Morning Scenes from the Fire Islands
My favorite fridge magnet doesn’t depict a place, but a polar bear sprawled on the cool blue surface of what must be a zoo enclosure, fast asleep with its snout resting lazily on one paw. Scrawled above the slumbering carnivore is a short message: “I’m NOT a morning person.” That was true once. For I grew up in Hong Kong, a night-loving city that never sleeps, and my family — with the exception of my ever-punctual mom — was often late to bed and late to rise. On weekends or holidays, I relished being able to lie in until 10 or 11 and never felt guilty about letting the morning pass me by. How things change.
Living in Indonesia (and with Bama) has completely upended my body clock. I’m already in bed by 10 p.m. most nights, and the prospect of staying out with friends at a cool cocktail bar or a house party just doesn’t seem as appealing as it was a decade ago. After all, the best time to experience Indonesia is early in the morning. Few things are better than witnessing a tropical sunrise over an astonishing volcanic landscape, a wild island where the world’s largest lizards roam, or an ancient monument like Borobudur. This post is a celebration of what morning looks like here in Indonesia, through the photos I’ve accumulated over the past decade on multiple journeys around the islands of Java, Bali, and Flores.
Indonesian cities hum with activity during the early morning hours. Up and down the vast archipelago, innumerable pushcart vendors ladle savory porridge into the bowls of waiting customers, mixing it with a flavorful broth featuring shallot and garlic, candlenut and coriander seed. (Turmeric, too, is sometimes added). On the occasions that Bama and I do go out for this beloved breakfast staple of bubur ayam (chicken porridge), skewered quail eggs and a glass of hot tea are our preferred add-ons. This May, during a long weekend in Semarang, Bama’s hometown, we arrived at a legendary street stall before half-past six to try the local specialty nasi ayam: coconut milk–infused rice with spiced chayote and shredded pieces of braised chicken. I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable meals of 2024.
And there’s another reason for Indonesia-bound travelers to wake before sunrise. This is an equatorial country that doesn’t experience gentle winter light or long summer days when the sun sets after 8 p.m. Here in the tropics, the ideal window for outdoor photography is the first hour or so after dawn, when the sun’s rays bathe all that they touch in a soft golden glow. On a trip to Bali this summer, we made it a point to reach the more popular scenic spots as early as 7 a.m., when most other holidaymakers were still in bed or only just getting dressed for breakfast.
Bama and I also treasure our easy weekend mornings at home. That’s when my mind is at its clearest. Removed from the gnawing stress of work and energized by the previous night’s sleep, I find that putting pen to paper comes naturally. Words flow like the gurgling rivers that descend from Bali’s crater lakes and jungled mountains through villages and iridescent paddy fields, before continuing their individual journeys to the sea. ◊
A temple shrine on Lake Beratan, Bali, 2024
The rustic “jungalow” at Sarinbuana Eco Lodge, Bali, 2015
A relief in the temple of Pura Meduwe Karang, Bali, 2014
Volcanoes as seen from the summit of Mount Parahu, Central Java, 2015
Plating up nasi ayam in Semarang, Central Java, 2024
Vendors at a street market in Glodok, Jakarta, 2020
A bubur ayam (chicken porridge) pushcart in the backstreets of Jakarta, 2016
Morning at the UNESCO-listed Buddhist temple of Borobudur, Central Java, 2015
One of the three craters of Mount Kelimutu in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, 2014
Ducks wandering through newly harvested paddy fields in Garut, West Java, 2021
Bubur ayam for breakfast, Jakarta, 2016
Outside a historic cigarette factory in Semarang, Central Java, 2015
Sunrise at Komodo Island, East Nusa Tenggara, 2014
Plus Ultra 
Fascinating! And yes, I can see how amazing the early mornings must be
It really is the best time of day – the morning hours seem so full of possibilities, especially if the weather is nice out!
I like that description and I know what you mean. Here’s to starting every morning with the feeling of possibilities!
Such a fantastic collection of photos James! I agree, morning is best, and luckily I am such an early bird anyway so I can take full advantage of quiet mornings.
Thank you, Anna! It took a while for me to become an early bird (Bama definitely nudged me in that direction!), but I guess it has stuck. These days I usually can’t stay in bed past 7:30 or so.
Your header pulled me in. What a stunning scene! And the shot at Borobudur is wonderful too. I like mornings, but getting my husband out of bed is a different story.
