Welcome to Indonesia Java International Destination

Indonesia is a country that has a lot of cultures, flora, fauna and exotic natural environment etc. So it is reasonable if this country called Indonesia Java International Destination. At this time the Indonesian government's campaign to promote tourism with the slogan Indonesia Java International Destination.

Why Java? Because, Java is one of island that has had international tourism standards. In terms of tourism are resources, infrastructure, and human resources for managing tourism. If you are a foreign tourist, you will not feel satisfied when you visiting Indonesia as your destination. In Java Island, a lot of places that could be used for travel, one spot for that is Yogyakarta.

I am very in love full with Yogyakarta. The Yogyakarta atmosphere is very reassuring of my heart. I was never satisfied to visit Malioboro. There is a handicraft center, the great place for hunting gift. There are many things that I could find souvenir for my family as a gift. There is very unique of market place. Why they are unique? Because the small traders could compete with many Super Markets that very closer with small traders.

Other sights of interest to me are Borobudur Temple. Borobudur is the biggest temple in the world. Borobudur Temple is one of the cultural tourism that is located not far from the city center. It took two hours by car to reach it. Borobudur Temple is one of the cultural heritages of Hinduism. Many of the old statues you can see there. The statue has very expensive cultural value, because the statue was hundreds years old. Natural atmosphere around the Borobudur temple is very fresh, there is no air pollution there. So, you must try to breathe in there.

If you like the atmosphere of the beach, you can visit the Parang Tritis Beaches and Depok beach. There is a major difference between that. If you like to eat seafood, so Depok Beach the perfect place to eat seafood. There is a direct merchant sells marine fish and can be ordered for cooking sea food. I think that is most delicious taste of fresh seafood accompanied by a coconut water drink.

However, if you like the water game tour, the Parang teritis beach is the perfect place to play water sports. But must be care with the high waves. You should be aware of the threshold line the beach.

So let's joint with us in Indonesia Java International Destination.

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Indonesia Java International Destination Yogyakarta

INDONESIA JAVA INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION

YOGYAKARTA

Yogyakarta, an Introduction

Indonesia Java International Destination Yogyakarta is the quintessential Indonesia city that personifies its sound, its sights, its smells. Often written as Jogjakarta or simply abbreviated to Jogja and Yogya, Jogjakarta is the name of the city as well as province in central Java, Indonesia. It holds the distinction of being the only Indonesian province that is still governed by a precolonial Sultanate, the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat. The city is known as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows. The official name of the Yogyakarta province is Special Region of Yogyakarta (Indonesian: Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, or DIY). The city of Yogyakarta is the capital of the province.

Yogyakarta History

The sultanate of Jogjakarta, formally the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, was formed in 1755 when the Sultanate of Mataram was divided into two by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The division created the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta and the Sultanate of Surakarta, with the capitals being Yogyakarta and Surakarta respectively. Sultan Hamengkubuwono I of Yogyakarta built his new capital, centred around his palace, called Kraton, using the court of Surakarta as blueprint. By the time of his death, his territory has exceeded Surakarta's.

During Indonesia's fight for independence, the capital of Indonesia was temporarily shifted to Jogjakarta because of Dutch occupation of Jakarta, from 1946 until 1950. When Indonesia achieved independence, the Sultan of Jogjakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, declared Yogya to be part of the newly created Republic of Indonesia. In return, the new Indonesian government granted Yogyakarta the status of Special Regional Province, with the Sultan acting as Governor for life. The present ruler of Yogyakarta is his son, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. When the elder sultan died, the Indonesian government insisted on an election for a new governor, even though the position of governor, according to the agreement with Indonesia, was to pass to his heir. So an election was held to choose a governor, and Sultan Hamengkubuwono X won the election, and was elected governor in defiance of the will of the central government.

Infrastructure

The Adisucipto (or Adisutjipto) International Airport is the principal airport serving Yogyakarta. It is located in kabupaten (distict) Sleman in the northern part of Yogyakarta Special Region. The airport only became an international airport as late as February 21st, 2004, with the first international flight connecting it to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the flag carrier Garuda Indonesia. The elevation of Adisucipto tointernational airport is expected to boost trade and tourist for Yogyakarta which previously depended on Bali and Jakarta as the gateway.

Finding Accommodation in Yogyakarta

If you're going to Yogyakarta, you now have the option of finding accommodation in a hotel, or look for one in hostels and guesthouses. To book a room in a star-rated hotel, use the Yogyakarta Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers. To find accommodation in a Hostel or Guesthouse, use the Yogyakarta Guide to Hostels and Guesthouses. Each link provides detailed listing of the type of accommodation you can expect in Yogyakarta. Be aware that you get what you pay for. If you need a certain degree of comfort, then a star-rated hotel may be an ideal option for you. On the other hand, if you are able to forego a bit of creature comfort, then hostels and guesthouses are clean, safe, and incredibly good value for money. For accommodation in other destinations, visit Hotel Guide for Budget Travelers or Hostels & Guesthouses Accommodation Guide.

INDONESIA JAVA INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION

Tourist Attractions in Yogyakarta

Borobudur Temple
Biggest single-piece ancient Buddhist monument in the world
In Indonesian, ancient temples are known as candi; thus "Borobudur Temple" is locally known as Candi Borobudur. The term candi is also used more loosely to describe any ancient structure, for example gates and bathing structures. The origins of the name Borobudur however are unclear, although the original names of most ancient Indonesian temples are no longer known. The name Borobudur was first written in Sir Thomas Raffles' book on Javan history. Raffles wrote about a monument called borobudur, but there are no older documents suggesting the same name. The only old Javanese manuscript that hints at the monument as a holy Buddhist sanctuary is Nagarakretagama, written by Mpu Prapanca in 1365. The name 'Bore-Budur', and thus 'BoroBudur', is thought to have been written by Raffles in English grammar to mean the nearby village of Bore; most candi are named after a nearby village. If it followed Javanese language, the monument should have been named 'BudurBoro'. Raffles also suggested that 'Budur' might correspond to the modern Javanese word Buda ('ancient') – i.e., 'ancient Boro'. However, another archaeologist suggests the second component of the name ('Budur') comes from Javanese term bhudhara (mountain).
Karangtengah inscription dated 824 mentioned about the sima (tax free) lands awarded by Çrī Kahulunan (Pramodhawardhani) to ensure the funding and maintenance of a Kamūlān called Bhūmisambhāra.Kamūlān itself from the word mula which means 'the place of origin', a sacred building to honor the ancestors, probably the ancestors of the Sailendras. Casparis suggested that Bhūmi Sambhāra Bhudhāra which in Sanskrit means "The mountain of combined virtues of the ten stages of Boddhisattvahood", was the original name of Borobudur.
Location of Borobudur Temple is approximately 40 kilometers (25mile) northwest of Yogyakarta, Borobudur is located in an elevated area between two twin volcanoes, Sundoro-Sumbing and Merbabu-Merapi, and two rivers, the Progo and the Elo. According to local myth, the area known as Kedu Plain is a Javanese 'sacred' place and has been dubbed 'the garden of Java' due to its high agricultural fertility. Besides Borobudur, there are other Buddhist and Hindu temples in the area, including the Prambanan temples compound. During the restoration in the early 1900s, it was discovered that three Buddhist temples in the region, Borobudur, Pawon and Mendut, are lined in one straight line position. It might be accidental, but the temples' alignment is in conjunction with a native folk tale that a long time ago, there was a brick-paved road from Borobudur to Mendut with walls on both sides. The three temples (Borobudur–Pawon–Mendut) have similar architecture and ornamentation derived from the same time period, which suggests that ritual relationship between the three temples, in order to have formed a sacred unity, must have existed, although exact ritual process is yet unknown.
Unlike other temples, which were built on a flat surface, Borobudur was built on a bedrock hill, 265 m (869 ft) above sea level and 15 m (49 ft) above the floor of the dried-out paleolake. The lake's existence was the subject of intense discussion among archaeologists in the twentieth century; Borobudur was thought to have been built on a lake shore or even floated on a lake. In 1931, a Dutch artist and a scholar of Hindu and Buddhist architecture, W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp, developed a theory that Kedu Plain was once a lake and Borobudur initially represented a lotus flower floating on the lake. Lotus flowers are found in almost every Buddhist work of art, often serving as a throne for buddhas and base for stupas. The architecture of Borobudur itself suggests a lotus depiction, in which Buddha postures in Borobudur symbolize the Lotus Sutra, mostly found in many Mahayana Buddhism (a school of Buddhism widely spread in the east Asia region) texts. Three circular platforms on the top are also thought to represent a lotus leaf. Nieuwenkamp's theory, however, was contested by many archaeologists because the natural environment surrounding the monument is a dry land.
Geologists, on the other hand, support Nieuwenkamp's view, pointing out clay sediments found near the site. A study of stratigraphy, sediment and pollen samples conducted in 2000 supports the existence of a paleolake environment near Borobudur, which tends to confirm Nieuwenkamp's theory. The lake area fluctuated with time and the study also proves that Borobudur was near the lake shore circa thirteenth and fourteenth century. River flows and volcanic activities shape the surrounding landscape, including the lake. One of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, Mount Merapi, is in the direct vicinity of Borobudur and has been very active since the Pleistocene.

