Indonesia Travel Guide

Komodo Dragons, Ancient Creatures of Modern Times

2011-10-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

Komodo Dragon or Varanus komodoensis is one of the ancient animals the still alive today in Indonesia precisely in Komodo Island Nusa Tenggara. Surrounding the “Komodo Island”, Komodo dragons can also be found in Rinca, Flores, Gili Montang and Padar. The Komodo dragon is a large species of lizard growing to a maximum of length 3 metres (9.8 ft) in rare cases and weighing up to around 70 kilograms (150 lb). Normally, they live in grasslands which are large in area and are open. Komodo dragon also lives in places which has low elevations for example tropical forests. According to the last record, Komodo dragons the still alive in there about 4000 to 5000. They are protected under Indonesian law, and a national park, Komodo National Park, was founded to aid protection efforts.

In the wild, an adult Komodo dragon usually weighs around 70 kilograms (150 lb), although captive specimens often weigh more. The largest verified wild specimen was 3.13 metres (10 ft 3 in) long and weighed 166 kilograms (370 lb), including undigested food. The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body, as well as about 60 frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5 centimetres (1 in) in length. Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because its teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding. This creates an ideal culture for the bacteria that live in its mouth. It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue.

Komodo dragons were first documented by Europeans in 1910, when rumors of a "land crocodile" reached Lieutenant van Steyn van Hensbroek of the Dutch colonial administration. Widespread notoriety came after 1912, when Peter Ouwens, the director of the Zoological Museum at Bogor, Java, published a paper on the topic after receiving a photo and a skin from the lieutenant, as well as two other specimens from a collector. Later, the Komodo dragon was the driving factor for an expedition to Komodo Island by W. Douglas Burden in 1926. After returning with 12 preserved specimens and 2 live ones, this expedition provided the inspiration for the 1933 movie King Kong. It was also Burden who coined the common name "Komodo dragon." Three of his specimens were stuffed and are still on display in the American Museum of Natural History.

Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area up to 2,321km2). As well as being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges. Dugong, sharks, manta rays, at least 14 species of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles also make Komodo National Park their home.

The present situation in the Park is characterized by reduced but continuing destructive fishing practices primarily by immigrant fishers, and high pressure on demersal stocks like lobsters, shellfish, groupers and napoleon wrasse. Pollution inputs, ranging from raw sewage to chemicals, are increasing and may pose a major threat in the future.

Today, the PKA Balai Taman Nasional Komodo and PT. Putri Naga Komodo are working together to protect the Park's vast resources. Our goals are to protect the Park's biodiversity (both marine and terrestrial) and the breeding stocks of commercial fishes for replenishment of surrounding fishing grounds. The main challenge is to reduce both threats to the resources and conflicts between incompatible activities. Both parties have a long term commitment to protecting the marine biodiversity of Komodo National Park.

How To Get To The Komodo Island

If you wish to visit the of Komodo island and Rinca Island which is a residential of Komodo Dragon, there are several routes you can take.

Through Labuan Bajo by Using Aircraft.
Trip overland

The Long Journey of Yogyakarta Batik

2010-01-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

Following wayang kulit and Keris, in 2009 Unison designated Batik as cultural heritage of the Indonesian nation, ending the polemic on the “copyright” of batik, which had been claimed by Indonesia’s neighbor Malaysia. This recognition by an international agency enhances Indonesia’s pride in the rich cultural heritage bequeathed by our ancestors. And whether recognized or not, batik has certainly has historical significance in the long journey of the Indonesian people.

The journey of batik to the present day can be seen by the many examples of ancient batik kept in museums, and in Indonesia’s main batik centers, mostly in Java and especially in Surakarta and Yogyakarta. These two cities are widely acknowledged as the center of a batik styles that has its roots in the Islamic kingdom of Mataram.

There is written evidence on batik production going back to the early 18th century, but if we examine the fact, it is clear that the history of batik, specially the Batik Mataram now found in Yogyakarta, actually dates back to the more ancient Hindu Kingdom of Mataram. According to a batik expert, Ir. Dra Lestasi Soeliantoro Sulaiman, this can be traced from the batik cloth in the Semen Romo Ngarak motif often worn by the adipati (regents, now bupati) in the area of Balegen, Purworejo, Central Java.

This motif, according to Larasati Soeliantoro, has existed since the Syailendra dynasty, when Borobudur temple was built in the eight century. When the Ancient Mataram kingdom fled to East Java because of the natural disasters devasting Central Java, Begelen’s local government did not join the migration to East Java. It can therefore be concluded that the clothing style of the Begelen clan, and especially its batik motifs, has not undergone as much change as has occurred with the batik that was taken in the flight to East Java. The Semen Romo Ngarak motif still used at all inaugurations of Regents and often worn by the Sultan of Yogyakarta is believed to still be the same as in the past.

The art of batik production that was taken on East Java, with the height of its glory during Majapahit Empire, interacted continuously with the outside cultural influences as other kingdoms succeeded it. The art of batik developed and spread in the line with the entry religions and cultures from outside Java; Islamic, Hindu, Chinese, Dutch, and Japanese. From the establishment of the Majapahit kingdom to the kingdom of Demak, the Mataram Islam dynasty at Kotagede and then Plered, and then the division of Mataram into two kingdoms – Kasunanan Surakarta and Kasultanan Yogyakarta – through the Giyanti Treaty, each of these kingdoms added its own special touch to development of batik.

