There are several different business entities recognized in Indonesia. These entities differ due to their legal status, composition, purpose, financing, and even membership. To discover what types of business entities exist in Indonesia and to aid you in choosing one which will best serve your needs, here is a short description of various business entities in Indonesia.

PT (limited liability company): a legal entity established under an agreement, which conducts business activities with a capital based entirely of shares. [Article 1 (1) of Law No. 1 of 1995]. The wealth of a PT is separated from the wealth of its owners, and the latter holds limited liability; only as much as the stock holds. Profits will be divided among shareholders by means of a separation dependent upon the amount of profit the PT earns.

CV: Commanditaire vennootschap; a partnership created by an individual or several individuals who trust money or goods upon another individuals or other individuals who run an enterprise and act as the leader. It is constituted by means of an authentic deed, which is subject to be registered to the Clerk of a State Court where the firm is located and then the deed of establishment must be published in the Additional Official News of the RI. Despite being a business entity, a CV is not a legal entity for missing in formal acknowledgment from the State in the form of laws.

Koperasi: An enterprise supervised of individuals or a legal entity, basing its activities upon the principles of cooperation as well as a manifestation of the people's economic movement which is based upon the principle of familial. [Art. 1 (1) of Law No. 25 of 1992]. A koperasi is operated based upon the Pancasila and the 1945 Indonesian constitution, and aims to achieve the prosperity of its members, first and foremost, and the society in general. A Koperasi is accompanied by a minimum of 20 individuals, and its membership is open and voluntary. It is run democratically, providing a limited reward for investment, and its members are rewarded with the Koperasi's profit with a share which commensurates with the amount of each of their own contribution.

Foundation: A legal entity encompassing wealth which is separate and is intended to achieve a certain goal in social, religious, and humanitarian areas, which do not have members. [Art 1 (1) of Law No. 16 of 2001]. A foundation is comprised of Trustees, Managers, and Supervisors, and it accrues a business entity or join one to raise funds for its cause, but the trustees, managers, and supervisors may not monetarily benefit from it.

Firm: a partnership held to run a company under a joint name. [Article 16 of the KUHD]. Not unlike a CV, it is constituted by means of an authentic deed, which is subject to be registered to the Clerk of a State Court where the firm is located and then the deed of establishment must be published in the Tambahan Berita Negara RI. The sharing of profit is usually stipulated in its establishment agreement, but one party may not born the entire benefits or losses. If the division of profits and losses has not been agreed upon in advance, then the division is based on the balance of revenues in a fair and balanced manner and those who contribute by labor only will be equalized with allies who put in the least amount of money or goods.

The island of Phuket, also known as the "Pearl of Andaman Sea", is Thailand's largest island, big enough that visitors would rarely notice that waters surround it. Patong, renamed as the island's "sin city", pretty much presents what Phuket has to offer as a travel spot, with its various attractions such as beautiful white beaches, deep-sea diving, high-end dining, and fashion-forward nightspots. Apart from these, some of the beast attractions that can be had from a Phuket tour package are listed below.

Sirinat National Park
Just 15 minutes away from the Phuket International Airport is the Sirinat National Park, which is composed of 22 square kilometers of coastal land and 68 kilometers of sea. Sirinat is actually comprated by the former Nai Yang National Park, the Nai Yang Beach, the Mai Khao wildlife reserve, Mai Khao beach, and the Nai thon beach.

Hat Kata
With its shopping destinations, surfing, and lively beach, Hat Kata easily joins travelers of all ages. The beach of Hat Kata is actually divided into two by a rocky headland, and the road that traverses between them is the original site of Phuket's millionaire's row.

Hat Patong
Considered as the center of Phuket's actions, Hat Patong abound with antique shops, campy cabarets, street side fish grills, and upscale dining. Apart from these features, Patong is also characterized by a beautiful crescent bay and magnificent white-sand beach.

Phuket Town
Phuket Town is renamed for the colorful blend of its cultural influences, having been an area where global traders aggregated for trading purposes. Entrepreneurs from as far away as the Arabian Peninsula have been attracted to Phuket Town, together with other traders originating from places such as China, India, and Portugal.

Ao Bang Thao
Ao Bang Thao is famous for its 8 kilometer stretch of white sand beach. The southern half of Ao Bang Thao is home for thee-star bungalow resorts, while its inland is home to an old fishing village and a number of start up villa subdivisions.

