In short, there are hundreds of reasons to visit Bali. Many tourists are craving to spend some time in Bali. And many Indonesian tourist destinations are lining up to be the next Bali.

Since several years ago, the Ministry of Tourism has been promoting 10 destinations to make them the next 10 Bali. Let’s take a look at the 10 “New Bali.”

1. Lake Toba

The calm water of Lake Toba/TelusuRI

It is the biggest lake in Indonesia. Standing on the shore, you’ll get the impression that you’re standing before an ocean. In the mornings the mist would float on the surface and linger around pine trees bordering the lake. Get a cup of coffee at a nearby cafe and you won’t ask anything anymore from life.

The lake is situated strategically between Medan in North Sumatera and Padang in West Sumatera. So you can get there either from the north or from the south. But be ready for a long bus ride. It is a one night trip from Padang and five hours from Medan.

2. Tanjung Kelayang

The lighthouse in Lengkuas island/Oky Hertanto

In Tanjung Kelayang you’re gonna encounter beautiful beaches, giant granites, and incredible islands. Capture anything here with your smartphone and you’re gonna get a lot of likes. Yet, what people want to see the most is an old lighthouse in the small island of Lengkuas, from which you can get a 180-degree view of the surrounding beauties.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to go to the New Bali. There are direct flights from Jakarta to Tanjung Pandan in Belitung, every day. Another half an hour ride, you’re gonna be there. But if you’re seeking for an adventure, you can take the Pelni ship from Jakarta or go overland through Sumatra. It’s all up to you.

3. Morotai

Diving in Morotai via odydive.com

The small island north of Halmahera in the Moluccas saw the frenzy of WWII. There are many ship and plane wrecks you can dive there since it was appointed as the headquarters of the allies in the early 40’s. There’s even a museum preserving the remnants of the war.

You can get there by airplane with several transits, usually in Makassar and in Ternate. But if you have nothing but time, you can go all the way to the New Bali by ship. Sailing for a week in a ship will surely get you a lot of stories to tell.

4. “Kepulauan Seribu” and “Kota Tua”

The old town of Jakarta via ridhomukti.com

Jakarta was the capital of the late Dutch East Indies. Long story short, the colonial government was then overthrown and Indonesia proclaimed its independence. The remnants of the bygone era are still preserved in a part of Jakarta called “Kota Tua” or the Old Town.

Only miles away from the northern coast of Jakarta, there is a group of islands renowned as Kepulauan Seribu (The Thousand Islands). The regency doesn’t really have a thousand islands though, only hundreds. But hundreds are enough. The islands are the perfect getaway for the Jakartans to escape from the restless city on the weekends. These two destinations are also promoted by the Ministry of Tourism as one of 10 New Bali.

5. Borobudur

A monk climbing the stairs of Borobudur via morishige.wordpress.com

Built around the 9th century by the Shailendra dynasty, Borobudur in Magelang, Central Java, is one of the biggest Buddhist temples in the world. Since the day it was discovered by the British, Borobudur has been attracting millions of tourists. It is never quiet, except for the night.

However, visiting the temple is not the only activity you can do around Borobudur. There’s a sunrise spot nearby (Punthuk Setumbu). There’s also a unique building called Gereja Ayam (Chicken Church) whose design looks like… chicken. You can also go rafting since there are two renowned rapids there, Elo and Progo river.

6. Tanjung Lesung

A jetty in Tanjung Lesung via indonesia.travel

Located in Banten, this New Bali is only 170 km away from Jakarta. At a glance, it looks like Nusa Dua, the cozy, luxurious area in Bali. There are hotels and golf course and many other things related to tourism and leisure.

Interestingly, you can spot the legendary Mt. Anak Krakatau (The Kid of Krakatoa) from the coast of Tanjung Lesung. For aquaphile, it also has several snorkeling spots. If you are into fishing, Tanjung Lesung has many fishing spots where you can get a big catch!