Nevertheless, certain motifs – such as Parang Rusak created by Panembahan Senopati when he was about to establish the Mataram Islam kingdom in Kotagede in the 16th century, and the Parang Rusak Barong, created by Sultan Agung – are still maintained by the Keraton of Yogyakarta. The Parang Barong motif, which only the sultan is allowed to wear, is known to be an ancient motif anf believed to bring special powers to its wearer.
The idea behind creating Parang Rusak motif came to Panembahan Senopati as he was passing through the thousand hills region near the south coast in his spiritual journey of meditation to found the Mataram kingdom. Parang or Pereng means cliffs; the cliffs he saw inspired him to create the parang motif.

The Parang Barong is an indication that the Batik Mataram motif persist in Yogyakarta. This is confirmed by the Giyanti Treaty of 1775, one of whose clauses stipulates that all the royal apparel, including batik, is to be transferred to the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.
Other ancient motif can be seen at the Yogyakarta Kraton’s Labuhan ceremony held every year at Parangkusumo Beach, Mount Merapi and Mount Lawu. Among the offerings presented to creators are batik pieces in at least eight motifs, including Parang Barong, Bangun Tulak, Gadhung Mlati and Poleng.

This is why even today, batik observers refer to the batik motifs characteristic of Yogyakarta as Mataraman. Mataraman motifs are still preserved, and referred to a classic motifs. In contrast, the other kingdom established through the Giyanti Treaty, the Sunanate of Surakarta, did not bear such a great cultural burden and has therefore been freer to develop newer batik motifs. Today, Surakarta batik has more, and more varied, motifs than does Yogyakarta batik.

But apart from all that, for the community of Yogyakarta, and especially the extended family of the keraton, batik cloth influences nearly all events in human life. The people of Yogyakarta firmly uphold Javanese traditions; every stage in the life cycle is signaled by traditional ceremonies, starting with the Mitoni to commemorate a baby’s seventh month in the womb, the Selapanan for a new baby, the Tedhak Siten ceremony when a toddler start to walk, Khitanan and Tetesan (circumcision ceremonies), wedding ceremonies, and funeral rites – batik is always present in one form or another.

Nowadays, as the tourism industry is being encouraged in Yogyakarta, batik is used not only for clothing but also for all kind of daily goods: home décor, handbags, bed sheets, handicrafts, and even bicycle accessories. Recently, Fitriani Kuroda, an Indonesian woman who lives in Tokyo, developed Yogyakarta batik to be used as Obi – the sash wom with Kimono. In collaboration with another local artist, she also used batik to create Oshie, a kind of handicraft made folded cloth. And while batik used to be kept behind the walls of the keraton, it has now moved beyond the palace walls and become deeply rooted in daily lives of the people of Yogyakarta.

Inaugurating the Batik Museum at the Keraton of Yogyakarta in 2005, Sultan Hamengku Buwono X said that we in Yogyakarta, especially within the keraton, are intimately familiar with batik. “Starting from birth, throughout our lives and until we die, we are wrapped in batik. Batik is close to our lives, especially within the family.”

The reality can still be seen in Yogyakarta, especially in the keraton. Batik is more than clothing, something to cover the body; every piece of batik cloth also contains philosophical meaning when it is worm in a ritual. Batik motifs, especially older ones such as Wahyu Tumurun, Semen, Kawung and Sido Mukti have symbolic meanings intended by their makers. These motifs are believed to influence the spiritual life of their owners.

For example, a person who owns and wears batik in the Sido Asih motif is expected to be loved and appreciated by others. Someone who wears Kawung Picis should always remember God Almighty and always be able to restrain his passions and achieve balance in life.

There are other hopes and uses of certain motifs. For example, babies are carried in Sido Luhur motif batik in the hope that the little one will grow up to be a useful person with noble character. Clothes for funeral visits use batik in the Slobog motif; Slobog means “loose”, so that the one who has passed away can easily ad smoothly go to meet his/her Maker. And a person who is sick should use a blanket from batik in the Tambal motif. This motif is believed to foster a new spirit and promote healing.

So over the ages, many batik motifs have been created, which are endowed by their creators with certain intended hopes and inluences. The batik making process is more than simply making patters with liquid malam (wax) on white cloth; it is an expression of maker’s spirit. The word batik is said to come from Javanese word Amba, meaning “to write” and Titik, a point, indicating an art from steeped in philosophy.

As Yogyakarta batik designer Nita Azhar notes, the batik making process is more than scrawling with a Canting onto a white cloth. It’s an artistic process that requires a very high level of concentration, even involving the person’s emotions. Indeed, batik making is form of meditation; batik artist often fast, and recite special prayers as they make pattern with the Canting. “When my grandmother was making batik, she was not to be disturbed, and when she was menstruating or upset for whatever reason, she did not make batik”.

Yet apart from all that, Nita Azhar adds, batik making requires the ability to focus one’s thoughts. Certain motifs require special skills. For example, certain line curves must be applied to the cloth during a single inhalation, and this is a meditation practice much like yoga.

This is why batik, especially in Yogyakarta, is more than simply decorating cloth with certain patterns. Batik has a long history with deep roots in Javanese culture, philosophy and mythology.

Source: Garuda magazine, November 2009 edition.

Discovering the Thousand Island – Pulau Seribu

2009-08-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

As the name suggests, these small islands offer a wide range attraction, from tourism to marine life.

