Tourist Destinations in Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia.

Pantai Selong Blanak
Location: Mangkung Village, West Praya District, 55 miles from Mataram City. Description: very beautiful beaches and very alluring landscapes. 

Belek 
Location: Beleke village, East Praya District, 51 miles east of Mataram City . Dsecription: Art village  of woven bamboo and manufacture of wooden sculptures. 

Loyok Katu Raja
Location: Loyok Katu village king, subdistrict, Sikur, 49 km from Mataram keterangan: pengarajin village of wicker woven bamboo that was done to the next. 

Tete Batu
Location: tete stone 52 km from the city of Mataram. Description: tete stone is a mountain with a very beautiful panorama at the foot of Mount Rinjani .terletak with the cool air with the breeze blowing in iringin melodious chirping of birds .In this mountain region are wild animals and living apes long black tail loud.


Otak Kokok
Location: Otak Kokok, 50 km from the city of Mataram.Description: waterfall that its water can cure all known diseases are very healthy water. 

Suradadi
 Location: 49 km from the village Suradadi dati 1. description: the village craftsmen woven from palm leaves that was done for generations.LEMORLocation: village swale, kec Pringgabaya, 67 km from mataram.keterangan: tourism forests where there are many different types of trees from animal spicies .The renag the water springsBuckets 

Timba Nuh
Location: kec, aik mel, 75 km from Mataram. Description: Forest teen tour, which at this place are the rest house which was built by the Dutch government koloneal in ancient times. 

Gili Lampu
Location: sembelie village, 80 km from mataram.keterangan: beach water is very clear great for swimming and surfing.

Labuhan Haji
Location: village cape teros excl. Selong, 76 km from the city mataram.keterangan: very quiet beach where the water is suitable for swimming and is a stop over for cross kepulau Sembawa .sekali in a year, the event was held the crowd to menyaambut Eid Eid.

Labuhan Lombok
Location: Lombok harbor village, kec.pringgabaya, 80 km from the city of Mataram.Description: Also known by the name of heaven and the harbor is very familiar with life in fishing communities Until this time made in place of the port heading to the island of Sumbawa (crossing).

Nenek / Loang Gali
Location: Lenek village, 54 km from mataram.keterangan: in this village there is a village of art trdisional pristine Lombok.call.

Mada Prama
Location: subdistrict, Dompu, 254 km from Mataram.

Kalimantan  Beach
Location: hibiscus jero village, 87 km from Mataram. Description: white sandy beach with a beautiful view, once a year at a party held nyale smell very famous in Lombok.

Selaparang Tomb
Location: east LombokDescription: a place of his burial of kings and leaders of Islam in the kingdom Selaparang, Lombok east, east of the tomb there is a building that has four entrances .In this place there Selaparang royal heritage objects with various legends, such as the legend's daughter Anjani as peak mount rinjani 

Moyo Island
Location: Located in the north kab.sumbawa, 250 km from Mataram.Description: a small island located in the northern district, Sumbawa .merupakan safari park for hunting, with some kind of wild animal moyo .The island has white sand beaches with diverse marine parks, as well as coral reefs and ornamental fish that adorn the beautiful sea The. 

Pantai Lunyuk
Location: village Lunyuk 250 km from the city of Mataram.Description: The beach is an ideal place for swimming beach is inhabited by many turtle and a place to lay eggs.

Tirta Sari Kencana Beach
Location: Sumbawa, 154 km from MataramDescription: very nice beach to bathe and relax

Maluk Beach
Location: subdistrict, Jereweh, 275 km from MataramDescription: Very beautiful beaches and scenery its great for swimming and wind surfing.

Istana Tua (IN LOKA)
Location: kab.sumbawa large, 150 km from Mataram.Description: Large kab.sumbawa., 150 km from MataramDescription: Sultan Salahuddin relics of old buildings which houses a wheel or center run government.

Gua Liang Petang
Lokas: kab.sumbawa large, 174 km from Mataram.Description: a cave that is much visited as a place of recreation and there is also a stone that has a woman's breasts.


Pantai Hindo
Location: subdistrict, Dompu, 257 km from MataramDescription: The beach is ideal for swimming and surfing play angin.terdapat springs on the coast called HoDo water because it is located on the seafront.


