Indonesia & Bali Tourism New

Anggrek? Terbayang bunga eksotis nan cantik digantung dalam pot. Paling- paling tersusun rapi di depan rumah, mencoba mencuri perhatian orang yang lewat. Sekarang, jika waktu boleh menyela, akan kuajak kalian menikmati anggrek dengan cara yang juga eksotis, mencarinya langsung di alam liar.

Jangan tanya. Petualanganku bukan berawal dari wangsit mbah dukun ataupun bisikan dewa ilmu pengetahuan. Bukan, ini murni rasa penasaranku. Hasil brainstroming dengan beberapa temanku mengantarkan kami pada keinginan yang lebih jauh, terwujudnya sebuah “Desa Anggrek”.
Inget puisinya Dian Sastro di AADC? Kulari ke hutan, laut, bla bla itu? Lebih kurang kisah kami mirip dengan itu.

(more…)

“Mau ke Yogya yah? Jangan lupa pulangya bawa bakpia Pathuk, yah!,” begitulah biasanya kita kerap memesan atau dititipi oleh–oleh setiap kali ada yang bertandang ke Yogya. Rasa–rasanya bakpia Pathuk kini memang telah identik sebagai buah tangan khas kota pelajar itu. Berkunjung ke Yogyakarta rasanya belum pas kalau tidak mampir ke pusat pembuatan dan penjualan bakpia Pathuk.

Di kawasan Kampung Pathuk, Jalan K.S. Tubun, paralel dengan Jalan Malioboro itu ada puluhan pengusaha rumahan memproduksi makanan khas yang terbuat dari tepung berisikan kacang hijau itu. Puluhan mobil atau bus–bus wisata biasanya selalu padat parkir di ruas jalan sepanjang 1 kilometer itu, terutama di hari–hari libur.

(more…)

Tesso Nilo is a lowland forest in the province of Riau, Indonesia, and one of WWF Global 200 Ecoregions. WWF is striving to conserve the Tesso Nilo Forest as an example of what once were the vast stretches of Sumatran lowland forest.

WWF’s vision in Tesso Nilo is to connect the forests between the five protected areas of the Tesso Nilo – Bukit Tigapuluh (TNBT) Landscape (including a future Tesso Nilo Conservation Area) to provide sufficient habitat for elephants and tigers and thus to be a safe haven also for other threatened and rare species.

(more…)

This is Jakarta’s largest and most popular recreation park. Used to be known as “Jaya Ancol Dreamland”, its extensive range of attractions includes sea and fresh-water aquariums, swimming pools, an artificial lagoon for fishing and boating, a bowling alley, as well as an assortment of nightclubs restaurants, and massage parlors.

The Ancol complex includes a marina, Dunia Fantasi (Fantasy Land), a golf course, hotels and a drive-in theatre. The ‘Pasar Seni’ or art market has a varied collection of Indonesian handicraft, paintings and souvenirs on sale. An open-air theatre features live performances by local artists.

(more…)

Many people visit Bandung, the capital of West Java province, to pamper their taste buds. You’ll be amazed with what Bandung has to offer. From various food sold on street vendors to haute cuisine, every visitor will be able to find something to their liking here, in Bandung.

Sundanese (the people living in West Java are called Sundanese) has tempting refreshments. Sundanese food tends to be bland yet tasty unless you add sambal dadak (chili and other ingredients grinded together) to your food. If you’re looking for more spicy taste, just add this sambal dadak with nasi timbel (steamed rice formed into a roll inside a banana leaf) and other specialties. This mouthwatering treat is too good to be missed! Usually sour vegetables soup (sayur asam) is accompanied by nasi timbel.

(more…)

It may not have spectacular panoramas or beaches like Bali but Madura, an islet off the coast of East Java, is just interesting, thanks to its rich culinary tradition. Soto ayam Madura — a rich and spicy chicken soup — became a popular dish at the turn of last century, especially with the Dutch, who were at the time coming to appreciate local fare.

The soup, made in two variations of chicken and beef, quickly changed old perceptions about not eating spicy foods in a hot and humid tropical climate, and became one of the most popular local soups. Some sources say the soups were not actually created in Madura but made by Madurese who lived in Surabaya and generated more income by selling their new culinary creations.

(more…)

The Watu Dodol Tourist Forest is a quite potential tourist destination in the Banyuwangi Regency of East Java. It is about 14 km from Banyuwangi. This tourist forest is located within the protected forest at block 66B, RPH Selogiri, BKPH Ketapang Ketapang, KPH of North Banyuwangi, at an altitude of 10 to 50 meters about the sea level. Administratively, it is governed as part of the Pasir Putih Village, of the Wongsorejo Sub-District, within the Banyuwangi Regency.

This place is very precious. The combinations of hill, forest and beach make the beautiful scenery. Its beauty is more completed by a giant stone with a plant stands up in the middle of highway to Surabaya. The romantic panorama provides a good place for jogging track, cross country as well as enjoying the beauty of Bali strait in distance.

(more…)

Sangalaki is the world Capital of Mantas. At Sangalaki the familiar set of Manta Rays emerges from all directions. Their wing tips breaking the surfaces at regular interval. Snorkelling is the way to interact with this gentle plankton feeders. Totally unperturbed by your presence, they swim in eurythymy and sometimes glide right up to you before making a sharp nose-dive into the blue. It is not unusual to find them encircling you.

Though most of them are about 3,5 meters (12 ft) wide with a white belly, there a few black giant with a 6 meters (20 ft) wing span - we refer to them fondly as the Darth Vaders.
The sensation of looking through their giant mouths cannot be described, it must be experienced. it is totally out of this world, so much so that one published writer reported that he was whacked by his own adrenaline.

(more…)

Maratua, about an hour from Sangalaki by boat is a large island with a massive lagoon. The island only rims part of the lagoon, the rest is fringed by reef and wall. A channel into the lagoon is an incridible drift dive and the surrounding walls are loaded with hard and soft corals
Imagine you are sitting on a ringside seat, the arena an underwater colosseum at 100 feet, beneath you and abyssal plunge beyond the depth of mortal endurance.

The arrival of a lone 7 foot great barracuda heralds for the show to begin. A dark cloud emerges from the distance, like an uprising tornado, as it twirls toward you, the dark mass metamorphosizes into silvery screen of barracudas, thousand… uncountable.

(more…)

Teluk Cendrawasih National Park combines coral reef ecosystems, coastal ecosystems, mangrove ecosystems and an island terrestrial tropical forest ecosystem, altogether covering a total area of 1,453,500 hectares. The Park area includes the largest marine national park in Indonesia, consisting of land and coastal areas (0.9%), islands (3.8%), coral reefs (5.5%), and marine waters (89.8%).

Some 46 species of plant have been recorded on the islands, dominated by bakau (Bruguiera sp.), api-api (Avicennia sp.), nipah (Nypa fruticans), sago (Metroxylon sago), cemara laut (Casuarina equisetifolia), and ketapang (Terminalia catappa).

(more…)