Khao Phra Taew Royal Wildlife & Forest Reserve
The Khao Phra Taew Royal Wildlife & Forest Reserve plays an important role in Phuket, protecting 23 square kilometers of virgin island rain-forest. Two panoramic waterfalls can be found within Khao Phra Taew, the Nam Tok Ton Sai and the Nam Tok Banmg Pae. Faunal species in the reserve include pigs, civets, flying foxes, moose deer, squirrels, langur, monkeys, and other smaller animals.

Laem Phanwa
Jutting into the sea from Phuket, Laem Phanwa is a beautiful but gorgeous cape. At its edge the Phuket Aquarium displays a collection of tropical fish and other marine life. There is also a lot beaches and coves protected by mangroves and rocky headlands.

Disclaimer: this case history is true. However, we have changed a few details such as flight destinations for reasons of confidentiality. We would also stress that whilst the target in this article is often described as "the thief" this is done purely as a convenience for retelling this case. The target had not been convicted of the alleged crime when this case was carried out.

A few weeks ago we had a call one Sunday afternoon. The client was in Japan and asked if we could get to the airport in Jakarta to observe an arrival and follow him to his next destination.

The client had flight details and could send pictures. The flight was due in just a few hours.

At this point we had only limited details as to why the client wanted this particular target followed. The client just said he needed help in recovering some stolen property.

Airport Surveillance

Surveillance and hooking arriving targets at airports can be a challenge and needs more resources than usual surveillance. A Private Investigation Agency will generally use two agents on regular surveillance, but at an airport it needs some detailed planning and preparation with at least three private investigators (depending on the airport).

People leave airports by three methods generally:

• Taxi
• Public transport
• Pick up

Basically at airports the private investigation team will need to consist of:

• Two agents around the arrival gate to identify the target upon arrival;
• An agent at each possible exit;
• Backup support agents along the exit roads.

When a target is identified at an airport the aim of the agents at the arrival gate is to get a positive identification and follow the target until they either get into the public transport system, or the target gets into another vehicle (such as a taxi) .

If the target does get into public transport then the agents that hooked them at the arrival gate should keep them in the transport system. Normally a Private Investigation Agency prefers to use a man and a woman as the two agents carrying out surveillance at the arrival gate (one has a little luggage). This is done in case surveillance is needed into a public transport system – a man and woman blend inconspicuously on an airport train or bus especially if one has luggage with a flight tag on it.

If the target gets into a taxi or other vehicle (as in the case if they are picked up by someone) the first set of agents need to identify the vehicle details and try to establish which exit they appear to be moving towards.

As soon as they have these details the agent needs to radio the agent at the identified exit points with the details and the support agents.

Target Tracked

Jakarta airport is not overly complicated as far as airports go and our two agents at arrivals were able to identify the target. As the target joined the taxi queue we were also able to get a picture over to the client to confirm we had the right person.

The taxi details were then radioed to the PI agency's third and fourth agents at the exit points and on the road.

These two agents were able to follow the target onto his destination – a hotel. Private Investigation Agencies generally have standard procedures for following on a road (this is done for foot surveillance also). The aim (where possible) is for the two agents to switch positions every five or ten minutes. So agent A follows the target and agent B follows agent A. Then they keep switching.

Spooking the Thief

Now we knew the hotel the target was in and had pictures, we has a conference call with client.

The client explained that the target had stolen over $ 1 million from his company.

For the next step the client wanted one of the private investigators to get a letter to the target and then for us to watch. The letter was from the client's lawyer. He wanted this done immediately before the target slept (within two hours of the target arriving – and keep in mind the target had already flown about 16 hours).

So the agent would not be seen we had someone put the letter under the target's door when we knew they were inside. The private investigators waiting in the hotel lobby and outside with a motorbike at the ready.

Within thirty minutes of delivering the letter the target arrived in the lobby with his bags and checked out. He then went back to the airport.

Nothing much happened at the airport. The target was on his phone phone lot and went to a few sales counters. Then after a couple of hours he got a taxi.

The Thief Disappears in the Night

It does not matter how well you do your job or how many agents you have, there is always the chance that you will lose a target. There are many reasons, but the trick is to have a back up plan.

The target was lost in the horrendous Jakarta evening traffic.

Good connections with different people is essential for a private investigator. Having worked on over 400 cases we have developed a range of relationships with organizations such as police, immigration, child protection services, hotels and … taxi companies.

For a small fee we can give the taxi company the taxi number of the taxi the target was in. They were able to contact he driver for us and find where he dropped our target.

The Second Catch

The thief (or alleged thief) had checked into a very expensive hotel on the outskirts of Jakarta. Our job now was only to observe and follow and, if he left, which we guess he would, find his next destination.