Mendut Temple
One of the ancient ruins in the Borobudur complex
Mendut is a ninth century Buddhist temple, located in Mendut village, Mungkid sub-district, Magelang Regency, Central Java,Indonesia. The temple located about three kilometres east from Borobudur. Mendut, Borobudur and Pawon, all of which are Buddhist temples, are located in one straight line. There is a mutual religious relationship between the three temples, although the exact ritual process is unknown.
Built around early ninth century AD, Mendut is the oldest of the three temples including Pawon and Borobudur. The Karang Tengah inscription, the temple was built and finished during the reign of King Indra of Sailendra dynasty. The inscription dated 824 AD mentioned that King Indra of Sailendra has built a sacred building named Venuvana which means "bamboo forest". Dutch archaeologist JG de Casparis has connected the temple mentioned in Karang Tengah inscription with Mendut temple[citation needed].
In 1836 it was discovered as a ruins covered with bushes. The restoration of this temple was started at 1897 and it was finished at 1925. Some archaeologists who had conducted research on this temple were JG de Casparis, Theodoor van Erp, and Arisatya Yogaswara.
The 26.4 metres tall temple is facing west. The stairs projecting from the west side square elevated base is adorned with Makara statue on each sides, the side of the stairwall carved with bas-relief of fable narrating the animal story of buddhist teaching. The square terrace surrounding the body of the temple was meant for pradakshina or circumambulating ritual, walking clockwise around the temple. The outer walls is adorned with bas-reliefs of Boddhisattvas (buddhist divinities), such as Avalokitesvara, Maitreya, Cunda, Ksitigarbha,Samantabhadra, Mahakarunika Avalokitesvara, Vajrapani, Manjusri, Akasagarbha, and Boddhisattvadevi Prajnaparamita among other buddhist figures. Originally the temple had two chambers, a small chamber in the front, and the large main chamber in the center. The roof and some parts of the front chamber walls are missing. The inner wall of front chamber is adorned with bas-relief of Hariti surrounds by children, Atavaka on the other side, Kalpataru, also groups of devatas divinities flying in heaven.
The main room housed three beautifully carved large stone statues. The three statues are the Buddhist main divinities revered in Mendut temple which can explain the spiritual purpose of the establishment of this temple. The 3 metres tall statue of Dhyani Buddha Vairocana was meant to liberate the devotees from the bodily karma, at the left is statue of Boddhisatva Avalokitesvara to liberate from the karma of speech, at the right is Boddhisatva Vajrapani to liberate from karma of thought.
Today, during the full moon in May or June, Buddhists in Indonesia observe Vesak annual ritual by walking from Mendut passing through Pawon and ends at Borobudur.

Loro Jonggrang (Prambanan) Temple
The ruins of Loro Jonggrang at Prambanan are the biggest Hindu ruins in Indonesia. Prambanan is the ninth century Hindu temple compound in Central Java, Indonesia, dedicated to Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Sustainer (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). The temple compound located approximately 18 km east of Yogyakarta city on the boundary between Yogyakarta and Central Java province.
The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, and is one of the largest Hindu temples in south-east Asia. It is characterised by its tall and pointed architecture, typical of Hindu temple architecture, and by the towering 47m high central building inside a large complex of individual temples.
Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple of ancient Java, and the construction of this royal temple was probably started by Rakai Pikatan as the Hindu Sanjayas answer to the BuddhistSailendra's Borobudur and Sewu temples nearby. The construction of Prambanan probably was meant to marked the return of Sanjaya dynasty to power after almost a century fell under Sailendra domination on Central Java.
A temple was first built at the site around 850 CE by either Rakai Pikatan or Balitung Maha Sambu the Sanjaya king of the Mataram Kingdom. According to Shivagrha inscription that wrotechandrasengkala ”Wwalung gunung sang wiku” (778 Saka/856 M), the temple was built to honor lord Shiva and the original name of the temple is Shiva-grha (the house of Shiva). Indeed, some archaeologists propose that the idol of Shiva in the garbhagriha (central chamber) of the main temple is modelled after King Balitung, serving as a depiction of his deified self after death.
The temple compound was expanded by successive Mataram kings such as Daksa and Tulodong with the addition hundreds of perwara temples around the chief temple. Prambanan served as the royal temple of the Hindu Kingdom of Mataram, with most of the state's religious ceremonies and sacrifices being conducted there. At the height of the Mataram kingdom, scholars estimate that hundreds of Brahmins with their disciples lived within the outer wall of the temple compound. The urban center and the court of Mataram were located nearby, somewhere in the Prambanan valley.
In the 930s, the court was shifted to East Java by Mpu Sindok, who established the Isyana Dynasty. While the reason for the shift remains uncertain, it was probably caused by an eruption of the volcano of Merapi located north of Prambanan, or a power struggle. That marked the beginning of the temple's decline. It was soon abandoned and began to deteriorate.
The temples themselves collapsed during a major earthquake in the 16th century. Although the temple ceased to be the important place of worship, the ruins scattered around the area itself still recognizable and known to local Javanese people in later period. The statues and the ruins become the theme and the inspirations for the Loro Jonggrang folktale. After the division of Mataram Sultanate in 1755, the temple ruins and Opak river mark the boundaries between Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Solo) Sultanates.
In 1811 during Britain’s short-lived rule of the Dutch East Indies, Collin Mackenzie, a surveyor in the service of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, came upon the temples by chance. Although Sir Thomas subsequently commissioned a full survey of the ruins, they remained neglected for decades, with Dutch residents carting off sculptures as garden ornaments and native villagers using the foundation stones for construction material.
Half-hearted excavations by archaeologists in the 1880s merely facilitated looting. Reconstruction of the compound began in 1918, and proper restoration only in 1930. Efforts at restoration continue to this day. The main building was completed around 1953. Since much of the original stonework has been stolen and reused at remote construction sites, hampering restoration and since a temple can be rebuilt only if at least 75% of the original masonry is available, only the foundations of most of the smaller shrines are now visible with no plans for their reconstruction.

