Sail Wakatobi-Belitong targets ASEAN involvement

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 05/10/2011

Indonesia plans to promote the maritime event “Sail Wakatobi-Belitong” to other Southeast Asian countries in keeping with its current role as Chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), ministers say.

Photo: Wakatobi / JP

The idea to encourage more ASEAN member states to get involved in the maritime event was proposed by Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said Tuesday.

"During previous events, such as Sail Banda in 2010, we saw other countries taking part, such as Australia [and] Thailand. This year, in connection with Indonesia's role as ASEAN Chair, we want more participation from ASEAN countries," Agung said after a meeting about the event at his office on Tuesday.

Agung added that a letter would be sent to the ASEAN Secretariat General to request that the organization inform neighboring countries of Indonesia's wish.

Fadel said this year’s event would be unique because it would involve two provinces, Southeast Sulawesi and Bangka Belitung.

"According to various research, both places are famous for their coral. Many tourists visit Wakatobi but not in large numbers. Belitung is also famous for its beaches. That's why we want to promote both of these places," he said.

The event in Wakatobi will be held in August, while the Belitung event is scheduled for October. The events will not comprise a yachting contest, but also social activities such as health services onboard vessels ship.

Wakatobi will also hold a mass wedding under the sea. (rcf)

SWB 2011 to become biggest international marine event

Antara News, Otniel Tamindael, Sat, May 7 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Themed "The Ocean for Future Life," Sail Wakatobi-Belitung 2011 (SWB 2011) is expected to be the biggest international marine event in Indonesia after Sail Banda 2010 and Sail Bunaken 2009.

During the SWB 2011, two of Indonesian paradise islands besides Bali, namely Wakatobi and Bangka Belitung will be presented to foreign tourists who have been quite familiar with the island resort of Bali.

In a bid to make the upcoming event a great success, Southeast Sulawesi Governor Nur Alam has called on all related government agencies in the province to fully support it.

"I call on all related parties to help make the Sail Wakatobi-Belitung 2011 a great success," Governor Nur Alam told all district heads and mayors at a preparatory meeting for the event at his office in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi on Wednesday.

For him, the SWB 2011 will be the greatest international marine event ever held in Indonesia after Sail Bunaken 2009 in North Sulawesi and Sail Banda 2010 in Maluku.

Sail Bunaken 2009 was held from August 12 to 20, 2009 in North Sulawesi and participated in by 28 warships, a number of fighter planes, and 165 yachts from at least 30 countries which joined an International Fleet Review.

A year later, Sail Banda was organized in Maluku from July 24 to August 17, 2010 when Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfara Agung Laksono flagged off 49 of 106 foreign yachts at Cullen Bay in Darwin, Australia, to mark the start of Sail Banda international yacht rallies.

The Sail Wakatobi-Balitung 2011 yacht rally will start from Darwin Australia on July 23, and the participants will pass 21 districts and cities in Indonesia until finish in Singapore.

Governor Nur Alam said the event with various marine activities would be a precious opportunity to promote the regional potential including Wakatobi as the center of the world coral reefs triangle with underwater paradise.

Therefore the governor called on all district heads and mayors in the province to prepare various facilities and infrastructure for the international marine event.

Meanwhile, Southeast Sulawesi Marine and Fisheries Department spokesman Abdul Salam said that various activities such as Surya Baskara Jaya health operation, exhibitions, maritime shipping traffic, and international seminars would be conducted as part of Sail Wakatobi-Belitong 2011.

In addition, Abdul Salam said the event would also be enlivened undersea mass wedding activity, undersea photo taking competition, and culture and art competition in each district.

He said Sail Wakatobi-Belitung 2011 was a national program and therefore it should run as planned.

For the success of the international marine event, the 50-kilometer Wangi-wangi ring road in Wakatobi will soon be asphalted before President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s visit to the district to open the event in August this year.

In addition, three docks, namely Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa, and Pulau Tomia in the district, have been fixed for the international marine event.

Wakatobi Transportation Department head Syarifuddin said in the Southeast Sulawesi provincial city of Kendari recently that the

repair of the three piers would cost around Rp70 billion from the state budget through the Transportation Ministry.

"The funds have been disbursed and the work to fix the three quays is expected to be completed by the end of July this year," Syarifuddin said.