Pantai Hu'u
Location: kec.hu'u, 290 km from MataramDescription: is the name of a beachOn southern districts. Dompu which is an ideal place for surfing because of its huge waves and is the best place in NTB. white sandy beach sun is not too hot, it will be an impression for the visitors who come to the place terDescription: jungle tours are ideal for recreational bathing place .terdapat swimming pool water from springs, .12 miles from the town tk.ll Dompu.

Mount Tambora
Location: 275 km from Mataram.Description: mountain surrounded by a very dense forest with beautiful scenery and mountains, many were happy to climb by trecking / nature lovers and this area is also a hunting park animals such as deer, wild boar.


Pantai Lawata
Location: kec.rasane, 296 km from Mataram .keterangan: beach that was once used as a resting place of the king.

Pantai Kambing
Location: 302 miles from Mataram description: island that is used as a recreation area can be used as a canoe / boat from the port Milky within 20 minutes.

OLD PALACE
Location: 299 miles from mataram.keterangan kec.bima: Milky heritage palace that is now in use as a museum.Pesanggrahans DonggoLocation: subdistrict, Donggo, 294 km from mataram.keterangan: highland resort with beautiful panorama Donggo sewrta cool air.

Desa Maria
Location: excl. Wawo, 340 km from Mataram description: a traditional village with the original home mbojo tribe located in the highlands. 

Desa Wawo Ntumbu
Location: subdistrict, Wawo, 342 km from mataram.keterangan: a very famous village with head kicks, there is also a special place to see traditional houses mbojo tribe.


Sape Beach
Location: labuhan sape, 365 km from mataram.keterangan: top over to the island in the bay komodo.terletak sape.

Historical Buildings and Sites in Jakarta : Lapangan Banteng.

Lapangan Banteng, or Banteng Square, is a site with high historical values in Central Jakarta. It was formerly named Waterlooplein, in Weltevreden, Batavia.At that time, the Banteng Square was known as the Lion Square, because in the middle of it stood a battle victory memorial in Waterloo, with a lion on it.

As it is known that the battle of Waterloo occurred on June 18, 1815 near the town of Waterloo, about 15 km after the capital of Belgium, Brussels. As Napoleon's final battle againts an allay of the British-Dutch-German.The battle was also recorded in history as the ending of a hundred days since the flight of Napoleon from the island of Elba.Meanwhile, the Lion Monument was established in the era of Japanese occupation (1942-1945). After Indonesia's independence, it was renamed as Lapangan Banteng.

Visit Labuhan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara : A "Must" Tourism Destination.

Welcome to Labuhan Bajo.

If you happened to meet Indonesians and asked about Labuan Bajo, the responses were surely " Sorry never heard of the name of that city in Indonesia". It sounds reasonable  to  most layperson in Indonesia may be seldom heard of the town of Labuan Bajo since it is only a fishing town on the western tip of Flores in the East Nusa Tenggara,Eastern Indonesia.

Even, probably a lot of tourists, both domestic and international, who have only known tourist destinations in Bali and neighboring provinces those in Jawa Island, as well as West Nusa Tenggara  have, actually, overlooked many other potential sites in the country with much more rewarding visits, of course, with value-for-money attractions, such as those in Labuhan Bajo.

Labuhan Bajo, the busiest tourist Center in Flores.

Since Komodo Island was designated as "Komodo Island is the New 7 Wonders of the World", aside from being a small fishing town, Labuan Bajo today has become one of the busiest tourist centers in Flores. This town has become a stopover point for those who want to travel to the island of Komodo, a tourist destination of  watching a unique creature called Komodo Dragon in the Komodo National Park.

In fact, the Government have decided Labuhan Bajo among the ten prime destinations to be prioritized for the acceleration of tourism development in Indonesia. Other prime destinations including  Borobudur Ancient Temple, Central Java; Mandalika Beach, West Nusa Tenggara; Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara; Bromo-Tengger-Semeru Mounts, East Java; Thousand Islands, Jakarta; Toba Lake, North Sumatra; Wakatobi, Southeast Sulawesi; Tanjung Lesung Beach, Banten; Morotai Island, North Maluku; and Tanjung Kelayang Beach, Belitung (The Jakarta Post, September 6 2016).

