Tuesday 25 September 2012

Kuala Tungkal

 Kuala Tungkal is an exotic small town located in the northern city of Jambi. To reach Kuala Tungkal from Jambi it takes 3 houra by car
The city is so quiet and the atmosphere is really touching to me. Most of the houses in town were built  on stilts because Kuala Tungkal is  a marshy and swamp  area, the city has also widely established terraced houses  that are used for bird's nest.;anywhere in the city and surroundings we can see houses specially built for the swallows birds;they export the bird's nest to Hong Kong,Singapore,China where thery are a exquisite food
Attractions that we can enjoy in this city among others is 'port' Kuala Tungkal, a traditional market on the edge of the river (near the sea,the strait of Berhala);the river Batanghari that crosses through Jambi becomes 2 branches,one leading to the strait of Melacca and this other one to Kuala Tungkal where it meets Strait of Berhala 
  Many travelers  use this port to go to the island of Batam and even to neighboring Singapore. The view in the morning and evening when sunset and sunrise is truly exotic.
In addition to the traditional markets, along the road to the market are lined with shops that sell second hand goods.
To explore the city and feel the atmosphere of busy city of Kuala Tungkal, you can use the rickshaw bikes' distinctive Kuala Tungkal and several cities in Sumatra.
Main entrance to regency of Tanjung Jabung Barat(one of the regencies of jambi)



This was on the road to the regency Tanjung Jabung Barat I saw a tree full of
bee hives and a steps in the tree to go up to pick up the honey




We arrive to the main antranke to Tanjung Jabung Barat capital city Kuala Tungkal
Jambi province is divided into nine regencies (kabupaten) and two cities (kota) 

Just entry in Kuala Tungkal we met this Buddist temple;in kuala tungkal there is abig chinese communitie 

Inside the Buddist temple



Rumah Walet(house of swalows)

Swallows House ,anywhere in Kuala Tungkal you can see this buldings
without windows and only small holes for the swallows to get in and make the nests
Then they export the nests to  Hong Kong,China,Singapore,Taiwan
In Hong Kong, a bowl of bird's nest soup would cost $30 USD to $100 USD.A kilogram of white nest can cost up to $2,000 USD, and a kilogram of red nests can cost up to $10,000 USD.


Fish eggs
In Kuala Tungkal live suku laut(tribes of the sea),they are related to the Sea Gypsies of natuna islands in Riau and not far from here;they live mainly from fishing


Boats from here goes to Batam island and to Singapore

A villagers house in the swamps,most of the surrounding areas of Kuala Tungkal are swamps so th ehouses are many on
stilts 


We get some food,fried banana and other fries

One busy street on the port of Kuala Tungkal,these alleys between wooden houses are built over the sea on stilts






Suku laut or Sea Gypsies




Fresh prawns



Old Suku Laut woman;her lips are red from Betel Nut chewing










Anywhere there are swifts nests houses



Another Swift nesting home

Buddist temples

Transportation of timber



Saturday 22 September 2012

Jambi First part-Berbak National Park and more




A few years ago I went a little inside Berbak National Park;we went on a family visit to my wife uncles and cousins home to Jambi and I traveled to Berbak located in Tanjung Jabung Timur where my wife uncles was the Camat at Sabak Kecamatan(like mayor of that subdisrict);we came to Jambi from Padang driving more than 15 hours passing through Solok,Sijunjung,Dharmasraya,Muara Tebo,Muaro Jambi and finally Jambi city.
 The Berbak National Park in Sumatra island, forms part of the largest undisturbed swamp forest in southeastern Asia,and the peat swamp forest with the greatest number of palm species.Protected since 1935 under Dutch colonial law and later declared a national park, it has been also recognised as a wetland of international importance.is one of the last strongholds of Sumatran tiger as well as Sumatran Rhino between many hundreds more
We drive from Jambi to an area called Kandis at the shores of Batanghari River,the biggest river in Sumatra and from there we rent a speedboat for Rp 500,000 for the day  and we drive through the Batanghari river and into Sungai Air Hitam Dalam,one of the entrances to the park;these speedboats travel from Kandis to the village of Nipah Panjang at the mouth of river Batanghari with the sea at Malacca Strait;they are boat taxis but they not leave until they are full,we could be waiting for long hours;as a taxi is just 40,000 Rp but must be full thr boat and the same when geting back;on the way to Nipah Panjang stops qhere you want to go down

This is the Batanghari river on the way to Malacca Strait to the astoishing hamlet of Nipah Panjang(Nipah is a species of palm tree found in many swamp forests and panjang means long)



Burial place of Orang Kayo Hitam Orang Kayo Hitam is famous character in Jambi's  history. According to several different legends he is accredited with having been the first king, although there are many accounts of kings reigning over Jambi prior to him.

Bridge over Batanghari river;only motorbikes access the bridge as there are no roads from Jambi until here for cars

Entrance to Air Hitam Dalam and one of the entrances to the park 





From Kandis we reach air hitam dalam in 2 hours;air hitam dalam is one of the branches of the batanghari river that leads to the malacca strait through deep mangrove and peat swamp forest;at the mouth where air hitam dalam meets the malacca strait is the village of Air Hitam Laut;there are crocodiles around here

Air Hitam Dalam mean Black Water Inside







A fisherman fishing prawns;normally to fishing inside the park is not allowed










Om Jon,he used to drive me anywhere in Sumatra










We drive the boat through Air Hitam Dalam for around 2 hours but the driver of the speedboat sacred of the boat broken as many fallen trees inside the small river and the jungle was becoming more and more deep and inpenetrable,so we back to Kandis





Orang Kayo Hitam burial



The tomb of Orang Kayo Hitam and his wife



A remain of some hindu temple


This is the caretaker of the tomb of Orang Kayo Hitam

Om Pen met his office mate there 







After the boat ride to Berbak and back to Kandis we eat Durian

A small clinic on the way back to Jambi




A house on the road back to Jambi city


One street in Jambi