PROPOSAL E-BUSINESS

PENDAHULUAN
Latar Belakang
Pada era globalisasi modern saat ini komputer / laptop adalah sebuah alat yang sudah sangat pupuler dikalangan masyarakat luas. komputer telah memberikan berbagai macam kemudahan bagi manusia dalam melaksanakan berbagai macam aktivitas hariannya. Menonton film, bermain game, menyelesaikan tugas hingga melaksanakan pekerjaan kantoran. Semuanya sekarang sudah tidak terlepas dari komputer karena semua hal tersebut dapat dilaksanakan dalam satu alat yang bernama komputer.
Melihat perkembangan komputer saat ini, kita dapat menarik simpul bahwa hampir semua lapisan masyarakat sudah mengoperasikan computer. Namun tenaga yang bisa untuk memberikan jasa service komputer masih amat terbatas mungkin jarang terdengar. Dengan latar belakang pendidikan pada jurusan informatika universitas Gunadarma dan melihat peluang bisnis yang terbuka lebar tersebut, kami bermaksud untuk membuka usaha sevice computer yang mampu memberikan hasil kerja yang berkwalitas dengan pelayanan yang sangat memuaskan.
Tujuan Pembangunan Usaha
Dalam pembangunan usaha ini terdapat beberapa tujuan yang hendak ingin dicapai
yang merupakan indikator dasar pembuatan usaha ini :
1. Media dalam mengimplementasikan ilmu yang telah didapat selama kuliah.
2. Membantu masyarakat yang kesulitan ketika komputenya rusak dengan cara
menawarkan jasa service.
3. Memanfaatkan peluang usaha yang memiliki prospek yang amat menjanjikan untuk
kedepanya.
4. Membuka peluang kerja baru bagi mahasiswa informatika yang baru lulus.
5. Memberi kemudahan bagi customer yang kesulitan dalam mengoperasikan computer.
ANALISA PRODUK
Produk Yang Ditawarkan
Produk yang ditawarkan kepada konsumen dalam usaha ini adalah berupa jasa servis
dan penjualan perlengkapan computer.
Jenis servis komputer yang nanti akan kami tawarkan meliputi :
>Servis hardware
Servis hardware nantinya meliputi perbaikan pada bagian fisik komputer yang
mengalami kerusakan seperti masalah pada hardisk, ram, dvd rom / rw dan lain-lain.
>Software
Untuk kerusakan pada software, nantinya kami menangani masalah seperti masalah virus atau kesalahan penggunaan yang berakibat pada rusaknya system operasi pelanggan tersebut.
Jenis penjualan perlengkapan computer yang akan dijual adalah :
>Aksesoris computer (Pelindung keyboard dan desktop, Speker, pembersih
computer dan lain-lain.)
>Perlengkapan suku cadang computer (Ram, Hardisk, keyboard PC, dan lain-lain.)
Keunggulan Produk
. Keunggulan usaha yang kami tawarkan disini telah kami analisa dengan baik sehingga dengan keunggulan-keunggulan tersebut kami dapat menarik konsumen lebih banyak. Keunggulan-keunggulan tersebut adalah :
1. Konsultasi kerusakan computer secara gratis.
Konsumen dapat mengkonsultasikan kerusakan komputenya secara gratis lewat e-mail
atau lewat group facebook yang telah kami buat.
2. Penanganan servis oleh tenaga yang berkompeten dalam bidangnya.
Tenaga kerja yang menangani masalah servis adalah mahasiswa teknik informatika yang
memiliki wawasan tentang computer.
3. Adanya jaminan terhadap barang yang diservis.
Kami memberikan garansi atas computer yang kami servis
4. Harga perlengkapan komputer yang lebih murah.
Barang yang kami jual diambil langsung dari prodesen sehingga jual kekonsumen murah.
ANALISA PASAR
Peluang Pasar
Peluang pasar yang dimiliki usaha jasa servis dan penjualan perlengkapan komputer ini sangat menjajikan. Tingkat kebutuhan masyarakat terutama masyarakat perkotaan akan komputer dan hal-hal lain yang terkait dengannya terlihat menggalami peningkatan yang cukup signifikan. Salah satu indikator meningkatnya kebutuhan masyarakat akan komputer adalah semakin genjarnya perusahaan-perusaan computer yang saling berupaya untuk menghadirkan sebuah terobosan teknologi computer terbaru yang bisa menampung dan menunjang segala kegiatan kehidupan dengan disesuaikan dengan perkembangan zaman yang ada. Dengan semakin banyaknya computer yang terjual di masyarakat maka keperluan perawatan dan servis pasti akan sangat diperlukan, latar belakang pendidkan yang berbeda membuat tidak semua masyarakat bisa untuk memberikan servis yang baik kepada computer yang dimilikinya. Peluang inilah yang nanti bisa kita manfaatkan untuk menghasilkan sebuah usaha yang dapat memberikan keuntungan yang banyak.
Segmentasi Pasar
Sasaran usaha jasa servis dan penjualan perlengkapan komputer ini pada dasarnya tidak dibedakan karena yang terpenting adalah orang tersebut memilki komputer yang menggalami kerusakan. Terlepas dari pandangan segmentasi pasar secara umum tersebut kita juga dapat menggelompokan sasaran usaha ini secara khusus. Penggelompokan secara khusus ini didasarkan pada objek yang paling banyak menggunakan komputer. Dalam penggelompokan ini para pegawai kantor dan mahasiwa merupakan sasaran dari segmentasi pasar ini.
Analisa Pelanggan
Karakteristik dari pelanggan :
>Geografi : Perkotaan
>Status : Belum menikan-Menikah
>Sex : Laki-laki dan Perempuan
>Pekerjaan : Pegawai kantor dan Mahasiswa
>Umur : Remaja dan Dewasa
Media Promosi Yang Digunakan
Promosi dilakukan dengan cara online dan offline yang ini dimaksudkan agar penyampaian promosi ke masyarakat dapat lebih cepat diserap. Pelaksanaan promosi direncanakan akan dilakukan selama empat bulan. Berikut adalah media promosi yang digunakan :
1. Internet
Memasang iklan lewat internet seperti lewat facebook atau website yang menyediakan
layanan iklan.
2. Surat kabar.
Agar masyarakat yang suka membaca berita lewat Koran dapat menyerap informasi
promosi tersebut.
3. Radio
Radio saat ini bisa didengar oleh masyarakat secara lebih luas dan tidak terbatasi oleh
factor ekonomi.
4. Penyebaran brosur.
Dilakukan sebagai upaya promosi penunjang dari promosi-promosi yang sudah ada.
Penyebaran brosur dilakukan di kantor dan universitas yang tersebar dikota malang.
Strategi Pemasaran
Agar usaha jasa servis dan penjualan perlengkapan komputer ini dapat dengan cepat menarik perhatian masyarakat dan mampu popular diantara sekian banyak usaha sejenis yang sudah ada, maka berikut adalah strategi pemasaran yang nanti akan kami kembangkan :
1. Melakukan promosi khusus selama dua minggu sebelum usaha ini benar-benar dibuka, ini adalah terobosan awal agar masyarakat mengetahui akan hadirnya usaha ini.
2. Memberikan diskon khusus selama satu minggu kepada konsumen yang melakukan
servis atau membeli perlengkapan computer dalam jangka waktu tersebut.
3. Membuat sebuah group pada salah satu situs jaringan social seperti facebook yang bertujuan untuk membuka semacam media untuk berdiskusi tentang usaha yang dikembangkan ini. Pada bulan pertama ditargetkan seluruh mahasiswa informatika anggkatan 2007 telah bergabung dalam komunitas ini.
4. Melakukan kerja sama dengan beberapa penyelengara usaha sejenis yang letaknya
berada pada sebuah lokasi yang berbeda agar produk dapat lebih mudah terjual.
Analisa Pesaing
Peluang usaha yang memilki potensi besar tentunya akan mendapat pesaing-pesaing yang berkwalitas pula. Begitu juga dengan usaha yang akan kita bangun kali ini, Terdapat beberapa pesaing yang menurut kami mampu untuk memberikan pengaruh terhadapat perkembangan usaha yang akan kita jalankan ini kedepanya. Berikut adalah beberapa pesaing yang akan kita hadapai serta kekuatan yang mereka miliki saat ini :
1. Borneo komputer.
Mereka memberikan penawaran harga yang relative murah serta memilki cabang
dibeberapa daerah yang tersebar dikota malang.
2. Kirana aktif.
Memilki cabang pemasaran yang sudah tersebar dikota malang dan memiliki stategi
bisnis yang bagus yang terlihat dari ramainya konsumen yang datang.
3. Bio Komputer.
Mereka memilki cabang yang banyak dikota malang serta tenaga kerja yang memilki
kwalitas baik
ANALISA PRODUKSI DAN OPERASI
Proses Produksi
Untuk mendukung proses produksi dan pelayanan pada usaha ini kami memilki beberapa tenaga kerja. Sesuai dengan jenis usaha yang dijalankan, tenaga kerja yang ada merupakan orang-orang yang memiliki latar belakang pendidikan computer baik itu yang secara langsung menangani masalah servis ataupun yang menjadi mediator dalam menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang berasal dari konsumen yang masuk lewat media internet. Untuk masalah barang-barang yang dijual kami secara langsung memesan dari produsen atau agen resmi.
Bahan Yang Diperlukan
Untuk menjalankan usaha ini berikut adalah bahan-bahan serta perlengkapan yang
kami butuhkan yang nanti akan mendukung kelancaran usaha ini :
1. Komputer
2. Tools yang digunakan untuk melakukan service.
3. Printer.
4. Alat komunikasi (HP / Telepon).
5. Buku dan alat tulis serta kwitansi toko.
6. Akses Internet.
ANALISA KEUANGAN
Modal Awal (Fixed Cost)
Berikut adalah perincian modal awal serta penggunaanya :
1. Sewa tempat 1 tahun : Rp. 6.000.000
2. Computer kantor : Rp. 4.000.000
3. Perlengkapan ruangan : Rp. 3.000.000
4. Tools service : Rp. 2.000.000
5. Perlengkapan Hardware : Rp. 20.000.000
6. Perlengkapan software : Rp. 3.000.000
7. Aksesoris komputer : Rp. 2.000.000
TOTAL MODAL : Rp. 40.000.000
Pendapatan
1. Servis computer : Rp. 1.500.000
2. Penjualan peralatan hardware : Rp. 10.000.000
3. Penjualan software : Rp. 1.500.000
3. Penjualan aksesoris computer : Rp. 1.000.000
TOTAL PENDAPATAN / BULAN : Rp. 14.000.000
Variabel Cost
1. Gaji karyawan : Rp. 5.000.000
2. Transportasi : Rp. 500.000
3. Rekening listrik : Rp. 100.000
4. Rekening Air : Rp. 100.000
5. Akses internet : Rp. 200.000
6. Lain-lain : Rp. 500.000
TOTAL OPERASIONAL : Rp. 6.400.000
ANALISA BEP
BEP = Total fixed cost
( Pendapatan– Variable cost)
= 40.000.000
14.000.000 – 6.400.00
= 5,4 bulan
Jadi, modal kita dapat kembali dalam jangka waktu 5,4 bulan ( 5 bulan 1 minggu )
PERSONALIA DAN JADWAL KEGIATAN
Personalia
Berikut adalah orang-orang yang akan bergabung dalam membangun usaha ini :
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Struktur Organisasi
PENUTUP
Demikian proposal ini saya buat, besar kiranya harapan kami agar kedepanya usaha ini dapat benar-benar dibangun karena melihat peluang usaha yang sangat menjanjikan. Dengan adanya proposal ini kami berharap dapat menjadi referensi untuk pembuatan proposal kedepannya. Dan apabila ada kata – kata yang salah dalam penulisan mohon kiranya pembaca dapat memberikan masukkan.

