Tourist Destination With Arabic Taste in West Java : Puncak.

Puncak is a mountain area in West Java. It is among well-known tourist destinations in West Java. Puncak means "peak"; indeed, it lies along highlands stretching from Bogor regency to the Cianjur regency. 

Green and Hilly Landscape of Puncak (Wikipedia.com)

Puncak is on the foot and slopes of the Gede-Pangrango Mount and is at an average altitude of 700-1800 m above sea level with the air temperature reaching an average of 14-18 degrees Celsius.The highland, being cooler than Jakarta, has already been popular resort area for the inhabitants of Jakarta who is looking for cooler air.

Puncak Pass is the most popular spot in Puncak Area. Being the highest point, at around 1500 meter above MSL, making it a "must spot" to have a break along the passage from Bogor city to Cianjur city.  Other interesting spots to visit in Puncak Area are:

• Kota Bunga, Cianjur;
• Taman Safari;
• Bogor Botanical Garden;
• National Park Gunung Pangrango;
• President Palace, Cipanas;
• Restaurant Rindu Alam;
• Tea Plantation Gunung Mas;
• Atta'awun Mosque;
• Taman Wisata matahari;
• Melrimba Garden;
• Telaga Warna;
• Riung Gunung Restaurant;
• Citamiang Camping Ground;
• Hand-gliding and Paragliding Station around Atta'awun Mosque;

The attractions of cool temperature, green and hilly area, along with friendly people has made Puncak among the favorite destination for domestic and international visitors, including visitors from Arab countries. Among Arabic tourists, Puncak is known as Jabal al Akhdar ( Green Mountain). According statistics, around 90 per cent of Arabic tourist, between 1000 to 1500 monthly visiting Puncak, comes from Saudi Arabia (Kompas, Wednesday, 13 January 2016). Other Arabic tourists comes from UEA, Kuwait, Bharain, Qatar, Yemen and other North African Countries like Egypt, Aljazair, Tunisia, and Marrocco.

The popularity of Puncak as among middle east visitors has gradually made the area  Arabic-friendly tourist destination in the past ten years. Puncak has, partly, turned into Arabic village like in Warung Kaleng, Cisarua, Bogor. In Sampay Kampong, Tugu Utara Village, Cisarua nearly all commercial building such as salon, restaurants, groceries, money changers, travel agents spa and massage facilities are signed with Arabic words. 

Arabic visitors will also find a three-level restaurant, Zahra Al Jazeerah, in Kota Bunga, Pacet,Cianjur. The restaurant is the biggest middle east restaurant in Puncak area. Besides, as moslem Arabic tourists can go to Al Qona'ah Mosque in Warung Kaleng to have Friday prayers where the preaching is delivered in Arabic.

Source: Kompas, Wednesday, January 13, 2016.