Thanks, Jo! Indonesia is fabulous for hiking in the mountains, especially if you’re into volcanoes. Your husband sounds a lot like my dad — I think I might get frustrated traveling with him, since he goes to bed incredibly late and isn’t usually up until 10 or 11.
I remember when I was little, I heard some people say “jangan bangun siang! nanti rezekinya dipatok ayam“, which more or less means “get up early! or else the chickens will eat up all the sustenance” as a reference to their habit of getting up before sunrise. Of course it doesn’t make sense. But as you’ve experienced it firsthand, waking up early in this country does have its benefits. After all, by 8am in some places the sun can be a little too hot to bear. Your photos bring back some good memories, James!
That’s an interesting saying, Bama. I don’t know if something equivalent exists in Cantonese, but if it does, it’s probably rarely used in Hong Kong! I agree about the sun being noticeably hotter in places after 8 a.m. — when we eventually make it to Pontianak, I guess we’ll have to wake up even earlier!
Beautiful pictures James and I like the little insights into your life. I’m mostly a night owl trying to become an early bird. But it’s not easy because I suffer from insomnia from time to time. That’s how I came up with my user id here NocturnalTwins (twins is from my astrology sign Gemini). My dad used to work in his family bakery in his younger days and would have to get up early to get there. He somehow retained this waking up early habit well into his elder years.
Cheers, Matt — and thank you for sharing the origins of your WordPress username. For the longest time I thought you were actually a twin, so that explanation clears things up. And I had no idea your dad’s side ran a family bakery! Did he pass down any of his recipes for making pastries or buns? Hopefully you’ve found some effective ways to deal with the insomnia when it strikes.
He worked at the front of the bakery. The family business was primarily groceries and he worked in that business until we moved to Canada.
I think if I had a twin, we would drive each other nuts. hahaha….
What a beautiful ode to early mornings, both your flowing words and beautiful photographs; my favourite is the one taken from the summit of Mount Parahu. I do love that I can wake whenever I want these days, but so much appreciate it when it’s early. There’s something about the early morning that is invigorating, and like you and Bama, we always made a point of it when travelling so we could see the sites in that gorgeous early morning light and before the crowds. A memory that springs to mind is being at the gates to Knossos before it opened and being allowed to sneak in early before anyone else, and as the sun rose. Magic!
Alison
Thank you so much, Alison. The hike up Mount Parahu was unforgettable – I could not believe just how cold it was up there before sunrise. Ah, Knossos… you and Don were so lucky to be the first ones in that day! It’s a place I’ve dreamed of visiting since I was a little boy. I suspect the main reason we have not yet been to Crete (and Greece in general) is the difficulty of getting a Schengen visa for Bama. The E.U. makes it very complicated for Indonesians to visit – there’s so much paperwork involved (bank statements, employer’s letters etc.) and even if you tick all the boxes, approval is never guaranteed.
So sorry to hear of the difficulties re a visa for Bama. I had no idea; I do indeed live in a privileged world. I hope you get there one day! I hope he can get all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed and that he’s granted a visa. 🤗
Beautiful set of pictures. Love them all.
Much appreciated. Thanks for reading and commenting!
With the passage of years, I too have become (a little more of) a morning person, especially when traveling. When my natural early-riser husband is out of town, though, I do revert to my nocturnal ways! Your volcanoes photo is one I could sit and meditate on – just beautiful and so serene. This is a great theme for a post – thanks for sharing, James!
You’re welcome, Lex! What an unexpected revelation – somehow I’d always assumed you were a morning person because of all the hiking and mountain running you do! I took the idea for this post from an inflight magazine I read recently that was all about nighttime activities. The editor penned a short but sweet note about some of his favorite memories after dark, and I knew right away that something similar (but morning-focused) would be great for the blog.
Like you, I’ve become a morning person ~ started out always a night person but by my late 20s there was just something beautiful about the quiet bliss of dawn. Great series of photos, but the opening shot is all that needs to be said 🙂 A wonderful reason to always wake with the dawn!
Thank you, Randall! The opening shot was a lucky one – we happened to be in the right place at the right time on a viewpoint overlooking the main craters of Kelimutu on Flores. I remember turning round and seeing the mountains to the east being bathed in the softest morning light. It was simply magical.