Toba Lake

Danau Toba or Toba lake 

              Indonesia is a country which has many tourism places to visit. one of them is located in north Sumatera which called Toba Lake or Danau Toba. Danau Toba is the largest volcanic lake in Indonesia, even in the Southeast Asia. Which make it more special is taken from the Samosir Island, an Island that settled in the middle of the lake.              
              Lake Toba is an area of 1,707 km², we can say that this is 1,000 km² bigger than Singapore. It formed by a gigantic volcanic eruption some 70,000 years ago, it is probably the largest resurgent caldera on Earth. Pulau Samosir or Samosir Island, The island in the middle, was joined to the caldera wall by a narrow isthmus, which was cut through to enable boats to pass; a road bridge crosses the cutting. Samosir island is the cultural centre of the Batak tribe, the indigenous from North Sumatra.By the eruption of a super volcano (Mount Toba) was estimated to have caused mass death and extinction of several species of living creatures. The eruption of Mount Toba has led to changes in the earth's weather and the start into the ice age that affects the world civilization.            Lake Toba is actually more like a sea than a lake considering its size. Therefore, the Lake placed as the largest lake in Southeast Asia and the second largest in the world after Lake Victoria in Africa. Lake Toba is also includes the deepest lake in the world, which is approximately 450 meters.

              the best seasonal time to visit danau toba is in dry season between may and september. may is the best because the weather is changing from slightly cool to warm.

Taman Sari Water Palace, Yogyakarta

Taman Sari Keraton Yogyakarta are the site of a former park or palace garden Keraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, This garden was built during the time of Sultan Hamengku Buwono I (HB I) in 1758-1765 / 9. Initially, the park which got the title "The Fragrant Garden" has an area of ​​more than 10 hectares with around 57 buildings in the form of buildings, bathing ponds, suspension bridges, water canals, as well as artificial lakes and artificial islands and underwater passageways. The garden, which was used effectively between 1765-1812, initially stretched from the southwest of the Kedhaton complex to the southeast of the M Merchant complex. But at this time, the only remnants of Taman Sari that can be seen are in the southwest of the Kedhaton complex. It is said that Taman Sari was built in the former old palace, Pesanggrahan Garjitawati, which was established by Susuhunan Paku Buwono II as a resting place for horse-drawn carriages going to Imogiri. As the leader of the Taman Sari development project, Tumenggung Mangundipuro was appointed. All development costs will be borne by the Regent of Madiun, Tumenggung Prawirosentiko, along with all his people. Therefore the Madiun area is exempt from taxation. In the midst of the development the project leader was taken over by Prince Notokusumo, after Mangundipuro resigned. Although officially as a royal garden, some buildings indicate that Taman Sari functions as the last bastion if the palace is attacked by enemies. It is said that one of the architects of this royal garden was a Portuguese better known as Demang Tegis.

Taman Sari is a Water Palace full of Beauty and Secrets, Splashing water, the beauty of its ancient architecture, and amazing views make Taman Sari very charming. The halls and buildings make Taman Sari full of secrets that will continue to unfold. "From the top of the Stage Gate, the Sultan used to watch the dances down there. The buildings beside him are the place for the musicians and in the middle of the stage a place where the dancers show their skill and flexibility," explained a guide when I and my family I entered Taman Sari. From the Gapura Stage, the guide took me into an area that was once only allowed for the Sultan and his family, the Taman Sari baths. Gurgling of water immediately greeted. The clear water blends nicely with the dashing beige walls that surround it. The bathing pool in this area is divided into three namely Umbul Kawitan (pool for the sons and daughters of the King), Umbul Pamuncar (pool for concubines), and Umbul Panguras (pool for the King).

A pot where the Sultan's wives looked in the mirror was still standing intact when I entered the tower of the Sultan's private place. The ornaments that adorn the pot give the impression of glamor on objects located next to the Sultan's wardrobe. You can imagine, 200 years ago a beautiful woman waited for the water in this pot to calm down and then she bowed her head, fixing her makeup and bun, beautifying her body while looking in the mirror. In addition to the Sultan's pot and private room, in the tower which consists of three levels, there is a ladder made of teak wood which is still intact, so it gives an antique impression to anyone who sees it. Up to the top level, the reflection of the sun from the pool below and the entire Taman Sari area are clearly visible. Maybe the Sultan used to enjoy the view from up here, the view of Taman Sari which is still complete with its artificial lake and fragrant flowers.