7. Bromo Tengger Semeru

Bromo surrounded by the sea of sands/Syukron

In East Java, there’s a national park named Bromo Tengger Semeru. Bromo is a volcano surrounded by the sea of sands, Tengger is the name of the highland, and Semeru is the highest volcano in Java.

None of us, perhaps, has been to the moon. But you’ll get the impression that you are on the moon while entering the sea of sand of Bromo, East Java. Wherever you look, all you’re gonna see is sands. The grey, monochromatic sands. But it is what makes Bromo look amazing, contrasted with the colorful light of sunrise. Go to Pananjakan to see the sunrise. Beyond Bromo, you’re gonna see the towering Mt. Semeru. “Can I climb Semeru?” Yes, of course.

8. Labuan Bajo

Twilight in Labuan Bajo via ceritapejalan.com

If you want to see the last descendant of the dinosaurs, Komodo dragons, the first thing to do is getting to Labuan Bajo in Manggarai Barat Regency, Flores. From there, it’s only about 2-3 hour journey by boat to Komodo National Park.

However, Labuan Bajo is not only about Komodo. You can also do a lot of things there, from walking around the small town, exploring a cave, trying many kinds of seafood, or simply gazing the golden sunset from a cafe by the cliff. If you want to continue your trip to the eastern side of the island, to Lake Kelimutu perhaps, you can catch a minibus from Labuan Bajo.

9. Wakatobi

Diving in Wakatobi via odydive.com

Actually, Wakatobi is an abbreviation for the name of the big islands constituting the regency, namely Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko. In the past, there are a lot of blacksmiths producing traditional weapon called keris around Wakatobi. But as years went by, the number of blacksmiths is decreasing.

What makes these islands cool is that they are located in the World’s Coral Triangle. Guess what you can do there? Correct, scuba diving. So prepare your gear before going to Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi. But watch your step, this New Bali happens to be in a national park.

10. Mandalika

Bukit Merese in Mandalika/GenPI Lombok Sumbawa

Lombok has hitherto been the shadow of Bali. The tourists who want to get a break from the Island of Gods usually spend a week or two in Lombok. They go to places such as Senggigi, The Three Gilis, and a tourist area named Mandalika.

Mandalika consists of many beaches in the southern part of the island. Stretching for about 16 km in Lombok Tengah Regency, it includes famous beaches such as Tanjung Aan, Seger, Kuta, Serenting, Gerupuk, and etc. Once a year, there’s a traditional festival called Bau Nyale in Mandalika, on which the local people will go to the beach and seek for some kind of worm. Yes, you’ve heard it: worm.

So are you guys interested to visit those 10 New Bali?

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The post Where Is the New Bali? appeared first on TelusuRI.

1. Danau Toba

Danau Toba via indonesia.travel

Sekali ke Danau Toba, pasti kamu bakal pengen ke sana lagi dan lagi karena kangen sama kabut tipis yang melayang-layang di atas permukaan danau, atau pepohonan cemara yang memagarinya, atau udara dingin yang bikin betah lama-lama di penginapan atau nongkrong di kafe sambil menyeruput kopi hitam.

Akses ke Danau Toba gampang banget kok. Kamu tinggal naik pesawat ke Bandara Kualanamu di Sumatera Utara. Dari Medan, kamu tinggal naik bis selama sekitar 5 jam ke Parapat.

2. Tanjung Kelayang

Yacht berjejeran di Tanjung Kelayang via morishige.wordpress.com

Terletak 37 km arah utara dari Tanjung Pandan, Ibukota Kabupaten Belitung, Tanjung Kelayang adalah salah satu destinasi Bali baru yang instagrammable yang bakal mempercantik instagrammu dan menambah followermu.

Tanjung Kelayang punya pantai berpasir putih, batu-batu granit raksasa, dan pulau-pulau kecil yang cantik (kalau kuat kamu bisa snorkeling ke sana). Sempatkan mampir ke mercusuar tua di Pulau Lengkuas buat menikmati keindahan perairan Tanjung Kelayang dari ketinggian.