 
Administratively,  Labuan Bajo is a village of nine villages located in the district of Komodo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. Now it has been developed into a city of Labuan Bajo.Its territory covers; Kampung Ujung, Kampung Tengah, Kampung Air, Lamtoro, Wae Kelambu, Wae Medu, Cowang Dereng, Wae Kesambi, Wae Bo, Lancang, Sernaru, Wae Mata, Pasar Baru, Pede, dan Gorontalo.

Liveaboard Leisure Trip in Indonesia: Komodo Island Tour, East Nusa Tenggara.

Adventure into the Komodo Island National Park was my long time dream. My passionate for the trip came over as the Komodo Island was designated as the New Seven Wonders of the World, my activity in the public sector occupied most my time. But this time, I had a full support from my boss. Wasn't it  a big luck for me. Since the attractions I was looking for spread over a number of islands which required me to hop from one island to another, then liveaboard leisure trip would suit me best.

It took me a while to browse the Internet searching for a tourist package by local tour operators to Komodo Island offering the one I needed. at the end of the day, I had booked a stay at 'Bajo View Hotel'  and  a liveaboard trip of 3D2N from November 10 to 12, 2016  or three days on the go and two overnight stay with the following itinerary:

Day 1: Labuhan Bajo - Kanawa Island - Sembilan Island - Overnight at Gili Lawa (Sun Set);

Day 2: Gili Lawa (Sun Rise) - Manta Point - Pink Beach - Komodo Village (overnight);

Day 3: Padar Island - Rinca Island - Pulau Kelor - Labuhan Bajo.

Provided during liveaboard including: full AC along the trip, pick up and drop at hotel and harbour, foods and drinks, life jackets, snorkeling gear, tour guide and ranger in the Komodo National Park, entry tickets into all destinations, as well as documentation with drone, a Quadcopter.

I decided to get to Labuhan Bajo by hopping over two big citries : Jakarta and Denpasar, out of missing it so much for such a quite long time  beside ample time I had. Actually, I could have flied directly by Garuda Air Ways, our national flag carrier , which just opened six times a week to Labuhan Bajo. After making preparation for the trip, I departed from Jakarta on November 9th, at 8.20 WIB with Lion Air then landed on time in Denpasar. After stopover for around four hours, I flied again to Labuhan Bajo at 14.00 WITA and landed on time.

Arriving on the airport, with a bit of confusion on how to go to my hostel, I then grabbed a taxi with flat rate Rp 60,000.0. Around five minutes, the taxi dropped  me ' Bajo View Hostel'. The hostel was not quite good and costed me only Rp 110,000.0. I reckoned it as budget one, particularly when discounted with a harbour view.

Still having time before the ' real show time', I chose to take a walk to the harbour for photography hunting and sunset in the evening. In the night, I spent it having fun in a cafe called 'Le Pirate'. It was already full with foreign visitors, all of them  tourists I supposed.

The next day, on November 10th, I spent my first day in Labuhan Bajo to explore the nearby attractions. After eliciting some information from a hostel staff, I chose to go to Cunca Wulang water fall. I got out the hostel at around 10.00 WITA and took me almost one hour with a hired motor cycle to the entry post of  the destination area. The ride was not a easy one as it was  an ascending and winding small road with bushes on the left and right. I needed to pay an entry ticked of Rp 70,000.0 including a local guide, Mr. Zakarya.

After trekking for nearly thirty minutes, we arrived at Cuncawulang waterfall. There were already eight foreign tourists, most of them are western visitors. It was quite interesting attraction of a lake with two colors, green during dry season and blue  wet season. you can do cliff jumping and swimming in a cool water. You would see the natural harmony over there with local people empowered as the forest custodian. Notably, all contributions into the area go to the local people. Black cloud on the sky gave me a sign to go back to the hostel.Thank you Mr. Zakarya for guiding you are such a humble men.

I had no idea with who and how many I was going to share the trip with. Thursday the11th, I was pick up on 09.30 WIT (East Indonesia Time) at the Bajo View Hostel and dropped at Kampung Ujung and rounded up at the port. Until, I realized that I was going to  share the joy with six teen others and all were young country folks eight young men and eight young women from a number of cities in Sumatra and Java. Nearly all of them seemed to me a kind of easy going and easy to mingle with.

