Bukittinggi : The Most Relaxing City in All Sumatra

Nestled in the highlands north of Padang in the Agam valley, the town of Bukittinggi or ‘high hill’ is West Sumatra’s cultural center. While Padang may be the modern commercial and administrative hub, Bukittinggi is a bustling market town.

Although it is less than a degree south of the equator, Bukittinggi has a refreshingly cool climate due to its elevation – over 900 meters above sea level. While it rains here often, this is not enough to deter travelers who come to enjoy what many claim is the most hospitable city in Sumatra.

The town also has an alternative name, Tri Arga, which refers to the three majestic mountains that shape the regions fortunes.

Many visitors come to Bukittinggi to visit the remarkable Sianok canyon where giant rock cliff faces, rugged trees which grow on top and the dramatic surrounding mountains make this canyon a spellbinding view.

This is an ideal place to go if you want to get beyond the average tourist trail. Compared to other spots in Sumatra, Bukkitinggi only receives a handful of visitors that use the town as a base for nearby hikes or to take cultural tours to the Minangkabau highland.

Source : http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/463/bukittinggi

PARAGLIDING, Fly Like a Bird on South Beach

If you ever dreamed of being a bird, then fly with paragliding is one way to make it happen. Only by harnessing the power of the wind will feel the sensation of floating high in the sky vast and the wind rustling in the silence. Just imagine, when just set foot on earth but a few moments later  was looking at earth from the other side  at an altitude in space. This is a challenging  experience  that not everyone  can do it, feel how fun and pleasure of flying with paragliding.

Paragliding is a recreational and competitive flying sport. A paraglider is a free-flying, foot-launched aircraft. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing, whose shape is formed by the pressure of air entering vents in the front of the wing.

Paragliding equipment is very lightweight, the weight of all equipment  (parachute, harness, backup parachute, helmet) around 10-15 kg. Paragliding equipment is also very practical because it can be incorporated  into a  backpack  that can be picked up  at the back.

Parangendog hill and coastal sand dunes Parangkusumo  is the most ideal training location in Yogyakarta. Although not many people knew of the existence of this hill, but the prangendog hill was enough  famous among the connoisseurs of  paragliding. This place is considered to have the perfect  criteria  for Paragliding. Cliff with contours that fit the slope of  the land  to start early to spread the  parachute  before  flying, as well as a broad sandy beach for a landing. The scenery of Parangendog, Parangtritis  and Parangkusumo  beach becoming a favorite among lovers of paragliding in Indonesia.

From the situation, the hill parangendog become an ideal alternative to  flying  location. Supported also by the existence of  a high cliff  with about 150 m extending towards the  southeast  coast, making the pilot is able to obtain  a height of  up to 600  m above sea level. This is ideal for pilots who want to explore the  parachute to understand the character  of the use of parachutes. Landing location was very convenient. 60 m wide stretch of sand extending up to tens of kilometers  to the west. It's just to be careful when landing due to holiday on the day, visitors who thronged the beach area could reach thousands of them.

Source : Tour Jogja.com - PARAGLIDING, Fly Like a Bird on South Beach

Text & Photo : Andi Kurniawan

GOA JOMBLANG CAVING, Exploring the Treasure of Vertical Cave

The journey to get to the bottom of Goa Jomblang (Jomblang cave) are indeed exhausting. Vertical steep path to reach the bottom of the Jomblang Cave requires bravery, especially for first timers. The cave horrible history indeed scares the local people. Many eerie stories come along with it. However, when we reached the bottom of the cave, all the fatigue and fear will be replaced by a sense of awe of the beauty of Goa Jomblang.

Goa Jomblang

Jomblang Cave

Goa Kalisuci - Goa Jomblang

Jomblang Cave is a vertical cave characteristics which diametrically 50 m wide with vertical sides varies between 60-80 meters. Because getting enough sunlight, at the bottom some trees grow exuberantly like an underground forest and on karst wall grow shrubs.

When we reach the bottom of the cave, we can take a rest for a while in a cubicle from natural phenomenon. After sort resting, explorers can continue the journey by tracing the tunnel that connects the Cave Jomblang with other vertical cave named Grubug. The tunnel is quite wide with a length of about 500 m. Is not difficult to pass the tunnel because there is a stone passageway. The both of cave is a cave that type of combination of vertical and horizontal cave.

If we can reach the bottom of Grubug at 01.00pm, the views of the sun through the eternal darkness at the bottom of the Cave Grubug would be so amazing. The ray has touched a number of stalactites and stalagmites formed by dripping water over thousands of years. Sunlight broke into the mouth of Grubug cave and one large stalagmite cave located at the bottom. On the north side of the huge stalagmites, there is the river flow that comes from Kalisuci.

