Sights in Indonesia
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Taman Nasional Pangandaran
The Taman Nasional Pangandaran, which takes up the entire southern end of Pangandaran, is a wild expanse of dense jungle. Within its boundaries live porcupines, kijang (barking deer), hornbills, scorpions and monkeys (including Javan gibbons). Small bays within the park enclose pretty tree-fringed beaches. Occasionally, the park is even used as a temporary home for elephants being transported around the archipelago. The park is divided into two sections: the recreation park and the jungle. Due to environmental degradation, the jungle is usually off limits.
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Gereja Sion
Near the Kota train station, the Gereja Sion dates from 1695 and is the oldest remaining church in Jakarta. Also known as Gereja Portugis (Portuguese Church), it was built just outside the old city walls for the so-called 'black Portuguese' - the Eurasians and natives captured from Portuguese trading ports in India and Malaya and brought to Batavia as slaves.
The exterior of the church is very plain, but inside there are copper chandeliers, a baroque pulpit and the original organ. Although more than 2000 people were buried in the graveyard during 1790 alone, very few tombs remain.
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Batak Graves
The road that follows the northern rind of Samosir between Simanindo and the town of Pangururan is a scenic ride through the Bataks' embrace of life and death. In the midst of the fertile rice fields are large multistorey graves decorated with the distinctive Batak-style house and a simple white cross. Reminiscent of Thai spirit houses, Batak graves reflect much of the animistic attitudes of sheltering the dead.
Cigarettes and cakes are offered to the deceased as memorials or as petitions for favours. Typical Christian holidays, such as Christmas, dictate special attention to the graves.
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Kebun Raya Purwodadi
A few kilometres north of Lawang on the road to Surabaya, the Kebun Raya Purwodadi are expansive dry-climate botanical gardens. The 85 hectares are beautifully landscaped and contain over 3000 species, including 80 kinds of palm, a huge fern collection, a Mexican section, myriad orchids and many varieties of bamboo. The garden office to the south of the entrance has a map and leaflets. Air Terjun Cobanbaung is a high waterfall next to the gardens. The gardens are easily reached; take any bus (5000Rp) from Malang to Surabaya and ask to be dropped off at the entrance.
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Taman Hutan Raya Ir H Juanda
On the main road, 100m past the teahouse turn-off, a path leads down to Curug Dago (Dago Waterfall). From here you can walk along the river to Taman Hutan Raya Ir H Juanda, which is a pleasant forest park with another waterfall, 'caves' and walking paths. By road, the park entrance is 2km past the Dago bemo terminal.
Gua Pakar is in fact an ammunition store hacked out by the Japanese during the war. Further north is Gua Belanda, which is the same deal but built by the Dutch. A tunnel leads right through the mountain to the start of the trail that leads all the way to Maribay along Sungai Cikapundung.
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Arjuna Complex
The five main temples that form the Arjuna Complex are clustered together on the central plain. They are Shiva temples, but like the other Dieng temples they have been named after the heroes of the wayang stories of the Mahabharata epic: Arjuna, Puntadewa, Srikandi, Sembadra and Semar. All have mouth-shaped doorways and strange bell-shaped windows and some locals leave offerings, burn incense and meditate here. Raised walkways link the temples (as most of this land is waterlogged), but you can see the remains of ancient underground tunnels, which once drained the marshy flatlands.
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Botanic Garden Ubud
Discover the stories behind the many plants that make Bali green at Botanic Garden Ubud, on the road to Penelokan. Spread over more than 6 hectares, the many gardens are devoted to various themes such as orchids (in greenhouses), Bali-grown plants like cinnamon and vanilla, flowering butterfly-friendly gardens, an enormous lotus pond and much more. The work of Stefan Reisner, the gardens are a good counterpoint to art-filled museums. Get lost in the maze and when you finally escape, take comfort from Bali's medicinal plants. The exhibit about the cacti of East Bali is worth the cost of admission alone.
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Karang Nini
The main Pangandaran–Banjar road runs east initially, passing a series of bays and beaches exposed to the full force of the Indian Ocean. About 8km along the road, is Karang Nini, where there’s a group of warung on a headland, picnic areas beneath pandan trees and some bare, unattractive bungalows (per night 220,000Rp). The eastern section of beach here is superb, with a sweeping expanse of sand and crashing surf. Walk for 15 minutes along this beach and you’ll reach a beautiful river estuary, its banks lined with tropical forest and patrolled by gliding eagles. Karang Nini is about 3km south of the highway.
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Maimoon Palace
Having recently received a much-needed lick of paint, the Maimoon Palace stands as grand as ever. Built by the sultan of Deli in 1888, the 30-room palace features Malay, Mogul and Italian influences. Only the main room is open to the public; it features the lavish inauguration throne. The back wing of the palace is occupied by members of the sultan’s family. The current sultan, Aria Mahmud Lamanjiji, was only eight years old when he was installed as the 14th Sultan of Deli in 2005, replacing his father, who died in a plane crash. He is the youngest sultan in Deli history. He currently resides in Sulawesi, and his role is purely ceremonial.
