Visit Indonesia Year 2010

Kayangan Api Tourism Object

2010-08-31T02:15:00.003-05:00

Bojonegoro is a city in East Java, in Indonesia. My older sister has been living there with her husband since she works as a stated-owned junior high school teacher. I think it seems good if I take my blog readers to explore tourism natural objects in this city.

Bojonegoro actually has a lot of tourism objects. One of the most famous tourism places in Bojonegoro is eternal fire spot, which is the biggest in Asia.

Local people name the place Kayangan Api or fire heaven. Kayangan Api is the source of fire which never die. It is located in Sendangharjo, a village forest, kecamatan Ngasem. The forest in the village has covered at least 42,29% of its area.

According to the old story, Kayangan Api was the rest place of Mbah Kriyo Kusumo or Mpu Supa. He was also known as Mbah Pandhe of Majapahit old kingdom. On the west of Kayangan Api, there is a pond of mud containing sulfur.

Kayangan Api is categorized as a sacred place. In the old time, it was the place to make many sacred traditional weapons such as keris, spear, cundrik, etc. Today many people still think that the fire of Kayangan Api is sacred. Some of important traditional Javanese' ceremonies use its fire as a requirements. For example traditional Javanese event Jumenengan in Yogyakarta. Jumenengan is a program to establish new king in Yogyakarta kingdom.

Drini Beach, A remote beach in Gunung Kidul

2010-08-24T21:55:00.004-05:00

Drini beach is at least 40 kilometre of Yogyakarta city. It is located in Ngestirejo village, Kecamatan Tanjungsari, Gunung Kidul city. To reach Drini, you will pass many hills and winding roads, and you will enjoy beautiful scenery of the hills during your trip.

It is a remote beach, located on the flanks of two big hills and other small hills. The sitution makes Drini seem isolated from outside world. The scenery is beautiful and the air is cool. Drini beach actually has cool and the temperature of sea water is colder than other beaches since it is surrounded by big hill. The hill make hot sunlight never touch the water beach.

Another peculiarity of Drini beach is that there is a coral island where grows on it Drini tree. Local people believe that the wood of the tree can be used as an antidote of snake poison.

The Beauty of Slopeng Beach, Madura Island

2010-08-20T01:40:00.005-05:00

Are you confused to look for beautiful and fascinating places to spend your holiday? I think it you have to try to visit Slopeng beach. The beach with fast and white-brown sand is located in Sumenep district, Madura island.

Entering the beach area, you will be welcomed by soff wave of coconut tree's leaves which grow at the beach in great quantities. The existence of the trees makes Slopeng beach not only look wonderful, but also makes the place cool and calm.

If you are a lover of sunsrise or sunset, Slopeng beach is the very right place. It becomes your great moments to capture your family or friends, or someone you love on your camcorder or camera. The row of fishermen's wood boats and the crimson sky will add your fantastic sensation.

Do not worry to bring your child to swim, because the beach wave is calm and the beach surface is slightly slope. After you are tired of playing your child, there are many places here to get something to drink or eat. You can also can try the freshness of coconut water.

So do not hesitate to visit this wonderful beach.

Muara Angke, NATURE TOURISM PARK

2010-08-15T03:11:00.005-05:00

Jakarta is not only the center of shopping activities, modern entertainment and skycrappers, bit there are still some natural places to be visited, such as sea, and mangrove forest. One of mangrove forest that is worth to be visited is one in the Natural Recreation Park Angke Kapuk or in Indonesian is called TWA (Taman Wisata Alam) Angke Kapuk.

Located on 99,82 hectare area, TWA Angke Kapuk is one of the nature conservation areas that has mangrove ecosystem. Several species of plants are also found there, although mangrove is dominated the area.

According to the manager of the Park, husband and wife Bambang Susilo - Murni Harahap, the government open chance to private enterprise to cooperate with Jakarta people to develop and manage the Park.

When we visit there, after passing the Park's gate, we will feel cool and fresh atmosphere, far from the city bustle. Trees are everywhere and at the distance we will see the main plants at the park, mangrove.

In the area, we can choose how we will stay. There are several camping ground here and all facilites can be obtained from the organizer. It costs Rp. 300.000,- a day to rent a camping ground, including breakfast.

There are also bungalow in the Park if we are not interested in staying in tent. The organizer has been building eight bungalow to be hired.

Other tourism activity offered by the organizer is mangrove planting packet. It means we can help the conservation by planting mangrove in the area. The organizer will charge us Rp. 100.000 to buy two mangroves seeds to be planted and give a T-shirt as a bonus.

According the manager of the park, the important thing is not the fare, but how we can grow our understanding about the importance of nature conservation for our life.

In TWA Angke Kapuk, visitors do not only go sightseeing, they also can learn various species of mangrove and other beach plants, such as bidara, warakas, api-api, cantinggi, buta-buta and mangrove. We can also find there Waru Laut, Bluntas, Mendongan, Kedondong Laut, Dadap, K Hujan, Flamboyan, Ki Tower, and Duri BUsyetan. We really regret we just can name some of plants in Indonesian language because our limited knowledge.

Fauna species dominated at the TWA area are mainly birds, some of them are protected, such as Pecuk ular, Kowak Maling, and Kuntul Putih.

Lucipara, a Piece of Heaven in Banda Sea

2010-08-08T08:26:00.003-05:00

Emerging from the depth of 8000 meter of Banda sea, lucipara is cluster of isles seem floating on the water. It is unimaginable that in the center of the deepest sea in Indonesia there are amazing natural phenomenon. They are a cluster of uninhabitant small islands, like a piece of heaven falling on the seabed of Banda sea. Although the islands are often blasted by east season wave, they are still spreading exotic marine beauty.

Lucipara islands are located at 5.4943 LS (Lintang Selatan) and 27.5423 LU (Lintang Utara). The distance between Lucipara and Penyu archipelago is 50 kilometer. If we look at lucipara picture taken from satellite, it looks like sea slug with white and green color. The white color shows that the area is dominated by white soft sand and died reef as far as our eyes examine.

The miracle begans when the sea is high tide. The island become 4 small close-separated islands. Many kinds of marine faunas and reef fishes come to look for food unafraid of being interrupted. When the sea is low tide, various type of reef and marine fauna belong to bivalvia species such as kima (tridacna spp) and molusca spread with tight distance. Ambon fishermen often eat inside part of kima, and they bring home some of them.

Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is exist in great number. However, they hunt out and lay eggs at the northern and southern beaches.

Laponda island as part of lucipara is a place of seaside plants and coconut trees. The plants are cultivated by fishermen of Latuhalat and Laha, Ambon city. Because of the island is at the center of other Lucipara islands, it becomes favorit places for tourists to stop in. From laponda, tourists and visitors can observe other islands which are line up not far from the island.

Lucipara is not only the best place to visit in by tourists, but also it become the best place for sea birds to take a rest and nest. One of them is sea eagle which nest at the sothern part of the island and at Penyu island.

Diving at the sea around the island is somewhat challenging. The water that seems blue and black sometimes frightening the diver. But this anxiety will then change into wonderfulness when they see amazing beauty of underwater scenery. The water is very clear and the colourous reef flowers can bring us to the other world. In the depth, the diver still can see as far as 30 meter. A great number of fishes can be found here.

The existence of great number of fishes was ever verified by two top local leader of government official Mr. M. Noer Moeis (a commander of Bukit Barisan military district) and province Maluku governor Ralahalu when they tried to do fishing at the waters. They could catch just in two rounds many Tuna madidihang fishes. they also catch Tuna Yellowfin and blue fin tuna. It seems that Lucipara waters is good as the fishing place for tourists and visitors who are fond of fishing in the open sea.

However, the waters of Lucipara is sometime unfriendly. At certain seasons, the wave is so high and is difficult to enter. In other part, there is reef that is hidden in the depth of 4 meter below the sea, which can make a boat accidentally crash it. Perhaps it was the reef that destroyed an Portuguese armada led by Fransisco Serrao hundred years ago. An also the name of lucipara is perhaps derived from the name of lucifer, means ghost. who knows.

Summarised and Translated from the article of Uya Leurima, a journalist of Suara Maluku. in courtesy of Sail Banda 2010.

Diving in the waters of Banda Archipelago

2010-08-04T05:10:00.007-05:00

Banda archipelago is one of the well-known tourist destination in Indonesia for divers. Not only expert divers but also the beginners enjoy diving in the Banda waters. They can choose whether they dive in the shallow sea between Banda Neira and Gunung Api or diving close to vertical wall at Hatta island. Banda island offers enchanted tropical scenery, friendly people, and various coral stones.

Scuba activity is a new program in the island. However, it needs no hard work for the diver to enjoy this activity. Panoramic view in Banda's sea floor could be enjoyed such as reef wall and various sea creatures such as group of Napoleon Wrasse fish, tuna, lobster, turtle, etc.

Banda archipelago is located on the southeast of Ambon, with the distance from Ambon is approximately 132 kilometer. It consists of three islands and seven isles, located on the slope of Banda sea, the deepest sea in Indonesia. For instance, close to Manuk island, the depth of the sea is more than 6500 meter. Two of the three bigest islands in Banda archipelago i.e Banda island and Banda-Neira island, are covered by Pala trees and other plants. Whereas the third island, there are no trees on it and has volcanic soil.

Banda waters is well-known for its enchanted sea-floor scenery. The reefs are clear and there are so many kinds of fishes swimming in the blue clear-crystal water. It is why the place is very appropriate to do diving activity, snorkeling or just sightseeing.

THE BEST DIVING PLACES IN THE ARCHIPELAGO
Sonegat:
located between Banda Neira and Gunung Api. There are just few fishes here, but you can find big dogtooth tuna here, as well as blue gridled and pretty emperor angelfish.
Keraka island:
Its beach is very beautiful. At the sea depth, there are some mini wall of reef as high as 18 meter, covered by hundreds of large blue and yellow tunicates. At the east of the beach, in the depth of 10 meter, you will find various type of coral reef fishes, and a group of 1/2 meter-length barracudas.
Sjahrir island and Batu Kapal:
20 minutes from hotel at Bandar Neira using a boat. The best time to dive is in the morning and afternoon.
Gunung Api:
The slope of the sea floor is 30 - 35 meter. In May, 1988, the mount explosion annihilated most of reef fromation around the island. But, the explosion also spread reef flowers. Some of them then grow again. However, there is no reef wall here.
Lontar island:
There is sunken caldera and some good places to dive.
Batu Belanda:
We will find various barrel and tube sponge and small caves. There are so many various type of fishes here: group of snappers, large emperor, blue-girdled angelfish, wrasses, large pinnate bat-fish and bannerfish.
Ai Island:
It is the most perfect place for diving in Banda, along with Hatta island. All part of Ai island are surrounded by perfect reef wall, not plain and full of caves and harbour fishes.
Hatta island:
Hatta island is 25 km of Banda Neira. There is atoll at the south of Hatta island. You will see parade of unicornfish, Fusiliersm Jack Fish, and Rainbow Runners. It also oftenly see Whitetip Sharks (2-meter length), Dogtoothed Tuna, napoleon Wrasse, and Hawksbill Turtles.

HOW TO REACH
To go to Banda archipelago, the best way is by flying from flying from Denpasar via Ujungpandang to Ambon city. Then you fly to Banda using small airplanes such as Merpati airlines. Or you can try using ferry from Ambon to Banda. Passenger ferries operate one times every two weeks. So you must stay in Banda at least 17 days if you want to go back to Ambon using ferry.

PLACES TO STAY
Lodges in Banda are still a few and the fare is very cheap.

SIGHTSEEING
Tourist can spend all the time to go for a stroll around this fertile island. Spices still grow here and local people still make tradisional food using spices. There are also colonial- time dutch fortress, pala plantations, and path to Gunung Api. All of them will become your unforgetable visit by enjoying gorgeous scenery around this wonderful archipelago.

Translated from article on Sail Banda 2010 website, as tribute to Sail Banda 2010

17 Countries Join SAIL BANDA

2010-08-02T20:35:00.004-05:00

108 participants from 17 countries join Sail Banda 2010. Participants extrication held by one of Indonesian Minister Fadel Muhammad at Saturday, July 24, 2010 at Darwin, Australia.

