Wherever you go in Indonesia, you’re going to be feasting on the redolent fragrance of kretek clove cigarettes, and Dji Sam Soe 234 is by far the most popular brand. Blended from Maduro and American tobaccos, kreteks are laced with clove casings, and the tastiest are the unfiltered variety. They are inexpensive and hand-rolled, and […]
Read the rest of this entry »Archive for the 'Culture & History' Category
WoWasis Book review: Harold Stephens’ Tales from the Pacific Rim
Harold Stephens is a well-regarded expat writer and sailor who has written a number of interesting books on Asian themes, and we’ve found his Tales from the Pacific Rim: The Man Who Wanted to Buy a Wife and Other Stories (2007, ISBN 0-9786951-0-0) to be a compelling read. There are twenty short stories in this […]
Read the rest of this entry »Ramayana Ballet Dance at Purawisata, in Jogjakarta, Java, Indonesia
Traditional dance is an art form that attracts many to the islands of Bali and Java, and one of the finest Javanese troupes we’ve seen is the Ramayana Ballet Dance troupe performing at the Purawisata Amusement park each evening at 8 pm. You can combine the show with a terrific dinner that begins at 7pm […]
Read the rest of this entry »Kecak Fire and Trance Dance in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
The character of Laksamana Traditional dance is an art form that attracts many to the islands of Bali and Java, and one of the finest Balinese troupes we’ve seen is the Taman Kaja Community’s Kecak Fire and Trance Dance. Held each Wednesday and Saturday night at 7:30 at the Pura Dalem Taman Kaja. The Kecak […]
Read the rest of this entry »Dieng Plateau on Indonesia’s island of Java
Home to the oldest Hindu temples in Java, the Dieng plateau, at some 6,000 feet in altitude, hosts more than 400 ancient structures. Though not as visually stunning as Borobudur, these temples are part of a beautiful landscape of terraced gardens, and the whole effect is wonderful. Dieng Plateau is best reached in a day […]
Read the rest of this entry »Borobudur, Indonesia’s World Heritage Site in Central Java
In our opinion, a visit to the ancient temple of Borobudur on the island of Java is worth a trip to Indonesia in itself. It’s on a par with any temple complex in SE Asia, as compelling as Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, or Burma’s Bagan. Built between 700 and 800 ACE, it consists of some 60,000 […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis’ Indonesian Bookshelf: what to read before, during, and after your trip
There are a great number of terrific books on Indonesia, and we here at WoWasis suggest you consider buying in your own country when possible, as books in Indonesia are expensive, even for paperbacks. The other side of the argument is that by buying in Indonesia, you support local bookstores. Here are a few books […]
Read the rest of this entry »Should you visit a Sharia-based island in Indonesia?
If you’re a Westerner, you’ll eventually be faced with an option of visiting an Indonesian island (or part of one) that has adopted a Sharia-based Islamic law code. You will find little or no alcohol being served, and if you break a law, you might find yourself formally judged on Quranic principles. While traveling in […]
Read the rest of this entry »Vigan: the Philippines’ jewel of colonial architecture
The picturesque west Luzon town of Vigan is relatively little-known, probably because it’s so damn hard to get there. A good 8 hours north by car from Angeles City-Manila, this town of fascinating colonial homes and two-wheeled carriages was founded in 1572. It makes for a wonderful 2 day stop, and if you can plan […]
Read the rest of this entry »The rice terraces of Malecong, near Bontoc, Philippines
Perhaps the most-visited ancient rice terraces in northern Luzon are those near the city of Banaue, but few would disagree that having this bucolic setting pretty much to oneself makes the experience more personal. The terraces of Malecong are 30 km north of Banaue, 7 km north of the city of Bontoc up a winding […]
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