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Gunongan
All that remains today of Aceh's powerful sultanates are on view at Gunongan. Built by Sultan Iskandar Muda (r 1607-36) as a gift for his Malay princess wife, it was intended as a private playground and bathing place. The building consists of a series of frosty peaks with narrow stairways and a walkway leading to ridges, which represent the hills of the princess' native land.
Directly across from the Gunongan is a low, vaulted gate, in the traditional Pintu Aceh style, which gave access to the sultan's palace - supposedly for the use of royalty only.
To reach Gunongan, take a labi labi (opelet) bound for Jl Kota Alam.
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Candi Cetho
Even higher up the slopes of Gunung Lawu, Candi Cetho sits on the southern face of Gunung Lawu at around 1400m. Thought to date from around 1350, this candi closely resembles a Balinese temple in appearance, though it combines elements of Shivaism and fertility worship. It’s a large temple and is spread over terraces rising up the misty hillside. There’s little carving here, but the stonework is well constructed and close-fitting. The entrance is marked by temple guardians and you’ll find a striking platform with a turtle head and a large lingam on the upper terrace. Balinese Hindus visit Candi Cetho to make offerings on auspicious days.
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Makam Sultan Hasanuddin
Remnants of the former kingdom of Gowa, 7km from town on the southeastern outskirts of Makassar, include Makam Sultan Hasanuddin, which memorialises the ruler of Gowa in the mid-17th century. Outside the tomb compound is the Pelantikan Stone, on which the kings of Gowa were crowned.
To go to Old Gowa and Sungguminasa, take a red pete-pete marked 'S Minasa' from Makassar Mall to the turn-off for the 1km walk to the tomb. A becak (bicycle-rickshaw) from there to the fort should cost around Rp8000. Another becak will take you to Mallenkeri Terminal, from where pete-pete return to central Makassar; the pete-pete should cost about Rp3000.
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Stone Chairs
More traditional Batak artistry and legend is on view in Ambarita, 5km north of Tanjung Tuk Tuk. The 300-year-old stone chairs is where village matters were discussed and wrongdoers were tried. A second set of megaliths in an adjoining courtyard was where the accused were bound, blindfolded, sliced and rubbed with chilli and garlic before being beheaded. Ambarita, 5km north of Tanjung Tuk Tuk. Guides love to play up the story and ask for volunteers to demonstrate the process.
It is customary to pay a small fee for the tale, or risk meeting a savoury death (just kidding). There is a small market in Ambarita on Thursday (07:00 to 10:00) to the right of the T-junction.
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Mesjid Raya Baiturrahman
With its brilliant white walls and liquorice-black domes, the Mesjid Raya Baiturrahman is a dazzling sight on a sunny day. The first section of the mosque was built by the Dutch in 1879 as a conciliatory gesture towards the Acehnese after the original one had been burnt down.
Two more domes - one on either side of the first - were added by the Dutch in 1936 and another two by the Indonesian government in 1957. The mosque survived intact after the 2004 earthquake and tsunami, a sign interpreted by many residents as direct intervention from the divine. The best time to catch the mosque is during Friday afternoon prayers, when the entire building and yard are filled with…
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Candi Jago
Along a small road near the market in Tumpang, 22km from Malang, Candi Jago was built between 1268 and 1280 and is thought to be a memorial to the fourth Singosari king, Vishnuvardhana. The temple has some interesting decorative carving – in the three-dimensional, wayang kulit style typical of East Java – from the Jataka and the Mahabharata. This primarily Buddhist temple also has Javanese-Hindu statues, including a six-armed, death-dealing goddess and a lingam, the symbol of Shiva’s male potency. There are two photocopied leaflets available at the entrance you can consult to learn about its history. To reach Candi Jago take a white angkot from Malang’s Arjosari bus…
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House of Sampoerna
Just northwest of Jembatan Merah is the city’s best-presented attraction, the House of Sampoerna which is the home of one of Indonesia’s most famous kretek cigarette manufacturers. Whatever you think about the tobacco industry, this factory and museum makes a fascinating place to visit. The building itself is a wonderful 19th-century Dutch structure, originally an orphanage but later converted into a theatre (indeed Charlie Chaplin once dropped by). The former lobby now forms the museum and is something of a shrine to the Sampoerna empire, with exhibits on the use of cloves and the history of kretek in Indonesia alongside uniforms and drums of the Sampoerna marching…
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Gunung Sibayak
Gunung Sibayak is probably the most accessible of Indonesia's volcanoes and on Sundays day-trippers from Medan are out in force. You need good walking boots because the path can be steep and slippery, and a layer of warm clothing as it gets cold at the summit. If doing the five-hour hike alone, it is recommended you hire a guide through the guesthouses.