It was reported that the participants' release escorted by two Indonesia warship, i.e. KRi Hiu Macan Tutul 01 and KRI Hiu Macan 006. The two ship were also escorted participant's yachts from Darwin to Banda Island, Central Maluku.

It is also announced that 62 of 108 participants would sail to Kupang, Nusa Tenggara Timur province of Indonesia. Whereas 46 of them would continue sailing to Banda and follow sail rally. 12 of 46 participants would enter into Sail Competition to fight over reward 5000 US dollar.

It was reported from Banda that the maritime tourism program Sail Banda would have been going on until August 17, 2010. Two locations would be used to hold the program, i.e Ambon city and Banda archipelago. On that account, local people was really expected to participate Sail Banda in order to bring positive impact for people economic development and preserve people maritime culture.

Source: Kompas printed ed.

The Enchantment of Cubadak Island

2010-07-29T19:29:00.007-05:00

Cubadak island is located on southern coastal area of West Sumatra. It is exactly on the area of Painan district, 75 km from Padang city. The southern coastal area directly faces Hindia ocean and there are many small beautiful islands there.

One of the islands which managed to be a gorgeous resort is Cubadak island. The name is used because as the story goes, there were plenty of jackfruit trees there. In Minangkabau local language, Cubadak means jackfruit. Cubadak island is hired and managed by Italian person, and he has been managed the island for 18 years. The owner of the resort names it Paradiso Resort.

Cubadak island offers visitors to spend their holiday in the tranquil and virgin environment, with the best 5-star standard cottages to stay. Many foreign visitors have visited the resort, but just few of them come from the local country. All fares here use dollar, nevertheless rupiah is also acceptable.

How we can reach the island

The visitor can drive directly from Padang city to Painan for at least 75 km. Then they can make their way to the Tarusan port within Tauran subdistrict (indonesian: kecamatan) area. It needs 30 minutes to reach the port from Painan by car. Getting to the island, it takes time approximately 15 minutes speedboat from the port.

If we are still confused how to get the island from the port, we can call the manager of the island before we date to go. Then the manager will pick us up with the boat of his own at Tarusan port. Tradisional fishermen with their simple boats are also found there.

Siberut National Park with Its Virgin Jungle

2009-11-29T07:37:00.003-06:00

Siberut is an island located at the offshore of West Sumatra beach, separated by Mentawai strait. Its distance with Padang city is 155 km. Siberut National Park is situated in the island, with more than 60% covered by primary forest of Dipterocarpaceae, mixed primary forest, swamp, coastal forest and mangrove. The forest in the National Park is generally still natural with many high trees with the average height of 60 metre.

Siberut National Park has 4 kinds of primate fauna that can not be found in any places of the world (endemic), such as bokkoi (Macaca pagensis), lutung mentawai / joja (Presbytis potenziani siberu), bilou (Hylobates klossii), and simakobu (Nasalis concolor siberu). Beside, there are 4 kind of endemic squirrels, 17 kinds of mamalia fauna and 130 kinds of birds (4 of them are endemic).

Siberut island and its National Park is stated as one of biosphere sanctuary by UNESCO in the Man and The Biosphere program (MAB).

There are still a few of tourists and visitors interested in traveling into the National Park area. And until now, the main tourism objects for the visitors are the culture of Mentawai people who live in and around the National Park. In many ways, Mentawai people is still very traditional and most of them are still animist. Their social activities are centered around their Uma, a family house which has along size and is inhibited by 30 - 80 people.

The visit to Siberut National Park is a traveling combination of boating, oaring, strolling on the mud track, enjoying the beauty of natural tropical forest circumstance, including plant and fauna observation, waterfall and the observation of local people way of life. The journey will become unforgetable experience. The journey to Siberut island is usually arranged by travel agents from Padang city and Bukit Tinggi including tourist guide.

Some of Interesting Places to be Visited

Adobak, Rokdok, Matotonan, Rorogot, Butui, Teteburuk, Selaoinan and Mailepet: explore the forest, follow the river, hot water spring, waterfall, nautical tourism, wild life and plant observation, and cultural tourism (uma house and religious dance),
Sagulubek and Masilok beaches: surfing and snorkling, sea garden and mangrove.
Cultural attraction outside National Park: Gandang Tasa festival in May, Tabuik festival in June at Padang city.
The best time to Visit: during January until September every year.
The best way to reach the location: from Padang (Muara Padang) to Muara Siberut / Muara Sikabaluan / Muara Saibi using ship (3 times a week) at night. It takes time fo 10 hours.

If you want to know further detail of the park, please contact:
Office: Jl. Raden Saleh No. 8C, PO Box 159 Padang, Sumatera Barat, Telp./Fax. (0751) 442309
E-mail: tsiberut@indosat.net.id

Siberut National Park:
Wide : 190500 hectare
Location: Mentawai archipelago regency, West Sumatra province.
temperature: 22 - 31 C.
Rainfall: 2.900 - 3.700 mm/ a year
height: 0 - 500 m. dpl

Mount Halimun Salak National Park

2009-11-13T06:31:00.003-06:00

Mount Halimun Salak National Park is located at West Java, at least 100 km southwest of Jakarta. Its location includes the territory of Bogor, Sukabumi and Lebak (Banten province) districts. The National Park has a width of 113.357 acre. It is a greatest mount tropical rainforest in Java island. There are several mounts here with a height of 1600 metre above the sea level (mdpl) up to more than 2200 mdpl.

For visitor and tourist who just want to spend vacation with family and friends, there are many tourism places at the foot of the mount with the height of 1200 above the sea level. Some of them are Curug Macan (Tiger waterfall) and Goa Macan (Tiger cave). The place named tiger because as the story goes, panthers often visited both places. We also can visit tea plantation and farmer's villages.

As you wander the forest, you will meet some wild animals. Even if you are lucky you will see directly Owa Jawa (hylobates miloch) and Javanese Eagle. Javanese eagles are often visible flying above the canopy of the forest. So if you are fond of watching them, you may see up on the sky more frequently. Sometimes, the track of Javanese panther (panthera pardus melas) and wild boar are visible at the route looptrail.

The National Park forest is full of various trees. Many of them have the height above 30 metre and with diameter of 2 metre. There are also various plants such as bracken, rattan, forest orchids and soil fire flower which has color bright red. The voices of various wild animals will accompany us along the trip.

CIKANIKI OBSERVATION POST
Tired of passing thorugh the forest, visitors can rest at Cikaniki observation post. At the location, there are canopy trail and root bridge. The bridge is a drawbridge connecting between rasamala trees with length fo 100 metre, 0,6 metre width and at the height of 20 - 25 metre above the land. There is also wodden ladder to go up.

On the bridge and at the observation posts on every Rasamala trees, we can watch groups of Sepah birds which have bright red color. The birds was flying beautifully between the trees, remember us about war planes.

Unfortunately since last January, the bridge was close to the tourists because some part of it were decayed. But perhaps we will be comforted by seeing not far from the canopy bridge round mushroom habitat. Some of them has diameter 0,5 centimetre.

The Um island and its Amazing Virgin Beaches

2009-11-05T20:53:00.003-06:00

The coast lovers often fantasized they could stop over in an island in the middle of sea which having paradise-on-earth scenery. Not only they are free to swim, but also free sunbathed, playing kayak, and even enjoying the sun sank into the earth. The quilt of the dusk and breeze of coastal wind hammock us to prevent from leaving the coast.

The coastal luxury and the beauty of purple sky can be found in the Um island. The island which is located at Makbon District, Sorong, West Papua, will become one of the main place to visit when you travel to the most eastern province of Indonesia. It is a small island and you just spend 15 minutes to round it by walk.

Not only beautiful scenery and wonderful beaches, the island guarantees the visitors and tourists they will feel the tranquality of the virgin island. The nature wealth of Um island is also very precious to be enjoyed.

If you like diving, don't forget to bring diving equipment. It is because the Um island will spoil your sense with the beautiful performance of the karag fish, turtle, lola, tripang, lobster, and the beauty of coral that look like carving naturally. All of them still look so virgin because the local people of Malaumkarta Village, who lives at the opposite island, always take care of their environment. They do not catch some certain sea animals within certain time to prevent animals and enviroment from extinction. It is why they also never catch fishes with fish net and bomb. They just catch fishes with fishing rod.

This island is also often used by the fisherman as the stopping-place when they do fishing. If you are lucky to meet one of them, you could enjoy burning fresh fishes, captured directly from the sea. Usually the fisherman here do not mind to sell some of their catches. A tenggiri fish or bubara, enough for four persons, can be bought just only 2 thousand rupiah or at least not more than 2 US dollar.

Um Island is also home of bats where they live on branches of the forest trees. So do not forget to take your precious opportunity to enjoy bats flying together and alighting from one to another tree.

Then, how we can go to the heaven island of Um?

To reach the Um Island, you have to go to Makbon by land route. From Sorong City, it is available public's transport headed to Makbon with a price of 15.000 rupiahs or 1,5 US dollar one way. The trip at about 40 kilometre to Makbon will be taken at around 2 till 3 hours.

Arriving at Makbon, you must be still continuing the trip to the Um Island using a rentlongboat; It is because there is still no public transport to the island. To lease the boat, you must take from your wallet Rp 300,000 to travel for 30 minutes until arriving in the Um Island.

Happy travelling!

Venturing on Sekonyer River, Are You brave?

2009-10-22T08:20:00.007-05:00

The Kalimantan (Borneo) is the island in Indonesia with thousands of rivers. Big rivers wriggle as if the dragon divides the mainland which is mainly dense rainforest. The rivers then become main transport route in the island.

However, rivers in Kalimantan should not just as a transport route because they have potentialities to be natural tourism objects. Look at the beauty of Sekonyer river, located in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, or precisely in the Tanjung Puting Region National Park, Kabupaten Kotawaringin Barat. The river offers adventure action.

"Sekonyer river has a potential tourist attraction. Therefore, this potentiality will be developed," said the head of Tourist Destination Development Sector of Central Kalimantan Culture and Tourism Department, Aida Meyarti, SH, in Palangkaraya. According to Aida Meyarti, Sekonyer rivwer has often been visited by foreign tourists. The Sekonyer river is the river route to the TNTP area (tanjung Putin national Park). The Park is used as rehabilitation area of the endangered species, orang-utan.

Comparing with other rivers, Sungai Sekonyer is outstanding for its natural beautiful scenery and there are many interesting and unique species living there. At Kumai river, which is part of Sekonyer, there is a kind of freshwater porpoise. Moreover there are also a species which local people call it dugong-dugong. Dugong-dugong is also known as sea cow because of its habitat is at the seaweed area on the river estuary.

Moreover, when you are on the tour trip on the river using Kelotok (motorboat), you will pass mangrove region, dominated with mangrove tree (rhizophora spp) and Pidada (Sonneratia spp). The later develops breath root (pneumatophore). The other tree in the tour route is kendeka (Bruguiera spp), as well as nirih (Xylocarpus spp).

Quoting a history note, Aida Meyarti explained that Buaya River (crocodile river) was the original name of the Sekonyer River. the name of Sekonyer was taken from the name of a ship which had name Sikuner. Based on Malay language, the name was then changed as Sekonyer.

The story of Sikuner was dated back to Dutch colonial period. It was at the Buaya river estuary, anchored one of the pirate's ships, namely said Sikuner. The ship sank at the river because of being shot by a man called Bujang, using the small gun called "palembang". The gun belonged to an Islamic figure named "Kyai Gede."

The gun could be only fired by the descendants of the Kyai Gede, or by the descendants of ethnic groups Dayak Gambu. because of this incident, the local inhabitants then often used the name of Sekonyer to call the Buaya River.

The trip on the river route will come across the Nipah crop region (Nypa fruticans Wurmb), then Rasau tree region, afterwards goes straight to the Harapan Cape of the Sekonyer Village, Pesalat (the place of conservation education), the Tanggui Hut tourism object, Pondok Ambung, Muara Ali, Danau Panjang as far as the Leakey camp, the location of orangutan rehabilitation.

Note for the visitors or tourists that in the area of Tanjungputing National Park, there is no land road. The only transportation is a boat sailing along Sekonyer river which penetrates in the middle of Tanjung puting area. However, visitors or tourists do not need to worry if they catch a night because proper bed is available on the boat.

