Category Archives: Editor’s Picks

Editor's Picks, Festivals, Indonesia

Bintan 2014 MetaMan Triathlon Event to be Held in August

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Another international sport event will be held in Indonesia; this time, it is MetaMan Triathlon, which will be held in Bintan, Riau Archipelago, on 23rd to 25th August 2014. Like other similar sport events such as Bintan Triathlon and Tour de Singkarak, this is a unique annual sport event that deftly combines sport and tourism, and definitely will attract contestants, spectators and tourists from around the world. Of course, this event will also boast Bintan as one of global tourist destinations, especially since the contestants and spectators come from all Indonesian provinces and many countries.

Bintan Triathlon
Bintan 2014 MetaMan Triathlon Event to be Held in August

The triathlon will consist of three separate events; Full Iron Distance, Half Iron Distance and Blitz, which is the shortest course. While all the competitions will be started with swimming at the South China Sea, the cycling and running will be held on beautiful courses that showcase the beauty of nature in Bintan, such as forest and sea.

Swimming at Bintan 2014 MetaMan Triathlon
The competition will be started with swimming at South China Sea, with route that goes from East to West based on the wind and current condition. The Full Iron will swim in 2.8 kilometers of distance, while the Half Iron swims in 1.9 kilometer and Blitz in 1.2 kilometer. Contestants that swim for the Full Iron distance will start from Nirwana Gardens Bay, while contestants that swim for shorter races will start at the second loop.

South China Sea is chosen because of the clear water and perfect temperature, which is 29 Celsius degree, and all contestants will compete in fast swimming without wetsuit. The current and wind in August will also help swimmers, especially those in Blitz Category, to finish the race.

Biking and Running at Bintan 2014 Metaman Triathlon
Biking and running numbers are the true treats for all the contestants, because from here, the routes are chosen so every contestant can enjoy the natural beauty of Bintan and Riau Archipelago, including the famous Wakatobi Forest Reservation. For biking, it will be 180 kilometers for Full Distance, 90 kilometers for Half Distance and 55 kilometers for Blitz. As for running, it will be 42.2 kilometers for Full Distance, 21.1 kilometers for Half Distance and 7 kilometers for Blitz.

Bintan’s northwestern area is chosen for the bike route, which consists of tracks in the middle of hills, villages, lakes and beautiful beach. Meanwhile, running course will be in Nirwana Gardens, chosen because of the flat terrain that will make it easier for runners as well as spectators to gather. However, Nirwana Gardens also provides great view for the runners; the course runs through Wakatobi Jungle Track, with beautiful trees and canopies that provide shades for runners when running in the daytime.

After going out of the jungle track, runners will run through beach, flat lanes and paths until finish. The winner will receive US$34,000 of prize and certificate, but the true prize for everyone will be amazing experience to race and compete in the middle of beautiful nature of Bintan in Riau Archipelago.

Cultural and Historical Heritage, Destinations, Editor's Picks, Europe

Top Tourist Destinations in Norway for Viking Experiences

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If you love Europe history, you must have heard about the Vikings. Scandinavian lands such as Sweden and Norway are now important centers of Viking history and culture, and the fascination for this strong, resilient group of tribes is even encouraged with many Viking inspired movies, books, arts, fictional characters and musical pieces. Therefore, it is no wonder that many people from around the world are fascinated and interested to visit the actual lands of Viking.

Norway is famous for its Viking history

Every year, Norway becomes a place for Viking history enthusiasts to visit and enjoy Viking experiences. If you love Viking history and plan to visit Norway, make sure you already made itineraries to some of the most important Viking related sites and tourist destinations in Norway.

