Category Archives: Editor’s Picks

Celebrity Chefs, Editor's Picks

Chef James Martin, the Celebrity Chef

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JAMES MARTIN AT MANCHESTER 235Currently, being a chef is not just about cooking, creating recipes and running a restaurant or kitchen. A successful chef with good look can become ‘celebrity chef,’ just like in the case of Chef James Martin. While Chef Martin spent years learning about catering, savory cooking and pastry making, he is also well known in England and even in the world through his various TV shows since 1996.

Background

Born in 1972 in Yorkshire, England, Martin was originally a farmer kid who enjoyed cooking with his mother. He continued his interest in coking via a professional study in Scarborough Technical College, were he studied catering and had training at several famous restaurants, including Hostellerie De Plaisance in France.

With such impressive background, Martin was able to find his first job before age 20 as staff at Maison Troisgros, also in France. He then returned to England and worked at several famous restaurants there such as One Ninety Queen’s Gat, The Square and Harvey’s, before becoming pastry chef at Chewton Glen Hotel.

First TV Debut

Chef Martin first became TV celebrity in 1996 when he appeared in James Martin: Yorkshire’s Finest, in which he explored the culinary richness of his hometown. However, his name then started to soar when he appeared in BBC 2 cooking program, called Ready Steady Cook. Interestingly, at one point during his appearance in that program, he also gained world record as the fastest carrot chopper in the world, when he peeled and chopped 515 grams (almost a quarter pound) of carrots in 60 seconds.

Further Celebrity Debut

Chef Martin appeared in BBF Food show Stately Supers as well as reality show in Channel 4, where he and the host visited home cooks at their own houses for comfort food cooking challenge. Then, he got his first presenter gig in BBC1 in a weekend show called Saturday Kitchen. By this time, his name soared among BBC viewers as one of their celebrity chefs.

After Saturday Kitchen, Martin appeared in various shows such as Can You Cook It?, The Great British Village Show, James Martin’s Christmas Feast and Eating with the Enemy. One of his most successful programs was Operation Hospital Food, where he improved menu quality at Scarborough General Hospital. This show was highly appreciated by viewers, and becoming one of Chef Martin’s most successful shows.

TV Appearances in 2013

Chef Martin apparently has not lost his celebrity charm. This 2013, he appeared at several shows. Between February and March, Chef Martin explored United States and sampled various cakes and snacks before reviewing them in United Cakes of America. He was also involved in judging panel in June show, The Roux Scholarship, together with Angela Hartnett and Raymond Blanc.

His most recent appearance was in June, when he appeared in The Great British Budget Menu and showed various nutritious, delicious recipes with cheap ingredients. Besides all his TV appearances, Chef Martin is also a successful restaurant owner with two restaurants; The Leeds Kitchen at Alea Casino (closed due to the closing of the casino) and the latest one in The Talbot Hotel in North Yorkshire.

Celebrity Vacations, Editor's Picks

Hollywood Celebrity Summer Vacation 2013

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This summer, many Hollywood celebrities make news only by visiting famous holiday spots and showing off their bikinis and swimming attires. From Hawaiian beach to Mediterranean Sea, Hollywood celebrities welcome summer by enjoying sun in even warmer (and more exotic places) than LA. Some bring their kids, others enjoy romantic holiday with their mates.

Who are Hollywood celebrities that recently grace many magazine covers and social media albums with their summer holiday pictures in exotic places? Let’s find them out.

Beyonce and Jay Z
This dream couple spent their summer holiday in Mediterranean Sea, cruising with their private yacht to Italy and Spain along with their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. This summer holiday apparently doubled as birthday holiday, as dear Mrs. Carter turned 32 when they started the cruise. Beyonce regularly posted her holiday pictures in her personal blog, including her pictures with Jay Z on their yacht.