People tend to think surveillance is exciting. There are times when it gives you a real buzz but often it is boring and very hard work.

Surveillance work is not all about the target being active. For a private investigator surveillance is generally 90% activity and 10% activity. So, for every ten hours of surveillance, you will spend 9 hours doing nothing but watching and waiting. Watching what? Nothing much – a door, a car, a hotel lobby.

At least for this case we were indoors in a comfortable and very nice hotel. We could sit in the lobby cafe and see all exit points and the hotel desk.

The Thief Makes a Move

The next day, after staying in his room all night, the target appeared at the check out counter. As we predicted he made his way to the airport.

The client wanted to us to find out where he was going next, and asked us to follow him through to the check in point to see which flight he was taking.

There are two problems with this.

The first problem is the fact that in Indonesia to get access into the check in area you need a valid flight ticket. It is not an open complex. With our contacts this is quite an easy obstacle to overcome.

The second problem however is more difficult to resolve whatever airport you are in. Even seeing the counter a target checks in at will will not need to tell you where someone is going. If for example I fly from the UK to Indonesia my first flight could be from London to Amsterdam or to Dubai, so I check in at these counters and then from Amsterdam or Dubai I go through transit.

Again knowing the right people can make all the difference for a private investigation agency – we were able to get the target's complete flight itinerary. The target was flying to Singapore (so in Jakarta he would have checked in at the Singapore check in counter) and then onto a Japan airline flight to Japan.

Conclusion

The target left and the client had time to make any arrangements needed in Japan. We reckon the client played a clever move with the letter. The letter, delivered when the target was probably exhausted and frightened but thinking he had escaped, showed him that the client knew where he was and had him tracked. The letter cave the target an escape route – come back now and the consequences will be minimal compared to what they will be if you try and run (and if you do run we will catch you).

The target did meet with our client in Japan. We are not sure what happened to him but we do know the client got the $ 1 million back (probably minus a few flight costs and the luxurious hotel costs in Jakarta).

On an international scale, Indonesia has one of the largest gaps between investment potential and actual potential realization. Preceding the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997/8, there was extensive foreign investment in Indonesia specifically from the likes of India, Japan and the United Kingdom, and the GDP growth rate was at an extremely healthy 10% per annual, but subsequent to 1998, Indonesia was by far the worst affected of the Asian region economies with their GDP contracting by 13.7%. The Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) has since stabilized, along with the GDP, which is currently growing at a rate of 6%.

Indonesia has the world's third largest reserve of natural resources, and they include; palm oil, crude oil, tin, copper, gold and natural gases. Indonesia's level of imports are higher than average in the following sectors; machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals and foodstuffs. Indonesia's failure to fulfill their potential in terms of economic growth and foreign investment is linked to a plethora of different issues that are slowly but surely becoming less of a barrier, and in stead becoming and easily attainable hindrance.

In Indonesia, foreign investment opportunities are plentiful plus the ever-present obstacle of corruption is becoming less of a problem due to the introduction of certain legislative measures. When there is unlimited potential for diversified business ventures within a country, the issues holding back enterprise can not be sustained. Sooner or later, Indonesia's economic and foreign investment potential will be realized.

Numerous financial media outlets in the western world have publicized the distinct aspects preventing potential investors from utilizing an emerging market such as Indonesia but in reality the preventive factors may not be such a deterrent. GMS Global Management Services offer a range of foreign investment products to suit any investors who are interested in profiting from an emerging market such as Indonesia. Financial products and independent financial advisory is what we specialize in and for no obligation meeting with one of our financial advisors click here.

During the global financial crisis between 2008/9, Indonesia emerged reliably unscathed as their GDP growth figures were within a 4-6% range which is of course a huge positive and it shows that there is no direct correlation between the economic growth in the western world and that of the Indonesian economy.

The IDX capital inflow has increased tenfold, in recent years, which is a major contributing factor in the performance of Indonesia equity market and at GMS Global Management Services that they have an Indonesian fund that incorporates some of the best performers. Equities in Indonesia were breaking records throughout 2010 and have continued in a positive vain through 2011. There are not many markets that are currently trading at a higher level than they were before the 2008 market crash, which is a good indicator of things to come.

1. Geographic Position is an exact area position in comparison with a different region surrounding.

2. Geographically Indonesia was laid between two continents which are Asia and Australia and two oceans which is Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.

3. Indonesia Northern territory limits is 6o 08 'parallel north across Weh island, Southern territory limits is 11o 15' southern latitude across Rote island, Western territory limits is 95o 45 'longitude east across Beureuh island and Eastern territory limits is 141o 05' longitude east across Fly River and Merauke River.