After enjoying the view from the top of the tower, the guide then took me to Gapura Agung, the arrival of the golden train that Sultan and his family used to ride. The dominant gate with flower ornaments and bird wings is the entrance for the Sultan's family who wants to enter Taman Sari. The guesthouse is just south of Taman Sari to be the next destination. Before the war, the Sultan would meditate in this place. The atmosphere of silence and silence immediately felt when I entered. Here, the Sultan must think of various ways of negotiation and war strategy so that the sovereignty of the Yogyakarta Palace is maintained. This area is also a place to store weapons, armor, and the purification of the ancient krises. The court is used by soldiers who practice swords. I separated from the guide in front of Gapura Agung. However, this does not mean the trip has stopped because there are still several places that must be visited such as the Gumuling Well and the Kenongo Building. To get to that place, you have to go through Tajug, the hallway that connects Taman Sari with the palace and also Pulo Kenongo. This wide underground hallway is just in case if the palace is in a precarious situation. Many secret rooms are hidden in this place. Coming out of Tajug, you will see traces of Pulo Kenongo that were once overgrown with cananga flowers that smoked Taman Sari. I went to the Gumuling Well, the underground mosque where the king and family worship. The two-story building that was designed has a good acoustic side. So, in ancient times, when the priest led the prayer, the voice of the priest could be heard well in all directions. Even now, that can still be felt. The voice of the conversation from people who are far away from us feels like they are beside us. In addition, to go to the center of this mosque, again must pass through the dark alleys. Arriving in the middle of the mosque in the form of a square-shaped place with 5 steps around it, the majesty is increasingly felt. When looking up, the sky looks blue. The sound of birds heard from settlements in the Taman Sari area further adds to the serenity of the atmosphere.

The last stop is the Kenongo Building. This building which was used as a place for the king to eat is the tallest building in Taman Sari. In this place you can enjoy the enchanting golden sunset. The whole Taman Sari can be seen from here, such as the Soko Guru Mosque in the east and the vents of Tajug. Satisfied with the freshness of the water from Taman Sari, the sky will greet. The beautiful and enchanting scenery offered by Taman Sari. The charming charm of water combined with European, Hindu, Javanese and Chinese style walls is a value that will make Taman Sari unforgettable. (Muhammad Rafi Arlintio, 05-12-2019)

Borobudur Temple

Borobudur Temple

    Borobudur temple located on the island of Java, the magnificent Borobudur temple is the world’s biggest Buddhist monument, an ancient site widely considered to be one of the world’s seven wonders. The temple sits majestically on a hilltop overlooking lush green fields and distant hills. Built in the 9th century during the reign of the Syailendra dynasty, the temple’s design in Gupta architecture reflects India's influence on the region, yet there are enough indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.

     Go to packages the covers an enormous area, measuring 123 x 123 meters. The monument is a marvel of design, decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The architecture and stonework of this temple has no equal. And it was built without using any kind of cement or mortar. The structure is like a set of massive interlocking Lego blocks held together without any glue.

     The temple has remained strong even through ten centuries of neglect. It was rediscovered in 1815, buried under volcanic ash. In the 1970’s the Indonesian Government and UNESCO worked together to restore Borobudur to its former majesty The restoration took eight years to complete and today Borobudur is one of Indonesia and the world’s most valuable treasures.

Borobudur is only one hour’s drive from Yogyakarta. The easiest way to get there is by joining a tour or renting a car. 

       During your journey to Borobudur, enjoy the fresh cool air of Magelang city with its roads lined with big shady trees. Borobudur itself stands tall against the spectacular backdrop of the Menoreh mountain range that surrounds it.

