KUPANG, fortuna.press – Timor Island is one of the island in East Nusa Tenggara Provinsi, Indonesia which is rich in potential tourism destinations. The region is deevided into six regencies namely Kupang City, Kupang regency, Timor Tengah Selatan Regency, Timor Tengah Utara Regency, Belu Regency and Malaka Regency.
Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) or North Central Timor Regency for example, is located in the middle of the island of Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Indonesia. It can be reached easily from El Tari Airport Kupang through Trans Timor Soe of South Central Timor (TTS). If you are coming from Timor Leste, the only regency you are passing through is Belu and thereafter you get North Central Timor (TTU) regency. TTU regency is an enclave because most administrative region is directly adjacent to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Oekusi – Wini.
Indeed, this region is rich in potential of history, nature, marine and cultures but it still missed a lot of the promotion and observations. There are many most valuable tourism assets and tourist attractions that have not been exposed yet. There are customary homes, indigenous functionaries, ritual speeches, traditional rituals and other historical relics that indicate legacy of TTU in the past and it should be alluring historical tourist destination.
This region comprises three autonomous tribal regions: Biboki Insana Miomafo or commonly called Biinmafo. The three major tribes with their own typical cultures and ritual speeches contribute the manifold cultural assets of TTU regency.
Depend on these tourism and culture potentials, local new Timor Tengah Utara Government by Regent Yosep Falentinus Kebo and his vice Regent Kamillus Elu pay serious attentions for improving tourism sector in this area.
For those who want to explore Timor island and specially for Timor Tengah Utara regency, please welcome and enjoy our beautifule and amazing tourism destinations :
KURE, Portuguese heritage
Spiritual tourism object here is also very supportive. Traditional Easter rituals (Kure), Portuguese heritage maintained from generation to generation in Kote Noemuti is like Samana Santha in Larantuka East Flores but it is now widely unknown yet because of its less campaign.
In Kefamenanu the capital of Timor Tengah Utara Regency, you will find one of the special chaurch. Gereja Santo Antonius is the local people call. The church is unigue because of its design and interior sites.
Its ornaments was made by local stones with special decorated with Timor Tengah Utara locak ikat weavings. It looks Amazing. Historically, the churhc was build by Pater Antonius together the local catholic followers. The World Football Legend of Diel Piero was informed as one of the donor of funds.
Wini and Tanjung Bastian
Problem of nautical, do not be mistaken. Wini and Tanjung Bastian beaches with their white sand are charming and very hypnotic. The existing Tanjung Bastian mighty and sturdy fortress adds to the elegance of eminent maritime tourist destinations in TTU regency.
As the enclave area, Wini has tremendous allure because of its comfortable topography, gentle and coastal bewitchment that inviting to linger on. About the Wini topography, some of the Tour de Timor participants of Cycyling Touring called Wini is the little Texas.
As the border sites city, Wini is now developed and it is looked more beautiful because of sea views and panorama of topography
Facilites and Accomodation
There is a commercial seaport equipped with electricity and adequate facilities and communication service. Understandably, Wini has long been as a border city and now as new business center in TTU regency because of this possion as one of the main international border gate of Indonesia and Oekusi,Timor Leste.
Not far from Wini harbor there is a traditional fishermen village whose daily life depends on the sea. There are also local restaurants and entertainment center such as karaoke to pamper guests and complements the elegance of the beach.
One more tourist site that invites sympathy is Tanjung Bastian not far from Wini and also Mangrove Tour spot. The promontory offering a giant castle with its attractive white sandy beach gets ready to pamper you for recreation, swimming and sunbathing.
Even the local government has equipped the beach with accommodation facilities, gazebo and adequate toilets. Spacious freshwater pool located right at the foot of the cliff becomes another destination that is ready to complement your leisure. In this place, the local government also built a horse-race arena that every year attracts international attention because an international horse-race tournament involving participants from different countries and regions is often held.
