SELAYAR: FANTASTIC DIVES, WHITE BEACHES AND LARGEST DONGSON KETTLEDRUM IN THE WORLD

LOCATION

Located at the most southern end of South Sulawesi, this quiet and now isolated island of Selayar, with its swathes of pristine white sand beaches and crystal clear tropical waters used to have an illustrious past.

Ancient Javanese writings in the Nagara Kertagama mention that in the 14th century there was already a thriving kingdom on Selayar. This pre-Islamic kingdom seemed to have been a hub of trade, visited by merchants from China, the Philippines and Thailand, having left evidence of its existence in the many precious artifacts excavated here. Most notable is the beautiful Dongson Kettledrum, the largest in the world, that is said to be 2,000 years old dating back to the Bronze Age. Other artifacts include delicate Chinese and Sawankholok (Thai) porcelain, which were found in abundance on the island. Islam seems to have entered Selayar in the 16th century spread by followers of the Sultan of Ternate, in Maluku.

In the 16th century Salayar was fought over for its blue-white cotton products, a favorite in the archipelago. And when the Dutch won hegemony over Selayar, they monopolized the cotton trade, forcing Selayar to send the cotton only to Fort Rotterdam in Makassar. However today, with modern fabrics the popularity of cotton waned and the people of Salayar were forced to return to living from coconut produce, relegating the island to its present isolation.

Due to the geographical shape and location of Selayar, standing vertical on the Makassar – Moluccas trade route, - when Ternate , Tidore, Ambon and Banda were the main producers of spices and Makassar was the center of trade, - the island of Selayar became an undisputable important territory that could either contribute to or hinder the spice trade.

The 80 km. long island of Selayar is in fact gateway to the spectacular Taka Bonerate National Park that teems with colorful coral reefs, giant sponges, a wealth of fish species including dugongs and tuna, gliding past turtles and manta rays. Comprising 21 islands and atolls, Taka Bonerate is the third biggest atoll in the world after the Marshall Islands and the Maldives. Although still predominantly covered by rainforests, Selayar boasts many pristine white sand beaches

The largest town on the island is called Benteng, a bustling little town of motorbikes and trishaws. The town center is the “alun-alun” , the town square, where on one side still stands a solid old prison built by the Dutch in the 1890s. The square is the focal point of celebrations and events happening on the island.

For more detailed information you can log on to the website of The Culture and Tourism Office of Selayar Regency at www.selayartourism.com.

The web lists hotels, guesthouses, cottages and home-stays in Benteng. The friendly staff can also arrange a tour guide, liaise with SMAC air, arrange traditional wooden boat trips and recommend restaurants. Most speak English.

Get There

To get to Selayar you can travel overland from Makassar to the town of Tanjung Bira, and take the ferry to Selayar from here. The sea journey takes two hours. But when the seas are choppy, ferries donot sail.

There are air conditioned buses from Makassar, leaving at 9.0 am and arriving at Benteng at 07.30 pm travelling via Bira, where the ferry carries passengers and bus to Salayar.

Alternatively, you can try the SMAC charter flights from Makassar to Selayar, that flies here three times weekly,on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, although its schedule is quite sporadic. The flight takes 40 minutes.

USEFULCONTACTS:
SMAC Office in Selayar : +62 414 21361, or +62 81355222282
Selayar Airport : +62 414 2700099, or +62 85242016932
It is recommended to make your travel arrangements through bona fide travel agents in Makassar, your Selayar Hotel and Dive Sites or the Selayar Regency Culture and Tourist Office.

 

TO DO

This secluded tropical paradise offers a number of splendid, secluded white sandy beaches. The Baloiya Beach stretches some 3 km along the coast. From here you can see tarsiers and wild boars amongst the dense foliage of the forest. The Selayar Diver Resort offers cottages and facilities for divers. Other beaches are thePinang Beach, some 80 minutes from Benteng or the Je’neiya Beach, some 60 minutes from the town of Benteng.

Besides diving and snorkeling among the colorful reefs and underwater life of Taka Bonerate (for more information see “Taka Bonerate National Park), the island of Selayar offers a number of outstanding attractions to visit and see.

The Dongson Kettledrum is the star attraction here. Excavated in the 17th century, this large and beautifully decorated Dongson kettledrum is from the Bronze Age and estimated to be around 2,000 years old. Found in Papalahoia, which was the seat of 14th century pre-historic Selayar kingdoms.

The kettledrum is now stored at Bontobangun, some 3 km. south of Benteng in what is described as a “one room museum”. The museum must be opened with a special key that can be obtained through your local guide.

The large Dongson drum, said to be the largest in the world, stands 95 cm high and has a diameter of 115 cm. On the top is a large star with 16 points and 4 stylized frogs. Its sides have four handles, in pairs of two. Decorations along its side cover three bands: at the bottom are etched elephants, birds and coconut trees, the center band are abstract motives, and the top depicts peacocks.