Entering the temple compound is easy and most visitors choose to wander around on foot.                       Alternatively, you can chart a cart (pulled by a horse) at a reasonable price. Alternatively, cruise passengers who disembark at Semarang can take a day tour driving through Wonosobo to Borobudur

Balaputra Dewa Museum

Balaputra Dewa Museum

Balaputra Dewa Museum is located on Jalan Srijaya 1 No. 28, Palembang. The price to enter there is also very cheap, for school children only 1.000, and 2.000 for adults. The location is very strategic and clean. 2 months ago, I went to Balaputra Dewa musem with my friend to do English for tourism assignments. Balaputra Dewa Museum is a historical place in Palembang. In the balaputra dewa, there are many rooms that contain historical items that were used by ancient people such as tops, pots, traditional clothes, various fabrics, limas house and fabric-making tools.
Not only that, there are also inscriptions, and human body and animal skeletons. Each room has a detailed explanatio of the history and each end can read it.

Balaputra Dewa Museum is one of the attractions that must be visited, in addition to adding insight into history, Balaputra Dewa Museum is also used as a tourist destination as well as a place of recreation.

Link our youtube: https://youtu.be/xGcQHW1CVP0

Ranau Lake

Danau Ranau

       Have you ever seen a rainbow over the lake and took pictures with the beautiful lake background? Found fish passing on the surface?

            Please come to Lake Ranau, in the South Oku region, Palembang, South Sumatra. In Ogan Komering Ulu Regency. Where, comes a beauty that is no less interesting than Lake Toba and Lake Linting. Here not only can visitors see the rainbow, but play with water splashes through the water jetski game. In fact, you are freely racing on the lake with jetski and writhing to the rhythm of the water and the roar of the jetski engine.

              The main beauty that can be seen directly when coming to this place is the blue lake water. The clarity is indeed able to tempt anyone who comes to directly enter the water. In addition, native friends will also be presented with the beauty of its spectacular natural panorama.

                Try looking to the east, can see the splendor of seminung mountains. The combination of mountains and lakes will be felt when the weather is very sunny. Really elegant and charming. This is the moment that you should never miss. Because, there is also a moment of the appearance of the rainbow that adds to the beauty of this natural panorama.

             Besides being able to play Jetski, here is also a paradise for anglers because in the lake there are various kinds of fish that can be caught and eaten. Therefore, it is not surprising that most of the residents' livelihoods are fishermen.

                The fish that can be found in this area are mujahir, arrogant kepirat, and semah. Usually these fishermen will sell their fish to a restaurant not far from the lake. However, no need to worry if you want to quickly eat fish dishes from this lake. In the vicinity of Lake Ranau many restaurants offer typical South Sumatra menus.

              To reach Lake Ranau, you can take the route from the airport in Palembang and it takes about 8 hours by road. Sometimes a little to find the road is not good, but overall, the trip was asphalt.

                  Area of ​ Ranau Lake itself is 125 square kilometers and has a depth of approximately 229 meters. This lake is like sea water on the beach which has calm waves. Therefore it is very friendly to use as a place to swim. For those who do not want to risk, the management has built a waterpark in this area.

Lampung

     My holiday in Lampung

When l was 16th years old. l went to lampung with my friends. They are my classmate in senior high school. We went to lampung by train. Before we went there, we prepared and bought a ticket. We went to lampung at 08.00 am to 20.00 pm, so from palembang to lampung we spent 12 hours, it was very tired.
In the way, l looked a wonderful view, but it was bored because a long the way we just look garden, rice field, and trees. We spent our time with joke until we were over slept.
In lampung we stayed in abi's house. I can not to sleep, because near abi's house there are railroad, and the weater in lampung is very cold.
The next day in the morning, we were jogging. At 9.00 am we went to pahawang beach. I was very excited, finally l went to beach. We must crossing the ocean using the ship. In pahawang beach we took a photo, video, and went to snorkeling. The beach is wonderful, the air is fresh. I love it. After than, we visited the place of making banana chips. Banana chips in lampung has many taste. There are chocolate, chesee, original, and etc . l hope, l can back in lampung, because lampung has many wonderful place to visited.

Raja Ampat (Papua)

RAJA AMPAT

West Papua, Indonesia

Located off the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays and schools surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo. It encompasses more than 9.8 million acres (40,000 km) of land and sea, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia. It is a part of the newly named province of Papua Barat (West Papua) of Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya.