Keraton Yogyakarta
Palace of the Sultan of Yogyakarta
Keraton is the Javanese word for a royal palace. Its name is derived from ratu, which means "ruler" (king or queen). In Java, the palace of a prince is called puro or dalem. The general word to designate a palace is istana, as in Indonesian and Malay.
A calm yet elegant Javanese heritage that consists of two separate entrances: the Main Court (Pagilaran & Siti Hinggil), and the Residence. The Main Court showcases the grandeur of Sultan's monarchy, while the Residence is more homey while still exhibiting the royal family's luxurious lifestyle. Open 8.30 AM to 1 PM daily, on Friday the attraction is closed at 11 AM. While the guide is part of the entrance fee, they might expecting tips. Some guide might offer extended trip to sultan's servants batik workshop, this is a scam as they only bring you to a regular batik shop with steep price. It's a good idea to refuse their offer politely.
The Sultan's Square - Alun-alun utara, the northern Sultan's Grounds, was originally used for Sultan's army training and hence closed to public, but the area was opened to the public during the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX. Now,alun-alun utara is the venue for the quarterly parade known as Garebeg, which is held in the month of Maulud, Besar and Sawal. In this parade, the Sultan's servants bring huge cone-shaped offerings to the alun-alun utara. After the parade, attendees scramble to get a scrap of this offering, as it is believed to bring good luck.
Prior to the month of Maulud, a public fair is held in alun-alun utara for 30 days. This fair is very popular and offers many kind of goods ranging from traditional handicrafts to melamine dishes from China. A unique snack sold in this event is galundeng, deep fried dough similar to a donut.
Sultan's Carriage Museum (Museum Kereta) - This museum houses Sultan's horse-drawn carriages, including two beautiful carriages imported from the Netherlands and known as Golden Carts (kereta kencana).
Taman Sari, Jalan Taman, Kraton Yogyakarta 55133 - Also known by the Dutch name waterkasteel(water castle), this is a partly ruined complex built as a pleasure garden by the first Sultan in 1765. One of the bathing pools was dedicated to the sultan's harem, and he had a tower overlooking the area so he could take his pick.
Siti Hinggil Selatan - This somehow-muted palace is rarely used for formal occasion. You can catch a shadow puppet performance during weekend night.
Alun-Alun or the Sultan's ground - There are two Sultan's grounds: Alun-alun Utara and Alun-alun Selatan or the northern and southern Sultan's ground, consecutively. If you are lucky, you can see the Gerebeg Maulud parade during Prophet Muhammad's birthday.
Masjid Gede Kauman - one of the oldest and largest mosque in Yogyakarta. Located on the west of Alun-alun Utara, this mosque was where the Sultan performs his religious rites and ceremonies. Non-muslim visitors should wear decent clothing. It may be a good idea to ask the mosque authorities prior to entering the mosque due to some rules that must be abide.

Kalasan Temple
Kalasan Temple (also known as Candi Kalasan or candi Kalibening) is an 8th century Buddhist temple located 13 km east of the Yogyakarta on the way to Prambanan temple, right on south side of main road 'Jalan Solo' between Yogyakarta and Surakarta, Indonesia.
The temple stands on square 14.20 meters sub-basement. The temple plan is cross-shaped 12 corners polygon. Each of four cardinal points have stairs and gates adorned with Kala-Makara and also have rooms measured 3,5 square meters. No statue is found in the smaller room facing north, west, and south; but the lotus pedestals suggested that the rooms once contains statues of bodhisattvas. The temple is richly decorated with buddhist figures such as bodhisattva and gana. The Kala Face above the southern door has been photographed and used by a number of foreign academics in their books to give an idea of the artistry in stone by Central Javanese artists of a millennia ago. Niches where the statues would have been placed are found inside and outside the temple. The niches adorned outer wall intricately carved with Kala, gods and divinities in scene of svargaloka, celestial palace abode of gods, apsaras, and gandharvas.
The roof of the temple is designed in three sections. The lower one are still according to the polygonal shape of the body and contains small niches with statues of boddhisatvas seated on lotus. Each of this niches is crowned with stupas. The middle part of the roof is inoctagonal (eight sided) shape. Each of this eight sides adorned with niches contains statue of a Dhyani Buddha flanked by two standing boddhisatvas. The top part of the roof is almost circular and also have 8 niches crowned with single large dagoba. The octagonal aspect of the structure has led to speculation of non-buddhist elements in the temple, similar to some interpretations of the early Borobudur structure.
The temple is facing east, with eastern room also served as access to main central room. In the larger main room there is lotus pedestal and throne carved with makara, lion, and elephant figure, similar to the Budha Vairocana throne founds in Mendut temple. According to the Kalasan inscription, the temple once houses the large (probably reaching 4 meters tall) statue of the Boddhisattvadevi Tara. By the design of the throne, most probably the statue of the goddess was in seated position and made from bronze. Now the statue is missing, probably the same fate as bronze Buddha statue in Sewu temple, being looted for scrap metal over centuries. On the outer wall of the temple found the traces of plaster called vajralepa (lit: diamond plaster). The same substance also founds in nearby Saritemple. The white-yellowish plaster was applied to protect the temple wall, but now the plaster has worn off.
The temple is located on archaeologically rich Prambanan valley. Just a few hundred meters north east from Kalasan temple is located Sari temple. Candi Sari most probably was the monastery mentioned in Kalasan inscription. Further east lies the Prambanan complex, Sewu temple, and Plaosan temple.

Imogiri Royal Cemetery
Imogiri (also Imagiri) is a royal graveyard complex in Yogyakarta, in south-central Java, Indonesia, as well as a modern village located near the graveyard in Bantul regency. Imogiri is a traditional resting place for the royalty of central Java, including many rulers of the Sultanate of Mataram and of the current houses of Surakarta and Yogyakarta Sultanate. The name Imagiri is derived from Sanskrit Himagiri, which means 'mountain of snow'. The latter is another name for Himalaya. The Royal Graveyard that preceded was Kota Gede. The graveyard was constructed by Sultan Agung of Mataram in the later years of his reign, probably in the 1640s. The graveyard is a significant pilgrimage ziarah site, particularly on significant dates in the Javanese calendar (such as Satu Suro, New Year's Day), and the Islamic calendar.
It also belongs to a larger network of significant locations in Javanese pilgrimage traditions. It is possibly the only major location remaining in Java where the Palaces of Surakarta and Yogyakarta have personnel manning a jointly administered royal graveyard.
Among the site's most prominent graves are that of early Mataram ruler Sultan Agung of Mataram, and Sultan of Yogyakarta Hamengkubuwono IX, a leader during Indonesia's war for independence. The most recent is that of Pakubuwana XII of Surakarta who was buried in 2004.
The Imogiri complex is separated into three parts, named Giriloyo, Banyusumurup and Imogiri. Traditionally it is accepted that Giriloyo was the earliest of the three graveyards. In some local folklore, Sultan Agung had commenced work on his own graveyard at Giriloyo - but because his uncle Juminah died at the graveyard, Agung was guided by various portents to choose his graveyard on a hill some three kilometres to the southwest, at Imogiri. A later ruler, needing to bury outcasts in a graveyard separate from Giriloyo and Imogiri, chose Banyusumurup as an appropriate site. However it is possible to find rivals and enemies within Javanese royal families buried within metres of each other inside the walls of Imogiri.
Many travel accounts, tourist guides and references to Imogiri imply a simple single whole. On closer examination the graveyard has more complexity within its structure. The complex is divided in two ways. First, there are separate Yogyakartan and Surakartan sections. Second, the whole graveyard is divided into eight sections which constitute three generations of ruler in each section. Some are jointly governed by custodians (Juru Kunci) from Surakarta and Yogyakarta, while some are governed by representatives of one of these palaces only. The original area within the Imogiri graveyard is that area with Sultan Agung's grave - it is jointly governed. The western wing of the graveyard is the Surakartan section, while the eastern wing is the Yogyakartan section.
Not all rulers of the Sultanate of Mataram are buried in the Imogiri complex; there are a number of rulers who are buried elsewhere in Java. Some immediate families of rulers were also buried in Imogiri, but not all; this was dependent upon each ruler's preferences. Printed lists of the burial plots within the royal graveyard complex are maintained for Imogiri to provide guidance for researchers looking for a specific grave site. This process is sometimes complicated by the multiple names some individuals were known by during their lives.

Parangtritis Beach
Parangtritis Beach is situated in Parangtritis Village about 17 km to the South of Bantul City. It is a plain beach, with rocky hill view in the eastern and northern part, and also sand along the beach and barchans type of sand dunes in the western part. In this beach visitors can go around using carts or horses, which are for rental and driven by the local people. Beside being famous for its beauty, Parangtritis Beach is also a sacred place.




Dirgantara Mandala Museum
The museum keeps pictures and models of aeroplanes. Some are models of aeroplanes left by Japanese army (which then were used by the Indonesian air-force), the other models are fighting, transportation, and exercise aeroplanes. Please note that visitors have to inform the officer in charge at least one day in advance to visit the museum. The museum is located in the Lanuma Adisucipto complex.






