Every time I’ve been to the Kangean Archipelago, north of Bali, east of Madura, in Indonesia, it’s been during the dry season. 

In 17 years of living on the ground in Indonesia I’ve never seen a place drier than Kangean between August & October. 

From the main island of the Kangean Archipelago, we crossed over to the nearby isle of Mamburit—one of those last remaining places where they continue to build traditional wooden sailing craft the old way. 

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.

One of the most stunning places to visit in Bali is Ulu Watu Temple in Indonesia.

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.

A few months ago my wife & I had opportunity to visit world-famous Mount Ijen crater in East Java, Indonesia.  This volcano has been featured on many documentaries & special TV broadcasts.  This is the place where famous French volcanologists Katia & Maurice Krafft dared to float on a highly acidic sulfur crater lake in a rubber raft. 

The Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park is like the Grand Canyon of Indonesia-in East Java. 

In pre-history there was an enormous volcano here. At some point it erupted leaving a massive crater 14 kilometers across.   In the middle of this ancient mega-crater are three newer volcanic craters—Mounts Bromo—still very active,  Batok & Kursi.  These triplet craters are surrounded by sea of sand that’s covered most mornings by a mysterious feeling blanket of fog. 

One of the satisfactions about being a photographer traveling across Java is that you never know what great photogenic surprises you’re going to come across, but you know you will, & you'll occasionally be shouting to your driver, “Stop! Stop!  Stop! Pull over!”

This happened when we were careening across the rice paddies on the scenic route from Jogjakarta to East Java.  On that route you can't help but loving the unique beauty of the Trenggalek region.