August Part I: West Timor

Kupang At Sunset
Kupang At Sunset

I have fallen in love with Indonesia. It is like living inside a really, really good issue of National Geographic: age-old cultures, diverse/exotic wildlife, majestic landscapes, and under water splendor. It is all here.

Unity In Diversity
Unity In Diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika) is the official national motto of Indonesia. Indigenous cultures remain strong throughout the islands with more than 300 tribal communities and 735 different languages. A secular state that guarantees freedom of religion, Indonesia has 6 official and 245 unofficial religions

With 18,000 isles covering 2 million square miles, ‘Indonesia is a nation of islands best experienced through sea travel.  Lucky us! August has seen the crew of Amandla sailing through the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) with visits to West Timor, Alor, Komba, Flores, Rinca, Komodo Island, and Gilli Banta. As the province consists of over 500 islands, we have only just scratched its. Much of NTT remains untouched by modernization and we didn’t see many western tourists here until we reached Flores.

The Captain With The Official Welcoming Party
The Captain With The Official Welcoming Party

We arrived Kupang, West Timor, the Capital of NTT, on 28 July after 4-night, 510 nautical miles passage from Darwin. Initially, I felt overwhelmed by the change in location. Perhaps I had not fully recovered from our ‘repair filled’ sail from Sydney.

The Unofficial Welcoming Party
The Unofficial Welcoming Party

But the warm welcome we received from officials and locals alike quickly made me feel at home. And we certainly had an easier journey here than Captain Bligh did. Following the Mutiny on The Bounty in 1789, Bligh and his 18-crew members sailed to Kupang in far less comfortable conditions.

Transport by Bemo - The driver / DJ spins loud music while his side kick collects fares and passengers. For Cardinal Guzman's The Changing Seasons
Transport by Bemo – The driver / DJ spins loud music while his side kick ‘barks’ for passengers and collects fares.
For Cardinal Guzman’s The Changing Seasons

We spent our first few days in Kupang checking into the country, refreshing provisions, learning about local culture, and touring about town enjoying the faces of the city.

Two days after our arrival, The Sail Indonesia Rally fleet was officially welcomed to Kupang with speeches, dances, and a gift of a beautiful ikat woven scarf for each crew member. The Rally is organized by Indonesia Sail Tourism with a mission to raise awareness of Indonesia as a marine tourist destination and an excellent cruising ground for yachts.

Welcome Ceremony Kupang
Welcome Ceremony Kupang

In cooperation with the Indonesian Government, Sail Indonesia holds a series of events along the sailing route to welcome crews and introduce them to local culture, traditions, food, and languages. These formal welcome events, coupled with the informal welcome given by locals wherever we anchor, make Indonesia feel like home.

Yonas Salean - Mayor of Kupang
Yonas Salean – Mayor of Kupang

In the evening, Yonas Salean, the much beloved Mayor of Kupang City threw a party for the fleet at the lovely Sotis Hotel. Our gracious host welcomed us and treated us to several dance performances and a bounty of yummy local dishes.

Mayor's Party Kupang
Mayor’s Party Kupang

The Captain’s ‘brother’ Adriano arrived for a 10-day visit that afternoon and was able to join us for the dinner. Adriano’s son Fabio arrived later in the evening. It was such a treat to have them on board.

Purchasing Betel Nut In Soe
Purchasing Betel Nut In Soe

We had originally planned to sail onward to Alor on 1 August but the Kingdom of Boti was calling to me. Typically an overnight trip given the difficulties in getting there, our very talented local tour guide Marlon (+62 812 9529 2478) was able to arrange resources so that we could complete the visit in one day. We took a 3-hour drive to Soe, stopped to purchase a gift of Betel Nut for the King and then traveled another 1.5-hours off-road in a 4WD on a nearly impassible mountain track filled with potholes and landslides.

Stairway to Boti
Stairway to Boti

But when we arrived in Boti, I felt an immediate sense of peace and calm and a shift in atmosphere from hot and dusty to temperate and clean.