Article is translated from Kompas online edition
Images are taken from http://angelinasondakh.blogs.com/
and http://karlan08.files.wordpress.com/

Umang Island, a Comfortable and Tranquil Resort

2009-10-19T00:48:00.007-05:00

At a glance you possibly already know the Island of Umang Resort & Spa. With quite good access, it need just four hours time from Jakarta to reach the island.

Nevertheless, the tired feeling could be at once treated upon arrival at the Well area. It is because at the Umang island, the tourists or visitors will find many places to enjoy such as Tangkilsari Challenge Outbound, Summer Camp, even breeding place of Butterfly, that definitely could be made as alternatives to the visit.

To reach the Island, it needs at about 10 minutes by boat. Don't worry, although the boat is small, it can accommodate at least 20 people. And everyone on board must wear their buoy. The boat is one of facilities accomodated by the manager of the resort for visitors and tourists who want to stay a night in the area.

The beauty of the island begin to be seen when the ship docks at the quay. Although the island is not big, the concept of minimalis and natural could be seen. The facilities served also enough. There are The Beach Club, Sunrise Cafe, Private Beach, Jacuzzy, Kids pool and Gazebo at the edge of the coast.

The Vilas are separated into two building, their name are "sunset" and "sunrise". The concept of Living 'in Nature is supported by the material using to build the building. All of them are made from nature, suc as wood, the stone and glasses. It will make visitors taste comfortable and to be able to rest far from the bustle of the city. Moreover the voice of sea wave makes our heart unite with the nature.

The Umang Resort island and Spa also has many programs offered. There are water sport, out bond, family out bond, honeymoon, corporate gathering, corporate meeting, family gathering and wedding party.

The villas have 58 rooms, so don't hesitate you bring your family to Umang Resort Island and Spa spending your vacation time.

Pictures are taken from uniquetraveldestinations.wordpress.com

Swimming with Shark at Karimunjawa

2009-10-14T19:57:00.002-05:00

Do you know about shark? One of fiercest predators in the sea? Do you dare swimming with sharks around you? If you want to try to test your adrenalin, a tourism place at Menjangan Besar island at Karimun Jawa, Jepara district perhaps is suitable for you. You can swim with several white sharks (carcharodon carsharias) with no fear.

"As long as you do not hold on their tail, they don't bite. If you want to touch them, you just can stroke their head," said Karso, one of crewman of the boat who also become a guide to visit one of floating inn at Menjangan Besar island, Karimun Jawa National Park, Jepara, Java.

At this floating inn, many sharks with length between 1 - 1,5 metre are kept. The owner uses sharks as entertainment object for tourists who stay at his inn. When the tourists who come increase, he let visitors to try to test their adrenalin with the sharks.

To enter the object, there is no fixed price ticket. "A group of tourists usually pay 20000 rupiahs only for entrance," said Karso. It is of cource very cheap, because this fare is included the rent of snorkling means, such as google, snorkle and fin.

Many foreign tourists have also ever try to go into the shark pond which has diameter 9m x 9m. One of them is Lisa, a Dutch student who studies in Indonesia as a part of student exchange program. "First time I'm very scared, but I think it is an extraordinary adventure, why not to try?" said her in English.

There are two shark ponds at the floating inn owned by Mr. Yakobus which was built since 18 years ago. The first pond has a size of 3m x 7m, located exactly in front of the inn facing to the sea. Yet ones are not allowed to swim at the pond, because besides white sharks, there are also fierce barracudas there.

Tourists or visitors just can swim at the second pond which located on the left of the inn. Besides sharks, there is also a giant turtle in the left pond. The turtle was there since 5 years ago.

Besides Mr. Yakobus' floating inn, there is also shark pond at the Jaya Karimun floating inn, owned by the late Mr. Ismarjoko.The inn keeps several kind of sharks at various size.

According to Diah, one of the manager of the inn, sharks are categorized fierce animal. But if they are fed enough and regularly, they do not attack anyone who swim at the pond. "But if you have wound, you are not allowed," said Diah. "Usually most of foreign visitors dare to swim here."

If you don not want to try the challenge, the beauty of natural scenery can you enjoy during your visit there.

It is not difficult to reach the floating inns at Menjangan Besar island. From the fisherman port at Karimun Jawa village, we just take a time of 10 minutes using the fisherman's boat. The fare is between 250000 - 300000 rupiahs a day.

Karimun Jawa archipelago consist of 27 islets. It is located at 83 km north of Jepara. There are only 5 island which has people live in it, that is Karimun Jawa, Kemujan, Paran, Nyamuk and Genting.

The Legendary Soka Beach at Bali

2009-10-05T07:48:00.005-05:00

If you visit Bali, Gilimanuk will be your first touchdown from Java. From here to Denpasar, for example, you have to travel for another 128 kilometres. But there is no need to worry because The Trans Sumatra-Java-Bali-Lombok Highway is very smooth and comfortable. Moreover, almost two-third of the route will follow the southern coast of the west part of this beautiful small island, called Bali.

Nevertheless, there is something else that will not bore you. Because the view presented along the road is so beautiful and enchanting. Furthermore it is enchanced by the rapid change in the nuance of one landscape into the other, not making it monotonous.

Then, let your eyes wander northwards. There you will see green hills streching from the west to east with a variety of fruit forest growing abundantly such as coffee, cloves, durian, manggos and so on. This is further enhanced by the curving terraced paddy fields, very much like the waist of beautiful Balinese dancer.

Now turn your eyes to the right, to the south. You will see the beauty of the Indian Ocean with the beauty and wonderful waves challenging the surfers. There are 2 surfing places here, at the madewi nad Lalang Linggah beach. Both beaches have been often visited by well-known surfers.

Thousands of coconut trees stand in a row to fence in this beach adding to its magnetic attraction. In short, you will be at a loss of words to describe the enchanting impression of your trip.

Nevertheless, before reaching Denpasar, it is advisable to rest for a while in order to get rid of all of your stress. There are several places along the route to select from. For example, Soka Beach, 46 kilometres before Denpasar. This is also the end of your trip along the coast.

This beach is not unfamiliar in the tourism world. besides enjoying the virgin beach, there is also the legend of Kebo Iwa. Payuk Kebo Iwa and his kitchen are found on this beach. As we all know, Kebo Iwa was the commander-in-chief of the Bendahulu kingdom who died after his duel with Maha Patih Gadjah Mada.

There is a bar, a shop and a toilet at the beach. This place is also used by the fisherman as their base and as a traditional fishmarket. During the fishing season it is very crowded. Many visitors come here including foreign tourists.

On Hindu holidays Soak Beach is crowded by visitors. It is often livened up by refreshing and attractive performances such as the Bumbung Dance where the visitors can dance together with the beautiful Bumbung dancers with their graceful movements.

The article originated from Indonesia Indah Magazine

Sailing Lane Disturb Main Zone of Papua Conservation

2009-08-07T05:41:00.004-05:00

Jakarta- KOMPAS

The plan of Managing Teluk Cendrawasih National Park at Papua finally was approved by Indonesian government recently. However, the main zone for protecting fish habitat and ridge of coral reef is still disturbed by the line of sailing of commercial ships.

The main problem at the National Park is that there is still the sailing lane of big ships at the area, i.e passengger and cargo ships from Manokwari to Wasior, town city of Teluk Cendrawasih district. There is also the sailing lane from Wasior to Nabire and Biak vice versa.

According to the top chief of PHKA mr. Darori, the consequency of main zone decision is that the zone must be freed of any disturbance, including the sailing lane of big ships. The main zone means that the zone must be untouchable.

Teluk Cendrawasih national park has ridge of coral reef area 5,5 percent, small islands 3,8 percent, shore area 0,9 percent, and waterzone 89,8 percent. The statistic shows that there are 150 kinds of coral reef from 15 families, spreading around 18 small islands.

Although the mainland of Papua is virgin and dense rainforest, its beach which become one of indonesian Nnational Park is also known to have the highest diversity of fishes. At least there are 209 kinds of fishes living there. Four of seven kinds of turtle are also found at the shore here, such as scale sturtle (eretmochelys imbricata), green turtle (chelonia mydas), lekang turtle (lepidochelys olivaceae) and star fruit turtle (dermochelys coriacea)

Some of big fishes such as blue whale, shark, dolphin and cowfish can also be founded easily in the area. At the shore area, there is still ancient remains such as the beauty natural cave. We also can find at one of its islands, i.e Misowaar isle, hot water spring containing sulphur without salt

According to Darori, the approvement of the government is mainly to conservation and protection of local people there. The area must be evaded as torusim business area or exceeding natural resources expoitation.

Bunaken National Marine Park

2009-08-03T00:05:00.006-05:00

Are you thirsted for visiting complete marine tourist objects in a one place, so you don not need to wander from one place to another? Bunaken Marine National Park is the right answer. Bunaken National Park is located at North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The natural beauty and marine diversity of Bunaken Sea Park in North Sulawesi have long been admired by marine lovers from all over the world, including divers, surfers, tourists through to marine biodiversity researchers!

The Bunaken National Marine Park was officially established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists. The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27-29 C) and harbor some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this t oa mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

Oceanic currents may explain, in part, why Bunaken National Marine Park is such a treasure trove of biodiversity. Northeasternly currents generally sweep through the park but abundant counter currents and gyros related to lunar cycles are believed to be a trap for free swimming larvae. This is particularly true on the south side of the crescent-shaped Bunaken Island, lying in the heart of the park. A snorkler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.

Biologists believe that the abundance of hard corals is crucial in maintaining the high levels of diversity in the park. Hard corals are the architects of the reefs, without them, numerous marine organisms would be homeless and hungry. Many species of fish are closely associated with particular types of corals (folious, branching, massives, etc.) for shelter and egg-laying. Others, like the enormous Bumphead Parrotfish, Balbometopon muricatum, are "coralivores" and depend on hard corals for their sustenance. Bony mouth parts fused into an impressive "beak" allow these gregarious fish to crunch corals like roasted peanuts.

Some 20,000 people live on the natural resources of Bunaken National Marine Park. Although there are inevitable conflicts between resource protection and use by people, the Indonesian government is taking a fairly unusual and pragmatic approach to park management. The idea is to promote wise resource use while preventing overexploitation. Local communities, government officials, dive resort operators, local nature groups, tourists and scientists have played an active role in developing exclusive zones for diving, wood collection, fishing and other forms of utilization. If successful, Bunaken Marine Park will stand as an important example of how Sulawesi, and the rest of Indonesia, can work to protect its natural resources.

Bunaken National Park Entrance Fee
All visitors to the Bunaken National Park (divers and non-divers) are required to pay an entrance fee, in accordance with North Sulawesi Provincial Government Provincial Law Number 9/2002. The entrance fee for foreign visitors is Rp 50,000 per daily ticket (approximately US$6), or Rp 150,000 (approximately US$17) for a waterproof plastic entrance tag valid for the full calendar year.

Entrance tags and tickets can be purchased direct from all NSWA members, or from ticket counters on Bunaken Island and on Siladen Island. They must be carried at all times that guests' are within the park boundaries, and tags can easily be affixed to guests' diving or snorkeling gear or on backpacks. Enforcement of the entrance fee system is conducted via spot checks by park rangers on land and at sea.

The entrance fee system has been adapted from the well-known Bonaire Marine Park system, and the proceeds from the sales of the entrance tags are managed by the Bunaken National Park Management Advisory Board (BNPMAB), a multi-stakeholder board that NSWA is a member of. The system has been very successful in raising over $250,000 for conservation programs in the Bunaken Marine Park since its inception in 2001.

Accommodation and Transportation
On the island you have the choice amongst a number of homestays, with rates starting at around Rp. 50 000 per day and person incl. fullboard. If you only go for the cheapest option don't complain afterwards if the water in your mandi (bathroom) doesn't get filled up regularly, or food isn't quite as nice as you had hoped for. Life in North Sulawesi in general isn't as cheap as in other regions of Indonesia, and most things on Bunaken have to be brought in from Manado. Depending on the season even fish can be pretty expensive. Better think twice before you try to bargain down prices which are already cheap; for the locals it could mean the difference between being able to eat 3 or only 2 meals a day, or buying school books for the children or not.

Some of the dive operations on Bunaken are offering more upmarket accommodation with running water ((Living Colours) and even hot showers (Cha Cha Nature Resort).