Most Recommended Places for Norway Viking Experiences
Are you clueless about picking your next destinations in Norway for Viking experiences? Follow these recommendations by Marion Fjelde Larsen, the Lofotr Viking Museum curator and Viking tourism expert:

Yes, Marion suggested visiting her museum as the first recommended destination. This museum is not just a stuffy building with various ancient exhibitions, but actually a large cultural center located near the excavation site of two largest Viking longhouses ever found. Located in Borg in Lofoten Islands, this is also a place where you can learn about Viking history and culture, join Viking role playing and even learn to throw axes as well as using bow and arrow like the true Vikings.

When you arrive in Oslo, Norway’s capital, take some time to visit the famous Viking Ship Museum. The Vikings are famous for their maritime traditions, and you can see various ships, boats, vessels and related relics. Plus, you can also see the best preserved Viking wooden ships from the 8th century.

  • Visit Viking Valley Market in Naeroyfjord

Naeroyfjord is a beautiful fjord that has been listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Lists. In the valley of this fjord, there is a Viking Camp and Viking Market in Gudvangen Village where you can buy handicrafts, garments, or taste Viking food. Do not miss the annual Viking festival on the village’s anniversary. If you are interested, you can also continue your adventure by signing up for fjord cruise.

Nord-Trondelag has Stiklestad National Culture Center, which becomes the venue of Saint Olav Festival every year. During this festival, you can see exhibitions, theater and musical performances, and even something more serious for academicians: Viking history and culture seminars. Also, do not miss the most popular reenactment show of Saint Olav’s chronicle, the most important figure that spread Christianity among the Vikings. The show is held in a large, open air amphitheatre.

Cultural center in these areas contain the history and chronicles of Harald Fairhair, the first Norway king that set up his first throne after The Battle of Hafrsfjord (872 AD) in Avaldsnes. Also, there is annual Viking festival with colorful exhibitions, art performances, markets and historical reenactments.

For annual Viking festivals held in several venues, make sure you update the schedules every year from various Norway travel websites and information sources.

Reference: 100 Best Things To Do In Norway

Editor's Picks, Festivals, Indonesia

August 2014, Surabaya City Will Host Asian Fashion Week

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Surabaya city in East Java, Indonesia will host Asian Fashion Week 2014 following a reschedule after Mongolia declared that they would not be able to host the show as previously scheduled. This biggest Asian fashion show will host designers from various Asian countries, from Southeast Asia and East Asia to South Asia and Middle East. The four days fashion event will bring many fashion enthusiasts, observers and of course designers from all over Asia to the second largest city in Indonesia.

Surabaya is the second largest city in Indonesia, which is also home for various brands of businesses including fashion houses, as well as having rich cultural background and potential fashion inspirations. It is also connected with various international flights.

Diverse Asian Fashion Shows in Asian fashion Week
Arwin Sharma, the CEO and president of Fashion Week Group, has confirmed last May that the event will be held between 15th and 18th August 2014 in Surabaya. This fashion week event will be a very diverse event, bringing diverse cultures and design arts from various Asian countries that have rich cultural backgrounds. Designers that will participate are not only from Indonesia, but also from Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey, India, Vietnam, China, Japan, Iraq, Iran, Philippine, Laos, South Korea, Syria, Taiwan, Nepal, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Timor Leste, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Egypt and many more.

The vast numbers of countries involved promise four days full of amazing exhibitions and fashion shows that will show off colorful cultures involved in the designs. Furthermore, there will be specific fashion shows in the entire event such as World Islamic Fashion Week, Indian Ocean Fashion Week, World Indigenous Fashion Week and Silk Road Fashion Week.

Asian Fashion Week to Promote Asian Culture
Asia is a very diverse continent, which consist of countries with rich and different cultural backgrounds. This year’s Asian Fashion Week is expected to bring out cultural diversity of Asian countries in one event and enlighten representatives from different countries, opening more room for understanding and tolerance related to cultural diversity. In the middle of news about conflicts related to race and nationality, such diverse cultural show is hoped to bring more understanding about different culture.

