Bogor

From Bandung about 4,5 hours drive is Bogor, also called the city of rain. Previously known as "Buitenzorg" (Sans soucis or Without worries), during the Dutch colonial era, Bogor actually lies closer to Jakarta (50 km) than it does to Bandung (120 km). Appropriately named by the Dutch as a town "without worries", they chose Bogor to be the site for constructing the first palace of the Dutch Governor General way back in 1745. Later restored in 1832, the palace still stands solid and elegant today with its stretched out gardens where deer roam freely on the green grass under majestically tall old trees.

The inhabitants of Bogor work in agriculture, forestry, industry, as civil are Christians, Catholics, Hindus and Buddhists. From a historical point of view, the Bogor Regency still has a close relationship with the history of the Pakuan Padjajaran Kingdom, which was built between the 13th - 15th centuries. This is supported by some historical objects in the form of inscriptions as old manuscript written by some historians, which were found in the area. Bogor, is famous with its botanical garden. This botanical garden and in the garden is the palace "Buitenzorg" On a not so busy day on the road a visit to Bogor and Taman Safari can be done on the same day. The world-famous Bogor Botanical Garden borders the Palace Grounds, covering an area of 87 hectares with thousands of species of plant life from all over the world. There are over 15,000 species of trees and plants, 400 varieties of palms alone. The orchid houses contain over 3000 orchid varieties. We don't have to be a horticulturalist to enjoy the gardens, it is a masterpiece of design and a wonderful place to just stroll and enjoy the company of family and friends.

See the original "Havea Brazilliensis" rubber tree, formerly imported from Brazil, and world's largest flower, the Rafflesia, a foul smelling and stem less as well as leafless plant. When visiting this Garden, arrange for a permit to visit the neighboring Presidential Palace, which belonged to the Dutch Governor General before Indonesia's independence. Doing this may be a daylong visit by leaving Jakarta in the morning and spend the night in Puncak mountainous region on the way to Bandung the next day. Here again, the whole car trip will be memorable, as scenic tropical beauty all around is really astonishing. We will also pass by another smaller Presidential Palace at Cipanas, the setting of which is in a colorful and flowery vast garden around this wooden but stylish palace.

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Jatiluhur Dam

Purwakarta is a part of West Java, a small district with its beautiful scenery of Jatiluhur Dam. It is located 9 kilometers from Purwakarta, is known as Juanda Dam, which could accommodate 3 billion cubic of water from Citarum River. Situated halfway between Jakarta and Bandung, this dam was originally built with French technical assistance in the 1950's to generate electrical power for the region. It is the first multipurpose dam in Indonesia. It now provides irrigation to the surrounding Arabic land and a fishery industry has been developed as well. It is now being developed for tourism and provides convenient facilities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, a camping ground, and speedboats for water skiing and cottages. The reservoir is huge, the scenery tropical, the air crisp and cool.

In the dam, there are six turbine units with installed capacity of 187 megawatts and could generate electricity of 1,000 million kilowatt ours per year. Besides, the dam functions to feed water to irrigation channel of 242,000 hectares of farming land provide raw water for drinking water, as fishery and as flood control.

Grama Tirta is a place where we can enjoy our holiday doing various kinds of outdoor sporting activities. Enjoy a morning walk at Jatiluhur Dam, inhaling the crisp fresh air. Let the cool morning dew on the grass and melodious songs of bird greet in each morning. Catch a glimpse of our Morning Glory and its breathtaking beauty will inspire us to new heights.

For those who love water sports and recreation, 8,300 hectares dam with its year round crystal clear waters, will be difficult to resist. Climb into a paddleboat to explore the Jatiluhur Dam, or just sit back and relax in a motorboat to experience the great outdoors. And if speed and challenge are what we are looking for, the fleet of jet skis will propel the tourists to all corners of the lake.

Asides from its function as hydro power plant, Jatiluhur dam also has a number of recreation facilities including hotels, bungalow, bar and restaurant, tennis court, billiard, camping site, swimming pool, meeting room, water sport recreation center, playground etc. Water sport recreation center includes rowing, surfing, water ski, boating and shipping. In Jatiluhur dam, there is a Ikan Keramba Jaring Apung or Keramba Fish Floating Net activity, that could become a distinguished activity in the dam. In the daylight or at night, we can fish with peace and eat roasted fishes.