Besides the Dongson drum, this one-room museum also has remnants of ancient ships. There is the head of the naga (dragon) that is 110 cm. high, has wings, head and a tail which is 150 cm. long, made in the Majapahit style. There is also an “anjungan” the platform where the captain of the ship gives his orders to the crew. An 16th century Arabic inscription mentions : “Sultan Abd al-Malik, Tuban”. Tuban is a port in East Java, which was the main harbor during the time of the Majapahit kingdom.

Not far from here is the Fortress of Gantarang. Gatarang was one of the strongest pre-Islamic kingdoms, who built this fortress to ward invaders from Ternate and Buton.

TO STAY

Here are a number of beach resorts on the island:

Selayar Island Resort

Baloyia Beach on the Baloiya road at km 10 from Benteng
website :www.selayarislandresort.com
The resort offers beachfront bungalows and access to 50 world-class dive sites, sloops and walls

Selayar Eco Resort

Pinang Beach, Selayar

Website : www.selayar-eco-resort.sitew.fr/English.B.htm

WONDERFUL OF BAWEAN

Untuk menikmati keindahan dan pesona danau ini dapat dicapai dengan berjalan kaki. Terletak di Desa Paromaan Kecamatan Tambak di puncak ketinggian dan berada di tengah-tengah Pulau Putri Bawean. Dengan prasarana jalan setapak dan melewati keindahan rimbunan pohon-pohon raksasa berumur ratusan tahun.di tempat ini terdapat spesies satwa langka aneka serangga yang takkan mungkin sama jenisnya dengan serangga di pelosok negeri, sehingga lokasi ini mempunyai daya tarik luar biasa dan sulit dibandingkan dengan obyek wisata lainnya dan merupakan kenyamanan tersendiri bagi para pecinta alam.

Terjadinya Danau Kastoba

Alkisah, pada zaman dahulu, Pulau Bawean masih bernama Pulau Majeti. Di tengah-tengah Pulau Majeti terdapat pohon besar dan anggun, tetapi rindang sehingga kalau seseorang berdiri di bawahnya akan dapat menjangkau sebagian daun pohon tersebut. Kala itu Pulau Majeti diperintah oleh Ratu jin yang berwibawa. Semua mahluk di daerah kekuasaanya tunduk kepadanya, baik mahluk halus maupun mahluk kasar.

Ratu jin di Pulau Majeti sangat termashur dan dikenal oleh Ratu-Ratu jin yang lain di Nusantara, ini karena di daerah kekuasaan Ratu Jin Majeti terdapat “pohon sakti” yg tdk dimiliki oleh ratu jin lain di mana pun di kepulauan Nusantara ini. Yang tiada lain adalah pohon besar dan rindang ditengah Pulau Majeti itu.

Karenanya dalam waktu tertentu, Ratu jin selalu mengubah kebijaksanaanya demi menyelamatkan pohon tersebut. Ratu juga ingin sekali melestarikan pohon kebanggaanya itu. Maka dipanggillah beberapa jin pengawal kerajaan.

"wahai pengawalku!"

"Ya Ratu!" jawab jin

"Coba kau jemput burung gagak jantan yg sedang berada di Pantai Ria,Desa Dekat Agung dan burung gagak betina yg ada di Pantai Mayangkara, Desa Ponggo!"

"Hamba laksanakan Ratu!." Demikian jawab pengawal kerajaan sembari menundukkan tubuhnya dan terus berangkat untuk memanggil ke dua burung gagak tersebut.

Setelah keduanya datang menghadap Ratu, maka sang Sang Ratu jin berkata "Hai, Gagak! kamu berdua akan mendapat tugas baru yg berat, tetapi sangat mulia! bersediakah engkau?"

"Dengan senang hati, Ratu" sembah kedua gagak itu. "

Bagus. Memang hanya engkaulah yg dpt melaksanakan amanat ini. Apalagi selama ini kalian telah mengerjakan tugas-tugas kerajaan dengan sangat baik dan berhasil"

"Tugas gerangan apakah itu, Ratu?" tanya kedua gagak itu.

"Begini. Engkau berdua sudah waktunya untuk mengetahui keadaan ini, karena engkau telah menjadi pegawai kerajaan berjabatan tinggi. Tapi, sebelumnya saya ingatkan janganlah kalian membocorkan rahasia kerajaan ini." titah Ratu penuh harap, kemudian melanjutkan. Kerajaan kita mempunyai pohon istimewa yg terdapat ditengah-tengah pulau ini.