Bunaken's much smaller neighbour Siladen only offers few accommodations. Most popular among budget travelers seems to be Martha's Homestay.

The most upmarket resort within the boundaries of the Bunaken National Park is Siladen Resort & Spa which started operations in 2003. The eco-friendly luxury boutique resort places high emphasis on the protection of the Marine Park and the environment.

The public boats from Manado to Bunaken are leaving daily around 2 p.m (depending on tide), except Sundays, from Pasar Jengki near Manado harbour. Back from Bunaken to Manado usually early in the morning, around 7-8 a.m. Even on Sundays there might be boats, just go to the harbor and ask people there. To charter a boat is about Rp. 150,000 - 200,000 OW. If you want to go to Siladen it is better to inquire first at the harbour, but usually there are several boats as well. The fare to Siladen is also Rp. 15 000.

Events Schedule at Sail Bunaken 2009

2009-08-02T07:26:00.003-05:00

Thejakartapost wrote about Sail Bunaken 2009:

The Sail Bunaken Festival, scheduled for August in Manado, North Sulawesi, will bring together between 7,000 and 8,000 sailors from across the globe.

"Ship crew members from all over the world will sail to Manado to visit Bunaken marine park. Sail Bunaken will be bigger than the Bunaken Festival, held previously," North Sulawesi Governor Sinyo Sarundajang said to Antara news agency Tuesday.

The upcoming festival will include parades of international fleets and the Darwin, Australia, to Manado yacht race.

"One of the largest aircraft carriers, the USS George Washington, will also be at Bitung, an extraordinary natural seaport,"

So it is to be an extraordinary ana amazing events in my country you can't miss it. Below are the schedule of the events at the festival:
August 09-12,2009
Warships, Tallships, Yacht Arrived at Bitung, North Sulawesi

August 13, 2009
Welcome Party by Mayor of Bitung

August 16, 2009
Bunaken Carnival

August 14 - 17, 2009
Openships

August 14 - 16, 2009
a)Diving Tournament at Bunaken
b)Dinghy Race at Manado Bay (TBA)
c)Jetski Rally From Makassar to Manado (TBC)
d)Sandeq Race (TBA)

August 17, 2009
a)AM : Indonesia's Independence Parade at Governor's house, all Captain's are invited
b)PM : Dive Tour to Bunaken
c)PM : Sunset Cocktail Party / Gala Dinner, Prize Presentation and Cultural Show, hosted by Governor

August 18, 2009
a)AM : Free Tour for participants, supported and facilitated by province and Regent Government (TBA)
b)PM : Open Stage Music & Cultural Shows at Mando or Bitung (TBA)

August 19, 2009
Sail Parade at Selat Lembeh. All Vessels are Salute to the President of The Republic of Indonesia

August 20, 2009
All Vessels Leave Bitung

If you are interested in watching the festival, you can register online om:
http://www.sailbunaken2009.com/register_online.php

Key Activities at Sail Bunaken 2009 Festival

2009-08-02T07:21:00.004-05:00

YACHT RALLY

The rally plies the route starting from East Nusa Tenggara to bitung in North Sulawesi, with participants from about 10 countries and former participants of the sail Indonesia.

FLEET REVIEW
Static parade of Warships and Tall ships from Indonesia and overseas by the port. Open ship Session, allowing the public to come aboard the ships.

SAILING PASS
Parade of sailing ships in a variety of formation at the Manado by area.

MANADO BAY FESTIVAL
Exhibition of marine, sporting tourism products, entertainment and games

BUNAKEN CARNIVAL
Marine development show-off, participated by various provinces of Indonesia and the participating ships at the Boulevard along the Manado Beach.

BUNAKEN DIVING FESTIVAL
International diving festival, with participation by International divers, and fleet review participants.

JET SKI TOURNAMENT
Internayional jet ski racing competition.

SANDEQ RACE
Sailing race by Sulawesi traditional speed schooners

Indonesian Sail Bunaken 2009

2009-08-02T06:58:00.005-05:00

Come and join in the international event Sail Bunaken 2009 for sharing new experience and exploring the marine beauty along with the marine lovers from all over the world in a spirit of adventure, graced by the marine paradise of Bunaken Sea.

Sail Bunaken 2009 is jointly organized by the Ministry of Marine and Fishery Affairs, Provincial Administration of North Sulawesi, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Navy Force of Indonesia, supported by the the Directorate General of Immigration and other government institutions.

Sail Bunaken 2009 is the largest event of the year 2009 offers strategic business opportunities for various products and services.

Important Event at Bunaken Festival:

Indonesian Fleet Review
Yacht Rally
Bunaken Expo and Festival
International Big Game Fishing "KASAL CUP"
Diving Competition & Festival
International Seafood Festival
Bunaken Trans Equatouring Celebes 2009

Sail Bunaken will be The Largest and Integrated International Marine Event in 2009.

Event's Title : Sail Bunaken 2009
Dates : August 12 - 20, 2009
Venue : Bitung and Manado City, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Agenda :

Expo and Show
Carnical & Festival
Seminar
Tournaments
Rally and Race
Touring and Diving
Fun and Games

International Seminar on Building a Comprehensive Maritime Security and Possible Benefit to the Effort to Minimize Illegal Fishing in the Region
Venue : Ritzy Hotel, Manado Indonesia
Date : Monday - Tuesday, August 17 - 18, 2009

Information and Registration
Secretariat for the Regional Plan of Action to Promote Responsible Fishing Practices including combating IUU fishing in the Region:
Mina Bahari II Building, 15th floor
Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur 16, Jakarta 11010, Indonesia
Phone: +6221 352 3151
Fax: +6221 352 0346
Email: rpoa@dkp.go.id
Website:
http://www.rpoa_sec.dkp.go.id

Contact Person
Mr. Ardi
Mobile: +62 8588 0267 419
Email: rpoa_operator@yahoo.com
Mrs. Ratih
Mobile: +62 818 0624 8773, +62 814 103 100 14
Email: privacy_of79@yahoo.com

Baluran National Park

2009-07-03T15:26:00.006-05:00

"Afirca in Java", this is a popular term described by people about Baluran National Park which is located at Situbondo regency, East Java province, Indonesia. When we step our feet there, Africa nuance will strike our eyes. Wide savannas and amazing panorama will refresh heart and eyes.

Savanna is the most characteristic of Baluran National Park. In dry season, the savannah in Baluran are always visited by wild animals. The total wide of savannah is 40% of the wide of The National Park, which is 25.000 hectare. At this place, you will feel like visiting the beauty of Africa open area, which is green in rainy season and is gold-like in dry season. Sometimes you will see a group of deers in the middle of grass. We occasionally hear the unique voice of patridge, which is like a certain music completed with the beauty of savannah. If we are lucy, we will witness a group of peacocks which is slyly appeared themselves.

There are 444 kind of plants in the forest at the Park, including native plants, like Widoro Bukol (Ziziphus rotundifolia), mimba (Azadirachta indica), and pilang (Acacia leucophloea). Widoro Bukol, mimba and pilang are plants that can adapt themselves in the very dry environment (when they are still green). Other plants are asam (Tamarindus indica), gadung (Dioscorea hispida), kemiri (Aleurites moluccana), gebang (Corypha utan), api-api (Avicennia sp.), kendal (Cordia obliqua), manting (Syzygium polyanthum), dan kepuh (Sterculia foetida).

There are also 26 kinds of mammalia there. Some of them are java bull (Bos javanicus javanicus), wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), ajag (Cuon alpinus javanicus), antelope (Muntiacus muntjak muntjak), deer (Cervus timorensis russa), leopard (Panthera pardus melas), kancil (Tragulus javanicus pelandoc), dan kucing bakau (Prionailurus viverrinus). Java bull is a mascot of Baluran National Park.

Summary about Baluran
The most worth seeing places in Baluran:
Batangan area: There is japanese cave and the cemetry of the son of Maulana Malik Ibrahim. The visitors also can watch the dance of peacock at their breeding time in October / November and also go camping.
Facilities: information center, camping field.

Bekol and Semiang areas: animal observation such as forest chicken, peacock, antelope, deer, bull, bird.
Facilities: researcher's bungalow, guest house, observation tower.

Bama, Balanan, Bilik areas: maritime tourism, fishing, snorkeling. In July and August, we can see the fighting of male deers. There is time that we can see a group of grey monkeys looking for crabs using their tails at low tide.

Manting, Air Kacip areas: we witness springs that never dry. There are leopard habitats here.

Popongan, Sejile, Sirontoh, Kalitopo areas: Visitor can rent a boat to enjoy calm sea, looking at many kind of fishes. Observation of bird migration.

Curah Tangis areas: rock climbing at the height of 10 - 30 meter, with a slope of 85%.

Candi Bang, Labuan Merak, Kramat areas: there is cultural tourism.

The best time for visiting: Between March until August, every year.

To reach Baluran: The distance between Banyuwangi - Batangan is 35 km. Batangan to Bekol is 12 km (45 minutes). Baluran also can be reached through Situbondo to Batangan with the distance of 60 km.

Great Tolire Lake

2009-02-25T16:20:00.001-06:00

it is not uncomplete if we visit Ternate, North Mollucas, without taking our opportunity to visit tourism object Tolire Lake. The lake is located around 10 kilometres from Ternate city. Beside its unique shape, the lake also has an interesting legend story.

Tolire lake is under hillside of Mount Gamalama, the highest mountain in North Mollucas. The lake itself consists of two lake. Local people call them Great Tolire lake and Small Tolire lake. The distance between the two is only 200 metres.

Great Tolire lake has an uniqueness. The shape of the lake is looked like a giant tray. It has 50 metre depth and 5 hectare wide. However, there is no one until now trying to measure the lake depth. As the story goes, it has million metres depth and has connection with the sea.

Great Tolire lake is a freshwater lake. There are a lot of various fishes there, but local people
does not dare to catch them or swim in the lake. They believe there are many ghost crocodiles there. Those crocodiles are often visible swimming in the middle of the lake.
They have white color and are 10 metre long.

Not all people can see the crocodiles. According to local people, those who are innocent have opportunity to see those ghost beasts. There is a stroy, long time ago, there was a foreign tourist who did not believe with the ghost. He then went down to take a bath in the lake. Several minutes later, he dissapeared. It was thought the tourist was ate by the crocodiles.

Another uniqueness of the lake is if someone throws something to the lake, it can not touch the lake surface, although he throws it as strong as he can.

Nobody will not believe about it when he never come to the lake before. To try it, we can buy small stones that are sold along the lake bank. It cost Rp. 1000 for five small stones. Then we can try to throws them to the lake. As the story goes, stones thrown to the lake are hindered by magic power generated from the lake bottom. It is the ghost crocodile that has the power to do it.

Local people also believe that at the bottom of Great Tolire lake there are a lot of pay dirt. The owner of those treasures was the people of Ternate Kingdom at the time of Portugis colonial at 15-th centuries. Ternate people at that time threw away their valuable property into the lake, in order not to be robbed by the invader.

So far, there are no institutions or certain organisations which try to do special investigation to ascertain the claim. However, a army staff ever tried to detect the lake bottom using sonar and the tool could detect the existence of metal objects at its bottom. Whether the metals are treasures or not, who knows.

Great Tolire and Small Tolire lakes is believed as a prosperous village in the old time. The village was cursed to become a lake by Universe Power, because there was a father living at that village that impregnated her daughter. When the father and his daughter tried to escape from the village, suddenly the village ground fell and turned into two lakes. Great Tolire lake is believed as the place of father, and Small Tolire lake is trusted as the girl place. Although the story is difficult to be accepted in modern time, the old local people still believe it.

It is not difficult to visit those lakes. It needs at around 10 minutes to reach them from Ternate. We can rent a a car with a fare of Rp. 250.000 a day. Or we can rent a motorcycle with a fare of Rp. 10.000 an hour.

Visiting The Great Tolire lake, there are many tourism objects that can be enjoyed. The panorama beauty of Gamalama peak, the Portugis castles remains, and Sultan (=King) Baabullah mausoleum are also can be visited along the way to the lakes. Sultan Baabullah formerly was an outstanding Islamic king in Ternate.

