West Sumatra - Sikuai Island

West Sumatra -

What comes when you hear the name Sikuai? Small island near the Mentawai Islands. The island is administratively Sikuai including the city of Padang, West Sumatra, precisely in the Gulf District Bungus mourning.

Towards Access Locations

My journey started from Batang Arau Padang via the dock. Distance from Padang to the island Sikuai taken within 1 hour by boat boats. Do not be afraid to hear the word Jukung, boating is also available if you want to pay extra, of course, with faster travel time.

Along the way you will not feel bored, the sea breeze will erase fatigue. Occasionally the ship will traverse the local fishermen who were fishing activities at sea. Refreshing is efficacious enough for you who are bored with the routine of living and the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

Accommodation and Activities

After enjoying the beauty of the sea, you will arrive at the small pier Sikuai Island. There is only one resort on this island, called The New Sikuai Resort. Impressed westernized, but the reality is that more foreign tourists who stay here. The price for renting cottages at the resort approximately 750,000 rupiah / night, includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

At check in at the resort, the receptionist will inform you about what activities to do in the island. There are many water activities like swimming, diving, snorkeling, banana boat, jet ski or seawalker just up the coast to collect shells for your unique collector of the sea.

The receptionist will also inform the schedule of breakfast, lunch, dinner and limited power supplies. The power will only work at 5 pm until 10 am. That is, you have to do outdoor activities during that time rather than having to spend time at the cottage.

Oh yes, make sure you bring enough snack lunch. In this island there is no township residents or shop. The only mini-shop that sells snacks available at the resort and will be closed before nightfall.

The island is very beautiful, white sandy beaches with sea water reflectance change between blue and green. Snorkeling become a favorite spot travelers who visit the island for its rich marine life and coral reefs are experiencing. You do not have to worry if it does not bring snorkeling equipment, these tools can be rented at the shop mini resort.

If you just want to enjoy the beauty of the island, you can pay 25 thousand for the cost of renting a bike. It only takes 45 minutes for you around the island Sikuai.

If you do not want to stay on the island, there is a day trip package vacations to the island Sikuai with relatively low cost. With the price of 100 thousand dollars so you can enjoy the panoramic beauty of the island Sikuai for one day. Price includes transportation and lunch.

So, what else do you think? Plan a vacation to the island of Atlantis Small Sikuai Indonesia and soon packing yuk!

INDONESIA TRAVEL TIPS

Immigration

Visas are required except for the nationals of 48 countries namely Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom (Great Britain), United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Venezuela, Yugoslavia and Taiwanese holding MFA//M passports. The visa requirement is also waived for other nationals from friendly countries, attending a conference which has received official approval.



Visa free entry is for maximum of 60 days and is not extendable. Entry and departure must be through the airports of Polonia (Medan), Simpang Tiga (Pekanbaru), Hang Nadim (Batam), BIM(Padang), Soekarno-Hatta (Jakarta), Husein Sastranegara (Bandung), Juanda (Surabaya), Adisumarmo (Solo), Ngurah Rai (Denpasar), Eltari (Kupang), Supadio (Pontianak), Sepingan (Balikpapan), Sam Ratulangi (Manado), Pattimura (Ambon), Hasanuddin (Makassar), Selaparang (Mataram), and Frans Kaisiepo (Biak), and the seaports of Belawan (Medan), Batu Ampar and Sekupang (Batam), Tanjung Priok (Jakarta), Tanjung Mas (Semarang), Tanjung Perak (Surabaya), Benoa and Padangbai (Bali), Bitung (North Sulawesi), Ambon (Maluku), and Tanjung Pinang (Bintan). There is only one land gateway, Entikong in West Kalimantan.

For other ports of arrival or departure, visitors must have visas, For others, tourist visas for thirty days can be obtained form any Indonesian embassy or consulate. Two photographs are required and a small fee is charged. Possession of passports is a must to all visitors to Indonesia valid for at least six months with proof of onward passage, either return or through tickets.

Transports

There are metered taxis in Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Solo, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Bali and Lampung. For air-conditioned taxis flag falls are Rp.2,000 (Rp. 900 for each additional kilometer) and Rp. 3,000 (Rp. 1,300 for each additional kilometer). For Silverbird flagfall is Rp. 3,500 and Rp. 1,500 for each additional km. Hire cars are available and rates differ form area to area and it is best to ask the transportation desk of your hotel for information concerning rates and distances.