Cerme Cave Walisongo
The 1200 m long cave was used as a meeting place for teaching Islam in Java. Beside the main cave with a beautiful collection of stalactites and stalagmites you will find some smaller caves. The complex is located in Srunggo, Selopamioro, 22 km from Yogyakarta in the Bantul Regency.









Batik Research Centre
Situated on the eastern outskirts of the city, it has an interesting permanent exhibition of batiks in classic and modern designs The process of batik can also be seen here, both the hand drawn and hand stamped.








Dewantara Kirti Griya
The former home of Ki Hajar Dewantoro (founder of the Taman Siswa Institute, the oldest national education institute), was established in 1932. He was both an educator and a fervent patriot fighting for independence, and a close friend of Rabindranath Tagore (an educational figure from India). The building style, carving, reliefs and the very attractive statues bring the image of harmony and dynamism of Indonesian cultural artwork.






Malioboro Street
Despite the growing appeal of the new shopping street Jalan Urip Sumoharjo, with its up dated commercial trapping, the vibrant life of the city is still centered along Malioboro and Ahmad Yani street, extending from the railway to the public square facing the Sultan's Palace. The shops open from 9am to 2pm and 6pm to 9pm including Sundays. There are dozens of cozy restaurants with reasonable prices and serving wide selections of dishes.





Kota Gede
If you are interested in exploring the local silver craft production, it is worth visiting Kota Gede, about 6 km south of Yogyakarta. There are two kinds of silver craft produced: white and black silver. The best is to walk around Kota Gede and visit so as many shops as possible to assess the best place to buy your favoured pieces at reasonable prices.









Kasongan
A village 7 km to the south of Yogyakarta, is the number one location for pottery craft as well as earthenware and ceramics. Due the influence of long staying foreigners, the pottery industry these days offers a broad spectrum of pottery items and ceramics, from giant vases to little funny souvenirs.









Yogyakarta Shopping
Shopping in Yogyakarta is like shopping no where else on earth. Here you will find treasures to take home with you that will please you for years to come. Traditional Indonesian arts and crafts are popular as souvenirs. Batik, the oldest traditional Javanese art is done as hand painted or hand-woven fabric. Their usefulness is endless, from a simple beach-wrap, to a baby hammock or future wall hanging or cushion cover. Due the important role of batik painting in the daily life of the people in Central Java, Yogyakarta has plenty of Batik Schools and Colleges. NOTE: These offer batik painting courses for foreigners. Woodcarvings and paintings are easily available. In the smaller shops, bargaining is accepted; however, in larger shops, prices are fixed. The Yogyakarta leather craft industry traditionally uses the hide of water buffaloes, cows and goats. The most famous leather craft product is the Wayang Kulit, the puppet used for the well known Javanese Shadow Play. Beside this, leather is the basic material for producing room decorations, bags, sandals, and souvenirs. Electronics goods are both high quality and inexpensive with all major brands available. Signature 'Prestige' fashion goods are available at very competitive prices.

Many more tourist sites in Yogyakarta is not mentioned, as a guide about Yogyakarta, you can see the website theincrediblejava.com.

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INDONESIA JAVA INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION

Read More »»» Indonesia Java International Destination Yogyakarta

Indonesia Java International Destination Jakarta

Indonesia Java International Destination Jakarta

Jakarta, an Introduction
Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of 661 square kilometres (255 sq mi) and a population of 8,490,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political center. It is themost populous city in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and is the twelfth-largest city in the world. The metropolitan area, Jabodetabek, is thesecond largest in the world. Jakarta is listed as a global city in the 2008 Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) research. The city's name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Jayakarta" which translates as "victorious deed," "complete act,"or "complete victory."

Jakarta History
Pre-Colonial era
The Jakarta area was part of the fourth century Indianized kingdom of Tarumanagara. In AD 39, King Purnawarman established Sunda Pura as a new capital city for the kingdom, located at the northern coast of Java. Purnawarman left seven memorial stones across the area with inscriptions bearing his name, including the present-day Banten and West Java provinces.

After the power of Tarumanagara declined, its territories, including Sunda Pura, became part of the Kingdom of Sunda. The harbour area was renamed Sunda Kalapa as written in a Hindu monk's lontar manuscripts. By the fourteenth century, Sunda Kelapa became a major trading port for the kingdom. The first European fleet, four Portuguese ships from Malacca, arrived in 1513 when the Portuguese were looking for a route forspices, especially black pepper. The Kingdom of Sunda made a peace agreement with Portugal by allowing the Portuguese to build a port in 1522 in order to defend against the rising power of the Sultanate of Demak from central Java.

In 1527, Fatahillah, a Sumatran Malay warrior from Demak attacked Kingdom of Sunda and succeeded in conquering the harbour on June 22, 1527, after which Sunda Kelapa was renamed Jayakarta. The ports became part of the Sultanate of Banten, that was created in the aftermath of conquest of Banten and Sunda Kelapa from Sunda kingdom. The sultanate would grew into a major trading center in Southeast Asia.

Through the relationship with Prince Jayawikarta from the Sultanate of Banten, Dutch ships arrived in Jayakarta in 1596. In 1602, the British East India Company's first voyage, commanded by Sir James Lancaster, arrived in Aceh and sailed on to Banten where they were allowed to build a trading post. This site became the center of British trade in Indonesia until 1682.

Jayawikarta is thought to have made trading connections with the English merchants, rivals of the Dutch, by allowing them to build houses directly across from the Dutch buildings in 1615.

Colonial era
When relations between Prince Jayawikarta and the Dutch deteriorated, Jayawikarta's soldiers attacked the Dutch fortress. Prince Jayakarta's army and the British were defeated by the Dutch, in part owing to the timely arrival of Jan Pieterszoon Coen (J.P. Coen). The Dutch burned the English fort, and forced the English to retreat on their ships. The victory consolidated Dutch power and in 1619 they renamed the city "Batavia."

Commercial opportunities in the capital of the Dutch colony attracted Indonesian and especially Chinese immigrants, the increasing numbers creating burdens on the city. Tensions grew as the colonial government tried to restrict Chinese migration through deportations. On 9 October 1740, 5,000 Chinese were massacred and the following year, Chinese inhabitants were moved to Glodok outside the city walls. The city began to move further south as epidemics in 1835 and 1870 encouraged more people to move far south of the port. The Koningsplein, nowMerdeka Square was completed in 1818, the housing park of Menteng was started in 1913, and Kebayoran Baru was the last Dutch-built residential area. By 1930 Batavia had more than 500,000 inhabitants, including 37,067 Europeans.

The Japanese renamed the city "Jakarta" during their World War II occupation of Indonesia.

Independence era
Following World War II, Indonesian Republicans withdrew from allied-occupied Jakarta during their fight for Indonesian independence and established their capital in Yogyakarta. In 1950, once independence was secured, Jakarta was once again made the national capital. Indonesia's founding president, Sukarno, envisaged Jakarta as a great international city. He instigated large government-funded projects undertaken with openly nationalistic and modernist architecture. Projects in Jakarta included a clover-leaf highway, a major boulevard (Jalan MH Thamrin-Sudirman), monuments such as The National Monument, major hotels, shopping centre, and a new parliament building.

In October 1965, Jakarta was the site of an abortive coup attempt which saw 6 top generals killed, and ultimately resulted in the downfall of Sukarno and the start of Suharto's "New Order. A propaganda monument stands at the place where the general's bodies were dumped. In 1966, Jakarta was declared a "special capital city district" (daerah khusus ibukota), thus gaining a status approximately equivalent to that of a state or province. Lieutenant General Ali Sadikin served as Governor from the mid-60's commencement of the "New Order" through to 1977; he rehabilitated roads and bridges, encouraged the arts, built several hospitals, and a large number of new schools. He also cleared out slum dwellers for new development projects-some for the benefit of the Suharto family-and tried to eliminate rickshaws and ban street vendors. He began control of migration to the city in order to stem the overcrowding and poverty. Foreign investment contributed to a real estate boom which changed the face of the city.

