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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Wonderful of Narmada Park in Mataram City

Narmada Park

Like other kingdoms in Nusantara (Malay archipelago), Bali Kingdoms which had ever ruled in Lombok Island built many parks as places for the kings to rest and enjoy the nature after the tiredness of managing the kingdom affairs. There are some equipments inside the parks which are usually used to amuse the kings. Different from other parks in West Nusa Tenggara, this park was built as a place for the kings to worship and do their rituals.

Narmada is a park which was built by King Anak Agung Gde Ngurah Karangasem in 1727 A.D. However, most of the history books write that it was built in 1805 A.D. The name of the park is taken from a holy river in India, that is Narmada River. This park is similar to Mount Rinjani and Lake Segara Anak. It is said when the king was too old to do the ritual and sacrifices (pekelan) in the peak of Mount Rinjani which has 3726 meters height, he ordered all architects in the kingdom to bring the nuance of Mount Rinjani to the center of the city. Finally, they agreed to make the duplicate, that is Narmada Park. In the past, Narmada Park was a place which was used by the kings not only to worship Dewa Shiwa (Shiva Deity), but also to take a rest.

Nowadays, Narmada Park is opened for public and becomes the center of recreation which is always visited by many local and foreign tourists. This park is always crowded on the weekend.

If you are a nature lover, but you are too busy and do not have much time, it is a right decision to spare your time visiting Narmada Park. The concept of this park has a special characteristic of exotic nature nuance which is arranged to imitate the form of mountain. On the below part, there are three ponds which are irrigated by clear spring like a lake. The amount of the pond is the same as the amount of Lake Segara Anak in the peak of Mount Rinjani. Inside this park, there is a temple named Kalasa Temple which is located in the above of the park. To reach this temple, you have to pass tens of stairs which was made intentionally so that you will feel like climbing Mount Rinjani. It is pretty exhausting to reach the top peak of Kalasa Temple. However, the tiredness will be erased by the nature situation that is still fresh, the shady trees, and the natural swimming pool with clear water.

Between November and December, this park will be seen as piety center. The Lombok natives who embrace Hindu religion usually celebrate Pujawali Day in this month by climbing Mount Rinjani and doing pekelan ritual by throwing stuffs and small jewelry to honor the God who keeps Mount Rinjani. People who cannot go to the mountain just have to go to the temple in this park.

Another interesting thing is the pond water in Narmada Park originated from the spring which comes from Mount Rinjani. This spring is believed to be able to make someone looks younger than his real age is. You can try it by washing your face or drinking it.

Where Narmada Park Access Location?

This park is located in Mataram City, province of West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. For tourists who want to visit Narmada Park, the trip to the location needs about 20 minutes from Mandalika bus station in Mataram City using public transportation. The tariff of public transportation is  4.000,00 IDR and taxi is 25.000,00 IDR. To enjoy this miniature of Mount Rinjani, the tourists only have to buy tickets 2.000,00 IDR for adults and 1.000,00 IDR for children. This park is opened for public and starts from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. (Middle Indonesia Time).There are not many hotels around this location. The tourists usually stay in hotels which are located in Mataram City.

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Andong, Traditional Transportation in Yogyakarta

Andong Yogyakarta

Andong or Dokar is one of specific transportations from Yogyakarta. It is also known as delman, bendi, or sado. An anthropologist who once did a research on Andong indicated its small shape as the differing factor of andong in Yogyakarta to the ones in other different places such as Surakarta and Cirebon.

Andong was historically a chariot with 4 wheels, which was used only by the noble people, the Kings and their relatives for particular event. It was one of the icons to indicate social status of the priyayis (the royal families) in the early 19th century to the 20th century. The story started when Mataram Kingdom was led by Sultan Hamengkubuono VII (around the early 19th century). The lay people were not allowed to use andong during that period. They could only use a gerobak sapi (a chariot pulled by cattle) or a dokar for transportation. Andong was gradually available for the lay people during the leadership of Sultan Hamengkubuono VIII. It was limited for the traders and merchants though.

Going around the city with Andong is an interesting experience that tourists might not have at other places. To enjoy such an experience, tourists can choose the andong they wish. There are 2 kinds of andong in Yogyakarta: the regular Andong (which is also known as ‘not for tourism andong‘, and ‘for tourism andong‘.

Kusir Andong

Tourists can easily identify andong, which are meant for tourism because they are clean, well taken care of, and relatively new. The number of each andong is written in Javanese letters and put on the front side.

Besides, tourists will also be able to see the driver (kusir) in complete Javanese outfit: the blangkon, sorjan and lurik, and a black ¾ size pants. The friendliness of the drivers and their broad knowledge on the history of the city contributes special taste of the andong in Yogyakarta.