We then departed for Kanawa Island, a fifty minute sailing. The Island offers a wonderful nature where you will find its crystal clear water and a beach with white and soft sand. Visitors were mostly snorkeling here.

we had our lunch on the boat while sailing to Pulau Sembilan or Nine Island. its actually an atoll reef  with a shape of nine. that's why it is called Pulau Sembilan. In this island, we swim and touched jelly fish. Don't you worry touching jelly fish is not hurting since its sting is so small.

Having fun in Pulau Sembilan, we set off to Gili Laba.  It took us around three hours depending on the sea current and the weather. Luckily, it was a good weather when we were ashore. Then, the Tour Leader took us trekking to the hill on the left to find the best spot for watching  sunset.

Before twilight we had to be on board again, we went down the hill with care as the way down was slippery and steep.  We stayed overnight here.

we all woke up very early in the morning at 04.00 WITA by the tour staff to start another trekking for the sun rise. The trekking line was quite challenging and not easy for some guys but the attraction was worth it. After around twenty minutes of an ascending route, we finally got to the peak with the Sun still behind the cloud.

A couple of minute later, we marveled at the appearance of yellow lights from the Sun appeared.Our next destination was Manta Point. In this spot, we swim and  gazed at a cluster of manta looking for food. Remember, do not touch it because the tail is very dangerous.

From Manta Point, we then, continued our trip to Pink Beach. It really is a stunning beach with pink fine sand which attract so many tourists to come enjoy its uniqueness.

you can do many things here including sun bathing, walking along the beach, photo taking, snorkeling, and trekking. when trekking choose the route to the highest spot because you could see the whole terrain of Pink Beach, as well as Komodo Island.

Komodo Island was our main destination with Loh Liang as the entry gate. In local language, Loh means egg, and Liang hole; all together becomes egg hole. Actually, there are three entry gates into the Komodo Island National Park depending the length of trekking route: short, medium, and long. we chose the short one, any how we still saw a herd of deers and six Komodo Dragons.

Before started trekking the ranger gave us some dons along the route: do not make noise, do not make a surprising move,  do not swing beg, or scarf as it looks like foods to them, women with menstruation expected to report as they could smell it and like it, and lastly do not litter along the way. Once finished, we got back to the boat and head off to the water of Kalong Island and stayed overnight there.

On the last day of our liveaboard trip, we head off to Pulau Padar very early at 04.00 WIT.  Pulau Padar is also the icon of this trip for its breath taking view. We arrived at a temporary jetty there around 06.00 WIT. The trekking route to the hill in Pulau Padar is less challenging as the way up is not so steep. It took only twenty minutes to the hill top.

Indeed, the view of three beaches that make  up  a half of circle is really stunning. I was speechless at the first time gazing over the dazzling view in Pulau Padar. Sailing back to Labuhan Bajo, We made a stop at Pulau Kelor and enjoyed the beauty of its beach and small hill. Trekking in this island was more entertaining than playing in the beach.

We arrived at the habour of Labuhan Bajo at 12.00 WIT and drove to the airport afterward. Before departing for Denpasar, I brought home some souvenirs sold in a souvenir shop, just across just the airport. Don't forget to bring cash

I guested it was a perfect trip for me, a value for money trip. I could enjoy quite a variety of attraction along the trip; enjoy the beauty of  mother nature on the beach and islands besides I could do many things like watching sunset and sunrise, sunbathing, trekking, swimming, snorkeling,gazing Komodo Dragon, touching jelly fish, and watching manta. Indonesia is,indeed, a wonderful country with friendly local people where ever you go.


Note:  This blog thanks a great deal to Mr. Robby for sharing his experience. 

Historical Buildings and Sites in Jakarta: Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.

When you are looking for an art performance theater in Jakarta,  Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ), or Jakarta Art Performance Theater is a good choice. Besides enjoying art performance where artists from all over the archipelago show art performances  such as drama, theater, film, literature, and so forth, you can also learn a lot from its past as it has a long history dating back from the British occupation in Indonesia. 

