TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Nias to lure tourists with cultural festival, surfing competition
North Sumatra's Nias Island is ready to lure tourists with cultural festival and surfing competition.
Change Size
A surfer rides a wave at Sorake Beach, South Nias, in this undated photograph. (Shutterstock.com/Anges van der Logt)
N
ias Island, located off the western coast of North Sumatra, is to host the Ya'ahowu Nias Festival on Nov. 16-20, which has been added to the Top 100 Wonderful Indonesia Calendar of Events.
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly officiated the festival's launch on Monday in Jakarta.
Among the festival's attractions are a spectacular war dance featuring 1,000 dancers, culinary and handicraft exhibitions, the Ya'ahowu Nias Parade, cultural attractions, the Barbecue Festival and a beach volleyball competition. The region's unique stone-jumping culture is to feature 100 jumpers in an attempt to break the record in the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI).
Read also: Nias parrot 'Magiao', official mascot of Ya'ahowu Party 2017
Nias is home to many marvels with tourism potential, from cultural to natural and to man-made attractions. These include world-class surfing destinations, white sandy beaches and Bawomataluo village's famous stone-jumping tradition.
In addition to the Ya'ahowu Nias Festival, the island regency is preparing to host the World Surf League's 2018 Nias Pro competition, tentatively slated for Aug. 24-28 at Sorake Beach in South Nias, which is expected to boost local and national tourism.
The Ya'ahowu Nias Festival aims to attract at least 50,000 visitors this year.
"We invite everyone to travel to Nias to witness the Ya'ahowu Nias Festival 2018 and the surfing competition while marveling the island's breathtaking panorama and meeting its friendly people," said South Nias Regent Hilarius Duha as quoted by kompas.com. (kes)