A. Keanekaragaman Suku Bangsa di Indonesia

Sejak zaman dahulu bangsa Indonesia dikenal sebagai masyarakat yang majemuk. Hal ini tercermin dari semboyan “Bhinneka tunggal Ika” yang artinya berbeda-beda tetapi tetap satu. Kemajemukan yang ada terdiri atas keragaman suku bangsa, budaya, agama, ras, dan bahasa.
Adat istiadat, kesenian, kekerabatan, bahasa, dan bentuk fisik yang dimiliki oleh suku-suku bangsa yang ada di Indonesia memang berbeda, namun selain perbedaan suku-suku itu juga memiliki persamaan antara lain hukum, hak milik tanah, persekutuan, dan kehidupan sosialnya yang berasaskan kekeluargaan.
1. Persebaran Daerah Asal Suku Bangsa di Indonesia
Suku bangsa addalah golongan manusia yang terikat oleh kesadaran dan identitas akan kesatuan kebudayaan. Orang-orang yang tergolong dalam satu suku bangsa tertentu, pastilah mempunyai kesadaran dan identitas diri terhadap kebudayaan suku bangsanya, misalnya dalam penggunaan bahasa daerah serta mencintai kesenian dan adat istiadat.
Suku-suku bangsa yang tersebar di Indonesia merupakan warisan sejarah bangsa, persebaran suku bangsa dipengaruhi oleh factor geografis, perdagangan laut, dan kedatangan para penjajah di Indonesia. perbedaan suku bangsa satu dengan suku bangsa yang lain di suatu daerah dapat terlihat dari ciri-ciri berikut ini.
a. Tipe fisik, seperti warna kulit, rambut, dan lain-lain.
b. Bahasa yang dipergunakan, misalnya Bahasa Batak, Bahasa Jawa, Bahasa Madura, dan lain-lain.
c. Adat istiadat, misalnya pakaian adat, upacara perkawinan, dan upacara kematian.
d. Kesenian daerah, misalnya Tari Janger, Tari Serimpi, Tari Cakalele, dan Tari Saudati.
e. Kekerabatan, misalnya patrilineal(sistem keturunan menurut garis ayah) dan matrilineal(sistem keturunan menurut garis ibu).
f. Batasan fisik lingkungan, misalnya Badui dalam dan Badui luar.
Jumlah suku bangsa di Indonesia ratusan jumlahnya. Di bawah ini tabel persebaran suku bangsa.
No Nama Provinsi Suku
1. Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam : Aceh , Alas , Gayo , Kluet , Simelu , Singkil , Tamiang , Ulu .
2. Sumatera Utara : Karo , Nias , Simalungun , Mandailing , Dairi , Toba , Melayu , PakPak , maya-maya
3. Sumatera Barat : Minangkabau , Mentawai , Melayu , guci, jambak
4. Riau : Melayu , Siak , Rokan , Kampar , Kuantum Akit , Talang Manuk , Bonai , Sakai , Anak Dalam , Hutan , Laut .
5. Kepulauan Riau : Melayu, laut
6. Bangka Belitung : Melayu
7. Jambi : Batin , Kerinci , Penghulu , Pewdah , Melayu , Kubu , Bajau .
8. Sumatera Selatan : Palembang , Melayu , Ogan , Pasemah , Komering , Ranau Kisam , Kubu , Rawas , Rejang , Lematang , Koto, Agam
9. Bengkulu : Melayu , Rejang , Lebong , Enggano , Sekah , Serawai, Pekal, Kaur, Lembak
10. Lampung : Lampung , Melayu , Semendo , Pasemah , Rawas , Pubian, Sungkai, Sepucih
11. DKI Jakarta : Betawi
12. Banten : Banten
13. Jawa Barat : Sunda , Badui
14. Jawa Tengah : Jawa , Karimun , Samin, Kangean
15. D.I.Yogyakarta : Jawa
16. Jawa Timur : Jawa , Madura , Tengger, Asing
17. Bali : Bali , Jawa , Madura
18. NTB : Bali , Sasak , Bima , Sumbawa, Mbojo, Dompu, Tarlawi, Lombok
19. NTT : Alor , Solor , Rote , Sawu , Sumba , Flores , Belu, Bima
20. Kalimantan Barat : Melayu , Dayak(Iban Embaluh , Punan , Kayan , Kantuk , Embaloh , Bugan ,Bukat), Manyuke
21. Kalimantan Tengah : Melayu , Dayak(Medang , Basap , Tunjung , Bahau , Kenyah , Penihing , Benuaq) , Banjar , Kutai, Ngaju, Lawangan, Maayan, Murut, Kapuas
22. Kalimantan Timur : Melayu , Dayak(Bukupai , Lawangan , Dusun, Ngaju , Maayan)
23. Kalimantan Selatan : Melayu , Banjar , Dayak, Aba
24. Sulawesi Selatan : Bugis , Makasar , Toraja , Mandar
25. Sulawesi Tenggara : Muna , Buton ,Totaja , Tolaki , Kabaena , Moronehe , Kulisusu , Wolio
26. SulawesiTengah : Kaili , Tomini , Toli-Toli ,Buol , Kulawi , Balantak , Banggai ,Lore
27. Sulawesi Utara : Bolaang-Mongondow ,Minahasa , Sangir , Talaud , Siau , Bantik
28. Gorontalo : Gorontalo
29. Maluku : Ambon, Kei , Tanimbar , Seram , Saparua, Aru, Kisar
30. Maluku Utara : Ternate, Morotai, Sula, taliabu, Bacan, Galela
31. Papua Barat : Waigeo, Misool, Salawati, Bintuni, Bacanca
32. Papua Tengah : Yapen, Biak, Mamika, Numfoor
33. Papua Timur : Sentani, Asmat, Dani, Senggi
2. Sikap Menghormati Keragaman Suku Bangsa
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika merupakan semboyan bangsa kita yang mengungkapkan persatuan dan kesatuan yang berasal dari keanekaragaman. Walaupun kita terdiri atas berbagai suku yang beranekaragam budaya daerah, namun kita tetap satu bangsa Indonesia, memiliki bahasa dan tanah air yang sama, yaitu bahasa Indonesia dan tanah air Indonesia. Begitu juga bendera kebangsaan merah putih sebagai lambang identitas bangsa dan kita bersatu padu di bawah falsafah dan dasar negara Pancasila.
Kita sebagai bangsa Indonesia harus bersatu padu agar manjadi satu kesatuan yang bulat dan utuh. Untuk dapat bersatu kita harus memiliki pedoman yang dapat menyeragamkan pandangan kita dan tingkah laku kita dalam kehidupan sehari-hari. Dengan demikian, akan terjadi persamaan langkah dan tingkah laku bangsa Indonesia. Pedoman tersebut adalah Pancasila, kita harus dapat meningkatkan rasa persaudaraan dengan berbagai suku bangsa di Indonesia.
Membiasakan bersahabat dan saling membantu dengan sesama warga yang ada di lingkungan kita, seperti gotong royong akan dapat memudahkan tercapainya persatuan dan kesatuan bangsa. Bangsa Indonesia harus merasa satu, senasib sepenanggungan, sebangsa, dan sehati dalam kekuatan wilayah nasional dengan segala isi dan kekayaannya merupakan satu kesatuan wilayah.