Andong Location

Andongs are generally available at the city of Yogyakarta, Sleman District, Bantul District, Gunung Kidul District, and Kulonprogo District. However, the andongs for tourism can only be found in Yogyakarta because of their limited numbers (100 units). People will find a number of ‘for tourism andong‘ parked along the jalur lambat (the streets meant for slow ridings), when they go to Malioboro Yogyakarta. They can also find the same kinds around the Beringharjo traditional markets and the North Townsquare (alun-alun Lor) which are located nearby Malioboro. Those who want to try the regular andong can go to any traditional markets in Yogyakarta since they are available there. The cost for renting ‘for tourism andong‘ with the destination Malioboro-the Sultan Palace-Ngasem traditional market-Tamansari-Pojok Benteng-Pathuk-Sosrowijayan-Malioboro is IDR. 20.000-30.000 (data on February 2008).  On the other side, the cost for ‘not for tourism andong‘ usually depends on the destination (how far the place to go is).

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The Tirta Tapta Pemali Hot Spring

Tirta Tapta Pemali

The Tirta Tapta Pemali  Hot Spring is a worth visiting tourism destination in Bangka  district. It was discovered by Banka Tim Winning Bedrijf, B.T.W, the tin  mining company of Dutch colonial government. After the Indonesian`s independence,  it was taken over by the Indonesian government, then was changed into the state  owned tin mining company named Timah Ltd. It was reconstructed and developed  for tourism destination by Timah Ltd in 1970`s. 

The water of the Tirta  Tapta Pemali Hot Spring comes out of the land; it contains sulphur substance.  It is also used for health therapy and relaxation for any kind of diseases.  There was a Thai whose left hand was scratched as he was careless when  operating a tin drilling rig in Bangka  district. After being treated for several times, his injury got well, but he  could not move his hand anymore. Until the day, he submerged into the Tirta  Tapta Pemali Hot Spring for several times. His hand got better gradually. He  had proven the efficacy of the Tirta Tapta Pemali Hot Spring as the right place  for medical treatment. 

Where access location the tirta tapta pemali hot spring?

The Tirta Tapta Pemali  Hot Spring lies in Pemali village, Pemali sub-district, in the district of Bangka.  It is around 20 km away from Sungailiat sub-district. The Tirta Tapta Pemali  Hot Spring has been provided with hot water pool and rinse bathrooms. 

The Location of Tirta Tapta Pemali

Some  other facilities such as maxima stage, canal tourism, the family  recreation park, the orchid flower park, and mini zoo, which has some new  collections like crocodiles, bears, and birds. In addition, the collection of  dot deer brought from the Indonesian Presidential Resident can be found there. You  will also find a lake and plaza for fishing in the location. You will also find  the only water boom in Bangka-Belitung province. For food and beverages, there  are food tents and stalls around the family recreation park.

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Bledug Kuwu

Since the reign of old Mataram Kingdom (732 – 928 A.D.), bledug kuwu has been shaped out naturally from the volcanic mud in the district of Grobogan, Central Java, Indonesia. Over and above the existence of eternal fire resources of Mrapen and Kedungombo dam, Bledug Kuwu is the worth visiting tourism destination in Grobogan District, Central Java Province. Bledug Kuwu is derived from Javanese language, bledug means explotion/ to explode and kuwu/ kuwur  means  run or scattered about.

The early history of bledug kuwu was started when a man namely Joko Linglung was going home from the Pacific Ocean to Medang Kamulan Kingdom through a hole – that is now bledug kuwu – after defeating Prabu Dewata Cengkar. Joko Linglung made the hole himself as he was able to transform  into a snake. Such ability was a requirement to be admitted as the son of Aji Saka, the roler of Medang Kamulan Kingdom.

Along the journey to bledug kuwu, you will see the natural view of thick forest, green farms, and beautiful hilly areas. In the location, you will see frequent small explotions of the mud every two to three minutes. The wallow mud area is 650 meters in diameter. Sometimes, the mud`s explotions can be as high as local inhabitants` houses.

The existence of bledug kuwu is utilized by local inhabitants for livehood resources by producing salt. The activity of local people in producing salt in the location is a distinction which is rarely found in the mainland. The expertise of local people in producing salt was recorded on the history of Surakarta Kingdom.

Bledug Kuwu Location

Bledug Kuwu lies in Kuwu Village, Kradenan Sub-district, Grobogan District, Central Java Province, Indonesia. Taking public transportation like bus from Semarang bus station to the location requires IDR 10000 for the costs. Then, you must continue the trip to the location by taking minibus with IDR 5000 in charge.The entrance ticket to the location for observing the natural phenomenon of vulcanic mud in bledug kuwu is IDR 500. Some food stalls, guesthouses and other supporting facilities can be easily found around the location. Of course, the shops selling local salt can be found as well. 

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