4. Indonesia had longitude length of stretch out of 46o (141o BT – 99o Lon East) and latitude stretch out of 17o (6o LU + 11o South Lat).

5. Astronomical Positions is a position of a region on earth service that based on the longitude and latitude coordinate. This astronomical position known as the absolute position because it is definite.

6. Equator line [0o] is a virtual line that across from west to east or east to west parallel with the sun orbital lines 0o on equator that makes separation region on earth becomes southern territory and northern territory.

7. Meridian Line [0o] is a virtual line that vertically stretches out from north pole to south pole across the Greenwich observatory in England that makes separation separation region becomes western region and eastern region. Meridian line also known as GMT line stands for Greenwich Mean Time.

8. Latitude line is a virtual line that stretch out horizontally from west to east parallel with equator line.

9. Longitude line is a virtual line that stretch out vertically from north to south parallel with meridian line.

10. Coordinate point is a crossing point or a meeting point of longitude and latitude.

11. Astronomically, Indonesia position laid on 6o Par North – 11o Southern Lat and 95o Lon east – 141o Lon west.

12. Because of astronomically position Indonesia residue in tropical zone. Indonesia has three different time zones. It happens because every earth plane rotation makes change 15o (360o / 24 hour) from meridian line that brings on 1 hour time difference.

13. Western Indonesia Time zone [WIB] verge on 105o Lon East covers on Sumatera, Jawa, Madura, Central Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan. Central Indonesia Time zone [WITA] verge on 120o Lon East covers on Bali, Western Nusa Tenggara, Eastern Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi. Northern Indonesia Time zone [WIT] verge on 135o Lon East covers on Maluku and Papua.

14. On April to October around September 22nd relatively the sun position is on tropic of Capricornus constellation [Tropica Capricorn] against Earth Southern territory (23,5o Southern Lat.), So on that periods sun moves from tropica Capricorn to equator. This condition contributions on Australia climate. Monsoon weather breeze from Asia to Australia through Hindia Ocean. And Indonesia having rainy season during the time.

15. On April to October around June 21st relatively the sun position is on tropic of Cancer constellation [Tropica Cancer] against Earth Northern territory (23,5o Par. North), so on that period sun moves from tropica Cancer to equator. This condition contributor on Asia climate and Australia facing cold season and wind breeze to Asia. Monsoon weather was breeze from Australia to Asia through poor aqueous vapor above the ocean. And Indonesia having dry season during the time.

16. In between of those seasons during September to October and April to May, wind directions were unpredictable and have consequences to climate conditions in Indonesia. Those conditions known as transition period [pancaroba].

Krisnadi N.Wahyudi

"Why should I learn bahasa?" and "Is learning Indonesian really worth it?" are only a few of the questions we hear from non-Indonesian speaking people who live in Indonesia. They happen to stay in Indonesia for some reasons, either it is because they have been hired to work in one of a multi national companies in Indonesia, or because they are housewives and children who are following their husbands and fathers who are working in Indonesia, or even some seasonal tourists who like to visit Indonesia many times.

It is widely known that there are not many Indonesian people who can communicate in English well, including those who are supposed to be able to speak in English, such as shop assistants, office boys and girls, drivers, and others who have to interact with people around them most of the time. Most of these people have learned how to speak English during school and yet they do not really know how to communicate with a foreigner using the proper English language. So there is no other choice for the expatriates here trying to learn bahasa. It is the only way for them to be able to communicate with the Indonesian people.

Learning Indonesian might seem a hassle at the beginning. You'll have to memorize some mostly used vocabularies and try to implement that in daily conversation. But as soon as you start your lesson, you'll find out just how easy the language is! I'm not exaggerating here. Indonesian language or bahasa Indonesia is one of the easiest languages ​​in the world. It is simply because there is hardly any grammar in the language itself, especially if you want to learn bahasa only to enable you to communicate with the local people.

If you want to interact with the local people, especially if you want to be part of them or want to know their culture, or at least, just to be able to communicate with the Indonesian people, learning Indonesian is the first step you must do when you first step your feet in Indonesia. It's really worth it.

