Watu Pajung Beach

The 104 Potential 

of Tours Pre-Eminent 

in East Manggarai

East Manggarai Regency, Provincial of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) have the potential tourism pre-eminent scattered in the North, Middle and Southern.

East Manggarai Regency, Provincial of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) have rich culture and potential tourism. At least there 104 attractions seeded can be developing in this county.

According Galus Ganggus, SPd., Secretary of Agency Culture and Tourism of East Manggarai Regency, his territory have diversified natural contour. There are beach, the hill, cave, natural lake, mountain, even savanna extending wide foothill Poco Komba and the background is the wide Sawu Sea.

 According to Galus, the location is very nice if the documentaries filming used. “Given in the savanna the life horse, also buffalo, and wild cow, it is one of the most unique places at our county”, he said.

East Manggarai topographic is rather unique. Under Poco komba there is a valley inhabited some family. But in the surrounded the area that none of the water, however still there life.

In Nangarawa, Bamo Village, at Kota Komba Sub District, there is ritual Lowa Tribe (one of tribes of Rongga ethnic) which is held once in five years. The tradition is named Khebu.

 Rana Mese Lake

One of ritual contained in tradition Khebu named Kremo (catching fish). Before Kremo made, the custom of Elders Lowa tribe will spread the net to pool. If a lot of fish welcome it yield will succeed. So if it is otherwise.

Interestingly, at Kremo activities stretcher participant only allowed to catch fish with empty hands. Participants prohibited use trawler (net), or tools of iron or trident.

Another tours objects in South, there are Coast Cepi Watu, Liang Bala, Bondei, Nanga Rawa, and the Park Sea Wae Wole, there is also Coast Mbalata which crowned scenery feet Mount Inerie within the territory Ngada Regecy.

In the Southern part, particularly in District of Kota Komba have diverse package. In this area is also Cunca Rede waterfalls, its 16 km of Borong located in the Sanolokom Village. “We can watch one panorama of the the original beautiful and unique in the Coastal South. That is why wealth of natural within the territory of the South this county often referred to PIS Paradise in the South East Manggarai”, he said.

East Manggarai in the Middle part is also the territory of the very challenged and exciting. Greeneries in Mukun are attraction for tourists, natural connoisseur mountain tourists. There is existing electric microhydro to lighting.

“County Government of East Manggarai also often held cultural weekend, which shall be made remain in the future”, he said. It is intended to what bequeathed forebears was not extinction.

Cultural Sites

Other intellectual, many availability sites relics outdated ancestor, in Poco Komba (mountain or the Komba Hill), in District of Kota Komba, it is old grave forebears Nggeli and Motu Tribe, which part of the Rongga ethnic. The buildings are unique because marked with large stone, milestone the shape resembling a dagger, axes, or means of war on outdated it.

Waerebo

Reputedly at first time, as a result of tribal war some villagers chose residing in the hill. Remains besides, grave also Batu Compang as an altar.

“Many figure influential in the past live there, and sites is still there and taken care in the hill until now. The sum is up to several ten”, he said.  

In foot of mountain Poco Ndeki is also the customs, precisely at the Rongga Koe, often display the traditional “Vera”. As he said, Vera represents mystical religious dances, not at any time can on view, except in the event like the elders or figure death, the customs ritually, as well as the customs “thanksgiving”.

In the South territory, there is also Batu Susu Rongga the assets of the history of civilization tourism since ancestors. Also there is Batu Kelamin (male and female).

“It is show the ancestors of East Manggarai society have highly civilizations, especially of Nggeli and Motu Tribes”, he added. The Rongga society, he said, at the certain time they held customs ritual named Tapa Manuk / Turu Manuk (chickens as a respectful notice).

“The place of historic also spead in the middle part of East Manggarai, like contained in Mukun District of Kota Komba, at Elar District as well as Compang Pembe in District of Sambi Rampas, Rongga Koe and Sites relics bequeathed Pupung tribe, Ros, Lendong, and other tribes in Golo Ros District of Borong”, he added. East Manggarai also have got hometown customs Teber in District of Borong. “Teber is approximately 20 km from Borong, near Lake Rana Mese”, he said. The environment of Teber custom village is good to develop into ecotourism, because the ancestry tradition remains completely. Start of the ceremony of Penti which is a grateful party. The tradition is still in good maintained up to now. The government has also seek to keep the authenticity of the customs, it hometown renovate with the customs.

Local society entangled, constrcutor is taken from the local people, so the value of originality can still remain good. “The gate as well as the entrance to Teber have been also built”, said Galus.