Infrastructure
Landmarks include the National Monument and Istiqlal Mosque. The city is the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat. Jakarta is served by the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, and Tanjung Priok harbour; it is connected by several intercity and commuter railways, and served by several bus lines running on reserved busways.

Jakarta Overview
Officially, Jakarta is not a city, but a province with special status as the capital of Indonesia. It has a governor (instead of a mayor), and is divided into several sub-regions with their own administrative systems. As a province, the official name of Jakarta is Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta ("Special Capital City District of Jakarta"), which in Indonesian is abbreviated to DKI Jakarta.

Jakarta is divided into five kota or kotamadya ("cities" - formerly municipalities), each headed by a mayor, and oneregency (kabupaten) headed by a regent. In August 2007, Jakarta held its first ever election to choose a governor, whereas previously the city's governors were appointed by local parliament. The poll is part of a country-wide decentralization drive, allowing for direct local elections in several areas.

The Cities/Municipalities of Jakarta are:

Central Jakarta (Jakarta Pusat) is Jakarta's smallest city and home to most of Jakarta's administrative and political center. It is characterized by large parks and Dutch colonial buildings. Landmarks include the National Monument (Monas), the Istiqlal Mosque, and museums.

West Jakarta (Jakarta Barat) has the highest concentration of small-scale industries in Jakarta. The area includes Jakarta's Chinatown and landmarks include the Chinese Langgam building and the Toko Merah building. West Jakarta contains part of the Jakarta Old Town.

South Jakarta (Jakarta Selatan), originally planned as a satellite city, is now the location of large upscale shopping centers and affluent residential areas. Jakarta Selatan functions as Jakarta's ground water buffer, but recently the green belt areas are threatened by new developments. Much of the CBD area of Jakarta is concentrated in Setia Budi, South Jakarta, bordering the Tanah Abang/Sudirman area of Central Jakarta.

East Jakarta (Jakarta Timur) territory is characterized with several industrial sectors erected in this city. There is also still some area of swamps and rice fields in this city.

North Jakarta (Jakarta Utara) is the only city in Jakarta that is bounded by the sea (Java Sea). It is the location of theTanjung Priok Port. Big-scale and medium-scale industries are concentrated in North Jakarta. North Jakarta contains the location of Jakarta Old Town, formerly known as Batavia since the 17th century, and was a center of VOC trade activity in Dutch East Indies. Also located in North Jakarta is Ancol Dreamland (Taman Impian Jaya Ancol), currently the largest integrated tourism area in South East Asia.

The only Regency (Kabupaten) of Jakarta is:
Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu), formerly a subdistrict of North Jakarta, is a collection of 105 small islands located on Java Sea. It has a high conservation value because of its unique and special ecosystems. Marine tourism, such as diving, water bicycle, and wind surfing, is the most important touristic activities in this territory. The main transportation between these islands are speed boat or small ferries

Culture
As the economic and political capital of Indonesia, Jakarta attracts many domestic immigrants who bring their various languages, dialects, foods and customs.
The Betawi (Orang Betawi, or "people of Batavia") is a term used to describe the descendants of the people living in and around Batavia and recognized as an ethnic group from around the 18th-19th century.The Betawi people are mostly descended from various Southeast Asian ethnic groups brought or attracted to Batavia to meet labor needs, and include people from different parts of Indonesia. The language and Betawi culture are distinct from those of the Sundanese or Javanese. The language is mostly based on the East Malay dialect and enriched by loan words from Sundanese, Javanese, Chinese, and Arabic. Nowadays, the Jakarta dialect Bahasa Jakarta) used as a street language by people in Jakarta is loosely based on the Betawi language.
Betawi arts are rarely found in Jakarta due to their infamous low-profile and most Betawi have moved to the border of Jakarta, displaced by new immigrants. It is easier to find Java or Minang based wedding ceremonial instead of Betawi weddings in Jakarta. It is easier to find Javanese Gamelan instead of Gambang Kromong (a mixture between Betawi and Chinese music) or Tanjidor (a mixture between Betawi and Portuguese music) or Marawis (a mixture between Betawi and Yaman music). However, some festivals such as the Jalan Jaksa Festival or Kemang Festival include efforts to preserve Betawi arts by inviting artists to give performances.
There has also been a Chinese community in Jakarta for many centuries. Officially, they make up 6% of the Jakarta population, though this number may be under-reported.

Cuisine
Jakarta has a vast range of food available at hundreds of eating complexes located all over the city. There is also international food, especially Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean food because of the cosmopolitan population. One of the popular local cuisine of Jakarta is Soto betawi, which is a cow milk or coconut milk broth with beef tendons, intestines, tripe. The other popular cuisine are kerak telor, gado-gado, and cucur.

Indonesia Java International Destination

Tourist Attractions in Jakarta

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
This place is miniature of Indonesia, illustrated the diversity of cultures, customs and traditions in Indonesia. Here also there is Museum, please visit Festival Museum Nusantara.







Ragunan Zoo Park
Ragunan zoo is a kind of combination between zoo and park. It has almost 30,000 plants from 250 different kinds of. Since it is a combination between zoo and park, Ragunan Zoo is also known as Ragunan Zoological Park.





Indonesia National Monument (Monas)
Indonesia National Monument or what Indonesian and Jakarta people usually call as Monas is a monument built to remember the struggle of Indonesian heroes fighting the colonial domination.







Jaya Ancol Dreamland Park (Taman Impian Jaya Ancol)
Jaya Ancol Dreamland Park is a recreation area located at the seashore of Jakarta Gulf. Jaya Ancol Dreamland Park is better known as Ancol by most of Indonesian people. There’re several recreation facilities you can find at Jaya Ancol Dreamland Park: Golf Course, Ancol Marina Bay, Art Market (Pasar Seni), Dunia Fantasy, SeaWorld Indonesia, Gelanggang Samudera, Atlantis Water Adventure, andBeach Park (Taman Pantai). Jaya Ancol Dreamland Park provides facilities for those visitors who wants to stay in the Ancol area. Visitors can choose between three hotels and one cottage provided which respectively are Raddin Hotel, Mercure Hotel, Wisata Hotel and Putri Duyung Cottage.

National Museum
The National Museum of Indonesia (Indonesian: Museum Nasional), is an archeological, historical, ethnological, and geographicalmuseum located in Jakarta. Popularly known as Elephant Building (Indonesian: Gedung Gajah) after the elephant statue in its forecourt. Its broad and fascinating collections covers all of Indonesia's territory and almost all of its history. The museum has endeavoured to preserve Indonesia's heritage for two centuries.



Kota Tua Jakarta
Kota Tua, Jakarta is an area of Dutch colonization inheritance which was well-known as Batavia in the 17th century. At Kota Tua area you can see old buildings with architecture style influenced by the Dutch or European architecture style, Chinese and even some of them with combination of Dutch and Chinese architecture. Some of the old buildings at Kota Tua area occupied as museums by the governor of DKI Jakarta. Kota Tua is one of a very interesting place or area to visit when you travel toJakarta since it’s a center of historical tourism object in Jakarta.

Jakarta History Museum
Jakarta History Museum is known as Fatahillah Museum. Jakarta History Museum provides information on Jakarta’s history, starting from the prehistoric age to current age, in a creative way, through the collections of the museum.





Sunda Kelapa Harbor
Along Sunda Kelapa Harbor you could see Phinisi ships in a line, which have unique shape and the body painted in some different colors. Phinisi ships were coming from many regions of Indonesia, carrying logs, rattan, copra and other agricultural products to Jakarta. When Phinisi goes back fromJakarta, it carries construction materials like steel and cement. You could see the hectic of loading and unloading activities that is still conducted traditionally at Sunda Kelapa.

