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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Photograph: Underwater Menjangan Island



This is one of the coolest underwater pictures that I took exactly one year ago.....

I can never get enough looking and staring at this beauty..... 

Yes, Indonesia has so many cool and awesome travel destinations especially the underwater parks that are located across the waters of Indonesia. One of the most amazing and quite well managed snorkeling and diving destinations in Indonesia is Pulau Menjangan (Menjangan Island) in Northwest of Bali, which is where this amazing photograph was taken.....

For more information, you can google about the place. I am sure there are already a lot of information regarding the place across the internet.

One thing you have to know for sure is that it gotta make your bucket list if you are one of those coral and fish fans.......

Follow my traveling instagram @indonesiaisme for all the amazing travel destinations in Indonesia......

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Quote of the Day - November 5, 2014

"Money is something 

that can come and go. 

But experience and knowledge 

are the two 

assets in life that nobody can take away 

from you, ever....."


- FW -

Friday, October 31, 2014

Travel Capture: Sandboarding in Tangalooma Island

Sandboarding in Tangalooma Island, Queensland, Australia

taken during my family trip to Australia in 2011

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Travel Capture: Banff Village, Alberta, Canada

Banff Village, Alberta, Canada

Taken in May 2011 during my road trip to the Canadian Rockies....

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Quote of the Day - October 10, 2014

"You can have everything 

in life you want 

if you will just help 

enough other people 

get what they want."


- Zig Ziglar

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Travel Photo: Peaceful White Sandy Beach

Peaceful White Sandy Beach


Location: Gili Nanggu, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

~Awesomeness in Nature~

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Underwater Photography: Pink and Red Corals at Pulau Menjangan, Bali

Pink and Red Corals at Pulau Menjangan, Bali

Taken at: Menjangan Island, West Bali, Indonesia
Taken by: Ferry Wijaya
Taken with: Olympus TG-2
Date Taken: December 24, 2013
Description: 
Some beautiful pink and red corals you can find when snorkeling at at Pulau Menjangan, West Bali, Indonesia.
Very beautiful in real life....

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Foodie: Batagor Mang Apep, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia


This is one of the most delicious batagor I have tasted outside Bandung, the origin of this food. And I recommend this place to my Surabaya friends who don't care if they eat at a roadside food vendor like this one......


It is located on Jalan Manyar Surabaya near the intersection between Jalan Manyar and Jalan Ngagel Jaya Utara. It is open only at night like any other roadside food vendors in Surabaya....

Note to take: please be aware that they might run out of foods to sell as they reach 9pm every night (depending on the business of that day).


And it is very very cheap in my opinion..... Eventhough it is a roadside food vendor, the authentic taste of their batagor didn't disappoint..... The owner is from bandung so no wonder their batagor taste like as if I am in Bandung....


The batagor tastes really good. Its crisp is awesome. The sweetness is just right, and if you like it a little bit spicy, you can add some chili "sambal". The peanut sauce is just as awesome as the batagors I usually taste in Bandung......

This is definitely one place that you should go when you are craving for some batagor.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Travel Capute: In Vienna

A Tourist Destination in Vienna, Austria

Taken in August 2009
during my Europe Trip in 2009

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

My Next Travel Destination: Komodo National Park & Flores


After a couple days of thinking and researching, I decided that Komodo National Park would be my next Indonesian travel destination. There are so many beautiful places in Indonesia that I want to explore but this one just can't wait any longer.

I have been wanting to go since last year when I realized that it's one of the most fascinating places in the world, one place that is so unique and can't be found anywhere else in the planet. And yes, this one is something that we Indonesians should be very proud of....

I am so excited to meet the giant lizards, to experience the life of the locals, to enjoy the panoramic views, and to explore the underwater life of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. It will for sure be a different world and something very very exciting to experience.

Talking about expectations, I do have a lot of expectations about this particular place and fingers crossed that it will satisfy my wanderlust cravings. Therefore, I can't wait to check off one of the many many items in my travel bucket list and hopefully it will happen SOON.