Pulau Seribu, the “Thousand Islands”, extend northward from Jakarta in Jakarta Bay. Actually numbering only around 140, they nevertheless offer many point of interest, particularly maritime tourism with white sand beaches, calm water, and underwater coral formations, Most of the island lie within the Maritime National Park; only 37 islands are allowed to be used for commercial purposes.

Pulau Rambut, “Hair Island”, also known as Bird Kingkom Island, is one of the closest to the mainland of Java; you can get there in just an hour from Muara Angke harbor. The status of this uninhabited 45-hectare island has recently been upgrade from nature preserve, because of the rising level of damage within and around the Pulau Rambut area.
In addition to coastal forest, mangrove and mixed secondary forest, the Pulau Rambut Wildlife Preserve is also home of the 61 bird species found there. These include pecuk ular (oriental darter), kuntul (egret), cangak (heron), bangau (stork), and ibis.

A 20-meter bird observation tower stand near the middle of the island. As well as birds, reptiles also live on the island, including monitor lizards, phytons, and geckos. The only mammals found here are bats. There’s also a great diversity of plant life, with tree species including pidada, mangrove, key lime, and banyan.
Also found on this island is a bird species that migrates from Australia, the milky stork (bangau bluwok, Mycteria cinerea), which arrives here in January and leaves in August. Pulau Rambut is the only breeding ground for milky stork in Java.

Not far from Pulau Rambut lies Pulau Onrust, near Pulau Cipir and Pulau Kelor. Onrust contains the remains of buildings, including a shipyard, build by Ducth during the 18th century. Construction at Onrust was started in 1618 by Governor General Jan Pieterszoon Coen. In addition to a pier, he built a shipyard with a windmill to operate the saws.

During the Dutch colonial period, this island was very busy as a port of call for ships of the Dutch East Indies Company (Verenidge Oost Indische Compagnie, VOC), hence the name Onrust, which means “Never Rest”.

Beyond Onrust, another interesting island to visit is Pulau Kotok. The Pulau Kotok Tourist Resort is a good example of a tropical atoll, with the original vegetation, clear seas, and colorful coral formations, makin it a popular destination for divers. This island also a rescue and translocation center for protected wildlife species including the white-bellied sea eagle(elang laut perut putih, Haiaeetus leucogaster) and the brahminy kite(elang bondol, Haliaster indust), the mascot of the province of DKI Jakarta.

Further out, around three hours from Muara Angke Harbor, lies Pulau Pramuka. This island houses The Kepulauan Seribi National Park and the Rare Marine Biota Hatchery and Laboratory, where you can watch and learn about the cultivation of rare marine species.

Pulau Pramuka is a sea-turtle dissemination area for the island of Java, particularly Hawksbill turtles (penyu sisik). Twenty years ago, most of sandy beaches on 108 of the islands provided place where turtles laid their eggs. With the steady increase in human activity and habitation, now the turtles only visit a few islands to lay their eggs, among them Pulau Peteloran Timur, Pulau Peteloran Barat, Pulau Penjaliran Barat and Pulau Penjaliran Timur. The Hawksbill turtle prevention activities at Pulau Pramuka involve collecting the turtle eggs from the beach where they are naturally laid at Pulau Peteloran, The eggs are then taken to Pulau Pramuka, where they are kept in semi-naturan incubation by burying them 40-50 cm deep. The eggs hatch after 40 to 60 days. This turtle conservation activity has made the Thousand Islands a destination for marine conservation and education tourism.

In addition to Hawksbill turtle conservation, other activities on the island include planting of coastal plants – butun, mangrove, and sea grass – and coral reef preservation. The butun trees are being planted in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of coastal forest on small islands. Mangrove planting is done using the Spaced Cluster method, the nationally-approved method for planting mangroves on small islands using coral sand as the medium.

The fabulous underwater panoramas and exoticism of Kepulauan Seribu offer you an action-packed weekend of swimming, snorkeling and diving – a delightful and unforgettable experience.

Bali, Indonesia Most Popular and Affordable Vacation Destination

2009-07-21T08:39:00.000-07:00

The word paradise is used a lot in Bali, and not without reason. The combination of friendly, hospitable people, a magnificently visual culture infused with spirituality and (not least) spectacular beaches with great surfing and diving have made Bali Indonesia's unparalleled number one tourist attraction. Eighty percent of international visitors to Indonesia visit Bali and Bali alone.

Bali's best-known attractions are its countless Hindu temples. Even the smallest villages usually have at least three, but the nine directional temples (kayangan jagat) are the largest and most important. Uluwatu, at the southern tip of Bali, is easily accessed and hence the most popular, with Tanah Lot a close second. However, for the Balinese themselves, the "mother temple" of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung is the most important of all.

SunSet in Kuta Bali

Benoa Beach Bali

Tanah Lot Bali

The Patra Bali Resort and Villas and Ulu Watu Bali

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII), The Culture Park Archipelago

2009-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) or "Culture Park Archipelago” is a culture-based recreational area located in Pondok Gede East Jakarta, Indonesia. It has an area of about 250 acres. TMII presented the beauty of Indonesian nature and all aspects of its arts and culture in miniature of Indonesia's customehouse.