Also, the show is aimed to promote unique traditional methods and practices in fashion world, as well as preserving them so they will not get drowned amidst modern or mechanized fashion techniques. Plus, the event is hoped to be a major platform for Asian designers, including new or independent designers, to be more recognized internationally as well as more understanding about fair trade principle in fashion world.

Finally, in effort to bring more recognition toward Asian fashion brands, Asian Fashion Week is also aimed to be an event that will showcase various new and old brands of shoes, jewelry, boutiques, haute couture brands, bags and other fashion items, which showcase the unique characteristics of Asian fashion inspired by rich cultural background. Therefore, this event is hoped to be milestone for Asian designers to create globally recognized Asian based fashion brands, which can compete with European or American brands.

Editor's Picks, Festivals, Indonesia

Catch Beautiful 2014 Flower Festival in Tomohon, North Sulawesi

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Do you like everything beautiful, like flowers? If yes, you must come to 2014 International Flower Festival in Tomohon, North Sulawesi. The biannual festival, which has been held since year 2008, always showcases all the most beautiful blooms grown in Tomohon area. This year’s festival will be likely to repeat its first festival, where 46 countries participated in amazing, colorful parades, exhibitions, and culture festivals. Being in this festival will remind you to the famous Flower Parade in Pasadena, Unites States, but with the more authentic taste of Sulawesi’s local culture.

The festival will be held from August 8th to 12th and surely will be the best flower festival to witness in North Sulawesi. Beautiful flowers and other flora that become main agricultural products in Tomohon will make great views when they are brandished in this hilly resort coty.

Catch Beautiful 2014 Flower Festival in Tomohon, North Sulawesi

What to Expect at International Flower Festival in Tomohon
As a town that is located on hillside area with fertile soil and cool temperature, Tomohon has always been famous as the main producer of flowers and other various plants. During the festival, people in Tomohon as well as all the participants from outside North Sulawesi and even Indonesia will compete to create the best flower floats, exhibition projects, art performance and traditional culture shows.

The whole event will consist of beauty pageant to choose the Flower Queen, trade and floricultural exhibitions, tourism exhibition, art and music show as well as culture performance. For the float parade, we can expect to see wonderful creations from various cities, regencies and provinces in Indonesia, as well as from other countries, which of course use flowers. This year’s event is thought to be successful as well, considering that the first event managed to attract 20,000 people and the second event attracted more than 25,000 people to flock.

We can also expect many countries to participate in this year’s flower festival; last events have successfully invited several neighboring and faraway countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Russia and many more. Also, there will be floats, arts and exhibition projects from private companies, government representatives, stated owned companies, organizations and schools.

Flower Festival Significance for Tomohon
Local government surely hopes that Tomohon International Flower Festival will be able to attract tourists and investors to come and see the potential in this fertile area, especially in floriculture. Tomohon is famous as the center of floriculture in North Sulawesi because of its cool climate (it is located on hillside) and its fertile soil thanks to its proximity to two volcanoes, Mahewu and Lokon. Flower Festival has managed to invite thousands of tourists and handful of investors, and local government hopes that each festival will be another success story.

Tomohon is a small hilly resort city located just 24 kilometers from Manado, the capital city of North Sulawesi province, and near the famous Lake Tondano. Besides its booming floriculture business (and the fact that each house always displays beautiful flowers during blooming season), Tomohon is also famous for its Christian schools and seminaries.

Editor's Picks, Travel Tech

Top 7 Useful Websites for Backpackers

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So you want to explore the world, traveling to places, yet still do not know which best place to visit? You are ready to backpacking and still confuse about where to start? Lots of websites and blogs are available to give you reference about places to go and to stay in your destination, sometimes with complete guide about the place. As backpackers are very adventurous as well as very budget-conscious, you need the best reference before visiting certain place.

List of Useful Websites for Backpackers

For backpackers, below are top useful websites as your reference.