I might combine my trip to Wae Rebo and Kelimutu National Park depending on the schedule that I am making later....


So who else is in for the possibly adventure of a lifetime? *wink*

Watch out for my adventures in East Nusa Tenggara, the next biggest Indonesian travel destination..... :)


Monday, September 22, 2014

Photo: Finding Nemo at Kakaban Island, Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia


Oh look at this amazing picture by @christ_nicolaus .............

This kind of photograph makes me wanna go on a snorkeling trip and another and another and another...... Yeah, I am one of those who like the underwater world and all its beauty.....


Even though I don't like to be in contact with the fishes, I enjoy the view and the peacefulness inside the water....

Oh when can I go on another snorkeling trip? Hopefully, I can make it happen soon..... :)

Have a great day everybody!

Follow my traveling instagram @indonesiaisme for all the amazing travel destinations in Indonesia......

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Sichuan Opera: The Striking Face Change Technique - Bian Lian




Never in my mind or in any of my traveling plans that I have intention to watch a Chinese Opera before. Probably this opera thingy didn't interest me that much.

However, if you know me, my travel principle is to go or to do anything that I have never done before at least once. If I like it, I might do it again. If I don't, I probably won't be back.

This travel principle is actually the one thing that makes me wanna go anywhere and try a lot of different things that are different from my daily life. And it turns out that nothing was ever that disappointing. It turns out that in everything I see or to everywhere I go, there are always some things to learn, new perspectives to gain, and many people to learn from. This is the main reason why I love traveling.

Early this September, I had the chance to visit China. As this was my first time, it got me really excited and I began to research about the places and the things to do in the cities that I was gonna visit. I spent a lot of hours googling and google mapping and making a list of things to do like any other avid travelers do.

One of the things that were in my itinerary provided by the tour operator was to watch the Sichuan Opera "Face Change" or commonly known in Chinese language as Bian Lian in Chengdu City, the Capital of Sichuan Province of China.

Coming here, I didn't have any high expectation at all. So my plan was to watch a little bit of it to get a sense of what's going on in the show and only to experience a little bite of Sichuanese or Chinese cultures and then leave somewhere in the middle of the show.

The theatre was actually crowded and I observed that it was almost full house. Probably it's full of tourists like us and I believe many local tours bring foreigners to this show since this show provides English translation for its audiences.

When I arrived at my seat, the show was already started a couple minutes before. As the show went on, I saw a lot of dancing and opera singing in Chinese ways and also a lot of beautiful vibrant colors so typical of Chinese culture. I never thought I would enjoy the show that much. It was actually really cool and uhm, different, from my world. Here I got to taste what Chinese culture is all about. The beautiful girls dancing, the weird characters making jokes, and the intricate storytelling of Chinese history, these were just things I eventually love to see and observe.

The one and half hour show didn't bore me, completely different from my expectation. And my plan to leave in the middle of the show, I ended up didn't do it. I sat there watching and observing the performing arts full through. And thank God I could capture most parts of the show through my digital camera in pictures and videos that you can watch above and for me to rewatch again sometime in the future.

In conclusion, you might have many expectations about the things you haven't done before and the places you haven't been before, good or bad. However, one thing that I learn here is that when you have a bad expectation, expect that bad expectation to fail. Have a good attitude about it. You don't know what you haven't done before. Just face it and sit through it, then you will definitely learn something......

"Money is something that can come and go. But experience and knowledge are the two assets in life that nobody can take away from you, ever....."

Note: please enjoy the videos above..... I hope you like Sichuanese Opera "Face Change" as much as I do. :)


Thursday, September 18, 2014

Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport: The Best-Designed Airport I Have Ever Been to


I have been to so many airports in the world but nothing beats the amazing architectural design of the Terminal 3 of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport. 