In Pembe, there is a huge rock in the middle there is a Banyan Tree which already hundreds of year. That place is named Compang Pembe. Culture sites, according to Galus, close conjunction with the cycle of life of the East Manggarai people that always kept and maintained.

“Since the human born to growth, then accepted in the family, and social and all there are rituals. Then the time she entered the age of teenager, wedding up then gave birth, having family to death”, he said.

It’s aligned with the policies of the Regent East Manggarai, Drs. Joseph Tote, MSi., assessed very visionary in creating of framework of construction anvil based culture.

“Regent of East Manggarai have a philosophy of Reje Lele bantang cama (everything deliberation well), this is also an inheritance culture to be conserved”, he confirmed.

Paradise in the North

In the Northern, there is a luring our package, it’s a blending between tour of the lake, nautical tour, nature as Komodo dragon Pota habitat, by the local people called “Mbou” or “Rugu”. This Northern tour package can be gone through the north traffic Trans Flores road through north direction of Reo, border with Manggarai hug beach.

The destinations will encounter in the Northern East Manggarai Coast, first attractions contained in District of Lambaleda. In this District there is a Cave Cingcoleng developed by the diocesan parties as spiritually tourism. There are also have been build the road.

According him, diocese has published it quite long, cooperate with the regent government. In addition, in region Colol there are ecotourism characterized by wide rice-fields stretched, surrounding people village in the middle. District of Colol is known as generating delicious pumpkin vegetables. Next to it are mountains. If the rainy season, waterfall in that two places is become a beautiful panorama.

In District of Lambaleda, there is also Gulf Ninge located in Dampek. In the Gulf of Ninge, since August till October, foreign tourists begin trickle in. Gulf of Ninge has listed in the world tourism catalogue. The proof is the traditional ship charged 5-6 people come in every year and under water panoramic to 1-2 weeks. According to Torsi Huwa, The Chairman of Assemblage of Indonesian Guides (HPI), the interest of the Ninge is the fact of it history.

Ninge is the lost city. “Besides the sea shade there are also unique sea plant”, added Galus. Galus admit still lack of facility of accommodation for the tourists. But the present of the foreign tourists may be means of such trigger accelerating the development and leasehold tourism.

“Not far from that, there is Cape Kurbaya dan Pasir Panjang Park Sea contained in Laing Lewe. This year, the government participated with build climbing lane (tracking)”, he said.

Entering District of Sambi Rampas passing center lane (before the entry to Pota), there is a beautiful casserole shape prairie, known with the name of “Satar Cewe”. After that the entered the territory of Pota.

According to Galus, The territory of Pota is one unique tourist’s destination. There life rare habitat Flores Komodo dragon, there are in Pota. Because of the local people call it Komodo dragon Pota or Mbou/Rugu. (Read in other part)

It’s one package. In Pota Lake Rana Tonjong, there are also plant lotus ogres, the size of the order of the second largest in the world after in Indians. The uniquely Lake Rana Tonjong is in one destination adjacent to the habitats Komodo dragon Pota.

Not far thence there is Coast Watu Pajung. Named Watu Pajung because the stone is resembling an umbrella. To the part in the middle of District Sambi Rampas, there is a venerable church built in years twenties. At 1912 Manggarai Raya Church was 100 years celebrating influx of the Catholic Church of Manggarai. “It is also the spiritual attractions that potential enough”, he said.

Galus affirms, tour objects in East Manggarai are vitally complete. In addition to nature aspects assets the Human Resources also became the deciding factor in the development of the culture and tourism.

 “Regent of East Manggarai wishing with the increasing quality of personnel, people in this region is not so spectators on the development of the assets of cultural and tourism”, he strictly speaking.

Galus admit, the tourist industry needs partnership, communications, widely network. “We have been working at with such institutions as Tourism Management Organization (TMO), DMO that centered on Ende, Swisscontact, the tourists, as well as the media”, he said.

The role TMO, DMO is important in developing cultural and tourism objects in East Manggarai, because this Region is also the one of the whole part of the development of the potential culture and tourism on Flores Island.

According him, the tourism industry is representing multistakeholder. Because it besides coordination with self community institution (LSM) also need for cooperation with department in ranks of East Manggarai Government Regency, that covering 20 SKPD in concerned.

Not only that. It is interweave cooperation with some colleges like Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and Airlangga University (UNAIR). Galus realized, build sectors of cultural and tourism is not just in a day, so need some time. “In the sector, we are building sturdy and strong foundation. So that, its necessary multistakeholder cooperation. All the parties involved cause only with companionship the purpose of it can be fine”, he strictly speaking.**Sapto Adiwiloso