According to him, the quays would be used by the participants of event and the divers from around the world.

Besides, they will also be used by naval ships to conduct a so-called Surya Baskara Jaya health operation.

Especially for the Wangi-wangi pier, Syarifuddin said it would be used by the sail participating yachts to moor and a command post.

Meanwhile, head of Wakatobi Public Works Agency, Tawakal, said in Kendari that the project of Wangi-wangi ring road was expected to be completed early August before the arrival of President Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono to open the Sail Wakatobi-Belitung.

To welcome the Sail Wakatobi-Belitung event in which world-class divers will take part, Tawakal said the Wakatobi district government and the local people have started to prepare cultural attractions of

Kabuenga, Bangka Mbule-mbule, and Karia to entertain the participants of the international marine event.

Besides, the participants of Sail Wakatobi-Belitung 2011 and the divers from around the world are expected to have a great opportunity to go diving in magnificent diving facilities at Wakatobi Marine National Park.

As stunning as Wakatobi, Bangka Belitung is also blessed with beaches having blue sea waters, coral reefs, fine white sand, and giant granite rock formations awaiting the SWB 2011 participants.

Belitong exotic beaches include Tanjung Kiras beach, Tanjung Pendam beach, Tanjung tinggi, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Binga fisherman village, Panyaeran beach, Tanjung Kubu, Gembira bay and Tanjung Ru, which are ideal sites for diving, scuba, snorkeling, fishing and sailing.

The island also has other tourist attractions such as Golf Babute driving course, Lengkuas island, Gurok Beraye waterfall, Batu Baginde hill, Tirta Marundang natural pool and Dayang Seri Pinai Pool.

Meanwhile, the marine affairs and fishery ministry`s director general of marine and fishery resources surveillance Syahrin Aburrahman said the SWB 2011 would be highlighted with six main activities, namely a yacht rally, a Bhakti Surya Bhaskara Jaya civic mission, national and international seminars on marine and fishery resources management, a youth marine event, and marine and fishery product exhibition.

Abdurrahman said the Bhakti Surya Baskara Jaya civic mission would be held in Riau Island Province, Bangka Belitung Province, West Kalimantan Province, Gorontalo Province, Southeast Sulawesi Province, and South Sulawesi Province.

"After successfully breaking two world diving records during Sail Bunaken 2009 and Sail Banda 2010, Sail Bunaken-Belitung 2011 will be highlighted with underwater chess games trying to break another world record," he said said.

Editor: Jafar M Sidik

Maluku`s historical sites being restored for Sail Banda 2010

Antara News, by Otniel Tamindael, Friday, November 13, 2009 08:15 WIB

Foreign tourists enjoy sunset at Ambon Bay in Maluku Province..
(ANTARA/ Jimmy Ayal, Jakarta)

(ANTARA News) - The Maluku provincial administration is preparing for Sail Banda 2010 by, among other things, restoring all historical sites in Banda and Ambon.

"We have started restoring all historical sites in Banda and Ambon in our effort to make them more attractive to the participants of Sail Banda 2010," the chief of Maluku`s culture and tourism office, Florence Sahusilawane, said in Ambon recently.

After the success of the Sail Bunaken 2009 in Manado, North Sulawesi, the central government had become keen on organizing a similar international maritime event in Maluku.

The central government`s plan received a positive response from the Maluku provincial administration which immediately held a coordination meeting with the regional culture and tourism, maritime affairs and fisheries, and transportation offices to make the necessary preparations for the event.

Sail Banda 2010 was actually the brainchild of former Maritime and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi, according to Alex Retraubun, director general of coastal area and small island affairs at the maritime and fisheries ministry.

Besides the Amsterdam and Victoria forts in Ambon, other historic sites being refurbished and spruced up are Fort Duurstede on Saparua island and Fort Begica on Banda Islands.

Fort Amsterdam was built by the Dutch in the early years of the Spice Trade at the beginning of the 17th century near the Old Hila Church in Ambon.

As the second Dutch fort after Kasteel van Verre on the island of Ambon, Fort Amsterdam was built after the United East Indies Company or VOC was established by the Heeren Zeventien (Council of Seventeen Lords) in Holland.

The wooden Old Hila Church, built in the vicinity of Fort Amsterdam by the Dutch in the 17th century, was renovated during the rule of Bernardus van Pleuren, then Governor of Comptoire Amboina (1775-1785).

