its eco-tourism activities. You can ride the notorious Pelagus Rapids or just commune and be one with nature here.

Banda Aceh

Banda Aceh; civiled life ravaged by the tsunami In 2004 but leaving much of its natural beuty intact. Homes and infrastructure are being rebuilding at a brisk pace, it is no longer the capital that nearly disappeared. Located at northern tip of Sumatera, it is a town full of historicmeaning and natural beauty.

The Leuser National Park - It is one of the richest expanses of tropical rain forest in Southeast Asia. Come watch wildlife in their natural habitat or ride the rapids-infested Krueng Alas River if you are looking for a heart pounding adventure. Basic accommodation facilities are available at Katambe.

Lake Laut Tawar – Located in the town of Takengon, the cool temperature of about 20 C (68 F) makes it an ideal place for a holiday. Water sports are popular activity here and the mysterious Layang Pukes caves and mountains nearby beg to be explored.

Pulau Weh – A relatively unknown diving spot, Pulau Weh is unspoiled, secluded and is a palm tree-covered white sand island. Its unexplored coral reefs make this a diver’s haven. This could be the last relatively untouched paradise on earth.

Great Baiturrachman Mosque – It is one of the most outstanding landmarks in the capital city. Partially burnt at the beginning of the Aceh War, it was rebuilt in 1875, taking its present shape after a number of renovations and expansions.

State Museum – Built in 1914; the museum is filled with antiques. Among the exhibits is a big clock, a gift from the Emperor of China and brought to Aceh by the famed Admiral Cheng Ho in 1414.

Palembang

Palembang is located to the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatera and is the capital of the province of South Sumatera. It is a city steeped in history, culture, beauty and tradition. Once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Sriwijaya and then colonized by the Dutch, it is now a flourishing city.

State Museum – Established in 1977, the museum holds various historical items from the province itself and will tell the story how Palembang came to be. It houses a collection of over 2000 relics and antiquities and interesting ancient items on display including household utensils, hunting tools, a bridal room and preserved animals of the region.
Limas traditional house – Traditional houses built along the riversides but it is not built facing the waterfront to ensure privacy to the families living in them. These ornate wooden houses are built on stilts with hand carved columns, doors and frames and can still be found scattered around the province. This must-see architecture usually comes in 15-20m in width and 30-60m in length.

Songket Sarong. – The best songkets can only be found in here. With influences from Palembang’s cultural heritage made up of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, these sarongs are weaved by womenfolk in a cottage industry which has survived through the centuries. Most are made up of geometric and floral designs and comes in various colours of the rainbow.
The Musi River – The river flows trough the city, cutting it into 2 halves called the Ulu bank and Ilir bank and is linked by a famous bridge of considerable length and size called the Ampera Bridge built in 1962. Catch an unforgettable sunset and sunrise from the bridge or from a vantage point beside the river. One can also indulge in the local cuisine atop the floating boats beside the river while watching the river traffic go by.

Food – One must never leave Palembang before having a taste of the famous ‘Pempek’ aka Palembang fish cake which is served with a special sweet and sour soya sauce made from palm sugar, tamarind/vinegar, chillies, shallots, and garlic.There are many varieties available which comes in different shapes and stuffing ranging from one whole egg to young papaya meat.

Javanese Wedding Ceremony

Indonesia consist of 33 provinces and every region has different culture, one of the most unique culture is the wedding ceremony in every region, as it is in Javanese culture. Traditionally, in Javanese culture, before the wedding day a bride has to stay apart from the bridegroom for 40 days. What a long period of time! It is called ‘pingitan’. What are they supposed to do? The girl, particulary, has to keep her body and face clean by using a kind of traditional herbal powder called ‘lulur’ so that on the wedding day her skin will look bright and soft.
On the last day of her ‘pingitan’, there is a ceremony called ‘siraman’, in which seven elderly relatives will bath the bride. On this occasion, the bride is bathed in water with certain kinds of flowers; that is, ‘the kembang setaman’. Then, she dressed up by a ‘dukun rias’, a beautician. A part of the ‘siraman’ the water is sent to the bridegroom for his bath. In the evening, the bride’s family hold the so-called ‘malam widodaren’ (the fairy’s night) as farewell party for her. It is a symbol before she leaves home and begins her new life. Many of her friends and relatives will come to the party.
On the wedding day, the bridegroom has to promise in the ‘ijab kabul’ ceremony. Basically the promises say that he will be faithfull, gentle and responsible to his wife and his family. As in many other cultures, the bridegroom also has to give his wedding-gifts or ‘mas kawin’ to the bride. The value of the gifts differ from one to another. The richer the bridegroom, the more expensive the ‘mas kawin’ usually is. Faithful moslems, it is not seldom that they present the Qur’an as the wedding-gift.
The next day, the bride and bridegroom meet each other in the ‘temon’ ceremony. This time they are accompanied by their parents and relatives. In the ceremony, the bride and bridegroom throw some ‘sirih’ leaves over each other. After this, the bride and bridegroom will crush an egg together. This symbolizes that they will always meet and solve the problems together. As a sign of faithfulness, the bride should kneel down. She washes the bridegroom’s right foot with ‘kembang setaman’ water and cleans it with a small towel. Then, they sit in the bridal couch called ‘pagi-pagi’. This time, they listen to advice or ‘ular-ular’ given by an elderly man. This part of ceremony is very formal. After that, they go to a less formal one.

Find The Job That’s Right for You

Nearly 50% of all the workers have the jobs they aren’t happy with. Don’t let this happen to you! If you want to find the right job, don’t rush to look through the ads in the newspaper. Instead sit down and think about yourself. What kind of person you are? What makes you happy?
According to psychologist John Holland, there are six types of personalities.
Ø The Realistic type is practical and likes working with machines and tools, such as carpenter, factory worker, mechanic etc.
Ø The Investigative type is curious and likes to learn, analyze situation, and solve problems, such as detective, psychologist, researcher etc.
Ø The Artistic type is imaginative and likes to express himself/herself by creating art, such as actor, painter, songwriter etc
Ø The Social type is friendly and likes helping or training other people, such as doctor, nurse, teacher etc.
Ø The Enterprising type is outgoing and likes to persuade or lead other people, such as manager, politician, salesperson etc.
Ø The Conventional type is carefull and likes to follow routines and keep track of details, such as accountant, bookkeeper, secretary etc.