We all love to travel, but perhaps ambassadors, by their very job obligations, get opportunities to see very special places, which we may not have such easy access to. Or perhaps, because of all the work-related travel, they also really love to find somewhere to get away from the constant demands of diplomacy? This was the premise that NOW! Jakarta posed to some of the Jakarta-based diplomatic community, and their answers – all in their own words – were absolutely on both those tracks!
First, we find the British Ambassador H.E. Dominic Jermey heading to very remote parts to be part of the world’s history and discovery in Dodinga Village on Halmahera Island
“Travel is the privilege and curse of being a diplomat. Overnight flights, house arrest in a conference centre and no natural light sum up much of my work travel. Which is why I cherish any opportunity to get away from the buffet breakfast circuit.
Visiting Desa Dodinga was the most fantastic antidote to that kind of travel. Dodinga is a beautiful, remote village in North Maluku where Alfred Russell Wallace, with the unsung help of his collecting assistant Ali, came up with his theory of evolution. I had the privilege of visiting Dodinga with a direct descendant of Wallace to inaugurate a commemorative plaque in Wallace’s memory.
The flight gets you into Ternate at an unfashionable time of the morning. From there, by boat to Halmahera Island, via the Sultan of Ternate’s austerely exquisite palace. Finally, a trek through the forest. Just the other side of the “Wallace Line” separating the fauna of Eurasia from the species of Australasia, you start to see the difference in the birds – the island feels remote and incredibly abundant in wildlife and flora. As we came towards the village, a crowd surged out waving machetes. This was a welcome like no other: petals poured on our feet, blessings from the Imam over our heads and young men energetically waving their swords in fierce, if respectful, greeting.
The excitement mounted as the Acting Governor, Bupati, George Wallace, and I worked up to the unveiling. Incredible to think that, as Darwin lectured in the panelled halls of London, Wallace was in this distant spot, with these villagers’ ancestors, marshalling equally compelling evidence for evolution in his “Letter from Ternate”.
Photos by H.E. Dominic Jermey
The views of volcanoes are breathtaking. Nature feels super-abundant. The warmth of the welcome from the people of Dodinga as they celebrated their famous guest was disarming. But as British Ambassador, what I found most special was to walk in the steps of a fellow countryman whose observations on this stunning island nearly two centuries before turned the whole way humanity saw its origins upside down.”
H.E. Padraig Francis, the Irish Ambassador seems to have been exploring a lot during his time here, but decided that Labuan Bajo was his favourite memory.
“One of the best parts of being the Ambassador of Ireland to Indonesia is the opportunity it brings to see so many beautiful places in this wonderful and varied country. Jakarta has its charms, but for me the nature and landscapes of Indonesia are its most enchanting features.
I have always told my children that any trip we make in Indonesia – even if only for a few days – is what their friends back home would consider the holiday of a lifetime.
As I approach the end of my posting to Indonesia and reflect on my time here, it is hard to pick a favourite place of the many I have visited, for work and with my family. I have wonderful memories of exploring Sumba, which is very much its world. Lake Toba, Samosir and Batak culture are fascinating and beautiful. Trekking through forests in Bukit Lawang and Kalimantan to see orangutans, climbing Gunung Sibayak and Mount Bromo, exploring Borobudur and Prambanan, snorkelling in Raja Ampat – there are so many places to see and so many I won’t be able to.
If I had to pick one place that will stay in my mind and heart, it would be Labuan Bajo. It is a place to visit in its own right, and also as a base to visit Komodo dragons, see the bats fly at sunset at Pulau Koaba and admire the spectacular views from the Peak of Padar Island. It is the quintessential Indonesian island experience, and I will visit it one last time before saying farewell to Jakarta.”
Our final tale comes from Sten F Nielsen, the Ambassador of Denmark, who headed off to a very different island in this vast archipelago, but again was touched by the beauty and serenity of Belitung Island
“When NOW! asked me if I would like to write a few words about a favourite travel destination, I happily accepted – without giving much thought to which one to pick. But that is exactly the challenge: there are so many incredible places to visit in Indonesia. Spectacular adventures off the beaten track are out there waiting for. The problem is, however, that often these places are not so easy to get to, and definitely out of reach if you are just looking to get away from busy life in Jakarta for a few days.
I then thought of a book I found very useful when I as stationed in New York many years ago, before the internet became a household tool: “Wonderful Weekends”. The title said it all. A compilation of weekend destinations from New York City. If something similar already exists for Jakarta, my bad, and I apologise. If not, I leave the idea with NOW! or others…
So here it is, my favourite weekend get-away from Jakarta: Belitung Island. It ticks all my boxes. Quiet, perfect for relaxation as well as excursions. Beautiful sceneries, coastal as well as inland, and very importantly when only limited time available: Just a one-hour flight from Jakarta and a range of accommodations easily accessible from the airport. I am not here to advertise, but I would recommend staying at the North-western coast. Enjoy the beautiful beaches and go island-hopping among spectacular rock formations. Visit Peramun Hill to see the sunset and with a little luck – and a lot of help from experienced rangers – get a glimpse of the elusive tarsius! Have a nice trip – and of course, avoid the rainy season.”
We are very grateful for these great travel stories (and the great photographs!) and most certainly encourage all our readers to visit these great spots, but probably North Maluku will take a bit more planning than the easily accessible Labuan Bajo and Belitung!
