Indonesia Travel Guide

Prambanan Temple or sometimes called as Roro Jonggrang temple is recognized as one of the most beautiful Hindu temples in the world. UNESCO has included it as one of the world’s heritages in 1991. Prambanan Temple is the biggest Hindu temple in Indonesia, even in Southeast Asia. The temple is not only famous with its magnificent building, but also with its historical story as well as the legend behinds it.

There is a popular legend among Javanese people that relates to the built of Prambanan Temple. Most Javanese people believe that Prambanan Temple was built because of the power of Bandung Bondowoso. Based on the legend, there was a very beautiful young princess, named Rara Jonggrang. She was the daughter of King Boko. Bandung Bondowoso wanted to marry her. Roro Jonggrang would agree to marry him with one condition. It is said that Bandung
Bondowoso had to build thousand statues in one night. Bandung Bondowoso accepted this condition. When he finished his 999th statue, Roro Jonggrang played a trick on him, so he couldn’t finish all the statues. Then he became angry and cursed Roro Jonggrang to be the last statue. Many people believed that the statue of a lady, who is placed in the temple, is the statue of Roro Jonggrang. That is why the temple is also called as Roro Jonggrang temple.

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Indonesia is a country with the biggest population of moslem in the world. The religion has existed in this country since hundreds years ago. So, there are many heritages of Islamic culture we can find in this country. One of them is the Great Mosque of Demak (Masjid Agung Demak). It is one of the oldest mosques located in Demak City, Central Java. The mosque is very popular with its great architecture as well as the history. Inside The Great Mosque of Demak, there are some facilities to support it. There are museum, clinic, center of Islamic education, and library. There is also kings’ graveyard inside the mosque area. Some kings’re buried in the graveyard are Raden Patah
(Soultan Demak I) and Soultan Trenggono (Soultan Demak III).

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Bali is not the only place where people are laying down at the beaches and get beautiful sunset and sunrise scenes. Indonesia has thousands of islands which all are surrounded by beautiful beaches, including the area of Central Java that is destined to own Karimunjawa Islands. The ’Islands’ may have inspired you that Karimunjawa is there in the middle of the sea, the Java Sea exactly, and thus it sounds heaven for those beach lovers. If you would like to explore further what this place can actually give to you, just read on and share your comments later on.

Karimunjawa is actually located in Jepara regency. This is the destination with an island-chain with 27 islands linking in the territory. Only five islands that are populated by local traditional fishermen in which it gives you real description how you can feel the quiet and peaceful surrounding for your perfect hideout.

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Central Java Brings You the Real Java

When it comes to a topic of taking a trip to Central Java, one of Indonesia’s busiest provinces, we would find what people called as the hospitality of Indonesia. Here is the right site when the local culture truly inspirits its population, while at the same time the globalization and modernity launch a very hard attack. People would smile by the time you greet them at the street, market, schools, wherever anytime, for being friendly is started from Javanese’s early age.

Frankly, you will be brought to a place where the ancient spirituality remains alive, but is perpetuated in an overcast way. Modernity appears here, even it emerges as the most important element to let the inhabitants survive, but what the ancestors built will not be easy to yank out. Those unique reasons shouldn’t be sufficient enough to encourage you spend holidays there of course as you have to read on this article and find out what destinations you should go to see the real Java.

Central Java is located exactly in the middle of Java Island with Semarang as its capital. It has West Java Province in the western, and East Java Province in the eastern part. You will not only see all the city’s attractive destinations, but also get the impression, knowledge, and mostly important, experiencing a meaningful trip.

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Now we’ll finally begin Paradise Getaway in Kangean Islands, islands that located in Far East Java and can be reached from Madura. Consists of more than 40 small islands, Kangean gives us breathtaking under sea scenery that is rarely found around Java. If you have visited Karimunjawa and assume that it’s the most beautiful place in Java then you should visit Kangean and witness for yourself that what you’ll see in Kangean is definitely more amazing. It gives you perfect beaches with white sands and thousands of unique species.