Dalam mengembangkan sikap menghormati terhadap keragaman suku bangsa, dapat terlihat dari sifat dan siksp dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, diantaranya adalah sebagai berikut.
a. kehidupan bermasyarakat tercipta kerukunan seperti halnya dalam sebuah keluarga.
b. antara warga masyarakat terdapat semangat tolong menolong, kerjasama untuk menyelesaikan suatu masalah, dan kerjasama dalam memenuhi kebutuhan hidupnya.
c. dalam menyelesaikan urusan bersama selalu diusahakan dengan melalui musyawarah.
d. terdapat kesadaran dan sikap yang mengutamakan kepentingan bersama di atas kepentingan pribadi dan golongan.
Sikap dan keadaan seperti tersebut di atas harus dijunjung tinggi serta dilestarikan. Untuk lebih memperkokoh persatuan dan kesatuan bangsa, kita dapat melaksanakan pertukaran kesenian daerah dari seluruh pelosok tanah air. Dengan adanya kegiatan pertukaran kesenian daerah tersebut dan memberikan manfaat bagi bangsa Indonesia, antara lain:
a. dapat saling pengertiaan antarsuku bangsa
b. dapat lebih mudah mencapai persatuan dan kesatuan
c. dapat mengurangi prasangka antar suku
d. dapat menimbulkan rasa kecintaan terhadap tanah air dan bangsa
B. Keanekaragaman Budaya di Indonesia
Masyarakat Indonesia terdiri atas bermacam-macam suku bangsa. Di Indonesia terdapat kurang lebih 300 suku bangsa. Setiap suku bangsa hidup dalam kelompok masyarakat yang mempunyai kebudayaan berbeda-beda satu sama lain.
1. Keanekaragaman Budaya yang Terdapat di Indonesia
Bangsa Indonesia mempunyai keanekaragaman budaya. Tiap daerah atau masyarakat mempunyai corak dan budaya masing-masing yang memperlihatkan ciri khasnya. Hal ini bisa kita lihat dari berbagai bentuk kegiatan sehari-hari, misalnya upacara ritual, pakaian adat, bentuk rumah, kesenian, bahasa, dan tradisi lainnya. Contohnya adalah pemakaman daerah Toraja, mayat tidak dikubur dalam tanah tetapi diletakkan dalam goa. Di daerah Bali, mayat dibakar(ngaben).
Kebudayaan dapat diartikan sebagai hasil cita, rasa, dan karya manusia dalam suatu masyarakat dan diteruskan dari generasi ke generasi melalui belajar. Jika kita telusuri, kebudayaan itu meliputi adat kebiasaan, upacara ritual, bahasa, kesenian, alat-alat, mata pencaharian, ilmu pengetahuan, dan teknologi. Dalam arti sempit kebudayaan diartikan sebagai kesenian atau adat istiadat saja.
Kebudayaan daerah adalah kebudayaan yang tumbuh dan berkembang dalam masyarakat suatu daerah. Pada umumnya, kebudayaan daerah merupakan budaya asli dan telah lama ada serta diwariskan turun-temurun kepada generasi berikutnya. Kebudayaan kia sekarang ini merupakan hasil pertumbuhan dan perkembangan kebudayaan masa lampau.
Keanekaragaman budaya bangsa Indonesia timbul karena akibat sebagai berikut.
a. Kondisi Geografis
Indonesia merupakan negara kesatuan yang memiliki beribu-ribu pulau yang dipisahkan oleh selat dan laut. Ini merupakan kondisi lingkungan geografis Indonesia. Lingkungan geografis semacam itu menjadi sumber adanya keanekaragaman kebudayaan Indonesia.
Kondisi geografis yang demikian menimbulkan perbedaan dalam kehidupan masyarakat. Salah satunya adalah mata pencaharian penduduk. Jenis-jenis pekerjaan yang ada juga menyebabkan beranekaragamnya peralatan yang diciptakannya, misalnya bentuk rumah dan bentuk pakaian. Akhirnya sampai pada bentuk kesenian yang ada di masing-masing daerah berbeda.
b. Kemajemukan Suku Bangsa
Seperti yang telah diuraikan di atas, bahwa suku bangsa adalah suatu golongan manusia yang terikat oleh kesadaran dan identitas akan kesatuan kebudayaan. Identitas seringkali dikuatkan kesatuan bahasa. Oleh karena itu, kesatuan kebudayaan bukan suatu hal yang ditentukan oleh orang luar, melainkan oleh warga yang bersangkutan itu sendiri. Suku-suku yang ada di Indonesia antara lain Gayo di Aceh, Dayak di Kalimantan, dan Asmat di Papua.
Untuk mengetahui kebudayaan daerah Indonesia dapat dilihat dari ciri-ciri tiap budaya daerah. Ciri khas kebudayaan daerah terdiri atas bahasa, adat istiadat, sisem kekerabatan, kesenian daerah dan ciri badaniah(fisik)
2. Sikap Menghormati Budaya di Indonesia
Kita mengetahui bahwa Indonesia memiliki wilayah yang sangat luas dan penduduknya terpencar-pencar di berbagai pulau. Tiap penduduk tinggal di lingkungan kebudayaan daerahnya masing-masing. Ini artinya, di Indonesia terdapat banyak ragaman kebudayaan. Perbedaan tersebut antara lain dalam hal:
a. cara berbicara
b. cara berpakaian
c. mata pencaharian
d. adat istiadat
Keanekaragaman budaya jangan dijadikan sebagai perbedaan, tetapi hendaknya dijadikan sebagai kekayaan bangsa Indonesia. Kita selaku bangsa Indonesia mempunyai kewajiban untuk selalu melestarikan kebudayaan yang beraneka ragam tersebut.
Di samping itu, dengan mendalami kebudayaan yang beraneka ragam tersebut, wawasan kita akan bertambah sehingga kita tidak akan menjadi bangsa yang kerdil. Kita dapat menjadi bangsa yang mau dan mampu menghargai kekayaan yang kita miliki, yang berupa keanekaragaman kebudayaan tersebut.
Sikap saling menghormati budaya perlu dikembangkan agar kebudayaan kita yang terkenal tinggi nilainya itu tetap lestari, tidak terkena arus yang datang dari luar. Melestarikan kebudayaan nasional harus didasari engan rasa kesadaran yang tingi tanpa adanya paksaan dari siapapun.
Dalam rangka pembinaan kebudayaan nasional, kebudayaan daerah perlu juga kita kembangkan, karena kebudayaan daerah mempunyai kedudukan yang sangat penting. Pembinaan kebudayaan daerah dapat dilakukan dengan cara sebagai berikut:
a. pertukaran kesenian daerah
b. pembentukan organisasi kesenian daerah
c. penyebarluasan seni budaya, antara lain melalui radio, TV, surat kabar serta majalah
d. penyelenggaraan seminar mengenai seni budaya daerah
e. membentuk sanggar tari daerah
f. mengadakan pentas kebudayaan