The idea to build a theater in Batavia (now Jakarta) back in 1814 when the British as occupiers of the island of Java. Governor Sir Stamford Raffles was aware that British soldiers should have a place of entertainment, and eventually built a building with a capacity of 250 people. A building was unimpressive made of bamboo, and officially opened on October 27, 1814. This form of theater was bad but  achieved its objectives as an  entertainment building first  entertaining British soldiers.

When the Dutch came and colonized, the entire building was demolished and rebuilt with the name "Schouwburg" (theater building in Dutch). Schouwburg, as a theater was qualified with Roccoco architecture and popular neo-Greek style  at that time, was officially opened in December 1821. For more than 100 years Schouwburg became a theater for performances of art.


Source: http://www.gedungkesenianjakarta.co.id

Historical Buildings and Sites in Jakarta : The Traces of the Freemason Movement in Indonesia.

As an old city, Jakarta has many buildings with high historical values. One of the many buildings is Kimia Farma Building located in Jalan Budi Utomo, Central Jakarta.  It was the first building in Asia ever built in Batavia, later known as Loge La Choisie meaning the chosen loge. 

The building was also known as Logebouw De Ster in het Oosten. Locals call it the house of Satan, as the visitors keep secret what they were talking about and do in the building decorated with pilasters and portikus and in the Doric style.

The building was originally built in 1761 by Petrus Albertus Van der Parra and initiated by Jacob Cornellis Matthieu Rademacher, a member of Freemasonry Movement (Vrijmetselaarl)  as a meeting place. In 1848, the building was then renovated to change its front structure from doric style into Indisch Empire style of architecture.At certain moments, Freemasons often held ceremonies with burning candles and wore strange clothes like the clothes of Halloween.
 

Today, the logo of star in the head of the building symbolizing the East Star, "De Ster in het Oosten", or a symbol of free thinking movement is replaced by a rising sun, the logo of PT Kimia Farma, a stated owned pharmacy company of Indonesia. After the independence of Indonesia, the office belonged to NV Pharmciutiche Handels-vereeniging J Van Gorkom & Co was nationalized to become the head office of Bhinneka Kimia Farma, then PT. Kimia farma.The building itself was the location of the convening of the first Indonesian Youth Congress which was on April 30 to May 2, 1926.

The front part of the building remains original but the interior was partitioned by the management due to the office needs, and modified ts indoor space into two levels. The roofs, aged 195 years old, still looks original with golden yellow paint. 

The former name of Jalan Budi Utomo where the building sit was Komidie Burt. The name was given because it was opposite to the theater Schouwburg (now Gedung Kesenian Jakarta or Jakarta Art Building) which established in 1821. After the building erected in 1837, the road name was changed to Vrijmetselaarweg or Freemason Street. Since then, the building became the quarter of Freemason in the East Indies.

Actually, the member of Freemason from Netherlander had lived in Indonesia before 1756. Institutionally, Freemason was formed after the member of Freemason from England entered.  The buldling measuring 20 m x 27 m was initially as a place of worshiping La Vertueuse. 

The building was erected on a plot of land granted by the East Indies Government and designed by a Netherlands Engineer,  J Tromp, the Head of Public Works and Government Buildings. The funds spent on the building were 12,000 guldens. 

The building consisted of three large spaces and six rooms. One of the spaces was functioned as the room of throne. Initially, the building was used for two space of worshiping, La Vertueuse  and La Fidele Sincerite. Previously, the worship place of La Fidele Sincerite located in a logement at Tambora, West Jakarta, then moved to Jalan Kopi, Bandengan Utara, West Jakarta, in 1773; then moved again to Jalan Pos Kota ( formerly called Tijgersgracht), Kota Tua Old City of Jakarta.

Since the establishment in 1769, the worship place La Vertueuse moved many times. In 1780, it resided a house of one of freemason members named Daniel Kreysman, in Jalan Gajah Mada, Gajah Mada Street. From there, La Vertueuse moved to Jalan Budi Utomo. In 1937, two worship places merged into one with a new name Lodge Ster in het Oosten. In 1934, the worship place was moved to Adhuc Stat building, the office of Bappenas, the National Development Planning Agency in Jalan Taman Suropati, Menteng.

Source: cited from Kompas, Monday, 7 November 2016.

Jakarta, Once Upon A Time in the Old Days.