Backpacker.com
As the online version of a magazine, the website offers complete guide for the backpackers with different sections for easier navigation. There are destination, gear, the nature, survival, community, and skills information provided. All information is downloadable using GPS-enabled devices that will help any backpacker to plan their trip carefully in details.

Couchsurfing.com
This site allows you to get free place to stay, as well as meet and connect with local people at your destination. Couchsurfing also contains complete information about possible travelling partner, about places from the local’s point of view, and even give you useful information about part time jobs available in the destination country. Moreover, you can also ask question about specific travel tips or related things about your destination place, and the community will help you to get the answer.

Backpackforever.com
Just like couchsurfing, backpacker forever also has its own community that shares its stories and tips for traveling around the world. Join their community and get help or become help for other travelers and earn money with their ad-revenue service. To get the money, you have to write about your backpacking experience that will be categorized according to the region and country.

The Backpacker
The Backpacker will be a great help for beginner backpackers who are about to start their adventure. With special section for beginners, this site also offers other people to add reviews through Trail Database, and get informed via Trail Talk. They also have forum to serve as means of communication between travelers, and provide information about outdoor sports for outdoor enthusiasts.

Trails.com
This site has two versions; free and paid. It allows you to search for any type of activity using the map-based destinations. When you decide to go to certain place, the section will help you hotel, or places to stay based on the map information. The discussion board also helps you to communicate with other backpackers.

Gorp.com
With more than 50,000 of destination places worldwide, gorp.com is a perfect place to surf. Various services are available at your hands, such as Weekender Guide to help you plan your exciting weekend holiday, or get more information about backpacking needs. Their Adventure Finder also helps you when confuse in choosing best destination place.

Hostel Bookers
What will happen if you do not have place to stay in your destination? Hostel bookers help you find the best budget-friendly travel deals, by which you can find cheap hotel or hostels. You can also compare price to get the best deal.

Cultural and Historical Heritage, Editor's Picks

History and Style of Moroccan Riads

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A riad is a traditional Moroccan house that has an interior garden or courtyard space, usually with an open roof. The architecture of this kind of property stretches back to the Idrisid Dynasty, which is where most people believe the style originated from. It is believed that the style of housing and lack of an open, outdoor garden space was down to the Islamic beliefs on privacy for women whilst in residential gardens. The architecture has also been linked to weather conditions in Morocco and having sufficient protection from the glaring sunlight. In modern times, riads have adopted new interior design features and new styles of architecture.

Moroccan

A traditional riad would usually incorporate various unique features that wouldn’t usually be associated with a standard property in Morocco. Due to historic connections with the Idrisid Dynasty, many of the outer walls were inscribed with quotes from the Quran. They often had fountains or water features below the open roof in the courtyard area, along with four orange or lemon trees which were traditionally grown in the central courtyard as well. Depending on the size of the riad, you can potentially experience some truly luxurious accommodation.

The Moroccan city of Marrakech is widely known for its riads and its use of some of the older builds, which are now often used as locations for tourist gatherings, communal areas, hotels and restaurants. The renovation procedure is dependent on their specific use but the majority of riads remain in their original architectural style even after complete renovation. For example, riads often have cooling water features in the centre which are maintained to provide decoration in restaurants and hotels. There are also many riads in Marrakech that have not been renovated and these are often explored by tourists.

Interestingly, there has been a surge in popularity of riads in recent years. This has lead to many more being restored to their original condition so that they are fit for either domestic or commercial purposes. The majority of riads are quite expensive, having been abandoned by rich Moroccan family’s centuries ago. Another reason for their popularity is their location, with the vast majority of riads situated in the older, more historic parts of Morocco. Local investors see riads as excellent opportunities for tourist hotels and restaurants.

If you decide to stay in a riad when visiting Morocco, you can expect quite a unique living experience. Should you hire out a room in a riad, you will be welcomed by the owner and provided with a guided tour of the property in most cases. Riads are unlike any other hotel you will stay in, with plenty of features that you might find difficult to get used to. The intimate space means there is not much room to explore, although there are often roof terraces available where you can sit and eat daily meals.