3. Morotai

Pulau Morotai tampak atas via indonesia.travel

Morotai adalah sebuah pulau kecil di utara Pulau Halmahera, Maluku Utara yang jadi saksi kedahsyatan Perang Dunia II. Pulau cantik yang dikelilingi pantai berpasir putih ini juga masih menyimpan peninggalan PD II seperti kapal perang dan pesawat tempur yang karam karena pertempuran. Kamu bisa ke pulau ini naik pesawat, tapi biasanya transit dulu di Ternate sebelum.

4. Kepulauan Seribu dan Kota Tua

Pulau Pramuka di Kepulauan Seribu/Syukron

Pulau-pulau di Kepulauan Seribu bisa kamu capai dengan menumpang kapal dari Pelabuhan Muara Angke Jakarta. Dari sekitar 342 pulau di Kepulauan Seribu, kamu tinggal pilih mau ke pulau mana sesuai dengan keinginanmu—Pulau Pramuka, Pulau Bidadari, Pulau Kelor, Pulau Ayer, Pulau Kotok, Pulau Putri, Pulau Sepa, Pulau Kahyangan, Pulau Tidung, Pulau Pari, Pulau Harapan, dan Pulau Onrust.

Sebagai pusat kekuasaan VOC dan Belanda di Indonesia, tentu saja pemerintah kolonial membangun banyak bangunan di sini, entah berupa kantor atau perumahan pejabat tinggi atau ambtenaar. Bangunan-bangunan peninggalan Belanda itu sampai sekarang masih berdiri kokoh di Kawasan Kota Tua, Jakarta Barat. Namun beberapa bangunannya sudah dialih fungsi, contohnya Kantor Balaikota yang sekarang berganti jadi Museum Fatahillah. Sebagai salah satu atraksi wisata unggulan Ibukota, plaza kecil di depan Museum Fatahillah itu hampir nggak pernah sepi pengunjung.

5. Borobudur

Relief Candi Borobudur via morishige.wordpress.com

Dibangun pada abad ke-9 oleh Dinasti Syailendra, Borobudur adalah salah satu candi Buddha terbesar di dunia. Sampai sekarang, wisatawan dalam dan luar negeri nggak berhenti-henti datang mengunjungi candi yang terletak di Kabupaten Magelang ini.

Tapi ternyata di areal Borobudur kamu nggak cuma bisa mengagumi keindahan candi saja. Pemburu matahari bisa main ke Punthuk Setumbu buat menyaksikan matahari terbit. Kamu juga bisa main ke Gereja Ayam tempat Cinta dan Rangga ngobrol ngalor-ngidul semalaman. Atau kalau kamu ketagihan memompa adrenalin, kamu bisa coba rafting menyusuri Kali Elo atau Kali Progo yang letaknya nggak seberapa jauh dari Borobudur.

6. Tanjung Lesung

Tanjung Lesung via indonesia.travel

Kalau kamu pengen ke Nusa Dua di Bali tapi jatah cuti cuma tinggal sedikit, mungkin kamu bisa jalan-jalan ke destinasi yang mirip-mirip sama Nusa Dua tapi nggak terlalu jauh dari Jakarta. Cuma terpaut sekitar 170 km dari Jakarta, Tanjung Lesung di Pandeglang, Banten, nyediain semua yang kamu butuhkan buat liburan, dari mulai resor sampai lapangan golf.

Dari sana kamu bisa mengintip Gunung Anak Krakatau. Kalau punya lisensi kamu juga bisa menyelam di perairan sekitar Tanjung Lesung. Kalau nggak punya, kamu bisa snorkeling dulu aja. Mancing di sini juga seru karena Tanjung Lesung punya banyak titik pemancingan tempat kamu bisa nangkap ikan-ikan besar!

