Komodo Dragons, Ancient Creatures of Modern Times

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.

Read More...

The Long Journey of Yogyakarta Batik

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.

Read More...

Discovering the Thousand Island – Pulau Seribu

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.

Read More...

Bali, Indonesia Most Popular and Affordable Vacation Destination

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.

Read More...

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

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.

Read More...

Prambanan, The Largest Hindu Temple in Central Java

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.

Read More...

Yogyakarta

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.

Read More...

Surabaya, The Heroic City

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.

Read More...