East Nusa Tenggara
Beyond Jakarta
Flung like a beautiful necklace of jewels across the eastern part of Indonesia, the mini-archipelago of Nusa Tenggara features on of the world's most intricate and diverse marine environments. The island of Flores, named so buy the Portuguese because of the colorful coral reefs, is famous for its local processions and the well-maintained royal regalia of the former king. Sumba, famous for its annual pasola horse races, produces natural dye woven ikats and mammoth-sized megalithic tombs. Sandalwood is collected and processed on the island of Timor. Protected in the area's Marine National Park is Komodo, where the famous giant monitor lizards find refuge in the island's dramatic barren hills.