Editor's Picks, Luxury Travel

The World’s Most Luxurious Spas

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Spa is one of women’s favorite places to have their body and soul treated and beautified. Both beauty spas and health spas have gone along the way to provide their loyal customers who do not hesitate to spend their money with luxurious facilities and relaxing treatment. Below are some of the most luxurious spas in existence.

List of the World’s Most Luxurious Spas

  • Amangiri Spa, Utah

Amangiri

Located in a desert setting, Amangiri spa brings its customers to different atmosphere of having spa treatment. With craggy rocks surrounding, Amangiri spa incorporates traditional element of Novajo culture, with holistic approach to aim for healthy balanced life by preserving the four elements; earth, water, fire, and wind. With facilities such as water pavilion, outdoor terraces, fitness center, yoga pavilion, and floatation room, Amangiri spa combines the fusion of modern facility with magnificent desert view.

  • Six Senses Spa, Maldives

The Six Senses Laamu Hotel and Spa

Situated in beautiful Maldives, Six Senses spa provides luxurious spa suite facilitated with steam, sauna, Jacuzzi and bathtub. Both indoor and outdoor treatment rooms are available to meet the customer’s needs, by combining natural therapies from Asia including Tibetan hot stone massage, Chinese acupressure, and traditional Indian Ayurveda healing practice.

  • Marrakech Spa, Morocco

Marrakech spa

It is home to luxurious spa treatments in Royal Mansour, Morocco, the spa is set with thirteen treatment rooms, three private suites and offers latest anti-ageing technology treatment. The treatment houses are designed in beautiful, magnificent glazed pavilion that makes the view more luxurious.

  • The Scarlet Hotel’s Spa

The Scarlet Hotel, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

Located in Mawgan Port, Cornwall, this spa brings holistic principle in every treatment, offering peace and quiet surrounding for the guests. Ayurveda treatment is aimed to give wellbeing of your mind, body, and soul. There is also a cliff-top hot tub, allowing you to relax while stargazing.

  • MAIA Spa, Seychelles

Take yourself in Maia Spa and enjoy the most relaxing atmosphere while getting your body treated. With sound of waterfall, bird song, and open-air atmosphere, you will get the ultimate relaxing spa treatment. Maia spa offers Balinese-style spa in private open-air pavilion, surrounded by natural rocks.

  • Bulgari Spa, London

In the busy London, you can have wide selections of spa treatments in Bulgari Spa. The facilities include steam rooms, fitness rooms, saunas, luxurious private spa suite and the dramatic private pool complex. The architecture is very dynamic and extremely stylish, with glass surrounding that reminds you to the outstanding Byzantine mosaic.

  • Velassaru Spa, Maldives

island-hideaway-maldives-spa-massage-sunset

It sets luxurious spa treatment; and yoga facilities are specially designed to fulfill your needs to recharge. Optimum solitude and peace sits on the clear water to ensure your wellbeing and rejuvenation.

  • Le Meridien Spa, Barcelona

Enjoy spa treatment under the sunshine in Le Meridien Spa, as this place offers you with wide ranges of treatments, from La Prairie from Switzerland, Ayurdeva Indian treatment, or other methods to give you the ultimate experience.

  • Hayman Spa, Hayman Island

The spa in Hayman Island, Australia

The spa in Hayman Island, Australia, is a perfect place to get your treatment done. The design allows you to relax, rejuvenate, and restore your mind and spirit back, with its state-of-the-art treatments options. Its signature treatment is the Ocean Massage treatment.

  • Ayana Resort Spa, Bali

Ayana Resort Spa, Bali

Get excited and relaxed in Ayana Resort Spa, Bali, as you can enjoy spa treatment on the rocks. Surrounded by the sea, the spa villas allow you to have Lava Me Tender treatment for anti ageing, amazing jade treatment, or hot shell massage.

