In the last three blogs we’ve been showing you tiny Sapeken island, the market & fishing hub for the eastern part of the Kangean Archipelago, north of Bali, east of Madura, in Indonesia. 

Our entourage must get bored too easily.  We decided we did not want to go depart Sapeken the way we’d come—a route that would involve discomfort while not letting us see anything new. 

Sapeken is a tiny oval shaped island in the eastern Kangean Archipelago, north of Bali, east of Madura, in Indonesia.

The people of Kangean’s main island seem to be dominated by the Madurese, but with of Bugis (of “Boogey man” fame), Makasarese & Banjarese—all the seafaring peoples of east central Indonesia—mixed in, both in their family trees & in their language. 

On my first visit to Indonesia I visited some of the most crazy-remote places in the world.  We trekked to areas where possibly one other outsider--either foreigner or even Indonesian from outside Papua--had ever been before.  I’ve long known what the word remote means.

The first time I came to the remote Kangean Archipelago—NNE of Bali—in Indonesia I yearned to take a peak at the untouched coral reefs & other underwater life there. 

I first heard of the remote Kangean Archipelago when reading an old book about the Dutch in the East Indies during the the last century.  I was struck by stories of a few brave souls who moved out to this hyper-remote little chain of islands that lies NNE from Bali, but is administratively counted as part of Madura, East Java—though laying far from Madura.

Last time I blogged about Mr. Weda, the world-renowned Balinese fan painter of Indonesia.  While visiting his cottage studio we had an extra treat!

As Mr. Weda was showing us his stunning traditionally painted fans, I noticed another beautiful subject emerging in the background.  His little daughter—getting ready to participate in a traditional Hindu Balinese dance.

First she emerges in her white dress accented by a yellow shawl.

 Ubud in central Bali is the art Mecca of the Hindu Balinese of Indonesia.  Painters, wood carvers, stone cutters all congregate around Ubud.  In the past you could find them making their masterpieces in cottages along the streets of Ubud.  But with the huge influx of tourists in recent decades, few of those places still exist with nearly all of them supplanted by shops selling mostly generic handcraft wares, but without the artists on site.

For some time we've been telling you about an amazing photo tour opportunity that's coming up--and sharing images from the stunning locations & people we'll see on this journey. We're pleased to tell you that this trip is now open for registration.