I had been on the plane that was flying meto the island of Alor for a mere 40 minutes when a flight attendant announced that we were preparing to land at the island’s Mali Airport. From above, I could see beaches fringed by greenish-blue sea, ready to welcome me on my first ever visit here. Located at the eastern end of the Nusa Tenggara chain, and one of Indonesia’s 92 outermost islands, I was drawn to Alor by the area’s renowned natural beauty.
With Timor Leste lying to its south, Alor is one of the two main islands in East Nusa Tenggara province’s District of Alor, which covers a total area of 2,119km2 and which has its capital in Kalabahi. The island is rich in culture and is big on marine tourism, and indeed it was its underwater paradise that had initially drawn me here. I was thus planning to head to the diving sites at Kepa Island before moving on to Kampung Takpala.
I continued my journey by motorcycle taxi, which dropped me off at a small dock. All I could see were a few small wooden boats at the water’s edge. Soon after this, I was enjoying a boat ride to Kepa Island, for which the fare was a mere IDR 10,000. Most people on this tiny atol are Muslims and it is believed that Islam arrived in Alor around 800 years ago. This idea was confirmed by the discovery of a local copy of the Koran made from tree bark.
The boat’s skipper and I had a long chat and he told me many things that I had not previously known, such as how the waters here become very cold at least three times a year. He told me that this phenomenon occurs when the westerly winds stop, when the dry season ends, and again in the middle of the year. When the waters cool like this, the people in Alor enjoy an abundance of fish, which come to the surface due to the cold currents.
One of the main reasons for my visit to Kepa was to enjoy the experience of staying in a guesthouse called La Petite, which is owned by a French couple, Anne and Cedric. Its architecture is interesting, as its three bungalows have been built in the traditional Alorese style known as lopo. Anne and Cedric have also adopted a “go-green” approach for their guesthouse, including limiting the times when electricity can be used and also using sea water for certain functions.
The next morning, the sun was shining merrily through the branches of the trees and the window of my room, as if to invite me to leap out of bed and explore the Kepa landscape. I met some of my fellow guests, mostly foreign tourists, and we chatted as we enjoyed a breakfast that was laid out on a wooden table. I could also see a crew busy preparing their diving and snorkelling equipment in one corner.
Yes folks, if your hobby is diving, then Alor presents a wealth of opportunities that should not be missed. You will find 18 amazing diving points here, which are collectively known as Baruna’s Dive Sites at Alor. These sites include evocative names such as Baruna’s Point, Never-Never Wall, Cave Point, Barrel Sponge Wall, Mola-Mola Point, Night Snacks, Alor Expree /Alor Dreaming, Rocky Point and Three Coconuts.
My next – and final – destination in Alor was the traditional Kampung Takpala. Getting there took me about half an hour by motorcycle taxi and whisked me on a route that passed through several villages. The villagers of Takpala are predominantly from the Abui tribe, which is the biggest on Alor.
Back in the 1980s, this small island, with its more than 52 languages, was designated one of Indonesia’s primary tourist destinations by the Department of Tourism. Kampung Takpala is renowned for its traditions and cultural rituals. These celebrations manifest themselves through dance and music, as well as through the everyday life of the community. Those involving dance are traditional harvest-time activities and can also be seen at weddings and so on. During my visit, I also dropped by at a weekly market (which only opens on Sundays) to buy some betel leaves and was both amazed and proud. Despite coming from a unique linguistic background, the locals here nevertheless use Indonesian to carry out their transactions.
Upon arrival in Takpala, I was given a warm welcome by a traditional leader in his lopo-style dwelling. I presented him with the betel leaves that I’d bought earlier at the market, as for the people of Nusa Tenggara, betel leaves remain a valued gift. I could see women neatly arranging pieces of woven cloth among the other items that were also on sale.
A little later, I saw the people busily rehearsing for the traditional lego-lego dance, a welcoming ceremony for dozens of American tourists who were travelling to the island by ship. This ceremony is accompanied by two moko - a kind of percussive musical instrument or drum which is considered sacred. Once all the visitors had arrived, they were immediately greeted warmly with cakalele and lego-lego dances. The dancers surrounded a three-layered pile of stones known as a mesbah which, for the Abui people, is a spiritual symbol that represents the kapitang (war) group, the aweni (royalty) group, and the marang (mediators) group.
It had been a tiring day, but an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. The beautiful environment and exotic culture of the Alor community was something I shall never forget.
How to get there
Garuda Indonesia flies from Jakarta to Kupang via Makassar vv 35 times per week. Public transport is not as developed as it is in most major cities, so in Alor so you might consider planning your transportation early on, preferably before your trip.
Sumber : www.garudamagazine.com
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