INDONESIA

Population: 225.3 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: Jakarta Area: 1.9 million sq km (742,308 sq miles)
Major languages: Indonesian, 300 regional languages
Major religion: Islam
Life expectancy: 65 years (men), 69 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 rupiah (Rp)

The Republic of Indonesia is then again one of the MUST-SEE places in Southeast Asia a small hop from the Indochina Peninsula. Although it has previously lost some of its charisma to the world with the 2002 murders of 164 international tourists and 38 locales in Kuta, Bali, tagging along tectonic hyperactivity scares that thought about almost instantaneously the tragedy of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that took 167,737 lives in North Sumatra, was yet another big blow to Indonesia's tourism industry, the island paradise is simply tantalizing as ever. With raison d'être, the Java Man, one of the world's earliest species of man, has found his home here around 500 millennia to 2 million years ago. And rather surely with its 17,508 islands that can result in pleasure overdrive, travelers can not resist the ethereal music, spectacular dance, delightful storytelling and exquisite craftsmanship – great manifestations of a rich and spiritual life. Indonesia just knows how to tingle the pleasure centers of each of its travelers be it by flavor, spectacle, aroma, or sensation, in addition to the size of this place, possibly the largest paradise that causes more often than not a rethinking of one's departure . Perhaps another night?

GEOGRAPHY

Fact remains, travel to Indonesia is dynamic exploration chasing after islands and wildlife, which is quite a lot. Indonesia is, after all 1,904,569 km2-territory with 17,508 islands with great biodiversity, 6,000 of which are inhabited, making it the largest and most popular country in the Southeast Asia. Indonesia (5 00 S, 120 00 E) is made up of forest-clad mountains and lowland plains and coasts that have served as the home to nomadic and more advanced civilizations of the archipelago. Mountains can be found inland, toward the island centers of larger islands, the highest of which is the Puncak Jaya at an altitude of 5,030 meters above the sea level, the Indian Ocean in this part.

CLIMATE

The climate just can not get better for a Southeast Asian travel, tropical climate as usual as Indonesia straddles the equator. The traveller can not ask for more sun or heat with average temperatures vary very slightly throughout the year from 26-30 ° C. But the highlands and mountainous regions like Kalimantan, Sulawesi, W. Java, and W. Sumatra and Papua offer a different kind of cool, regardless of the two seasons of wet and dry.

PEOPLE

Indonesia is the 4th most heavily populated country in the world succeeding the United States with 240,271,522 people, or especially, Indonesians. Its high population and rapid modernization entail environmental concerns of excessive waste and poor management of it, large-scale illegal deforestation and massive air and water pollution with related forest fires that threaten neighboring countries Brunei and Malaysia. The Javanese are the most numerous ethnic group with almost 45% of the population, and the island of Java, the most populous island in the world with 130 million of inhabitants. After which comes the Sudanese with 15% of Indonesians and some 300 groups such as the Madurese who are at odds with the Dayak, the Minangkabau, Bajar, Banten, Betawi, and the Bugis.

RELIGION

The republic nation prides on being the country with the largest Muslim population on the planet with almost 90% of a Muslim demographic. Naturally, Islam is the way of life here, that main ideology to every action, every principle from preparation of meat and food to governance and law. Christianity is a budding faith in many small villages where missionary work is chiefly directed to especially in North Sumatra with 9% of the population in practice and still adding. Hindu and other pagan or animist beliefs incompletely identified are also in practice.

LANGUAGE

BAHASA INDONESIA, a modified Malay language, is the official language of the state. ENGLISH is widely spoken in major cities and is the language used for foreign matters and the hospitality industry, DUTCH, the colonial language spoken as more of a creole by a minor senile generation, and a few local dialects have dotted the linguistic landscape.

ATTRACTIONS

The rich and hearty Indonesian culture is the perfect accent to the allure of sights of this island paradise. Nothing quite epitomizes Indonesian allure as the rich biodiversity at the coral reef kingdoms to which the traveller can scuba dive and witness colors and creatures so diverse, so flamboyant, possibly none that anyone has seen anywhere on earth, until now. We're talking possibly hundreds of shades of blue, red, green, yellow, and so on. Sulawesi is a place to site rare animals found somewhere else in the world that have evolved to survive in the island of heat and volcanic activity. Crater and volcanic lakes of Sumatra, alabaster beaches of Maluku, more volcanoes of Java, resorts of Bali, surfing sites and fine woven village textiles of Lombok, rainforests in Sabah and Sarawak, Borneo, West Papua, and thousands more places offer pristine nature experiences that is are constantly rated, it is heart-breaking. In the Orangutan Sanctuary at the Indian Fire Islands-volcanic hotspot, the traveller will also feel a certain over-joy that suddenly shifts to melancholy realizing that these beasts are in danger as well.