This idea of building this smaller scale of Indonesia as whole was originally came from former Indonesian first lady, Siti Hartinah or best-known as Tien Suharto. The idea came out at a convention on 8 Cendana Street at March 13, 1970. Through this recreational site, she hoped more people will have more national pride than before. The project called "Indonesian Miniature Project" was started by Harapan Kita Foundation in 1972. The concept of building this recreational area was taken from the fact that Indonesia has unparalled richness from many different sources.

TMII presented the beauty of Indonesian nature and all aspects of its arts and culture in miniature of Indonesia's customehouse. You can see the rich of Indonesia's nature by seeing Bird-Garden, Orchid-Garden, Floral-Garden, Floral Golden Snail, Insects-Garden and others. TMII has the at least three miniature of Indonesia's customehouse from every province that presents not only the architecture of exterior building, but also the ornaments of each lore.

Entering one to another miniature impresses that Indonesia is very affluent of architectures. There are Rumah Bagonjong from Ranah Minang in West Sumatera, Lamin for Dayak-tribe in rural East Kalimantan, Tongkonan at Tana Toraja, North Sulawesi, Bolon House in Batak tradition, South Sumatera and Joglo-House in Java.

Apart from that, there is a lake with a miniature of the archipelago in the middle of it, cable cars, museums, a theater called the Theatre of My Homeland (Theater Tanah Airku) and other recreational facilities which make TMII one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city.

Prambanan, The Largest Hindu Temple in Central Java

2009-01-14T06:09:00.000-08:00

Prambanan is located in the village of Bokoharjo, Sub District of Prambanan, Regency of Sleman approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta. Prambanan is the masterpiece of Hindu culture of the tenth century. The temple complex can be said to be the highest level of ancient architecture in the world. The temple is extraordinarily beautiful building constructed in the tenth century during the reigns of two kings namely Rakai Pikatan and Rakai Balitung. Soaring up to 47 meters (5 meters higher than Borobudur temple), the foundation of this temple has fulfilled the desire of the founder to show Hindu triumph in Java Island. This temple is located 17 kilometers from the city center, among an area that now functions as beautiful park.

It was built around 850 CE by either Rakai Pikatan, king of the second Mataram dynasty, or Balitung Maha Sambu, during the Sanjaya Dynasty. Not long after its construction, the temple was abandoned and began to deteriorate. Reconstruction of the compound began in 1918. The main building was completed in around 1953. Much of the original stonework has been stolen and reused at remote construction sites. A temple will only be rebuilt if at least 75% of the original stones are available, and therefore only the foundation walls of most of the smaller shrines are now visible and with no plans for their reconstruction.

Prambanan temple has three main temples in the primary yard, namely Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva temples. Those three temples are symbols of Trimurti in Hindu belief.

There is a legend that Javanese people always tell about this temple. As the story tells, there was a man named Bandung Bondowoso who loved Roro Jonggrang. To refuse his love, Jonggrang asked Bondowoso to make her a temple with 1,000 statues only in one-night time. The request was nearly fulfilled when Jonggrang asked the villagers to pound rice and to set a fire in order to look like morning had broken. Feeling to be cheated, Bondowoso who only completed 999 statues cursed Jonggrang to be the thousandth statue.

Prambanan also has panels of relief describing the story of Ramayana. Experts say that the relief is similar to the story of Ramayana that is told orally from generation to generation. Another interesting relief is Kalpataru tree that - in Hindu - the tree is considered tree of life, eternity and environment harmony. In Prambanan, relief of Kalpataru tree is described as flanking a lion. The presence of this tree makes experts consider that Javanese society in the ninth century had wisdom to manage its environment.

Just like Garuda, Kalpataru tree is also used for various purposes. In Indonesia, Kalpataru is used as the logo of Indonesian Environment Institution. Some intellectuals in Bali even develop "Tri Hita Karana" concept for environment conservation by seeing Kalpataru relief in this temple. This tree of life is also seen in the gunungan (the puppet used as an opening of traditional puppet show or wayang kulit). This proves that relief panels in Prambanan have been widely known throughout the world.

If you see the relief in detail, you will see many birds on them; they are real birds as we can see on the earth right now. Relief panels of such birds are so natural that biologists can identify their genus. One of them is the relief of the Yellow-Crest Parrot (Cacatua sulphurea) that cites unanswered question. The reason is that the bird only exists in Masakambing Island, an island in the middle of Java Sea. Then, did the bird exist in Yogyakarta? No body has succeeded in revealing the mystery.

The ganesha statue, at Prambanan, Central Java, Indonesia

The Reliefs, at Prambanan temple, Central Java, Indonesia

Yogyakarta

2008-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yogyakarta (Jogja, Jogjakarta, or Yogya),the Special Region of Yogyakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, or DIY) is a city with outstanding historical and cultural heritage. Yogyakarata is the smallest province of Indonesia (excluding Jakarta). It is located on the island of Java. It is the only province in Indonesia that is still formally governed by a precolonial Sultanate: the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat.

Located within the Yogyakarta province, Yogyakarta city is known as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows. It is also famous as a center for Indonesian higher education. At Yogyakarta's center is the kraton, or Sultan's palace. While the city sprawls in all directions from the kraton, the core of the modern city is to the north.

Yogyakarta has numerous thousand-year-old temples as inheritances of the great ancient kingdoms, such as Prambanan temple, Borobudur temple established in the ninth century by the dynasty of Syailendra. More than the cultural heritages, Yogyakarta has beautiful natural panorama. The green rice fields cover the suburban areas with a background of the Merapi Mountain. The natural beaches can be easily found to the south of Yogyakarta.