Wayang Museum (Shadow Puppet Museum)
Wayang is a theatrical performance employing puppets or human dancer. The puppet could be made of leather which perform shadow puppets play, or of wooden. Wayang Museum (used to be called as Shadow Puppet Museum as well) is a museum which keeps collections of wayang from various territories in Indonesia and even from other countries. The idea of building Wayang Museum started when H. Ali Sadikin, the governor of DKI Jakarta, attended the second wayang museum week in 1974. With the support of the committee of the wayang museum week, wayang lovers, and the governor of DKI Jakarta, then the building at Jalan Pintu Besar Utara # 27, West Jakarta decided to be Wayang Museum. The museum was officially open on 13th August, 1975 by the governor of DKI Jakarta, H. Ali Sadikin.

Fine Art and Ceramics Museum (Museum Senirupa dan Keramik)
Fine Art and Ceramic Museum presents collections of ndonesian artist works of art from the era of 1800 to the current era. Fine Art and Ceramic Museum occupies a building, named Fine Art Hall. Before it’s occupied as a museum, the hall had been occupied by many organizations and instances from the time of Holland collonialization to the after independence time.




Thousand Island (Pulau Seribu)
Thousand Island lies in the waters of Jakarta Bay which has 100 miles length and 108,000 ha width. There’re about 110 islands, in some large and small group of islands in the Thousand Island. Those islands divided into tourism islands, conservation, historical island, and island for community empowerment in accordance with the characteristics differences between each island.




Jakarta Kota Station (BEOS)
Jakarta Kota Station (also called BEOS by local people) is railway station of the Dutch inheritance. Jakarta Kota Station (BEOS) is located at the area of Kota Tua, Jakarta, and that’s why the name became Jakarta Kota Station. In the Dutch governmental time, Kota Tua Jakarta was well-known as Batavia. At that time Jakarta Kota Station (BEOS) was utilized to connect Batavia City with other areas near to Batavia, such as Bogor and Bandung.
You may wonder why Jakarta Kota Station is also called as Beos. BEOS is the abbreviation ofBataviasche Ooster Spoorweg Maatschapij (East Batavia Train Enterprise). In the glorious time of Batavia, BEOS station was also known as Batavia Zuid (South Batavia Station). Jakarta Kota Station was designed to have 12 railroads which is still utilized until now.


Textile Museum (Museum Tekstil)
Textile Museum has thousands collections of traditional textiles with various motif and ornaments from each territories in Indonesia. Textile Museum occupies a very artistic and luxurious building. Inside the building there are display rooms used to display Indonesian textiles, including collections of the museum, designer and textile lover’s society. At the back side of the museum’s main building there is natural dye park which functioned to conserve and introduce the plants can be used as natural coloring material to the textile lovers. Even currently the natural dye has been replaced by synthetic color, however the shift in the use of material and tools not reducing the beauty of Indonesian textile.

Battle’45 Museum (Museum Joang ’45)
Battle’45 Museum (Museum Joang’45) collects inheritances from the Indonesian independence battle time, that used/worn by Indonesian warriors. Visiting Battle’45 Museum would increase your knowledge and insight about Indonesian journey from the colonization time until finally free and independent.




Maritime Museum (Museum Bahari)
Maritime Museum presents complete information about Indonesian nautical matters. Maritime Museum occupied two levels of building used as exhibition rooms from the total of three levels of floor in the building. Thes material used on the building dominated by wood. Large windows in the building functioned as ventilation, making the building has a good air circulation.



Schmutzer Primate Center (Pusat Primata Schmutzer)
Schmutzer Primate Center is an artificial habitat of primates like gorilla, chimpanzee, orang utan and other kinds of primate. Schmutzer Primate Center is located at Ragunan Zoological Park area. Visitors of Schmutzer Primate Center can observe the behavior and activities of gorilla from a sky cross that was built over the area where gorillas inhabited. The sky cross for observation that’s covered by canopy roof is the main lane that visitors would find once they enter the building. The design of Schmutzer Primate Center was set close to the natural primate habitat with attractive layout of each room. The layout of Schmutzer accommodates the pleasure of primates as inhabitant and visitors who want to see the natural life of primates as in the wild nature.

Planetarium Jakarta
Planetarium Jakarta is an educational touring facility that presents simulations about astronomy and celestial objects. The existence of Planetarium Jakarta is very useful for Indonesian people, especially students, as it's really helpful in developing knowledge about earth and outer space science. The At Planetarium Jakarta you could see Planetarium Show, usually called as Star Theater. The show takes about 60 minutes time with various themes such as Solar System, Solar Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse, Little Explorer at Solar System, Our Galaxy is Bima Sakti, Earth, the Blue Planet, Multi Star and Variable Star, From Equator to Polar, Biography of the Star, and The Formation of Solar System. Besides the Star Theater show there’s also a multimedia show that explain the theories about solar as the center of solar system and the theories about the formation of universe.

Inscription Museum (Museum Prasasti)
Inscriptions Museum occupies a culture preserve building, an inheritance building from the colonial time. It was formerly a funeral park of Dutch and European people which than restored and modified to be Inscription Museum with the collections located at the open air area. The collections are located at a 1.2 hectares area, and for it Inscription Museum is also called as Inscription Park. Inscription Museum exhibits selected gravestone inscriptions from the historical relic and work of arts from the past that combined the work of sculptor, carver, calligrapher, and man of letters.

Kota Intan Bridge
Kota Intan Bridge was constructed in the 17th century by the Dutch government to connect the West Kali Besar and East Kali Besar. Kota Intan Bridge located at Kota Tua Jakarta which was known as Batavia on the time of Duta colonial. Kota Intan Bridge was made of wood and equipped with leverage to get the lower side of the bridge up when there was ship or boat passed by. In the Dutch colonial time the ships which deliver spicy from hinterland to the warehouse would pass by Kota Intan Bridge.

Syahbandar Tower - Jakarta
Syahbandar Tower is located at the side of Jakarta Gulf Beach, next to the Maritime Museum and Sunda Kelapa Harbor. The current building of Maritime Museum was previously occupied as VOC’s (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) spicy warehouse. VOC was a Dutch company which managed the trading activities on both sea and land for the interest of Nederland. Nederland constructed Syahbandar Tower to guide the traffic of ships that was coming for spicy trading at Sunda Kelapa Harbor.






Jalan Surabaya (Surabaya Street)
Jalan Surabaya is well known for the antiques market located there. Jalan Surabaya itself is located at Menteng area, at the Central of Jakarta. You can see kiosks/shops that sell antiques like wayang, porcelain, wooden sculptures, mask, eating stuffs made of silver and brass, antique lamp, metal souvenirs, old fashion ornaments, old telephon, old carema, old woven cloth, phonograph record, and some others. One of the kiosks there is selling antiques of ship stuffs like ship rudder, compass, telescope, and old diving stuffs. At the antique markets at Jalan Surabaya, there’re some kiosk that specialized on selling bags and suitcases. There’re also kiosks that sell old books.

In this article, there are many tourist attractions that have not been mentioned. Therefore, please visit Indonesia Java International Destination Jakarta. You will be guided by a professional guide to visit tourist places in around of Jakarta. This tour guide can you be found in hotels that spread throughout Jakarta.



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INDONESIA JAVA INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION

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Indonesia Java International Destination

Everyone knows that Indonesia is a fertile country, famous for its natural beauty. One of Indonesia's natural beauty is Java islands. Why Indonesia Java International Destination? Because Java island was also visited by many foreign tourists except Bali islands or others tourism place in Indonesia. Especially on Java island there are capital city of Republic of Indonesia and there is Soekarno-Hatta International Airport which it is a gateway to other tourist destinations in Indonesia.

If you are a foreign tourist, you will be greeted with friendly smiles of Indonesian people, a lot of guidance provides instructions tourist area worth a visit and you will not feel satisfied when you visit Indonesia as your goal because in Java many beautiful places that can be used to travel, as a guide I will give the structure of the region on the Java island as a guide where are you going to choose the tour.

Java Island consists of 5 provinces, namely:

• Jakarta Special Capital Region with the capital city of Jakarta
• Yogyakarta Special Region with the capital city of Yogyakarta
• Province of Banten with the capital city of Serang
• Province of Central Java with the capital city of Semarang
• Province of West Java with the capital city of Bandung
• Province of East Java with the capital city of Surabaya

Java Map

Jakarta

Jakarta (also DKI Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Located on the northwest coast of Java, it has an area of 661 square kilometres (255 sq mi) and a population of 8,490,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political center. It is themost populous city in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and is the twelfth-largest city in the world. The metropolitan area, Jabodetabek, is the second largest in the world. Jakarta is listed as a global city in the 2008 Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) research The city's name is derived from the Sanskrit word "Jayakarta" which translates as "victorious deed," "complete act," or "complete victory."

