I’ve been to Indonesia a few times, but admittedly, I always hightail Jakarta, until my recent trip.  I had no choice but to stay in Indonesia’s busy capital since I didn’t book a flight to Bali ahead of time.  I waited a few days to book for a cheaper flight. So since I have 3 or 4 days to spend …

If you hate Manila traffic, try Jakarta. The sprawling capital of Indonesia is the region’s most crowded not to mention the busiest, reason why many tourists hightail this city for the big swells of Bali  or the temples of Yogyakarta.    But don’t fret, because if you’re a culture vulture and a foodie, Jakarta is a melting pot that will …

On a bright sunny day at the palm-fringed Kampung Melo, a sub-village of Liang Ndara on Flores, a group of Manggarai people clad in their traditional outfit welcomed us. The village chieftain spoke with the assigned head in our group and performed a modest ritual. Each of us was handed with hand-woven scarf and a local wine made from palm …

A journey down Central Java is like traveling back in time. Life here seems to summon up ancient Javanese culture. Dappled around are age-old religious monuments built by their ancestors. Ask any tourist what they like about this region, and most likely you will get ‘culture’ as answer.   On my week-long visit to Yogyakarta in Java – known for …