An artistic atmosphere is deeply felt in Yogyakarta. Malioboro, as the center of Yogyakarta, is overwhelmed by handicraft from all around the city. Street musicians always ready entertain the visitors of the lesehan food stalls.

The History of Yogyakarta

The Yogyakarta Sultanate, formally the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, was formed in 1755 when the existing Sultanate of Mataram was divided by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in two under the Treaty of Giyanti. This treaty states that the Sultanate of Mataram was to be divided into the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat with Yogyakarta as the capital and Mangkubumi who became Sultan Hamengkubuwono I as its Sultan and the Sultanate of Surakarta Hadiningrat with Surakarta as the capital and Pakubuwono III who was the ruler of the Sultanate of Mataram as its Sultan. The Sultan Hamengkubuwono I spent the next 37 years building the new capital, with the Kraton as the centerpiece and the court at Surakarta as the blueprint model. By the time he died in 1792, his territory exceeded Surakarta's.

The ruler Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX (April 12, 1912 - 1988) held a degree from the Dutch Leiden University, and held for a time the largely ceremonial position of Vice-President of Indonesia, in recognition of his status, as well as Minister of Finance and Minister of Defense.

In support of Indonesia declaring independence from the Dutch and Japanese occupation, in September 5, 1945, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX of Yogya and Sri Paku Alam VIII in Yogya declared their sultanates to be part of the Republic of Indonesia. In return for this support, a law was passed in 1950 in which Yogyakarta was granted the status of province Daerah Istimewa (Special Region Province), with special status that recognizes the power of the Sultan in his own region's domestic affairs. By this act, Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was appointed as governor for life. During the Indonesian National Revolution against the Dutch after World War II (1945-1950), the capital of the newly-declared Indonesian republic was temporarily moved to Yogyakarta when the Dutch reoccupied Jakarta from January 1946 until August 1950.

The current ruler of Yogyakarta is his son, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, who holds a law degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada. Upon the elder sultan's death, the position of governor, according to the agreement with Indonesia, was to pass to his heir. However, the central government at that time insisted on an election. In 1998, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X was elected as governor by the provincial house of representatives (DPRD) of Yogyakarta, defying the will of the central government.

Transportation

Yogyakarta is served by Adisucipto International Airport. There're two train stations named Lempuyangan and Tugu. And also, there is a biggest bus station in Indonesia, called Giwangan.

Train, You may reach Yogyakarta by train from Jakarta, Bandung, or Surabaya.

Bus, Yogyakarta is reachable by bus from Sumatra Island, Bali Island, and most cities of Java Island.

Plane, recently, international direct flights from Kuala Lumpur are established to Yogyakarta. In addition, domestic flights to Yogyakarta from Jakarta, Denpasar, Balikpapan, and many others, are available now.

Surabaya, The Heroic City

2008-12-25T09:24:00.000-08:00

Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city, and the capital of the province of East Java. It is located on the northern shore of eastern Java at the mouth of the Mas River and along the edge of the Madura Strait.

To Indonesians, it is known as "the city of heroes", due to the importance of the Battle of Surabaya in galvanising Indonesian and international support for Indonesian independence during the Indonesian National Revolution.

As the main seaport and commercial center in the eastern region of Indonesia, Surabaya has become one of the largest cities in Southeast Asia. Today, Surabaya's population is around five million, and the surrounding metropolitan area houses at least 7 million. The areas surrounding Surabaya include Lamongan to the northwest, Gresik to the west, Bangkalan to the northeast, Sidoarjo to the south, and Mojokerto and Jombang to the southwest.

Currently, the Indonesian government is building the Suramadu Bridge between Surabaya and the island of Madura; when completed, it will be the longest bridge in the country. Madura is currently accessible by a ferry service that operates regularly from Surabaya's port, Tanjung Perak (which literally means: "Silver Cape" in Indonesian).

Surabaya is home to the Eastern Armada, one of two in the Indonesian Navy. Its strong maritime heritage is also reflected with the Submarine Monument, a real retired Russian submarine, called Pasopati, that was converted into a museum ship in the city centre.

The Interesting Places in Surabaya

Masjid Agung Surabaya(Grand Mosque of Surabaya), the largest mosque in East Java

Jales Veva Jaya Mahe Monument, a large, admiral-like statue which commemorates the Indonesian Navy.

Tugu Pahlawan (Heroic Monument) is the main symbol and one of the attractive tourist destinations in Surabaya and Southeast Asia.

And more interesting places to visit and enjoy while in Surabaya.

Bandung, The Parijs van Java

2008-12-14T06:55:00.000-08:00

Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's fourth largest city. Located 768 m (2,520 ft) above sea level, Bandung has relatively year-around cooler temperature than most other Indonesian cities. The city lies on a river basin and surrounded by volcanic mountains. This topography provides the city with a good natural defense system, which was the primary reason of Dutch East Indies government's plan to move the colony capital from Batavia to Bandung.

The Dutch colonials first opened tea plantations around the mountains in the eighteenth century, followed by a road construction connecting the plantation area to the capital (180 km or 112 miles to the northwest). The European inhabitants of the city demanded the establishment of a municipality (gemeente), which was granted in 1906 and Bandung gradually developed itself into a resort city for the plantation owners. Luxurious hotels, restaurants, cafes and European boutiques were opened of which the city was dubbed as Parijs van Java.