From Soekarno-Hatta airport to Jakarta city, taxis add a surcharge ranging from Rp. 7,500/Rp. 9,000/Rp. 10,000 depending on the destination and the road tolls of Rp. 7,000. There are also Soekarno-Hatta International Airport buses which run every 20 minutes to five different points in the city. For those heading for the major hotels in the city center, take the bus to Gambir, a railway station, which is five to ten minutes away by taxi from the hotels. Bus fare is Rp, 5,000 per person plus luggage. At other airports there are transport counters with fixed fares for taxis.

Other forms of transport in Indonesia are bajaj for two passengers, small buses which ply regular routes, the man-driven pedicab "becak," all of which need advanced bargaining to come to a mutually accepted fare. Buses are very crowded, particularly in the cities and routes need to be identified. Trains traverse the island of Java and part of Sumatra. Fares are comparatively cheap but higher on air-conditioned express trains running between major cities.

Garuda Indonesia has an extensive network throughout the country. To all major cities on the archipelago, Garuda had daily services. Garuda services are supplemented by those of Merpati Nusantara, Bouraq, and Mandala, Lion Air, Awair and Pelita.

Communication and Electricity

Long distance calls within Indonesia are by direct dial. International Direct Dial (IDD) is available from major cities and hotels to 240 countries. Long Distance, IDD and facsimile services are also available at the telecommunications offices (Wartel) in major cities and hotels. Internet service is not a difficult things to find in big cities public internet services (Warnet). Most hotels in big cities use 220 volts 50 cycles and a two-pronged plug. However, some hotels in the provinces may still be using 110 volts. It is better to check before using an appliance.

Weather

Indonesia has two seasons, the dry season from June to October and the rainy season from November to March. There are occasional showers during the transitional periods and the general maximum temperature is 33°C (62°F) and the general minimum 21°C (41°F). Humidity is high at all times.

Customer

Customs allow on entry a maximum of one liter of alcoholic beverages, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume per adult. Cameras, video cameras, portable radios, cassette recorders, binoculars and sport equipment are admitted provided they are taken out on departure. They must be declared to Customs. Prohibited are firearms, narcotics drugs, pornography, Chinese printing and medicines, transceivers and cordless telephones. Films, pre-recorded video tapes and laser disks must be screened by the Censor Board.

There is no restriction on import or export of foreign currencies and travelers checks, however, the import and export of Indonesian currency exceeding Rp. 5 million is prohibited. Airport authority levies an airport tax of Rp. 50.000 for travelers on international routes and Rp. 11,000 for those on domestic routes.

Shopping and Tipping

At most hotels a service charge of 10% is added to the bill. In restaurants where a service charge is not additional, a tip of 5 to 10% would be appropriate depending on the service and type of establishment. An airport or hotel porter expects Rp. 5,000 per bag.

Tipping taxi drivers Rp. 1,000 or leaving the change is appreciated but not mandatory. It is advisable to carry small change as taxi drivers are often short of change. The big cities have shopping complexes, supermarkets and department stores where prices are fixed. They stay open from 8.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. everyday and some even on Sunday. At small shops bargaining might be necessary.

Food and Health

The Indonesian staple food is rice steamed boiled or fried. Some accompanying dishes can be pepper hot - big red pepper or small green ones - so it is advisable to ask before ordering. Please be inform to also ask the price before ordering. There are many restaurants specializing in European, American and Oriental cuisine including the fast food restaurants.

A variety of beverages (both imported or locals) are available everywhere including very good Indonesian beer. Keep to bottled drinks if doubtful of water served in restaurants. Travelers coming from infected areas are required to submit International certificates of valid smallpox, cholera and yellow vaccinations.

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Cerocok Beach - Pesisir Selatan, West Sumatera

Really beautiful white sandy beaches captivate the eye of the beholder. Rows of coconut trees along the beach and shells with various forms of the many scattered, increasingly adds beauty presented. Beaches in the South Coastal District which also has a lot of this bay, will certainly captivate anyone who visited him.



Trip with an atmosphere like that encountered when performing quid Coast Expedition which started from the coast toward the port area Batu Kalang Tarusan Carocok in South Coastal District. Tour with the way along this coast is still rarely performed by community activists and organizations the wild. This is due to the lack of public knowledge about these activities, this situation further worsened with the least information about the existence of the beach can be done to these coastal fringe activity.

