THAILAND & INDONESIA: Sumba, Bali and Lake Toba in Sumatra. mid-October 2024.We begin in Bangkok, Thailand where you spend 4 nights. This program focuses on the waterways and fertile delta area which produces a lot of fruit, vegetables and produce from the sea, all sold at colorful markets in the area. It’s no coincidence that in the old days, many floating markets were established in this area.We continue and go deeper into nature to Thailand biggest (and wildest!) national park to see elephants in the wild. From Bangkok we fly to Parapat, and then drive to Lake Toba, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, part of a volcanic caldera eruption about 25 million years ago. On a day cruise to Samosir, the island at the center of Lake Toba, we will explore the culture of the Toba Batak. Once a warlike people, the Bataks were “headhunters of Sumatra” who practiced cannibalism; today they are gracious and welcoming to visitors.Leaving Lake Toba, we make a scenic back road across the Karo plateau to the town of Berastagi, a cool mountain retreat on the northeastern edge of the Toba caldera. The next day we drive through the forested foothills of the Barisan Mountains to Medan stopping at Simalungun, a highland palm oil and rubber estates.Leaving Sumatra, we fly to Sumba, one of most culturally intact islands in Indonesia. During our visit, we will be walking through traditional villages with peaked, thatch roofed homes and massive stone tombs. Sumba textiles, highly prized for their symbology and fine weaving quality, have drawn traders and collectors worldwide. The pieces are made for a variety of reasons: ritual purposes, clothing, marriage gifts, or barter. Today, great numbers of textiles are still produced by a relatively small number of women, mainly on the eastern coastal districts of the island.We wrap up with four nights in Bali, one of the most beautiful islands in the Indonesian archipelago. The Balinese, devout Hindus, built thousands of intricately carved temples offering thanks to the spirits for providing bountiful harvests and protection against evil spirits. Magnificent processions, festivals, and dramatic dances are a daily part of life. Artisanship has reached the highest levels in Bali, where woodcarvers and painters create masterpieces to share with the world.
|