After Indonesian independence, the city experienced a rapid development and urbanization that has transformed Bandung from idyllic town into a dense 15,000 people/km² metropolitan area, a living space for over 2 million people. Natural resources have been exploited excessively, particularly in the conversions of protected upland area into highland villa and real estates. Although the city has encountered many problems, ranging from waste disposal, floods to chaotic traffic system, Bandung however still has its charm to attract people flocking into the city, either as weekend travellers or living in.

Culture

Bandung is the capital of West Java, a province of which most of its residents are mainly Sundanese people. Sundanese language is spoken as the first language and is commonly used as informal language for communication in streets and markets, while Indonesian - Indonesia's national language and a lingua franca among its many ethnic units - is used as a second language and the language of government, businesses, and instruction at schools.
A popular traditional musical instrument is angklung, made of parallel bamboo tubes tuned to specific frequencies with a hammer and is shaken to produce certain notes. Music is performed by a choir of angklung players, each of whom are responsible for sounding certain notes. Its melody is only slightly different from that of Central Java's gamelan ensembles.

Tourism

Bandung has served for popular weekend-break destination for people living in Jakarta for many reasons. The cooler climate of highland plantation area, the varieties of food, the cheaper fashion shops located in factory outlets and distros, golf courses, and the friendliness of local people have become the main attraction of the city.

In the 1990s, local designers opened denim clothing stores along Cihampelas Street which gave Bandung another nickname, the "Tourist Shopping City" (Kota Wisata Belanja). It was a success as the-then residential street had been fully transformed into a "jeans street". The city attracts people from other big cities to buy local fashion wears, as they are cheaper than branded items.

The city gained more shoppers to come when textile factories in the outskirt of Bandung opened a fashion store that sells their products directly from the factory. The products are tagged as sisa export (rejected or over-produced export quality items) and these shops are called factory outlets. The trend was followed by another factory outlets.

Tugu Monas, National Monument of Indonesia

2008-12-10T08:38:00.001-08:00

Monumen Nasional or the popular abbreviated with the Monas or Tugu Monas is one of the monuments which established to honor people's resistance and struggle against the Dutch colony of Indonesia.

The monument is located in central Jakarta close to the Presidential Palace, it is at the Lapangan monas (Monas square). The monument, with its unique style and is 137 m in high, was made of marbles with phallus form symbolizing the fertilizing. The architect for this monument was Soedarsono and F. Silaban and the consultant was Ir. Rooseno.

At the top of the National Monument there are cup-shaped to support the flame torch bronze weighing 14.5 tons, and coated by 35kg of gold. The flame or torch is a symbol of the struggle of the people of Indonesia who want to achieve independence.

As one of tourist destination in Jakarta, Monas has become more fascinating with the 80-hectare park and its various plants. This park has become the lungs of Jakarta. The entrance fee is quite cheap, that is Rp2,500 per person. Monas is opened every day from 09.00-16.00 WIB.

There are some horse-riding-guys would chauffeur you with the chariot that the local people called as Bendi or Dokar. You have to bargain the price.

Want to view Jakarta from the top? Visitors can take an elevator up to a platform, the fee is Rp. 15,000 per person. From the highest point of the monument, you can see Jakarta and surroundings such as Medan Merdeka Park, Istiqlal Mosque, and the city. Inside the base of the monument is an exhibition on the country's Declaration of Independence and several dioramas showing the history of Indonesia. However, don’t be surprise, if the wind was pretty strong from up there.

Jakarta, Indonesia

2008-12-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

Jakarta, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a greater population than any other city in Southeast Asia. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa (397-1527), Jayakarta (1527-1619), Batavia (1619-1942), and Djakarta (1942-1972). Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of 661.52 square kilometres (255.41 sq mi) and a population of 8,489,910[1]. Jakarta is the country's economic, culture and political center. Jakarta currently is the twelfth largest city in the world. Its metropolitan area, Jabodetabek, contains more than 23 million people, and is part of an even larger Jakarta-Bandung megalopolis

Jakarta is served by the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Tanjung Priok harbour. Since 2004, Jakarta, while under the governance of Sutiyoso, has built a new bus system known as "TransJakarta" or "Busway", and is now planning to expand the number of routes. The city had hoped to establish its newest transportation system, the Jakarta Monorail, in 2007, but the project was abandoned by the developer, PT Jakarta Monorail, in March 2008. Jakarta is the location of the Jakarta Stock Exchange, the Bank of Indonesia, and the National Monument, or Tugu Monas.

As the economic and political capital of Indonesia, Jakarta attracts many foreign as well as domestic immigrants. As a result, Jakarta has a decidedly cosmopolitan flavor and a diverse culture. Many of the immigrants are from the other parts of the island of Java, bringing along a mixture of dialects of the Javanese and Sundanese languages, as well as their traditional foods and customs.

Jakarta is sometimes called "The Big Durian" by foreigners resident in the city. The durian is a tropical fruit with a distinctive odor and acquired taste. A bustling urban metropolis, Jakarta is known for its overcrowding, traffic congestion, and income disparity.