Besides lakes, tourists can also enjoy the white sand beauty of Sulamadaha beach. The beach is located around 3 kilometres from Great Tolire lake. At the beach, the tourist can rent a boat to go fishing or can go diving to enjoy the beauty of undersea panorama around the coast. It's very attractive, isn't it?

The Beauty of Telaga Warna at Cisarua

2009-02-07T07:42:00.003-06:00

Make a tour at Ciliwung river, why not? It is because various interesting tourism places can be enjoyed there, starting from upper course of the river at Puncak area to its stream body at Bogor, West Java. One of them is a conservation called Lake Telaga Warna means color lake. The conservation is located between tea plantation and dense forest.

At this conservation, tourist will find a natural lake which its surface seems colorful. Its color is sometime green, and sometime mingled with red, brown and gold color. It is a color playing of sunray on lake surface. Up of the lake, there is sloping side with big trees covered as canopy.

Roving through the conservation, we will find another lake. before we arrive there, we will walk along soil path hardened by small stones and pass in the middle of tea plantation and small hills. At the end of hills and plantation, we will arrive at a huge green valley. At this green valley, we will find a small lake called Cisaat Lake. Around the lake, there are some plantation houses.

Telaga Warna lake and Cisaat lake and the area around them are decided by the Indonesian government as a conservation recently, and it is called Telaga Warna Conservation. As the story goes, this tourism place has been well-known since 5 centuries ago. According to a poet lived at the year of Sunda kingdom, Bujangga Manik, the place was called Talaga Warena.

The ticket price of this tourism area is about 10.000 rupiahs for one person. Beside enjoying the natural beauty and tranquality of the area, visitors can also do photography activities, bird-watching, and cycling.

After tired and satisfied with the tour, the visitors can rest at Melrimba Garden. It is a simple restaurant not far from the conservation. We can enjoy traditional Indonesian foods and also buy plant or flower, and learn how to take care of it. The visitors are also free to choose other restaurants such as Rindu Alam, which can be found along Puncak Pass.

Image is taken from: www.pbase.com/archiaston/telaga_warna

Historical Tourism in Sukabumi City

2009-01-27T07:43:00.003-06:00

Sukabumi city has not only beautiful and enchanted natural scenery, but it also has many historical places built since colonial era.

Some of those places is Selabintana, located 7 kilometres from Sukabumi. Visitors would find a hotel which is built by Dutch with the background of Mount Gede Pangrango. The hotel was built at 1900s by Dutchman and now it become an icon for selabintana area.

Tourism area of Lido lake is also developed at Dutch colonial era. It happened when Dutch colonial government built Bogor-Sukabumi highway in 1898. They found Lido lake area suitable as a rest place for engineers of the highway project and plantation owners.

Lido lake is a natural lake located at Cijeruk Valley and Cigombong. If you watch the lake from higher place, Lido lake is like a bowl at the foot of Mount Gede Pangrango. Near the lake, there is a waterfall called curug Cikaweni which flows from it a very cold water.

Lido lake area was opened for public in 1940 after Queen Wilhemina paid a visit rested at Lido. At that time, the first restaurant was officially opened as an added facility of the tourism area and also to serve the Queen.

Different with Lido, Situ Gunung lake is not a natural lake. The stories from local people and data from official of the area, it is known that the lake is an human-made.

As the story goes, in 1800s, the lake was made by a noble of Mataram kingdom Rangga Jagad Syahadana or Mbah Jalun (1770 - 1841). This prominent figure was a fugitive of colonial government, and he finally lived at the area of Banten islamic kingdom (called in Indonesian: Kasultanan), at the foot of Mount Gede Pangrango.

Mbah Jalun was very happy when his wife, originated from Kuningan - Cirebon area, gave him a son, Rangga Jaka Lulunta. His pride, happiness and thankfulness was implemented by creating Situ Gunung.

Situ Gunung lake then was taken over by Dutch and the Dutch was built some infrastructures there in 1850. One of them was a hotel called Hotel Situ Gunung.

Today, in Situ Gunung, there is a comfortable inn which has hot water facility. If you want to go camping, you can bring your tent or you can rent it here with reasonable price.

Historical Trace at Selabintana

2009-01-22T06:36:00.005-06:00

Cool weather and cold air greets you when you step your foot under old rubber tree at Selabintana, sub-province Sukabumi, West Java. Opposite to the rubber tree, there is a sturdy hotel building using Dutch architecture. The panorama will be more beautiful with mount Gede Pangrango as a background.

Tourist is generally interested with terrain carpet shaded by Damar trees and plays the clear water of Cipelang River.

Selabintana actually has been known since colonization era of Dutch. Selabintana, as a place at the foot of Mount Gede Pangrango, initially was found by AAE Lenne (1853-1916), an Dutch entrepreneur. The business instinct of Lenne made him renovate the place as a rest place, which was natural.

At that time, Sukabumi was known as a resort for officers of Dutch plantation company. The Dutch had built central office in Sukabumi to handle many plantations in the area. That is way Lenne altered the resort to become a hotel.

In 1924, AAE Lenne delivered Selabintana Hotel to its child, GE Lenne (1897 - 1976). GE Lenne then chose Los Bakker, a Dutch manager, to manage the hotel. In the hand of Bakker, Selabintana attracted more Dutch tourists to come to.

The Change of Owner
Selabintana hotel was taken ownership from belanda to Japan in 1942-1945. Hotel Selabintana was then managed by Kagura. After Indonesian independence, hotel Selabintana was forgeted.

In 1953, a two star general of Indonesian air force, Wiria Dinata, renovated Selabintana hotel. In 1967, the hotel is open to public.

According to the marketing staff of Hotel Selabintana, Lella Aprilia, since the hotel was open, the management of the hotel also opened a 20 hectares land for golf course. However, the guests became uncomfortable in case they would be struck by golf balls. Finally, the golf cource was shut to ensure the guests' comfort.

Easy Access
Selabintana ia located 7 kilometres northside of Sukabumi city. From the toll booth of Ciawi, Sukabumi city can be reached in three till four hours. However, tourist must be aware of traffic jam at several numbers of places in Sukabumi city and Bogor.

If you want to continue your natural tour at Sukabumi, you can visit has been wanted continue wisata nature in Sukabumi, tourist can visit maisonette Halimun that distance around 5 kilometres up at northwest Selabintana. Maisonette exists Halimun right accross beside National park entrance Gunung Gede pangrango.

Article translated from kompas, printed ed
Source of images: www.panoramio.com, picasaweb.google.com

Hunting Black Orchid at Kersik Luway

2009-01-09T14:52:00.004-06:00

If you travel to East Kalimantan, don't forget to visit preserve Kersik Luway, Sekolaq Darat, West Kutai, East Kalimantan. The Preserve is unique because although its place is at the hill, hinterland area of East kalimantan, you will find white sand carpet as you usually see at the beach.

At the place, every visitor usually love to look for black orchid (coeloegyne pandurata). At the 45 hectare area which formerly had a wide of 5000 hectare and shrink because of fire, you will see various special plants of East Kalimantan hill.

It is actually quite a little hard to reach the growing location of Black Orchid. We should go through sandy farm and must often walk by bending our body in order to pass through the tree roots. However, those will be rewarded after we can find the flower which becomes the icon of West Kutai sub province. Although to reach the location, we do not pass big-diameter trees, the dense of the forest is quite challenging for adventurers.

After going in and out some little forests, we will come to an area which was formerly a palace of Black Orchid before fire. Black Orchid is substantively primadona flower and it can only grow at Kersik Luway. "Many thinks that Black Orchid has a black color, but the truth is the flower has greenish-white color. The black color is just on its pistil," said Toni Imang, The Bureu Chief of Social Department, West Kutai.

The easiest way to go to the Preserve Kersik Luway is by air. You can reach it from Balikpapan or Samarinda, using pioneer flight. After you arrive at Melalan Airport, West Kutai, you can use rental car or motorcycle transport called ojek to go to Kersik Luway. Don't imagine the rent fare is as cheap as at Java. However, although you pay expensive for the local transport, your satisfaction after visiting Kersik Luway can cure it and it become one of your great experience in your life.

The images are taken from:
anakbalikpapan.blog.com
bengkulutengah.blogspot.com

Lake Maninjau, West Sumatra

2008-12-19T13:20:00.003-06:00

Lake Maninjau is one of the most wonderful lake in Indonesia. It is located at West Sumatra. Lake Maninjau has an area of 99.5 km², being approximately 16 km long and 7 km wide. The average depth is 105 m, with a maximum depth of 165 m. There is an old legend in association with the existence of the lake. The legend called Bujang Sembilan told that one of main personage was died by throwing himself to a caldera. The caldera then expanded and the lake emerged.

According history, the Maninjau caldera was formed by a volcanic eruption estimated to have occurred around 52,000 years ago. Deposits from the eruption can be found around Maninjau extending up to 50 km to the east, 75 km to the southeast, and west to the present coastline.

There is a river that connect the lake with sea, that is Antokan river. The river is located on the west side of the lake, and its water flows to the west coast of Sumatra. According to the report, the river is the only natural outlet for a lake to the west coast in Sumatra, comparing with other lakes in the island. Hydroelectric power had been built on the river since 1983, to suppy electricity for west Sumatra.

TOURIST DESTINATION
Maninjau is a notable tourist destination in the region due to its scenic beauty and mild climate. It is also used as a site for paragliding. On the uphill close to the lake, there is a 5 star hotel to lodge in. To reach maninjau, you can rent a car from Bukittinggi, which is located 35 kilometer from the site. Or you can also travel by public transport.

There are so many restaurants at maninjau. However, you must be careful because local cooking is highly seasoned and spiced. This is the specific charasteristic of West Sumatra foods. So you must be clever to choose.

If you want to buy souvenir, you can buy songket, a cloth embroidered with bits of gold or silver thread. Or you can choose any products made of songket, such as sandal, shoes, bag, coin box, etc. Other specific characteristic food that you can buy is kripik singkong pedas, a spiced crispy chip made from cassava.

Besides enjoying the beauty of the scene, you also can enjoy any other receation means there. However, due to the local custom, you are not allowed swimming at the lake using swimming cloth. If you want to do swimming, please do it at many resorts and hotels around the lake. At Maninjau resort, you can visit fitness center and jogging track.

The hotel price at maninjau is not expensive. For standard room, which has private bathroom, you only pay as cheap as 30000 rupiahs. Or bungalow, with the price of 50000 rupiahs. The hotel is very clean, and you can have beer and many choices of food, at very reasonable price. Some hotels are surrounded by rice fields, such as Beach Inn. So if we want to reach them, we have to pass the green-yelowish fields and enjoy its beauty.

Hill around the lake and villages of Maninjau are decorated by forestlike tree gardens before it reaches real forest on the upper hill. You can see there fruit trees such as rambutan, langsat, and durian.

The best-time to visit Maninjau lake is April - September. Because if you come there on September to April, you will get rainy season, where you will rarely see beautiful sunset.

Lakban Beach Festival, Buyat Gulf

2008-11-19T14:54:00.006-06:00

Every end of the year, exactly in November, Ratatotok and Buyat people always waits for the coming of Lakban Beach Festival. Bakudapa meeting of the residence of Ratatotok subdistrict South East Minahasa, held in a full day at Lakban beach.

At the day, thousands of ratatotok people and other regions from Mitra and Bolaang Mongondow regencies are coming to enter for the festival. There are fishing race, sport game, boat parade, decorated pedicab, drumband parade, and a lot of recreative art and entertainment programs.

Visitors are also allowed to go to swim and make a tour at Lakban beach, or climb up Hill of Hope. At the peak of the hill, there is a sign of a cross and star and crescent as a symbol of religious reconciliation. The beauty of both places have been oustanding at North Sulawesi.

All of the games are open for all. For fishing game, the winner is every one who can catch major fishes. the fishes then will be collected, roasted and consumed together. A year ago, the race could catch 2000 fishes from 40 kinds of fishes. The winner made a success of catching rayfish.

"We invite every people to come and enjoy the beauty of the beach and sea of Buyat gulf," said Robert Sasuwuhe, said Robert Sasuwuhe, chief of guardmen VI of East Ratatotok village located at Buyat gulf.

Other games that will be held at the festival are sport game such as volley ball, soccer, areca nut climbing (called in Indonesia: Panjat Pinang), and boat race. At night the people will be entertained by musical party and comedian program from Manado.