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Mount Tangkuban Perahu

Tangkuban perahu is a volcano, 25 kilometers north of Bandung direction of Lembang. Its location is in between Sagalaherang village, Sagalaherang district, Subang regency and Cikole village, Lembang district, Bandung regency. This is Bandung's most famous tourist volcano just 28 km north of the city. This volcano offers many places to see and explore. Whether we look into the huge crater or hike down into it, stroll through the forest on its slopes, or simply enjoy the splendid panoramic scenery.

Mt. Tangkuban Perahu is an interesting destination that everyone in the Bandung area is fond of visiting. When seen from Bandung, Mt. Tangkuban Perahu has a distinctive shape, like an upside down boat. Tangkuban Perahu means, in fact, "up-turned boat" This peculiar shape has stimulated the fantasy of the Sundanese people from early times as expressed in the Legend of Sangkuriang. Geologically, Mt. Tangkuban Perahu has played a significant role in the development of Parahyangan highlands. Eruptions have contributed immensely to the hills north of Bandung through lava flowing into the valleys and hardening into rock, thus forming big cliffs over which waterfalls leap.

Likewise, mud flows have formed a semi-circular cone of gentle gradient (what geologists call "a fan"), which is now a mass that blocked the valley of the ancient Citarum River near present day in Padalarang (some 18 km west of Bandung), this caused a lake to form covering the whole Bandung plain.

Tangkuban Perahu is a volcano with three craters into which areas tourists can walk through. These three craters are: Kawah Ratu ("Queen Crater"), Kawah Domas ("Domas Crater"), and Kawah Upas ("Upas Crater"). Tourists can go down into the Domas Crater where exist many hot geysers in which they can boil eggs. Though the mountain appears peaceful, mild eruptions occurred in 1969, when Kawah Ratu spewed ash and barrages 500 m high. As recently as September 1992 it 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. On a reasonably clear day, from Kawah Ratu, the main crater, we can see not only the mountain range to the east, with Mt. Bukittunggul as its highest peak (2,209 m), but also two other in a northeasterly direction. The lower and nearer one is Mt. Tampomas (1,684 m) just north of Sumedang some 40 km away. To the right and about 90 km away is Mt. Ciremai close to Cirebon on the north coast. At 3,078 m, Mt. Ciremai is West Java's tallest mountain. At the foot of Mt. Tangkuban Perahu we see the Ciater tea plantation covering the rolling hills. Farther to the left are the northern coastal plains of Java, and on an extremely clear day we may even be able to see the Java Sea beyond.

Kawah Ratu, which means "Queen's Crater", is today just a big gray hole, which sometimes has a pool of water at its center. Poisonous gases sometimes accumulate in Kawah Ratu, thus making it somewhat of a risk to descend to the crater floor. Beyond the saddled shaped depression on the far side of Kawah Ratu is the still active Kawah Upas, the oldest crater on the mountain. On the very far western cliff we see a spot where all vegetation has been destroyed by constantly rising sulfurous vapors.

On the crater walls, note the various layers of material consisting of rock, sand, and pebbles. Overtime, new craters have formed again and again in a rather consistent shift from west to east. The most well known of these is the Domas crater, but also there are other smaller ones in jungle on the mountain's northeastern flank. Facilities in Tangkuban Perahu Crater are comfortable parking area, souvenir kiosks, and restaurants.

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Cipanas Hot Spring

Cipanas tourist resort lies on the slope of mount Guntur is one of best tourist destination in Garut regency.

This natural tourist resort constitutes a mountain range with beautiful panorama and cool air. In this area a hot spring found that is very effective for health especially for cure rheumatism. Besides to have beautiful natural panorama, Cipanas also offers many kinds of tourism activities such as swimming in hot water pools, hiking and paragliding on mount Guntur.

Many accommodation facilities and public infrastructure are sufficient enough to makes your perfect vacation either in quality or quantity with the prices being achieved for all circles.

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Kawah Mas at Mt. Papandayan

Place of special interest visit Papandayan is exploring Papandayan's active crater where its offers you a very unusual experience.

Kawah Mas or the "Golden Crater" is the Papandayan's 150 meter-wide central dome. Here roaring fumaroles sounding like jet engines exude scorching vapor, and the residual heat from previous eruptions glows ominously in the volcano's interior. Through the open northwestern side of the crater is fantastic view stretches before you across the whole Garut plain.