The Betawi (Orang Betawi, or "people of Batavia") is a term used to describe the descendants of the people living around Batavia and recognized as a tribe from around the 18th-19th century. The Betawi people are mostly descended from various Southeast Asian ethnic groups brought or attracted to Batavia to meet labor needs, and include people from various parts of Indonesia.[22] The language and culture of these immigrants are distinct from those of the Sundanese or Javanese. The language is more based on East Malay dialect and enriched by loan words from Javanese, Chinese, and Arab. Nowadays, the Jakarta-dialects used by people in Jakarta is loosely based on Betawi Language.

Jakarta has several performance centers, such as the Senayan center. Traditional music is often found at high-class hotels, including wayang and gamelan performances. As the nation's largest city and capital, Jakarta has lured much national and regional talent who hope to find a greater audience and more opportunities for success.

Ironically, the Betawi arts are rarely found in Jakarta due to their infamous low-profile and most of them had moved to the border of Jakarta, ridden by the wave of immigrant. It is easier to find Java or Minang based wedding ceremonial instead of Betawi wedding in Jakarta. It is easier to find Javanese Gamelan instead of Gambang Kromong (mixture between Betawi and Chinese music) or Tanjidor (mixture between Betawi and Portuguese music) or Marawis (mixture between Betawi and Yaman music). However, some festivals such as Jalan Jaksa Festival or Kemang Festival tried to preserve the Betawi art by inviting the artist to do some performances.

The concentration of wealth and political influence in the city means that it has much more noticeable foreign influence on its landscape and culture, an effect illustrated by the presence in the city of many major international fast-food chains, for example.

Balikpapan, The Seaport City

2008-10-26T01:10:00.000-07:00

Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of Borneo island in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau - ferry harbour, and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main transportation access to and from the city. It is one of Indonesia's hidden jewels.It is beautifully quaint , a traditional fishing village slowly but steadily catching up with this everchanging modern world. Hints of modern life style can be seen as new hotels and shopping malls have started popping out like mushrooms in the rainforest.

The topography of the municipality of Balikpapan is generally hilly (85%), with only small areas of flatland (15%), particularly along the coast and surrounding the hilly areas. The hills are less than 100 meters higher than the adjacent valleys. The altitude of Balikpapan ranges from 0 to 80 meters above sea level.
Most of the soil in Balikpapan contains yellow-reddish podsolic soil and alluvial and quartz sand, making it extremely prone to erosion.

Prior to the oil boom, Balikpapan was an isolated Bugis fishing village. The etymology of Balikpapan's name (lit. balik is behind and papan is a plank) came from a folk story where a local king threw his newborn daughter into the sea to protect her against his enemies. The baby was tied beneath some planks, which were discovered by a fisherman.

In 1897, the first drilling of oil began by a small refinery company. Construction of roads, wharves, warehouses, offices, barracks and bungalows started when a Dutch oil company arrived in the area. On January 24, 1942, Balikpapan became a war theatre between Japanese army and the Allied Forces in which the oil refinery and other facilities were heavily damaged. Several campaigns followed until the 1945 Battle of Balikpapan which concluded the Allied Forces' Borneo campaign after which they took control of the Borneo island.

Extensive wartime damage curtailed almost all oil production in the area until major repairs were performed by the Royal Dutch Shell company. Shell continued operating in the area until Indonesian state-owned Pertamina took it over in 1965. Having a lack of technology, skilled manpower and capital to explore the petroleum region, Pertamina sublet petroleum concession contracts to multinational companies in the 1970s.

Being the only oil refinery site in the region, Balikpapan emerged as a revitalized center of petroleum production. Pertamina opened its regional headquarter in the city, followed by branch offices established by international oil companies. Hundreds of labourers from other part of Indonesia, along with skilled expatriates who served as managers and engineers, flocked into the city.

Balikpapan's airport is the Sepinggan International Airport. This is the second busiest Indonesian airport after Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and permits large aircraft.
Airlines currently using the airport are Lion Air, Merpati Airlines, Batavia Air, Kartika Airlines, Sriwijaya Air (domestic routes), and Garuda Indonesia, Air Asia, and SilkAir (International routes).

The airport is one of the five principle sites in Indonesia where Muslims begin the pilgrimage to Mecca, the "Hajj". Between 1996 and 1997, the airport served over 4,500 East Kalimantan pilgrims, and from 1997 to 1998, it served pilgrims from East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi, and North Sulawesi.
Other than the airport, Balikpapan also has a seaport called "Semayang" which has many destinations to Surabaya, Makassar, Jakarta, Pare-Pare, and Manado. in 1990s, transportation using ships was very popular. But after the booming of so many new airlines with very cheap price, people now prefer travelling using airplanes to the ships.

The ferry is also another alternative for travelling to other places within coastal areas in East Kalimantan, such as Penajam.
Tourists who wish to see the real side of Indonesia should definitely come here. Especially those who enjoy unbelievably fresh seafood caught off the ample shores of balikpapan.

Cirebon, the Shrimp City

2008-10-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Cirebon is a city on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is located in the province of West Java, approximately 297 km east of Jakarta. Cirebon also known as “Kota Udang (shrimp city).

Its name is often said to be derived from the Sundanese words of "Cai" (or river) and "Rebon" (or "shrimp"). (Indeed the main production of the city is fishery including shrimps.) The alternative Javanese derivation is from "Caruban", meaning "mixture"--a reference to Cirebon's complex mix of Javanese, Malay, Sundanese, Chinese and Arabic cultural elements. While Indonesians from outside Cirebon pronounce the name CHEE-ray-bone, locals say Cher-BONE.