The irresistible and accessible charm of the people and the places create a truly phenomenal experience. This is home away from home being a place that is totally different but so familiar. From big island hopping trips from Sumatra to Kalimantan or Papua, or cheap thrills of watching Katchak in southern Bali, the common attraction and the genuine beauty is from the people scarcely touched by modern living, thriving in harmony with nature. But life is no beach, at least for the locals with 17.8% living below the poverty line with so much of a health care system as herbal medicines, and as they get a daily dose of the salty-smelling cool sea water, the Indonesians in small villages can never be calm about their own dear lives.

FOOD

Nonetheless, none can take the festive element of the culinary epipanies to be had here. It does not matter the place, rest assured a guest will have a wide and colorful spread of dishes that are out-of-this-world in colors and flavors. The nine essential gastronomic elements of Indonesian cuisine are rice, fuel, cooking oil, flour, corn, salt, sugar, eggs and meat. A country of many faces, so is Indonesian cuisine combining Indian, Middle Eastern, European, Chinese, and Malay influences with their use of spices and methods of cooking and food presentation, but not without sharing some of their own like nutmeg, clove, and galangal, spices native to Indonesia.

Most popular to the world are dishes such as satay, beef rendang, sambai, lumpia, pangsit, and many others. Authentic Indonesian cuisine is not a solid concept per se. Rather it pertains to the cuisine in Indonesia which renders localized versions of others. Rice is a staple not restrictive to main meals as it is also used in desserts using a variant called "sticky rice" cooked in coconut milk or buras. In some dishes, food is so hot and spicy, it can kill microbes.

Indonesian food also offers some Eastern exotica of spicy brains, lungs, and gizzards, but besides its high cholesterol content, there is no reason to not eat it. Islamic food prohibitions are practiced but with some leniency. The ratione is that alcohol has been in existence even before Islam and is part of traditional and cultural practices. There's a big and beautiful world out there, but, a world of its own, Indonesia is a tough contender.

A group of 80 people, male and female, stood holding hands and forming a large circle on a field. They sang mourning songs in a slow tempo as thousands of spectators looked on. Slowly, they leaned to the right, then to the left, then right again, while occasionally stood on tiptoe. This is the Ma’badong ritual, song to accompany a funeral rite.

Torajan culture regards funeral rite as a very important event with deep meaning. In the past, Torajans believed that the funeral rite -called Rambu Solo- should be conducted to please the gods so that the dead will be forgiven and accepted into heaven. Nowadays, the funeral rite is conducted to honor the dead and the bereft family.

Rambu Solo is a huge Endeavour lasting a full week. No wonder it attracted thousands of people, both to attend and to help ensuring that the funeral rite goes smoothly. Hundreds, sometime thousands, of buffaloes and hogs were sacrificed for Rambu Solo. It all depends on how large the funeral rite is going to be. Larger ceremonies will require greater number of sacrificed livestock’s, even though buffalo does not come cheap, costing ten million rupiah ( US$ 1,100) each. The size and scope alone would be enough reason for foreign and local tourists not to miss observing Rambu Solo.

Nevertheless, Rambu Solo is only one of Torajan culture’s many exotic side. As part of the first wave of humans to inhabit the Indonesian archipelago and predecessor of the proto-Malay culture, Torajan’s tradition and way of life is uniquely remarkable. For example, Tana Toraja is one of the few places in Indonesia where people still build a tribal house -the Torajan refers to it as tongkonan.

It is not uncommon to find the sight of tongkonan with its distinctive overturned-boat shaped roof, sandwiched between lush paddy fields.

Scattered around Rantepao and Makale, capital city of Toraja Regency, are villages with old tongkonans that is still inhabited by its builder’s descendants. Among those villages, Kete’kesu is the most important because it has been designated a cultural preservation site and has one of the large number of tongkonans.

Five tongkonans stand tall amid the throng of visitors; each was made without employing a single nail and adorned with their own distinctive carvings. Even at glance, the tribal houses looked very old. One of them is reportedly four hundred years old. One of them is reportedly four hundred years old. On display in front of each house are buffalo horns to signify social status. The more and bigger those horns are, the higher the status.

Across the tongkonan lie grain silos that locals call alang sura, while at the back of the complex is an ancient cemetery that is at least as old as the tongkonans, but probably more, judging from the decaying wood of the casket inside. The word “cemetery” may remind us of bodies buried below ground and gravestones, but no such thing is evident in Tana Toraja. This is another unusual aspect of Toraja culture.