Bradley Cooper
The actor apparently chose to spend precious ‘me-time’ by himself, when he was spotted by paparazzi relaxing alone in Hawaii beach last Saturday. He spent time swimming, cruising on the beach and just enjoying himself. He even chose not to bring his girlfriend, a model named Suki. The Hawaiian holiday was his last free time activity before he starts a new movie project with Cameron Crowe.

Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams
These two famous tennis players apparently chose to spend their precious summer holiday time in their own country, taking a short break before the next championships and sport events. Serena chose to spend summer by taking a break on Miami Beach, while Rafael Nadal chose to going on a yacht cruise with some good friends.

Penelope Cruz
Apparently, Penelope Cruz has no problem at all showing off her body in bikini, only 2 months after giving birth to a daughter. She and her husband chose to spend summer holiday in warm Corsica, spending time together with their friends on beach cruise and yacht trip in Mediterranean Sea.

Pink and Nicole Kidman
What are the similarities between Pink and Nicole Kidman? Nothing, except that they were just spotted spending summer holiday in Indonesia. They went to Yogyakarta and apparently quite succeeded in avoiding paparazzi for some time. They spent time by shopping in Malioboro Street as well as visiting Borobudur Temple and Kaliurang area near Mount Merapi.

Hayden Panettiere
The former Disney Star, who a couple of months ago became infamous when sporting misspelled Italian phrase as tattoo on her ribcage, was just spotted in Miami Beach, a favorite spot for many celebrities to spend summer holiday.

Jennifer Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Ang Lee
These four celebrities also have similarities: they just spent summer holiday in the exotic Belize. In fact, these famous four had stayed at the same resort, the Chaa Creek, which is famous as one of the most favorite holiday resorts in Belize for celebrities due to its strict privacy policy. Leonardo DiCaprio was also seen spending holiday in Belize, but that is because he owns one of the small islands nearby.

Now, as winter approaches, we can start to expect some great winter holiday snaps from more celebrities.

Editor's Picks, Entertainment, Nightlife Guide

Famous Red District Areas in Popular Tourist Destinations

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If you like traveling, you must be excited to visit various tourist destinations in the world. However, when you visit certain cities, especially if those cities are very busy and famous, there are big chances that you will find red light districts.

Red light district is not something uncommon in big cities, but as a tourist, you must be careful not to come close to this area, especially if you do not want to get bad name or bring your family along in vacation. By knowing about red district areas, you can travel without accidentally entering this area and getting into trouble or unwanted attention. Here is some information about red light district areas to avoid in the world’s popular tourist destinations.

Red District Areas in Asia

If you visit Bangkok, you can expect to see various red light district areas; one of them is Soi Cowboy. This is just a 400-meter road, but it is located near to important public places such as Millennium Hotel and two public transport stations.

In Singapore, famous red district area is the ‘Lorong’ (lanes) in Northern and Southern part of Geylang, where there are many bars and houses where prostitutes entertain foreigners. In Indonesia, the famous red district area is Gang Dolly (the Dolly Lane) in Surabaya City, East Java. The area is located in Jarak area in Pasar Kembang, and it is actually the second largest red district area in South East Asia.

Moving to the East, Kabuki Cho is an area in Shinjuku, Japan, which is famous for its various bars, nightclubs, erotic shops and other erotic establishments. The area is located near Shinjuku Station, and is very recognizable at night with bar and club workers promoting their businesses on the roadside. In South Korea, Cheongnyangni-dong (district) has red district area in Cheongnyangni 588.

In Hongkong, Wan Chai area has a bar district on Lockhart and Jaffe Road, near the Western End. In India, when visiting Mumbai, do not let yourself get lost in Kamathipura, a red light district near Southern Mumbai where about 50,000 prostitutes work.

Red District Areas in Europe and America

Europe and America also have their fair share of red district areas. If you visit London, do not get lost in Soho, an area in Westminster that is famous for its red light districts (although the area has been a little bet improved).