Berkat pohon itulah kerajaan kita termashur dan disegani oleh kerajaan lainya. Segala bagian pohon itu amat berguna bagi kehidupan! "oh ya?" sambung kedua gagak itu. "Akarnya, batangnya, dan rantingnya sebagai tumbal bencana alam, dan bahaya lain. Sehelai daunnya saja, bisa menyembuhkan berbagai penyakit dan sgt ampuh daya sembuhnya. Bunganya juga dapat untuk kekebalan pemiliknya"

"Hai, sakti amat!"

"Nah, kewajibanmu sekarang adalah menjaga pohon itu serta bagianya. Berjagalah dengan disiplin atas segala gangguan dan ancaman,baik dari luar atau dari dalam kerajaan. waspadalah selalu ke udara,ke laut atau ke darat. Jika ada mahluk asing yg mencurigakan, segeralah hubungi dan lapor pd penjaga istana" Kedua pohon gagak itu tidak menjawab, hanya memperhatikan dengan seksama instruksi-instruksi Ratunya. Betapa berat tugas yg dipikulnya. Namun mereka cukup bangga karena mendapat kepercayaan dan kehormatan dari Tuannya.

Hingga pada suatu hari, burung gagak menjumpai seorang pemuda buta yang sedang tertatih-tatih dan berusaha mencari obat demi kesembuhan kesua matanya. Melihat hal yang demikian sang gagak merasa iba dan kasihan kepada pemuda tersebut dan melanggar janji mereka kepada ratu jin.

"wahai pemuda buta, ambil daun pohon besar ini dan usapkan ke kedua matamu yang buta. Maka kau akan dapat melihat lagi", kata gagak kepada pemuda buta tersebut. Akhirnya pemuda itu mnuruti perinah si gagak dan pemuda itu langsung sembuh, kedua matanya dapat melihat secara normal.

Ratu jin mendengar berita tersebut kemudian marah lalu mencabut pohon besar dan sakti yang berada di tengah-tengah Pulau bawean itu. Bekas dari cabutan pohon besar itulah kemudian menjadi sumber dan membentuk danau. Hingga saat ini danau itu masih asri, rindang dan tentunya masih ada kesan mistisnya. Danau itu terkenal dengan sebutan Danau Kastoba.

BINTAN ISLAND

WONDERFUL BEACH SCENERY OF NIRWANA GARDEN IN BINTAN ISLAND

OVERVIEW

Covering a sprawling 300 hectares and more, fringed by a swathe of white sand beaches brushed by the South China Sea, the Nirwana Gardens in the north-west coast of the island of Bintan appears to have it altogether for the perfect holiday or the most romantic honeymoon.

This all-inclusive and self contained upmarket Resort offers beach activities, fun,  natural forests,  rest and recreation  for the whole family. Nirwana Gardens  is also where the  annual Tour de Bintan has its Headquarters, where participants race across tracks within and from these extensive premises. 

Approaching the main entrance of  this  resort hotel you will be welcomed by - surprisingly - huge statues of  elephants. Elephants in Bintan? Well, yes. Though these pachyderms  no longer roam free in the wild, but here in Nirwana Gardens  you can,  not only admire their life-size bronze statues, but you can also feed and  ride on real living Sumatran elephants: such is the diversity and the fun presented by this resort for its guests.   From activities at sea, outbound nature explorations and adventures, to playing Golf, -  professional or otherwise- ; swim in the sea or in the swimming pool that comes complete with pool bar; go biking or trekking,  just  name it, they have it 

And, to pamper your tastebuds are secluded Japanese and Thai restaurants, while the coffee shop serves Indonesian and  International  popular dishes. In the evening enjoy sumptuous Chinese style seafood  in the "Kelong" restaurant that juts into the sea. Be accompanied by the soft lapping of waves, while  you watch the twinkling of lights in the distance.  And at the end of an exhausting day, relax with your favorite drink and music at the Calypso Floating Bar by the sea, or indulge in a soothing body massage at the Andindya Spa.  All these are readily available for guests in the Nirwana Gardens own site.

Although Bintan receives plenty of tourists, you will not feel hemmed in since crowds will seem to quickly disappear among this wide expanse of land.  

Nonetheless, for those looking for a facility to accommodate office meetings far away from disturbing phone calls, Nirwana Gardens also offers convention facilities in rooms for  small groups of 20,  to larger meetings for 2,400 guests at the Plaza. The Plaza is also popular for

wedding receptions.    

For detailed information and bookings, log on to : www.nirwanagardens.com

 

TO DO

Take your pick from lazing in the sun reading a book amongst a serene seascape,  or start your day with an invigorating round of golf by the sea at the manicured Ria Bintan Golf Course . Here are two18 hole championship courses designed by Gary Player. It has also a well appointed clubhouse atop a knoll that commands panoramic views of the sea.  

At the entrance of the hotel you will also see parked buggies to take you anywhere in this sprawling complex, or rent an ATV to cover rougher terrains. Sports activities here include flying fox, gym, riding an elephant, horse riding, archery, air rifle shooting, futsal, bowling and plenty more to keep you healthily occupied the whole day.

