Indonesia Travel Guide

If you visit Bledug Kuwu for the first time, you may think that it is an ordinary pool. But, if you look at the place longer you will see it is more than an ordinary pool. Visiting the place you might experience a stunning natural occurrence of small, frequent bursts from mud crate with a sound resembling a mount eruption. That sounds great, doesn’t it?

Bledug Kuwu is one of the tourist destinations found in Grobogan Region, Purwodadi, Central Java. The place is located in just off the alternative road connecting Purwodadi and Cepu in Central Java. It is a mud volcano tourism on a site approximately 4.5 hectares. Visiting The Bledug Kuwu lets you experiencing the different atmosphere of holiday. In Bledug Kuwu you can see beautiful formations of mud eruption which happen every three minutes. The eruption is the followed by the plume of white steam. The vapor burst from the pool comes from carbon dioxide release. This mud eruption is the main
attraction offered by this tourism place.

[Read the rest of this entry...]

If you are going to visit Bukit Tinggi, West Sumatra, please check out the following hotels:

• Pusako Hotel
  Jl. Soekarno Hatta No. 7, Bukittinggi
  Phone +62 752 32111
  Fax +62 752 32667
• Royal Denai Hotel
  Jl. Rivai No. 26, Bukittinggi
  Phone +62 752 32920
  Fax +62 752 33490 [Read the rest of this entry...]

Sumatera Island

Sumatera is the third biggest island in the Indonesia archipelago. The massive Bukit Barisan mountai range which runs almost the entire lenght of the island make up Sumatera’s diverse lanscape of dense tropical forest, rugged coastlines, wide sandy beaches, deep gorges and steamy swamps.  Large of them are protected reserves, such as the Great Bukit Barisan Forest Reserve in North Sumatera.

Sumatera Provinces

NAD (Nanggroe Aceh Darusalam) is Sumatera’s and Indonesia’s nothernmost and westernmost province. Since the arrival of Islam in the 13th century, Aceh has become a predominantly moeslim region. The Saman Dance for examples, incorporates religious chants with the dynamic movements performed in unison. The fast-paced dance expresses the praise for the Almighty. The body movements require tremendous personal discipline and full concentration from all members of troupe.

In the capital of Banda Aceh, the most striking feature is the black-domed Grand Baiturrachman Mosque with its white marble interior. It is one of the few buildings that miraculously remained erect after a natural disaster struck part of the province at the end of 2004.

On December 26, 2004, Aceh was hit by the worst tsunami and earthquake the world has ever seen with Banda Aceh and areas along the northwestern coast of Sumatera being the worse hit. Since then, the people have picked up the pieces and slowly rebuild their lives, showing the resilience the Acehnese are famous for.

One of the region’s riches is its wild life, largely concentrated and protected in Mount Leuser National Park. The reserve is home to a variety of primates, such as gibbons and orangutans, the Sumatran rinocheros, tigers and elephants.

Whether sea or river, Aceh offers some of the most exciting water adventures. White water rafting down the rapids and bends of Krueng Tripa and the River Alas is an experience that will have you soaking wet and breathless.

Under the sea is an ideal environment for snorkeling and scuba diving (with 25m visibility), such as around Pulau Weh (Weh island) off the nothernmost tip of Sumatera, and Rubiah Sea Garden.

From Ancient Relies to Bright-colored Primates

The Bataks

The Bohorok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center at Bukit Lawang near Medan is also worth a visit when in North Sumatera, to see these orange-haired apes up close.

The Bataks inhabit the highland of North Sumatera. Apart from their musical abilities, the Bataks are famed for their ulos, a cloth with significant traditional value. Ancient Batak Stone burial urns, carved sarcophagi and traditional houses are still found on Samosir Island on Lake Toba, homeland of the Toba Batak. The 1,700Km2 lake is situated 906m above sea level. This lake is the largest in Southeast Asia and the deepest in the world (450m).

Valley of Beauty

The cool highlands of West Sumatera is one of the most picturesque regions in Sumatera. It offers spectacular view of volcanoes, fertile valleys and canyons, such as the Anai Valley, Sianok and Harau Canyons. The latter is a nature reserve famous for the rare giant, flowering plant, Rafflesia.

Jam Gadang, Sianok Canyon, Mentawai Island

West Sumatera is land of the Minangkabau people, known for their beautiful hand-woven songkets and richly decorated horn-roofed longhouses or called Rumah Gadang.

Bukittinggi is a cool highland town with stunning view of two volcanoes, Mount Merapi and Mount Singgalang. 63Km away, is Lake Maninjau, a huge and beautiful crater lake with complete recreational facilities.

About 10-hours drive from Padang – the province capital – we’ll reach the largest park in Sumatera, Kerinci Seblat National Park, includes its active volcano, Mount Kerinci (3805 m) and several high-altitude lakes. The park contains areas of lowland ranforest home to rhinoceros, tigers, clouded leopards, elephants and wide variety of bird species. East of the mountain, is a botanists’ heaven, a high-altitude freshwater marsh known as Lake Bentu.

On Mentawai Island, people live in comparative isolation and still hold on to centuries old animistic beliefs. Mentawai Island is a chain of islands off the western coast of Sumatera, surrounded by beautiful cotal reefs that are ideal for diving.  Around Pieh Island, a 40m vertical wall rises from a sandy slope and is frequented by a rich variety of fish and other marine animals.