Equipment used is not too much trouble. Except in case we need to go through the swamp in this coastal fringe, then some special equipment in use. To prepapre this equipment, you can find out early through a map that becomes the purpose of activities. In addition to arena tours, beach fringe is never too diperlombakan in 1991 at the beach Pariaman by Bung Hatta University Mapala Proclaimers.



On this beach there are still many houses and fishing boats that rely on beach. Because the sea is a source of livelihoods of the people here so it's not surprising if we see a lot of different foods made from fish and shrimp. Also typical atmosphere of a fishing village was much thicker. In some places seen the fishermen repair nets and boats were damaged.

On this first day you can choose the location of resting or camping place is usually quite separate from the township community. Along the coast that will pass easily found shells and coral fracture. On the first day this will pass some of the fruit bay bay bay Lambu and Lundang. Really very beautiful scenery, for those who want to taste the fresh young coconut water also can get it for free. Only we must have the ability to climb, because the palm trees here grow on average and high. The atmosphere was like being in a place feels alienated. Society met only one or two only, rose by chance when they intend to see the condition that they put snares on the previous day, at precisely this area which stretches hills overlooking the beach there are many hunted animals like deer, elk and deer.

After passing through the bay Lambu, should be crawling the walls  ± reef with a height of 8 meters. A fairly steep wall is usually bypassed by way of scrambling (using the hand because the trajectory is steep). The waves are rolling high enough audible rumble when laying cliffs on the wall. Rock wall at  ± passing extends 20 meters, far away Besides having to walk through the hills above circular is also due to absence of the road so we had to open the path too.

Playing beach was quite easy to navigate and pleasant, with only a look at a map we can estimate the position and direction of the next trip. Some islands are visible from the beach can we make a point shot.

The next trip had to cross a hilly jungle. A barrier reef facing the journey back, so the trip had to be transferred. Facing cliff stands vertical with a height of tens of meters, so to avoid it even though it may pave a new path.

Toward the middle of the day will reach the summit is surrounded by the bay bukit.Perbukitan carocok overgrown mangrove forests around them. On the other side of the bay looks a lot of medium-size ships and fishing boats were leaning. This location is named with the port Carocok.

SURAMADU BRIDGE

Suramadu National Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Madura Strait, connecting the island of Java (Surabaya) and Madura Island (in Bangkalan, exactly east Kamal), Indonesia. With a length of 5438 m, this bridge is the longest bridge in Indonesia today. Southeast Asia's longest bridge is the Bang Na Expressway in Thailand (54 km). Suramadu bridge consists of three parts, namely the overpass (causeway), bridges (bridge approach), and the main bridge (main bridge).

Beginning construction of this bridge was inaugurated by President Megawati Sukarnoputri on August 20, 2003 and inaugurated the opening by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on June 10, 2009. Bridge construction is intended to accelerate development on the island of Madura, including infrastructure and economic field in Madura, which is relatively backward compared to other areas in East Java. Estimated cost of construction of this bridge is a 4.5 trillion rupiah.


Making the bridge is made from three sides, both sides Bangkalan both sides of Surabaya. Meanwhile, at the same time span was also carried out development which consists of playing bridge and approach bridge. Suramadu bridge is basically a combination of three types of bridges with overall length of 5438 meters long with a width of approximately 30 meters. This bridge provides four lanes in both directions as wide as 3.5 meters with two 2.75-meter-wide emergency lane. This bridge also provides a special lane for motorcyclists out on each side of the bridge.

Causeway built to connect the bridge with the road construction through shallow waters on both sides. This flyover consists of 36 spans over 1458 meters on the side of Surabaya and 45 spans over 1818 meters on the side of Madura. Construction of this flyover using PCI buffer length of each span 40 meters foundation supported 60 cm diameter steel pipe.The connecting bridge or bridge approach, the main bridge linking the elevated road. The bridge consists of two parts with a length of 672 meters each. Construction of this bridge using a buffer along the 80-meter concrete box each span with seven spans supported on each side of foundation support 180 cm in diameter.

The main bridge or bridge consists of three parts, namely two side spans 192 meters long and one along the 434-meter main span.The main bridge using a cable stayed construction supported by the 140-meter-high twin towers. The bridge deck using 2.4-meter-thick composite construction. To accommodate cruise ships crossing the Strait of Madura, the bridge is providing free space as high as 35 meters from the sea surface. In part this is what causes become difficult and hampered its development, and also causes swelling construction costs