"Lakban beach Festival will be started by Fishing race. The festival is held by residence initiative and it is open for all people. Since it is held for the first time at 2004, the participants always increase. The games offered are also added. We also do not forget with entertainments." said Johny Pitol, the commitee chief of the festival of Lakban beach 2008.

The regency government of South-East Minahasa gives full support of the people festival.

We are very glad with the initiative of Ratatotok Buyat Foundation to perform the festival. Because the event will gradually increase the volume of tourism visit in this area," said the chief of Tourism Department of SouthEast Minahasa, Drs. O.W. Tumundo.

Lakban Beach Festival 2008 is carried out by the Ongoing Development of Ratatotok and Buyat Foundation and Government Tourism Department of SouthEast Minahasa, and it is supported by Newmont Minahasa Raya Company.

Lakban Beach Festival will be held at 29 November 2008.

Translated from Kompas

Visiting the Tanjung Papuma beach, East Java

2008-10-26T08:42:00.002-05:00

Indonesia is a country which is rich of tourism places, one of them is Tanjung papuma beach or called Papuma. Not many people know about the beach, but the natural beauty of the beach makes it become one of places worth looking if you are coming to Indonesia.

Papuma beach is located at Sumberejo village, Ambulu subdistrict, Jember regency, East Java. The beach which has white sand is located more or less 37 km southern of Jember city, or more or less 235 km from Surabaya. Papuma has white sand landscape with a circle cape as long as 1,5 km. There is also a forested hill range along the beach, green caused by dense trees. Moreover, tourists can also watch wild animals which often come in and out of the forest.

It is no difficult to reach Papuma beach. we can go by AC bus which has destination Surabaya - Jember. After we arrive Jember city, papuma beach can be reached by a taxi.

Along the way up to papuma, we can see landscape of rice fields and corn belt which can pacify our heart and eyes. When we arrive at the beach gate, the scent of sea will strike our nose. the natural nuance will be felt because there are still not many people visiting here.

Papuma cape beach actually is one of 16 choiced tourism objects promoted by Unit II Perhutani Company, East Java area. The natural beauty of the beach is still genuine, with just a few of concrete buildings. Even, some restaurants built around the beach have very simple construction.

When the clock is near 12.00, the perfect beaty of the beach will appear. Sunshine touches blue water surface, giving similar colour with the blue of the sky. Our eyes will also be spoiled with the contrast colour of the greenish trees standing along the beach. However, the worthest thing you must be found in Papuma is Malikan stone. The stone can sound off specific musical instrument if they are hit by the wave.

Malikan stones are a name of flate reef stones, shell-shaped, which become the bottom of the big reefs. The reefs are not far from the shoreside. --- There are seven big reefes around Papuma beach. Those seven reefes are often called isle by local citizen. Six of seven of those reefes have a name matching with their form. Purportedly, one of the seven islands is dwelt by hundreds of rattlers so there are no persons daring to visit of the island.

The name of those reef islands are Batara Guru, Kresna, Narodo, Nusa Barong, Kajang and Kodok (frog). The form of each islands are different from each other. Kodok (frog) island has a form like giant frog, and Narodo island has a form like the hat of Narada god. The visitors are allowed to visit to the reef islands and sit on the Malikan stone as long as the sea wave is not high.

Besides serving natural beauty and consecution of small islands, Papuma are also dwelt by wild animal, like deer, monkey, long-tailed monkey, yellow monkey, iguana, partridge, etc. The wild animals are intentionally permitted living at the forest at papuma beach. Usually, they will appear at sunset or at sunrise.

Faunas at Mount Gede

2008-09-26T17:08:00.002-05:00

There are 245 kinds of birds at Mount Gede. When Junghuhn climbed Mount Gede Pangrango in 1839, he found two Java rhinoceros near the peak (Kandang Badak). One of them was bathing in a little river and another was browsing at the the river bank. Junghuhn was the first European climbing the mountain. At 150 years ago, there were still the wild ox of Java and deers. In 1929, there were still also leopard (Panthera Pardus) found, and in 1986 their numbers remained 10. However, today their existence are unknown.

The primata animals in the mountain are extinct, but there are still in the National Park the faunas like owa (Hylobates Moloch), Surili (Presbytis Comata Comata) and Lutung Budeng (Trachypithecus auratus auratus). There are still also exticnt animals like leopard (Panthera Pardus Melas), Java porcupine (Hystrix Brachyura Brachyura), deer (Muntiacus muntjak muntjak), and yellow throat civet (Martes Flavigula).

Mount Gede Pangrango National Park is known rich of many kinds of birds. From 450 kinds of birds lived in Java, 251 kinds are exist in the mountain, such as Java eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi) and owl (Otus angelinae).

The Gede Pangrango Mountain National Park is stated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Sanctuary in 1977, and as a Sister Park with Stated Park at Malaysia in 1995.

Tourism Objects at Mount Gede Pangrango

2008-09-24T15:19:00.004-05:00

When you have opportunity to visit The Gunung Gede Pangrango (Gede Pangrangro Mountain), there are some places that are worth for visiting. Some of them are:

1). Telaga Biru (Blue Lake)
This lake has a diameter of 5 hectare. It is located 1,5 kilometre from Cibodas entrance and situated at 1.575 meter dpl. The lake always appears blue if it is hit by sunray, because it is covered by blue algae.

2). Cibeureum waterfall
The waterfall is 50 metre in height, located at around 2,8 kilometres from Cibodas. There is a kind of red moss growing around the lake and it is categorized endemic in the region.

3). Hot water Spring
Located around 5,3 kilometre or two hours from Cibodas.

4). Kandang Batu and Kandang Badak
For camping and observing plants and animals. it is located at height of 2.220 m. dpl. with distance 7,8 km or 3,5 hours from Cibodas.

5). Peak and cauldron of Gunung Gede
We can enjoy beautiful panorama of sunset and sunrise, the clear lowland sight of Cianjur, Sukabumi, and Bogor cities. We can also watch interesting geological activities and see specific plants around cauldron. There are three active cauldrons at the peak which names are Lanang, Ratu and Wadon. The cauldron is at the height of 2.958 m dpl, at the distance of 9,7 km or 5 hours journey from Cibodas.

6). Gunung Putri and Selabintana
Both of them are camping places which have capacity of 100-150 persons.

Gunung Gede Pangrango

2008-09-17T08:58:00.003-05:00

The Gunung Gede Pangrango national park is one of the five national parks in Indonesia. It was announced first time by Indonesian government during 1980. The nature situation in Gunung Gede is typical and unique, making the National Park of Gunung Gede-Pangrango become one of interesting nature laboratories that draw researchers' interest since long before.

The first person who climbed Mt. Gede was C.G.C. Reinwardt during 1819, followed by F.W. Junghuhn (1839-1861), J.E. Teysmann (1839), A.R. Wallace (1861), S.H. Koorders (1890), M. Treub (1891), W.M. van Leeuen (1911) and C.G.G.J. van Steenis (1920-1952). Van Steenis made his plants collection as the foundation of his compilation titled “THE MOUNTAIN FLORA OF JAVA”, published in 1972.

The Gunung Gede Pangrango national park has the diversity of ecosystem, consist of the ecosystem of sub-Montana, Montana, sub-alpin, the lake, swamp, and savannah.

The sub-Montana ecosystem is characterised by the number of big and tall trees as jamuju (Dacrycarpus imbricatus) and the flora (Schima walliichii). Whereas sub-alphin ecosystem is characterised by the existence of plateau overgrown by isachne pangerangensis grass, eidelweis flower (Anaphalis javanica), violet (the Viola pilosa), and cantigi (Vaccinium varingiaefolium).

The Gede-Pangrango mountain is the most-often mountain climbed in Indonesia, which is approximately 50,000 climbers a year. Perhaps it is because of its location that is adjacent to two cities in Indonesia, Jakarta and Bandung.

To conserve the environment of the mountain, every year in August and in December to March, Gunung Gede Pangrango is closed for the public. Besides that, several climb routes are made. One of them, the most popular one, is the route through Cibodas.

The panorama at Gunung Gede (Gede mountain) and Pangrango is extraordinary beautiful and amazing. We can visit some of them such as: - the Biru Lake, - the Cibeureum Waterfall, - Hot Water Spring, - Surya Kencana - and still many others places like Situ Gunung and Bedogol.

Weather Condition
The Gunung Gede Pangrango has the most rainfall than any other places in Jawa, which has rate 3000 to 4200 mm a year. Therefore the best time for climbing is June and July, where at that time the rainfall descends below 100 mm. The temperature is generally varied. In Cibodas the temperature is 18 C, whereas at the peak and Pangrango, the temperature is 10 C. The temperature can reach below 5 C at night. So it is suggested for climber to bring thick jacket. Besides, they must be careful because trees are easy to fall..

if you are interested in climbing the mountain, you have to prepare your physical condition so that you can enjoy fully the beautiful panorama there. The more you are climbing, the more you will find different plants and environment.

Watching The Black at a South Slope of Garuda Peak

2008-08-20T16:36:00.005-05:00

Bird observation sometime can become a quite pleasant tourism. Moreover, when the bird we are going to observe is rare and an endemic in the area. Without spending much money, we can enjoy this natural tour by visiting a small countryside at the south slope of mount Merapi, named Kinahrejo, Sleman sub-province, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The bird which becomes observation object is Javanese Eagle (Spizaetus Bartelzi).

Java eagle is a bird that inspire Indonesian official symbol. The eagle lives on one of Merapi peaks, called Garuda peak. There are only four Java eagles living on the peak. (Kutilang Indonesia, 1999).

Below is a story narrated by Kristianto Muladi, a student of forestry faculty, Gadjah Mada University. He is also a member of Kutilang Indonesia's Birdwatching Club:

Today watching bird is not only the activities of biologists. Above all, Java eagle has other attractive power. Perceiving this rare bird becomes a pride to all bird watcher.

We left Jogja city at seven p.m and we went directly to base camp in the countryside Kinahrejo. The air was very cold like ice. After we reached Kinahrejo, which located at the foot of Merapi, we lodged in the base camp. While we waited the morning coming, some of us were sleeping, and the others were talking about each other. The discussion sometimes came to a serious matter such as the government plan to make this area as Merapi Mount National Park

“The term of national park is just government’s statement. Fo all of us who live here, we feel it no difference,” said Mr. Udi, a Kinahrejo local people.

Searching for the Eagle

At six o’clock in the morning, we left the base camp. We walked through a footpath which went towards Pinus forest. Java hawk is usually appeared at the forest area looking for food. The bird that stated by the government in 1993 as a National Bird usually eats partridge, bat, fox, squirrel, mouse and even monkey child.

Although we had not yet seen the eagle as far as we were walking, we were happy enough because we along the path, we heard the voices of Kepodang bird (Oriolus Chinensis), Sepah Hutan (Pericrocotus flammeus), Kutilang (Pygnonotus Aurigaster), dan Tekukur (Streptopelia Chinensis).

We also enjoyed the warbles of Kacamata Gunung birds (Zosterops Montanus), Kacamata Biasa birds (Zosterops palbebrosus), kerak kerbau birds (Acridotheres javanicus), Sikatan Bodoh birds (Ficedula Hyperythra), Bentet birds (Lanius schach) dan Betet birds (Psitacula Alexandri). Their beautiful song forced us to halt and rest for a while. This joy makes us not tired in our long journey.

After two hours walk, suddenly we saw above us a black hawk (Ictinaetus malayensis) soaring over the sky. Its wing spread out with its ends like a finger. The big eagle often eats walet bird and other birds. Mackinnon (1995) noted that this bird likes eating other bird eggs.

The black eagle continued flying until it disappeared at the back of the hill in front of us. We also continued to climb the hill. The grass on the footpath we passed began rather thick when we arrived to the area where person rarely went there. Valleys at left and right of us, although steep, are thick with grass for resident livestock.

Suddenly there was a bird flying quickly, rotating and then alighting on a dry tree at hill on our left side. Immediately we directed all of our binoculars to the bird.

“Cauldron Hawk, man!” shouted Sidik loudly.