In Paris, there is Quartier Pigalle, an area near Place Pigalle, where many erotic shops and bars operated boldly; you can see their signs that show their nature such as ‘Sexodrome’.

In Amsterdam, De Wallen is a red light district that consists of many alleys with erotic shops and clubs illuminated with red lights at night.


Meanwhile, in German, there is Reeperbahn area in Hamburg. However, the entrance of this area is marked with red sign that forbids youths under 18 year old and women to enter, so you can easily avoid this area.

In the United States, Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles are not only famous as places where you can see movie stars, but also red district areas at night where prostitutes will offer themselves to drivers on roadside. Meanwhile, in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, there is a commercial district called La Zona (Boy’s Town), which serves as some kind of semi-legal red light district.

Shortly, by knowing about these areas, you can avoid unnecessary troubles when traveling.

Editor's Picks, Food, Indonesia, Street Food Guide

List of the Most Popular Foods in Bali

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Bali is famous for not only its beauty and culture but also its food. Many tourists that visit Bali probably know more about iconic places in Bali than its foods. While you may prefer to enjoy fine dining meal in fancy restaurant, there is nothing wrong with hunting for Bali’s iconic dishes in local restaurants and cheap food stalls. If you want to explore everything good about Bali, food is the thing you cannot skip.

Bali’s Popular Food List
Here are some of the most popular foods in Bali you can find in various establishments:

  • Ayam Betutu

Ayam betutu (betutu chicken) is an iconic chicken dish in Bali that is loved by both locals and foreigners. This dish consists of steamed, spicy chicken served with white rice, vegetables and chili paste. Some local restaurants actually cook their chicken with hot ingredients, so if you cannot handle something spicy, order a lot of sweet drinks! A complete portion of this dish only costs around IDR 20,000 to 30,000 (about $2 to $3).

  • Babi Guling

Babi guling (suckling pig) is a type of roast dish made of whole pig roasted in a pit. This dish can be found in Denpasar, Kuta and Seminyak, from cheap stalls to upscale dining establishments. This menu is usually served for dinner, and the best way to enjoy this dish is at beachside restaurant or food stall. Usually, restaurants will put bold announcement outside their establishments about their suckling pig menu, to inform Moslem visitors.

  • Godoh Gedang

This is a simple dish made of fried sweet banana, which is very easy to find. Godoh gedang is eaten with coconut shave and palm sugar sauce, but some upscale restaurants serve this dish with white, creamy sweet sauce.

  • Bubur Injin

Bubur injin (injin porridge) is a type of warm dessert made of black sticky rice, crushed until soft and eaten with coconut milk.

  • Lawar

Lawar is a type of vegetable dish cooked with spices and chili, and sometimes mixed with beef or pork. There are restaurants that mix blood into their versions of lawar, which is believed make the taste stronger and more delicious. Lawar can be found anywhere; from cheap food stalls to local restaurants. If you are a Moslem, you should ask about the ingredients first before ordering.

  • Jaja Bali

Jaja Bali is actually a broad term given to various small, sweet cakes that are usually sold in the market. These cakes are popular as snacks or breakfast, eaten together with warm cup of tea or coffee. Since many of these cakes are made of rice, coconut and palm sugar, they are quick to stale. If you want to taste the original Jaja Bali, find traditional market and visit early in the morning. These small cakes are very cheap; often just IDR 500 to 1000 per piece (around 0.5 cent to 1 cent).

What do you think? Are you ready to explore Bali’s rich culinary? Never visit Bali without tasting some of these iconic foods to make your holiday in this island unforgettable.

Editor's Picks, Indonesia, Travel Tips

Nice Places for Family Vacation in Bali

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Bali is a popular tourist destination, especially among backpackers. There are so many things to see here, from beautiful views to cultural attractions. You may have a lot of freedom to explore it if you jus visit by yourself or with good friends, but, what if you visit Bali with your entire family? Surely, you must pick places where you and your kids can have fun together. While you may have to skip nightclubs, you can still have fun in various tourist attractions and destinations in Bali. Here are some fun activities you can do together with the entire family.