Editor's Picks, Food, Street Food Guide

Bibimbap – From Royal Table to Street Food

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Perhaps, some of you are not familiar with this dish; Bibimbap. This particular food is undoubtedly well known for its delicious flavor and variation in South Korea. Some people even call it the Korean’s best dish that is now widely available not only in its origin place, but also around the country and even overseas. This signature Korean dish offers all food lovers with unique taste and very healthy ingredients because it contains lots of veggies and it is gluten free.

bibimbap signature Korean dish

Although it is a traditional Korean dish, not only traditional community who love to enjoy this healthy food; international community also starts to like this particular food. Now, there is “Italian” version of Bibimbap, which is characterized by Mediterranean-style veggies and lemony soave. So, what makes this so favored among people?

A Brief History of Bibimbap

There are some different versions when it comes to history of Bibimbap. During Joseon era, bibimbap was believed a special dish that was served only for royal families. It also became a ritual food. According to Siuijeonseo, a recipe book compiled in the 1800s, there are four version references of Bibimpab. The most famous theory is the royal theory, where the food is served for the king and the royal families during Joseon Dynasty. .

The second theory cited in the recipe book refers Bibimbap as a seasonal dish for the peasant during the farming season. They could not eat easily on the farm, so that they took one bowl, and mixed rice with other side dishes to eat in the rice fields. According to the third theory, Bibimbap was served during the revolutionary movement by the peasants who protested against widespread corruption. They were forced to mix rice in one bowl with side dishes due to the lack of bowls and plates to place the food.

The last theory, or the Eumbok theory, states that Bibimbap is a dish served during ancestral rites at the end of a ceremony. People would eat the food by placing each food offered into one bowl or plate and mixing them together.

Best Place to Eat Bibimbap

The word Bibimbap itself means ‘disorderly’ and ‘mix’. It is true since people put various food ingredients in one bowl and then mixed it. This dish is now one of three best Korean dishes known internationally, and becomes a favorite among foreigners. The dish contains rice with top of thirty different vegetables and red pepper sauce for the spicy flavor. Bibimbap also provides a good harmony in flavor and balanced, healthy food to consume, and serves and nutritious meal as well. With various types of vegetables, egg, nuts, ginko, and other ingredients, the dish is ideal to serve after work when your body needs healthy food supply.

There are lots of places you can visit in Korea to enjoy Bibimbap, but the most recommended one would be Jeonju or Jinju. Bibimbap even made its way overseas by various franchises like in Bon Bibimbap, which is currently available in more than 125 countries around the world, including US, Japan and China. It keeps the original recipe of Bibimbap, and even serves various versions of Bibimbap.

Asia, Destinations, Editor's Picks

Abashiri, the Icy Wonder of Hokkaido

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Trip Hokkaido

Hokkaido is probably not the most developed area in Japan, but for many people, that is the main attractiveness. As consequences, the island of Hokkaido is always colder than Japan’s other main islands, and its natural beauty is considered the most intact. Many people love going to Hokkaido as an escapade from hotter and more humid weather, as well as crowded urban jungles. People usually come to Hokkaido in between June and September, where the snow is great to play ski, snowboarding and such. However, if you really look for serious snow, you must come to Abashiri, a city in the eastern Hokkaido coast.

The Drifting Ice of Okhotsk Sea
Okhotsk Sea is the only part of Japan where you can actually ryuhyo, or Abashiri drifting ice. The drifting ice is clearly visible during winter, and usually starts to disappear near spring, around the late of March. The view is spectacular; plates of drifting ice on grey sea under cloudy sky give impression that you are in North Polar, not in Japan. You can use a sightseeing boat to see the drifting ice in the middle of the sea, where the view is more spectacular.

Aurora Sightseeing Boats is the most famous boating company that provides boats to see drifting ice, and so popular it can run its boats five times a day during peak season. Each trip lasts an hour and passenger must pay 3,300 Yen per entry. However, since this tour is so popular, you must order the ticket in advance, usually by online.