Aside from fishery, its harbour, Tanjung Emas, on the Java Sea has been a major hub for timber from Borneo. A small landing site "Penggung" also serves the TNI-AU. The city lies on Jalur Pantura (Pantai Utara Jawa), a major road on the northern coast of Java that stretches from Anyer, passes through Jakarta, and ends at Surabaya.

Cirebon was part of the Sunda kingdom as stated in the travel records of Prince Bujangga Manik, a Sundanese Hindu monk who visited all the holy Hindu sites in the islands of Java and Bali at the beginning of the 16th century AD. In his lontar manuscripts, which have been saved in the Bodleian Library of Oxford University in England since the 16th century, the borders of the Sunda kingdom in the west are the Sunda Straits and in the east are the Pamali River (present day Brebes River) and the Serayu River in Central Java Province.

Cirebon itself is known as Grage in the Cirebon dialect of Javanese language, which came from the words "Negara Gede", meaning "Great Kingdom."

As a coastal city, Cirebon's main industry is fishery. Its products include terasi (shrimp paste), shrimp crackers and salted fish. Cirebon is known for local foods, such as nasi lengko (rice mixed with bean sprouts, fried tofu and fermented soybean cake), nasi jamblang (rice of various side dishes), empal gentong ( a kind of curry ), tahu gejrot (fried tofu with red sugar topping), tahu tek-tek (fried tofu topped with peanut sauce and mixed with vegetables) and ayam panggang (barbecue chicken). Another native food is "Docang" (rice cake with sour vegetable soup).

Pekanbaru

2008-10-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

Pekanbaru is the capital and beautiful city of Riau, a province in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. The city port located on the Siak River and now, it is a bustling trade centre with its proximity to Singapore and Malaysia. The city is divided into two by this magnificent river with the shops, hotels and banks located on the north side and on the south, most of the government buildings and offices. It is here you will also find the main bus terminal. Because Pekanbaru is a major gateway into Indonesia from Singapore, the city has become a favorite stop for travelers go further inland in Sumatra and of course the rest of Indonesia. Pekanbaru is one of the cleanest big cities in Indonesia and noted for its wide streets, which are in the city’s main centre. The city is connected by road to an oil refining and exporting port at Dumai and there are numerous facilities including an airport, three stadiums and a swimming pool.

A settlement has existed on the city site since the 17th century. In the late 19th century, the city developed to serve the coffee and coal industries, and the Dutch built roads to help ship goods to Singapore and Malacca (now Melaka).

After oil was discovered in the region in the 1930s, Pekanbaru's economy has depended heavily on oil revenues and made the city with the highest per capita income in Indonesia. Most of Indonesia's petroleum is produced in Riau, and much of Pekanbaru's economy is based on the petroleum industry. International oil companies, such as Chevron from US, as well as other Indonesian companies, have established their offices in the region. Cheveron has majorly helped develope this city. They have paved a lot of the roads, built lots of neighborhoods called "HOP" which stands for Housing Ownership Program. Chevron has also built two of the two bridges in Pekanbaru. In some cases, Chevron has done more than the Indonesian goverment! This location for oil has proven to be one of the best money providers in the world.

The city is connected by road to an oil refining and exporting port at Dumai. Many facilities, including an airport, three stadiums (building a fourth), swimming pool, one of the two bridges that cross the Siak River near the city, the roads in Rumbai area, and also the road to Dumai, were partially or fully financed by oil companies working in the area.

Pekanbaru is becoming known as a centre of Malay culture mainly because of its proximity to that country and the Malay cultural influence can be seen in its architecture, culture and festivals as well as food. The city also has some outstanding attractions and my favourite being the An-Nur Mosque. The city boasts numerous traditional markets like those of Pasar Bawah and Pasar Tengeh in the port area and here you will find Chinese goods, including ceramics and carpets. The other excellent market is that of Pasar Pusat and is a food-lovers destination. At this market you can also purchase household-goods.

In the city there are numerous types of accommodation to suit all budgets. Getting around is not a problem as the best way is by foot. However, there is the odd taxi and bemo but by far to see the city at its best then I would recommend walking. Besides, it’s good for your health.

Singosari Temple

2008-10-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

Malang has been known as main destination in East Java. So many tourist area within Malang, one of them is Singosari temple. The Singosari temple is one of the historic legacies in Malang, it’s also known as Kendedes temple. Singosari temple was founded in honor to King Kertanegara, the last king of Singosari dynasty who died in 1292 AD. It was erected in 1300 AD at the same time when the ritual Sradha took place. In the vicinity of the temple there are two gigantic statue called Dwarapala, believed to be the entrance guards to the palace.

As the other East Java's temple, Singosari temple is formed from red bricks and arranged in cone building, called temple. This temple also has beautiful relief that describe the great of Singosari Kingdom years ago.

The dynasty of Singosari was established in A.D. 1222, when the young ruler of Tumapel, Ken Angrok, defeated the last king of Kediri. Legend has it that Ken Angrok was born from the union of his mother and the god Brahma. Abandoned in a cemetery shortly after his birth, the infant was subsequently adopted by a thief, who taught the child all the tricks of his trade. Ken Angrok grew up to become a notorious gambler, running up debts to the point where both his mother and stepfather were forced into slavery. He then took to thievery himself and ended up in so much trouble that on several occasions Brahma had to intervene when he feared for the boy's life.