You can descend into this crater and enter an underworld of lava, ashes, poisonous gasses, hissing mud pools and golden sulphur deposits.

After visiting this unique place, you may feel like having a picnic in the fresh breeze, Climb up the left side of Kawah Mas, if facing the road. Where a 15-minutes walk leads up to a small plateau with a lovely view over the Garut plateau. The Mt. Papandayan crater is truly a visual feast.

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Papandayan Mountain

A visit to Mt. Papandayan is one of the most spectacular outings to an active volcano you can make. Golden sulphur crystals, hissing, team, boiling mud and water, blue and black creeks, all set in a large crater with a commanding view over the Garut Plain make this outing in unforgettable experience.

This mountain is an active volcano; the first time of its eruption was in August 1772, at that time it threw up cubic of materials as far as one kilometer to the air, causing casualties of 3000 people dead and piling up 40 villages around that volcano

The 6,500 hectares area surrounding the 2,622 meters Gunung Papandayan forms a unique volcanic landscape, 36 kilometers southwest of Garut. The volcano has a number of craters: Kawah Alun-Alun, Kawah Papandayan and Kawah Mas. The most visited crater is Kawah Mas (Golden Crater). You can descend into this crater and enter an underworld of lava, ashes, poisonous gasses, hissing mud pools and golden sulphur deposits. Be careful, as there are a number of dangers, it is always recommended to hire an experienced guide when hiking around volcanoes!

Access to the mountain is easy with any vehicle. Public buses take you only to within 9 km of the crater, so you either have to walk the rest of the way or take an ojek (private motorbike with driver).

Though you can drive directly to the rim of the crater, keep in mind that your safety is not guaranteed, hot steam and boiling water and mud can scald you badly, and many of the sharp-edged rocks are rather loose. Do be careful.

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Guntur Mountain

Mt. Guntur (Thunder Mountain), the bare flank of which is sufficient evidence of recent activity. In the last century, Junghuhn, the Java researcher, listed Mt. Guntur as the second most and dangerous volcano on Java after Mt. Lamongan (in East Java) and before Mt. Merapi (near Yogyakarta). Its eruption of 1840 sent red hot lava all the way down to Cipanas. Mt. Guntur's most recent eruption in 1992 spewed lava once again from its top crater.

The lower crater, a kind of plateau, has a good view from the eastern flank of the mountain. The upper crater is on a cone at the very top and towers above the lower one. You can drive part way up the slope but then have to walk to reach these craters.

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Santolo Beach

Santolo beach is one of the famous beaches in Garut and well known enough in Bandung cities and constitutes the tourist destination.

This resort is a place where traditional fishermen gather and will be developed as the beautiful tourist destination. It’s also functions as a place for fishermen’s activities that is quay of fishing boats in Pameungpeuk. To enjoy coastal panorama and observe marine’s life are tourism activities that can be done at this beach. It’s also provided some rental boats being ready to serve tourists for crossing and see clearly the reefs that surrounding the port and enjoying the pounding of southern coastal waves.

With a calm sea tourists can enjoy a fascinating beach panorama, camping and fishing also a fresh sea food with a plainly served can be enjoying.

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Curug Orok

Approximately 29 kilometers to the southwest side of Garut city is natural tourist resort found, namely Curug Orok, to be exact at Cikandang village, Cikajang sub district. This resort constitutes a beautiful waterfall because the path to the site divides tea plantation.

The natural panorama around Curug Orok (Orok Waterfall) and mountain atmosphere adorned with green tea plantation spread is an attraction to be offered in this resort. No wonder many teenagers come here to enjoy. Other activity that can be done in this location is to take a bath under the clean waterfall.

Its atmosphere is very nice for the tourists to look for peace and stay away from the tiring city. To reach this resort we can use our private vehicles or public transportation in the direction of Garut Bungbulang.

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Park and Reserves

Kebun Raya Bogor

You can find one of the biggest botanical gardens in the world, covers 110 hectares of land, and was established in 1817. The garden is renowned for its range of tropical botanical specimens, features pathways through bamboo stands, rattan, orchids, water lilies, fountain lakes, a miniature tropical rainforest and zoological museum.