There are three ways to tackle the climb, depending on your energy level. The easiest way is to take the track that starts to the northwest of town, a 10-minute walk past the Sibayak Multinational Resthouse. Take the left-hand path beside the entrance fee hut. From here it's 7km (4mi)- about three hours - to the top. On…
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King Sidabutar's Grave
The Batak king who adopted Christianity is buried in Tomok, a village southeast of Tuk Tuk. The king's image is carved on his tombstone, along with those of his bodyguard and Anteng Melila Senega, the woman the king is said to have loved for many years without fulfilment. The tomb is also decorated with carvings of singa, mythical creatures with grotesque three-horned heads and bulging eyes. Next door in death is the missionary who converted the tribe, the career equivalent of boy band stardom.
Next in the row is an older Batak royal tomb, which is used as a multilingual fertility shrine for childless couples, according to souvenir vendors. The tombs are 500m up a narrow…
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Kebun Raya
At the heart of Bogor are the fabulous botanical gardens, known as the Kebun Raya, the city’s green lung of around 87 hectares. Governor General Raffles first developed a garden here, but the spacious grounds of the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace) were expanded by Dutch botanist Professor Reinwardt, with assistance from London’s Kew Gardens, and officially opened in 1817. It was from these gardens that various colonial cash crops, such as tea, cassava, tobacco and cinchona, were developed by Dutch botanists including Johannes Teysmann, during the infamous Cultivation Period in the 19th century. The park is still a major centre for botanical research in Indonesia. This…
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Pura Meru
Pura Meru, is the largest temple in Lombok. Built in 1720 by Balinese prince Anak Agung Made Karang of the Singosari kingdom in an attempt to unite Lombok, it's dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
The outer courtyard has a hall housing the wooden drums that are beaten to call believers to ceremonies (the June full moon is the most important of these). The inner court has one large and 33 small shrines, as well as three meru (multi-roofed shrines), which are in a line: the central meru, with 11 tiers, is Shiva's house; the meru to the north, with nine tiers, is Vishnu's; and the seven-tiered meru to the south is Brahma's. The meru are also said to…
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Monas
Ingloriously dubbed 'Soekarno's final erection', this 132m-high Monas, towering over Merdeka Sq, is both Jakarta's principal landmark and the most famous architectural extravagance of the former dictator. Begun in 1961, this typically masculine column was not completed until 1975, when it was officially opened by Soeharto.
The National Monument is allegedly constructed 'entirely of Italian marble', and is topped with a sculpted flame, gilded with 35kg of gold leaf. The highlight of a visit are the smoggy views of Jakarta from the top of the monument (adult/child around Rp5000/around Rp2500). Avoid Sunday and holidays, when the queues for the lift are long.
In the base of…
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Gunung Api Gamalama
This 1721m volcano is Pulau Ternate. Gamalama erupted in 1840, destroying almost every house on the island. Although it has blown its fiery nose as recently as 1980, 1983 and 1994 it is not considered imminently dangerous. A volcanology unit keeps careful watch from Marikuruba village. There are pleasant, short, clove-grove hikes from Air Tege Tege village (near the transmitter tower).
The going is very steep and climbing above the tree line is both strenuous and hazardous. Reaching the often cloud-shrouded summit takes around five hours and requires a guide. At least two foreign visitors have disappeared in the attempt; some claim this was because they broke taboos (eg…
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Benteng Sungguminasa
Benteng Sungguminasa, a fort that was once the seat of the Sultan of Gowa, is 12km south of town centre at Sungguminasa. The former royal residence, now known as Museum Balla Lompoa, houses a collection of artefacts, including gifts from Australian Aborigines of Elcho Island, who have a history of trade with the Bugis. Although the royal regalia can be seen only on request, the wooden Bugis-style palace itself is the real attraction.
To go to Old Gowa and Sungguminasa, take a red pete-pete marked 'S Minasa' from Makassar Mall to the turn-off for the 1km walk to the tomb. A becak (bicycle-rickshaw) from there to the fort should cost around Rp8000. Another becak will take…
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Taman Sari
Just to the west of the kraton is the Taman Sari, which once served as a splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways for the sultan and his entourage. The Portuguese architect of this elaborate retreat, built between 1758 and 1765, was from Batavia - the story goes that the sultan had him executed in order to keep his hidden pleasure rooms secret.
The complex was damaged first by Diponegoro's Java War, and an earthquake in 1865 helped finish the job. While much of what you see today lies in ruins, the bathing pools have been restored. From the tower overlooking the pools, the sultan was able to dally with his wives and witness the goings-on below.
The entrance…
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Kelimutu
Set in plunging craters at the summit of a volcano, the coloured lakes of Kelimutu are undoubtedly the most spectacular sight in Nusa Tenggara. Astonishingly, the lakes periodically change hue - today one may be iridescent turquoise, its neighbour chocolate brown and a third lake dark green.
A few years ago the colours were blue, maroon and black, while back in the 1960s the lakes were blue, red-brown and café au lait.
It's thought that the lakes' colours are in constant flux due to dissolving minerals, a process that can accelerate in the rainy season. The moonscape around the summit gives Kelimutu an ethereal atmosphere, especially when clouds billow across the craters…
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