Welcome to our first edition of Exotiq Magazine Indonesia for 2016, a year that is hopefully full of good fortune and pleasant surprises, not least in the magazine you are holding in your hands right now.
The big non-political news for Indonesia so far this year was the total eclipse of the Sun on 9th March, which passed over much of the country, bringing visitors fromaround the world to witness it. Not wanting to miss this rarest of celestial wonders, we travelled to Balikpapan in East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo with our NASA sunglasses and champagne in hand to view the Black Hole Sun in all its glory.Met with cloudless blue skies we were ‘totality’ not disappointed, as you will see from the story inside.
Back in Bali, there are many good people working hard to do what they can for those most in need, but the hardest part about running any NGO or charity is raising thefunds, something that diverts so much time and effort from the task at hand – helping people. The Garden of Life Foundation is a unique organisation seeking to take the difficulties of fund-raising out of the equation by embarking on a magnificent crowdfundedproject called The Garden of Life. Their aim is to build a huge eco-monument in Tabanan in Bali, which will serve as a major tourism draw for the island, while at the same time channelling all of its income to the deserving charities in order to allow them to get on with what they do best.
Heading across to the other side of the world we are delighted to show off some stunning imagery from Bali resident and photographer, Phil Green, who fulfilled a lifelong dream to travel to the far reaches of South America, to Patagonia, where he captured the wild and dramatic emptiness of this rugged and barren wilderness.
Back in Lombok, we pay witness to an age-old Sasak circumcision ceremony, where the beating of drums mixed with masses of music and colour guides these little boys through one of the most important rituals of their lives.
All this is in addition to our regular stunning array of luxury dream properties across the island, and a selection of land plots on the islands where your own dreams can be built. It’s going to be a good year so buckle in and enjoy the ride – and the read.