Kab Empat Lawang dan Prop Bengkulu

Definisi Tanah

1. Pendekatan Geologi (Akhir Abad XIX)Tanah: adalah lapisan permukaan bumi yang berasal dari bebatuan yang telah mengalami serangkaian pelapukan oleh gaya-gaya alam, sehingga membentuk regolit (lapisan partikel halus).

2. Pendekatan Pedologi (Dokuchaev 1870)
Pendekatan Ilmu Tanah sebagai Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam Murni. Kata Pedo =i gumpal tanah.
Tanah: adalah bahan padat (mineral atau organik) yang terletak dipermukaan bumi, yang telah dan sedang serta terus mengalami perubahan yang dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor: Bahan Induk, Iklim, Organisme, Topografi, dan Waktu.

3. Pendekatan Edaphologis (Jones dari Cornel University Inggris)
Kata Edaphos = bahan tanah subur.
Tanah adalah media tumbuh tanaman

Perbedaan Pedologis dan Edaphologis
1. Kajian Pedologis:
Mengkaji tanah berdasarkan dinamika dan evolusi tanah secara alamiah atau berdasarkan Pengetahuan Alam Murni.
Kajian ini meliputi: Fisika Tanah, Kimia Tanah, Biologi tanah, Morfologi Tanah, Klasifikasi Tanah, Survei dan Pemetaan Tanah, Analisis Bentang Lahan, dan Ilmu Ukur Tanah.

2. Kajian Edaphologis:
Mengkaji tanah berdasarkan peranannya sebagai media tumbuh tanaman.
Kajian ini meliputi: Kesuburan Tanah, Konservasi Tanah dan Air, Agrohidrologi, Pupuk dan Pemupukan, Ekologi Tanah, dan Bioteknologi Tanah.

Paduan antara Pedologis dan Edaphologis:
Meliputi kajian: Pengelolaan Tanah dan Air, Evaluasi Kesesuaian Lahan, Tata Guna Lahan, Pengelolaan Tanah Rawa, Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Alam dan Lingkungan.

Definisi Tanah (Berdasarkan Pengertian yang Menyeluruh)Tanah adalah lapisan permukaan bumi yang secara fisik berfungsi sebagai tempat tumbuh & berkembangnya perakaran penopang tegak tumbuhnya tanaman dan menyuplai kebutuhan air dan udara; secara kimiawi berfungsi sebagai gudang dan penyuplai hara atau nutrisi (senyawa organik dan anorganik sederhana dan unsur-unsur esensial seperti: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, B, Cl); dan secara biologi berfungsi sebagai habitat biota (organisme) yang berpartisipasi aktif dalam penyediaan hara tersebut dan zat-zat aditif (pemacu tumbuh, proteksi) bagi tanaman, yang ketiganya secara integral mampu menunjang produktivitas tanah untuk menghasilkan biomass dan produksi baik tanaman pangan, tanaman obat-obatan, industri perkebunan, maupun kehutanan.