If you wish to see more of the world outside Nirwana, take the boat trip into the mangrove forests and see the wonders of nature. Or if you are the more adventurous type, go to Lagoi Bay and try out the light aircraft plane, that allows you to shoot on camera from the air the unparalleled views of Bintan Island and beyond.   

But if you are curious about the activities of the local population, just rent a car and head to Trikora Beach,which is a half hour ride east from Bintan Resorts.  At Trikora you will see rows of "kelongs" or fish traps along the coast from which local villagers  hang their nets to haul in their catch.  Some kelongs are now also built specially for tourists to stay overnight, so that they can leave from here by boat at night or before the crack of dawn to catch the larger fish at sea.

Surprisingly, in this predominantly Muslim island you will find nearby: the Grotto of Mary and the Way of the Cross. In a beautiful cave hung over by blooming Bougainvillea flowers, the grotto of Marywas originally built by Vietnamese refugees. Complementing the grotto is a small picturesque church that is until today faithfully attended by its congregation.  

Along the route you will, of course, at times hear the muezzin call the faithful to prayers from themany mosques on the way.

 

TO STAY

Besides staying at the more conventional hotel building, Nirwana Gardens has also other types of accommodation, from chalets to de luxe villas that are all located within these premises. They comprise: 

1.   The Nirwana Resort Hotel

This main building of the Resort has 245 Deluxe, Superior and Nirwana suites.

2.   Mayang Sari Beach Resort

This resort has 50 single-storey air-conditioned chalets with thatched roof and private  veranda. The Anindya Spa by Andari is located near here.

3.   Nirwana Beach Club

Situated on the water’s edge this resort has 50 air conditioned cabanas and has a sea sports center with access to all facilities in Nirwana Gardens.

4.   Banyu Biru Villas

These exclusive villas are great for families. They consist of 4-bedroom, 3-bedrooms and 2-bedrooms villas.  The Japanese restaurant “Rin” is located nearby.

5.   Indra Maya Pool Villas

These are 14 exclusive and ravishingly beautiful pool villas luxuriously furnished with exquisite interior design fusion of exotic Indonesia, Thai and Chinese architectural elements. You can choose between 4-bedrooms, 3-bedrooms or 2-bedrooms villas.  

All  the above can be booked at the following addresses:

Nirwana Gardens

Jalan Panglima Pantar, Lagoi 29155 Bintan Resorts, Indonesia

Telephone: +62 770 692505

Email : reservation@nirwanagardens.com

Website : www.nirwanbagardens.com

Indonesia Sales Office

10th Fllor Wisma Indosemen Kav 70-71,

Jalan Jenderal Sudirman , 12910 Jakarta, Indonesia

Telephone: +6221 2512129

Email : iso@nirwana gardens.com

Nirwana Pte. Ltd. (Singapore Sales & Marketing Office)

991D Alexandra Road #01-22/23, Singapore 119972

Telephone : +65 62134 5830

Email : sales@nirwanagardens.com

GET THERE

With its new modern airport at Tanjung Pinang, Bintan is now easily accessible by  air from Jakarta. Garuda Indonesia flies Boeing 737-500 aircrafts daily between Jakarta and Tanjung Pinang; while Lion Air and Sriwijaya Air serve the route several times a day.

From the Raja Haji Fisabilillah (RHF) Airport it takes between 45 minutes to one hour to reach Nirwana Gardens, that used to take over two hours via the old road.  The new road is  wide and smooth.  Although there are taxis available at the airport it is best to ask the hotel to also provide transfer services.  

The majority of tourists enter through Bintan’s Bandar Bentan Telani  Ferry Terminal (BBTFT)  in the north of the island, arriving by ferry from Batam or Singapore. There are several ferries a day from Singapore,  the first leaves at 09.10 am and the last ferry at 20.00 hrs on weekdays. On weekends and public holidays there are 7 departures starting at 08.10 hrs Singapore Time. The ferry leaves from Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal  (TMFT) and reaches Bandar Bentan Telani (BBT) ferry terminal in around 45 minutes. Then from here to Nirwana Gardens takes around 10 minutes.

For information and bookings call :

Helpdesk in Singapore :

Telephone : +65 6542 4360

Email : helpdesk+brf.com.sg

Helpdesk Bintan:

Telephone: +62 770 691928

Email : bbrbrf@brf.com.sg

 

TO EAT

At Nirwana Gardens you will find Indonesian, Korean and other International Cuisine,

There is a special Japanese Restaurant called “Rin “ and a Thai Restaurant called “ Baan Aariya” serving authentic Thai cuisine.

For Seafood dining head to the Kelong Seafood Restaurant that serves  freshly caught seafood in most delicious Chinese culinary style.

In addition you will find bistros, La Luna Restaurant and Beach Bar and more.