Caver

Goa Jomblang and Grubug located in Semanu district,  Gunugkidul Regency, 50 km  southeast Yogyakarta, about 10 km from Wonosari (the capital of Gunungkidul regency). We suggested To reach Jomblang cave with use private transportation vehicle or motorcycle and will take about 2 hours drive from the city of Yogyakarta. Location of the cave was in middle of field rice by the way is quite challenging with rocks along the road to the location of the cave.

Source : http://www.tourjogja.com/berita-221-goa-jomblang-caving-exploring-the-treasure-of-vertical-cave.html

Tangkuban Perahu, West Java

Tangkuban Perahu seen from Bandung

Tangkuban Perahu (or Tangkuban Parahu in local Sundanese dialect) is a volcanic mountain, located about 30km north of Bandung City, West Java. Tangkuban Perahu Mt looks like an inverted boat if viewed from Bandung. Tangkuban means up-turned, and Perahu means boat. This mountain shapes inspire the old-age society to make a folk tale about the origin of Tangkuban Perahu according to The Legend of Sangkuriang.

Tangkuban Perahu

Many activities you can do here, such as; hiking, camping, or just stroll through the forest and enjoy its natural beauty. It has three craters, these are: Kawah Ratu (Queen Crater), Kawah Domas (Domas Crater) and Kawah Upas (Upas Crater). Tourists can go down into the Kawah Domas that has a lot of geysers. Kawah Ratu is still active and sometimes release poisonous gases, so we can not go down into the crater. Kawah Upas, is the oldest crater, it's constantly release sulfurous gases which is destroy the surrounding vegetation.

Kawah Ratu - Queen Crater

geyser - Kawah Domas (Domas Crater)

tourists at Kawah Domas

Kawah Upas - Upas Crater

This volcano is still active. Mild eruptions occurred in 1969, when Kawah Ratu spewed ash and barrages 500 m high. In September 1992 this mountain was closed to the public for a few days because unusually high seismic activity leads volcanologist to fear a new eruption. On the mountain's northern flank is an area called Death Valley, so named for its frequent accumulation of poisonous gases.

INDONESIAN FESTIVALS : Part 2

Toba Lake Festival

Image via Wikipedia

Toba Lake_Satellite Image

Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, there is a volcanic island in the middle of the lake called Samosir Island. Take place in Lake Toba, the festival was held to promote the arts, culture and traditions of Northern Sumatra. Various events have been prepared by the festival committee, including exhibitions, sports activities, arts-cultural activities and other supporting events. 

Ornamental Ships Carnival at Lake Toba

paddle boat race

Tor-Tor Dance

Traditional Music Instrument of Northern Sumatra

Sentani Lake Festival

Sentani Lake_Satellite Image

Sentani Lake, the largest lake in Papua. The festival was held in Khalkote, Asei, East Sentani, Jayapura District, Papua. Sentani Lake Festival is an annual event organized by the Jayapura District Government. The purpose of this festival is to attract local and foreign tourists and also introduced the culture of Papua. This festival featuring cultural performance and traditional culinary of local people, there are also booths selling souvenirs such as Koteka, Noken, etc.

sunset at Sentani Lake

The exhibition devoted to the promotion, investment and trade through booths that showcase the economic potential in Papua such as mining, forestry, fishery, plantation and tourism.

Baliem Valley Festival

Baliem Valley

The second biggest mountain-valley in Papua, The legendary Baliem Valley is the home of the Dani tribe. Indigenous peoples are introduced to the outside world as a peasant fighters. They lived in farming, but likes to fight. Baliem festival featuring performances tribal warfare, crafts, and traditional dances of Dani tribe. Various village re-demonstrate various cases of war between their village. Complete with throwing spears and shooting arrows. But they do not hurt each other.

war festival-throwing spears

Dani tribe-with arrows

Bromo Festival

Mount Bromo (front)

Take place in Mount Bromo (in ancient Javanese language ; Brahma, one of the major Hindu Gods) East Java, this festival features Tengger tribes traditional arts performances, mass Kuda Lumping dance, Reog dance and the main event ; Bromo Million Fire Festival. 

tengger tribes, ceremony at Bromo desert

The Lake Toba

The Toba lake was a volcanic lake with the long measurement 100 kilometre and wide 30 kilometre in North Sumatra, Sumatra, Indonesia. In the middle of this lake was gotten a volcanic island was named the Samosir Island. The Toba lake had since long before become the area of the aim of the important tour in North Sumatra apart from the Lawang Hill and Nias, attracted domestic tourists and mancanegara.