My best friend told me that whenever I am in Shenzhen I should definitely make a visit to the airport. Luckily during my last trip to China, I happened to arrive in Shenzhen and eye witnessed the great design of the airport. 



The architecture is definitely stunning and I could spend hours here just to observe and take pictures of the many amazing parts of this airport. Unfortunately, I only had less than an hour in this airport. And I could tell you for sure that one hour was very well spent. It satisfied my engineering eyes and my cravings for architecturally pleasing building....


The architects looked at the shapes of various living creatures when planning the layout of the airport. "The concept of the plan for Terminal 3 of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport evokes the image of a manta ray, a fish that breathes and changes its own shape, undergoes variations, and turns into a bird to celebrate the emotion and fantasy of a flight." said the architects.


The thousands of hexagonal skylights bring natural light into the new terminal designed by Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas.....


This airport is for sure important for the future of Shenzhen as a booming business and tourist destination.....


Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.....

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Foodie: Kepiting Kapasan Surabaya

10 Things You Gotta Know About "Kepiting Kapasan"

Location:
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zCfqtvFC4l34.k6kb5xAgImUg

1. One of the most awesome roadside seafood vendors in Surabaya..... Remember that it is "roadside" which also means on "the sidewalk" where it is very close to the motor vehicles passing by (or "ngemper" as Indonesians call it). Some of you might not like the environment but who cares?! we come here for the food :)



2. They serve fresh and alive crabs with a couple different sizes with different prices..... The crabs are pretty big and taste good.....



3. The best sauce is the spicy sweet and sour sauce. Yummy!!! They serve other kinds of sauces too but I most recommend this sauce.....

4. It is located on Kapasan Street (hence the name we call it). The actual name of this business is something else, so don't try to find a banner saying "Kepiting Kapasan".

5. It's been open since a lot of years ago, not sure how many, but it's very popular among locals.....

6. They are usually pretty busy and might have a long queue for the table..... Sigh! One of their downsides..... Be prepared and don't come here too hungry! But the wait is completely worth it.....

7. They actually have a "branch" located near the original one. Just ask them where it is and they will explain to you how to get there..... Or when it is very busy, they will actually offer you to go to their "branch".

8. The crabs are DELICIOUS...... Just DELICIOUS! D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S......



9. You have to try it...... MUST TRY when you are in Surabaya.... If you happen not to like it, well, at least you try it.....

10. Are you in Surabaya? Well, you know you gotta go there now!!! :) :) :)

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Food Adventure: Mie KJ (Kembang Jepun) Surabaya

Pangsit Mie (Noodle with Dumpling)

As the name suggests, Mie KJ can be found at Kembang Jepun Street in Surabaya City. It is only open at night and located by the roadside in front of the closed stores.

For your information, Kembang Jepun street is a busy business area from morning until afternoon. 
The street is typically full of cars, pedicabs, and pedestrians during the day. However, during the night, there are not that many cars passing by and not many business activities going on. Therefore, it is a pretty peaceful area to be at night time.

Mie KJ is a street food vendor that has been around for quite a long time. I believe it is open since 1960. Hence, it is pretty legendary in Surabaya.

For me, the noodle is quite delicious. With the aldente noodles and delicious soups, it is definitely worth a visit when you are in Surabaya. It is one of the go-to places for your culinary adventure in the city.

Usually Mie KJ is pretty busy with some people standing for their turn for a table. This proves that it is quite a well known place to eat. So be prepared to wait for a bit when it gets busy.

You could try a lot of different types of noodles here; pangsit mie; lo mie; he mie; etc. Choose your favourite type of noodles as you like it. I don't really know the many types of noodles since I am not too big of a fan of noodle.

In conclusion, this is of course one of the places to go when you are in Surabaya especially if you are a noodle lover and looking for a roadside foods.

Note: Please make sure you don't come looking for Mie KJ on Thursdays since they are close.....