Fungsi Tanah
1.Tempat tumbuh dan berkembangnya perakaran
2.Penyedia kebutuhan primer tanaman (air, udara, dan unsur-unsur hara)
3.Penyedia kebutuhan sekunder tanaman (zat-zat pemacu tumbuh: hormon, vitamin, dan asam-asam organik; antibiotik dan toksin anti hama; enzim yang dapat meningkatkan kesediaan hara)
4.Sebagai habitat biota tanah, baik yang berdampak positif karena terlibat langsung atau tak langsung dalam penyediaan kebutuhan primer dan sekunder tanaman tersebut, maupun yang berdampak negatif karena merupakan hama & penyakit tanaman.

Dua Pemahaman Penting tentang Tanah:
1.Tanah sebagai tempat tumbuh dan penyedia kebutuhan tanaman, dan
2.Tanah juga berfungsi sebagai pelindung tanaman dari serangan hama & penyakit dan dampak negatif pestisida maupun limbah industri yang berbahaya.

Profil Tanah
Profil Tanah adalah irisan vertikal tanah dari lapisan paling atas hingga ke batuan induk tanah.
Profil dari tanah yang berkembang lanjut biasanya memiliki horison-horison sbb: O –A – E – B - C – R.
Solum Tanah terdiri dari: O – A – E – B
Lapisan Tanah Atas meliputi: O – A
Lapisan Tanah Bawah : E – B

Keterangan:
O : Serasah / sisa-sisa tanaman (Oi) dan bahan organik tanah (BOT) hasil dekomposisi serasah (Oa)
A : Horison mineral ber BOT tinggi sehingga berwarna agak gelap
E : Horison mineral yang telah tereluviasi (tercuci) sehingga kadar (BOT, liat silikat, Fe dan Al) rendah tetapi pasir dan debu kuarsa (seskuoksida) dan mineral resisten lainnya tinggi, berwarna terang
B : Horison illuvial atau horison tempat terakumulasinya bahan-bahan yang tercuci dari harison diatasnya (akumulasi bahan eluvial).
C : Lapisan yang bahan penyusunnya masih sama dengan bahan induk (R) atau belum terjadi perubahan
R : Bahan Induk tanah

Kegunaan Profil Tanah
(1) untuk mengetahui kedalaman lapisan olah (Lapisan Tanah Atas = O - A) dan solum tanah (O – A – E – B)
(2) Kelengkapan atau differensiasi horison pada profil
(3) Warna Tanah

Komponen Tanah
4 komponen penyusun tanah :
(1) Bahan Padatan berupa bahan mineral
(2) Bahan Padatan berupa bahan organik
(3) Air
(4) Udara
Bahan tanah tersebut rata-rata 50% bahan padatan (45% bahan mineral dan 5% bahan organik), 25% air dan 25% udara.

Malang Punya Batik Malangan…

Batik memang sudah dikenal oleh seluruh lapisan masyarakat Indonesia. Batik sangat melekat pada budaya Indonesia. Batik pula yang menjadi tradisi bangsa Indonesia sejak jaman nenek moyang dan menjadi kebanggaan kita hingga saat ini. Kain batik yang sempat diklaim milik pihak lain sekarang ini mulai kembali diperebutkan oleh masyarakat Indonesia. Saat ini Indonesia-pun mulai gencar melakukan berbagi cara untuk melestari kembali kain batik yang memang asli khas Indonesia.

Dan seiring perjalanan waktu, batik di Indonesia mulai bervariasi. Hampir setiap daerah di Indonesia memiliki cirri khas batiknya masing-masing dan batik mempunyai jenis yang sangat beragam. Antara lain adalah batik Solo, Batik Pekalongan, Batik Madura, dan Batik Kalimantan. Oleh karena itu, Kota Malang juga tidak mau tertinggal dalam usaha pelestarian batik. Bertepatan dengan peringatan Hari Ulang Tahun (HUT) Kota Malang pada Selasa (01/04/2008) yang lalu , Kota Malang mendapatkan kado istimewa berupa salah satu penambahan identitas yang menjadi ciri khas Kota Malang yaitu Batik Malang.

Dwi Cahyono, salah satu anggota tim pembuat Batik Malang Batik Malang mengatakan bahwa awalnya batik tersebut merupakan hasil lomba batik yang diselenggarakan oleh PKK Kota Malang. Melalui lomba itu diharapkan akan ditemukan desain batik khas Malang. Atau mungkin ditemukannya kembali desain batik Malangan, jika memang telah ada.Selanjutnya hasil lomba itu dikembangkan sampai menjadi hasil akhir seperti saat ini. Minimal ada tiga perameter yang akan dijadikan acuan dalam penilaian terhadap desain dari peserta lomba. Pertama, adanya keterkaitan budaya dan tradisi. Kedua keserasian dan kesatuan elemen desain, terakhir kreativitas. Berdasarkan hasil rembugan dengan pakar budaya Malang, lanjut Heri desain batik harus mencerminkan Malang yang kental dengan tradisi sejarah. Terdapat minimal dua kerajaan besar yang pernah berdiri di Malang yakni Kenjuruan dan Singosari.

Bukan hanya itu, saat ini kerajinan keramik dan batik khas Malang, yang dibikin oleh para pelaku Usaha Mikro Kecil Menengah (UMKM), telah berhasil dipamerkan di pameran internasional Perth Royal Show, Australia, pada 29 September hingga 6 Oktober yang lalu. Hal ini merupakan salah satu bentuk usaha Kota Malang dalam mengembangan potensi seni dan budaya yang ada di Kota Malang hingga ke manca negara. Sekalipun keramik Malang masih kalah bersaing dengan keramik China di pasar dunia, kata Soegiantoro, pihaknya tetap optimistis akan mampu menembus pasar internasional, karena keramik Malang memiliki ciri khas dan spesifikasi unik yang tidak dimiliki oleh keramik negara-negara lain. Lanjutnya, keramik asli Malang memiliki karakter natural dan gaya tropis yang cukup kuat serta dibuat dengan metode handmade. Diharapkan, katanya lagi, keramik itu mampu menarik minat para pengunjung dan, lebih jauh lagi, meningkatkan penjualan ke luar negeri (ekspor)

Bunaken Marine Park Fury

Bunaken is an area of 8.08 km ² island in the Bay of Manado, located in the northern island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This island was part of the city of Manado, the provincial capital of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Bunaken island can be traveled by ship fast (speed boat) or a rented boat with about 30 minutes journey from the port city of Manado. Bunaken Island Around Bunaken marine park there which is part of the Bunaken National Park. This marine park has a marine biodiversity one of the highest in the world.

Scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island. Overall Bunaken marine park covers an area of 75,265 hectares with five islands within it, namely the island of Manado Tua, Bunaken Island, Island Siladen, Mantehage Island follows several children island, and island Naen. Although covering an area 75,265 hectares, the location of dive (diving) is limited in each of the five beaches that surround the island.

Bunaken marine park has a 20 point dive (dive spot) with varying depth of up to 1344 meters. Of the 20 diving points, 12 points among them diving around Bunaken Island. Twelve point dive is the most frequently visited by divers and lovers of the beauty of the underwater scenery.