Estimated the Toba Lake happened during the explosion around 73,000-75,000 last year and was the eruption supervolcano (the volcano super) that was newest. Bill Rose and Craig Chesner from Michigan Technological University estimated that volcanic materials that were spewed out the mountain totalling 2800km3, with 800km3 the rock ignimbrit and 2000km3 volcanic ash that was estimated was blown the wind to the west for 2 weeks. Volcanic dust that was blown the wind spread to half earths, from China as far as South Africa. His eruption happened for 1 week and his dust throw reached 10 KM on sea level.

This incident caused the mass death and to several species also was followed by the extinction. According to some DNA proof, this eruption also menyusutkan the amount of humankind until approximately 60% from the number of populations of earth humankind at that time that is approximately 60 million humans. The same eruption took part in causing the occurrence of the ice time, although the experts were still debating the matter.

After this eruption, was formed the caldera that afterwards was filled by water and to that now is known as the Toba Lake. The pressure above by magma that did not yet go out caused the Samosir Island emergence.

Sumatera Utara

Sumatera Utara

North Sumatra had various tourist attractions that ought to be visited by the tourists who visited to the North Sumatran area, and many matters that could be enjoyed by the local tourists and tourists who came from overseas, and in the year beforehand North Sumatra prepared mengahadapi the ASEAN free trade area (AFTA) last 2003, by relying on all the available potentials in North Sumatra, including the Sector of Pariwisatanya. Because of that we must be sure that North Sumatra could match Bali and could be relied on to the international stage, because the North Sumatran location was adjacent to three countries, namely Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia

Remained that was felt uptil now in relation to the insignificance of means, the infrastructure of the supporter and his human resources. Could be seen by us that in the Airport of Polonia Medan, Belawan the port that was the door Gate to the entry of the foreign tourists, was not closed the possibility asked for the tourists who wanted to visit to North Sumatra so big, but, his promotion strategy was impressed still not all that, so as sometimes sometimes often made tourists lose the passion to come to North Sumatra.

The place - the place that could in visited:

- The Lake Toba

- Berastagi

- Prapat

- Tomok

INDONESIAN FESTIVALS : Part 1

INDONESIA is often referred as the sleeping giant of Southeast Asia, and the epithet was indeed appropriate. With more than 18 thousand islands, this archipelago has a remarkable diversity of what you can see or do while on vacation there. 

Indonesia offers a variety of festivals that are very distinctive feature of their cultures, reflecting the ethnic diversity and traditions from various parts of the archipelago. You'll find it in various typical Indonesian festivals, for example celebration af arts, batik, dance, ceremony, etc. If possible, you can see one of the festival during a visit in Indonesia.

Krakatau Festival (Lampung, Sumatra)

Krakatau Festival is an annual festival held in Lampung, was held to celebrate the volcanic island of the same name, Krakatau (Krakatoa). Mount Krakatau erupted in 1927, then the eruption was create a new small island named Anak Krakatau. 

During the festival, visitors can enjoy variety shows like Carnival Tuping (Lampung Mask Carnival), elephant and various dances from Lampung and surrounding cities. Series of events  ended with a visit to the volcanic island that still active but was sleeping soundly.

Bali Arts Festival (Bali)

One of the largest annual celebration of art and culture in Indonesia, Bali Arts Festival is always full packed. During the month, various arts performances, exhibitions, and other cultural activities will take place in Bali, offering dances, musics and beauty of their cultures. 

The celebration featured performances such as traditional dances that have been almost forgotten, the trail from a remote area in Bali, foods, handicrafts, as well as new creations from Dance School in Denpasar and contemporary choreography of national and international artists.

Solo Batik Carnival (Solo / Surakarta, Central Java)

From the first, Batik tradition was deeply embedded in Solo~(as known as Surakarta) and even has become an icon and identity, reflect the beauty of its Royal and hospitality of its people. Solo Batik Carnival is held to strengthen that tradition, and also to promote Batik globally.

This event is a combination of ceremonies, fashion shows, and carnivals, with Batik as theme. There is also a Bazaar that offers various kinds of batik and the unique souvenir from Solo.

Grebeg Maulud (Yogyakarta, Central Java)

In the Java language, Grebeg means crowd of people and Maulud is one of the month name in Javanese calendar. This celebration was also known as Sekaten, to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. This procession lasted a full day and features performances of Gamelan which paraded toward the Masjid Agung (grand mosque).

Night Bazaar is held in the north of town square, right place to taste the cuisine of Java and Yogyakarta and also hunting some souvenirs.

Visit Indonesia; Know it, Love It