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Candi Cetha, Karanganyar, Central Java, Indonesia

Candi Cetha is located in Cetha Gumeng Village, Jenawi, Karanganyar Regency, Central Java. Candi Cetha is one of Temples built in Majapahit era, when King Brawijaya reigned.

Cetha means clear, obvious, or vivid. The village name was used to refer the temple. From the village, clearly (cetha), to see landscape of Karananyar, Solo with Gunung Merbabu and Merapi background, and further peak of Mt Sumbing. Westward and Eastward, green hills stretch, and at the south the slope of Mt Lawu with its baby mountains. Continue reading Candi Cetha, Karanganyar, Central Java, Indonesia

Watugudig Site, Jogja, Indonesia

Watugudik site is a site of stones that are neatly composed in rectangle formation, and other stones are scattered on corners of the location and also there are piles of them separated from the main formation. Those stones resembles shape of umpak or the pedestal of pillar, round with protruding part on top, similar like gong. The stones have diameter ranges from 53 cm to 75 cm.
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Sukoliman Megalithic Site, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

This megalithic site is located in Sukoliman Village II, Bejiharjo, Karangmojo, Gunung Kidul, Jogja. The site was built from prehistoric period, constitutes of menhir, menhir fragment, and wall of dolmen. Beads, iron equipments, earthenware and bronze items were also found here. The authority revamped and collected the items that are scattered. Local people call the site as “Kuburan Budho” or ancient cemetery. Continue reading Sukoliman Megalithic Site, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Kaliadem Lava Tourism, Jogja, Indonesia

Located in Cankringan, Sleman, Jogja, Indonesia, Kaliadem is a high  land located on the south slope of Mt Merapi. From here visitors can watch the summit of Gunung Merapi from 2 km distance. The 2.965 meters high mountain is decorated by smoke that always smolders from the crater, showing that the crater is always busy working.

Beside seeing Merapi summit, visitors can see the geologic evidences of Merapi eruption constitute of  span of rocks and sand of volcanic material, and bunker. The region is barren only bushes grow contrast with other part of the slope. Bunker is made of concret with 25 cm thickness and door made of iron.

At night, red lava ejected by Merapi can be seen from here, lava falls down descending the lava dome. To come here at night, warm clothing is a must as the temperature in the region is cold.

Parangtritis Sand Dune, Jogjakarta, Indonesia

Parang Tritis sand dune is located 15.7 hm from the estuary of Opak River to Parangtritis, Parangtritis, Kretek, Bantul, Jogja. And it spreads over 2 km or the coast line. The dunes are caused by wind activity or eolin.  The wind carries the sand and then precipitate to form a hills of sand of various types. In general, sand dune created on desert, but uniquely, Indonesia as tropical region with high rate of rainfall posses sand dune is such a unique phenomenon. This sand dune is the only sand dune in Indonesia. The formation of sand dune is a result of a process influenced by Mt Merapi, Graben Bantul, Ngopak River and Progo River. Continue reading Parangtritis Sand Dune, Jogjakarta, Indonesia

Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, Sultan Palace (Kraton), Jogja, Indonesia

Kraton or Sultan Palace is located in the center of Yogyakarta, more than 200 years ago, this site was a swamp called Umbul pacetokan, and the later built by Prince Mangkubumi to be a residential building named Ayodya. In 1955, Giyanti Treaty occurred that separated Mataram to be two parts : Kasunanan Surakarta regned by Sunan Pakubuwono III and Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta under the authority of Pangeran Mangkubumi that later titled as Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. Continue reading Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, Sultan Palace (Kraton), Jogja, Indonesia

Taman Sari (Water Castle), Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Taman Sari is known as Fragrance Garden or Water Castle or Pleasure Garden, located in Yogyakarta /Jogja. Covered 10 hectares with 57 buildings, bathing pool, hanging bridge, water canals, artificial lake and islet, and underwater tunnel. The garden was used from 1765 to 1812 that initially stretched from the southwest of Kedhaton complex to Magangan in the southeast. Nowadays, only the southwest of Kedhaton that is left.
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Pulau (Island) Sempu : A Pristine Hideaway in Malang, East Java


Pulau Sempu is a tiny island located in Sumbermanjing Wetan, Malang, East Jana. This island is a natural reserve, separated from main island with narrow strait in Sendang Biru, no inhabitants. The islands is only 877 hectares, pristine and has drawn local and foreign travelers. To reach this Island, visitors should drive to Sendang Biru, only 2-3 hours from Malang City, then proceed to cross strait to Sempu Island which is only 15 minutes by fishermen boat.

The island is mostly overgrown with mangroves, and there is a beautiful lagoon in the island called Segara Anakan. This lagoon was created by ocean water channeled by a small hole of cliff connecting the lagoon to Hindian Ocean. After crossing the strait from Sendangbiru, trekk through forest for 1 to 2 hours to get to Segara Anakan. Segara Anakan fringes by a white sandy beach and clear blue water. Snorkeling is available, and save as the area separated to Hindian Ocean.

Continue reading Pulau (Island) Sempu : A Pristine Hideaway in Malang, East Java

Sien Orchid, Prigen, Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia

Sien Orchid is a private nursery situated at Jalan Raya Ngemplak No.6 Prigen, Pasuruan, East Java. This plantation offers nice collections of orchids that visitors can enjoy and also to bring home as souvenirs.

The nursery covers 2 hectares area with approximately 10.000 orchid species, local or from other countries. The collections are displayed in International nursery exhibition. Most of the collections are new species from the plantation experiments that each species takes 10 years experiments.

One of the experiment result is Orchid Dendrobium Bali Moon, that has been registered in London.

Sien Orchid was founded by Moling Simardjo for his love of orchid, started with in 1985. Sien Orchid opens for public from 09.00 to 16.00, free of charge.