Water Sport

Water sport and play are fun activities for both adults and kids. Bring your family to Kuta Waterbom Park for a fun filled day. This water park has actually regarded as the world’s 3rd best water park and becomes 2013 Traveler’s Choice in Trip Advisor website. Besides various water plays, you can also enjoy delicious buffet meal or being pampered in spa facility.

Do you want something more challenging? Head to Tanjung Benoa, a coastal area near Nusa Dua where you can enjoy various water sports, as well as diving and snorkeling. Here, you can enjoy water sports such as parasailing, banana boat, water donut, and flying fish. Kids can join these activities as long as they are already 6 years old and accompanied by adults.

Animals

If your kids love animals, there are many places you can visit in Bali to enjoy interesting and cute animals as well as learning about nature. Bali Bird Park is a famous animal sanctuary that keeps huge collections of rare birds, reptiles and other animals.

You can also take your kids to Ubud, where there are several animal related destinations. Animal Welfare Association is located in Monkey Forest Road and keeps stray cats and dogs that have been vaccinated and tamed. Kids can learn how to take care of pets in proper ways, as well as playing with cute cats and dogs. You can also adopt an animal or make donation.

Other animal related place to visit in Ubud is Bali Bird Walks, where you can take a walk in Tjampuhan Village and enjoy rural views as well as local birds. You and family can also join local guides in ‘farmer for a day’ activity.

Finally, there are P Stables, a stable compound located near Pererenan Village and open for public. Here, you and your family can learn how to ride a horse, before a trained guide take you to nearby beach for an unforgettable beachside horse riding.

Culture

Bali is rich in cultural heritage, so there are many places where you can take your family to see it. There is the iconic Tanah Lot Temple where you can enjoy sunset, before heading to the temple and enjoy traditional dance performance (based on schedule). You can also visit Tirta Gangga Park, a beautiful historical site that used to be private sanctuary for royal families.

Bali is not just about beachside clubs, bars, shopping and surfing. There are so many things to see in this island while enjoying precious time with your family.

Asia, Editor's Picks, Food

12 Japanese Most Iconic Foods

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Japanese food is a world of its own. It is beautiful to look at, made with great skills and sense of beauty, and has unique flavor. Japanese food is so popular in many countries in the world, and you can find Japanese food almost everywhere. Are you fancy yourself as a food lover? Let’s check if you recognize all of these 12 iconic Japanese foods.

Oden
Oden is a type of street food you can find during autumn and winter, because its ingredients are stewed and served with hot broth. Ingredients of oden can consist of fish cakes, thick omelet, carrot, chicken, radish, dumplings and many more.

Sushi
You must know that this is a fish dish, usually eaten with rice. However, sushi has a lot of variations. There is maki-zushi (rolled sushi wrapped in seaweed and filled with fish and vegetables), nigiri sushi (handmade sushi with rectangular sticky rice and different toppings), temaki (sushi rolled in ice cream cone shaped seaweed) and many more.

Mochi
Mochi is a type of rice cake that can be either sweet or savory. Sweet mochi is eaten with sugar or soy powder, and unsweetened mocha becomes topping for savory dish such as udon (noodle dish).

Anpan and Melon Pan
Anpan and melon pan are two famous breads in Japan. Anpan is a traditional sweet bun that dates back from the Meiji Era, filled with red bean paste. Melon pan is called ‘melon’ because the shape is like half melon, not because it has melon in it.

Ramen and Udon
Ramen and udon are two popular noodle dishes in Japan. Ramen has soy sauce or meat broth with pork and egg as common toppings, while udon has thick shape and usually topped with tempura or fried tofu.

Tempura
Tempura is a term of deep fried meat, vegetables, chicken or seafood that is covered with batter. They are fried in vegetable oil and eaten with dipping sauce.