But after a powerful earthquake in the late 1880s, the villagers rebuilt the church and renovated its entrance to what it is now . The Old Hila Church is still in use for services at present.

Banda has many historic sites that have made the island known worldwide for its historical significance and undersea natural beauty. It is known as the original and only source of the once precious spices - nutmeg and mace - , commodities that had a significant impact on world developments in the 15th century.

Early European reports described the tropical Banda Islands as a jewel-like cluster of islands surrounded by crystal-clear waters and brilliant coral reefs, and the most beautiful cluster of islands in Maluku.

Banda is made up of eleven small volcanic islands, namely Neira, Gunung Api, Banda Besar, Rhun, Ai, Hatta, Karaka, Manukan, Nailaka, Syahrir and Batu Kapal.

Syahrir island or formerly known as Pisang Island, and Batu Kapal Island which combine well for a morning dive, a picnic on the beach, and an afternoon dive are just 20 minutes by boat from the hotels in the town of Banda Neira.

To make Sail Banda 2010 a success, Sahusilawane said, the effort to restore and reorder the historic sites in Ambon and Banda was still underway.

"Our effort to restore and spruce up the historic sites is still underway and we hope it will be completed early next year because we still have many other things to do," Sahusilawane said.

She said the provincial government estimated that around 5,000 foreign guests would visit Maluku for Sail Banda 2010, and therefore adequate and comfortable accommodations should be prepared beforehand.

"The existing hotels in Maluku will not be able to take all the guests and therefore we will prepare home-stays in Ambon and Banda," Sahusilawane said, adding that besides marine resorts such as Natsepa, Liang, and Namalatu beaches in Ambon, tourist resorts would also be built on Lucipara island in the Banda Sea.

Namalatu beach is located on the south-easternmost part of the Leitimor Peninsula, facing the Banda Sea. The beach has crystal-clear waters and is an ideal spot for bathing, swimming, snorkeling, and diving.

With very beautiful and attractive sceneries, Namalatu is one of Ambon`s diving centers where visitors can rent diving gear.

Referring the provincial authorities` determination to make Sail Banda 2010 a success, Sahusilawane said her office was doing its best to promote the coming event through brochures, leaflets, both print and electronic media, and even its website www.sailbanda.com which can be visited by interested parties anytime.

"And the most important part of it is that the people of Maluku are already becoming more and more aware of the importance of tourism and prepared to welcome foreign guests and treat them in ways that make them feel at home," Sahusilawane said.

According to her, Sail Banda 2010 would have a strategic market value in the tourism sector and be able to attract international sailors and foreign tourists to visit Maluku during the international maritime event.

Sahusilawane said Sail Banda 2010 was expected to reflect an international shipping expedition.

She said the international event was being designed by adopting the past period of "hongitochten", punitive expeditions conducted by the Dutch to suppress uprisings in Seram, particularly in the clove-rich peninsula of Hoamoal and nearby islands with traditional boats.

Therefore, Sahusilawane called on villages across Maluku which have typical traditional boats to take part in and liven up the Sail Banda 2010.

She said the promotion of Sail Banda 2010 would not be very difficult because Banda islands had been known worldwide since the past as spice islands, and even UNESCO has named the islands one of the world heritages.

Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said recently that some 150 sail boats from various countries had been registered to take part in Sail Banda 2010.

Related Articles:

Sail Banda 2010 (official Website)

Boediono`s Maluku visit Expected to promote Sail Banda 2010

Marine festival offers attractions in W. Sumatra

The Jakarta Post, Syofiardi Bachyul

The Youth and Sports Ministry organized last month a marine festival at a beautiful beach in Padang, West Sumatra. The annual event, called the International Youth and Sport Marine Festival (FIPOB) was aimed at promoting tourism in the province.

Apart from sports contests such as boat race, diving, swimming, fishing, surfing, paragliding and many more, the festival also highlighted cultural shows.

It also saw culinary competitions like cooking lemang (local snack) and crushing chilis.

There was a contest dedicated to fishermen, namely pulling the fishing net competition.

The most appealing contest was the kite competition during which various shapes of kites were flown.

Expatriates from Brunei Darussalam, Germany and Malaysia took part in various competitions.