Established in the fourth century, the city became an important trading port for the Kingdom of Sunda. It grew as the capital of the colonialDutch East Indies. It was made capital of Indonesia when the country became independent after World War II. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa (397–1527), Jayakarta (1527–1619), Batavia (1619–1942), and Djakarta (1942–1972).

Landmarks include the National Monument and Istiqlal Mosque. The city is the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat. Jakarta is served by the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, and Tanjung Priok harbour; it is connected by several intercity and commuter railways, and served by several bus lines running on reserved busways.

Banten

Banten is a province on the island of Java, Indonesia. This province was formerly part of the Province of West Java, but was separated in 2000 and made a separate province, in accordance with the decision of Act No. 23 of 2000. The administrative center is in the town of Serang.

Sea area of Banten is one potential sea routes, the Sunda Strait is one of the sea lanes of traffic are strategic because large ships can pass that links Australia and New Zealand to the region of Southeast Asia such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. When linked to the geographical position and the government of Banten region and especially the city of Tangerang and Tangerang Regency is a buffer region for Jakarta. Banten province also has several ports that developed as the sea to accommodate the anticipated excess capacity of sea ports in Jakarta and is intended to be an alternative port of Singapore.

Most community members embrace the religion of Islam with the religious spirit high, but other religions can live side by side in peace. Potential community and cultural distinctiveness of Banten, among other martial art Pencak silat, Debus, Rudad, Umbruk, Saman Dance, Mask Dance, Dance Cokek, Dog-dog, Palingtung, and Lojor. In addition, there are also relics of the ancestral heritage include the Great Mosque of Banten Lama, Masjid Keramat Long, and many other relics.

In Banten province is Baduy tribe. Baduy tribe in a tribal Sundanese Banten still maintain the tradition of anti-modernity, both clothing and other living patterns. Baduy-Rawayan tribes living in the area Kendeng Mountains Heritage area 5101.85 hectares in the area Baduy, Sub Lewidamar, Lebak District. Baduy community settlements are generally located in river basins in the mountains Kendeng Ciujung. This area is known as the land area of deposit from a common ancestor, which must be maintained and guarded well, should not be destroyed.

The natives who lived in Banten Province speak using the dialect which is derived from the Sundanese Ancient. These dialects are classified as coarse language in the Sundanese language of modern, which have some level of fine level to coarse level (informal), who first created during the Mataram Sultanate controlled Priangan (the southeastern part of West Java Province). However, in Serang and Cilegon, Banten Java language used by ethnic Javanese. And, in the northern city of Tangerang, Indonesian with the Betawi dialect is also used by the Betawi ethnic newcomers. Besides Sundanese, Javanese and Betawi dialect, Indonesian language is also used mainly by immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.

The house is the ancestral lands of thatched roof houses on stilts leaf roof and floor made of pounded bamboo, bamboo is split apart. While walls were made from the booth (gedek). To buffer stage is a stone house that was made in such a way that ends the block shaped more like a rock shrink used to grind rice base. The traditional house is still widely found in areas inhabited by people Baduy or called the Baduy.

West Java

(Indonesian: Jawa Barat, Sundanese: Jawa Kulon), acronym jabar with population around 41.48 million (2007), is the most populous province of Indonesia, located on Java Island. It is slightly larger in area than densely populated Taiwan, but nearly double the population. Its capital city is Bandung.

Sundanese share Java island with other Malayan people: Javanese people. They primarily live in their home province of West Java. Although Sundanese live in the same island with Javanese, they consider themselves a distinct cultural area called Sunda. Someone moving from West Java Province to Central or East Java Provinces, is literally said to be moving from Sunda to Java.

West Java borders Jakarta and Banten province to the west, and Central Java to the east. To the north is Java Sea. To the south is theIndian Ocean. Unlike most other provinces in Indonesia which have their capitals in coastal area, the provincial capital Bandung is located in a mountainous area. Banten province was formerly part of West Java province, but was created a separate province in 2000.

The province's landscape is one of volcanic mountains, steep terrain, forest, mountains rivers, fertile agricultural land, and natural sea harbours.

Sundanese share Java island with other Malayan people: Javanese people. They primarily live in their home province of West Java. Although Sundanese live in the same island with Javanese, they consider themselves a distinct cultural area called Sunda. Someone moving from West Java Province to Central or East Java Provinces, is literally said to be moving from Sunda to Java.

The musical arts of Sunda, which is an expression of the emotions of Sundanese culture, express politeness and grace of Sundanese. The music some of the most beautiful sounds in the world. Degung orchestra consists of Sundanese gamelan.

Tembang Sunda is a genre of Sundanese vocal music accompanied by a core ensemble of two kacapi (zither) and a suling (bamboo flute). Tembang means song or poem and Sunda is a geographical, historical, and cultural construct which signifies home for the Sundanese people of Indonesia. The music and poetry of tembang Sunda are closely associated with the Parahyangan (literally the abode of the gods), the highland plateau that transverses the central and southern parts of Sunda. The natural beauty of Priangan, a lush agricultural region surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, politeness and grace of Sundanese is reflected in many songs of the tembang Sunda.

The three main types of Sundanese bamboo ensembles are angklung, calung, and arumba. The exact features of each ensemble vary according to context, related instruments, and relative popularity.

Angklung is a generic term for sets of tuned, shaken bamboo rattles. Angklung consists of a frame upon which hang several different lengths of hollow bamboo. Angklungs are played like handbells, with each instrument played to a different note. Angklung rattles are played in interlocking patterns, usually with only one or two instruments played per person. The ensemble is used in Sundanese processions, sometimes with trance or acrobatics.

Wayang golek is a traditional form of puppetry from Sunda. Unlike the better-known leather shadow puppets (wayang kulit) found in the rest of Java and Bali, wayang golek puppets are made from wood and are three-dimensional, rather than two. They use a banana palm in which the puppets stand, behind which one puppeteer (dalang) is accompanied by his gamelan orchestra with up to 20 musicians. The gamelan uses a five-note scale as opposed to the seven-note western scale. The musicians are guided by the drummer, who in turn is guided by signals from the puppet master dalang gives to change the mood or pace required. Wayang golek are used by the Sundanese to tell the epic play "Mahabarata" and various other morality type plays.

Sundanese dance shows the influence of the many groups that have traded and settled in the area over the centuries, but remains uniquely distinctive, with its variation from graceful to dynamic syncopated drumming patterns, quick wrist flicks, sensual hip movements, and fast shoulder and torso isolations. Jaipongan is probably the most popular traditional social dance of Sundanese people. It can performed in solo, in group, or in pair. The Tari Merak (Dance of the Peacock) is a female dance inspired by the movements of a peacock and its feathers blended with the classical movements of Sundanese dance. The Tari Merak symbolises the beauty of nature.

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is located in south-central Java. It is surrounded by the province of Central Java (Jawa Tengah) and the Indian Ocean in the south.

The population of DIY in 2003 was approximately 3,000,000. The province of Yogyakarta has a total area of 3,185.80 km2. Yogyakarta has the second-smallest area of the provinces in Indonesia, after the Jakarta Capital Region. However it has, along with adjacent areas in Central Java, some of the highest population densities of Java.

Located within the Yogyakarta province, Yogyakarta city is known as a center of classical Javanese fine art and culture such as batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows. It is also famous as a center for Indonesian higher education. At Yogyakarta's center is the kraton, or Sultan's palace. While the city sprawls in all directions from the kraton, the core of the modern city is to the north.

Yogyakarta is served by Adisucipto International Airport. There are two train stations: Lempuyangan and Tugu. To the south, in the Bantul region, is the Giwangan bus station, the largest bus station in Indonesia.

Yogyakarta city surrounded by a ring highway named Ring Road.