Sukiyaki and Shabu-shabu
Sukiyaki and shabu-shabu are popular winter dishes served in hot pot style, and consist of thin slices of meat and vegetables. They are usually eaten with rice and accompanied by sake or beer.

Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is an Osaka dish that is often cooked as method to use leftovers, but it is popular outside Japan as ‘Japanese pancake’ although it is more like savory dish than cake. The batter is made of egg and flour, and the topping consists of shredded cabbage, chicken, seafood or anything you want.

Gyoza
Gyoza is a type of dumpling originated from China, but the Japanese version has more garlic in it and the wrapping is thinner. It is filled with chicken, beef or pork, and eaten with soy sauce.

Miso
Miso is a famous soup that is made of miso paste (a kind of soy paste), seaweed and fish stock, with fillings such as tofu, vegetables and onion. It is often served for daily meals and very healthy.

Teriyaki
Teriyaki is a term for meat or fish dish that is cooked in sweet and savory sauce. The sauce is made of sugar, soy sauce, honey and mirin.

Oshiruko
Oshiruko is often called dessert soup, because it is sweet but look like thick soup. It is made of red bean and eaten hot with mochi or dumpling. It is often served during winter or as New Year dish.

There are still many signature dishes in Japan, but these 12 foods can be considered as the most iconic ones, both in and outside Japan.

Editor's Picks, Food

8 World’s Most Expensive Foods

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While most of us are usually content with eating whole food bought from grocery stores or local restaurants, many people in the world refuse to feel simply content with common food ingredients and dishes. They are willing to pay huge fortune for exquisite and luxurious food, which brings us to this list of 8 most expensive foods in the world.

Wagyu Steak

Wagyu steak is made of the meat of Wagyu cows, particularly the ones that are raised in Kobe farm. The meat is tender, succulent, and has thick, delicious fat that gives the steak its great taste. The most expensive Wagyu steak is served at Craftsteak in New York City, with a hefty sum of $2,800.

Beluga Caviar

Caviar itself is already expensive, but Beluga Caviar tops all types of caviar when it comes to price. This type of fish egg is harvested from rare sturgeon fish from Iranian coast. It can cost as much as $3,200 per pound. Once cooked, it is very salty and usually eaten with pastry.

Yubari Melon

Yubari melon is a type of rare melon grown by farmers in Yubari. This melon can only grow in that certain area and has a tender, sweet and exquisite taste, different from that of other melons in Japan or even the world. A pair of Yubari melons can cost around $22,800.

Caciocavallo Podolico

Caciocavallo Podolico is an Italian cheese made of the milk of Podolico cows, which is rare because the cows only produce it in very small quantity. It can cost around $650 per pound.

Densuke Watermelon

Another expensive fruit from Japan is Densuke Watermelon. It is a rare watermelon, which can only grow in North Hokkaido area. The watermelon has dark skin, very crunchy compared to watermelons we used to eat, and has rich sweetness. With weight reaching up 17 pounds and hefty price of $6,100 per fruit, this watermelon often becomes expensive gifts because of their rarity.

Fugu

Fugu is a type of blowfish that is famous for both its delicate taste and its poison. That is why, all chefs that handle fugu in Japan must have special license and certificate from vigorous training. Once turned into a dish, fugu can cost as much as $100 per serving (which, I remind you, is quite small).

Matsutake Mushrooms

Matsutake Mushrooms are known by many chefs in the world as the most expensive mushroom. This mushroom is very rare because it only grows during autumn in specific type of trees. It has fragrant smell and rich taste, and can cost as much as $1,000 per pound.

Blue Fin Tuna

Blue Fin Tuna is a type of gigantic tuna that can grow as heavy as 100 pound. The fish is usually caught during winter. If it is caught during summer, the meat will taste oily. It is popular as sashimi ingredient in Japan, with a price of up to $250 per pound.