They do not bury their dead like in most culture; instead they put the dead inside caves, either natural or man-made. These burial caves usually exist in high cliffs or large rocks, such as in Lokomata. If natural caves are not readily available, then it must be carved into rocks, a painstaking process that can take years to complete and usually done well before the intended occupant passes away.

From outside, the entrance looked small. But inside, the cave is large enough to accommodate several bodies along with their belongings. Sometimes, a life size statue resembling one of the dead is placed in front of the cave opening.

Meanwhile, a baby who has not grown any tooth will receive different treatment in case of death. Instead of cave, the baby will be buried inside tree trunk, such as those found at Kambira. These burial procedures are widely acknowledged as one of Indonesia’s extraordinary cultures.

Soon to be World Heritage Site

Kete’kesu, Kambira, and Lokomata are not the only places to experience Torajan culture. Other places that should be visited including Palawa, Parinding, and Londa villages, megalithic stone structure of Bori Kalimbuang, Sullukang city, Sa’dan River in the middle, also has scenic view, dominated by green color of trees and vast paddy fields. One of the several places to enjoy the view is Batutumonga on the slope of Mount Sesean. From this quiet but beautiful spot, one can see clearly the Sa’dan valley and Rantepao city below. For only a 45 minutes trip from Rantepao, tourists can enjoy trekking and lunch or spend the night here.

While traveling in Tana Toraja, tourist can sometime come across marriage or house warming ceremonies (called Rambu Tuka) that are also quite unique. The ceremonies usually entail songs and dances performed in front of the Tongkonan. Torajan people hold fast to their culture as part of their daily routine. Their remarkable way of life has made the Torajan famous in the world and Tana Toraja is now in the process of becoming a world Heritage Site.

Getting the Most Out of Tana Toraja

Tana Toraja is a little regency located in South Sulawesi Province, about 380 km from Makassar, capital city of South Sulawesi. Numerous tourist sports are scattered throughout the regency, making Rantepao city, right at the heart of Tana Toraja, a perfect spot to begin any journey. Indeed, there are hotels and restaurant in Rantepao that specifically cater to tourist’s needs.

Reaching Tana Toraja is as simple as driving through paved road from Makassar, or flying out Makassar on Merpati Airlines every Tuesday and Friday. Tours guided to Tana Toraja is also available in Makassar and a very popular option with foreign tourists because it is practical and much more comfortable.

Airplane is known as one of the safest transport system on earth, but still many people are scare of taking flight today. If your hands are sweating or your heart beating faster just before take off or landing, you are probably one of this people. Depend where you are traveling this feelings can become more intense, especially if you have heard about the numerous tragic accident that the concerned region has been involved in.

The purpose of this article is not to make you more afraid of taking the plane, but just to inform you about the reality. And may be help you take the right decision when purchasing your flight ticket. Even a 100% way to travel safety doesn’t exist yet and will probably never do; we all want to put the balance in our favor. In some countries minimum precaution and full information seems to be required.

I love Indonesia. It is a wonderful country with more than ten thousand tropical islands, thousands of dialects and hundreds of interesting cultures. White sand and paradisiacal beaches, impenetrable rainforest and archipelago of active volcanoes make this territory one of the most wonderful countries in the world for backpackers. The wild life inside the sea as on the land are incredibly diversified and Indonesia count hundreds, if not thousands of species you won’t find anywhere else. Additionally, Indonesia has rich natural resources which provide food and premium material for this over populated country (more than 200 millions people).

What relation with airplane? I believe many people are reluctant to travel around Indonesia since the recent event. Or should I say events (with an “s”). Indeed, the last few years have been catastrophic in terms of Airplane Crash. Unfortunately, this wonderful country is governed by a vast majority of corrupted politician who have much better to do than controlling the airplane regulation. So of course, the big competitions among Airlines Company push each of them to reduce the charges at any cost. And very often starting by reduce the maintenance frequency of their planes or the used of old spare parts, etc.. This can be scary, but it is the true.

Obviously, the Indonesian Transport’s Ministry’s recently announced that they will probably drop three airlines to the lowest rating category. Those Airlines were Adam Air, Wings Air and Dirgantara Air. Basically, they separate the companies in three different category. The first category (category I) is considered as the “fully compliant” group. The companies in the last category (category III) will have three months to make improvement before having their licenses revoked. The middle category (category II) is for the companies which have met the minimal safety requirement but have not yet complied with a number of flight-related safety measures.

After checked the safety regulations of all the 20 passenger airlines, they come with the following results.