Its body seems strong, its underside has dull white color with black stripes at its chest. Soft lines adorns its stomach, thigh, and tail. The eagle’s upper body is dark and its cheek is chromatic black. Cauldron Hawk (Falco peregrinus) is known as quickest bird in the world. Its family which is life in North Asia often immigrates to big Sunda area (Sumatera, Java, Bali and Kalimantan, including Sabah, Serawak and Brunei Darussalam) at winter, during the month of October till February.

We had not yet satisfied in perceiving the eagle that its name is used as the name of one of American warplanes i.e F16 when suddenly flying above us an eagle with black-brown color adorns its upper body. She flew gracefully and silently, and then alighted at a branch of Dadap tree (Erythrina Variegata). I proudly said to all loudly, “Our fellow, we present here in front of you … Our Eagle, our country’s national symbol.” Actually it was Java Eagle, the bird we awaited its coming. Unfortunately, no one was interested with my joke. All of them likely impressed with the gallantry of the eagle.

Exhibiting its excellence, Java eagle erected its black crest, with white color on its end. Its head was deep brown, with dark crown, streaky at the end of its young brown feather. Its color nape was like gold when it hit by sunshine. Its eye looks sharp observing surrounding area. From its throat until stomach had white-brown color. Its throat till chest aslo adorns with bold oval spots and there was deep brown horizontal lines on its stomach. The eagle which is only existed in Java Indonesia reaching its period of adult in 5 to 6 years. And she has just one baby bird in every period.

Java eagle is like us. She depends mainly on natural forest. She needs forest area of 12 -30 km2s to get food and breed, whereas we need forest to absorb rain water in order not to become flood. The amount of Java Eagle is now predicted remain pairs of 141 till 204 (Van Ballen dkk,1999 in Resit Zozer dkk, 1999).

The dearth of Java eagle should become a warning for us to be more care of forest existence in Java island. Taking care of Java eagle existence in its habitat is similar with our effort to prevent us from disaster.

The density of Tongke-Tongke Mangrove

2008-07-16T14:41:00.004-05:00

Perhaps not many areas in our place we could enjoy the beauty of the coast, hearing birds hirrup, seeing the bat fly, or observing the crab behaviour under the thickness of mangrove. We convince the village of Tongke-Tongke in the subdistrict of Sinjai Utara, South Sulawesi, has the atmosphere like that.

Early last January, the party of the reporter who is facilitated by Agency of Information Study and the mass media visited the region. There we saw how beautiful the scenery in this territory.

In the morning, when the dawn breaks, the tinge of orange colour in the horizon covers the mangrove forest planting by the Tongke-Tongke local residents. Likewise in the afternoon, when the sun is down.

The clear sunlight ray appears beautiful penetrate the stick mangrove. From the wooden road which passes the middle of the thick mangrove forest, the appearance of sunlight ray becomes very beautiful. Birds warbling in the morning makes the atmosphere become very peaceful. In the distance, apparently also the bats hang down at the buds of mangrove.

Walking on the wooden road in the middle of the forest mangrove, from time to time we examined the crabs going in and out of the muddy land. And when the afternoon came, we did not feel the hot of sunray because of the sway of coastal wind and the thickness of mangrove.

At the end of the wooden road, we will see coastal scenery with forest mangrove spreading almost as long as the coast. it is fascinating then to see the calmness of sea water and the fisherman's ship which one by one leave the coast towards the sea.

Several of us were unsatisfied just enjoying mangrove from the end of the wood footbridge. They want to saw it from the distance on sea. Of course this was not a difficult thing. The fisherman and local residents prepared the small boat to be used for travelling to the sea. Of course, don't forget to give them money for buying diesel fuel. In fact, it is far more beautiful seeing mangrove from the sea in the middle of the boat machine sound.

The Mangrove tour became more complete because we accompanied with several public figures
and the elder of Tongke-Tongke village. They enthusiastically explained about their beautiful area and about the mangrove itself.

"it began with the community's concern when the abrasion threatened our village in the 1980's. At that time, every wave season, the village mainland gradually was eroded by the wave. Various methods were carried out by the community to keep the wave including making defence fortress from the coral stone. In fact, coral was not strong enough to keep the wave raging," said Mustafa (63), one of the public figures of Tongke-Tongke.

Preventing Flood
The high tide flood was a clear threath when the west season. It could not be counted how many fisherman's boats broken because of the wave blow. Then on the resident's agreement, during 1984 planting mangrove was stimulated. Briefly, after planting mangrove, the residents was avoided from all the disasters resulting from the high tide or the wave blow.

"Realizing that mangrove can prevent their homes from the wave, the resident finally continued to plant mangrove as many as possible. Later, they built the small passage in order their boat be able to tether close to their settlement. So not only their homes that are protected, but also their boats," explained Thayyeb.

At this time, forest mangrove has almost covered the coast in their village and the width has reached 45 hectare. In order to be able to enjoy the forest mangrove, they made footpath from the wood in the middle of the forest mangrove. The length of it is around 1 kilometre counted from the coastal lip. Officially, Government Tourism Agency added it by making wooden post at the end of the wood alley. The agency also built another wood footbridge. But unfortunately, this wood house at this time has already destroyed because of its poor construction.

At this time Tongke-Tongke becomes the centre of the research mangrove in South Sulawesi. In the middle of the destruction threat of the South Sulawesi coastal territory resulting from the reduction mangrove from the year to the year, Tongke-Tongke and surrounding area continues to develop this plants as the guard of their coast. This regency at this time also has become the main example of the prospective mangrove in South Sulawesi.

Depok Beach, Beautiful Beach In Jogja

2008-07-11T14:01:00.011-05:00

When we are entering Depok beach in Bantul province, we are really impressed by its cleanliness. There are no garbages scatter around on the shore. We are more impressed when we drink a glass of young coconut water. Its price is cheap. We just pays Rp. 2000,- a glass, comparing what we have got at other beaches in Bantul.

Cleanliness and cheap price is a brand image built by local people who is responsible to manage Depok beach. The building of brand image is agreed by young men group managing parking lot, sellers, and restaurant owners.

Cheap image is also felt by visitors. Parking tariff for motocycle is just Rp. 2000, and car is Rp. 4000. It is very different with parking tariff at Parangtritis beach which Rp. 3000 for motocylce and Rp. 10000 for cars. The price of restaurants are also normal.

Moreover, local people also prohibits street musician and beggar to step into Depok coast location. "We try to learn from other place. The existence of Street musician and beggar make tourists can not enjoy themselves. Unfortunatelly, they even force tourist to give them money," said Minah, one of restaurantr owner at Depok beach.

Depok beach serves a very beautiful panorama. The rolling of the wave seems unite with fishermen activities. There are around 30 active fishermans go out to sea. The existence of Fisherman makes this area have quite a lot of fishes supplies.

Not far from the coast, there is Fish Auction Building (In Indonesian: TPI = tempat pelelangan ikan) reserved for the activities of local fisherman business. usually, fish merchants buys fishes here and then sell them to the fish market not far from the auction building.

The abundant of fish supplies makes Depok beach crowded with food stalls and restaurants. So not only its beautiful beach, but also food that make Depok beach peculiar. You can taste freely all type of sea food such as prawn, crab, cokle and many kinds of fishes

Uniquely, many food stalls here just offer fish cooking service. The cookery materials can be bought at fish market or directly from fisherman. Fisherman at Depok beach also actively sell their capture directly from their boats. After you get your choice fishes, you can bring them to the food stalls to cook. Its fare depends on the kinds of cookery you choose. For example, the fare for frying is Rp. 5000 / kg.

PROP AREA

The government of Bantul sub-province intentionally designs Depok coast as a tourism object. "Depok will become the prop area of Parangtritis beach. Visitors in Parangtritis are expected halting to at Depok, especially when they want to eat. To facilitate transportation, we will immediately deliver connective transportation for both areas." said the head of Bantul Tourism Bureau, Suyoto.

Although Depok beach is just positioned as a prop area, its development is more incredible. Many tourism buses prefer halting at Depok to Parangtritis. So it is not exaggarated if Depok beach is the strong competitor of Parangtritis.

The location of Depok beach is not far from Parangtritis and is easy to reach by tourist. When visitors arrive at Parangtritis ticketing locket, they just turn their vehicle at right. It needs approximately half an hour to reach it if you leave from Jogja. So why do you not try to go there?
(Eny- Kompas)

The Beauty of Tomini Gulf at Parigi Moutong

2008-06-26T06:52:00.003-05:00

Tomini gulf is one of the most beautiful and worth-looking natural resources at Central Sulawesi. It is one of the widest gulf in Indonesia. The gulf is rich of fishes, islands with white sands, and seabads with beautiful coral reefs. Even if we do not have a time visiting those islands, their beauty is still able to enjoy along seabeach.

Tomini gulf spreads out at 13 sub-provinces of 3 provinces i.e., Central Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and North Sulawesi.

Parigi Moutong location is 82 kilometer from east of Palu and has the longest coastal area of Tomini gulf compared with other 13 sub-provinces. Based on data from Parigi Moutong government, its coastal area spreads about 472 kilometer along Tomini gulf coastline. Its territorial water is around 3.483,36 kilometer square including 13 little islands.

It is not difficult to go to Parigi from the capital of Central Sulawesi, Palu. There are many public transportation going there, using non AC or with AC. Parigi city can be reached from Palu at about 2 horus. The journey from palu to parigi is not tiresome as we will pass plateau which is known as Kebun Kopi (=Cofee Garden). The scenery is beautiful and the air is cool and tender.

If you want to enjoy the more impressive trip, your Palu - Parigi journey can be continued to Gorontalo province. Along the way from Gorontalo to Parigi, we will pass Tomini gulf coast. Of course, we will enjoy the beauty of coastal scenery and villages along the road we pass through.

What a Beautiful!
Actually almost parts of parigi Mountong is in the Tomini gulf coast. That is why the beauty of Tomini gulf can be enjoyed almost at all areas or villages of Parigi Mountong, the widest sub-province in Central Sulawesi.

Arriving there, we start our journey from Sausau and Torue districts which borders on Poso sub-province. At Sausu, Matakosa village, we can enjoy Tumpapa beach with its white sand. We also can see traditional fishery proccessing and, more interesting, is the place where Maleo bird is breeding. Maleo bird is one of rare bird and endemic to some places in Central Sulawesi.

Meanwhile in Torue, the trip to enjoy the beauty of Tomini gulf will be different because we will pass the settlement of the Balinese community. As in Bali, in Toure and Sausu, the coloured and carved temples are the typical characteristics of each resident's houses. When public holidays or when there are religious ceremonies at Bali, the same ceremonies are also spread out by the local community. Almost every time we will be encountered by residents who use typical Balinese clothes. Of course this situation will make us feel like in Bali.

From Torue, we can continue our trip to South Parigi. In this subdistrict, we could enjoy the Tomini gulf by different way. There is a cape called Makakata cape at South Parigi, which has 2 square kilometer in width. The journey to the cape can be reached at around 15 minutes by motorboat.

The Makakata cape sticks out in the middle of sea, close to the Lindu Lake. From the Makakata cape, we could see the mountain across. Moreover also could enjoy white sand, swimming, fishing, surfing, and various other water activities.

There is still other worth-visiting place in parigi where we can enjoy the beauty of Tomini gulf. At about 60 kilometre from Parigi city, Tomoli village, Toribulu subdistrict, there is an island called Kelelawar (=Bat) island. The island is flanked by two capes of mangrove forest forming like a gate. The Kelelawar island is a breeding place of bat species. The uniqueness of the bat in this island is on their color, i.e., yellow, brown and black.

One place we should not miss it is equatorial village in the South Tinombo sub-district. "I think many persons do not know that equator pillar is not only at Pontianak. We also have it here." said Moechtar (37), a Parigi villager.

After we pass all the way, we will arrive at the end of parigi mountong sub-provinces, border with Gorontalo province. At about 271 kilometre north of Parigi, there is a Moutong sub-district. The district is an old city. We will find many historical buildings of Moutong palace.

There are two beautiful places at Moutong, i.e., Moian beach and Lalayo island. The Moian island is wide enough with its white sand and the location of salt production, as well as the span of local villager fish-ponds. When the sun set, the Santigi Cape that stretches at the background of Moian coast gives us other beautiful scenery.