These foods are considered expensive because they are rare, not easy to make or can only be found in certain areas. Despite the hefty prices, they do not stop many people from spending much money just to experience the most exclusive delicacies money can buy.

Editor's Picks, Hotels and Resorts, Indonesia, Sponsored

HARRIS Hotel and Conventions, the Best Resort Hotel in Malang, East Java, Indonesia

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Cheers! I always heard this word anytime I visited HARRIS hotel and met the hotel staffs. The smile will never fade away from your face any time you are greeted by the hotel staffs. This reflects the hospitality of the staffs at HARRIS Hotel and Conventions, Malang. 

Simple, unique, and friendly; these three words reflect the situation in the five-star hotel, which is dominated by orange tone that brings a fresh feeling and atmosphere into the hotel. Situated at the “green” Riverside, near to Malang – Surabaya main highway, from which you can easily get access to the bus station and to the airport. HARRIS Hotel and Conventions, Malang is an ideal place to hold a business seminar, business conference and convention, and many other business and personal activities.

Courtesy of  Malang.Harrishotel.com

In addition, it provides a relaxing atmosphere for the visitors, like me, Shem MD, who came with all family members for an unforgettable weekend in one of the best resort hotels in Malang, East Java, such as HARRIS Hotel and Conventions Malang. I visited the hotel during the weekend when I could do many activities. I stayed at the hotel for a pleasing serenity it offers. Getting into the Green Estate of Riverside, you can easily find the hotel with 229 beds. In addition, it is equipped with a ballroom with a capacity of 1500 individuals and 3 meeting rooms with seating capacity of 50 persons each. This is possible for the ultimate serenity the hotel offers.

HARRIS Hotel and Conventions, Malang, is an ideal place for a relief from the crowded urban life. When arriving at the hotel lobby, I was welcomed by hotel staffs in orange suite, offering professional and hospitable services, such as welcome drink and cold towel. The General Manager of HARRIS Hotel and Conventions Malang, Stylianos Koureas was there to provide us with interesting information on what to do in the hotel. Mr. Stylianos is very warm and polite. It is not surprising to know that he has been awarded as “GM of The Year” for two consecutive years in 2011 and 2013 by Tauzia Hotel Management.

Courtesy of  Malang.Harrishotel.com

After the check-in process, I was brought to my room, namely HARRIS Suite Room No 709. It was a wonderful hotel room suite, with 48 square meter. This suite room is divided into two rooms, the bedroom and the living room. The bathroom space is divided into two different bathrooms, a comfortable guest bathroom in the living room and master bedroom, which is equipped with on-bedroom guest bathtubs.

harris-hotel-conventions-malang

Courtesy of Tripadvisor.com

In the living room, I could enjoy Smart TV channel, which is connected to internet, equipped with a complete set of complete home theatre and 3D glasses, for a memorable home theatre experience. Yes, you can enjoy the 3D home theatre from the comfort of your hotel room. It is fantastic! you can browse the internet as much as you want, using free but fast Wi-Fi services, which could be accessed from the hotel room or from any other areas in the hotel.

After spending sometime lying on the comfortable bed and enjoying 3D home theater movies in the room suite, I moved to the amazing recreation activity area. There are 3 great swimming pools which equipped with a variety of water playing tools, kid’s playing club (Dino’s club), HARRIS hotel cafe and terrace, HARRIS juice bar, fitness center, sauna, wedding chapel, and ping pong table, and many more. More interestingly, the recreation area is surrounded by amazing natural scene, green mountains, and rows of pine trees. All of these will encourage you stay longer in this area.

