The third installment of Festival Pesona Meti Kei (Meti Kei Charm Festival, FPMK) is set to return for five days from Oct. 25 to 29 in the Kei Islands, Southeast Maluku.
Held under the theme Dengan FPMK, Kei dapat menjadi Potensi Wisata Dunia (Kei has potential for global recognition with FPMK), organizers have said the festival will be different from its predecessors.
Roy Rahajaan, Southeast Maluku Tourism Agency head, told Antara that the organizers had prepared the white sand Ngurbloat Beach as the venue for the peak of the festival, in addition to several alternative locations for fishing.
“We will provide a range of food during the peak of the festival,” said Roy.
He added that tungku (wood fire stoves) would also be available at the venue, so people could witness how Kei Islands’ traditional cuisine was cooked.
Set to open with a carnival on Oct. 25, the festival will feature numerous competitions on Oct. 27 and 28, including sawat dance, panah (archery) dance and the second edition of goyang (dance) Meti Kei competitions.
On Oct. 28, people can explore tourist destinations on Kei Besar (Large Kei) island, Kei Kecil (Small Kei) island and Tual City, while on Oct. 29 people can learn to fish using traditional techniques. Entertainment will also be available on Pasir Panjang Beach, including dances and performances from local and national celebrities.
Roy said travelers from Indonesia and abroad were enthusiastic about attending the festival. “Many hotels in Southeast Maluku have been fully booked for this month and foreign tourists are scheduled to come here starting from Oct. 20,” said Roy, adding that most foreign travelers came from the Netherlands. (wir/mut)
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