Don't worry about foods and accomodation. Along the road, there are many restaurants that offer heterogenous food. Fresh fishes is the most food offered. At some beaches, we also can buy fishes from the fisherman and directly cook them while we are enjoying the scenery of the beach.

The Bupati (=the local government head of a sub-province in Indonesia) of parigi Moutong, Longki Djanggola, said that nature potent of his district will be managed as tourism objects so it can increase local government income, as well as local residents's.

"We will develop tourist management in coordiantion with local people. So people will feel directly their benefit. The government will just give the facilities to develop tourism assets in each district in this sub-province," said Longki.
(Reny Sri Ayu Taslim - Kompas)

Coal Footprint A Century Ago

2008-06-20T14:27:00.001-05:00

Coal in Sawahlunto city is a story aged more than a century. At the city which has a distance of 95 km from Padang city, West Sumatera, a scratch of life story about coal mining is still kept well.

When we step our foot at the center of Sawahlunto city, a trace of old life are scattered at house building, market, and other buildings with Dutch architecture. The center of the city is located in a deep valley so that it is often called "skillet city". If we stand at the upper end of the valley at night, we can see the glowing of lamps from residences at the city. People residences locates around the slope which becomes "the city wall".

The glory of coal city, which contains millions tonnes of coal reserve, frozen at some big old buildings. They are ration building, industrial chimney of coal processing, societet building, railyway station which was the best transportation at that time. However, many remains are obselete, such as Dutch lighthouse.

Some old building have changed their functions. Ration building does not use as a big kitchen as in the old days, the big cooking place to supply food for thousands of coolies and chain person. Chain person was a term for criminal and politic prisoner who were employed as a coal laborer at Dutch era.

Today ration building is used as a museum and is given a name "Goedang Ransoem". At the museum, the history of the old days is still kept well.

"There were hundreds of laborer working in the kitchen. Most of them were children. They were given an easy work as peeling off onion, slicing vegetables, and preparing spices," said Cheris, a chief of team that responsible to take care of historical remains at Sawahlunto city.

"Most of cooking tools kept in the museum comes from local ihabitants live around here. But others are just replica because we did not find the original ones," explained Sri Sedyawati, anthropologist from Andalas University who pioneered the construction of the museum.

Some of cooking tools kept in the museum are giant skillet and frying pan and old compressor. When we look at these tools we can imagine what had happened here in Dutch periode from 1892 to 1942. The Dutch era ended at 1942 when japanese invaded Indonesia.

At that time, cooking did not use wood, gas, or oil, but using steam. The steam was produced by a 1894-germany giant stove. Then the steam were channeled through giant pipes to the kitchen. Coal was also used, but just a small part of it.

After the food was ready, it was delivered to all mining holes scattered in the city. And to safe the time, the coolies ate their food in their holes themselves.

"Most of coolies almost never see the sun because they spent most of their time in the hole," said Erwiza Erman, a historian from LIPI who has spent his time yearly to investigate the activities in sawahlunto coal mining at the year of 1892 to 1996.

We are willing to go into one of the holes in order that we can imagine how is the feeling working hundreds meter deep from surface. Moreover, there is still active mining hole at Parambahan village. But our hope vanishes.

"We apologize that we forbid women enter the hole. This is regulation." said Syafril, a mining businessman.

HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE TOWN
Fortunately there is a mining hole at the centre of the town repaired by government used as tourist object. So my hope to see the environment in the hole can be answered.

The hole located in ex-residence of laborer is called Mbah Suro hole, a name which remind us a Java accent. Local people actually knew about the hole, but they never thought about it. Especially when Dutch closed it in 1927.

"The hole was opened by the government in July 2007. The hole was full of water and it needed two month to deal it." said Wilizon (51), a hole keeper.

When it was opened, some of petrified human skeletons were found. "there was a cruel story in the hole. Killings between coolies was a usual story at that day," said Erwiza who often travels from sawahlunto to Jakarta or vice versa.

The killings happened because quarrel about food, coal, or homosexual friends. The maskulin mining world made coolies become homosexual. Almost there are no women in the coal mining, even today. If there are women, they does not enter the hole. They work far outside it.

When we enter the mining hole at the centre of Sawahlunto, we will feel the life of the mining that ever labored thousands of people at a time. Lanes with 1,5 m width and 3 m height have black walls. At that walls, people would find coal. Coal became black gold for Dutch colonial government a that time and becomes one of local peole incomes today.

Although oxigen has been pumped to the hole, we are still hard to breath. Imagine what coolies felt hundred years ago. While coolies were having their difficult time, colonial officers held parties at Societet building, which is now to be The Cultural Information Center of Sawahlunto city. When colonial officers were dancing and drinking at Societet, coolies spent their time playing cards or watching Ronggeng dance.
(Agnes Rita Sulistyawati - Kompas)

Beautyforest Privacy Statement

2008-06-20T14:17:00.000-05:00

What follows is the Privacy Statement for all beautyforest websites (a.k.a. blogs) including all the websites run under the beautyforest domain.

Please read this statement regarding our blogs. If you have questions please ask us via our contact form.

Email Addresses

You may choose to add your email address to our contact list via the forms on our websites. We agree that we will never share you email with any third party and that we will remove your email at your request. We don’t currently send advertising via email, but in the future our email may contain advertisements and we may send dedicated email messages from our advertisers without revealing your email addresses to them. If you have any problem removing your email address please contact us via our contact form.

Ownership of Information

Beautyforest is the sole owner of any information collected on our websites.

Comments/Message Boards
Most beautyforest websites contain comment sections (a.k.a. message boards). We do not actively monitor these comments and the information on them is for entertainment purposes only. If we are alerted to something we deem inappropriate in any way, we may delete it at our discretion. We use email validation on most of our message boards in order to reduce “comment spam.” These email addresses will not be shared with any third party.

Cookies

Currently we assign cookies to our readers in order to save their preferences. This data is not shared with any third party. Accessing our websites is not dependent on accepting cookies and all major browsers allow you to disable cookies if you wish.

Third Party Cookies

Many of our advertisers use cookies in order to determine the number of times you have seen an advertisement. This is done to limit the number times you are shown the same advertisement. Beautyforest does not have access to this data.

Traffic Reports

Our industry-standard traffic reporting records IP addresses, Internet service provider information, referrer strings, browser types and the date and time pages are loaded. We use this information in the aggregate only to provide traffic statistics to advertisers and to figure out which features and editorials are most popular.

Legal proceedings

We will make every effort to preserve user privacy but beautyforest may need to disclose information when required by law.

Business Transitions

If beautyforest is acquired by or merges with another firm, the assets of our websites, including personal information, will likely be transferred to the new firm.

Links

Beautyforest websites frequently link to other websites. We are not responsible for the content or business practices of these websites. When you leave our websites we encourage you to read the destination site’s privacy policy. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by beautyforest.

Notification of Changes

When beautyforest makes changes to this privacy policy we will post those changes here.

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding our privacy policy, please contact us.

Ulin Giant Tree at Kutai National Park

2008-06-14T08:58:00.002-05:00

Kutai National Park (TNK) located in Kalimantan Timur province and has its wide of 198.000 Ha. In the park, there is a giant Ulin tree which is predicted having an age of 1000 years. The tree is still alive and there is a special way to go there. The existence of the tree will easier for visitors so that they do not have to go hundred kilometers to Mahakam remote area to see the “steel tree”.

It is reported from Sanggata that the location of the tree is around half way of Bontang - Sanggata province street. The street has 60 km long, splitting the national park.

It is very easy to find the way to the giant tree. The path directed to the tree is exactly beside security post of National Park. “it is our effort to cure the environment, as well as to develop tourism. That is why we provide with a path and bridge to go to the old giant tree,” said one of the staff of TNK post.

To arrive at the tree, visitor has to pass the longest ulin bridge in the world which go as far as 1 km -or two kilometres for vise-versa--. The bridge is built in the middle of that conservation area.

Walking through the bridge which has 1 meter width, the visitors can see wet rain jungle at lowland area, valley and hill and also will pass a small river. There is also a bridge at the river which is also made from ulin tree, protected by steel cable as long as 20 meter across the river.

After walking at about 30 minute then we will see one giant ulin tree trunk which has diameter around six times adult hugs. From tree diameter, it is predicted that the age of the tree is 1.000 year.

The environment in the forest is still fresh and natural. if you are lucky, you also can see Orang Utan (Pongo Pygmaues) that still live wildly in its origin habitat. Or, you can just hear their sound. It is prohibited for the visitors to go away from the ulin bridge or they can lost their way in the midle of the jungle.

"Besides local tourist, there is also foreign tourist that pay a visit to this area. There are still limited visitors going here. We intentionally do not promote this area openly because we are more focus to environment management," said the officer in charge.

For example at dry season, the visitors can not allow to smoke in the midle of the forest in case their cigarette can cause fire.

TNK is a conservation area that mentioned as a last fortress of lowland wet tropical forest East Kalimantan.

Other uniqueness of the area is that there are still many rare animals living here such as Orang Utan, bull, pounces deer (a heaviest deer in Indonesia which it weight can reach two kuintals), mousedeer and uwa-uwa. The area is also known as a widest location of damar tree, so that it is often mentioned as a garden of damar tree.

image taken from: http://www.pbase.com
more photographs can be found at that website

Source: Media Indonesia Online

gunung kidul Dolin Lake; Oase in the middle of Dryness

2008-06-13T16:29:00.001-05:00

Stiflingly hot feeling because of sunshine in the dry season vanished when we arrived the original cold of lakes in Gunung Kidul districts. The domination of Karst mountains causes Gunung Kidul regency have many dolin lakes. Some of the lakes do not have springs. They just receive absorbing water from karst mountains and rain water and never dry in the dry season.

The existence of the lakes is easily detected by looking at environment scattered at Karst mountains. Around Karst mountains, we will easily find small or large lakes. However, most of the lakes have been built by wall, trivialisation, and without trees. The sitution makes the lakes loose their beauty.

One of the lakes that still has this beauty, with the water that never dry, is Towet lake in Girisekar village, Panggang subdsitrict. By walking stone path as long as 500 m, from the main province street which connects subdistricts Saptosari and Panggang, we can enjoy coolness in the middle of dryness which is now entering the country.

In some distance, we faintly will hear laughter of village girls and children when we descend the path to the lake. The air coolness will touch us when we arrive below the huge Bulu tree which its thick leaves and big gnarlet. Whereas, the clock is at 13.00. the hot sunshine seems to be swallowed by the shadows of old trees which stands accross the lake bank.

The greenish water lake seems reflecting the sunshine. Some children plays in the water while they are watered their cows. Whereas their mothers is fascinately washing clothes and taking a bath with a dress still in their body. Some boys appear fishing using tree branches.

Laughter of village people and sound of water flowing in a small stream intones dance of peace. It is not astonishing why people feel like home, sitting around the lake and doing their activities hourly. I also feel peace and cool although I did nothing except sitting, forgeting my thirsty because of long journey.

The Towet lake will become a main source of water for washing and showering by people of K saptosari and Panggang subdsitricts. because in July, many lakes in Gunung Kidul will lost their water.

A villager from Girisekar, Wiryo Wijoyo (85) said that Towet lake never dries. All people realize they have to take care of the lake. They always keep cleaning it and the environment around it at least 4 times a month. The various trees standing on its banks are kept in order that they still can catch rain water.

Not far from Towet lake, we can visit Pakem lake which also locates in Girisekar. It also never dries in the summer. There are still some lakes that never dry in the summer such as Luwenglor lake in Girimulyo village and Sumurwuni lake in Giriwungu village. At certain times, the visitors can do mass fishing when fishes in the lake are ready to catch, by paying for each person Rp. 25.000 (2,5$)

According to survey held by Gadjah Mada University, there are 282 lakes throughout Gunung Kidul district. 217 of them dry in the summer. The dried lakes happens mostly because of the trees around it are vanished, or the bottom of the lakes get trivialisation. That is why they can not afford of preventing from evaporation caused by strong sunshine.

When you visit Gunung Kidul and you feel hot, you can visit for a while these origin lakes. Without paying anything, you can feel coolness and peacefulness of the lake that enable to cure your unhappy feeling. We also can enjoy the happiness of daily life of villagers that still can laugh at in the front of prolong dry season.
(mawar kusuma, kompas)