After enjoying various activities in the recreation area, I enjoyed Spa service in HARRIS spa, which is known to be the best place for relaxation and spa service in Malang. This time, I had “Cempaka Massage,” a combination of Javanese relaxing massage, body scrub, and milk mask. Two hours I spent in the spa went so fast and I felt so relaxed after the massage. You will find your body and soul relaxed after the Javanese relaxing massage. Your skin tone becomes lighter with body scrub and milk mask treatment. For these convenient services, you only had to pay IDR 325.000, the service and the comfort really pay the price. However, if you need a cheaper one, you can have cheaper spa service in the hotel, for which you just need to pay IDR 175.000. I agree with the statement that HARRIS spa is the best spa in Malang.

Courtesy of  Malang.Harrishotel.com

Sunset was the time for me to enjoy the classy delicacies in the hotel. I went to the HARRIS restaurant and cafe, which is located near to the main swimming pool. It provides a serene environment. Here, you can enjoy a variety of high-quality foods, with the rows of pine trees as the background scene and with the fresh air of Malang City soothing your mind. Of the various menus, ranging from Indonesian-specific food to Italian food, Chinese food as well as any other Western foods, I opted western-style food, namely, Balsamic Glazed filet mignon, recommended by Mr. Stylianos, the General Manager of HARRIS Hotel and Conventions Malang.

Within few minutes, some appetizers were served to me before the main course, namely, cheese ball and mozzarella sticks. For the main course, I spent IDR 165.000 and the taste really paid the price. I enjoyed the smaller end of smooth perfectly roasted tenderloin. It was juicy and tasty, with balsamic sauce spread around the filet mignon. It blended nicely with the meat. You can taste the real balsamic vinegar and red wine in the sauce. The foods really pay the amount you spend and you will never feel disappointed with them.

Then came the time for hotel room, where I spent the night under a relaxing atmosphere on the king-size bed. In the next morning, I woke up to enjoy the breakfast buffet. The hotel served the best variations of breakfast menus from different countries. You can visit HARRIS Hotel and Conventions Malang for vacation, business, or for any other activities in Malang City, and you will enjoy a memorable experience staying at the resort hotel.

Other attractive things in the hotel include the following:

–       Unique HARRIS slippers

–       HARRIS car with a unique design

–       HARRIS boutique

–       Happy Feet Reflexiology

–       Daily kids activities

–       Outdoor fun vehicles

–       The spacious parking lot for cars and buses

Location :

HARRIS Hotel & Conventions Malang

Jl. A Yani Utara Riverside Block C-1 Malang 65126, Indonesia

Phone: +62 341 299 2299 I Fax: +62 341 299 2288

Email: sales@harris-malang.com

Editor's Picks, Indonesia

Toba Lake, the Beautiful Super Volcano

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Ask any Indonesian to mention the most iconic natural wonder in North Sumatra, big chance he or she will mention Danau Toba (Lake Toba). This volcanic lake is one of the most distinctive in the world, because it has been deduced that this ‘lake’ is actually the mouth of a giant volcano (super volcano). Lake Toba and Samosir Island, which is located in the middle of the lake, are two natural wonders in North Sumatra that holds a lot of potentials as well as beauty.

History

According to geological point of view, this beautiful and serene lake was once a massive eruption site that brought drastic climatic change and phenomenon called volcanic winter. This is known among geologists as the Toba Catastrophic Event, which occurred around 75,500 years ago. Lake Toba that we know now is actually a caldera, and Samosir Island is a resurgent dome. However, while this volcanic lake spread terror and disaster thousands of years ago, it is now one of the most iconic natural travel destinations in Indonesia and the world. Let us see what this lake has to offer if you visit.

Natural Attractions

Lake Toba is rich in its biodiversity, with fertile ground and lush tropical forest around it, with many species of birds and mammals. On the higher ground, the forest consists of pine forests. The lake is also habitat of various species of phytoplankton. However, the lake itself is poor in nutrition, so there is not much fish living there naturally. Besides the endemic Batak fish (Rasboratobana), other fish species in this lake were introduced from outside.