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Power Adapter for "Free"

I just "bought" a power adapter worth S$37.29 at Singapore Changi Airport for 0 cents.
When you get a chance to be at Singapore Changi Airport, register your passport for a $20 voucher that you can used at any restaurant or shop inside the airport.
For this charger I combined two vouchers summing up to $40 in value. Therefore, I didn't have to pay any cents for this.
So, don't miss it!!!

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Hotel Review: FM7 Hotel Resort, Jakarta


I just stayed at this hotel last night for a transit. I spent about 6 hours here at the hotel for some sleep.

In my opinion, this hotel is a decent place to stay for a transit due to its close proximity to the Soekarno Hatta International Airport.

This hotel offers shuttle buses between hotel and the airport.

Location: 8/10
The main reason to stay at this hotel is the close distance from the airport. However, it is not that close either. There are some other hotels closer to the airport. In addition, there might be some traffic to and from the hotel because the roads leading to the hotel is quite narrow (one lane).

Hotel Room: 9/10
The hotel room is great. I had a good night sleep in bed. The bathroom is also spacey and clean.

Facilities: 9/10
Since I only spent like 7 hours here to sleep I didn't get a chance to check out their facilities. But, I read that they have pretty much a resort hotel should have, like swimming pool and gym.

Basically this is a good option if you wanna stay close to the airport and I would for sure come back to this hotel when I feel the need to...

Monday, August 25, 2014

Hotel Review: The Seminyak Suite Private Villa, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

Hotel Review: The Seminyak Suite Private Villa, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia


Just got a chance to write my last stay at The Seminyak Suite Bali in August 2013.


Value For Money: 8/10
It's private. The whole resort is quite small hence I would call it a boutique resort. There are only a couple private villas in the area.

Location: 8/10
Well it is located in Seminyak, specifically Jalan Raya Seminyak. However, I like to stay at a hotel where I could go out at night to see the crowds within a walking distance. This hotel does not provide that. I think it's not really located in the most hip area of Seminyak where we can find great restaurants.

Breakfast: 8.5/10
The breakfast was just OK. Nothing too special to remember.

Villa Quality: 9/10
We stayed at a two bedroom villa with a private pool. I was very happy with the design of the villa, the cleanliness, and the sleep quality in the bedroom. The bathroom as so huge that I think it feels so empty. They could have put some interesting stuffs inside the bathroom.

Staffs: 10/10

Very happy with the staff. Satisfying service and always helpful in tending our needs.

Facilities: 7/10

Nothing much. Our stay was entirely revolved inside the villa.

Would I recommend you to stay at this hotel?
Yes if you can find a good deal on this hotel. Otherwise, I would choose somewhere closer to the Seminyak upscale restaurant scenes.


My Overall Rating on This Hotel:
8.5 / 10

Throwback: Chillax by the Nusa Dua Beach




One of my favourite things to do is just relaxing by the beach, listening to the sound of the waves, and enjoying the beach scenery.....

These photos were taken during my July 2014 trip to Nusa Dua Beach Bali.....

Legian Beach Bali on a Sunny Day

These pictures were taken during my holiday in Bali in July 2014....
Taken from the rooftop of soon-to-be-open Citadines Hotel in Legian, Bali, Indonesia.....

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Hotel Review: Ketapang Indah Hotel

Hotel Review: Ketapang Indah Hotel 

First time visit to Banyuwangi was in early 2013 for a family event and we stayed at this hotel. Having a good experience and knowledge that this hotel is close to the train station and the Ketapang Ferry Port, I decided to make my second stay at Ketapang Indah Hotel when I was going to hike the Ijen Mountain.

Also find this hotel here:

Location: 9/10
The location for this hotel is easily accessible by car. Banyuwangi City itself is not that big. This hotel lies between the Centre of Banyuwangi City and the Ketapang Port. It's closer to Ketapang Port side and the train station than to the centre of the city. In order to get some local foods, you might need to rent a taxi to the city central. I did rent a taxi without the meter on, we negotiated with the taxi driver to take us to a couple points in Banyuwangi City, mostly different restaurants and fruit vendors, and take us back to our hotel. We ended up paying about IDR 100.000 for the one-hour taxi ride.