Kangean is located in strategic position which is between Bali and Sulawesi, it makes Kangean is rich of unique sea species and various coral reefs spread in almost every spot. From my several journeys to Kangean in the last one year, I’ll share you some perfect spots to enjoy under sea scenes. Wisely, you should start from Pajenassem Harbor, located in Kayu Aru which is an east region in Kangean Island. Most of the spots are near islands so you can just go to the beach after you do snorkeling and diving. Just for information, since it’s untouched with tourism activity, you have to bring your own snorkeling and diving gear such as mask, snorkel, fin, BCD and other diving equipment. But for the lifejackets, you can borrow it from private high school in Kangean and you just pay for $1 for each. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Hotels In Donggala

Angin Mamiri Motel
Trans Sulawesi Street 13
Phone: (0450) 21605

Rame Wisma
Petololo Street 97
Phone: (0457) 71532
Sederhana Motel
Trans Sulawesi Street 66
Phone: (0450) 21090

Hotels in Palu

Wisata
S. Parman Street 39
Phone: (0451)421175

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The road from Makassar or Ujung Pandand to Toraja runs along the coast for about 310 km’s and then hits the mountains. After the entrance to Tana Toraja you enter a majestic landscape with giant gray, granites and stones and blue mountains at a distance after passing the market village of Mebali. They form a sharp contrast with the lively green of the fertile, rain-fed terraces and the rusty read of the tropical laterite soil. This is Tana Toraja, one of the most splendid areas in Indonesia.

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Aceh is a special territory of Indonesia , this position is the same with Jakarta and Yogyakarta. Aceh was located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Aceh’s full name is Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city of Aceh. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Java Island

Java is most is the most densely populated island of Indonesia, situated between Sumatra and Bali. Popular tourist destinations include the city of Yogyakarta, a massive pyramid-like monument known as Borobudur, and Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple in Java. The island is divided into six provinces: DKI Jakarta (Indonesia Capital City), Banten, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, and DI Yogyakarta.

Penari Jaipong

The Verdant Land of Parahiangan

West JAva surrounds Jakarta on three sides. It is a region of sandy beaches and lush, breathtaking landscape. Around 70 KM form Jakarta is Bogor, a pleasant and cool town famous for its Botanical Garden built in 1817. The garden cover an area of 87 hectares and shelters 15.000 species of rare trees, such as a carrion-smelling, stemless and leafless plant, and plants from all over the world. As well as an extraordinary collection of 5000 orchids in its orchids gardens. It borders the Presidential Palace, home of the Dutch Governor General during the colonial period.

Baduy Village

In the highlands live some of the most isolated communities of Indonesia’s population. The Baduy in Banten live in the Kendeng highlands and still guard ancient Sundanese traditions and customs. In the highlands of Salawu, Tasikmalaya, the people of Kampung Naga form a closed community, preferring to live and work in their homeland.

West Java offers many adrenaline pumping activities. Trekkers exploring the tropical rainforests of  Ujung Kulon in Banten at the southwestern tip of West Java may be lucky enough to meet its most famous inhabitant, the endangered one-horn rhinoceros.

Beneath the waters, beatiful sea gardens are found off hte nearby Peucang and Panaitan islands. In the Sunda Strait, a seascape of craked volcanic rock around Krakatau, and the caves and tunnels around Ujung Kulon provide an interesting underwater experience.

Around 50 KM south of Bogor, Pelabuhan Ratu is a popular seaside resort on the south coast. Leaving the toll expressway, the road passes through hilly country and plantations. Despite strong undertow and surf, Pelabuhan Ratu welcomes a growing number of surfers from Jakarta.

Yet, many have also come to West Java for healings int the highlands. The rainforests, natural springs and cascading waterfalls of Mount Salak provide the prefect spot for cleansing both body and mind. Treatments at Javana Spa include Indonesian traditional and aromatic massages, volcanic mud body masque, facial aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. At Sari Ater on the slopes of the Tangkuban Perahu volcano, mineral and sulphure springs help you to unwind and heal most skin problems.

Angklung, Java Traditional Music Art

In Bandung, the provincial capital, visit Mang Udjo’s Angklung Workshop in the cool village of Padasuka for the soothing melody of a bamboo orchestra. Bamboo handicrafts and musical instruments of fine workmanship and exact tuning are made and sold here. Bandung is also famous for its hundreds of factory outlets, for the latest off-the-rack fashion. The Juanda park in the city’s suburb has caves from the time of the Dutch and Japanese occupation for a spooky experience.

When in West Java, hunt around for authentic items, such as hand-carved wooden statues and screen, hand-woven and painted cottons and silks, embroidery, shell-ornaments, basketry, sandstone statues and bamboo furniture. Get hand-painted Tasik umbrellas and the Wayang Golek, a three-dimensional puppet used in the traditional theater.