Admirably, while visiting the beach, then staying the night in traditional inns you can also enjoy the all-natural scenery offshore and entertained with racetrack attraction to make your holiday is more impressive. Then one of the new popular spot to be visisted in TTU is Tuamese, the nature best view. That is why plan your holiday for visiting TTU district, the Amazing area of Timor Island and charms and so much more.
Traditional Houses
The other side of the high valuable potential of TTU Regency but so far it is still forgettable: the entrancement of diverse traditional house/sonaf scattered in every autonomous region. Each traditional house in TTU has its own historical story and fanatic community. Each also becomes a symbol of unity, community/social group, symbol of struggling as well as the center of indigenous ritual performances as various local beliefs.
Each traditional house is headed by a King/Usif with its own life style and belief. A king/Usif has a lot of followers that will inherit this tradition from generation to generation, especially in organizing traditional rituals.
It challenges you to visit each traditional house in TTU because they store a number of heirlooms believed still to have supernatural powers.
Although the three autonomous regions: Biboki Insana and Miomafo have united and become the history of TTU Regency establishment, and each history incision, customs and beliefs make them different.
This can be illustrated in a traditional house/sonaf there. In Insana for example; there are custom homes of Taolin king, Usfinit King, Sonaf Oelolok, in Biboki; there is Sonaf Tamkesi while in Miomafo; there are Sonaf the King of Bana, Sonaf Meslete and many other hefty traditional houses survived by their people.
Those traditional houses can be found everywhere that illustrate social stratification and followers community. Therefore, it is not surprisingly that many people call it the icon/trademark of TTU Regency as Biinmafo earth, “the earth of a thousand traditional houses”.
International Border State
Timor Tengah Utara (TTU), is rich in potential of history, nature, marine and cultures but it still missed a lot of the promotion and observations. There are many most valuable tourism assets and tourist attractions that have not been exposed yet. There are customary homes, indigenous functionaries, ritual speeches, traditional rituals and other historical relics that indicate legacy of TTU in the past and it should be alluring historical tourist destination. Here are some recommended tourist attractions for you when visiting North Central Timor, the enchantment in Border State of Indonesia and Timor Leste
Little Texas of Timor
TTU Regency has beautiful beaches in the north, or better known as the north coast (PANTURA). Tanjung Bastian Beach is a name that is perpetuated about since the 16th century, as a promontory on the sea coast, Village of Humusu C, Sub-district of North Insana stores a million stories of the past.
Bastian cape coast is about 67 km from the city of Kefamenanu, and it can be reached ± 1 hour journey by public transport/rural or two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles). Tourists can enjoy the pristine beach with its beautiful natural scenery, coral gorge, white sand, mangrove trees inhabited by bats and herd of monkeys. Now in addition to be used a tourist attraction, Tanjung Bastian also used to be a place or arena for performing sport events such as horse racing.
International horse-race tournament
Horse racing track in Tanjung Bastian is the most beautiful one and the best in all Indonesia. Every August, horse race is usually held in the arena participated by hundreds of horse racers from regencies/cities of the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, Bali, Java, NTB and Timor Leste.
Tanjung Bastian and Wini are area surrounded by giant rocks. Barren rocky mountain appears in dry season and looks beautiful with its green carpet in rainy season, then Wini looks so beautiful from all sides.
This small Wini town looks more beautiful because of vast blue sea stretches out. It offers exceptional panoramic beauty for taking pictures. Some foreign tourists even called it ‘Little Texas’ or Texas of Timor.
How to get Timor?
Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) or North Central Timor Regency located on the transport path Kupang-SoE-Atambua is often crowded by public transports. Kefamenanu, the capital city of TTU regency is located on Timor Island, NTT province and bordered with regencies of TTS, Kupang, Belu, and Demokratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Oekusi.
For those who area coming from Bali you may fly from Denpasar to Kupang directly and use land transportation about 4 hours to Kefamenanu the capital of Timor Tengah Utara Regency. While for the peole from Timor Leste just pass away from Motaain Border in Belu or Wini Transborderry (PLB) in TTU Regency Directly by public transport/rural or two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles). (fidel/42na)