Hotel Quality: 8.5/10
The hotel is like a Balinese Hotel and probably the most decent hotel in Banyuwangi. They have a nice lobby with a welcoming drink readily sitting beside the receptionist. The hotel itself is huge and hotel rooms are separated in many different buildings. First time around, you might get lost inside the hotel. 

Room Quality: 8/10
It's quite decent. Not a 5 star, but enough for a transit or a two-night stay. The bathroom is alright but again not a 5 star.

Facitilies: 8/10
They have a swimming pool and a children area which makes me think that this is a children friendly hotel. The breakfast area is a spot in the hotel that I like to spend in the morning.

Staffs: 9/10
This hotel lives up to the standard of Balinese Hotels in terms of the friendliness and helpfulness of the staffs. The staffs are very friendly and would help you to give any information from a hike to Mount Ijen, Banyuwangi art parades, to a taxi rental around Banyuwangi. 


My overall rating of this hotel would be:

8.5/10

Friday, August 22, 2014

Fishing Team at Senggigi Lombok

One fine day when I was in Lombok and just finished my seafood lunch somewhere at Senggigi Beach, me and some other friends observed a
group of fishers who were fishing with a net....

It was pretty interesting to see hence we waited for them to pull the net from the middle of the see to the shore.

However, after a while (probably longer than 30 minutes) the net was finally reached at the shore.

With excitement expecting to see a lot of fishes, we came closer to them. However, a big disappoinment showed on our faces when we saw that the long hard work of pulling the net was for nothing. Not a single big fish was caught. The disappointment was especially showing on the faces of the fishermen.

We suddenly felt bad for them. But I guess, the lesson learnt here is that some hard works might not result in anything right away. But persistence and perseverence will pay off in the end.

So my friends, let's give our best today and put consistency in hard work as something that keep you going. NEVER GIVE UP!

HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Photography: An Interesting Fish at Pulau Menjangan

An Interesting Fish at Pulau Menjangan

Taken at: Menjangan Island, West Bali, Indonesia
Taken by: Ferry Wijaya
Taken with: Olympus TG-2
Date Taken: December 24, 2013
Description: 
One of the many fishes you can see when snorkeling at at Pulau Menjangan, West Bali, Indonesia.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Travel Capture: Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria

Taken in August 2009
during my Europe Trip

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Snacking at Ayana Rock Bar Bali



Another hip bar that I usually go whenever I am in Bali is Ayana Rock Bar...


Usually we go there to enjoy the sunset while having some drinks and chatting with a couple of friends.... 

However, this time we got a bit lost on our way there and we missed the sunset. But we decided to just go down anyway to the bar and have some snacks there....

There is always a line up to get down to the bar but it's mainly because of the slow lift that goes up and down to the bar.

The snacks and drinks are actually very delicious but it is absolutely overpriced. They probably need to charge at a high price to compensate for the cost os maintenance and construction of the rock bar.


The Ayana Rock Bar is basically built hanging at the base of a rock cliff.
It's actually quite nice at night with the wind blowing and the smell of the sea and the sound of the waves hitting on the rocks....

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Photos of Amadea Resort & Villas, Seminyak, Bali








The pictures of 4 bedroom villa that I stayed in...

Friday, August 15, 2014

Hotel Review: Amadea Resort & Villas, Seminyak, Bali

Hotel Review: Amadea Resort & Villas, Seminyak, Bali

This is one of the hotels I stayed during my Bali Hotel Hopping last July 2014. Me and my family stayed at a 4 bedroom villa with a private pool for 2 nights before we left Bali. To me, Amadea Resort & Villas at Seminyak is another boutique villa resort located in Seminyak. It's quite small and I think it consists of a few more than 7 villas and also there are some hotel rooms at the back of the lobby area.