Diving highlights

With over 700 islands to discover above and under water, there will certainly never be a shortage of wonderful things to explore. To give you the best insight possible on what to expect when diving with us in Raja Ampat we collected a list of some of the spectacular island groups that offer miraculous conditions for diving.

Penemu : Limestone Islands covered in Tropical Rainforest seam to put you back to a land beyond our time.
Diving : pretty walls with lots of critters and well coral covered slopes, medium current. Excellent night dive sites: interesting species of clams, sea urchins, cephalopods, sea spiders and crabs in current protected areas.

Waigeo/Gam : Waigeo is the biggest of the 4 main islands in Raja Ampat and it’s in thick rainforest covered coasts invite to explore it via kayaks. Beautiful anchorages filled with bird noises at sunrise and sunset will knock you off your feet. The very close island of Gam is the only island in the world where the Red bird of Paradise is found.
Diving : Pinnacles, sandy slopes but also steep valleys inbetween islets, in soft coral covered walls with a hard coral reef top. Pegmy Seahorses, Epaulette sharks and rare nudibranches are some of the highlights here, but also some ‘biggies’ are often seen cruising by.

Wayag : This island group is one of the most beautiful ones in the Archipelago. The Geology looks a lot like in Palau - turquoise, clear waters gets washed through the shallow waters directly from the Pacific Ocean. Taking the kayaks out you will see parrots, king fishers and also wild orchids and such around the uncountable mushroom shaped cast limestone rocks. A maze of large forested islands and sizable domes or beehive-shaped islets sourround the shallow lagoons.
Diving : Strong current around pinnacles and rocky islets invite big schools of barakudas and tunas to cruise around this area. Overhanging Walls inhabit lots of critters, also big groupers sharks are seen.

Kabui Passage : The islands Waigeo and Gam are divided by a narrow channel, which is nearly one nautic mile long. Reflected by the thick forests the water looks mystic green and in this peaceful area you can hear a huge amount of jungle noises like birds and bugs.
Diving : The Kabui passage is a very special dive and full of surprises… Strong currents wash through the shallow channel and the greenish water easily seams a bit spooky. Mangroves and rainforest cover its shoreline and inhabit archor fishes and colorful soft corals in the shallow waters but also lots of weird looking critters and juvenile fishes. From time to time you also see turtles and small schools of great barakudas cruising by. Also abnormous sized sponges and all different kinds of sea fans, sea pens, hydroids, sea squirts and shrimps make this area to a very unique habitat.

Daram/Efpian : From the surface the islets of black rock seam almost lost – the only habitats above the water level are pelagic birds, snails and chitons. But the clear deep blue water around them is full of marine life:
Diving : Colorful soft corals and black corals cover the rocks and in the numberous sea fans you find pegmy seahorses and spider crabs. Thousands of little reef fishes add one more dimension to this amazing under water landscape. Often big schools of batfish, bannerfish or red tooth trigger fish are cruising by.

Farondi/Wagmab : Pretty bays and cast limestone islands build the coastline of this region. There are also some interesting caves above and below the water level. Scenbic forested islands hills rise steeply up from the coast.
Diving : Heavy currents make some of the dive sites in between Farondi and Wagmab challenging, but if the visibility is good it is one of the most various and stunning dives you can do. Caves, sandy slopes covered in black coral bushes, gorgonion fans, sea whips etc. Also big schools of barakudas and bumphead parrotfishes are seen on the sites.

Kri/Mansuar : This locations in the centre of Raja Ampat support a diverse reef biota due to its incorporation of several major habits including an exposed steep drop off, algal ridge, reef flat and sheltered lagoons. White sand beaches with palm trees are found all around Mansuar, this area is also very nice for snorkeling.
Diving : Healthy reefs and a huge amount of fish – medium to strong current. Possibility to see Mantas, Blacktip, Whitetip and Grey Reef sharks.

Of course this is only an idea of what you will be seeing when diving in Raja Ampat. Surprise species are found ever again between all those marvellous islands and give new reason to return ever again.