Most of the 12 point dive in the Bunaken Island line from the southeast to the northwest of the island. In this region there are great underwater walls, also called the hanging walls, or walls of a giant rock that stands vertically and curved upward. These rock walls are also a source of food for fish in the waters around the island Bunaken.

Approximately 91 species of fish found in the waters of Bunaken National Park, including fish gusumi horse (Hippocampus horse), white oci (Seriola rivoliana), yellow tail lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (Ephinephelus spilotoceps and Pseudanthias hypselosoma), ila trunk (Scolopsis bilineatus) , and others.
The best visiting season: months of May to August each year.

More than Two Fish at Bunaken and Manado

I had been dreaming of this diving trip for almost a year. When I first decided to visit the tropical paradise of Bunaken Marine Park and Lembeh Strait, it seemed as if nobody had heard of it (including my travel agent and the man who checked me in at Melbourne airport). However, once I began to plan the trip I slowly heard more and more about the place. Deep dramatic walls, 30 degree water with 30 m visibility, and bizarre creatures were just some of the descriptions. My excitement grew.
We planned 5 days at Two Fish Divers on Bunaken Island and 5 days at Two Fish Divers in Lembeh Strait. A week before we left the Australian government warned travelers to cancel any unnecessary travel to Indonesia due to possible terrorist activity. I figured if my travel agent didn't know where this place was, neither would a terrorist. Anyway, I considered this necessary travel as I was freezing my toes off in the middle of Victoria's winter.

Part 1: Bunaken Island

After a very easy and comfortable overnight flight from Melbourne to Singapore, then a quick 3 hour flight from Singapore to Manado, Sulawesi we arrived at 1pm. We were greeted at the airport by Two Fish Divers, who then drove us to the harbor where we boarded their boat. In less than an hour we were stepping onto Bunaken Island. The waters around Bunaken Island are surrounded by fringing reef before the wall descends into blue abyss. Upon arrival the first thing we did was hand over our dive gear. It was then I noticed the homemade fresh donuts for afternoon tea sitting on our table. Lucky for me this was where we filled in the paper work. We had an introduction and run down on the resort and staff, and received our Bunaken Marine Park passes. These passes cost American $17, the fee was implemented for environmental education, to fund patrols and other facets of the protection plan.
The rooms are very tidy, spacious and comfortable. The resort has 6 cottages, and rooms in the main house, all with western style toilet ensuites, large verandas and hammocks. The largest cottage accommodates up to 6. The resort will only accommodate up to 20 people at a time. July and August are the busiest time of year, however the resort didn't feel like it at all. There is plenty of space so it is easy to find peace and quiet within the resort. But if you want to socialize there are plenty of marine ID books and divers hanging out at the dive lounge/café/bar. There is a book swap and tea and coffee are available all day. There is also cold drinking water available all day free of charge.
The surrounding gardens were immaculate (thanks to the helmet wearing local gardener). The resort itself is set backing the mangroves. This means that while you won't have a white sandy beach to lie on you will be on the peaceful side of the island (the other side has about 8 resorts back to back), There is amazing coral reef walls for snorkeling directly in front of the resort, and the 3 days around the full moon you may catch sight of dugongs grazing on the sea grass.
I have to admit I was slightly concerned about the food arrangements. I get REALLY hungry after dives and I was concerned that staying at a place that served food only at certain times would leave me hungry. I also don't eat any seafood , but tasty vegetarian options were always available. I quickly discovered that I needn't be concerned. Meals were served when we arrived back form the morning dives, then the afternoon tea was always a treat, and dinner was always divine and healthy. The food was prepared fresh for ever meal, plenty of fresh vegetables and delicious meat. My Buddy really enjoyed the local seafood meals, especially the local tuna dish. We never went hungry and the meals were always divine.
Honestly there were a few things that I hadn't anticipated. Firstly, how friendly everyone was, and I just don't mean the staff, but the other guests as well. Because of the small scale of the resort new comers were easily welcomed through warm introductions. We met great people who were from France, England, Germany, Japan and America. We were the only Australians.
It was obvious why there was such a lovely atmosphere around when we met Nigel and Tina, the owners and managers of Two Fish. Reining from England they have been there about 8 years now and have just added another member to their team, their 4 month old daughter.
Two Fish are a 5 star PADI dive centre. During our stay Tina was actually instructing a Junior Open Water course in German.
It is also important for me to know that the organization I dive with takes an active stance in promoting sustainable diving practices and local interests. I was pleased to learn that Two Fish Divers does this in a variety of ways. They are members of the North Sulawesi Water Sports Association. This is an organization that promotes environmentally friendly diving and fishing practices in Bunaken Marine Park. This is Indonesia's first marine park established in 1991. Two Fish Divers also provides training to locals so they are able to work as Dive Masters.
The dives are designed so there are 2 morning dives, leaving at 8 am. The maximum depth on any dive was set at 25m. This keeps the dives conservative and allows for a delightful no-limit bottom time. They just ask to ensure that you dive within the no-decompression limits and arrive at the surface with 40 bar. There is a one-hour surface interval on the boat (tea and biscuits provided). After the morning dives its back to the resort for lunch. The afternoon dive usually leaves about 2:30 pm and a night dive with Mandarinfish leaves about 5: 30pm.
Most divers, like ourselves opted to do 2 dives a day and every other day either do an afternoon or a night dive. It is Two Fish policy that you will never have more than 4 people in a group. For all of our dives it was just my buddy, our guide and I. All of the dive guides spoke English well. We met our guide, Agus the night before and had a chat about the diving. He is a local who lives on the island with his family.
One of the first things we did after we got settled into our room was head out for a snorkel to the house reef, 'Maku'.
It was only a short swim over the reef flat to the plummeting wall that descended to over 500m. We stayed out until the sun began to set. We soon found out that this is where the afternoon dives and night dive are held. It was great to be amongst the diverse array of tropical creatures again.
It is a good idea to bring your wetsuit booties along on your trip even if you have full foot fins. Due to the tides you'd be required at some point to walk a short distance from the boat, and as there are a few sea urchins the booties are a necessity. My buddy didn't have any and fortunately, the dive centre was happy to loan him a pair.
Our first dives were on the walls off Bunaken village, 'Lekuan I' and wow was I blown away, literally. The current was racing and the wall was kilometers deep, We went zooming past a Green Turtle, who was nestled into the reef, schools of Red-toothed Triggerfish and colourful soft corals.Wall diving is simply astounding. It reminds you how massive the ocean really is. Loosing myself in the moment while looking down through the warm crystal clear visibility I was glad to notice Agus was right by our side leading us through a very safe multi level dive. Our dive lasted about an hour.
Our second dive was called 'Lekuan III' on a similar wall. These dives served as an excellent introduction to Bunaken, the famous dramatic walls and diverse marine life. We were already impressed. The dive guides carried around these long tent peg things. I couldn't really understand what they were for at first then I realized they used them to point to some of the minute cryptic marine life along the walls.
On our second day we decided to do 2 morning dives and an afternoon dive. Our morning dives were along sandy slopes. There was coral and plenty of anemone fish as well as Sulawesi's famous ribbon eels. This area has more critters and we were absolutely delighted when our dive guide found a Flamboyant Cuttlefish. These creatures are unreal. Close to the size of fifty-cent piece, they are black with alien like displays of flashing colours. A characteristic special to this small cuttlefish is that they actually walk most of the time, instead of swim. They are apparently as toxic as a blue ringed octopus.
It was very fascinating to watch. The afternoon dive was on the house reef wall where there are plenty of rays, Mantis Shrimp and the local mafia triggerfish that kept a watchful eye. Truthfully I am a bit frightened of triggerfish and the dive guides and my buddy teased me about it. Agus was like my personal triggerfish security guard, ready with his tent peg if duty called.
That evening the dive guides decided to throw a farewell for some guests that were leaving the next day. Apparently this means the song “leaving on a jet plane” gets sung over a few bottles of the local palm wine. They got out the guitar and homemade bass, played music while the rest of us danced. It was such a fun party. When the renditions of 'Hotel California' and 'Brown-eyed Girl' began to sound the same we hit the hay to ensure a good nights rest for diving the next day.
The next day we did another sloping wall dive with giant clams and plenty of anemonefish then another amazing drift, wall dive. This wall was magical with overhangs and crevices. We saw large Humphead Wrasses, schooling Black Snapper, batfish and a tiny yellow seahorse among gorgonian fans.
That afternoon we mentioned to our dive guide that we were going to take a walk to the local Bunaken Village. Not only did he show us personally around the village but took us to his house for some tea and to meet his family. Yet another example of the fantastic hospitality. The village is only about a 15min walk from Two Fish. Lots of smiling children greeted us as we walked past.
Our last day diving on Bunaken Island took us to 'Fukui' and 'Mike's Point'. 'Fukui' is a sandy sloping reef with plenty of strange creatures. 'Mike's Point' is another excellent wall dive around the north side of the island with overhangs and gorgonians. We spotted a Banded Seasnake. Our bottom times had grown longer to 80minutes by now. We were taking advantage of the warm water and diving in either board shorts and a rash vest or a 1mm short sleeveless suit. The surface interval was enough to warm us up in between dives.
Seeing as it was our last day on Bunaken we decided to do a night dive. It was at 'Maku'. Giant Basketstars and Crinoids swayed with the current, sponges, decorator crabs that looked like they were wearing hats, and Spanish Dancers surrounded us.