7. Bromo Tengger Semeru

Bromo/Syukron

Millenials awal pasti seenggaknya pernah dengar film “Pasir Berbisik” atau sinetron “Camelia.” Walaupun beda banget—satu fim berat, satu sinetron percintaan—keduanya punya satu kesamaan: sama-sama pernah syuting di Lautan Pasir Bromo. Lautan Pasir Bromo yang bentuknya mirip lokasi pendaratan Apollo 11 di bulan itu berada dalam wilayah Taman Nasional Bromo Tengger Semeru (TNBTS) yang arealnya minta ampun luasnya, sekitar 50.276 Ha. Nggak heran kalau secara admnistratif wilayah TNBS masuk ke dalam empat kabupaten, yaitu Pasuruan, Malang, Lumajang dan Probolinggo. Selain Lautan Pasir Bromo, di TNBTS juga ada Gunung Bromo (2.392 mdpl), Gunung Batok (2.440 mdpl), Gunung Kursi (2.581 mdpl), dan Gunung Semeru (3.676 mdpl).

8. Labuan Bajo

Suasana dermaga Labuan Bajo di pagi hari/Fuji Adriza

Labuan Bajo adalah salah satu destinasi Bali baru yang bikin ngiler. Selain indah, kota pelabuhan di Kabupaten Manggarai Barat, Flores, Nusa Tenggara Timur ini juga strategis. Dari sana kamu bisa mampir ke habitat keturunan terakhir penghuni “Jurassic Park,” yaitu komodo yang masih betah-betah saja tinggal di Pulau Komodo dan Pulau Rinca. Dari Labuan Bajo, Pulau Kanawa juga sudah dekat—tapi ya jangan nekat berenang lah.

Labuan Bajo juga jadi gerbang masuk Pulau Flores dan pulau-pulau lain di sisi selatan Nusa Tenggara Timur. Dari sana kamu bisa naik oto melintasi Pulau Flores yang penuh pohon lontar dari timur ke barat, lewat destinasi-destinasi ngehits seperti Cancar dan Wae Rebo di Ruteng, atau Danau Kelimutu di Moni. Untuk ke Kupang, kamu nggak bisa naik oto… soalnya harus menyeberangi lautan.

9. Wakatobi

Terumbu karang di Wakatobi via indonesia.travel

Kepulauan Wakatobi (singkatan dari Wangi-Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia, dan Binongko, sekarang sudah jadi kabupaten) di Sulawesi Tenggara dulunya cuma dikenal sebagai markas para pandai besi, sebab wilayah ini di zaman baheula adalah pusat pembuatan keris tradisional.

Namun kemudian keindahan laut Kepulauan Wakatobi pun tersibak. Citranya pun bergeser dari Kepulauan Tukang Besi menjadi kepulauan yang punya salah satu taman laut terindah di Indonesia. Pesona bawah laut Taman Nasional Wakatobi yang luasnya mencapai 1,39 juta hektar ini akan bikin kamu betah lama-lama liburan di sini.

10. Mandalika NTB

Tanjung Aan via news.kkp.go.id

Pasti kamu sudah familiar sama pantai-pantai di Lombok seperti Tanjung Aan, Seger, Kuta, Serenting, atau Gerupuk. Nah, pantai-pantai itu ada di sebuah kawasan wisata yang diberi nama Mandalika. (Nama Mandalika diambil dari seorang putri dalam cerita rakyat Pulau Lombok.)

Kawasan Mandalika sebagai destinasi Bali baru ini membentang sepanjang 16 km di pesisir selatan Lombok Tengah. Mandalika nggak cuma punya atraksi wisata alam. Sekali setahun, di Kawasan Mandalika bakal diadakan festival Bau Nyale, festival mencari cacing yang jadi agenda rutin masyarakat suku Sasak.

The post Inilah 10 “Bali Baru” yang Lagi Diorbitin Kementerian Pariwisata appeared first on TelusuRI.