Old Map of Batavia, Old City or Kota Tua Jakarta Today.

Jakarta as the capital of the country has a very interesting historical relics to visit. History of Jakarta is long, as one of the major port city in the archipelago, Jakarta has become one of the main entrance even since prehistoric times, has also been used as a major port by the Dutch in the colonial period before it became the capital of the Republic of Indonesia at the time of independence.

Batavia is a former name of Jakarta where sit the capital city of the Dutch East Indies. As the center of the colonization in the East Indies during the period of 1610 to 1949, Batavia had witnessed the progression of area occupied extending inland ward from Northern Jakarta toward Central Jakarta.

From  a wooden warehouse and small settlement in the east bank of the mouth of the Ciliwung river in 1610, currently in North Jakarta, following a treaty signed by the Prince of Jayakarta and the VOC (the Dutch East Indies Company) representatives, the City of Batavia began developing along the banks of the Ciliwung river - the east and the west bank.

The Ex-Palace of Governor General, across Lapangan Banteng to the east.

Toward the end of the 1700s, the old city of Batavia became an unhealthy place to live and then in 1808, Governor-General Herman Willem Daendles moved the center of government to Weltervreden.Daendels' decided on March 7, 1809 to build a new palace for governor generals at Weltevreden, now in Central jakarta. The site would also be used for the construction of a new city center of Batavia to replace the walled city, now deteriorated, overcrowded and suffering from bad sanitation. 

The progression of Batavia as the city center across centuries had left many historical buildings and sites in Jakarta today as the legacy of  western colonization in Indonesia. The buildings and sites worth of visiting are as follows: 

 Northern Jakarta

• Sunda Kelapa Harbour;
• Menara Syahbandar;
•  Pasar Ikan; 
• Mesjid Luar Batang
• VOC Shipyards;
• Jembatan Kota Intan;
• Toko Merah;
• Ancol;
• Ereveld;
• Makam Kapiten Jonker;
• Rumah Si Pitung;
• Mesjid Al-Alam Marunda ;
•  Gereja Tugu;

Central Jakarta  

• Kota Tua;
• Café Batavia; 
•  Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik;
• Museum Fatahillah;
• Museum Wayang;
• Stasiun Kota;
• Gereja Sion;
•  Mesjid Jami Angke;
• Vihara Dharma Karya Ansapura;
• Mesjid Jami Annawir
• Gedung Kesenian Jakarta;
• Gedung Arsip Nasional;
• Lapangan Banteng;
• Gedung Pancasila;
• Gedung Departemen Keuangan;
•  Gedung Kimia Farma
• Ragusa Ice Cream Palace;
• Gedung Mahkamah Agung;
• Museum Nasional;
• Istana Negara
• Istana Merdeka;
• Geredja Katolik;
•  Gereja Inggris;
• Menteng;
• Historic Houses of Menteng;
• Menteng Pulo;

Source: The Jakarta Explorer, Cultural Tours In and Around the City by Indonesia Heritage Society

Visit Batam City: Come and Enjoy the Tranquility of Nongsa Beaches.

Nongsa Point Marina & Resort Batam, northeast of Batam Island.

Batam City is known as an industrial city, but it has a number of interesting spots to enjoy including Nongsa. Nongsa is a district in the city of Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia. This district is famous for its beaches. Some famous tourist beaches include Nongsa Beach, Coastal Maimun, Pantai Tanjung Bemban and Sekilak Beach. 

Nongsa Beach is located in the northeast part of Batam Island, precisely in the District Nongsa, Batam, Riau Islands Province. The name of this beach is the same as the name of his district. While Nongsa name itself is taken from the Malay name of a character who first developed this coastal region. 

Formerly this area is only vacant land covered by scrub, but thanks to the cold hands of the Malay leaders of this region has now turned into a tourist area with huge potential and managed to make investors build various resorts in the vicinity.Nongsa Beach, better known by the name of Nongsa Tua by people around the gorgeous beaches with calm waves and white sand. Interestingly, Nongsa Beach is very close to the southern coast of Singapore, even so close it only takes half an hour to use a motor boat to go to the south coast of Singapore.  

Ferry Terminal to Singapore from Nongsa.