Part2: Lembeh Strait

The next day our transfer to Lembeh Strait meant a boat trip back to Manado, then a one and a half hours drive to Bitung, a thriving industrious town. Once at Bitung we had less than a 30 minute boat trip to Two Fish Divers in Lembeh Strait. We didn't know much about the Lembeh resort at all. We had heard that it is a much smaller resort and still under construction and that the diving there was quite different form Bunaken. We were to expect slightly less visibility and water temperatures, less coral and walls but plenty of strange and macro creatures. Many guests who had stayed at Bunaken either had already been or where on their way to Lembeh.Upon arrival we noticed some friends that we had met on Bunaken were staying at Lembeh for a few days.
We had the opportunity to do an afternoon dive there, but felt it would be a good idea to have a day off gassing. The diving was set up in a similar but on an even smaller scale than Bunaken. The accommodation was slightly more basic, the food was just as good and the hospitality astounding. Opo is the manger of the resort and he is full of good stories and laughs. Our dive guide was Frankie.
Over in Lembeh the tent pegs were even longer. Lembeh is a great place to dive if you really think you have seen it all in regards to diving. It's muck diving at its finest. Sometimes you may be diving for 10 minutes in black sand before you spot anything interesting, but when you do it's just thrilling. There are a few coral slopes as well. If you are into macro photography this is a dream come true.
Diving in Lembeh is shallower as well, so this means as long as you rug up a bit more you can have really long bottom times. Our longest was 88 minutes. I have to admit it took me a few dives to begin to really appreciate the diving, but when I did I really immersed myself in it. You may wind up swimming around for a good 10 minutes before anything catches your eye, so I found myself watching what creatures there were interactions with each other, I really began to notice their behaviors and I loved the shrimp gobies, I would watch them for ages. It was something again I hadn't done for a while.
The Lembeh resort is more isolated than Bunaken and there isn't a lot to do on the resort except dive, eat, relax in a hammock and look through fish books we found ourselves concentrating on the dives. It was something I hadn't done in a while and it renewed enthusiasm in me I didn't realize I had lost. Lembeh strait is actually a lot narrower than I imagined it, because of this the dives sites are usually about 5 minutes away.
Our first dive the next day was at 'Hairball 1'. We saw large common seahorses, octopus, Flying Gurnards and Frogfish. I also quite liked the pincushion sea star. Our second morning dive was at the sloping shallow wall named 'Nudi Retreat' and as the name says there are plenty of different nudibranchs to see. We also got to get up close and personal with a few Pygmy Seahorses, Ornate Ghost Pipefish, dragonets and sea moths. Once again the tent pegs proved helpful. We also saw a large cuttle fish. My favorite however was the very pretty yet apparently toothy, Yellowtail Fangblenny.
The next day we did 2 dives again. The first was at the 'Police Pier'. Here we encountered Ringed Pipefish, Ribbon Eels and the local Barracuda. Diving in Lembeh Strait you will notice a bit more rubbish than at Bunaken. Old tires and bottles of coke are scattered around the dives sites. It is amazing however, to notice how well the strange marine life is able to make these their homes. Frankie would often point to something that looked like an old shoe covered in algae, he would have to draw it to my attention a few times before I realized it was actually a Frog Fish.
Our second dive was at 'Nudi Falls'. This is a cliff face covered in nudibranchs. I think I counted 17 different ones. The one that really caught my eye was the 'Magical Hypselodoris'. There were also many Mantis Shrimp and a few Barramundi Cod.
The following evening after our usual 2 morning dives at 'Aerprang' and 'Jahir II', we decided to do a Mandarinfish night dive.
We left about 5:30pm, as it was important to get there at dusk if you wanted to see the Mandarinfish mating. This site was abundant with hard corals and was quite colourful. As it was only 5m deep here I took my new camera .We took out positions near the coral as the Mandarinfish peered in and out of it waiting for just the right moment. It was quite sweet, it was if they were playing hide and seek with each other, and then in an instant they would swim side-by-side twirling around. It was over in a matter of seconds. After the mandarin fish were finished doing their business a huge silvery swarm of sardines enveloped us as we swam around the coral gardens.
On our last day of diving we requested to go back to 'Nudi Retreat' as my buddy wanted to try out a different macro lens there. Once again we saw Pygmy Seahorses and the peculiar sea moth. Our last dive at 'Maka Wide' found us 2 common seahorses and the beautiful yellow Frogfish. I was a bit sad when it came time to sat good-bye to all of the unusual creatures we had met.
We spent our last evening chatting away with Frankie and Opo. Opo's extensive knowledge of the area comes along with some pretty funny stories. The hospitality and friendliness of the staff on Lembeh balance out the remoteness. The guides were as much a part of the enjoyment as the diving was. Perhaps it's because we had both worked as dive guides ourselves that made us really appreciate their efforts and professionalism. I personally really enjoyed having the same guide for all of our dives (10). This is done on purpose for all guests. I have never had that experience before and I have to say it was really great. We got to know each other's diving ability, equipment and preferences. By the end we felt as if we were diving with an old friend.
Apparently there is a zoo nearby that can be reached by boat so that could always be an option to get about a bit while staying there. Remember there isn't anything to do or anywhere to go once on the island so bring a good book or as a few of the guests did, a lap top with movies to watch at night. We didn't attempt any swimming from the beach, as I was worried I may step on one of their strange and wonderful creatures. It did look like an interesting for snorkeling though. At least one of the new cottages is finished now and more are to be built and the garden has had some work done to it, so it will become more picturesque as time goes by. It's definitely a good option as the others around Lembeh tend to be much more pricey.
I have to make it a point to say that when staying with Two Fish we didn't have to think about organizing anything. It made our trip very enjoyable. We never had to worry about our dive gear, they got it ready for the dives, rinsed and dried it afterwards and the food was always ready when we were. The hospitality at Two Fish Divers was simply astounding. My biggest dilemma was wondering which hammock I should lie in.