About 15,000 native plants collected from all over Indonesia and foreign species introduced from many tropical countries are now grown in the garden. There is an excellent zoological museum in the southern part of the garden, with an immense collection of 30,000 specimens of land and sea creatures from throughout Indonesia, along with a richly- illustrated library of this botanical zone.

The park is still a major centre for botanical research in Indonesia. The gardens contain streams and lotus ponds and more than 15,000 species of trees and plants, including 400 types of magnificent palms. The gardens' orchid houses are reputed to contain more than 3,000 orchid varieties and are open to the general public.

Nusantara Flower Garden

Nusantara Flower Garden, has collected more than 300 varieties of flowers, on the 35 hectare site. Shapes and colors of roses become another show at Nusantara Flower Garden. Tea rose species from Australia and America are available here.

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ARTS

Dances

The ancient royal capital of Cirebon holds performances of masked dances, some of which continue traditions from hundreds of years ago. In the city of Subang there is the Bajidoran performance, and all over Sunda you can hear the soft melodious environments of Gamelan Degung and Tari Kreasi Baru (modern dance).

The Jaipongan dance is normally associated with the cultural life of Bandung; this dance is very popular in West Java and can even be thought of as one of Indonesia's national dances, as it is popular everywhere around the archipelago. Created by combining Sundanese classical dances, this dance often involves the entire audience joining in.

Wayang Golek

Then there is Wayang Golek, an art form particular to West Java, and one which has survived many generations. Wayang is performed not merely for entertainment but also functions as a method of religious and philosophical teaching. Wayang Golek is performed by a Dalang, acting all at once as narrator, operator and performer. The performance customarily lasts all night long.

Gamelan Degung and Tembang SundaSome of the most classical genres, such as Gamelan Degung and Tembang Sunda are little more than a century old, and have changed fundamentally in the last fifty years. To remain in work, performers must follow artistic fashion.

Batik

Batik cloth is made in a traditional technique of hand decorating, which has been handed down for generations. This age-old method of drying cloth painted in patterns with the aid of molten wax was first introduced by Persians and Egyptians and brought to Indonesia in the 13th century by early traders, then broadened and improved upon by the Javanese.

Traditionally batik is designed in subtle shades of blue, brown and white, produced with natural vegetable dyes. A design is drawn on paper, then traced onto the cloth using a cooper funnel (Canting) to transfer the hot wax from a vessel, as it is painted on the fabric through a hollow-pointed instrument. Whether painted or stamped, Batik is one of the most popular Indonesian craft textiles.

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Language

This is typical of the Sundanese, the residents of West Java, known as well as Pasundan or Priangan land, one of the most densely populated regions on the island of Java. The Sundanese even have their own dialect, different from the Javanese. Sundanese has three honorific levels: refined speech for older/senior people, normal language spoken among those of the same class, and low language, used when addressing servants, children, of students.

Sundanese language and manners range from highly refined and formalized to downright vulgar and ribald. Such contrasts are reflected in the performing arts, ranging from the exquisite melancholy of courtly poetry sung in Tembang Sunda, to rhythmic sounds squeezed from the armpits of Ngajibrut street entertainers.

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National Park

Gunung Halimun

Most of the park's flora is comparable to that of the Gunung Halimun National Park. Due to poisonous volcanic gasses only plants adapted to this kind of environment, such as Myrsine Avensis, Rhododendron Javanicum, R. Retusum, Selliguea feei and Vaccinium Varingiaefolium will grow here. As many as 200 species of orchids can be found. Not with standing the small size of the park a variety of animals can be seen. The park is a bird-watcher's paradise as more than 250 species can be spotted.

Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park

Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park comprises a variety of landscapes. Although small, the site has beautiful waterfalls, lakes and rivers, rugged volcanic landscapes, quiet alms, mountain swamp and tropical mountain forest. At higher elevations there are vast alpine grassy areas. The park is best visited during the dry season: May-October. From January till March the park is closed.

Cibodas Botanical Garden

Spectacular meadows and deep groves of trees, on the slopes of mount Gede Pangrango. There is collection of hundreds of different types and ages of ,tree, and 5,831 different plants catalogued thus far. As a portal to climb Mount Gede Pangrango, Cibodas Botanical Garden sees some 400,000 visitors per year, come to look at the greenhouse, waterfall and 4,000 types of cactus plus 350 varieties of orchid!

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