Due to its proximity, at night when it is in the Nongsa Beach, you can enjoy the views of Singapore very beautifully decorated with lights. Not only that, this beach overlooking the northwest so it is perfect for enjoying the sunset. Nongsa Beach also has underwater scenery, which is not less beautiful. You can try snorkeling to enjoy it. In the vicinity of the beach there is also a traditional Malay village that can be visited.

Nongsa sub-district also has a number of resorts and golf courses of international standards with the goal of domestic and international travelers. there are at five hotel and resorts you can find in Nongsa : Montigo Resort, Turi Beach Resort, Nong Point Marina & Resort,Batam View Beach Resort, and Nongsa Village. You can also play golf in Palm Spring Golf & Resort, a golf courses wit international standards.

Visit Batam City: Come and Enjoy the Tranquility of Nongsa Beaches.

Marina in Nongsa Point Marina & Resort Batam, northeast of Batam Island.

Batam City is known as an industrial city, but it has a number of interesting spots to enjoy including Nongsa. Nongsa is a district in the city of Batam, Riau Islands, Indonesia. This district is famous for its beaches. Some famous tourist beaches include Nongsa Beach, Coastal Maimun, Pantai Tanjung Bemban and Sekilak Beach. 

Nongsa Beach is located in the northeast part of Batam Island, precisely in the District Nongsa, Batam, Riau Islands Province. The name of this beach is the same as the name of his district. While Nongsa name itself is taken from the Malay name of a character who first developed this coastal region. 

Formerly this area is only vacant land covered by scrub, but thanks to the cold hands of the Malay leaders of this region has now turned into a tourist area with huge potential and managed to make investors build various resorts in the vicinity.Nongsa Beach, better known by the name of Nongsa Tua by people around the gorgeous beaches with calm waves and white sand. Interestingly, Nongsa Beach is very close to the southern coast of Singapore, even so close it only takes half an hour to use a motor boat to go to the south coast of Singapore.  

Ferry Terminal to Singapore from Nongsa.

Due to its proximity, at night when it is in the Nongsa Beach, you can enjoy the views of Singapore very beautifully decorated with lights. Not only that, this beach overlooking the northwest so it is perfect for enjoying the sunset. Nongsa Beach also has underwater scenery, which is not less beautiful. You can try snorkeling to enjoy it. In the vicinity of the beach there is also a traditional Malay village that can be visited.

Nongsa sub-district also has a number of resorts and golf courses of international standards with the goal of domestic and international travelers. there are at five hotel and resorts you can find in Nongsa : Montigo Resort, Turi Beach Resort, Nong Point Marina & Resort,Batam View Beach Resort, and Nongsa Village. You can also play golf in Palm Spring Golf & Resort, a golf courses wit international standards.

Water Castle, Taman Sari in the Sultane Palace of Yogyakarta.

 Gedong Gapura Panggung,The front door of Taman Sari.

Next to Bali,Yogyakarta is today the  most desirable tourist destinations in Indonesia, offering a variety of tourist attractions ranging from natural attractions, historical tours, to culinary. One of the many historical sites in Yogyakarta is the Taman Sari,Water Castle located at Jalan Taman, Yogyakarta.

The gate into bathing pools.

Taman Sari is located very close to the palace of Yogyakarta Sultanate and only took about 15 minutes from the north square of the palace. This place was once a place of recreation for the royal family as well as the fortress was built in 1758-1765 by the Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. Now, Taman Sari Water Castle is one of the cultural heritage of Yogyakarta, which has become a popular tourist spot in the city.

Umbul Pamuncar,The Bathing Pool For King's Wifes.

Taman Sari was, or Beautiful Garden, used to for three functions, namely as : a defense area and a shelter as indicated by the high fortress which suroounded Taman Sari; the bation or a place to set the weapons; the gates equipped with the guard posts; and the underground tunnels that connects one area to others sych as from Margi Inggil to Pulo Kenanga, from Pulo Kenanga to Sumur Gumuling, Sumur GUmuling to Gerbang Segaran, on the western side of Taman Sari.

Taman Sari also functioned as a religious place. The buildings used by th Sulthan for religious service and meditation were Pulo Penembung and Sumur GUmuling, located in the middle of Kolam Segaram,. Pulo Penembang is located on the south of Pulo Kenangan and Sumur Gumuling is on the west of Pulo Kenanga.