Toba Lake and Samosir Island are beautiful and they make great photography objects. In addition, the lake water is naturally warm because of the volcanic nature; this makes many visitors love to take a dip in it. The volcanic nature of this lake also created several hot springs on the western part of Samosir Island with IDR 2000 (around 2 cents) as entrance fee, and free use of communal hot spring pool. Unless if you want to swim in ‘foreign tourist’s pool,’ which costs IDR 10,000 ($1).

The Offers

Locals who live around the Toba are mostly from Batak ethnicity. They are friendly and enthusiastic to help tourist get around, sometimes showing the nearest cheap restaurants or the best spots to take pictures. While their native languages are Batak, they mostly can speak Bahasa Indonesia. Many locals also perform in various dances specially presented for tourists, cooperating with travel agents and local restaurants.

Visiting Toba Lake has long become recommended itinerary for hotels and travel agents in North Sumatra. While there are now many public facilities and entertainment to enjoy around the lake area, there is nothing better than kicking back and enjoying beautiful view quietly, savoring the beauty of this super volcano that once had become so destructive.

Despite its history and adversaries that the lake faces now (including illegal logging, pollution and deforestation), Lake Toba and Samosir Island will still become North Sumatra’s iconic pride and continue to draw visitors from around the world.


Expedia.com

Editor's Picks, Indonesia

Komodo Island: The Isle of Roaming Dragons

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If someone asks you where you can still see dragons nowadays other than in many fantasy movies, the answer is Pulau Komodo (Komodo Island). As the name states, this is the island where komodo dragon, a species of prehistoric monitor lizard, still roams freely and has never been altered from their original shapes from millions of years ago.

Komodo Island is located in the southern part of Indonesia archipelago, and is officially under the administration of East Nusa Tenggara province. The island has been included in the New 7 Wonders of Nature, and is actually a part of Komodo National Park. With the size of 390 square kilometers and around 2,000 of population, Komodo Island is located in a neat position between Sumbawa and Flores. The people here live side by side with various rare animal species that roam freely, including the famous Komodo dragon (Varanuskomodoensis).

History behind the Dragon Island

Legend about the ‘dragon island’ was first brought up by Dutch sailors posted in East Nusa Tenggara during the early 20th century. The sailors reported about giant dragons that roamed freely on the island, with were as large as 2 meters in length and could spit fire (actually poisonous saliva). A lieutenant named Steyn van Hensbroek then visited the island and killed one of the dragons, then ordered the specimen to be photographed and recorded, with the results being sent to Zoological Museum and Botanical Garden in West Java. Since then, the ‘dragon’ is called Komodo dragon, based on the name of the island.

Surely enough, Komodo dragons become the iconic animals in Komodo Island despite their ferocious nature. Komodo is a dangerous predator that can easily harm and kill large mammals, including humans. Their saliva contains 40 different types of bacteria and there is no cure for all these bacteria, and their sense of smell is strong. Therefore, women who are in their periods are forbidden to enter the island.

The Natural Attractions

Despite of the ferocious Komodo, this island also holds other natural attractions. Komodo Island has many Java deer, buffaloes, boars, wild horses, macaques and civets. The island also has unique species of cockatoo and friarbirds. It also has beautiful underwater view, and has become one of the most beautiful diving sites in Indonesia.

Roaming the beach in this island is also a unique experience. Besides seeing the lives of locals, we can also see pink beach. This phenomenon happens because the sand consists of red sand, white sand, and small pieces of Foraminifera. This pink beach is one of only seven other similar beaches in the world.

The popularity of Komodo Island inspired various travel agents and hotels in East Nusa Tenggara to arrange Komodo related activities. There are Komodo expedition trip, diving package, Komodo kayaking and camping. However, if visitors want to see Komodo, they must visit via the national park’s office, so there will be experienced guides to accompany them.With its unique fauna, natural beauty and long last legend of the ‘real dragons,’ the Komodo Island will still become a one of a kind island in Indonesia archipelago.