A Legacy of Great, Ancient Malay Kingdoms

Siak Sri Indrapura Palace

Approximately 2.5 hours from Pekanbaru, the 19th century Sultan’s palace still stands in the village of Siak Sri Indrapura, on the banks of Siak River. Teh Asserayah Palace’s architecture incorporates Moorish, European, Indian and traditional Malay designs. Muara Takus, about 200 KM from Pekanbaru, is the site of an ancient Buddhist temple believed to have been built between 7th-9th century AD.

Majestic Rocks and Volcano

Rafflesia

Bangka-Belitung offers not only a uniquely breathtaking coastal scenery. Its is a gourmet’s paradise for seafoodlovers. In Belitung, giant granite rocks rise out of pristine blue waters just off the white sandy beaches.

Rich and fertile, oil refineries and vast rubber, oil palm and coffee plantations dot the region. In Bengkulu, the 17th century British stronghold, Fort Marlborough has been carefully restored. The giant rafflesia flower at Dendam Tak Sudah Botanical Gardens was named in honor of Sir Stamford Raffles, Bengkulu’s lieutenant governor from 1818 to 1823.

97 KM across Lampung Bay, South Sumatera, the volcano Krakatau lay dormant. The island volcano erupted in 1883 in an explosion that could be felt half way across the world.

Indonesia : Gem of the Equator

Gem Of Equator

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, consisting of more than 17,000 islands. Spread across 5,120 km of ocean and positioned between Asia and Australia, this country is as wide as the European continent. Four-fifths of the area is sea, with the major islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

Unity in Diversity
As the world’s 14th largest nation, Indonesia’s population totals over 200 million, comparising 250-300 ethnic groups that have their own language and dialects bute are united with Bahasa Indonesia, the national language spoken throughtout the archipelago.

The majority of Indonesians are Islam, with Christians, Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists and followers of Confucianism making up the rest. Since 2001 the Chinese culture has experienced a welcomed revival that served to enrich the country’s cultural diversity.

The Nature
Indonesia’s flora and fauna is diversely rich as its land and people. Asian mammals in the west, Australians marsupial species and birds in the east and the endemic species are in the middle of archipelago.

Orangutans, tigers, one horned rhinos, elephant, dugongs, anoas, komodo dragons are the pride of  Indonesia. The seas around archipelago also hold the country’s treasures, a rich marine environment that holds a myriad of species, from fish, corals and marine mammals. National parks around the archipelago serve to preserve this rich natural heritage.

Rules and Regulations
Immigration
All travellers to Indonesia must be in possession of passport valid for at least six months from date of arrival and have proof (tickets) of onward or return passage.

Immigration authorities provide Free Tourist Visas for a period of 30 days to nationals from 11 countries  only on the basis of reciprocity. These countries are Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei Darusalam, the Philipines, Hongkong SAR, Macao SAR, Chile, Marocco, Peru and Vietnam.

Moreover, Visa On Arrival has been given to nationals from 36 countries. There are : Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Libya, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Panama, People’s Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Visa Of Arrival (VOA) is valid  for 30 days and may be extended under the permission of Indonesian Immigration with the condition as follows :

• natural disaster occurs in the place visited by tourist;
• the traveler is taken ill or meets with an accident during their visit.

Other nationals must apply for visa at Indonesia Embassies or Consulates in their home country. Visa cannot be replaced with any other forms of immigration letters.

Entry ports where Visa On Arrival may be issued are (Airports) :

• Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta
• Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali
• Polonia Airport in Medan
• Sultan Syarif Kasim Airport in Pekanbaru
• Minang Kabau Airport in Padang
• Juanda Airport in Surabaya
• Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado.

Seaports :

Indonesia Beach

Batam, The Sekupang, Batuampar, Nongsa and Marina,Teluk Senimba, Bandar Bintan, Talani Lagoi and Bandar Sri Udana Labon in the Riau archipelago, Sri Bintan Pura in Tanjung Pinang, Belawan and Sibolga in North Sumatra, Yos Sudarso in Ambon, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya,Teluk Bayur of Padang,Tanjung Priok in Jakarta, Padang Bai and Benoa in Bali, the port of Jayapura, Bitung in Manado,Tanjung Balai Karimun,Tanjung Mas in Central Java, Tenau and Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara, Pare-pare and Soekarno-Hatta port in South Sulawesi.

ClimateCustoms
Customs allow on entry a maximum of 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 100 grams of tobacco and a reasonable amount of perfume per adult. One litre of alcoholic beverage may be brought in per person 18 years of age or over. Goods up to the value of U.S.$1,000 per person may be brought in as gifts. Cameras, video cameras, portable radios, cassette recorders, binoculars and sport equipments are admitted. They must be declared to Customs.
Prohibited are firearms, narcotic drugs, pornography, transceivers and cordless telephones. Chinese traditional medicines must be registered by Depkes RI. Films, pre-recorded video tapes and laser disks must be screened by the Censor Board. There is no restriction import or export of foreign and travelers cheques. However, the import and export of Indonesian currency exceeding Rp100 million is prohibited.

Climate-wise, Indonesia is distinctly Tropical. Tropical climate varying from area to area. The eastern monsoon brings the driest weather (June to September), while the western monsoon brings the main rains (December to March). Rainstorms occur all year. Temperatures range from 21°C (70°F) to 33°C (90°F). Higher regions are cooler.