King Benu
King Benu

The Boti community is part of the larger Amanuban Tribe of Timor. So remote, Boti’s existence was unknown to the outside world until 100 years ago. Animistic rituals and strict adherence to ‘adat’ traditions are a way of life for the 300 residents of ‘inner Boti’. They are self-sufficient and do not leave Boti except on rare occurrences to purchase fuel. There are over 700 residents of ‘outer Boti’ who are also part of the tribe but have accepted Protestantism and attend public school.

Molo
Molo

King Nama Benu, his sister Molo along with their niece greeted us upon our arrival. Our tour guide Marlon (+62 812 9529 2478) translated between English and the national language of Indonesia, Bahasa, and our skilled driver translated from Bahasa to the local Boti language. After asking the King and his family several questions about Boti, they invited us to sign their guest book; I was visitor #108 this year.

In Boti with Adriano, Marlon, The Captain, Fabio and Molo
In Boti with Adriano, Marlon, The Captain, Fabio and Molo

Then Molo showed us the grounds and ikat weaving in action. The quality of their ikat far surpasses any I have seen in Indonesia. Beautiful designs are woven from locally grown, hand spun, naturally cotton thread. The material feels like raw silk.

We were then served a delicious, light lunch. Before we left, the King gave gifts of bracelets to the men and an ikat scarf to me. It was well worth the 9-hour round-trip drive. I wish we could have stayed overnight. The village offers basic accommodation for visitors up to one month.

Our Host Dr Jelamu Ardu Marius M. Si [Center]
Our Host Dr Jelamu Ardu Marius M. Si [Center]

We returned back to the anchorage just in time to attend another party given for the Sail Indonesia Rally fleet; this one thrown by Drs. Frans Lebu Raya, the Provincial Governor of East Nusa Tenggara and Dr. Jelamu Ardu Marius, M. Si, The Head of the Department of Culture and Creative Economy NTT. More dancing, more smiles, more yummy food, more fun.

Dance Troupe
Dance Troupe

On 2 August, we set out on an overnight sail to Alor. We were cautioned against overnight sailing in Indonesia given the number of unlit vessels not easily picked up by radar and unlit fish attracting devices. But armed with a new radar that was supposed to identify the small wooden vessels and with the addition of Fabio and Adriano, a very experienced sailor, to our watch crew, we decided to go for it.

Sailing to Alor
Sailing to Alor

Next up: August Part II: Alor to Komodo National Park
Submitted for Cardinal Guzman’s The Changing Seasons and For The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Frame

Data Sources: Lonely Planet, Wikipedia, Cruising Guide to Indonesia

65 comments August Part I: West Timor

What a journey, I can see why you love it there!

? Thank you Lisa. It has continued to be awesome as we’ve made our way across Sumbawa. We are heading to Bali now where I imagine we will be greeted by swarms of tourists (they get 3 mil per year and this is the high season) but I am still looking forward to seeing the place ??

How wonderful, Lisa. My dad was from Indonesia, and I’ve often thought of how much he must have missed the colourful way of life there, having settled in a very boring part of England after marrying my mom just after the war. I have many relatives living there, and I’m sure I would have enjoyed growing up in that culture. What a great welcome you had, and I really love your silhouette photo. xx

? Your mother must have been very special to lure your father away from such a beautiful place Sylvia. Have you been to visit your relatives here in Indonesia? Thank you for your compliment on the silhouette photo ?

Looks wonderful. Glad everything is going well after all the repairing you did before. Looking forward to the next installment. Loved the pic of the King of Boti–sweet sadness to him in the image.

? Thank you. You are very perceptive. I think sweet-sadness aptly describes the King. I don’t think that Boti has every fully recovered emotionally from the loss of the previous king in 2006. He was very much loved.

PS – Are you posting somewhere else these days? My last few visits to your site show your last post as mid-August. Hope everything is okay

Ladybuggz says:

Awesome Lisa! wow, such colour and life! Your a lucky lady!! I sail with you in my dreams!! Take Care and be Safe! Hope to hear from you again soon! ((hugs)) <3 T.

? Awww, you are love to say Teresa! I feel lucky indeed. Thank you for hanging out with me virtually. Sorry for my radio silence. Internet connection has been very intermittent as we’ve made our way across Indonesia. Underway to Bali now. Will be by for a visit soon ?