Cradle of Culture and Classic Tradition

Borobudur Temple

The land’s long and rich history cannot be seperated from the influences of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. The region is dotted with temples; stark Shivaite temples are found in the Dieng Plateau of Wonosobo, about 2,093 m above sea level. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the world and the world’s eighth wonder. The two-level pyramid symbolizes the ten stages of the Mahayana Buddhist cosmic system. The walls of Borobudur are sculptured in bas-reliefs extendinf over a total of 6 km.

Prambanan Temple

The 9th century Prambanan temple complex in the outskirts of Yogyakarta consists of three curtyards and temples that surround three main shrines dedicated to the Hindu trinity: Ciwa, Vishnu and Brahma. The temple’s relief are beautifully carved dan depict the Hindu cosmic system and stories from Ramayana. Traditional Javanese ballets are performed on open air stages during full moon evenings. The spread of Islam in Java also left several interesting monuments, such as the 15th century Minaret Mosque in Kudus, the oldest mosque in Central Java.

Age-old culture, traditions and values of the Javanese are kept alive in the courts of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat in Yogyakarta and Pakualaman and Mangkunegaran in Surakarta. The grant and elegant Javanese architecture of the eighteenth century kratons or palace guard priceless royal heirlooms and precious antiques.

In Yogyakarta, the walled-in kraton compound is a veritable city within a city. It is home to 25,000 people and includes the Sultan’s huge palace, the Taman Sari water castle, a bird market and several craft industries.

Take a trip on a historic steam locomotion to enjoy cool highland scenery from the Ambarawa Train Museum near Semarang. At Losari, take the time ti visit a popular teahouse which has been around since the Dutch colonial period. Relax and take in the spectacular panorama of coffee plantations set against the volcanoes, Sundoro an Sumbing.

Apart from graceful classic dances and mesmerizing wayang theaters, Java offers a fantastic array of art and craft. There’s teak carvings from Jepara; leather goods, batik and masks from Yogya and Surakarta. Apart from batik, lurik is a woven textile that is made into sarongs, bed covers, upholstery and garments. Delicate and intricately-made silverworks are produces in Kota Gede, Yogyakarta. Several workshops are open to give public a first-hand experience in how silver is transformed into lovely works of art. Kota Gede also hides a secret of lovely traditional Javanese architecture, transquilty and languid pace of bygone eras when Kota Gede was the seat of the mighty Mataram Kingdom of the 16th century.

Ancient Temples and Java Performing Arts

Java’s easternmost province isn’t short of attractions either. The archeological site at Trowulan Village was the ancient capital of the Great Majapahit Empire. Kalimas, in the province’s capital, Surabaya, is an old traditional harbor for ohinisis or Bugis schooners.

For an unforgettable experience, go up the ancient caldera of Mount Bromo in East JAva on horseback to watch the sun rise over a sea of sand. Int he ancient caldera, two volcanoes are visible, the prefect coned and extinct Batok, and Bromo  which still releases smoke and volcanic sulphur fumes. Once a year, the Tengger people of the mountain pay homege to the gods who dwell on Mount Bromo in a Kesada ceremony in which scarificial offerings are thrown into the crater. Another well-visited crater is Mount Ijen which 1 km in diameter, 175 m deep and has a turquoise lake in tis center.

At the easternmost end of the island, Meru Betiri National Park is the last remaining habitat of the Javanese tigers, panther and giant green turtles who come to lay hundreds of eggs on Sukamade Beach. Nearby Banyuwangi and Plengkung Bay Java are also gaining recognition as a top surfing spot in the world.

Across the Madura Straits lies the island of Madura, famous for its daring bull races called karapan sapi. Regulary held at the Pamekasan Stadium, bulls race across the grass with the jockeys standing on a wooden skid that are fastenes to a yoke placed between two bulls. The Maduranese not only show a great deal of excitement out of watching this race, they take their local sport very seriously. Jockeys and bull owners are held in great esteem by the community.

Wayang Kulit Puppet

The Wayang Kulit or classic leather puppet theater performance usually takes place all through the night until the early hours. It takes its repertoire from either the Ramayana or Mahabarata epics. The court dances of Yogyakarta are among the most refined and sublime of Javanese dances, such as the Golek and Bedoyo, performed by nine female dancers