None of the airlines are completely complying with safety regulations. It means that none of the all Indonesia airlines companies are in the category I. The 13 companies in the category II are: Garuda Indonesia, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, Lion Air, Sriwijaya Air, Wings Air, Indonesia AirAsia, Mandala Airlines, Pelita Air Service, Riau Airlines, Trigana Air Service and Travel Express Aviation Service. These airlines fall short on a smaller number of safety requirements. And for the bottom category III, we have: Batavia, Adam Air, Kartika Airlines, Trans Wisata Air, Jatayu Airlines and cargo jetliners Tri MG Intra Asia Airlines and Manunggal Air Service.

Some of the company airlines in the middle category proclaim to have no idea of the kind of criteria the government is using to rate the airlines. I have to admit that transparency has never been the strong point of this government. Some airlines promised they will make improvements. At least, this result has boosted the debate and obviously should improve the situation in the future.

Personally, I believe AirAsia, Garuda Indonesia or Merpati to be some of the safest, despite the tragic event’s of Garuda Indonesia last month. For AirAsia, it is actually not a local company as they are based in Malaysia, but they provide at least fifteen destinations in Indonesia. And the have some of the cheapest airline tickets available in Asia.

I hope this article does not take away your curiosity for traveling in Indonesia. As an expatriate for seven years in Jakarta, I recommend you to consider this destination for your next trip. Indonesia is still one of the rare country in the world where you can find such diversity of culture and panorama in the same place. Just follow the above advice about aircraft safety and don’t forget to check the article about Travel Insurance (see Blog : http://www.cheap-asia-travel.blogspot.com/). And everything should be fine. Good Luck and Nice Trip.

I have recently extended my Indonesian visa on arrival (VOA) in Bali. It took about a week, three visits to the immigration office, and Rp251,600, but it was a lot easier than leaving the country to get a new one.

Luckily for me, I live near an immigration office (in Singaraja), so the whole process only took about an hour in total, including journey time. If your nearest office is further away, then you'll need to decide whether it's easier to make the 3 trips or just one trip abroad instead.

In my case I needed a sponsor, but I've heard of other people not needing one. When you do this for the first time, I suggest you take a suitable local person with you just in case. They can always help with translation and filling in the visa application forms.

Also, I did not need a photo, but I've heard of other people animals asked to provide one, so it's probably best to bring one just in case. It's always a good idea to carry a few passport photos when you visit an immigration office as you never know when they might ask for one. These should be with a red background.

Since I used my wife as a sponsor for my visa, I had to provide a copy of our wedding certificate. Presumably, if you use someone else, this will not be necessary.

I had to fill in 3 forms. One of these is a sponsor's letter, which my wife completed. The others I completed myself (with some help from my wife as one is entirely in Indonesian). One of the forms needs a "materai" (stamp) which costs Rp6,000. You stick in on the indicated square at the bottom of the form and both you and your sponsor sign so that your signatures overlap it.

The second time I did this, they asked me to bring in my return ticket, usually to prove that I was going to leave the country.

One small but important detail: make sure you complete the forms in black ink and in capital letters, otherwise they could be rejected. Really! Oh, and it's a good idea to dress reasonably well when you go into the immigration office, so vests, shorts and flip-flops are out, as are mini-skirts and skimpy tops. You do not need to wear a suit and tie, but at least long trousers / skirt (jeans are fine) and shirt or t-shirt.

You also need to provide photocopies of your passport (showing your identity details and current visa), your sponsor's identity card (KTP), and your marriage certificate (if your spouse is sponsoring you).

5 days after dropping the forms off, I returned to the immigration office and paid Rp250,000 (equivalent to 25 US dollars).

3 days after that, I returned to pick up my visa. Oh, and I had to pay Rp1,000 for them to photocopy my passport with the new visa stamp in it.

I was initially worried that, since the whole process was going to take a week, I would end up overstaying on my original visa (which ran out 2 days into the process), but this was not a problem as I dropped off the forms before my visa expired. Ideally, you should go in one week before your visa expires but, even though I did not do that, they returned the new visa to start from the day my original one ran out. Nice!

Apart from the reduced hassle of doing this (compared to leaving the country on a visa run), there's another advantage: the visa stamp that use only takes up half a page in your passport compared to a full page for the standard VOA stamp.

I hope this helps clarify the process for you.

One final tip: do not listen to anything they tell you in Denpasar airport about this as they have been giving out inaccurate information there. For example, they may tell you there's an immigration office in the airport, which is not true. There is one nearby, but not in the airport itself. They've also been known to tell people that they can get their VOA extended while they wait, which is simply not true. I suggest you save your energy and avoid asking about this in the airport.

Good luck and happy traveling!