Thank you for these stunning insights, Lisa. Unity in Diversity – what more could one ask for.

? Thank you Tish. I wish ‘Unity in Diversity’ was the world’s motto. From what we’ve seen here so far, it really is a way of life, not just a tag line. I hope that the acceptance and the smiles continue as we sail westward. ⛵️

Oh yes, see, everybody truly can get along, it’s not just a fairy-tale! So good to see all these calm, proud, happy faces! More news about everything being just as it should be should circle around. Thank you for yours!

? Well said Manja! ‘The world as it should be’. Acceptance and smiles. Makes me want to stay here for a very long time. I hope the love continues as we make our way westward. I feel blessed to have experienced it here ?

Such an exciting journey. 🙂

☠ Yo Ho Ho Max. You are going to get two posts instead of one from me this month (too much cover in just one). Komodo Dragons dining on water buffalo coming your way as soon as we get to Bali – underway now. Big hug ⛵️

Traveller at heart says:

That was awesome! Hanging out with royalty. You are well connected, Lisa. Looking forward to hearing about your Indonesian adventure.

? I was beginning to feel like a VIP in West Timor. And the journey has continued to be full of smiles and welcomes. But I wonder if that will change when we get to Bali where they greet 3 mil tourists per year. Will find out soon. Sailing there now. Thanks for coming along with me virtually ⛵️

What an amazing time you have been having in Indonesia, Lisa. Looks like you are exploring this place all round, and what wonderful photos of the region you took. So nice of you to observe local customs and bring a gift of appreciation to King Benu. What a wonderful portrait of him. Also, I am amazed at how you remember so much details of the trip – from your tour guide’s number, the names and population of the islands and even the organisers of the festivities 🙂 At the lunch, I like how they gave you a thumbs up as you took the photo. Doesn’t look like the locals mind having photos taken – I’m guessing they probably don’t see too many photographers around.

Safe trip onwards, Lisa. I am cheering for you and the crew of Amandla. So too is Mama Wobbles and Mr Wobbles who has eaten all the snacks x

The locals are very, very open to being photographed. And they often ask us to pose in their selfies with them. This does seem to be inversely related to tourism. The further west we’ve gone into the more tourists areas, the less requests we’ve had to pose in selfies. But the locals still welcome our taking pictures of them. I wonder what Bali will be like with their 3 million tourists. We shall soon as we are sailing toward there now. We ended up seeing more monkeys in Komodo National Park and you know that seeing monkeys always reminds me of you, Mr Wobbles and Mama Wobbles. I wish I was near a post office do I could send some snacks Mr Wobbles way. A growing Monkey needs chocolate ?

PS – the demographic data was sourced from guide books and Wikipedia rather than my memory ?

Over 735 languages! All those islands! You are right, sailing is the best way to see this country. And I am thrilled to be along, peering in from thousands of miles away.

? Thank you so much for coming along for the ride Diane. It is always a treat to hang out with you in the virtual anchorage (when we have Internet)?

This is such a great report! I read it twice. I knew very little about this area. Thanks so much.

Just curious how was your sail from Darwin? Conditions?

? Thank you very much for your very kind feedback. Made my day. The sail from Darwin was better for us than for most. We delayed our departure by one day and dropped anchor the first night in Bathurst Bay so we were a couple of days behind the fleet who motored the whole way. We were able to travel under sail 50% of the way so we are glad we waited. Had we waited another 24 hours, we probably could have sailed the entire way, but with guests arriving, we opted to motor the first part of the way there. Thank you for asking ⛵️

That sounds great! So you were buddy boating?
BTW we love this post of yours so, that we are reblogging it on our blog!

OMG you would be so lovely to reblog my post!!! It would be my first reblog ever. Thank you.

There are 43 boats in the rally fleet. We often seem to fall behind most of them to relish the places that we visit in Indonesia a little longer or simply to wait for wind. We have done a lot of buddy boating with SY Tiger Lilly who seem to share our ‘go slow’/’wait for wind’ perspective.

nowathome says:

How interesting! Loved the photos!

? Great to hear from you Aletta! Delighted that you enjoyed the post ?