The lobby area itself is not located at the front of the property. We have to walk tak a boogey ride provided by the hotel to the back of the property to reach the lobby.

Location: 10/10
For the location, since I wanted to be in the middle of Seminyak bustling shopping area, Amadea is perfect. Just across the streets we can find a lot of great restaurants to fulfill our gastronomical cravings of mostly Western and Fusion foods. Not too far away from the hotel, within a walking distant, we can find a lot of small shops and we can also walk to Seminyak Square where we can find more shops and restaurants.

Hotel Staffs: 8/10
I can't say a lot about the hotel staffs since I didn't get into contact with them too much. However, it's safe to say that they're very friendly, helpful, and love to smile. They tried to give us an origami from the towels that shaped like ducks, it's very thoughtful of them and my little cousins were excited about it.

Breakfast: 7/10
The breakfast is quite basic and not a lot of variety. Nothing too special about it and I have had better breakfasts provided by a villa resort like this.

Price: 9/10
The price is very reasonable given the fact that our villa is very huge and actually if we wanna squeeze in more people it might be possible.

Villa Quality: 8/10
Of course Amadea is not as luxurious as other hotels I stayed in (W Villas and Sofitel). The building specifications of the villa I can tell that it's not too great and it's pretty basic. Probably they can improve the villas by providing better and more interior designs and furnitures. The atmosphere of the villa feels a bit empty and cold. The private swimming pool is awesome though, the size is just right.

Value for Money: 8/10
It's alright. I might come back bringing a group of friends to stay at this hotel. The value for money is quite reasonable. But, I am not sure if I will come back here again since there are a lot of other villas within the price range and quality that I want to try in Bali. So I guess I won't be staying at this hotel anytime soon.

Would I recommend this Hotel?
Hmm, I wouldn't go telling people to go to Bali and must stay at this Villa. But if people ask me whether the villa is alright, the two words that would come to mind are "DECENT ENOUGH".

My pictures of the 4 bedroom Villa I stayed in:
http://ferrystraveladventures.blogspot.com/2014/08/photos-of-amadea-resort-villas-seminyak.html

My Overall Rating on This Hotel:
8/10

For my other reviews on hotels and villas in Bali, click below:

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Attraction Review: Museum Trick Art 3D, Sunset Road, Seminyak, Bali

Another trip to Bali last month during the eid mubarak holiday made me wonder what new things or which new places I could do or go....

Then I surfed over the internet particularly Tripadvisor and found out that there is a 3d trick art museum where you could capture some pictures as if you are actually there and actually doing the things in the scenes (due to 3d effects).

During a laid back afternoon and we happened to be very near the alleged location of the museum, me and two little cousins decided to drive off to find this museum which was actually only 5 minutes away from our hotel in Seminyak.

We reached the museum and I got the impression that the museum looked pretty basic from the outside (nothing unique) and well it's actually just OK inside. But it's just that this is something different that we can do in Bali and I was happy enough.

If you happen to be in Bali and got bored with the same old things to do and you got like 1 hour to spare andddd if you are quite close to the Sunset Road area, you could try visiting this place.

This place is quite easy to find. Just look for Swiss Belinn Seminyak Sunset Road then look across the street. This museum is right in front of the hotel.

There is an entrance fee of IDR 100.000 per person (same for adulta and children) at the time I visited in July 2014.

Also later I found out that there is actually another 3d art museum which you can also visit that's located on Jalan Nakula which is also very close by from the museum I visited. You can do some comparison from the internet to choose which one to go to....

Below are some of my pictures from the 3d Trick Art Museum on Sunset Road:

The Museum consists of two floors of 3d scenes.....

Some scenes are awesome but absolutely in order to take your picture, you need a travel companion to take your pictures :)

Some amazing pictures if you can pose correctly and take the picture from the right angle....

Try to visit the museum during quiet hours so that you can take your time without being waited on by the other visitors....