Lastly, Taman Sari as a recreation/ Resting place. There are many facilities for recreation and retreat such as a bathing place complex, pools, ponds, arificial lake, and gardens. During its era, the artificial lake was streching from Pulo Kenangan to Pula Gedong the east of Palace. Through a ditch called Kali Larangan, Segawan water was directed from the Bendalole dam at Winongo river,  Pingit, on the northwest side of Yogyakarta. Other facilities related to water are pools or ponds such as Umbul Binangun, Kolam Garjitawati, Pasiraman Umbulsari adn Kolam Nagaluntak.

 
The Buildings with initial area of 10 hectares  has 57 buildings, consisting of a complex of bathing pools, artificial lakes, artificial islands, suspension bridges, canals, parks, underground passageways, as well as several buildings with European architecture, Chinese, Javanese, Hindu, Buddhism, and Islam.  The compound is a make up of four complexes namely:  Artificial lake,"Segaran" located in the west, where you will find Pulo Kenongo, Pulo Cemethi, serta Sumur Gumuling.

Umbul Panguras,The Bathing Pool For the Sultan.

Pulo Kenongo is an island in the middle of an artificial lake complex of Taman Sari. Here there is a building named Gedhong Kenongo, the building which was once the highest place in Keraton Yogyakarta making it possible to view the region as a whole palace. In the vicinity there are air vents for underground tunnels that can be used if it will escape from the enemy.You can see the sunset here because until now, the place is still one of the tallest buildings in Yogyakarta. Against the backdrop of the city of Yogyakarta, the sunset will be very memorable.

Umbul Kawitan,the Bathing Pool For the King's sons and daughters.

Pulo Cemethi located south Pulo Kenongo sultan is ideally used for meditation. Pulo Cemethi To achieve this, you must pass through an underground tunnel. 

The Traditional Sauna  for the Royal Family.

Gumuling well is located in the western part of Pulo Kenongo and a place of worship Sultan who can be reached through an underground tunnel. Although intended as a mosque, the well is different from the mosque in general because of the circular-shaped niche. Gumuling wells consist of two floors, the first floor is the assembly of men, while the second floor is a place for female pilgrims. 

In the Gumuling Well, if you speak loudly so your voice will be heard throughout the building. In the middle of the well, there are five ladders that implies five pillars of Islam, four of them up and merge in the middle, while the fourth-fifth connecting the ladder to the second floor . Under the stairs, you will find a pool of water which is ablution for pilgrims.

The second complex of Taman Sari has several buildings, namely:
a. Gedhong Gapura Hageng;Gedhong Hageng Gate is the main gateway to the west, but now it is not used anymore and the main entrance for visitors has been transferred to the east. Gedhong Hageng gate has a two-level room decorated with reliefs to describe the initial years of development of Taman Sari, namely 1765.

b. Gedhong calyx-calyx (Gopok-Gopok);This building was once a 2-storey tower, but now the building is gone and replaced by eight square garden.

 c. Pasiraman pennant (pennant Binangun);Bannerman Pasiraman or commonly known as Bannerman Binangun a bathing place along with the daughter of the sultan and his harem surrounded by high walls on each side. Bannerman Pasiraman has 3 pools named pennant Muncar, Blumbang Kuras and Binangun banners emblazoned with mushroom-shaped fountain and can be accessed through two entrance gates on the west and east.

 d. Gedhong Sekawan;Located east Umbul Pasiraman and form pages with four buildings as a resting place sultan.

 e. Gedhong Gapura Stage;Currently Gedhong Stage Gate is the main entrance gate used by a visitor to enter the Taman Sari complex and is located east of Taman Sari Water Castle. This 2-story building has a snake reliefs on the walls, depicting the completed construction of Taman Sari, namely 1758.

 f. Gedhong temanten;The building is located in the east Gedhong Gapuro stage and used as a place of custody.

 

Gedong Gapura Hageng, the ex Front Gate of Taman Sari.

Source : Leaflet on Taman Sari Ngayogyakarta as based on Eka Hadiyanta, IGN., menguak Keagungan Taman Sari, Sumber Aksara Yogyakarta, 2012.