Bumi Ayu Temple

Bumi Ayu Temple is the only Hindu temple area in South Sumatra consisting of nine temples. Four of them has been refurbished in 1990 by allocating Indonesian General Revenue and Expenditure Budget. The local government of Muara Enim District has made some supporting facilites to increase the number of visitors to the location.

Bumi Ayu Temple stands above 75.65 ha land bordered by seven dried rivers. Development and preservation have been conducted for years by a team focusing on ancient heritages preservation from South Sumatra Province.

Bumi Ayu Temple is a Siwa Hinduism temple. According to Archeologists, Bumi Ayu Temple is the biggest Hindu temple outside of Java Island. The physical appearance of Bumi Ayu Temple is almost the same as Prambanan Temple in Central Java.

Bumi Ayu Temple Location

Bumi Ayu Temple lies in Bumiayu Village, Tanah Abang Sub-district, Muara Enim District, South Sumatra. Now, the access to Bumi Ayu Temple has been paved out. To reach the destination, it will spend about 1,5 hours from Muara Enim (85 kms).

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Ragunan Zoo

Ragunan Zoo is designed as an opened zoo. With its animal collections, more than 4000 animals and consist of 295 kinds, each animal is conserved in a cage according to its original habitat. About 90 % animals in Ragunan Zoo are original Indonesian animals.

The history of this zoo was started by the foundation of first zoo named “Planten En Dierentuin” in 1864 in Cikini, Central Jakarta. That zoo was organized by Flora and Fauna Lover Foundation in Jakarta (Culturule Vereniging Planten en Dierentuin at Batavia). The area was about 10 hectares which was granted by Raden Saleh, a well-known Indonesian painter.

After the independence of Indonesia, in 1949, its name was changed into Cikini Zoo. However, because the area was too small and unsuitable for animal conservation, the foundation looked for a new wider place. In 1964 this zoo was moved to 30-hectare in Ragunan area (Pasar Minggu), a granted land from DKI Jakarta Government. This zoo was then opened legally by the governor of DKI Jakarta on Juny 22, 1966 and named Ragunan Animal Park. This Ragunan Animal Park was then changed into Ragunan Zoo, about 140 hectares. There are about 295 species and 4040 specimens there.

The specialty of this zoo is on the successfulness in the conservation program. Several kinds of animals which have been successfully conserved are white tiger, Sumatran tiger, orangutan, Komodo dragon, python snake, and several kinds of birds, such as parrot, long-tailed parakeet, cassowary, and other kinds of animals. The other specialty is its cool, fresh, and shady air because it is surrounded by 50.000 shady trees and a pretty large well.

Besides, this zoo also performs special attractions for children, such as a children zoo and a playground. On Sunday or other holidays, this zoo becomes more crowded. On those days, children can ride elephants, carts, and boats. One satisfaction of this zoo is orangutans` show which goes around the zoo everyday by a cart.

Ragunan Zoo Location

Ragunan Zoo is located in R.M. Harsono Street No. 1 Ragunan, South Jakarta. The distance between Ragunan Zoo and Jakarta City Center is about 20 km. This zoo is easy to reach because there are many public transportations passing this zoo. From Tanah Abang, visitors can go by Kopaja 19 and 985. From Blok M, they can go by Metromini 77. From Kampung Melayu, they can go by Kopaja 68 and 602. From Depok, they can go by Mikrolet 57 and KWK 02. The Ragunan Zoo is opened everyday, from 7 a.m to 5 p.m. The entrance ticket costs IDR 4000 for each person, while children under 3 years old are free of charge.

This Ragunan Zoo provides many facilities, such as an information center, carriages, carts, restaurants, picnic ground, film shops, and several food, drinks, fruits, and souvenir sellers. Not far from the location, there are hotels and inns. This zoo also provides many playing facilities, such as Children Animals Park, Boat Park, Schmutzer Primate Center, and Tourism Raft. Besides, there are also animal attractions, such as riding elephants and camels. There are also a circus and animal acrobats, such as bird pulling carriage, linsang which plays ball, and joking snake.

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Samarinda Botanical Garden

Samarinda Botanical Garden

Samarinda botanical garden is a unique tourist object because it integrates recreation and education about the nature and environment. The whole breadth of this botanical garden is 300 hectares. In the beginning, this botanical garden was HPH area of CV Kayu Mahakam owned by Ali Akbar Afloes. In 1974, the owner gave 300 hectares in Mount Kapur area to the head of Mulawarman University at that time, R. Sambas Wirakusumah, to be a conservation forest. The support given was shown by giving Instruction of East Kalimantan Province Governeor and the head of Forestry office of East Kalimantan. In 1997, the Mayor of Samarinda supported this program by functioning this botanical garden as an educational forest and a botanical garden for academic activities of Mulawarman University.

Since it was declared as an educational forest, this area is often used as a place for students‘ activities, research location, and fieldwork practices for students. Not only the students of Mulawarman University who are permitted to access this area, but also the students from outside Mulawarman University or foreign students. They are also permitted to do their research in this area. Since the cooperation between Mulawarman University and the Government of Samarinda City had been signed, the name of this area changed into Samarinda botanical garden. In the next years, 62 hectares from the total breadth 300 hectares has been functioned as road facility, artificial lake, sport facility, and entertaining stage. This area is also developed intensively and functioned as a tour object and recreation. For example, there are zoo, swimming pool, bird park, flower garden, tour boat, and camping ground.

When entering the botanical garden area, visitors will feel the forest has cool atmosphere. To reach the main area of the botanical garden, visitors need to walk around one kilometer. Along the way to the main area, they can see and enjoy the thick trees which most of them have been given a label and name of the species. Although the road is full of hills, visitors can be amused by the sound of birds and monkeys which is loudly heard.

One of the specialties in this botanical garden is the existence of a wide zoo. In the zoo, there are amount of orangutans which are released intentionally, but they are already tame, so visitors can interact directly. Other animals live there are a couple of cobras, hornbills, cockatoos, horses, paradise birds, crocodiles, mouse deers, and porcupines. But, visitors have to climb the hill stairs which are pretty high. However, this condition seems to be attraction for visitors from many areas, included outside East Kalimantan.

Visitors can also enjoy the wide artificial lake. In this tour object, visitors can rent boats which have various forms. The rent price is 15.000,00 IDR per 15 minutes with 3 adults in maximum capacity.

Where Samarinda Botanical Garden Location?

Samarinda botanical garden is located in the north of Samarinda City, province of East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Visitors who want to reach the location can use land way, either two-wheel vehicles or four-wheel vehicles. The distance from Samarinda City is 20 kilometers or about 30 minutes on the way. As a note, to reach the main area of botanical garden, visitors have to use private vehicles because there is no special transportation which are provided, or they can go there on foot. The price of the entrance ticket is 3.000,00 IDR for both adults and children. This price is already included for vehicles to enter inside the botanical garden area. There are amount of other facilities which can be enjoyed by the visitors, those are car games or remote control motorcycles special for children, fishing area, reflection road, and open stage which is often used for music concert programs and so on.

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