Lake Toba

Lake Toba is the most famous lake in Indonesia. It is 100 km long and 30 km wide thus many people agree that Lake Toba is the biggest lake in the world. An island in the middle of the lake is Samosir Island at an altitude of 1.000 meters.

According a group of researchers from Michigan Technological University, there was a huge explosion that is famous as Toba eruption/Toba event which occurred about 75.000 years ago. The total amount of material erupted from the explosion was about 2.000 cubic km. Toba ash layer resulted from the explosion covered the entire Sumatra Island and Indonesia for about two weeks. The explosion formed a caldera then was gradually filled with water. Samosir Island appeared after a long term of magma uplifting from the earth.

Lake Toba has a very enchanted scenery for being surrounded by green hills. It offers beautifully magnificent view, fresh air, and tranquillity. You may either swim on the lake or rent a boat to hang around the lake. When the sun is going to set, you will experience a tranquil atmosphere while enjoying the sunset.

Lake Toba has cosmologic and magical values since surrounding people believe the existence of Namborru – seven fairies regarded as the ancestors of Batak tribe. There is an annual event namely Pesta Rakyat Danau Toba to express admiration for the local inhabitants‘ ancestors.

In Samosir Island, there are two other lakes namely Lake Sidihoni and Lake Aek Natonang. Likewise, there are some other tourism destinations such as Raja Sidabutar‘s Graveyard and traditional houses of Batak Toba Samosir tribe.

Lake Toba Location

Lake Toba encompasses three districts, Simalungun, Parapat, and Ambarita districts. It lies in North Sumatra Indonesia. To reach Lake Toba, you may take public transport passing through Medan-Parapat or Medan-Berastagi routes. It spends approximately four hours or 176 km distance. You can find easily some elegant hotels and other supporting facilities such as restaurants, cafés, and food stalls.

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The Great Mosque of Sabilal Muhtadin in Banjarmasin City

Sabilal Muhtadin Mosque

The Great Mosque of Sabilal Muhtadin was built in November 1974 and was finished in October 1979 on a 100.000 meters area of land. The body of the Mosque consists of the main building, 5.250 meters in width, with a 38 meters diameter dome and five towers. One of the five towers’ height is 45 meters, while the other four’s is only 21 meters.

The name ”Sabilal Muhtadin" was given as a respect to the great ulama (Islamic thinker), Syekh Muhammad Arsyad Al Banjari (1710-1812 A.D), whose life was spent to deepen and develop Islam in South Kalimantan. The name Sabilal Muhtadin is the title of one of the books that Syekh Muhammad Arsyad Al Banjari wrote.

the biggest mosque in South Kalimantan

The Great Mosque of Sabilal Muhtadin is the biggest mosque in South Kalimantan and able to accommodate 15.000 people; 7500 in the inside part, and 7500 in the outside part. The dome of the mosque has the diameter 38 meters. It was made of gold  Inside the mosque, the wall is decorated with the calligraphy of the Koran verses, Asmaul Husna (names of Allah),  and the name of four main caliphs in Islam. All calligraphies were made of black copper, so are the door, krawang and railing. All of them are made of copper with the relief based on the decoration that is common in South Kalimantan.

Tourists who visit the mosque can feel peaceful and calm, and also marvel from the beauty of the decoration which becomes the speciality of South Kalimantan.

Where Sabilal Muhtadin Mosque Location?

The Great Mosque of Sabilal Muhtadin is located in the middle of the city of Banjarmasin, in Jenderal Sudirman Street, Banjarmasin, not far from the Governor of South Kalimantan office.To get there, tourists can go by public transportation or private vehicle.Tourists can enter the building freely. No charge.

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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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Ngasem, Bird Market

In the past, amongst the Javanese community especially the noble community (priyayi), the possession of material symbols identified social status and prestige. One of the symbols was birds. For Javanese people, having birds as pets was a symbol of klangenan and social status. This also identified one`s high taste on hobby.

Where the belief came from, when it was started, and why the Javanese noble men liked to raise birds, is still a mystery. The birds were usually the ones that had beautiful chirp, especially perkutut and other high selling price birds. However, the fact that raising beautiful chirp birds became tradition and that certain birds became the measurement of social status, had become special everyday life of Javanese people.

Thus, a bird market was built. As a bird market, Pasar Ngasem (Ngasem Market) has operated since 1809. This makes Pasar Ngasem the oldest bird market in Yogyakarta. But, that time, Pasar Ngasem had not yet been the center of bird trading, because the bird sellers were still spread all over the place in Yogyakarta.

Far after that, in 1960`s there was a policy from the city government that all birds sellers in Yogyakarta, including those who were in Pasar Beringharjo (Beringharjo Market) to move their business to Pasar Ngasem. Now, Pasar Ngasem is the center of birds trading. Besides perkutut, there are also kutilang,  kepodang, emprit, prenjak, jalak, and parkit, that the buyers hunt or are sold out with high price.

Besides the historical and cultural values above, the market has a certain atmosphere making it different from the other bird markets. The chirps of hundreds of birds and the noise of the people inside the market can already be heard once visitors step their feet in front of the market. Besides seeing the trading activity, visitors can also listen to the conversation/transaction between the seller and the buyer which is done in Yogyakarta special terms. To understand the conversation, visitors can ask their guide to translate it for them.

In this market, visitors can enjoy a few shows held by bird lovers. Some of the shows are skill performance by pigeons to fly out and back in to the cage, and chirp competition of kinds of birds. Because of that show, the buyers are very impressed and interested in the birds and willingly pay no matter how much the cost. The sellers sometimes also train the birds to sing or chirp beautifully, and share some tips on how to raise birds.

Although Ngasem is a bird market, we can also find snakes, fish (at the west part), iguanas, dogs, cats, civets, rabbits, and roosters of all kinds there.

Just like any other traditional market, Ngasem also provides market snacks. One of the special snacks is jenang gempol (made of rice flour that tastes salty mixed with coconut gravy and sweet java sugar syrup) that can be found in front part of the market. Other snacks are getuk, lupis, thiwul, and gatot. Besides the bird kiosks, there are also food stalls (warung) that offer soto and nasi rames. Besides that, visitors can also find Yogyakarta special jamu gendong (jamu: tonic made of medicinal herbs. There are kinds of tonic, and each of them has special function. The sellers put the tonics in bottles inside a basket and carry the basket on their back around the market.

Pasar Ngasem Location

Pasar Ngasem is located in Jalan Polowijan, Keraton, Yogyakarta City, D.I Yogyakarta Province. The market is around 400 meters west of Keraton Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Palace). From Taman Sari (Water Castle), which is right at the south of Pasar Ngasem, we can see the market very clearly. 

From the center of the city, that is Malioboro or Keraton Yogyakarta, visitors can take becak (pedicab) or andong (Yogyakarta carriage) to get to Pasar Ngasem. With andong, it will cost around IDR 10.000, while with becak, it will cost IDR 15.000 . Both transportation means will take 10 to 15 minutes to get to the location.

Around the market, there are food stalls (warung) that offer kinds of food such as: sate, soto, lotek, gado-gado, gudeg-yogya, etc.  Souvenir shops that sell Yogyakarta crafts can also be found there. If visitors need any information about Yogyakarta, they can get it from Polisi Pariwisata (Tourism Police) who wears brown uniform and maroon tie that stands by at the tourism place.

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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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