Lisa my jaw is hanging open. Oh the wonders of the world that you have experienced. Isn’t that fabulous that there is a welcoming group to help those who arrive settle in. Brilliant idea. I’m fond of the informal welcoming committee too. 🙂

You and Dave have been on my mind the whole time I’ve been sailing Indonesia… thinking ‘those crazy kids would love this place‼’ I hope your travel adventures bring you here sometime soon. Definitely a place that team Slaught would enjoy ??❤️

So incredibly exciting Lisa! Loving your journey!

? Thank you for sailing along with me virtually Nicole. Once I get to Bali and have consistent Internet access again, I look forward to catching up with all the awesome that you have been up to. We are sailing there now ⛵️✨

Michele says:

Greetings from County Kerry Ireland! It looks like we are both having adventures. I love your welcoming committee. We go on a day ocean cruise tomorrow. Indonesia looks amazing. I have a sister in law from there and hope to visit there with her someday. I don’t know if she has connections to visit such as exotic an island as you visited. That was a unique visit, truly a once in a lifetime trip. Enjoy your travels!

? Ahoy from the sea somewhere en route to Bali Michele. I am looking forward to hearing more about your Ocean Cruise and hopeful to see some pictures. I would love to sail the coast of Ireland someday ? And I do hope you have the opportunity to visit Indonesia with your sister-in-law. Traveling here with an insider would make this place just that more awesome. Which island is she from?

lexklein says:

Well, that was well worth the long wait between posts! I loved seeing the King and his beautiful head wrap again and identified Molo as his sister even before I read the caption. I love the welcoming ritual you get to experience at all your ports; it feels so storybook-ish! So many wonderful faces in this post, but I am, as always, drawn to the scenery – those cool stone steps and the sunset over the sea are great! Wishing you continued happiness amid all that diversity!

Terima Kasih (Thank you) Lexie. My first thought when I saw your comment was ‘wouldn’t it be fun to travel with Lexie someday’. I think we’d have a blast! We are continuing to enjoy the warm welcome and smiles of Indonesia. I am wondering if that will change when we arrive in Bali along with their other 3 mil visitors this year. We are underway now after having spent a few days in remote anchorages off Sumbawa…one with a volcanic lake for swimming. I’ll be by for a visit once we get settled on in Bali.

I always know that when you don’t post for a while, we soon will be treated to amazing photos and tales of your adventures! What a gorgeous island! And, that side trip to Boti looks like it was well worth the long journey. Thanks once again for taking us along.

? Well you certainly know how to make me feel awesome Janis! Thank you! I’ve written August Part II but we haven’t had sufficient Internet to post it. We are underway now sailing toward Bali and getting signal now and then so at least I can respond to comments. Thanks again for the love ?

Liesbet says:

Wow, Lisa! The adventure continues at a higher pitch. What amazing experiences. I’m glad you are loving Indonesia and that you get to enjoy these remote and special areas. Savor the connections and activities! Your photos are captivating!

⛵️ OMG how I wish you and Mark were sailing along here with us. Have you visited Indonesia on your world travels? We’ve just left Sumbawa and are heading to Bali. We plan to rent a car and do some touring while waiting for our visas to be extended. Given the amount of tourism they have (3 mil visitors per year) I am wondering if it will be as awesome as where we’ve been so far ?

Liesbet says:

It would be awesome to sail together with Amandla and her crew, especially in exotic and authentic areas like eastern Indonesia! I have mixed feelings of my past backpacking travels in Indonesia, but you will love Bali as well!! 🙂

Well you were correct. I LOVE Bali. I was afraid that I would hate it given the throngs of tourists, but I have found that it is easy to escape them. And really, I am happy that the throngs have brought wealth to the beautiful people of Bali. We have been here for three days and have already snorkeled a wreck, explored the entirety of the east coast and celebrated Galungan with the local. Sailing toward Lovina now.

Between your words and your images Lisa, I feel like I am right there with you! Greetings from the NC crew??⛵️?

