10 Things You Should Know About Nias

10 Things You Should Know About Nias

His name is often heard on television and print media, especially since some of the disasters that occurred in the island. Due to the isolated location, Nias, which in the local language called Tano Niha, is one of the gems equator with natural and cultural richness that is still maintained continuity, through the lens of a camera, here are ten things you should know before deciding to go to one of the tropical surge best in Asia. Original Text by Barry Kusuma, executive summary by Darmansjah

How To Get There

 
From Jakarta, you could use some airlines such as Lion Air, Batavia Air, Citilink Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Sriwijaya Air to the field. Once there, you can travel sea or air to reach the island of Nias. The fastest way to the island located west of Sumatra Island is a long journey by plane 50 minutes. Airlines serving the route Medan - Nias (Gunung Sitoli) is Merpati Airlines and Wings Air. For sea journey, you will depart from the Port of Sibolga in Central Tapanuli. Running time is 10 hours by ship or ferry passenger baisa, or about 4 hours by fast boat.

How To Explore

 
In Nias generally very rare vehicle. If you're lucky, Binaka Airport, you can use the 'motorcycle rental', public transport is very limited in number and are always packed full of passengers. Therefore, before leaving you should first book a rental vehicle. One thing to note is the condition of uneven road construction and never finished until whenever, where not all villages can be traversed using four-wheeled vehicles. Ask the car rental facility to the hotel where you stay.

Where To Stay

 
You can choose from dozens of hotels and inns in the town of Gunung Sitoli. These include: Wisma Soliga-Wisama Soliga Soliga located about 4-5 km from the city center and has a meeting room, restaurant, tennis badminton and mini zoo. You can rent cars and buy plane tickets at this hotel. Diponegoro 432 road, mountain Sitoli T. 0639 21815/081361230001 e.mail: Wisma_soliga@yahoo.com. Miga Beach Hotel, surrounded by beautiful gardens, this beachfront hotel offers a natural feel thick and buildings that look like old buildings. Jalan Diponegoro 507, Mount Sitoli T. 0639 21460/081397648200 F. 0639 22500 e. mail : migabeachhotel@yahoo.com

NIAS ISLAND is located 125 kilometers to the west of the island of Sumatra, directly facing the Indian Ocean. Nias Island has two outer islands immediately adjacent to the Indian Ocean, the island Simuk  in Tello Island, South Nias regency, and the Wunga island of Nias district  in the North. With its position just above the line of fire rings, Nias Island in addition to having unpredictability of the weather risk for disasters. After the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 that impact the deaths of hundreds of people in Nias and the earthquake in March 2005 that destroyed most of the village on the island of Nias, a series of natural events in a smaller scale often occur in these islands. But the location is isolated Nias surge for adventure travel enthusiasts as unspoiled natural.

REACHING FOR NIAS ISLAND, you can choose the path of sea or air. There are some airlines that connect the airport Binaka Gunung Sitoli in Nias to Medan's Polonia Airport, with a flight time of about 55 minutes. Alternatively you can use ocean transportation aboard the ferry from Sibolga to Gunung Sitoli dengna 8-10 hours long journey. To reach South Nias, use the road with the distance of 2 to 3 hours.

'Ya' ahowu ", so a typical greeting residents of Nias. Often translated as 'blessed hope', says this means attention to the happiness of others with the hope to be blessed by the Almighty. Another meaning of brotherhood. This expression will be the opening sentence to start a conversation with a population of Nias.

One of the world's best surfing locations. Sorake beach is very popular among surfers, mainly from Australia, because the waves are very challenging. It lies directly opposite the Indian Ocean makes waves height of waves reaching 3-5 meters. Interestingly, high waves and it has five levels of difficulty and is not affected by the ebb and flow of the wind and sea water. Not so far from Sorake beach there Lagundri Coast surfers who are also in demand by the world because the waves are spectacular. Both beaches are often hosts international surfing championship in the Botohilitano village is located about 13 km from Teluk Dalam, the capital of South Nias regency. In addition to the above two beaches, Nias also has many other surfing sites like Pulau Asu, Bawa and Pulau Telo.

Bawomataluo is one of the traditional village culture as well as the story village has existed since ancient megaliths. Has meaning sunrise, the village located at an altitude of 400 meters above sea level it has enough cool air and panoramic Sorake Beach  and Lagundri  beautiful beach. Uniquely this village looks like a vast land filled with rows of houses facing each other. Of stairs into the village, we could see a row of traditional houses Nias residents and house king on the left and a village hall on the right. Although centuries old, these buildings are still intact and well preserved. The buildings were never restored unless a roof is replaced with zinc to make it more durable.

WAR DANCE termed Faluaya. This dance is performed by the men who served ask night with armor attribute. Their bodies are decorated with various trinkets that add to the impression of horror to scare the opponent. Right hand holding a spear or machete is a major weapon, while his left hand holding a shield to deflect enemy attacks. Under the command of a commander, of hundreds of residents to start preparing the formation of a dynamic dance waving machetes and spears.

A culture that characterizes Hombo Batu. Tradition that has lasted for hundreds of generations is somewhat unique and inviting the curiosity of tourists visiting the Bawomataluo and other traditional villages in Nias. There's an interesting story behind the tradition of a six-foot jump over a stone which is also referred to this fahombo. According to local tradition was created as a forum for physical and mental test of the young men before the age of consent. Wearing traditional dress, they should be able to jump over the stone using a particular technique with the risk of muscle injury or broken bones when landing the wrong premises. It is an honor for the family if the boy can jump over a stone, because it means he has reached a sufficient age to marry or go into battle. Although the current war between the village was never again occur. Hombo Batu still continued as a form of ritual ceremonies and cultural symbol of the people of Nias.

CRAFT Wood Cut, carved animal motifs such as lizards, monkeys, snakes crocodiles and humans can easily be found on the walls of traditional houses. Population of Nias, as the Balinese and Asmat, is known as a reliable craftsmen. From a young age they have termpil wall carvings or sculptures made of wood.

HERITAGE MUSEUM NIAS is a place that should not be missed by lovers of history. Located in the largest city of Mount Sitoli, the museum stands thanks to the hard work of Pastor Johannes M. Hammerle, German citizen who has lived in Nias 36 years, has a collection of objects of cultural heritage of Nias, which amounted to thousands. The collection consists of artifacts household appliances, megalith statues of wood and stones, jewelery, traditional weapons, currency, custom clothing, symbols of nobility to the original traditional houses called Omo Hada Nias. In addition to providing various facilities such as public library, cafeteria, up to a mini zoo, visitors can snorkel comfortably from the edge of the pier that is in this museum. Not only that, in this museum you can experience how to live in traditional houses with a tariff of about $ 15 per night.

Megalithic relics are scattered on the slopes of the hills near the valley of the river. Among the houses there were human statues, menhirs, dolmen, sakofagus and results of megalithic culture are being created to honor the ancestors and are believed to protect people from misfortune. Variations in the megalithic heritage Orahili Gomo has its own characteristics different from other megalithic culture, both in Indonesia and the world.