Part 3: Singapore

The next leg of our trip took us to Singapore where we spent a night and a day. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to this stop over, but as it turned out it was pretty exciting. I had heard rumors of the possibility of diving with a Dugong that lives at underwater world, the Singapore aquarium. I was delighted (as I am sure everyone noticed) when I found out that I could go diving with Gracie then and there.
There is also the option to swim with Grey Nurse Sharks as well. The staff seemed a bit surprise that I was only interested in Gracie. I get to dive with sharks all the time back home, but never a Dugong! I was briefed by Alan, one of Gracie carers. He said that she had been found about 7 years ago as a baby after her mother had died. She has lived there ever since. My buddy wasn't keen to dive so they let him in at half price and even let him come up to the top of the tank to meet and feed Gracie. I was geared up and told how to hold the bouquet of sea grass properly so she would eat it, as she is very particular. Gee! At 170kg you wouldn't guess it.
As we entered the water she approached us, she was eyeing off the sea grass I was holding, I held out the sea grass and she munched away, engulfing half of my hand in the process. Her mouth was bristly and soft. Alan told me I would probably only have about 15 minutes with her, but all up I think I spent about an hour playing with her. She would have something to eat, then go off for a little swim, then come back to us. There were also 2 Leopard Sharks and some batfish in the tank with us. This was one of the most exciting things I had ever done. I highly recommend it. I had never done an aquarium dive before and I was surprised at how funny it was. I had all these people waving at me, when I waved back they all took photos. I felt like a movie star!
On our flight back to Melbourne, I reflected on our trip. It dawned on me that we didn't meet any other Australians our entire trip. There seems to be a misconception that it is difficult and expensive to get to Sulawesi. But in reality it's just a few hours further travel from Bali, and as it turned out the stop over in Singapore offered an amazing experience. The highlights of the trip would have to be the breath-taking wall diving at Bunaken Marine Park, and the peculiar creatures of Lembeh Strait. However, the diving would not have been as easy going and enjoyable without the wonderful organization and friendlessness of the staff. Of course I would have to mention swimming with Gracie one of my personal highlights as well.

INDONESIA

Indonesia consists of 18.108 islands and has got more than 200 million citizens. It's roughly situated between Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. It's got a hot and humid climate throughout the year. Indonesia is one of the most beautiful and interesting countries I have visited. The scenery and wildlife is just breathtaking, volcanos, jungles, clear waters and tons of other things to mention. What makes it even more diverse is the mix of different religious groups and the dedication to its original culture. Even though most of the Indonesians are Muslims nowadays, it has not always been like that. The majority of people was Hindu once and ruled by the Dutch for a few hundred years. The interesting part is that even though there is an immense diversity of cultures and ethnic groups, you can still find that 'authentic' Indonesian culture floating above. Indonesia is huge; travel is not that easy and will consume a lot of time. However you will be rewarded greatly for it. Once you get tired of one island, you just go to another and will find a world of differences. The first page is about Bali. The following pages are from South to North Sulawesi.
	Bali The Westernized Hindu island of Indonesia. There is more than partying in Kuta and Sanur..
	South Sulawesi - Bira The most southern tip of West Sulawesi. Very quiet..
	South Sulawesi - Makassar (Ujung Pandang) A modern and fairly big city in South Sulawesi.
	South Sulawesi - Makassar & Tana Toraja The Toraja people devote a great deal of their lives to the death. They have fascinating burial rituals and ceremonies.
	Central Sulawesi - around Tentena Near Tentena you can find some beautiful scenery.
	Central Sulawesi - Poso, Ampana & Pagimana Another beautiful area, but still unstable (mid 2003) after the 2000 massacres. The abundance of military force and the tension are noticable.
	Central Sulawesi - Togian Islands The laidback islands from the bounty commercials. Although not easy to get to, a must do, if you have the time and can bare the hassle of getting there.
	North Sulawesi - Tomohon Near the "big" city of North-Sulawesi lies Tomohon, In the shade of volcano 'Lokon'. Try the Minahasa kitchen, visit some of the interesting markets and explore the thermal activity.
	North Sulawesi - Manado Probably one of the dirtiest cities on this planet, but it's definitely got some character. Conveniently situated for exploring North Sulawesi.
	North Sulawesi - Bunaken Absolutely superb diving and relaxing on Bunaken and surrounding islands.
	North Sulawesi - Tangkoko One of the National Parks around volcano Tangkoko. You can find e.g. the Tarsius primate, many tropical birds, monkeys and pristine beaches.

Bunaken Island

Bunaken and its surrounding islands belong probably to Sulawesi's top dive destinations. Only 1 hour from Manado by public boat (1 1/2 us dollar) and you're in a completely different world. Besides walking through the jungle, the only thing to do here is relax, dive, snorkel and drink Cap Tikus. Every time I come here, there are things that amaze me underwater. Huge Dogtooth tunas, Yellowfin tunas, Blacktip sharks, Whitetip sharks, Hammerhead sharks, Dolphins, Eagle Rays, Black Marlins, Napoleon Fish, Blue Ringed Octopus, Paper Leaf fish, Frogfish, etc, etc. Big or small you can find it on Bunaken. I think this is a place that will never bore a diver if it comes to aquatic live, the only disadvantage is that there are only drop offs.
Bunaken village with the Christian church on the foreground. You can see Manado Tua (tua = old) in the background.
This is the popular drop off which is similar everywhere around Bunaken and the surrounding islands. In some spots it goes 1.8 KM down....
Pantai Liang at high tide on the side of Sulawesi Dive Quest and Panorama cottages.
If you want to cross the island, be prepared for a 45 minutes humid jungle 'adventure'...
The local people live mostly in small cottages similar to these.
For everybody there's time to relax on Bunaken Island... Certainly at Panorama cottages on the right hand side of Pantai Liang beach. As everywhere in Indonesia, no shortage of dogs..
This is a black macaque. I think it's on the endangered species list. They are being sold on the markets near Manado. This monkey was saved from being eaten by its new owner.
There is a cheap local palmwine which is called Cap Tikus. Of course after a day of diving/snorkling a cold Bintang (Indonesian beer) and some 40%+ palmwine are a good party starter..
I saw these shy girls in a village on Manado Tua, we stopped there between 2 dives. A lot of locals rarely see Bules (white guys) guys on their island.
At the end of the day a beautiful sunset paints the scenery.