?? Ahoy there Meg! It’s great to have the NC crew along for the ride virtually. I recently met a full time boat dog while sailing in Komodo National Park and thought of your two adventurers, Hubble and Jack Henry. For the most part, this was a very happy boat dog, but he couldn’t go to shore in Komodo because of the Killer Dragons?

Lisa, you constantly amaze me with your photos and how you can capture the energy and colors. You really are living in a National Geographic Magazine!

? You are very, very kind Terri! It is always a pleasure to hear from you. Thank you for the love. We are sailing in the Flores Sea en route to Bali. It is a good day ?

Sail Indonesia seems like such a great idea. I am looking forward to hearing/seeing more of your adventures. I am glad you had an easier time of the journey than Captain Bligh!!!!!

? I am loving the Sail Indonesia Rally events. The Captain prefers remote anchorages with nothing about but a reef to snorkel and a palm tree to sit under. The great thing about this rally is that we are not ‘required’ to attend the events, so me and The Captain compromise by attending 1/2. We have recently spent many days among the coconuts so I am looking forward to reconnecting with the fleet and attending a few events in Bali.

Thanks for sharing. And fair winds as usual.

? Thanks for sailing along with me virtually Brian. We are currently motor sailing in the Flores Sea heading to Bali. Hope to snokel a wreck in the coming days. Life is good.⛵️

prior says:

hi lisa – enjoyed this post – felt like a professional nat geo post!
and as I saw and read the culture rich details I realized how cool it is to be a part of your travels – when my nephew was little – we once made a scrapbook with old national geographic magazines – it was 94 and he was little – he is now older – and said he still has the book!
anyhow – that came to mind as I saw the king here – and his sister !
and the guestbook and the host at the table with guests –
and then the ending photo – is that Fabio!?- looking out to that sky! wow – great shit – perfect for the transition too –
be back for more updates – Xxoo
??❤️❤️
and may you all stay safe and healthy

? I am delighted that you enjoyed the post Yvette. What a great idea to make a scrapbook for a child from old nat geo magazines. I would have loved to have received such a gift as a child. I kept my head buried in that magazine as a kid dreaming of the places that I wanted to visit when I grew up…and now, here I am. The end photo is of our friend’s son Fabio as we were sailing into Alor. Thanks for coming along for the ride ⛵️

Fascinating that you are able to visit more remote islands. And even visit with a KING!! I did not realize that there were SO many different religions in Indonesia, although I knew there were many languages and a vast archipelago of islands.

So looking forward to exploring Indonesia further in the years to come! Your photos are terrific and glad to hear you got such a warm welcome by the locals. I like the unofficial welcoming committee.

Sail on.

Peta

Thank you so much for your visit and compliments on the photography Peta. Your experiences in Indonesia are giving me much to look forward to as we head west. We’ve just sailed into Ambat Bay in Amed Bali. After reading your post, I am more excited than ever to explore it underwater.

Amazing story to go with your amazing pictures. What a thrill of a lifetime you are experiencing.

Always a pleasure to hear from you Eva! Thank you for your lovely compliments on the writing and photos. I hope that you are loving life.

Fantastic! So glad to have caught up with you again, little miss adventurer 🙂 🙂 What a lovely, calm face the King has! And such a contrast with the gaiety and colour and the serene life. 🙂 Off to catch part 2! Hugs, darlin’.

? Lovely to hear from you as always Jo! Brightened my week. Thank you for always being close by (virtually) Big hug.

As always so fascinating to follow your journeys… 🙂

⛵️ I love having you aboard as virtual crew Drake! Thank you so much for sailing along with me ?

badfish says:

I would like to buy Molo’s sarong. I have a collection of fabrics from Indonesian, and other places. I love hers. And hey, did you edit King Benu’s photo, or is it an in-camera setting? Are you eating enough rice yet?

Not an in camera setting, just a botched edit now fixed ?.

I may soon turn into a plate of Nasi Goreng.

I hope that next time you are in Indonesia you stop in Boti to buy a sarong. Still the best fabric I’ve seen in Indonesia!

It looked like one long party to me! What fabulous colours and lovely warm people.

The people of West Timor were incredibly welcoming Hilary. I could have spent the entire sailing season there and been happy. Thanks for your visit!

What Do You Think?