Central Java

Central Java (Indonesian: Provinsi Jawa Tengah) is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java. The province of Central Java is 32,548.20 km2 in area; approximately a quarter of the total land area of Java. Its population is 32,864,000 (As of 2009), making it the third most-populous province in Indonesia after West Java andEast Java, and constituting a bit less than one quarter of the crowded island's population.

Central Java is also a cultural concept that includes the Special Area and city of Yogyakarta. However, administratively the city and surrounding region has been part of a separate special region since Indonesian independence.

The vast majority of the population in Central Java are ethnic Javanese, they constitute approximately 98% of the whole population. In addition to the Javanese, small pockets of Sundanese communities are to be found near the border with West Java, especially in Brebes and Cilacap regencies. Sundanese toponyms are common in these regions such asDayeuhluhur in Cilacap, Ciputih and Citimbang in Brebes and even Cilongok as far away in Banyumas.

In urban centers, other minorities such as Chinese Indonesians and Arabs are common. The Chinese are even to be found in rural areas. The urban areas that are densely populated by Chinese Indonesian, are called pecinan, which means "China Town".

As the overwhelming majority of the population of Central Java are Javanese, the most dominant language is Javanese. There are several dialects which are spoken in Central Java, the two main dialects are western Javanese (also called Basa Ngapak which includes the "Banyumasan dialect" and the dialect of Brebes-Tegal-Pekalongan and central Javanese. Sundanese is also spoken in some pockets near the border with West Java, especially in Brebes and Cilacap regencies. However, according to some sources, Sundanese used to be spoken as far away as in Dieng Plateau. This former boundary of Sundanese coincides more or less with the isogloss dividing Central Javanese with Western Javanese. In urban centers Indonesian is widely spoken.

Central Java is considered to be the heart of the Javanese culture. Home of the Javanese courts, Central Javanese culture formed what non-Javanese see as the "Javanese Culture" along with it stereotypes. The ideal conducts and morals of the courts (such as politeness, nobility and grace) influence the people tremendously. The people of Central Java are known as soft-spoken, very polite, extremely class-conscious, apathetic, down-to-earth, et cetera. These stereotypes formed what most non-Javanese see as "Javanese Culture", when in fact not all of the Javanese people behave that way. Moreover, most Javanese are far from the court culture.

Central Java is connected to the interprovincial national way on the northern coast (Jalur Pantai Utara or Jalur Pantura) which runs from Anyer in Banten to Banyuwangi, East Java on the opposite of Bali. Losari, the Central Javanese gate at the western border on the northern coast, could be reached from Jakarta in 4 hours drive. On the southern coast, there is also a national way which run from Kroya at the Sundanese-Javanese border, through Yogyakarta to Surakarta and then to Surabaya via Kertosono in East Java. There is furthermore a direct connection from Tegal to Purwokerto. In addition to that there is a toll road from Semarang to Ungaran which runs for 14 kilometer.

Central Java was the province that first introduced a railway line in Indonesia. The very first line began in 1873 between Semarang and Yogyakarta by a private company, but this route is now no longer used. Today there are five lines in Central Java: the northern line which runs from Jakarta via Semarang to Surabaya. Then there is the southern line from Kroya through Yogyakarta and Surakarta to Surabaya. There is also a train service between Semarang and Surakarta and a service between Kroya and Cirebon. At last there is a route between Surakarta and Wonogiri. All of these lines are single track lines, except the line between Yogyakarta and Surakarta which is double track.

On the northern coast Central Java is served by 8 harbours. The main port is Tanjung Mas in Semarang, other harbours are located in Brebes, Tegal, Pekalongan, Batang, Jepara, Juwana and Rembang. The southern coast is mainly served by the port Tanjung Intan in Cilacap.

Finally on mainland Central Java there is three commercial airports and one on Karimunjawa isles. The airports on the mainland are: Adisumarmo International Airport in Surakarta, Achmad Yani Airport in Semarang and Tunggul Wulung Airport in Cilacap. Karimunjawa is served by Dewadaru Airport.

There are several interesting places to be found in Central Java. Semarang itself has lots of old picturesque buildings: Puri Maerokoco andIndonesian Record Museum are located in this city.

Borobudur, which is one of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites of Indonesia is also located in this province, in the Magelang regency.Candi Mendut and Candi Pawon can also be found near the Borobudur temple complex.

Candi Prambanan at the border of Klaten regency and Yogyakarta is the biggest complex of Hindu temples. It is also a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage SIte. In the region around the Dieng Plateau, one could find several temples. These are built before the era of the ancient Mataram.

Two interesting palaces, the Palace of the Sunan (Keraton Kasunanan) and Pura Mangkunegaran, are located in Surakarta, which is considered one of the centers of Javanese culture. The Grojogan Sewu waterfall is located in Karanganyar Regency, which has a beautiful scenery. Several Majapahit temples and Sangiran museum are also located in Central Java.

 

East Java

East Java (Indonesian: Jawa Timur, Javanese: Jawa Wétan) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and also includes neighboring Madura and islands to the east of it, as well as the Bawean islands. The administrative center of the province is located in Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia and a major industrial center and port.According to the 2000 census, East Java has 34 million inhabitants, second only to West Java among Indonesian provinces. The inhabitants consist of mostly Javanese. Native minorities include migrants from nearby Madura, and distinct Javanese ethnicities such as the Tengger people in Bromo, the Samin and the Osing people in Banyuwangi. East Java also hosts a significant population of other ethnic groups, such as Chinese, Indians, and Arabs. In addition to the national language, Indonesian, they also speak Javanese. Javanese spoken in the western part of East Java is a recognizably similar dialect to the one spoken in nearbyCentral Java, with its hierarchy of high, medium, and low registers. But in the eastern cities of Surabaya, Malang, and surrounding areas, the people speak a more egalitarian version of Javanese, with much less regard for hierarchy and a richer vocabulary for vulgarity.In addition to that, Madurese is spoken by around 15 millions of Madurese, concentrated in Madura Island, Kangean Islands, Masalembu Islands, Eastern part of East Java, and East Java main cities.The main religion used to be Hinduism and Buddhism. With the arrival of Islam, Hinduism was gradually pushed out in the 14th and 15th century. The last nobles and remainders of the fallen empire of Majapahit fled from this point to Bali. This comes from earlier history, when Islam spread from northern cities in Java where many traders from Gujarat, India visited, bringing Islam. The eastern part of East Java, from Surabaya to Pasuruan, then following various cities along the coast line, and turning back in Banyuwangi to Jember, is well known as the "horseshoe area" in context with earlier Muslim communities living there.Nevertheless, pockets of Hinduism have survived and abangan, the syncretic religion of Islam, Hinduism and Animism, remains strong.

National Parks : Meru Betiri National Park - Between Jember and Banyuwangi districts, this park covers 580 km2 (224 sq mi). Hard to get to, it contains fantastic coastal rainforest and scenery and is home to abundant wildlife. Alas Purwo National Park - This 434 km2 (168 sq mi) park is formed by the Blambangan Peninsula (south eastern Java). Comprising mangrove, savanna, lowland monsoon forests and excellent beaches, the park's name means First Forest in Javanese. Javanese legend says that the earth first emerged from the ocean here. Baluran National Park - This 250 km2 (97 sq mi) national park is located in north east Java, once known as Indonesia's little piece of Africa, the parks formerly extensive savanna has been largely replaced by Acacia.Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park - Located in East Java at the region of Probolinggo and Pasuruan, 70 km (43 mi) from Surabaya the capital city of East Java province. Mount Bromo is one of the great hiking and trekking destinations for overseas tourists. The breathtaking view of Bromo also attracts hundreds of photo enthusiasts to see the views there. Some famous culinary come from East Java are: Nasi Pecel (from Madiun), Semanggi, Lontong Kikil, Lontong Balap, Lontong Kupang, Lontong Mie, Rawon, Rujak Cingur, Soto Lamongan, Soto Daging Madura, Sate Ayam Madura, Bakso (meatball) Malang (from Malang). Culinary from East Java have more "salty" taste than Central Java.

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