Is boating not your cup of tea? Try seeing the drifting ice from Ryuhyo Norokko Train that has retro feeling, or from one of many sightseeing facilities available on the seaside roads. You can use binocular and look at beautiful sea while warming your feet with available feet warmer (very popular in Japan).

Abashiri Prison and Other Tourism Delights
If you want something more educational, visit Abashiri Prison Museum, which once housed around 1,000 prisoners. The prison was built in unique five sided building, and became famous after director Ishii Teruo featured the building in his popular yakuza movies in the sixties. You can take a guided tour around the prison to see display case and prison interior, getting explanations about how prisoners did daily routine. The ticket is around 1,040 Yen, but you can get discount if you order online ticket. You can get unique lunch experience by eating ‘Prison Set’ menu, which is the same menu the prisoners once ate. The menu consists of barley rice, fried mackerel, daikon or Japanese vegetables, noodle salad and miso soup.

However, the prison menu is not the only culinary delights here. You can also enjoy Abashiri Zangi Rice Bowl, which is basically a bowl of rice mixed with seaweed, chicken or salmon from Okhotsk Sea, wasabi and Japanese vegetables. The most famous version is served in a unique cinema themed restaurant near the train station. Another delight is chan yaki, a grilled dish made from Okhotsk salmon, sliced into fillet and eaten with Japanese vegetables.

Editor's Picks, Festivals, Indonesia

Jakarta Great Sale Event, Your Next Shopping Fest in June

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Jakarta is famous for many things, but one of the most prominent fame factors must be shopping. Shoppers from all parts of Indonesian archipelago know that they can shop until they drop in Jakarta, probably only competed by Singapore. Jakarta government knew this and made shopping feast as annual event. That’s right: now you can be in shopper’s paradise every year during Jakarta Great Sale, an annual event held with participations of both big stores or malls and small business owners.

Festival-Jakarta-Great-Sale

This year’s event will be held from June 7th to July 15th, and will involve participations of over seventy five shopping centers in Jakarta. There will also be thousands of small business owners participating in this event, giving them opportunities to promote their goods and products to enthusiastic shoppers from all parts of archipelago. In the end, the government hopes that this year’s event will bring a lot of income to the province like last year’s successful great sale.

What You Can Expect in Jakarta Great Sale
This year’s Jakarta Great Sale will be no different from last year; around seventy-five shopping centers have officially joined the event, giving venues to thousands of small business owners that will have their own stands inside. If you are an avid shopper, you will have fun getting extremely generous discounts in this great sale; many shopping centers and malls even give discounts as high as 70% for various goods and products such as clothes, utensils, shoes, accessories, foods and beverages, beauty products, electronics, toys and many more.

You will also get opportunities to see a lot of new and unique products sold by small business owners with innovative ideas, and your shopping contributions will of course help them promoting their business better. Plus, there will be other events such as musical performance, fun competition, stage show and door prize. Shoppers can even start signing up for FJGS 2014 Shopper Card now, which will further give more convenience in shopping activities.


Huge Income Expected from Jakarta Great Sale
Handaka Santosa, the head of Jakarta Great Sale project, is optimistic about the result of event. According to official data, the 2013 Jakarta Great Sale event brought income as huge as 11.8 trillion rupiahs. This year, Santosa and his team expect no less than 13.5 trillion rupiahs, judging from the huge enthusiasm as well as the General Election event that will be held on July 9th.

He predicts that many politicians, supporters and their families will also have some time to shop and participate in the event, especially because the event will also be held at the same day with Jakarta’s 487th anniversary.

Jakarta Great Sale is one of the most successful annual programs to bring more revenues for city and province, but more than that, this event is also a time where people can have fun together and shopping with way more discounts that they can usually expect in Jakarta. Plus, this also helps small business owners to promote their products and get more exposure in public.